Polystyrene microplastics exposure reduces meat quality and disturbs skeletal muscle angiogenesis via thrombospondin 1.

Microplastics (MPs) pose a significant threat to livestock health. Yet, the roles of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) on meat quality and skeletal muscle development in pigs have not been fully determined. To investigate the effect of PS-MPs on skeletal muscle, piglets were given diets supplementation with 0 mg/kg (CON group), 75 mg/kg (75 mg/kg PS-MPs group), and 150 mg/kg PS-MPs (150 mg/kg PS-MPs group), respectively. The results indicated that the average daily gain (ADG) of piglets in the 150 mg/kg PS-MPs group was significantly lower than that in the CON group. No significant differences were observed in the final body weight and ADG between the CON group and the 75 mg/kg PS-MPs group. Piglets in the 150 mg/kg PS-MPs group exhibited decreased meat redness index and type I muscle fiber density. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the contents of meat flavor compounds carnosine, beta-alanine, palmitic acid, and niacinamide in muscle were lower in the 150 mg/kg PS-MPs group than in the CON group. Additionally, piglets subjected to 150 mg/kg PS-MPs exhibited impaired muscle angiogenesis. Further analysis indicated that PS-MPs exposure up-regulated thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) expression by inhibiting THBS1 mRNA and protein degradation, thereby disrupting skeletal muscle angiogenesis. These findings indicate that PS-MPs exposure adversely affects meat quality and hinders skeletal muscle angiogenesis in pigs, providing deeper insights into the detrimental effects of PS-MPs on meat quality and skeletal muscle development.

The Regulation of Selenoproteins in Diabetes: A New Way to Treat Diabetes.

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required for the synthesis and function of selenoproteins, most of which are enzymes involved in maintaining oxidative balance in the body. Diabetes is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by high blood glucose levels over a prolonged period of time. There are three main types of diabetes: type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. This review summarizes recent advances in the field of diabetes research with an emphasis on the roles of selenoproteins on metabolic disturbance in diabetes. We also discuss the interaction between selenoproteins and glucose and lipid metabolism to provide new insights into the prevention and treatment of diabetes.

Effects of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation on liver and breast muscle fat deposition, lipid levels, and lipid metabolism-related gene expression in ducks.

Exogenous supplementation of guanidinoacetic acid can mechanistically regulate the energy distribution in muscle cells. This study aimed to investigate the effects of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation on liver and breast muscle fat deposition, lipid levels, and lipid metabolism-related gene expression in ducks. We randomly divided 480 42 days-old female Jiaji ducks into four groups with six replicates and 20 ducks for each replicate. The control group was fed the basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet with 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg (GA400, GA600, and GA800) guanidinoacetic acid, respectively. Compared with the control group, (1) the total cholesterol (p = 0.0262), triglycerides (p = 0.0357), malondialdehyde (p = 0.0452) contents were lower in GA400, GA600 and GA800 in the liver; (2) the total cholesterol (p = 0.0365), triglycerides (p = 0.0459), and malondialdehyde (p = 0.0326) contents in breast muscle were decreased in GA400, GA600 and GA800; (3) the high density lipoprotein (p = 0.0356) and apolipoprotein-A1 (p = 0.0125) contents were increased in GA600 in the liver; (4) the apolipoprotein-A1 contents (p = 0.0489) in breast muscle were higher in GA600 and GA800; (5) the lipoprotein lipase contents (p = 0.0325) in the liver were higher in GA600 and GA800; (6) the malate dehydrogenase contents (p = 0.0269) in breast muscle were lower in GA400, GA600, and GA800; (7) the insulin induced gene 1 (p = 0.0326), fatty acid transport protein 1 (p = 0.0412), and lipoprotein lipase (p = 0.0235) relative expression were higher in GA400, GA600, and GA800 in the liver; (8) the insulin induced gene 1 (p = 0.0269), fatty acid transport protein 1 (p = 0.0234), and lipoprotein lipase (p = 0.0425) relative expression were increased in GA400, GA600, and GA800 in breast muscle. In this study, the optimum dosage of 600 mg/kg guanidinoacetic acid improved the liver and breast muscle fat deposition, lipid levels, and lipid metabolism-related gene expression in ducks.

