Light microscopy can reveal the consumption of a mixture of psychotropic plant and fungal material in suspicious death.

Light microscopical examination of plant and fungal remains in the post mortem gut may be capable of demonstrating the ingestion of unexpected natural psychotropic materials. This is demonstrated here in a case in which a 'shaman' was accused of causing the death of a young man. The deceased had participated in a ceremony which involved the drinking of ayahuasca in order to induce a psychotropic experience. Ayahuasca is an infusion of Banisteriopsis caapi (ayahuasca vine), which produces a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, and one or more additional tropical plants, generally Psychotria viridis (chacruna) which produces dimethyltryptamine (DMT). The monoamine oxidase inhibitor prevents DMT from being broken down in the gut, so enabling its passage into the bloodstream and across the blood/brain barrier. Toxicological tests for DMT demonstrated the presence of this compound in the body. The deceased was reported to be in the habit of using Psilocybe semilanceata (liberty cap). This fungus (popularly called magic mushroom) contains psilocybin which is hydrolysed in the gut to psilocin; this compound mimics a serotonin uptake inhibitor, and also invokes psychotropic experiences. Microscopical examination established that the ileum and colon contained spores of Psilocybe and, in addition, pollen of Cannabis sativa and seeds of Papaver cf. somniferum (opium poppy). Both the plant species yield psychotropic substances. Palynological and mycological analysis of containers from the deceased person's dwelling also yielded abundant trace evidence of pertinent pollen and spores. The police had requested analysis for DMT but there was no screening for other psychotropic substances. Investigators were surprised that a mixture of hallucinogenic materials had been consumed by the deceased. The charge was modified from manslaughter to possession of a 'Class A' drug as the deceased had been consuming psychotropic substances not administered by the 'shaman'. Where death involving drugs from plants or fungi is suspected, microscopical examination of samples from the gut can provide a rapid and effective method for assessing, in a temporal context, the presence of ingested materials that may not have been previously suspected. The example presented here also demonstrates the need for caution in interpreting toxicological results where screening for unusual compounds has been limited.

Tracking (Poly)phenol components from raspberries in ileal fluid.

The (poly)phenols in ileal fluid after ingestion of raspberries were analyzed by targeted and nontargeted LC-MS(n) approaches. Targeted approaches identified major anthocyanin and ellagitannin components at varying recoveries and with considerable interindividual variation. Nontargeted LC-MS(n) analysis using an orbitrap mass spectrometer gave exact mass MS data which were sifted using a software program to select peaks that changed significantly after supplementation. This method confirmed the recovery of the targeted components but also identified novel raspberry-specific metabolites. Some components (including ellagitannin and previously unidentified proanthocyanidin derivatives) may have arisen from raspberry seeds that survived intact in ileal samples. Other components include potential breakdown products of anthocyanins, unidentified components, and phenolic metabolites formed either in the gut epithelia or after absorption into the circulatory system and efflux back into the gut lumen. The possible physiological roles of the ileal metabolites in the large bowel are discussed.

Tributyrin supplementation protects mice from acute ethanol-induced gut injury.

BACKGROUND: Excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver disease. Interorgan crosstalk contributes to ethanol (EtOH)-induced liver injury. EtOH exposure causes gut dysbiosis resulting in negative alterations in intestinal fermentation byproducts, particularly decreased luminal butyrate concentrations. Therefore, in the present work, we investigated the effect of butyrate supplementation, in the form of trybutyrin, as a prophylactic treatment against EtOH-induced gut injury. METHODS: C57BL/6J mice were treated with 3 different EtOH feeding protocols: chronic feeding (25 days, 32% of kcal), short-term (2 days, 32%), or acute single gavage (5 g/kg). Tributyrin (0.83 to 10 mM) was supplemented either into the liquid diet or by oral gavage. Intestinal expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins and a butyrate receptor and transporter were evaluated, as well as liver enzymes and inflammatory markers. RESULTS: All 3 EtOH exposure protocols reduced the expression and co-localization of TJ proteins (ZO-1, occludin) and the expression of a butyrate receptor (GPR109A) and transporter (SLC5A8) in the ileum and proximal colon. Importantly, tributyrin supplementation protected against these effects. Protection of the intestine with tributyrin supplementation was accompanied by mitigation of EtOH-induced increases in aspartate aminotransferase and inflammatory measures in the short-term and acute EtOH exposure protocols, but not after chronic EtOH feeding. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that tributyrin supplementation could serve as a prophylactic treatment against gut injury caused by short-term EtOH exposure.

