Effects of dietary urea supplementation on performance of selected insect species.

Feeding costs of farmed insects may be reduced by applying alternative nitrogen sources such as urea that can partly substitute true proteins. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of different nitrogen sources on body weight (BW) and survival rate (SR) of the Jamaican field cricket (JFC, Gryllus assimilis), the house cricket (HC, Acheta domesticus), yellow mealworm larvae (YM, Tenebrio molitor) and superworm larvae (SW, Zophobas morio). Crickets were either housed individually or in groups, and larvae were group-housed. Six isonitrogenous feeds composed of 3.52% nitrogen were designed for all four insect species using four independent replicates with micellar casein: urea proportions of 100-0%, 75-25%, 50-50%, 25-75%, 0-100% and 100% extracted soybean meal. All selected insect species were able to utilise urea. However, urea as the only nitrogen source resulted in low final BW. In the HC, the JFC, and the YM on nitrogen basis urea can replace 25% of micellar casein without having any negative effects on BW and SR in comparison to the 100% micellar casein group. In the SW, a 25% urea level did not have a significant effect on final BW, but SR decreased significantly.

A mammalian tripartite enhancer cluster controls hypothalamic Pomc expression, food intake, and body weight.

Food intake and energy balance are tightly regulated by a group of hypothalamic arcuate neurons expressing the proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene. In mammals, arcuate-specific POMC expression is driven by two cis-acting transcriptional enhancers known as nPE1 and nPE2. Because mutant mice lacking these two enhancers still showed hypothalamic Pomc mRNA, we searched for additional elements contributing to arcuate Pomc expression. By combining molecular evolution with reporter gene expression in transgenic zebrafish and mice, here, we identified a mammalian arcuate-specific Pomc enhancer that we named nPE3, carrying several binding sites also present in nPE1 and nPE2 for transcription factors known to activate neuronal Pomc expression, such as ISL1, NKX2.1, and ERα. We found that nPE3 originated in the lineage leading to placental mammals and remained under purifying selection in all mammalian orders, although it was lost in Simiiformes (monkeys, apes, and humans) following a unique segmental deletion event. Interestingly, ablation of nPE3 from the mouse genome led to a drastic reduction (>70%) in hypothalamic Pomc mRNA during development and only moderate (<33%) in adult mice. Comparison between double (nPE1 and nPE2) and triple (nPE1, nPE2, and nPE3) enhancer mutants revealed the relative contribution of nPE3 to hypothalamic Pomc expression and its importance in the control of food intake and adiposity in male and female mice. Altogether, these results demonstrate that nPE3 integrates a tripartite cluster of partially redundant enhancers that originated upon a triple convergent evolutionary process in mammals and that is critical for hypothalamic Pomc expression and body weight homeostasis.

Whey protein supplementation reduced the liver damage scores of rats fed with a high fat-high fructose diet.

Different functional foods with bioactive nutrients are being explored for the management of NAFLD. Whey proteins are rich in bioactive peptides and are suggested to show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We aim to test the hypothesis that the whey protein supplementation following a high fat-high fructose (HFHF) diet would protect against liver damage, inflammation, endotoxemia and steatosis in male Wistar rats. 36 rats were randomized into four groups for 8 weeks as the HFHF diet group, HFHF diet and whey protein isolate (WPI-200mg/kg/day) group (HFHF+WPI), control (C) group, and C+WPI (200mg/kg/day) group. Rats fed with a HFHF diet had higher final body weight compared to C and C+WPI groups (p = 0.002). Thus, WPI showed no significant effects for the body weight of rats with a HFHF diet. On the other hand, the HFHF+WPI group had significantly lower abdominal circumference when compared with the HFHF group (p<0,001). Higher serum CRP levels were observed in the groups with a HFHF diet (p<0,001) and WPI supplementation showed no effects on CRP levels. Whey protein supplementation resulted with lower total liver damage score in HFHF+WPI group compared with the HFHF diet group (p<0,001). Conversely, higher liver damage scores were observed with the C+WPI group compared to C group (p<0,001). HFHF diet resulted with higher expression of TLR-4 in the liver meanwhile WPI supplementation showed no effects on liver TLR-4 expression. We observed higher colon Occludin expression in HFHF+WPI and C+WPI groups compared with HFHF and C groups (p<0,001). Our results showed that, whey protein supplementation might help improve liver damage associated with a high fat-high fructose diet and increase the expression of Occludin in the small intestine and colon.