Maternal Supplementation with Ornithine Promotes Placental Angiogenesis and Improves Intestinal Development of Suckling Piglets.

The blood vessels of the placenta are crucial for fetal growth. Here, lower vessel density and ornithine (Orn) content were observed in placentae for low-birth-weight fetuses versus normal-birth-weight fetuses at day 75 of gestation. Furthermore, the Orn content in placentae decreased from day 75 to 110 of gestation. To investigate the role of Orn in placental angiogenesis, 48 gilts (Bama pig) were allocated into four groups. The gilts in the control group were fed a basal diet (CON group), while those in the experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% Orn (0.05% Orn group), 0.10% Orn (0.10% Orn group), and 0.15% Orn (0.15% Orn group), respectively. The results showed that 0.15% Orn and 0.10% Orn groups exhibited increased birth weight of piglets compared with the CON group. Moreover, the 0.15% Orn group was higher than the CON group in the blood vessel densities of placenta. Mechanistically, Orn facilitated placental angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Furthermore, maternal supplementation with 0.15% Orn during gestation increased the jejunal and ileal villi height and the concentrations of colonic propionate and butyrate in suckling piglets. Collectively, these results showed that maternal supplementation with Orn promotes placental angiogenesis and improves intestinal development of suckling piglets.

Effects of Dietary Lycopene on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Meat Quality, Intestine Histomorphology, and Cecal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens.

The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. We randomly divided five hundred and seventy-six one-day-old male broilers into four groups each with six replicates and 24 chickens in each replicate. The control group (CG) was fed the basal diet, and the other groups were given powder lycopene of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene (LP10, LP20, and LP30, respectively). Compared with the control group, (1) the dietary lycopene increased (p = 0.001) the average daily gain and decreased (p = 0.033) the feed conversion ratio in the experimental groups; (2) the glutathione peroxidase enzyme contents in LP20 were higher (p =< 0.001) in myocardium; (3) the crude protein contents were higher (p = 0.007) in the group treated with 30 mg/kg dietary lycopene; (4) the jejunum villous height was higher (p = 0.040) in LP20; (5) the Unclassified-f-Ruminococcaceae relative abundance was significantly higher (p = 0.043) in LP20. In this study, adding 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene to the broiler chickens' diets improved the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens.

Putrescine promotes MMP9-induced angiogenesis in skeletal muscle through hydrogen peroxide/METTL3 pathway.

Blood vessels play a crucial role in the development of skeletal muscle, ensuring the supply of nutrients and oxygen. Putrescine, an essential polyamine for eukaryotic cells, has an unclear impact on skeletal muscle angiogenesis. In this study, we observed lower vessel density and reduced putrescine level in the muscle of low-birth-weight piglet models, and identified a positive correlation between putrescine content and muscle vessel density. Furthermore, putrescine was found to promote angiogenesis in skeletal muscle both in vitro and in vivo by targeting matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9). On a mechanistic level, putrescine augmented the expression of methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3) by attenuating hydrogen peroxide production, thereby increasing the level of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-modified MMP9 mRNA. This m6A-modified MMP9 mRNA was subsequently recognized and bound by the YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1), enhancing the stability of MMP9 mRNA and its protein expression, consequently accelerating angiogenesis in skeletal muscle. In summary, our findings suggest that putrescine enhances MMP9-mediated angiogenesis in skeletal muscle via the hydrogen peroxide/METTL3 pathway.

