1. The aim of this experiment was to study the interactive effect of rearing temperature and dietary supplementation of arginine (Arg) or guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) on performance, gut morphology and ascites indices in broiler chickens raised under the same condition in the first 2 weeks and then reared under normal (23-26°C) or subnormal (17°C) ambient temperatures for the next 3 weeks. 2. This experiment was conducted as a split plot with 900 Ross 308 male broiler chicks that were allocated to two houses (as main plots); each consisted of 5 treatments (as sub-plots) with 6 replicates of 15 birds. The 5 diets were (1) control, (2) control + 0.60 g/kg GAA, (3) control + 1.20 g/kg GAA, (4) control + 0.86 g/kg Arg and (5) control + 1.72 g/kg Arg. 3. Feed intake (0-35 d) of birds fed on a diet containing 1.2 g GAA/kg and reared under normal temperature was reduced compared to control fed birds. Birds fed on a diet containing 1.72 g/kg Arg and reared under subnormal temperature had higher weight gain compared to those fed on control or GAA-added diets in overall study period. 4. Supplementation of diets with Arg alleviated the adverse effect of cold stress as reflected by reduction in blood haematocrit (41% vs. 37%), and right ventricle to total ventricle ratio (0.28 vs. 0.25) at 35 d of age. Addition of Arg to the diet of birds reared under cold stress resulted in a higher jejunal villus surface area compared to those fed on control or GAA-added diets. 5. Findings of this study revealed that Arg or GAA supplementation of diets did not affect performance of birds under normal temperatures, but Arg supplementation of the diet significantly alleviated the adverse effect of cold stress on performance, gut development and ascites syndrome. In addition, GAA supplementation at 1.2 g/kg improved jejunal villus surface area in birds raised under subnormal temperature.

2020) Differences in fatty acid profiles and desaturation indices of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue between pregnant women with and without PCOS, Adipocyte, 9:1, 16-23, ABSTRACTThe objective was to determine the differences in fatty acid (FA) profiles in subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT) between pregnant women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those without PCOS. FA profiles of AT samples from 13 PCOS and 32 non-PCOS, all of whom underwent caesarean section were compared using gas chromatography. Age and BMI in the two groups were similar. Twenty-one FAs were detected and the total saturated FA percentage of experimental groups was similar. While the total monounsaturated FA (MUFA) (p < 0.0004) and desaturase index (18:1 cis-9/18:0; p < 0.03) were higher in PCOS women than non-PCOS women, total polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) was lower in PCOS than non-PCOS women (p < 0.004). Docosahexaenoic acid level of the two groups was similar while α-linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid levels were significantly (p < 0.05) lower in PCOS. Total trans-FA, C18:1 t9 and C18:2t were lower in PCOS women (p < 0.05). These results indicate differences in desaturase index, MUFA and PUFA, especially n-3 FA in AT between age and BMI-matched pregnant PCOS and non-PCOS pregnant subjects. Further studies are warranted to replicate these findings and to investigate potential changes in these profiles in non-pregnant PCOS women. ARTICLE HISTORY

Background It was reported that steroid-related gene expressions in the adipose tissue (AT) of women differ between women affected with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and non-PCOS. Although association between PCOS in mother and offspring’s health is a crucial issue, there are few studies focusing on AT of pregnant women suffering from PCOS. Our objectives were to determine the differences between mRNA expression levels of key steroid-converting enzymes in abdominal subcutaneous AT of pregnant women afflicted with PCOS and non-PCOS. Methods Twelve pregnant women with PCOS (case) and thirty six non-PCOS pregnant women (control) (1:3 ratio; age- and BMI-matched) undergoing cesarean section were enrolled for the present study. Expressions of fifteen genes related to steriodogenesis in abdominal subcutaneous AT were investigated using quantitative real-time PCR. Results No significant differences were detected with respect to age, BMI (prior pregnancy and at delivery day), gestational period and parity among pregnant women with PCOS and non-PCOS. Most of the sex steroid-converting genes except 17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases2 (17BHSD2), were highly expressed on the day of delivery in subcutaneous AT. Women with PCOS showed significantly higher mRNA levels of steroidgenic acute regulator (STAR; P < 0.001), cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP11A1; P < 0.05), 17α-hydroxylase (CYP17A1; P < 0.05), and 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11BHSD1 and 11BHSD2; P < 0.05). The expression of steroid 21-hydroxylase (CYP21) in non-PCOS was fourfold higher than those of women with PCOS (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between relative expression of aromatase cytochrome P450 (CYP19A1), 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3BHSD1 and 3BHSD2), and 17BHSD family (1, 3, 5, 7, and 12) between the two groups. Conclusion The expression levels of genes related to sex steroids metabolism were similar to age-matched and BMI- matched pregnant non-PCOS and pregnant women with PCOS at delivery day. However, the alterations in gene expressions involved in glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids metabolism were shown. It is necessary to point out that further studies regarding functional activity are required. More attention should be given to AT of pregnant women with PCOS that was previously ignored.