Effects of electroacupuncture with "intestinal disease prescription" on NLRP3 inflammasome and intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with acute ulcerative colitis. / 电针"è‚ ç— æ–¹"å¯¹æ€¥æ€§æºƒç–¡æ€§ç»“è‚ ç‚Žå¤§é¼ NLRP3ç‚Žæ€§å°ä½“å’Œè‚ é»è†œå±éšœçš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) with "intestinal disease prescription" on the intestinal mucosal barrier and NLRP3 inflammasome in rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute ulcerative colitis (UC), and explore the underlying mechanism of EA with "intestinal disease prescription" for the treatment of UC. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy male SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a medication group, and an EA group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the UC model was established by administering 5% DSS solution for 7 days. After modeling, the rats in the medication group were treated with mesalazine suspension (200 mg/kg) by gavage, while the rats in the EA group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25), "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) and "Zhongwan" (CV 12), with the ipsilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) connected to the electrodes of the EA instrument, using disperse-dense wave, with a frequency of 10 Hz/50 Hz, and each intervention lasted for 20 minutes. Both interventions were performed once daily for 3 days. The general conditions of rats were observed daily. After intervention, the disease activity index (DAI) score was calculated; colon tissue morphology was observed using HE staining; serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-18, IL-1ß) were measured by ELISA; protein expression of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was detected by Western blot; positive expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin in colon tissues was examined by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited poor general conditions, slow body weight gain, shortened colon length (P<0.01), increased DAI score and spleen index (P<0.01), elevated serum IL-18 and IL-1ß levels, and increased protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 in colon tissues (P<0.01), along with decreased positive expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissues (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the rats in the medication group and the EA group exhibited improved general conditions, accelerated body weight gain, increased colon length (P<0.05), reduced DAI scores and spleen indexes (P<0.05), decreased serum IL-18 and IL-1ß levels, and lower protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1 in colon tissues (P<0.05), as well as increased positive expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissues (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the above indexes between the medication group and the EA group (P>0.05). Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited disrupted colon mucosal morphology, disordered gland arrangement, and atrophy of crypts, along with significant inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with the model group, the rats in both the medication group and the EA group showed relatively intact colon mucosal morphology, with restored and improved gland and crypt structures, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: EA with "intestinal disease prescription" has a significant therapeutic effect on DSS-induced UC, possibly by regulating the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and proteins related to the intestinal mucosal barrier, thereby alleviating symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

[Effect of Erchen Decoction on liver mitochondrial function by inhibiting mTORC1/SREBP1/CAV1 pathway in mice with high-fat diet].

This study aims to investigate the effect of Erchen Decoction(ECD) on liver mitochondrial function in mice with a high-fat diet and its possible mechanism. A total of sixty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group, high-fat group, ECD group, mTORC1 activator(MHY) group, ECD+MHY group, and polyene phosphatidyl choline(PPC) group, with 10 rats in each group. The normal group was given a normal diet, and the other groups were fed a high-fat diet for 20 weeks. At the 17th week, the ECD group and ECD+MHY group were given ECD(8.7 g·kg~(-1)) daily, and the PPC group was given PPC(0.18 g·kg~(-1)) daily, while the remaining groups were given normal saline(0.01 mL·g~(-1)) daily for four weeks. In the 19th week, the MHY group and ECD+MHY group were injected intraperitoneally with MHY(5 mg·kg~(-1)) every other day for two weeks. During the experiment, the general conditions of the mice were observed. The contents of triglyceride(TG) and total cholesterol(TC) in serum were measured. Morphological changes in liver tissue were examined through HE and oil red O staining. The content of adenosine triphosphate(ATP) was determined using chemiluminescence, and mitochondrial membrane potential was assessed using a fluorescence probe(JC-1). Western blot was performed to detect the expression of rapamycin target protein complex 1(mTOR1), ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1(S6K), sterol regulatory element binding protein 1(SREBP1), and caveolin 1(CAV1). RESULTS:: revealed that compared with the normal group, the mice in the high-fat group exhibited significant increases in body weight and abdominal circumference(P<0.01). Additionally, there were significant increases in TG and TC levels(P<0.01). HE and oil red O staining showed that the boundaries of hepatic lobules were unclear; hepatocytes were enlarged, round, and irregularly arranged, with obvious lipid droplet deposition and inflammatory cell infiltration. The liver ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly(P<0.01). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 increased significantly(P<0.01), while the expression of CAV1 decreased significantly(P<0.01). Compared with the high-fat group, the body weight and TG content of mice in the ECD group and PPC group decreased significantly(P<0.05). Improvements were observed in hepatocyte morphology, lipid deposition, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Furthermore, there were significant increases in ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 decreased significantly in the ECD group(P<0.01), while CAV1 expression increased significantly(P<0.01). However, the indices mentioned above did not show improvement in the MHY group. When the ECD+MHY group was compared with the MHY group, there were significant reductions in body weight and TG contents(P<0.05). The morphological changes of hepatocytes, lipid deposition, and inflammatory cell infiltration were recovered. Moreover, there were significant increases in liver ATP content and mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.05 or P<0.05). The expression of p-mTOR, p-S6K, and n-SREBP1 decreased significantly(P<0.01), while CAV1 expression increased significantly(P<0.01). In conclusion, ECD can improve mitochondrial function by regulating the mTORC1/SREBP1/CAV1 pathway. This mechanism may be involved in the resolution of phlegm syndrome and the regulation of lipid metabolism.

