Effects of essential oil/palygorskite composite on performance, egg quality, plasma biochemistry, oxidation status, immune response and intestinal morphology of laying hens.

The current study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of essential oil/palygorskite composite (EO-PGS) supplementation on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, immunity and intestinal morphology of laying hens. A total of 480 laying hens aged 65 wk were randomly assigned into 4 groups (6 replicates of 20 hens each). Hens were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS for 56 d. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. Results showed that birds fed with diet supplemented with EO-PGS had increased the egg production (P < 0.05) more than birds fed with control diet. The yolk index and shell thickness were increased in 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS groups at d56 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma biochemical parameters among all groups. Compared with the control group, supplementation of EO-PGS increased the immunoglobulin-G and interleukin-2 levels in plasma (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver, the plasma catalase concentration, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in the liver and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the spleen were increased in the EO-PGS groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde in the liver was decreased with the increasing level of EO-PGS (P < 0.05). The crypt depth of ileum and duodenum of birds fed with EO-PGS supplemented diet had a tendency to decrease (0.05

Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) restores intestinal dysbacteriosis to alleviate upregulated inflammatory cytokines triggered by femoral diaphyseal fracture in adolescent rodent model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of femoral shaft fracture on systemic inflammation and gut microbiome in adolescent rats and evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and its regulation of intestinal flora, as well as illustrate the mechanism by which LGG ameliorates the inflammatory response and restores intestinal dysbacteriosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats of 5 to 6 weeks of age were subjected to a standard femoral shaft fracture and internally fixed with LGG supplementation in advance or on the same day of injury or with saline solution for 1 week. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and CRP were assessed using standard protocols. Furthermore, gut microbiota composition was analyzed in the fecal samples using 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and the relationship between gut microbiota variation and inflammatory response was tested. RESULTS: The serum indices of the above-mentioned inflammatory cytokines were significantly increased, and the gut microbial balance was significantly disturbed in adolescent rats by diaphyseal fractures of the femur and surgery. Moreover, L. rhamnosus strains manipulated the gut microbiota by decreasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and increasing that of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which in turn increased the levels of IL-10 and alleviated the levels of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α. CONCLUSIONS: LGG exhibited anti-inflammatory effects by alleviating the inflammatory response and regulating the gut microbiota in adolescent rats who underwent skeletal fracture and surgery. Our results suggested that the L. rhamnosus strains could be considered as an alternative dietary supplement for the prevention or treatment of skeletal injury and its associated complications.

The effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis and montmorillonite on the intestinal health status in laying hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and montmorillonite (MMT) on laying performance, gut mucosal oxidation status, and intestinal immunological and physical barrier functions of laying hens. Three hundred sixty laying hens (29-week-old) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 6) for 10 wk as follows: (1) basal diet; (2) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg; (3) the basal diet plus 0.5 g MMT/kg; and (4) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg and 0.5 g MMT/kg. Dietary supplementation with BS increased egg production and egg mass, the activities of catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase in the intestinal mucosa, and villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum (P < 0.05) but downregulated the mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in the duodenum and jejunum, interleukin 1 beta in the duodenum, and nuclear factor kappa B P65 (NF-κB P65) and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with MMT increased egg production and egg mass, the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A in the duodenum, and the occludin mRNA expression level in the jejunum (P < 0.05) but reduced feed conversion ratio, malondialdehyde concentration in the duodenum and jejunum, and the mRNA expression level of MyD88 in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In addition, there was an interaction effect between BS and MMT supplementation on the CAT activity and the MyD88 mRNA expression level in the duodenum and the mRNA expression level of occludin in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary BS and MMT and their combination may improve the intestinal health status of laying hens, which may contribute to the increase in hens' laying performance.

[Effect of qingkailing on glutamate and NMDA receptor of brain tissue].

The effects of QingKaiLing on the content of glutamate(Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA), and the numbers and affinity of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in brain tissue were observed. QingKaiLing did not change the content of Glu and GABA and the ratio of Glu/GABA in brain tissue (P > 0.05). The numbers of NMDA receptor on membrane of neuron were significantly decreased in QingKaiLing group(P < 0.05). These results suggested that the brain protective mechanism of QingKaiLing be in relation to decreasing the numbers of NMDA receptor.

The induction of liver microsomal cytochrome P450 by Glycyrrhiza uralensis and glycyrrhetinic acid in mice.

