Sugar Kelp (Saccharina latissima) Seaweed Added to a Growing-Finishing Lamb Diet Has a Positive Effect on Quality Traits and on Mineral Content of Meat.

Supplementing ruminants' diet with seaweed has shown positive effect on meat quality and micronutrients important for human health. The objective of the present study was to investigate the use of Saccharina latissima in a lamb diet to improve the eating quality and nutritional value of meat. Six-month-old female Norwegian White lambs (n = 24) were fed, 35 days pre-slaughter, three different diets: a control (CON) and two seaweed diets (SW); supplemented with either 2.5% (SW1) or 5% (SW2). The quality properties of longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semimembranosus with adductor (SM+ADD) muscles were examined. The dietary inclusion of seaweed reduced cooking loss and shear force of lamb meat, although the effect was not significant at both supplementation levels. SW1 fed lambs showed a significantly (p < 0.05) improved meat color stability and antioxidant potential. Seaweed also reduced lipid oxidation (TBARS) and the warm-over flavor in SM+ADD compared to the CON lamb. Seaweed fed lambs showed an increased content of selenium and iodine in LTL, thereby fulfilling the requirements for the label "source of nutrient" and "significant source of nutrient", respectively. An increased arsenic content in LTL was, however, also observed with seaweed inclusion (to 1.54 and 3.09 µg/100 g in SW1 and SW2 group, respectively). While relevant positive effects were found in meat using seaweed in lamb feed, some optimization of this feed approach will be desirable.

Cellsnake: a user-friendly tool for single-cell RNA sequencing analysis.

BACKGROUND: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides high-resolution transcriptome data to understand the heterogeneity of cell populations at the single-cell level. The analysis of scRNA-seq data requires the utilization of numerous computational tools. However, nonexpert users usually experience installation issues, a lack of critical functionality or batch analysis modes, and the steep learning curves of existing pipelines. RESULTS: We have developed cellsnake, a comprehensive, reproducible, and accessible single-cell data analysis workflow, to overcome these problems. Cellsnake offers advanced features for standard users and facilitates downstream analyses in both R and Python environments. It is also designed for easy integration into existing workflows, allowing for rapid analyses of multiple samples. CONCLUSION: As an open-source tool, cellsnake is accessible through Bioconda, PyPi, Docker, and GitHub, making it a cost-effective and user-friendly option for researchers. By using cellsnake, researchers can streamline the analysis of scRNA-seq data and gain insights into the complex biology of single cells.

Understanding metabolic phenomena accompanying high levels of yeast in broiler chicken diets and resulting carcass weight and meat quality changes.

The use of yeast as a protein source was investigated in broiler chicken diets on carcass quality, storage stability, and metabolite changes in leg meat. Male Ross 308 chickens (n = 100) were fed with one of 5 diets: control, control added 0.6% formic acid, or 3 diets where soybean meal was substituted with 10, 20, and 30% crude protein from inactivated yeast Cyberlindnera jadinii (CJ10, CJ20, CJ30, respectively). The yeast-containing diets reduced carcass weight, linoleic acid, and warm-over flavor in chicken leg meat. Protein degradation-related metabolite biomarkers were upregulated in the leg of chickens that were fed yeast-containing diets, indicating an adaptive response to the loss of appetite. Chill-stored leg meat of birds fed yeast diets showed increased browning and metallic taste compared with those fed the control diet. The use of formic acid in the diet reduced cooking loss and had a positive effect on vitamin B content.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis of human colonic macrophages reveals niche-specific subsets.

Macrophages are a heterogeneous population of cells involved in tissue homeostasis, inflammation, and cancer. Although macrophages are densely distributed throughout the human intestine, our understanding of how gut macrophages maintain tissue homeostasis is limited. Here we show that colonic lamina propria macrophages (LpMs) and muscularis macrophages (MMs) consist of monocyte-like cells that differentiate into multiple transcriptionally distinct subsets. LpMs comprise subsets with proinflammatory properties and subsets with high antigen-presenting and phagocytic capacity. The latter are strategically positioned close to the surface epithelium. Most MMs differentiate along two trajectories: one that upregulates genes associated with immune activation and angiogenesis, and one that upregulates genes associated with neuronal homeostasis. Importantly, MMs are located adjacent to neurons and vessels. Cell-cell interaction and gene network analysis indicated that survival, migration, transcriptional reprogramming, and niche-specific localization of LpMs and MMs are controlled by an extensive interaction with tissue-resident cells and a few key transcription factors.