[Mechanism of Kuntai Capsules in treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome rat models based on AGE-RAGE signal pathway].

This study aims to investigate the impact of Kuntai Capsules(KTC) on polycystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS) rat models and explore the underlying mechanism. Fifty female SD rats were randomly divided into five groups(10 rats in each group), including control group, model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose KTC group. Except for the control group, the other groups were injected with dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA) combined with a high-fat diet(HFD) to induce the PCOS rat model for 28 days. 0.315, 0.63, and 1.26 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) KTC was dissolved in the same amount of normal saline and given to low-, medium-, and high-dose KTC groups by gavage. Both control group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline for 15 days. After administration, fasting blood glucose(FBG) was measured by a glucose meter. Fasting insulin(FINS), luteinizing hormone(LH), testosterone(T), and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and LH/FSH ratio and insulin resistance index(HOMA-IR) were calculated. The pathological morphology of ovarian tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The expression levels of collagen α type Ⅲ 1 chain(COL3A1), apoptotic factors Bax, and Bcl-2 were detected using Western blot and immunofluorescence. The mRNA expressions of COL3A1, Bax, and Bcl-2 in ovarian tissue were performed by real-time PCR(RT-PCR). The results show that compared with the control group, the body weight, serum levels of FBG, FINS, LH, T, LH/FSH, and HOMA-IR are higher in model group(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the level of FSH is lower(P<0.05). In model group, a large number of white blood cells are found in the vaginal exfoliated cells, mainly in the interictal phase. There are more cystic prominences on the surface of the ovary. The thickness of the granular cell layer is reduced, and oocytes are absent. COL3A1 and Bax protein expression levels are increased(P<0.01), while Bcl-2 protein expression levels are decreased(P<0.05) in the ovarian tissue COL3A1 and Bax mRNA expression levels are increased in ovarian tissue(P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the body weight, FBG, FINS, LH, T, LH/FSH, and HOMA-IR in low-, medium-, and high-dose KTC groups are decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the levels of FSH in medium-, and high-dose KTC groups are increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01). Low-, medium-, and high-dose KTC groups gradually show a stable interictal phase. The surface of the ovary is smooth. Oocytes and mature follicles can be seen in ovarian tissue, and the thickness of the granular cell layer is increased. The expression level of COL3A1 protein decreases in low-and medium-dose KTC groups(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and that of Bax protein decreases in low-dose KTC group(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the expression level of Bcl-2 protein increases in low-dose KTC group(P<0.01). The expression levels of COL3A1 and Bax mRNA decreased in the low-dose KTC group(P<0.05), while the expression levels of Bcl-2 mRNA increased(P<0.05). In summary, KTC can inhibit ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis and reduce follicular atresia by regulating the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. It can promote insulin secretion, reduce blood sugar and body weight, restore serum hormone levels, improve symptoms of PCOS, alleviate morphological damage of the ovary, and restore ovarian function, which is of great value in the treatment of PCOS.

[Banxia Xiexin Decoction inhibiting colitis-associated colorectal cancer infected with Fusobacterium nucleatum by regulating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway].

This paper investigates the intervention effect and mechanism of Banxia Xiexin Decoction(BXD) on colitis-associated colorectal cancer(CAC) infected with Fusobacterium nucleatum(Fn). C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into a control group, Fn group, CAC group [azoxymethane(AOM)/dextran sulfate sodium salt(DSS)](AOM/DSS), model group, and BXD group. Except for the control and AOM/DSS groups, the mice in the other groups were orally administered with Fn suspension twice a week. The AOM/DSS group, model group, and BXD group were also injected with a single dose of 10 mg·kg~(-1) AOM combined with three cycles of 2.5% DSS taken intragastrically. The BXD group received oral administration of BXD starting from the second cycle until the end of the experiment. The general condition and weight changes of the mice were monitored during the experiment, and the disease activity index(DAI) was calculated. At the end of the experiment, the colon length and weight of the mice in each group were compared. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the colon tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to detect the levels of interleukin(IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-6 inflammatory factors in the serum. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect the expression of Ki67, E-cadherin, and ß-catenin in the colon tissue. Western blot was used to detect the protein content of Wnt3a, ß-catenin, E-cadherin, annexin A1, cyclin D1, and glycogen synthase kinase-3ß(GSK-3ß) in the colon tissue. The results showed that compared with the control group, the Fn group had no significant lesions. The mice in the AOM/DSS group and model group had decreased body weight, increased DAI scores, significantly increased colon weight, and significantly shortened colon length, with more significant lesions in the model group. At the same time, the colon histology of the model group showed more severe adenomas, inflammatory infiltration, and cellular dysplasia. The levels of IL-4 and IL-6 in the serum were significantly increased, while the IL-2 content was significantly decreased. The IHC results showed low expression of E-cadherin and high expression of Ki67 and ß-catenin in the model group, with a decreased protein content of E-cadherin and GSK-3ß and an increased protein content of Wnt3a, ß-catenin, annexin A1, and cyclin D1. After intervention with BXD, the body weight of the mice increased; the DAI score decreased; the colon length increased, and the tumor decreased. The histopathology showed reduced tumor proliferation and reduced inflammatory infiltration. The levels of IL-6 and IL-4 in the serum were significantly decreased, while the IL-2 content was increased. Meanwhile, the expression of E-cadherin was upregulated, and that of Ki67 and ß-catenin was downregulated. The protein content of E-cadherin and GSK-3ß increased, while that of Wnt3a, ß-catenin, annexin A1, and cyclin D1 decreased. In conclusion, BXD can inhibit CAC infected with Fn, and its potential mechanism may be related to the inhibition of Fn binding to E-cadherin, the decrease in annexin A1 protein level, and the regulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Technical note: utilization of various allotment strategies to evaluate variation and replications required to detect statistical significance in nursery pig research.