The effect of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch (GRZ) aqueous extract and one of its active principles Glycyrrhetinic acid (GRT) on hepatic cytochrome P450 in mice were investigated. Oral administration of GRZ at 10 g/kg/d or GRT at 50 mg/kg/d for 7 days was found to increase the P450 contents up to 4.6 fold compared with the controls. The activities of aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH, 3.1 and 3.3 fold), aminopyrine N-demethylase (ADM, 4.2 and 3.2 folds), and 7-ethoxycumarin O-deethylase (ECOD, 2.8 and 2.5 fold) were also shown to be increased. Western blot analysis showed that the subtypes of P450 isoforms induced selectively by GRZ and GRT included CYP1A1 (1.8 and 1.5 fold over that of the control, respectively), CYP2B1 (both 1.3 fold), and CYP2C11 (3.2 and 3.0 fold). Moreover, significant positive correlation between the P450 content or the isoforms and the corresponding enzyme activities mentioned above was observed.

[Suppressive effects of a plant-origin polyol, dulcitol on collagen-induced arthritis in mice].

Dulcitol was isolated chemically from Celastrus obiculatus Thumb and determined by HPLC. Effects of dulcitol were examined on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1J mice. From 6 weeks after the first immunization with bovine type II collagen, dulcitol (100 mg/kg body weight/day) was administered orally to immunized mice for 9 weeks. Clinical score of CIA was improved significantly by dulcitol intervention compared with the non-treated CIA mice. Radiographic score of phalangeal destruction was also improved by dulcitol treatment. These findings suggest that dulcitol may play a role in regulation of some inflammatory responses in the present arthritis model. Significant reduction of percentage of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets in the spleen leucocytes of CIA mice was observed by flow cytometry. Almost normal level of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was observed in dulcitol-treated groups, suggesting T cell-modifying effect of dulcitol in CIA. Weight of spleen was larger in CIA mice and it was not affected by dulcitol. Anti-collagen antibody titer was increased in CIA mice, and it was not affected by dulcitol, either. Improvement of the changes of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the spleen by dulcitol may suggest its modulatory effect on cellular immunity.

[Clinical study on combined treatment of shuizhi tuyuan powder and nifedipine in treating hypertension patients complicated with left ventricular hypertrophy].

Patients with essential hypertension complicated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) confirmed by ultrasonic cardiography were divided randomly into observation group and control group. Both groups were treated with nifedipine. Shuizhi Tuyuan Powder (SZTYP, consisted of Hirudo nipponia and Eupolyphaga sinensis) was given in addition to the observation group. The therapeutic course for the two groups were 6 months. Results showed that after one course of treatment, the myocardial weight index lowered from 136.8 +/- 7.5 g/m2 to 130.5 +/- 6.4 g/m2 in observation group, while in control group, it lowered from 136.7 +/- 7.4 g/m2 to 134.3 +/- 6.2 g/m2, the difference between the two groups was significant (P < 0.01). The symptoms were relieved in part of the patients with early stage of cerebrovascular disease treated with SZTYP. The results suggested that SZTYP combined with nifedipine has active curative effect on essential hypertension patients complicated by LVH and part patients in early stage of cerebrovascular disease.

[Primary hyperparathyroidism with parathyroid adenocarcinoma in a patient with Turner's syndrome complicated with thyrotoxicosis].

We report a rare case of Turner's syndrome coexisting with thyrotoxicosis and parathyroid adenocarcinoma resulting in hyperparathyroidism. This 45-year-old female patient presented with primary amenorrhea and poor development of secondary sexual characteristics. She also experienced repeated bone fractures, and body weight loss. Multiple risk factors of osteoporosis developed simultaneously in this patient. The interesting interactive relationship of hypercalcemia between thyrotoxicosis and primary hyperparathyroidism was noted. The best choice was surgery for both cases. Calcium supplements and various hormone replacements in addition to regular investigative radionuclide scans were required.

Ontogenetic development of calmodulin mRNA in rat brain using in situ hybridization histochemistry.

An oligonucleotide probe complementary to the area on calmodulin coding for the calcium binding domain II on calmodulin was used to study the ontogenetic development of calmodulin mRNA in rat brain using in situ hybridization histochemistry. The hybridization signal for this probe was saturable, RNAse sensitive and was displaced by excess unlabelled calmodulin probe but was not displaced by an S-100 probe or by another calmodulin probe which was complementary to the mRNA coding for a different portion of calmodulin. At birth, high levels of calmodulin mRNA were found in hippocampus, cerebral cortex, thalamic nuclei and corpus striatum, and relatively low levels were in white matter. The rate at which calmodulin mRNA changed during development in the different brain areas varied with the brain area. At postnatal day one, the highest hybridization signals were in the cortical plate of the cerebral cortex, in thalamus and in the pyramidal cell layers of hippocampus and pyriform cortex. This distribution became more uniform with age. In contrast to most other brain areas, calmodulin mRNA in cerebellum increased markedly between one and 32 days postnatal; the hybridization signal was low at day one and was confined to the external germinal layer, but by day 16 calmodulin mRNA was largely in the granular layer. These results taken together with other findings on the effects of calmodulin on cellular growth differentiation, suggest that calmodulin may play a role in neuronal maturation.