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Venn BJ, Grant AM, Thomson CD, Green TJ. J Nutr 2003;133:418-420. Studies in rats indicate that plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is decreased in selenium deficiency and increases with selenium supplementation. [...]

Low vitamin D status in women of childbearing age may have implications for health. Vitamin D status of New Zealanders (NZ), based on low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) is suboptimal. Vitamin D status may be improved with supplements and/or fortified foods. Recently an Adequate Intake (AI) for Australia and NZ was set at 5 mug/d vitamin D. We aimed to determine the effect of daily consumption of milk powder fortified with 5 mug vitamin D3 on serum 25OHD concentration over 12 wks. 73 non-pregnant women (18 - 47 y) living in Dunedin, NZ (46 degrees S) were randomised to receive either unfortified (control) or fortified (5 mug vitamin D3) milk for 12 wks from January to April. Mean 25OHD was similar between groups at week 0 (control 74 vs 76 nmol/L) and fell significantly in both groups over the 12 weeks (control 53 nmol/L, fortified 65 nmol/L; p < 0.001). After 12 wks the fortified milk group had a serum 25OHD 19% (95% CI; 7, 32%) higher (10 nmol/L) than the control group after adjusting for baseline levels (p < 0.001). Daily consumption of fortified milk providing the current AI of 5 mug day vitamin D3 for 12 weeks resulted in higher 25OHD concentrations than control milk. This dose was not sufficient to prevent the seasonal decline in 25OHD. This study suggests an AI of 5 mug may be inadequate for New Zealanders to allow for seasonal changes in sunlight exposure, and is unlikely sufficient for other populations with low sunlight exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the folate and vitamin B12 status of a group of Vietnamese women of reproductive age and to estimate the rate of neural tube defects (NTD) based on red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations.Design and Subjects: A representative sample of non-pregnant women (15-49 years) living in Hanoi City (n 244) and Hai Duong Province (n 245).Measures: RBC folate, plasma vitamin B12 and plasma holo-transcobalamin (holoTC), a sensitive indicator of vitamin B12 status.Results: Mean (95% CI) concentrations of RBC folate, plasma B12 and plasma holoTC were 856 (837, 876) nmol/l, 494 (475, 513) pmol/l and 78 (74, 82) pmol/l, respectively. Only 3% and 4% of women had plasma B12 and holoTC concentrations indicative of deficiency. No woman had an RBC folate concentration indicative of deficiency (<317 nmol/l). Only 47% of women had an RBC folate concentration > or = 905 nmol/l. Accordingly, we predict the NTD rate in these regions of Vietnam to be 14.7 (14.2, 15.1) per 10,000 pregnancies.Conclusion: There was no evidence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency among this population of Vietnamese women. However, suboptimal folate status may be placing three out of five women at increased risk of NTD. Reductions in NTD rates are still possible and women would benefit from additional folic acid during the periconceptional period from either supplements or fortified foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Evidence from observational studies suggests that there is an association between n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and depression; however, this association has yet to be examined in a population-based study. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess whether n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum phospholipids are associated with mental and physical well-being. DESIGN: The fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids was measured in 2416 New Zealanders aged >/=15 y who took part in the 1997 National Nutrition Survey. The mental and physical component scores were assessed by using the short-form 36 health questionnaire. RESULTS: After adjustment for a number of covariates, there was a significant positive trend in self-reported physical well-being across the quintiles of eicosapentaenoic acid (P for trend = 0.009) and the ratio of eicosapentaenoic to arachidonic acid (P for trend = 0.012). The differences in the physical component score between the first and fifth quintiles were 2.4 and 2.5 points, respectively. The results showed that neither the proportion of eicosapentaenoic acid nor that of docosahexaenoic acid was associated with the mental component score; however, there was a significant positive trend in mental well-being across the quintiles of the ratio of eicosapentaenoic to arachidonic acid (P for trend = 0.044). CONCLUSION: The results from this population-based survey of New Zealanders suggest a strong and consistent association between eicosapentaenoic acid in serum phospholipids and self-reported physical well-being; the association with mental well-being is less compelling. Copyright © 2007 American Society for Nutrition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Scores on neuropsychological tests are often used to detect abnormal changes in cognition in older persons. Accordingly, it is important to have normative data that allow the abnormality of a test score to be determined precisely and accurately. Regression equations that estimate an expected score based on demographic or premorbid factors can be an efficient method of making normative comparisons. Our aim was to compute regression equations with age, gender and estimated premorbid IQ as predictors of scores on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Trail Making Test (TMT), Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) and measures of semantic fluency. Design. All measures were administered to a group of 272 healthy older persons aged between 65 and 90 during the pre-treatment phase of a study evaluating the effect of nutritional supplements on cognition. Premorbid IQ was estimated using the National Ault Reading Test (NART). Stepwise multiple regression procedures were used to determine the weights to be applied to the predictor variables. Results. Age and premorbid IQ were found to be significantly correlated with all test variables; gender correlated significantly with most scores. Regression equations based on the 3 predictor variables explained between 10% and 30% of the variance of the range of test scores. The use of these equations in clinical practice was illustrated. Conclusion. The significant correlations between the predictor variables and test scores justified computing a set of equations for use in interpreting data from older persons. The abnormality of the difference between predicted and obtained scores provides a convenient index of an individual's current level of neuropsychological functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations are lower in Pacific people compared to Caucasians living in New Zealand. However, there are no data on the 25OHD concentrations of Pacific people living in the Pacific Islands. Aim: To assess the vitamin D status of indigenous and Indian Fijian women living in Fiji by measuring 25OHD concentrations. Methods: 25OHD concentrations in a national sample of 511 Fijian women (15-44 y). Results: The mean 25OHD concentration of Fijian women was 76 nmol/L (95% CI: 73, 78). 25OHD was lower in Fijian Indian [70 (66, 74) nmol/L; n=205] women compared to indigenous Fijians [80 (76, 84) nmol/L; n=306] (p<0.0001). The mean 25OHD was higher in rural [77 (74, 80) nmol/L; n=392] than urban [70 (65, 76) nmol/L; n=119] women (p<0.0001). Body mass index (BMI) and age were not predictors of 25OHD concentrations. Of Fijian females, 3%, 11%, and 56% had 25OHD concentrations indicative of 25OHD insufficiency using cut-offs of <=37.5, <=50 and <=80 nmol/L, respectively. Conclusion: Mean 25OHD in Fijian women was generally adequate and exceed concentrations reported in Pacific females living in New Zealand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies in children in Mongolia is limited. We therefore determined the prevalence of anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), and deficiencies of iron, folate, vitamin A, zinc, selenium, and vitamin D among young Mongolian children. Anthropometry and non-fasting morning blood samples were collected from 243 children aged 6-36 months from 4 districts in Ulaanbaatar and 4 rural capitols for haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin, folate, retinol, zinc, selenium, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) assays. Children with alpha-1-glycoprotein >1.2mg/L (n=27) indicative of chronic infection were excluded, except for folate, selenium, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D assays. Of the children 14.5% were stunted and none were wasted. Zn deficiency (serum Zn <9.9 micromol/L) had the highest prevalence (74%), followed by vitamin D deficiency 61% (serum 25-OHD<25 nmol/L). The prevalence of anaemia (24%) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) (16%) was lower, with the oldest children (24-36 mos) at lowest risk. Twenty one percent of the children had low iron stores, and 33% had vitamin A deficiencies (serum retinol < 0.70 micromol/L), even though two thirds had received vitamin A supplements. Serum selenium values were low, perhaps associated with low soil selenium concentrations. In contrast, no children in Ulaanbaatar and only 4% in the provincial capitols had low serum folate values (<6.8 nmol/L). Regional differences (p<0.05) existed for anaemia, deficiencies of vitamin A, folate, and selenium, but not for zinc or IDA. Of the children, 78% were at risk of >= two coexisting micronutrient deficiencies emphasizing the need for multimicronutrient interventions in Mongolia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors. In this study, we sought to determine whether a known genetic risk factor, the rs1990760 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (A946T) in IFIH1, resulted in a gain of function in the MDA5 protein and the effects of this mutation on the regulation of type I IFNs during infection with the diabetogenic virus coxsackievirus B3. We found that in cell lines overexpressing the risk variant IFIH1946T there was an elevated level of basal type I IFN signaling and increased basal IFN-stimulated gene expression. An investigation into the mechanism demonstrated that recombinant MDA5 with the A946T mutation had increased ATPase activity in vitro. We also assessed the effect of this SNP in primary human PBMCs from healthy donors to determine whether this SNP influenced their response to infection with coxsackievirus B3. However, we observed no significant changes in type I IFN expression or downstream induction of IFN-stimulated genes in PBMCs from donors carrying the risk allele IFIH1946T. These findings demonstrate the need for a deeper understanding of how mutations in T1D-associated genes contribute to disease onset in specific cellular contexts., (Copyright © 2024 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.)