A total of 720 barrows (line 200 × 400, DNA genetics) were used in two 42-d nursery trials (initially 6.20 ±â€…0.12 kg and 5.63 ±â€…0.16 kg, respectively) to evaluate strategies for allotting pigs to pens in randomized controlled trials. At placement, the population was split into three cohorts with similar average weight and standard deviation and randomly assigned to one of the three allotment strategies. Strategy 1 (random) utilized a simple randomization strategy with each pig randomized to pens independent of all other pigs. Strategy 2 (body weight [BW] distribution) sorted each pig within the cohort into one of the five BW groups. One pig from each weight group was then randomly assigned to a pen such that distribution of BW within pen was uniform across pens. Strategy 3 (BW grouping) sorted pigs within the cohort into 3 BW categories: light, medium, and heavy. Within each BW category, pigs were randomized to pen to create pens of pigs from each BW category. Within each experiment, there were 72 pens with five pigs per pen and 24 pens per allotment strategy. For all strategies, once pigs were allotted to pens, pens were allotted to one of the two treatments for a concurrent trial. In experiment 1, environmental enrichment using ropes tied near the pan of the feeder was compared to a control with no enrichment. In experiment 2, treatment diets consisted of basal levels of Zn and Cu from the trace mineral premix for the duration of the study (110 and 17 mg/kg, respectively; control), or diets (supplemented control) with carbadox (50 g/ton; Mecadox, Phibro Animal Health, Teaneck, NJ) fed in phase 1 (days 0 to 22) and 2 (days 22 to 43), pharmacological levels of Zn and Cu (2,414 mg/kg Zn from ZnO; 168 mg/kg Cu from CuSO4) fed in phase 1, and only pharmacological levels of Cu (168 mg/kg Cu from CuSO4) fed in phase 2. These treatment designs were used to determine the impact on coefficient of variation (CV) and to estimate the number of replications required to find significant treatment differences based on allotment strategy. There were no meaningful allotment strategy × treatment interactions for either study. For between-pen CV, pigs allotted using BW distribution and BW grouping strategies had the lowest CV at allotment and final weight in both trials. For overall average daily gain in experiments 1 and 2 in experiment 2, the BW distribution strategy required the fewest replications to detect differences in performance. However, there is no meaningful difference between allotment strategies in replications required to detect significant differences for gain:feed ratio.

Decreasing variation between experimental units increases the likelihood of finding a statistically significant difference if one exists. Assignment of animals to experimental units (pens) may contribute to that variation. Therefore, the purpose of this trial was to investigate the effect that different methods of allotting pigs to pens (experimental unit) have on variation and in turn, the number of replications required to detect a significant difference of a given amount between treatments. The random strategy assigned pigs to pens in a completely random fashion. The body weight (BW) distribution strategy ordered pigs from lightest to heaviest and created five groups based on BW. Each pen was randomly assigned one pig from each of the five groups. The BW grouping strategy again ordered pigs from lightest to heaviest but split pigs into three groups based on BW and each pen was randomly assigned pigs from only one BW group such that there were pens of light pigs, pens of medium pigs, and pens of heavy pigs. Ultimately, the best allotment strategy depends on the parameter of interest. For final BW and overall ADG, the BW grouping method required the fewest pens to detect statistically significant differences.

Effects of Soluble Dextrin Fiber from Potato Starch on Body Weight and Associated Gut Dysbiosis Are Evident in Western Diet-Fed Mice but Not in Overweight/Obese Children.

BACKGROUND: The study investigated the impact of starch degradation products (SDexF) as prebiotics on obesity management in mice and overweight/obese children. METHODS: A total of 48 mice on a normal diet (ND) and 48 on a Western diet (WD) were divided into subgroups with or without 5% SDexF supplementation for 28 weeks. In a human study, 100 overweight/obese children were randomly assigned to prebiotic and control groups, consuming fruit and vegetable mousse with or without 10 g of SDexF for 24 weeks. Stool samples were analyzed for microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and amino acids (AA) were assessed. RESULTS: Results showed SDexF slowed weight gain in female mice on both diets but only temporarily in males. It altered bacterial diversity and specific taxa abundances in mouse feces. In humans, SDexF did not influence weight loss or gut microbiota composition, showing minimal changes in individual taxa. The anti-obesity effect observed in mice with WD-induced obesity was not replicated in children undergoing a weight-loss program. CONCLUSIONS: SDexF exhibited sex-specific effects in mice but did not impact weight loss or microbiota composition in overweight/obese children.

Investigation of Zinc on hemorheological parameters in a rat model of diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a complex, chronic metabolic disorder characterized by impaired regulation of blood glucose levels. Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace elements that plays a role in various physiological processes within the body, including those related to diabetes. The current study was investigated the effect of Zn supplementation on hemorheological parameters in a rat model of DM. After induction of DM, 32 male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: control, Zn, DM, and Zn+DM. Whole blood viscosity (WBV) was determined by using digital cone and plate viscometer and plasma viscosity (PV) was determined by a Coulter Harkness capillary viscometer. The rats in the DM Group showed a decrease in both Zn levels and body weight, as well as an increase in glucose levels when compared to the control group. Diabetic rats supplemented with Zn displayed lower blood glucose levels and higher concentrations of Zn compared to the DM Group. The higher PV and lower hematocrit level were measured in DM Group than control group and lower PV, higher hematocrit level were measured in Zn+DM group than DM Group. The WBV was measured at four different shear rates (57.6-115.2 - 172.8-230.4 s -1). A statistically significant increase was observed in the DM group compared to the control group. Additionally, a statistically significant decrease was observed in the Zn+DM Group compared to the DM Group at a shear rate of 230.4 s-1. Erythrocyte rigidity index (Tk) and oxygen delivery index (ODI) were computed under conditions of high shear rate. The rats in the DM group exhibited a reduction in ODI and an elevation in Tk in comparison to the control group. Conversely, the diabetic rats supplemented with Zn exhibited decreased Tk and increased ODI compared to the DM Group. Zn supplementation seems to have a potential beneficial effect for protecting adverse affect of diabetes on hemorheogical parameters and for maintaining vascular health.

Impact of different forms of selenium supplementation on growth and physiological performance of New Zealand white rabbits.

Forty-eight weaned male New Zealand White rabbits aged 6 weeks with an initial body weight of (709.67 ± 13 g) were randomly divided into six experimental groups (8 rabbits each) for 6-14 weeks of age experimental periods. The present study was planned to evaluate the effect of using different forms of Selenium element (inorganic, nanoparticles and organic) as dietary supplementation on productive performance of rabbits. Six experimental groups in completely randomized design were used. The first group (G1, control) was fed the basal diet to cover maintenance and production allowances. Rabbits in the other groups G2, G3, G4 and G5 were fed the basal diet supplemented with Nano- Se at 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05 mg/kg diet, respectively. The 6th group (G6) was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.1 mg/kg diet of salinized yeast (Se-yeast) as organic form. The results indicated that the highest values of nitrogen free extract (NFE) and crude fiber (CF) digestibility, live body weight, daily weight gain, hot carcass weight and dressing percentage were observed with those supplemented with Nano-Se at all levels compared with other treatments. However, feed conversion, net revenue and economic efficiency values were improved with Nano-Se groups followed by organic Se group in comparisons with the control group. Conclusively, the Nano-Se in rabbit's diet has a positive effect in improving rabbit's performance and economic efficiency compared to the inorganic Selenium.

Dose Range-Finding Toxicity Study in Rats With Recombinant Human Lactoferrin Produced in Komagataella phaffii.

The oral toxicity of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF, Helaina rhLF, Effera™) produced in Komagataella phaffii was investigated in adult Sprague Dawley rats by once daily oral gavage for 14 consecutive days. The study used groups of 3-6 rats/sex/dose. The vehicle control group received sodium citrate buffer, and the test groups received daily doses of 200, 1000, and 2000 mg of rhLF in sodium citrate buffer per kg body weight. Bovine LF at 2000 mg/kg body weight per day was used as a comparative control. Clinical observations, body weight, hematology, clinical chemistry, iron parameters, immunophenotyping, and gross examination at necropsy were used as criteria for detecting the effects of treatment in all groups and to help select dose levels for future toxicology studies. Quantitative LF levels were also analyzed as an indication of bioavailability. Overall, administration of Helaina rhLF by once daily oral gavage for 14 days was well tolerated in rats at levels up to 2000 mg/kg/day, or 57 × Helaina's intended commercial use in adults, and indicating that a high dose of 2000 mg/kg/day is appropriate for future definitive toxicology studies.