Supplementation of dietary semen vaccariae extracts to lactating sow diets: effects on the production performance, milk components, and gene expression related to mammogenesis.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary semen vaccariae extracts (SVE) on the production performance, colostrum components, and relative gene expression related to mammogenesis of lactating sows. 48 pregnant sows were selected and randomly allocated into four groups, with six replicates and two sows per replicate. The first group was the control (CON), while the other groups received the same diet further supplemented with 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 g SVE per kg (SV1, SV2 and SV3, respectively). Compared with the control group, (1) the average daily gain was increased (p < 0.05) in SV1, SV2, and SV3 during the 11-21 days and 1-21 days of lactation; (2) the serum insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin, prolactin, and estrogen contents in SV1, SV2, and SV3 were increased (p < 0.05) on the 1st and 21st day of lactation; (3) The plasma Lysine, Threonine, and Tryptophan concentrations were also higher (p < 0.05) in SV1, SV2, and SV3 on the 1st and 21st day of lactation; (4) The milk Lysine, Methionine, Threonine, and Tryptophan concentrations were higher (p < 0.05) in SV1, SV2, and SV3 on the 1st and 21st day of lactation; (5) The milk lactose ratio and milk protein content were increased (p < 0.05) in the groups treated with semen vaccariae on the 1st day of lactation, while the milkfat ratio and milk protein content were increased (p < 0.05) in SV2 and SV3 on the 21st day of lactation; (6) the immunoglobulin M, A, and G contents were increased (p < 0.05) in the groups treated with the semen vaccariae on the first day of lactation; and (7) the relative PRLR, STAT5a, FcRn, CSN2, and LALBA expressions were higher (p < 0.05) in the groups treated with the semen vaccariae on the 1st and 21st day of lactation. In this study, the optimum dosage was 3.0 g/kg semen vaccariae, which increased the average daily gain of piglets, total lactation yield, and serum hormone levels, improved the amino acid levels in plasma, and facilitated the milk quality, up-regulated the relative gene expressions in the mammogenesis.

Comparison of different intensive triglyceride-lowering therapies in patients with hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to investigate the clinical value of emergent triglyceride (TG)-lowering therapies for hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP). METHODS: 126 HLAP patients were assigned randomly to receive either conventional treatment (CT), normal saline (NS) alone, or continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH) as an intensive TG-lowering therapy. TG levels, clinical outcomes, and inflammatory biomarkers were compared among the three groups. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly among the groups. CVVH removed TG from the plasma and achieved its target TG (<500 mg/dL) in approximately 25 h, compared to 40 h in the NS alone group and no targeted effect within 48 h in the CT group (P < 0.05). Although the majority of clinical outcomes did not differ significantly, an unexpectedly higher incidence of organ failure occurred in the CVVH group compared to the others. Hospital costs, severe AP patients and length of stay were significantly higher in the CVVH group compared to the other groups (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Early CVVH lowers TG levels more efficiently than NS alone or CT therapy, but is not superior in terms of clinical outcomes and costs. NS also lowers TG levels and is significantly less costly than the other two treatments. Further multicenter studies are needed to determine the feasibility of NS alone treatment for HLAP patients.

DUOX2-Induced Oxidative Stress Inhibits Intestinal Angiogenesis through MMP3 in a Low-Birth-Weight Piglet Model.

Intestinal vessels play a critical role in nutrient absorption, whereas the effect and mechanism of low birth weight (LBW) on its formation remain unclear. Here, twenty newborn piglets were assigned to the control (CON) group (1162 ± 98 g) and LBW group (724 ± 31 g) according to their birth weight. Results showed that the villus height and the activity of maltase in the jejunum were lower in the LBW group than in the CON group. LBW group exhibited a higher oxidative stress level and impaired mitochondrial function in the jejunum and was lower than the CON group in the intestinal vascular density. To investigate the role of oxidative stress in intestinal angiogenesis, H2O2 was employed to induce oxidative stress in porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). The results showed that the conditioned media from IPEC-J2 with H2O2 treatment decreased the angiogenesis of porcine vascular endothelial cells (PVEC). Transcriptome analysis revealed that a higher expression level of dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2) was found in the intestine of LBW piglets. Knockdown of DUOX2 in IPEC-J2 increased the proliferation and decreased the oxidative stress level. In addition, conditioned media from IPEC-J2 with DUOX2-knockdown was demonstrated to promote the angiogenesis of PVEC. Mechanistically, the knockdown of DUOX2 decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, thus increasing the angiogenesis in a matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) dependent manner. Conclusively, our results indicated that DUOX2-induced oxidative stress inhibited intestinal angiogenesis through MMP3 in a LBW piglet model.

