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Key messages The reporting quality of human studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives is generally low and should be significantly improved. There is no specific guidance for reporting studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives. The assessment of reporting quality using a scale approach is considered a valuable tool in assessing compliance with the recommendations in the submission phase or during the reviewing process. It also provides a quantitative measure of the quality of studies to be used in meta-analysis. Eleven reporting criteria were developed and supported by detailed definitions and guidance for their scoring. The POSITIVe quality index was tested and demonstrated to be valid, reliable, and responsive. The use of the quality index and its supporting explanatory material (dictionary) as a guide for researchers, peer-reviewers, and journal editors will foster further complete and transparent reporting of data on inter-individual variability. The criteria used in the quality index can serve as additional guidance to inform the design and conduction of further studies on inter-individual variations in response to plant bioactives. Better reporting is expected to lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms and factors involved and thus better study designs with greater impact on policies and practice. Purpose The quality of the study design and data reporting in human trials dealing with the inter-individual variability in response to the consumption of plant bioactives is, in general, low. There is a lack of recommendations supporting the scientific community on this topic. This study aimed at developing a quality index to assist the assessment of the reporting quality of intervention trials addressing the inter-individual variability in response to plant bioactive consumption. Recommendations for better designing and reporting studies were discussed. Methods The selection of the parameters used for

Key messages The reporting quality of human studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives is generally low and should be significantly improved. There is no specific guidance for reporting studies on inter-individual variation in response to plant bioactives. The assessment of reporting quality using a scale approach is considered a valuable tool in assessing compliance with the recommendations in the submission phase or during the reviewing process. It also provides a quantitative measure of the quality of studies to be used in meta-analysis. Eleven reporting criteria were developed and supported by detailed definitions and guidance for their scoring. The POSITIVe quality index was tested and demonstrated to be valid, reliable, and responsive. The use of the quality index and its supporting explanatory material (dictionary) as a guide for researchers, peer-reviewers, and journal editors will foster further complete and transparent reporting of data on inter-individual variability. The criteria used in the quality index can serve as additional guidance to inform the design and conduction of further studies on inter-individual variations in response to plant bioactives. Better reporting is expected to lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms and factors involved and thus better study designs with greater impact on policies and practice. Purpose The quality of the study design and data reporting in human trials dealing with the inter-individual variability in response to the consumption of plant bioactives is, in general, low. There is a lack of recommendations supporting the scientific community on this topic. This study aimed at developing a quality index to assist the assessment of the reporting quality of intervention trials addressing the inter-individual variability in response to plant bioactive consumption. Recommendations for better designing and reporting studies were discussed. Methods The selection of the parameters used for

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects 25% of adults and at present no licensed medication has been approved. Despite its complex patho-physiology, dietary strategies aiming at delaying or preventing NAFLD have taken a reductionist approach, examining the impact of single components. Accumulating evidence suggests that n-3 LC-PUFAs are efficacious in regulating lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. In addition, plant derived flavonoids are also emerging as a dietary strategy for NAFLD prevention, with efficacy attributed to their insulin sensitising and indirect antioxidant effects. Based on knowledge of their complementary molecular targets, we aimed to demonstrate that the combination of n-3 LC-PUFA (n-3) and flavan-3-ols (FLAV) prevents NAFLD. In a high-fat high-fructose (HF/HFr) fed C57Bl/6 J mouse model, the independent and interactive impact of n-3 and FLAV on histologically defined NAFLD, insulin sensitivity, weight gain, intestinal and hepatic gene expression, intestinal bile acids were examined. Only the combination of FLAV and n-3 (FLAVn-3) prevented steatosis as evidenced by a strong reduction in hepatocyte ballooning. While FLAV reduced body (− 28–30%), adipose tissue (− 45–50%) weights and serum insulin (− 22–25%) as observed following an intra-peritoneal glucose tolerance test, n-3 downregulated the expression of Srebf1 and the lipogenic genes (Acaca, Fasn). Significant impacts of interventions on intestinal bile acid metabolism, farnesoid X receptor (Fxr) signalling in the intestine and liver, and hepatic expression of fatty acid transporters (Fabp4, Vldlr, Cd36) were also evident. FLAVn-3 may be a novel intervention for NAFLD. Future research should aim to demonstrate its efficacy in the prevention and treatment of human NAFLD.

In the present study, cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) aged 60-day-old (age-group I) and 120-day-old (age-group II) were fed with live shrimp and live fish fry for 60 days, in order to study the diet influence on growth, mantle lipid composition, and astaxanthin content in the skin. The most noteworthy difference was the higher growth observed in shrimp-fed cuttlefish with respect to fish-fed cuttlefish in both age groups. Total lipids (TL), lipid classes (LC) and their associated fatty acids (FA) from both diets and mantle of cuttlefish were analysed. The lipid profiles of both diets were clearly different in their LC distribution, with higher levels of Polar Lipids (PL) in shrimp with respect to fish fry. However, both diets did not show outstanding differences in the FA composition of TL except for 20:5n-3 (EPA), which was higher in shrimp than in fish fry. With respect to lipid composition of cuttlefish mantle, the TL content and cholesterol (CHO) percentage increased with age, while phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) percentage decreased. On the other hand, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PC percentages in both cuttlefish age groups were also affected by the different diets, although this difference was higher in age-group I. The general pattern of fatty acid composition of TL in the mantle of cuttlefish was similar in all groups studied. It is remarkable the low levels of monoene FAs in both age-group cuttlefish mantle, despite of the high level of this FA group in both diets, which suggests that these FAs are not stored in the mantle. An opposite tendency was observed regarding the n-3 HUFA, especially 22:6n-3 (DHA) which remained constant despite the different age or diet. High levels of astaxanthin were found in shrimp with respect to fish, but this was only reflected on skin accumulation in age-group I, showing no differences in age-group II. This suggests differences in the astaxanthin metabolism according to t

In the present study, cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) aged 60-day-old (age-group I) and 120-day-old (age-group II) were fed with live shrimp and live fish fry for 60 days, in order to study the diet influence on growth, mantle lipid composition, and astaxanthin content in the skin. The most noteworthy difference was the higher growth observed in shrimp-fed cuttlefish with respect to fish-fed cuttlefish in both age groups. Total lipids (TL), lipid classes (LC) and their associated fatty acids (FA) from both diets and mantle of cuttlefish were analysed. The lipid profiles of both diets were clearly different in their LC distribution, with higher levels of Polar Lipids (PL) in shrimp with respect to fish fry. However, both diets did not show outstanding differences in the FA composition of TL except for 20:5n-3 (EPA), which was higher in shrimp than in fish fry. With respect to lipid composition of cuttlefish mantle, the TL content and cholesterol (CHO) percentage increased with age, while phosphatidylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) percentage decreased. On the other hand, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and PC percentages in both cuttlefish age groups were also affected by the different diets, although this difference was higher in age-group I. The general pattern of fatty acid composition of TL in the mantle of cuttlefish was similar in all groups studied. It is remarkable the low levels of monoene FAs in both age-group cuttlefish mantle, despite of the high level of this FA group in both diets, which suggests that these FAs are not stored in the mantle. An opposite tendency was observed regarding the n-3 HUFA, especially 22:6n-3 (DHA) which remained constant despite the different age or diet. High levels of astaxanthin were found in shrimp with respect to fish, but this was only reflected on skin accumulation in age-group I, showing no differences in age-group II. This suggests differences in the astaxanthin metabolism according to t