Centella asiatica mitigates the detrimental effects of Bisphenol-A (BPA) on pancreatic islets.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is widely used in food packaging and household products, leading to daily human exposure and potential health risks including metabolic diseases like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Understanding BPA's mechanisms and developing intervention strategies is urgent. Centella asiatica, a traditional herbal medicine containing pentacyclic triterpenoids, shows promise due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, utilized for centuries in Ayurvedic therapy. We investigated the effect of Centella asiatica (CA) ethanol extract on BPA-induced pancreatic islet toxicity in male Swiss albino mice. BPA administration (10 and 100 µg/kg body weight, twice daily) for 21 days caused glucose homeostasis disturbances, insulin resistance, and islet dysfunction, which were partially mitigated by CA supplementation (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight). Additionally, heightened oxidative stress, elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), abnormal cell cycle, and increased apoptosis were implicated in the detrimental impact of BPA on the endocrine pancreas which were effectively counteracted by CA supplementation. In summary, CA demonstrated a significant ability to mitigate BPA-induced apoptosis, modulate redox homeostasis, alleviate inflammation, preserve MMP, and regulate the cell cycle. As a result, CA emerged as a potent agent in neutralizing the diabetogenic effects of BPA to a considerable extent.

Non-encapsulated, encapsulated, and lyophilized probiotic Limosilactobacillus reuteri SW23 influenced the growth and gut health in calves.

The present study was conducted to assess the impact of non-encapsulated, air-dried microencapsulated, and lyophilized microencapsulated probiotics in indigenous cattle calves (Bos indicus). Twenty-four (5-7 days old) indigenous cattle calves were selected and assigned into four groups, with six calves in each as follows: control (CON), fed milk and basal diet alone, and treatment groups supplemented with non-encapsulated (NEC), air-dried microencapsulated (AEC) and lyophilized microencapsulated (LEC) probiotic L. reuteri SW23 at 108 CFU/head/day in skim milk as a carrier provided for 60 days. The animals were divided into four groups, adopting a complete randomized design, and the effects were considered significant at p ≤ 0.05. Probiotics supplementation increased (p < 0.05) body weight gain (kg), average daily gain, and structural growth measurements in calves of all treatment groups. Dry matter intake (g/d), feed conversion efficiency, and fecal counts of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria were also increased in the treatment groups compared to CON. The fecal consistency index was highest in CON (0.70 ± 0.03), followed by NEC (0.68 ± 0.01), AEC (0.66 ± 0.02), and LEC (0.65 ± 0.02). Fecal pH and ammonia levels were reduced (p < 0.05) in the probiotic-fed groups compared to CON, with a concomitant increase in fecal lactate, acetate, and propionate levels. In addition, cell-mediated and humoral immunity were significantly increased in supplemented groups as compared to CON. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation of the probiotics in microencapsulated/non-encapsulated forms to neonatal calves had a variety of positive effects on their health, including better performance, improved gut health, and a lower fecal consistency index. Moreover, among all supplemented groups, the lyophilized microencapsulated group outperformed air-dried microencapsulated and non-microencapsulated groups in terms of ADG, DMI, and gut health.

Essential oil supplementation in milk replacers: short- and long-term impacts on feed efficiency, the faecal microbiota and the plasma metabolome in dairy calves.

Early supplementation with oregano essential oil (EO) in milk replacer (MR) may improve growth, immune responses, the microbiota and the metabolome in dairy calves during pre-weaning and in adulthood. Sixteen female dairy calves (3 days of age) were divided in two groups (n = 8/group): the control group (no EO) and the EO group (0.23 ml of EO in MR during 45 days). After weaning, calves were kept in a feedlot and fed ad libitum. The animals were weighed, and blood and faecal samples were collected on days 3 (T0), 45 (T1) and 370 (T2) to measure the biochemical profile and characterise peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs; CD4+, CD8+, CD14+, CD21+ and WC1+), the metabolome and microbiota composition. The EO group only had greater average daily weight gain during the suckling (EO supplementation) period (P = 0.030). The EO group showed higher average CD14+ population (monocytes) values, a lower abundance of Ruminococcaceae UCG-014, Faecalibacterium, Blautia and Alloprevotella and increased abundances of Allistipes and Akkermansia. The modification of some metabolites in plasma, such as butyric acid, 3-indole-propionic acid and succinic acid, particularly at T1, are consistent with intestinal microbiota changes. The data suggest that early EO supplementation increases feed efficiency only during the suckling period with notable changes in the microbiota and plasma metabolome; however, not all of these changes can be considered desirable from a gut health point of view. Additional research studies is required to demonstrate that EOs are a viable natural alternative to antibiotics for improving calf growth performance and health.