IgA vasculitis (IgAV) is a pediatric disease with skin and systemic manifestations. Here, we conducted genome, transcriptome, and proteome-wide association studies in 2,170 IgAV cases and 5,928 controls, generated IgAV-specific maps of gene expression and splicing from blood of 255 pediatric cases, and reconstructed myeloid-specific regulatory networks to define disease master regulators modulated by the newly identified disease driver genes. We observed significant association at the HLA - DRB1 (OR=1.55, P=1.1×10 -25 ) and fine-mapped specific amino-acid risk substitutions in DRβ1. We discovered two novel non-HLA loci: FCAR (OR=1.51, P=1.0×10 -20 ) encoding a myeloid IgA receptor FcαR, and INPP5D (OR=1.34, P=2.2×10 -9 ) encoding a known inhibitor of FcαR signaling. The FCAR risk locus co-localized with a cis-eQTL increasing FCAR expression; the risk alleles disrupted a PRDM1 binding motif within a myeloid enhancer of FCAR . Another risk locus was associated with a higher genetically predicted levels of plasma IL6R. The IL6R risk haplotype carried a missense variant contributing to accelerated cleavage of IL6R into a soluble form. Using systems biology approaches, we prioritized IgAV master regulators co-modulated by FCAR , INPP5D and IL6R in myeloid cells. We additionally identified 21 shared loci in a cross-phenotype analysis of IgAV with IgA nephropathy, including novel loci PAID4, WLS , and ANKRD55 .

The purpose of this study was to examine the content of workout videos on TikTok. A sample of 297 TikTok workout videos was coded for demographic factors and body shape of content creators, as well as the presence of body positivity messaging, appearance-related messaging, and other relevant themes. The results suggest that TikTok workout content is often presented in a time-lapse format with little verbal instruction, which may make it difficult for viewers to perform the exercises. The majority of the videos depicted young women with athletic bodies and other characteristics associated with culturally based beauty ideals, and approximately half of the videos included non-White content creators. Approximately a quarter of the videos in the sample included objectification and a smaller proportion of the sample included messages about inner positivity. Overall, the TikTok platform may provide underrepresented individuals opportunities to seek out workout content from a more diverse group of instructors; however, the fact that many of these videos including objectifying depictions of the content creators is concerning. Further experimental work is needed in order to more fully elucidate the effects of TikTok workout videos on viewers.

Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid (FA) supplements before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy. Many women continue FA supplementation throughout pregnancy, and concerns have been raised about associations between excessive FA intake and adverse maternal and child health outcomes. Unmetabolized folic acid (UMFA) is found in serum after high FA intakes and is proposed as a biomarker for excessive FA intake. We aimed to determine if removing FA from prenatal micronutrient supplements after 12 weeks of pregnancy reduces serum UMFA concentrations at 36 weeks gestation. In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted in South Australia, 103 women with a singleton pregnancy were randomly assigned at 12-16 weeks gestation to take a micronutrient supplement containing no FA or 800 µg/day FA from enrollment until 36 weeks gestation. Ninety women (0 µg/day FA n = 46; 800 µg/day FA n = 44) completed the study. Mean, UMFA concentration was lower in the women randomized to the 0 µg/day group compared to the 800 µg/day FA group, 0.6 ± 0.7 and 1.4 ± 2.7 nmol/L, respectively. The adjusted mean difference (95% CI) in UMFA between the groups was [-0.85 (-1.62, -0.08) nmol/L, p = 0.03]. Maternal serum and red blood cell folate concentrations were lower in the 0 µg/day FA group than in the 800 µg/day group (median 23.2 vs. 49.3 and 1335 vs. 1914 nmol/L, respectively; p < 0.001). Removing FA at 12-16 weeks gestation from prenatal micronutrient supplements reduced the concentration of UMFA at 36 weeks gestation., (© 2024 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

IgA nephropathy is a kidney disease characterized by deposition of immune complexes containing abnormally O-glycosylated IgA1 in the glomeruli. Specifically, some O-glycans are missing galactose that is normally β1,3-linked to N-acetylgalactosamine of the core 1 glycans. These galactose-deficient IgA1 glycoforms are produced by IgA1-secreting cells due to a dysregulated expression and activity of several glycosyltransferases. Galactose-deficient IgA1 in the circulation of patients with IgA nephropathy is bound by IgG autoantibodies and the resultant immune complexes can contain additional proteins, such as complement C3. These complexes, if not removed from the circulation, can enter the glomerular mesangium, activate the resident mesangial cells, and induce glomerular injury. In this review, we briefly