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Macroalgae are both highly productive and rich in bioactive molecules that have been shown to enhance growth and health of fish. Feed with high starch levels affects the health of fish. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of replacing partial starch with kelp (Laminaria japonica) meal (KM) on the growth performance, nutrient composition, and intestinal microbiota of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, LMB). LMB (initial weight 13.00 ± 0.02 g) were fed three diets containing 0 % (K0), 5 % (K5), and 9 % (K9) kelp meal for 8 weeks. The results showed that with the addition of KM, growth performance and feed intake increased significantly, while hepatosomatic index decreased significantly. The whole body and muscle crude protein contents were significantly increased with the addition of KM. Liver catalase activity was significantly increased in K9, while serum malondialdehyde levels declined accordingly. Serum triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly lower in K5 than in K0, suggesting that the addition of KM contributed to healthy liver function. The addition of KM to the diet significantly improved intestinal histology and amylase activity. In addition, the Chao index of the intestinal microbiome in the K5 group was significantly higher than in the K0 group. The relevant abundance of beneficial bacteria (Cetobacterium) tended to increase and that of pathogenic bacteria (Plesiomonas) tended to decrease with the addition of KM. In conclusion, partial replacement of starch with kelp meal increased growth performance, feed intake, muscle protein content, the antioxidant capacity and improved intestinal structure, as well as healthy intestinal microbiome. Kelp meal may be a beneficial substitute for starch for healthy aquaculture of M. salmoides.

ObjectiveResearch evidence suggests that exercise is a potent therapeutic strategy for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Many investigations have delved into the curative potential of diverse exercise regimens on NAFLD. This investigation synthesizes findings from randomized controlled trials via a network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of exercise-based interventions on NAFLD.MethodsWe conducted a search across five electronic databases (Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, SCOPUS, and CNKI)to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effects of different exercise modalities on metabolic profiles and liver functions in patients with NAFLD. The literature search was comprehensive up to 15, December 2023. The selected studies were subjected to a rigorous quality appraisal and risk of bias analysis in accordance with the Cochrane Handbook’s guidelines, version 5.1.0. We employed Stata/MP 17 for the network meta-analysis, presenting effect sizes as standardized mean differences (SMD).ResultsThis study aggregated results from 28 studies, involving a total of 1,606 participants. The network meta-analysis revealed that aerobic exercise was the most effective intervention for improving BMI in patients with NAFLD, demonstrating a significant decrease in BMI (−0.72, 95%CI: −0.98 to −0.46; p < 0.05; Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking (SUCRA) = 79.8%). HIIT was the top intervention for enhancing HDL-C (0.12, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.20; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 76.1%). Resistance exercise was the most effective for reducing LDL-C (−0.20, 95% CI: −0.33 to −0.06; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 69.7%). Mind-body exercise showed superior effectiveness in improving TC (−0.67, 95% CI: −1.10 to −0.24; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 89.7%), TG = −0.67, 95% CI: −1.10 to −0.24; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 99.6%), AST (−8.07, 95% CI: −12.88 to −3.25; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 76.1%), ALT (−12.56, 95% CI: −17.54 to −7.58; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 99.5%), and GGT (−13.77, 95% CI: −22.00 to −5.54; p < 0.05; SUCRA = 81.8%).ConclusionThis network meta-analysis demonstrates that exercise interventions positively affect various metabolic profiles and liver functions in NAFLD patients. Mind-body exercises are particularly effective, surpassing other exercise forms in improving metabolic profiles and liver functions.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier registration number CRD42024526332.

This research aimed to explore the impact of tea polyphenol (TP) supplementation on the development, antioxidant properties, immune responses, and gut wellness in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, LMB). Four diets with varying levels of TPs (0.00%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.08%) were devised to feed LMB with an initial weight of 4.3 ± 0.02 g for 56 days, among which the intermittent feeding (IF) group was fed a diet supplemented with TP8 for 7 days, followed by a basal diet for another 7 days, and this was repeated until the end (56th day). The results demonstrated that supplementation with 0.04% or 0.08% TPs in the diet could reduce the crude lipid content and increase the crude protein content of LMB (p < 0.05). The levels of total cholesterol (CHO) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the serum significantly decreased with the addition of 0.08% dietary TPs to the diet (p < 0.05). Dietary TPs can stimulate the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and enhance the antioxidant capacity of LMB (p < 0.05). The activities of immune enzymes such as acid phosphatase (ACP) were increased to improve the immune response via the addition of TPs (p < 0.05). Supplementation with 0.02% and 0.04% TPs reduced liver fatty infiltration and alleviated hepatocyte damage. Compared with the control diet, dietary TPs significantly increased villus height (VH), villus width (VW), and lipase (LPS) activity in the intestine (p < 0.05), and supplementation with 0.04% TPs significantly increased muscular layer thickness (MT) (p < 0.05). With the increase in dietary TPs, distinct differences were observed in the intestinal microbial composition and the relative abundance of potential pathogens, especially Clostridiaceae, which decreased, along with the enrichment of pathways related to metabolism, including amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and lipid metabolism. Additionally, intermittent feeding could alleviate the adverse effects caused by a high dosage. In conclusion, dietary TPs of LMB could enhance antioxidant capacity and immunity and improve intestinal health, and intermittent feeding could mitigate the adverse effects caused by a high dosage.