Porcine intestinal antimicrobial peptide as an in-feed antibiotic alternative improves intestinal digestion and immunity by shaping the gut microbiota in weaned piglets.

Antibiotic resistance of pathogens, which is caused by the abuse of in-feed antibiotics, threatens the sustainable development of livestock production. The present study aimed to investigate the efficiency of porcine intestinal antimicrobial peptide (PIAP) as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics in terms of growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzymes and immunity, and microbiota community of the post-weaning piglets. A total of 204 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, weaned at 28 d age) with a similar body weight of 7.97 ± 1.04 kg were randomly allocated to 4 groups (51 piglets per group): (1) control group: basal diet; (2) AB group: antibiotic, basal diet + chlortetracycline (1000 mg/kg from d 1 to 24; 500 mg/kg from d 25 to 37); (3) P1 group: basal diet + a relatively low dose of PIAP (400 mg/kg from d 1 to 24; 300 mg/kg from d 25 to 37); (4) P2 group, basal diet + a relatively high dose of PIAP (600 mg/kg from d 1 to 24; 500 mg/kg from d 25 to 37). The results showed that serum indicators of hepatocyte damage and relative organ weight were not affected by these treatments (P > 0.05). Compared with the AB treatment, the P1 treatment remarkably decreased jejunal crypt depth and increased jejunal and ileal villus height:crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05). The values of jejunal maltase, lactase, sucrase, intestinal alkaline phosphatase, and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in the P1 group were sharply increased compared with those in the control and P2 groups (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the P1 group decreased serum concentrations of D-lactate, diamine oxidase, and endotoxin (P < 0.05), and increased the abundance of Lactobacillus reuteri (P < 0.05) in the colonic feces. Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between the abundance of L. reuteri and the concentrations of maltase, lactase, sucrase, and SIgA (P < 0.05). Collectively, dietary supplementation with a relatively low dose of PIAP (400 mg/kg from d 1 to 24; 300 mg/kg from d 25 to 37) demonstrates beneficial effects on intestinal morphology, digestive enzymes, immunity, and permeability by shaping the gut microbiota composition in weaned piglets. This study will provide a valuable reference for using PIAP as an in-feed antibiotic alternative in swine production.

Effects of Dietary Probiotics and Acidifiers on the Production Performance, Colostrum Components, Serum Antioxidant Activity and Hormone Levels, and Gene Expression in Mammary Tissue of Lactating Sows.

The aims of this study were to test the effects of dietary probiotics and acidifiers on the production performance, colostrum components, serum antioxidant activity and hormone levels, and gene expression in the mammary tissue of lactating sows. Four treatments were administered with six replicates to 24 lactating sows. The control group (GC) received a basal diet, while the experimental groups received a basal diet with 200 mL/d probiotics (GP), 0.5% acidifiers (GA), and 200 mL/d probiotics + 0.5% acidifiers (GM), respectively. Compared with the GC, (1) the average weight of the piglets on the 21st day of lactation in the GM was higher (p < 0.05); (2) the colostrum fat ratio increased significantly (p < 0.05); (3) the malondialdehyde levels in GP and GM were lower (p < 0.05) on the 11th day; (4) on the 1st, 11th, and 21st days, the prolactin in GP and GM increased (p < 0.05); (5) on the 21st day, the relative expression levels of the prolactin receptor and fatty acid synthase were increased (p < 0.05). In summary, the basal diet mixed with 200 mL/d probiotics + 0.5% acidifiers could improve the production performance, colostrum components, serum antioxidant activity, and hormone levels of lactating sows.