summarize clinical and pathological features of IgA nephropathy, review normal and aberrant IgA1 O-glycosylation pathways, and discuss the origins and potential significance of natural anti-glycan antibodies, namely those recognizing N-acetylgalactosamine. We also discuss the features of autoantibodies specific for galactose-deficient IgA1 and the characteristics of pathogenic immune complexes containing IgA1 and IgG. In IgA nephropathy, kidneys are injured by IgA1-containing immune complexes as innocent bystanders. Most patients with IgA nephropathy progress to kidney failure and require dialysis or transplantation. Moreover, most patients after transplantation experience a recurrent disease. Thus, a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms is needed to develop new disease-specific treatments., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Non-segmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA viruses, such as rabies, Nipah and Ebola, produce 5'-capped and 3'-polyadenylated mRNAs resembling higher eukaryotic mRNAs. Here, we developed a transcription elongation-coupled pre-mRNA capping system for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV, a prototypic NNS RNA virus). Using this system, we demonstrate that the single-polypeptide RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) large protein (L) catalyzes all pre-mRNA modifications co-transcriptionally in the following order: (i) 5'-capping (polyribonucleotidylation of GDP) to form a GpppA cap core structure, (ii) 2'-O-methylation of GpppA into GpppAm, (iii) guanine-N7-methylation of GpppAm into m7GpppAm (cap 1), (iv) 3'-polyadenylation to yield a poly(A) tail. The GDP polyribonucleotidyltransferase (PRNTase) domain of L generated capped pre-mRNAs of 18 nucleotides or longer via the formation of covalent enzyme-pre-mRNA intermediates. The single methyltransferase domain of L sequentially methylated the cap structure only when pre-mRNAs of 40 nucleotides or longer were associated with elongation complexes. These results suggest that the formation of pre-mRNA closed loop structures in elongation complexes via the RdRp and PRNTase domains followed by the RdRp and MTase domains on the same polypeptide is required for the cap 1 formation during transcription. Taken together, our findings indicate that NNS RNA virus L acts as an all-in-one viral mRNA assembly machinery., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Maintaining genetic diversity in cultured shellfish can be challenging due to high variance in individual reproductive success, founder effects, and rapid genetic drift, but is important to retain adaptive potential and avoid inbreeding depression. To support broodstock management and selective breeding in cultured Pacific oysters (Crassostrea (Magallana) gigas), we developed an amplicon panel targeting 592 genomic regions and SNP variants with an average of 50 amplicons per chromosome. Target SNPs were selected based on elevated observed heterozygosity or differentiation in Pacific oyster populations in British Columbia, Canada. The use of the panel for parentage applications was evaluated using multiple generations of oysters from a breeding program on Vancouver Island, Canada (n = 181) and families selected for Ostreid herpesvirus-1 resistance from the Molluscan Broodstock Program in Oregon, USA (n = 136). Population characterization was evaluated using wild, naturalized, farmed, or hatchery oysters sampled throughout the Northern Hemisphere (n = 189). Technical replicates showed high genotype concordance (97.5%; n = 68 replicates). Parentage analysis found suspected pedigree and sample handling errors, demonstrating the panel's value for quality control in breeding programs. Suspected null alleles were identified and found to be largely population dependent, suggesting population-specific variation impacting target amplification. Null alleles were identified using existing data without the need for pedigree information, and once they were removed, assignment rates increased to 93.0 and 86.0% of possible assignments in the two breeding program datasets. A pipeline for analyzing the amplicon sequence data from sequencer output, amplitools, is also provided., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest B.J.G.S. is affiliated with Sutherland Bioinformatics. The author has no competing financial interests to declare. Some authors affiliated with ThermoFisher Scientific have potential conflicts considering that the AgriSeq Targeted Genotyping by Sequencing solutions and associated Oligo panels that were designed and validated in the study are offered by ThermoFisher Scientific. However, the selection of markers, and data analysis was primarily conducted by other authors. The authors declare that the research was conducted in a scientific manner without any commercial considerations that could be construed as potential conflict of interest and further declare no other conflicts of interest. The other authors declare no competing interests., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Genetics Society of America.)

Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common nutritional deficiency affecting young children. Serum ferritin concentration is the preferred biomarker for measuring iron status because it reflects iron stores; however, blood collection can be distressing for young children and can be logistically difficult. A noninvasive means to measure iron status would be attractive to either diagnose or screen for ID in young children., Objectives: This study aimed to determine the correlation between urinary and serum ferritin concentrations in young children; to determine whether correcting urinary ferritin for creatinine and specific gravity improves the correlation; and to determine a urine ferritin cut point to predict ID., Methods: Validation study was conducted using paired serum and urine collected from 3-y-old children (n = 142) participating in a longitudinal birth cohort study: the ORIGINS project in Perth, Western Australia. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values of urinary ferritin amount in identifying those with ID at the clinical cut point used by the World Health Organization (serum ferritin concentration of <12 ng/mL)., Results: Urine ferritin, corrected for creatinine, correlated moderately with serum ferritin [r = 0.53 (0.40-0.64)] and performed well in predicting those with ID (area under the curve: 0.85; 95% confidence interval: 0.75, 0.94). Urine ferritin <2.28 ng/mg creatinine was sensitive (86%) and specific (77%) in predicting ID and had a high negative predictive value of 97%; however, the positive predictive value was low (40%) owing to the low prevalence of ID in the sample (16%)., Conclusions: Urine ferritin shows good diagnostic performance for ID. This noninvasive biomarker maybe a useful screening tool to exclude ID in healthy young children; however, further research is needed in other populations., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Iron supplementation is commonly recommended for the prevention and treatment of maternal iron deficiency (ID) or iron deficiency anemia (IDA). However, the impacts of prophylactic of therapeutic prenatal iron supplementation on child neurodevelopment in upper middle-income (UMI) and high-income countries (HICs), where broad nutritional deficiencies are less common, are unclear. To investigate this, we conducted a systematic review, searching four databases (Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) through 1 May 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing oral or intravenous iron supplementation in pregnant women reporting on child neurodevelopment (primary outcome: age-standardized cognitive scores) were eligible. We included three RCTs (five publications) from two HICs (Spain and Australia) ( N = 935 children; N = 1397 mothers). Due to clinical heterogeneity of the RCTs, meta-analyses were not appropriate; findings were narratively synthesized. In non-anemic pregnant women, prenatal iron for prevention of IDA resulted in little to no difference in cognition at 40 days post-partum (1 RCT, 503 infants; very low certainty evidence). Similarly, the effect on the intelligence quotient at four years was very uncertain (2 RCTs, 509 children, very low certainty evidence). No RCTs for treatment of ID assessed offspring cognition. The effects on secondary outcomes related to language and motor development, or other measures of cognitive function, were unclear, except for one prevention-focused RCT (302 children), which reported possible harm for children's behavioral and emotional functioning at four years. There is no evidence from UMI countries and insufficient evidence from HICs to support or refute benefits or harms of prophylactic or therapeutic prenatal iron supplementation on child neurodevelopment.

Donor-specific antibody (DSA) responses against human leukocyte antigen (HLA) proteins mismatched between kidney transplant donors and recipients cause allograft loss. The rules governing the immunogenicity of non-self donor HLA are poorly understood. Using single-cell, molecular, structural, and proteomic techniques, we profiled the HLA-specific B cell response in the kidney and blood of a transplant recipient with antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). We observed an immunodominant B cell antibody response focused on topographically exposed, solvent-accessible mismatched HLA residues along the peptide-binding groove - a subregion comprising only 20% of the HLA molecule. We further demonstrated that, even within a diverse cohort of transplant recipients, the B cell alloresponse consistently converges on this same immunodominant subregion on the crown of the HLA molecule. Based on these findings, we propose that B cell immunodominance in transplant rejection relies on antigenic topography, and we suggest that this link could be exploited for organ matching and therapeutics.