The impact of low-energy, partially hydrolysed enteral formula on gastrointestinal symptoms and weight in children with neurological impairment: a multicentre retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Neurological impairment (NI) relates to disorders of the central nervous system. The specific aetiology of NI varies but includes genetic, congenital abnormalities or brain injury. In children with severe NI, feeding impairments can lead to undernutrition, and some children require a feeding tube. Although tube feeding improves overall nutritional status, it has also been associated with excess body fat. Commercially available enteral formulas that are low in energy, hydrolysed and nutritionally adequate for protein and micronutrients are available to mitigate gastrointestinal symptoms and obesity. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicentre study of children who attended NI clinics between January 2022 and July 2023. Data were collected before and 1 month after receiving a low-energy, partially hydrolysed enteral formula (0.6 kcal/mL) on demographic data (age, sex, ethnicity and NI diagnosis), anthropometric measurements (weight, height, weight-for-age Z-score, height-for-age Z-score, body mass index [BMI] Z-score) and feed regimen (feed volume, total fluids and type of formula/supplements). RESULTS: Dietitians collected data on 28 children, the median age was 7 years (interquartile range [IQR] 3, 8). The most frequently recorded NI was cerebral palsy, in 13 of 28 children (48%). Before the formula switch, the most frequently reported gastrointestinal symptom was constipation, in 13 of 28 children. Within 1 month of switching to a low-energy, hydrolysed formula, 10 of the 13 (77%) children reported an improvement in constipation. Before the formula switch, all 28 children were experiencing excessive weight gain. After the formula was switched to low-energy, hydrolysed formula, dietitians reported that 20 of the 28 (76%) children's weight either stabilised or reduced after 1 month. There was no statistically significant difference in weight-for-age Z-score or BMI Z-scores postswitch of formula (p-value 0.1 and 0.09, respectively). Fibre intake increased significantly from 3.3 to 8.1 g/day (p-value < 0.01) after formula switch. The number of children whose feed regimens were simplified after switching to a low-energy, partially hydrolysed formula was 24 of 28 (91%). CONCLUSIONS: Children with an NI who have gastrointestinal symptoms may benefit from a low-energy, hydrolysed enteral formula to maximise feed tolerance and promote healthy weight gain. In addition, changing to a low-energy, hydrolysed formula may simplify feed regimens by eliminating the need for additional electrolytes, multivitamins and fluid boluses. Healthcare professionals should be knowledgeable about the effectiveness and availability of a low-energy, hydrolysed formula.

In vivo antimalarial effect of 1-hydroxy-5,6,7-trimethoxyxanthone isolated from Mammea siamensis T. Anders. flowers: pharmacokinetic and acute toxicity studies.

BACKGROUND: The potent antiplasmodial activity of 1-hydroxy-5,6,7-trimethoxyxanthone (HTX), isolated from Mammea siamensis T. Anders. flowers, has previously been demonstrated in vitro. However, its in vivo activity has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the antimalarial activity and acute toxicity of HTX in a mouse model and to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of HTX following a single intraperitoneal administration. METHODS: The in vivo antimalarial activity of HTX was evaluated using a 4-day suppressive test. Mice were intraperitoneally injected with Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain and given HTX daily for 4 days. To detect acute toxicity, mice received a single dose of HTX and were observed for 14 days. Additionally, the biochemical parameters of the liver and kidney functions as well as the histopathology of liver and kidney tissues were examined. HTX pharmacokinetics after intraperitoneal administration was also investigated in a mouse model. Liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was used to quantify plasma HTX and calculate pharmacokinetic parameters with the PKSolver software. RESULTS: HTX at 10 mg/kg body weight significantly suppressed parasitemia in malaria-infected mice by 74.26%. Mice treated with 3 mg/kg HTX showed 46.88% suppression, whereas mice treated with 1 mg/kg displayed 34.56% suppression. Additionally, no symptoms of acute toxicity were observed in the HTX-treated groups. There were no significant alterations in the biochemical parameters of the liver and kidney functions and no histological changes in liver or kidney tissues. Following intraperitoneal HTX administration, the pharmacokinetic profile exhibited a maximum concentration (Cmax) of 94.02 ng/mL, time to attain Cmax (Tmax) of 0.5 h, mean resident time of 14.80 h, and elimination half-life of 13.88 h. CONCLUSIONS: HTX has in vivo antimalarial properties against P. berghei infection. Acute toxicity studies of HTX did not show behavioral changes or mortality. The median lethal dose was greater than 50 mg/kg body weight. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that HTX has a long elimination half-life; hence, shortening the duration of malaria treatment may be required to minimize toxicity.

Ameliorating Effect of Apium graveolens (Celery) Extracts on IL-6 Plasma Level and Expression of Caspase 3 on Liver in Animal Model of Lead Intoxication.