The clinical significance of serum HbA1c to diagnose diabetes mellitus during acute pancreatitis.

AIMS: To investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in acute pancreatitis (AP) patients and to explore the extent to which inflammatory stress affects plasma glucose (PG) levels in AP patients. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 2163 AP patients was performed. The PG differences among AP patients under differing pancreatic necrosis conditions and inflammation severity were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess whether fasting PG in the inflammatory stage of AP might be used for DM screening. RESULTS: The overall DM prevalence was 19.97% in AP patients, 32.41% of whom had newly diagnosed DM (based on HbA1c levels in patients who self-reported no DM). The DM prevalence was 46.93% in hyperlipidemic AP patients, 44.14% of whom had newly diagnosed DM. In patients with and without pancreatic necrosis, the optimal PG thresholds for the screening of newly diagnosed DM were 10.40 mmol/L and 8.21 mmol/L, respectively, with an AUC of 0.959 ± 0.034 (P < 0.001) and 0.972 ± 0.006 (P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For hospitalized AP patients and fasting PG levels exceeding 10 mmol/L (with necrosis) or 8 mmol/L (without necrosis) (P < 0.001), HbA1c testing is recommended to investigate the presence of comorbid undiagnosed DM.

Antifungal activity and metabolomics analysis of Piper sarmentosum extracts against Fusarium graminearum.

AIMS: Fusarium graminearum is a toxic fungus that affects food and feed crops. Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) is a potential source of anti-mildew natural products for the food and feed industry due to its various pharmacological properties. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal activity and untargeted metabolomics analysis of PSE against F. graminearum. METHODS AND RESULTS: Antifungal activity was evaluated using the mycelium growth rate method. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of PSE was performed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that PSE (1 and 2 mg ml-1) possesses inhibitory activity against F. graminearum, and a total of 17 compounds that including 8 alkaloids, 3 phenols, 3 lipids, and 3 organic acids might be the antifungal markers in PSE. Metabolomics analysis further revealed that PSE could significantly increase the levels of guanosine, guanine, adenosine, and L-isoleucine in fungi, which are related to purine and L-isoleucine metabolic pathways. CONCLUSIONS: PSE is a promising anti-mildew agent that inhibits the growth of F. graminearum in food and feed. PSE (1 and 2 mg ml-1) may exert antifungal properties by inhibiting fungal purine nucleotide synthesis and enhancing the level of L-isoleucine compared with the control groups.

Effects of blended microbial feed additives on performance, meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolism of broilers.

The present study investigated the effects of blend microbial feed additive (BMFA) in diet on performance, meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolism of broilers. In this study 240 seventy-day-old female Wenchang broilers were randomly allocated into four groups with five replicates of 12 broilers each. Broilers in the control group was fed only basal diet (S0), and the other three groups were fed the same basal diet supplemented with 0.2% (S1), 0.4% (S2), or 0.6% (S3) of BMFA, respectively. The trial continued for 54 days. The results showed that broilers in S2 and S3 had lower average daily feed intake (ADFI) compared with S0 and S1 (P < 0.05). However, diet supplementation with BMFA had no significantly influence on the average daily gain (ADG) and the ratio of ADFI to ADG (F/G) (P > 0.05). The highest thigh muscle percentage was observed in S2 (P < 0.05) among all groups. Diet supplementation with BMFA reduced the shear force in both breast and thigh muscles (P < 0.05) of broilers. An increase (P < 0.05) in the total unsaturated fatty acid (USFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acid (USFA/SFA) in breast muscles was observed in S3 compared with S0. It was found that the S3 had a relatively higher abundance of Lactobacillus (P < 0.001), as well as a lower abundance of the Bacteroides, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Olsenella, Prevotellaceae UCG-001 and Prevotella (P < 0.05) than the S0. Correlation analysis indicated that a total of 17 differential metabolites between the S3 and S0 were significantly correlated with the 7 differential genera microflora. Overall, diet supplementation with 0.6% of BMFA can significantly improve the meat quality of broilers by decreasing the concentration of SFA and enhancing the levels of the total USFA, MUFA and USFA/SFA in breast muscles. Those findings were tightly bound to the higher proportion of Lactobacillus genus in the intestinal tract of broilers influenced by BMFA.