(1) Background: Despite the important role choline plays in child development, there are no data on dietary choline intake in early childhood in Australia. (2) Aim: In this cross-sectional study, we estimated the usual total choline intake and the proportion exceeding the Adequate Intake (AI) and determined the main dietary sources of choline in infants 6-12 months (n = 286) and toddlers 12-24 months (n = 475) of age. (3) Methods: A single 24-h food record with repeats collected during the 2021 Australian Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (OzFITS 2021) was used to estimate dietary choline intake. (4) Results: The mean choline intake was 142 ± 1.9 mg/day in infants and 181 ± 1.2 mg/day in toddlers. Only 35% of infants and 23% of toddlers exceeded the AI for choline based on Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for Australia and New Zealand. Breastmilk was the leading source of choline, contributing 42% and 14% of total choline intake in infants and toddlers, respectively; however, egg consumers had the highest adjusted choline intakes and probability of exceeding the AI. (5) Conclusions: Findings suggest that choline intake may be suboptimal in Australian infants and toddlers. Further research to examine the impact of low choline intake on child development is warranted.

Background: Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, particularly for young children and females of reproductive age. Although oral iron supplements are routinely recommended and generally considered safe, iron supplementation has been shown to alter the fecal microbiota in low-income countries. Little is known about the effect of iron supplementation on the fecal microbiota in high-income settings., Objectives: To assess the effect of oral iron supplementation compared with placebo on the gut microbiome in nonpregnant females of reproductive age in a high-income country., Methods: A 21-d prospective parallel design double-blind, randomized control trial conducted in South Australia, Australia. Females (18-45 y) were randomly assigned to either iron (65.7 mg ferrous fumarate) or placebo. Fecal samples were collected prior to commencing supplements and after 21 d of supplementation. The primary outcome was microbiota β-diversity (paired-sample weighted unique fraction metric dissimilarity) between treatment and placebo groups after 21 d of supplementation. Exploratory outcomes included changes in the relative abundance of bacterial taxa., Results: Of 82 females randomly assigned, 80 completed the trial. There was no significant difference between the groups for weighted unique fraction metric dissimilarity (mean difference: 0.003; 95% confidence interval: -0.007, 0.014; P = 0.52) or relative abundance of common bacterial taxa or Escherichia-Shigella (q > 0.05)., Conclusions: Iron supplementation did not affect the microbiome of nonpregnant females of reproductive age in Australia. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT05033483., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pacific oysters ( Magallana gigas, a.k.a. Crassostrea gigas ), the most widely farmed oysters, are under threat from climate change and emerging pathogens. In part, their resilience may be affected by their microbiome, which, in turn, may be influenced by ocean warming and acidification. To understand these impacts, we exposed early-development Pacific oyster spat to different temperatures (18°C and 24°C) and p CO 2 levels (800, 1,600, and 2,800 µatm) in a fully crossed design for 3 weeks. Under all conditions, the microbiome changed over time, with a large decrease in the relative abundance of potentially pathogenic ciliates ( Uronema marinum ) in all treatments with time. The microbiome composition differed significantly with temperature, but not acidification, indicating that Pacific oyster spat microbiomes can be altered by ocean warming but is resilient to ocean acidification in our experiments. Microbial taxa differed in relative abundance with temperature, implying different adaptive strategies and ecological specializations among microorganisms. Additionally, a small proportion (~0.2% of the total taxa) of the relatively abundant microbial taxa were core constituents (>50% occurrence among samples) across different temperatures, p CO 2 levels, or time. Some taxa, including A4b bacteria and members of the family Saprospiraceae in the phyla Chloroflexi (syn. Chloroflexota ) and Bacteroidetes (syn. Bacteroidota ), respectively, as well as protists in the genera Labyrinthula and Aplanochytrium in the class Labyrinthulomycetes , and Pseudoperkinsus tapetis in the class Ichthyosporea were core constituents across temperatures, p CO 2 levels, and time, suggesting that they play an important, albeit unknown, role in maintaining the structural and functional stability of the Pacific oyster spat microbiome in response to ocean warming and acidification. These findings highlight the flexibility of the spat microbiome to environmental changes.IMPORTANCEPacific oysters are the most economically important and widely farmed species of oyster, and their production depends on healthy oyster spat. In turn, spat health and productivity are affected by the associated microbiota; yet, studies have not scrutinized the effects of temperature and p CO 2 on the prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbiomes of spat. Here, we show that both the prokaryotic and, for the first time, eukaryotic microbiome of Pacific oyster spat are surprisingly resilient to changes in acidification, but sensitive to ocean warming. The findings have potential implications for oyster survival amid climate change and underscore the need to understand temperature and p CO 2 effects on the microbiome and the cascading effects on oyster health and productivity., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.