<b>Background and Objective:</b> Lead poisoning (Pb) is a big problem because it is found in almost all objects in daily life such as vehicle fuel, water pipes, ceramics, cosmetics and others. Continuous lead exposure can increase ROS resulting in an increase in hepatic IL-6 and caspase 3 which replaces hepatic cell apoptosis. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of <i>Apium graveolens</i> (celery) extract on plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> This study used a post-test control group design. The research subjects were 20 Wistar rats that met the inclusion criteria and were divided into 4 groups randomly, namely (a) Sham group that had no treatment, (b) Negative control group was induced with lead acetate 200 mg kg¹ body weight/day without any treatment (c) Positive control group and (d) Treated group. On the 15th day, blood was taken to check IL-6 levels and tissue was taken for liver caspase 3 examination by immunohistochemical method. Data analysis used the one-way ANOVA test and continued with the <i>post hoc</i> LSD test. <b>Results:</b> The highest mean caspase 3 expression was in the control group 45.84±4.39 pg mL¹, while the mean of IL-6 plasma level was highest in the P1 641.33±39.72 pg mL¹ group. The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in IL-6 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). The Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in caspase 3 levels between the study groups (p = 0.000). <b>Conclusion:</b> Giving celery extract 300 mg kg¹ body weight/day affects plasma IL-6 and hepatic caspase 3 levels in lead acetate-induced rats.

Agaro-oligosaccharides mitigate deoxynivalenol-induced intestinal inflammation by regulating gut microbiota and enhancing intestinal barrier function in mice.

Agarose-derived agaro-oligosaccharides (AgaroS) have been extensively studied in terms of structures and bioactivities; they reportedly possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities that maintain intestinal homeostasis and host health. However, the protective effects of AgaroS on deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced intestinal dysfunction remain unclear. We investigated the effects of AgaroS on DON-induced intestinal dysfunction in mice and explored the underlying protective mechanisms. In total, 32 mice were randomly allocated to four treatments (n = 8 each) for 28 days. From day 1 to day 21, the control (CON) and DON groups received oral phosphate-buffered saline (200 µL per day); the AgaroS and AgaroS + DON groups received 200 mg AgaroS per kg body weight once daily by orogastric gavage. Experimental intestinal injury was induced by adding DON (4.8 mg per kg body weight) via gavage from day 21 to day 28. Phosphate-buffered saline was administered once daily by gavage in the CON and AgaroS groups. Herein, AgaroS supplementation led to a higher final body weight and smaller body weight loss and a lower concentration of plasma inflammatory cytokines, compared with the DON group. The DON group showed a significantly reduced ileal villus height and villus height/crypt depth, compared with the CON and AgaroS + DON groups. However, AgaroS supplementation improved DON-induced intestinal injury in mice. Compared with the DON group, ileal and colonic protein expression levels of claudin, occludin, Ki67, and mucin2 were significantly higher in the AgaroS supplementation group. Colonic levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ß tended to be higher in the DON group than in the AgaroS + DON group. AgaroS altered the gut microbiota composition, accompanied by increased production of short-chain fatty acids in mice. In conclusion, our findings highlight a promising anti-mycotoxin approach whereby AgaroS alleviate DON-induced intestinal inflammation by modulating intestinal barrier functional integrity and gut microbiota in mice.

Finishing of grazing crossbred steers supplemented with detoxified castor bean meal (Ricinus communis L.) in the rainy-dry transition period.

This study evaluated levels of replacement of soybean meal by castor bean meal in the finishing crossbred steers on Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu pasture during the rainy-dry transition period. Forty Holstein-Zebu crossbred steers with an average initial weight of 395.93 ± 10 kg were randomly allocated to four treatment groups that were supplemented with concentrate levels of replacing (0, 290, 613, and 903 g/kg DM of the supplement; at 0.4% body weight [BW]). The experimental period was 120 days. A completely randomized experimental design was adopted; with regression analysis using the computational software package (SAS 9.2, USA). Intake and digestibility of dry matter (DM) and nutrients and animal performance were evaluated. The replacement levels did not influence (P > 0.05) the intakes of DM (kg/day), organic matter (OM, kg/day), neutral detergent fiber (NDF, kg/day and %BW), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC, kg/day), or total digestible nutrients (kg/day). However, the intake of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE, kg/day) decreased as the replacement levels were increased (P < 0.05). The digestibility of DM, OM, NDF, and EE did not change, whereas CP digestibility decreased linearly and NFC digestibility increased linearly (P < 0.05). The replacement levels did not affect (P > 0.05) final body weight, average daily gain, feed conversion, and carcass yield. Castor bean meal can replace up to 903 g/kg DM of soybean meal in the composition of the supplement without compromising the performance of steers on Marandu pasture during the rainy-dry transition period.