Integrated analysis of lncRNA and gene expression in longissimus dorsi muscle at two developmental stages of Hainan black goats.

It is deemed that meat quality of kids' is better than that of adults' for Hainan black goat. Generally, meat quality is affected by many indicators, such as intramuscular fat (IMF) content, muscle fiber diameter and shear force. It is indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in meat quality of goats. However, it is unclear whether and how lncRNAs and genes play their roles in meat quality of Hainan Black goats. Here, we firstly compared the meat quality between two-month-old kids (kids) and adult goats (adults). Then, the lncRNA-seq and RNA-seq data were integrated and analyzed to explore the potential functions of lncRNAs and genes. The results showed that adults' IMF content and muscle fiber diameter were extremely significantly higher than that of kids (P<0.01). For the sequenced data, average 84,970,398, and 83,691,250 clean reads were obtained respectively for Kids and adults, among which ~96% were mapped to the reference genome of goats. Through analyzing, 18,242 goat annotated genes, 1,429 goat annotated lncRNAs and 2,967 novel lncRNAs were obtained. Analysis of differential expression genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DELs) showed that 328 DEGs and 98 DELs existed between kids and adults. Furthermore, functional enrichment analysis revealed that a number of DEGs and DELs were mainly associated with IMF. Primarily, DGAT2 expressed higher in adults than that in kids and CPT1A expressed higher in kids than that in adults. Both of them were overlapped by DEGs and targets of DELs, suggesting the two DEGs and the DELs targeted by the two DEGs might be the potential regulators of goat IMF deposition. Taken together, our results provide basic support for further understanding the function and mechanism of lncRNAs and genes in meat quality of Hainan black goats.

Effects of Hydroxylated Lecithin on Growth Performance, Serum Enzyme Activity, Hormone Levels Related to Lipid Metabolism and Meat Quality in Jiangnan White Goslings.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of hydroxylated lecithin on growth performance, serum enzyme activity, hormone levels related to lipid metabolism and meat quality in Jiangnan White goslings. Six hundred 1-day-old goslings were randomly divided into five treatments with six replicates and 20 for each replicate. The control group (CG) was fed the basal diet, while the experimental group was fed the basal diet with 50, 100, 200 mg/kg hydroxylated lecithin and 100 mg/kg soy lecithin (HLG50, HLG100, HLG200, and LG100, respectively) in the form of powder. Feed and water were provided ad libitum for 32 days. Compared with the CG, (a) the average daily feed intake was higher (P < 0.05) in HLG100, the final body weight and average daily gain were higher (P < 0.05), and the feed conversion ratio was lower in the HLG200; (b) the alanine aminotransferase, malate dehydrogenase, leptin, glucagon, thyroid hormone, Triiodothyronine contents in the HLG200 were lower (P < 0.05); (c) The breast muscle water holding capacity was higher (P < 0.05) in groups with hydroxylated lecithin, the breast muscle shear force and fiber diameter were lower (P < 0.05) in the HLG100; (d) the inositic acid, intramuscular fat, phospholipid contents were higher (P < 0.05), the triglyceride content was lower (P < 0.05) in HLG100 of the breast muscle; (e) the relative expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 genes were higher (P < 0.05) in the treated groups of muscles, the phosphorylase kinase gamma subunit 1 gene expression was shown an opposite trend. In comparison with LG100, (a) the feed conversion ratio was lower (P < 0.05) in HLG200; (b) the alanine aminotransferase and adiponectin contents were higher (P < 0.05), the malondialdehyde and free fatty acid contents were lower (P < 0.05) in HLG200; (c) the water holding capacity and intramuscular fat contents in the breast and leg muscles were higher (P < 0.05) in HLG200. The hydroxylated lecithin concentration of 200 mg/kg improved the growth performance, serum enzyme activity, hormone levels related to lipid metabolism, and the meat quality of Jiangnan White goslings.

Dietary Supplementation With Didancao (Elephantopus scaber L.) Improves Meat Quality and Intestinal Development in Jiaji Ducks.

Didancao (Elephantopus scaber L.) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine and has exhibited a beneficial role in animal health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with E. scaber on growth performance, meat quality, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition in ducks. A total of 480 Jiaji ducks (42 days old, male:female ratio = 1:1) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments. There were six replicates per treatment, with 20 ducks per replicate. The ducks in the control group (Con) were fed a basal diet; the three experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplementation with 30 (T1), 80 (T2), and 130 mg/kg (T3) of E. scaber. After a 48-day period of supplementation, growth performance, meat quality, intestinal morphology, and microbiota composition were evaluated. The results showed that no differences were observed in the final body weight, average daily feed intake, and average daily gain among the four groups. Compared with that in the Con group, the feed conversion in the T1 and T2 groups was increased significantly; the T2 group was shown to decrease the concentration of alanine aminotransferase in serum; the T3 group was lower than the Con group in the concentration of aspartate aminotransferase and was higher than the Con group in the concentration of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. The highest concentration of creatinine was observed in the T1 group. The T2 group was higher than the Con group in the contents of Phe, Ala, Gly, Glu, Arg, Lys, Tyr, Leu, Ser, Thr, Asp, and total amino acids in the breast muscle. Moreover, the T2 group was higher than the Con group in the contents of meat C18:2n-6 and polyunsaturated fatty acid. The concentration of inosinic acid in the T1, T2, and T3 groups was significantly higher than that in the Con group. However, the Con group was higher than the T2 or T3 group in the Zn content. The T2 group was lower than the Con group in the jejunal crypt depth. The T3 group was higher than the Con group in the ileal villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth. In addition, the T3 group had a trend to significantly increase the abundance of Fusobacteria. Compared with the Con group, the T1 and T2 groups displayed a higher abundance of Subdoligranulum. Collectively, dietary supplementation with 80 mg/kg of E. scaber improves meat quality and intestinal development in ducks.

Maternal Obesity Increases Oxidative Stress in Placenta and It Is Associated With Intestinal Microbiota.

Maternal obesity induces placental dysfunction and intestinal microbial dysbiosis. However, the associations between intestinal microbiota and placental dysfunction are still unclear. In the present study, a gilt model was used to investigate the role of maternal obesity on placental oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, and fecal microbiota composition, meanwhile identifying microbiota markers associated with placental oxidative stress. Twenty gilts were divided into two groups based on their backfat thickness on parturition day: namely Con group (average backfat thickness = 33 mm), and Obese group (average backfat thickness = 39 mm). The results showed that Obese group was lower than Con group in the birth weight of piglets. Compared with the Con group, the Obesity group exhibited an increased oxidative damage and inflammatory response in placenta, as evidenced by the increased concentrations of placental reactive oxygen species (ROS), protein carboxyl, and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Obesity group was lower than Con group in the concentrations of placental adenosine triphosphate, citrate synthase, and complex I activity. In addition, lower propionate level and Bacteroidetes abundance in feces were seen in the Obese Group. Furthermore, the concentrations of placental ROS, protein carboxyl, and IL-6 were positively correlated with the abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and negatively correlated with that of norank_f_Bacteroidales_S24-7_group. In conclusion, these findings suggest that maternal obesity might impair oxidative and inflammatory response in placenta through modulating intestinal microbiota composition.

Effects of king grass and sugarcane top in the absence or presence of exogenous enzymes on the growth performance and rumen microbiota diversity of goats.

In the present study, the feasibility of sugarcane top (ST) application in the goat's diet was evaluated. A total of 20 goats were randomly divided into four groups. The dietary treatments were set as follows: animals were fed with king grass (KG), KG with exogenous enzymes (KGE), ST, and ST with exogenous enzymes (STE). The animals were given free access to feed and water. After 15 days of adaptation and 60 days of the experiment, the growth performance, plasma parameters, and rumen microbiota of goats were assessed. The results showed that the KG, ST, and exogenous enzyme supplement had no significant effects on the growth performance and plasma parameters. The diet affected the rumen microbiota diversity and structure, and the alpha and beta diversity in the animals fed with ST were dramatically greater compared with the animals fed with KG. The abundances of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Elusimicrobia were significantly decreased in the animals fed with KG or KGE, while the abundances of Firmicutes and Euryarchaeota were significantly higher in the animals fed with KG or KGE. Furthermore, the microbial communities were also different at the genus level. Moreover, the exogenous enzymes had a slight effect on rumen microbiota. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed that the greatest differences were found in bacterial taxa, and these specific taxa could be used as biomarkers to distinguish rumen microbiota. Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) functional profile prediction indicated that the dietary treatments of ST and KG could also alter the gene expression pattern in nutrient and energy metabolism, as well as replication and repair of genetic information pathways. Collectively, the dietary treatments of KG and ST in the absence or presence of exogenous enzymes had similar effects on the growth performance and plasma parameters of goats. Besides, the KG and ST diets could affect the rumen microbiota community and function of goats. Therefore, ST could be used as a promising alternative feed resource for ruminants without the addition of exogenous enzymes in tropical regions.

Using Extract From the Stems and Leaves of Yizhi (Alpiniae oxyphyllae) as Feed Additive Increases Meat Quality and Intestinal Health in Ducks.

Yizhi (Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, A. oxyphylla) has been widely used as an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb for centuries. Existing studies have shown that A. oxyphylla has numerous benefits in human and animal health. We hypothesized that extract from the stems and leaves of A. oxyphylla (AOE) as a feed additive may have positive effects on animal health and products. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of AOE as a feed additive on growth performance, serum biochemical parameters, intestinal morphology, microbial composition, and meat quality in Jiaji ducks. A total of 240 Jiaji ducks of 42 days old (1675.8 ± 44.2 g, male: female ratio = 1:1) were blocked based on body weight and randomly allocated into four dietary treatments with three replicates that each had 20 duck individuals. The dietary treatments included: basal diet, control group (CK); basal diet supplementation with 30 mg/kg (Y1), 80 mg/kg (Y2), and 130 mg/kg (Y3) AOE, respectively, and lasted for 49 days. The results showed that average daily feed intake from day 42 to day 60 was decreased with the increasing level of AOE (P < 0.05). Compared with the CK group, the groups with AOE supplementation decreased serum LDL-C level (P < 0.05), the addition of 30 mg/kg AOE increased total amino acids, essential amino acids, branched-chain amino acids, nonessential amino acids, and umami taste amino acids (P < 0.05), but decreased selenium and zinc concentrations in breast muscle (P < 0.05). In addition, the supplementation of 30 or 130 mg/kg AOE significantly increased jejunal villus height (P < 0.05) and tended to increase the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum (P = 0.092) compared to the CK group. Moreover, the addition of 30 mg/kg AOE showed a higher abundance of genus unclassified Bacteroidales and genus unclassified Ruminococcaceae than the CK group (P < 0.05). Therefore, dietary supplementation with 30 mg/kg AOE increased meat nutrition profile and flavor through promoting amino acid contents in breast muscle, as well as maintained intestine integrity and modulated the microbial composition. In conclusion, AOE as an antibiotic alternative displayed potential in maintaining intestinal health and improving meat quality.