Transfer of conjugated linoleic acids into different tissues of dairy cows.

The objective of this study was to investigate the transfer of supplemented trans-10,cis-12 (t10,c12) and cis-9, trans-11 (c9,t11) conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) into the body of dairy cows during the first 105 days in milk (DIM). Therefore, five out of 25 first lactation German Holstein cows were slaughtered at 1 DIM without previous CLA or fat supplementation. The remaining animals received daily 6.0 g t10,c12 CLA and 5.7 g c9,t11 CLA as feed supplement (Group CLA, 10 cows) or a stearic acid-based control fat supplement (Group CON, 10 cows). From both groups, five cows were slaughtered at 42 and 105 DIM, respectively. During the slaughter process, the empty body mass of the cow was partitioned into nine fractions (retroperitoneal fat, omental fat, mesenteric fat, subcutaneous fat, meat, bone, offal, hide and mammary gland). The fat content and the fatty acid composition of these fractions were determined. The c9,t11 CLA isomer was detected in all fractions across all groups, but the amount of c9,t11 CLA was not changed because of CLA supplementation. Except for the retroperitonealfat depot, no t10,c12 CLA was detected in the fractions of Group CON. After CLA supplementation, the amount of t10,c12 CLA in the retroperitoneal, mesenteric, subcutaneous, offal and mammary gland fractions was increased. The transfer of t10,c12 CLA into the fractions was more pronounced from 42 until 105 DIM. However, the transfer efficiency of consumed t10,c12 CLA into the fat depot fractions and all fractions was <0.1% and <0.2%, respectively. Overall, the transfer of supplemented CLA isomers into the dairy cow's body was only marginal during the first 105 DIM.

Effect of exogenous phytase on degradation of inositol phosphate in dairy cows.

The effect of exogenous phytase on inositol phosphate degradation in the rumen of dairy cows was investigated in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Four lactating Danish Holstein cows fitted with ruminal, duodenal, and ileal cannulas were offered a total mixed ration (TMR) with a high content of inositol phosphate and supplemented with 1 of 4 concentrations of phytase [none, low, medium, or high, corresponding to 23, 2,023, 3,982, and 6,015 phytase units/kg of dry matter (DM)]. Exogenous phytase lead to a higher rumen pool of phytase. Inositol phosphate content in digesta samples from rumen, duodenum, ileum, and feces was almost entirely composed of myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP(6)), indicating that degradation of this compound is the rate-limiting step in inositol phosphate degradation in the digestive tract. Ruminal and total-tract degradations of InsP(6) were higher when exogenous phytase was added to the TMR. Degradation of InsP(6) occurred mainly before the duodenum. The ruminal degradability of InsP(6) was increased with increasing dietary concentrations of phytase: 86.4, 93.7, 94.5, and 96.3% for none, low, medium, or high, respectively. A comparison of the InsP(6) content in individual feedstuffs and in samples of the TMR revealed that the exogenous phytase started degrading the inositol phosphate when feeds and phytase were mixed, and thus the InsP(6) phosphorus (InsP(6)-P) content in the TMR was found to decrease with higher doses of phytase (1.69, 1.51, 1.39, and 1.25 g/kg of DM for the none, low, medium, and high phytase doses, respectively). It was not possible to distinguish between the degradation of inositol phosphate occurring in the TMR and in the rumen. Exogenous phytase had no effect on total P intake or flow of total P to the duodenum and ileum, whereas exogenous phytase increased flow of microbial P to the duodenum and total fecal P excretion. None of the investigated rumen variables (pH, degradability of neutral detergent fiber, and rumen kinetics for neutral detergent fiber) were affected by treatment. Rumen and total-tract degradations of inositol phosphate were increased when exogenous phytase was added to the TMR, which offers the potential for reducing P excretion through reduced dietary P.

A note on sampling digesta from the ileum of broilers in phosphorus digestibility studies.

The responses of broilers to increments of dietary P concentration in P retention and P prececal digestibility were studied in 2 experiments using Ross 308 broilers in their fourth week of age. The low-P basal diet was mainly based on corn, potato protein, and corn starch. Titanium dioxide was used as the indigestible marker. Monobasic calcium phosphate was added in 6 (experiment 1) or 5 (experiment 2) graded levels up to a maximum of 8.1 g of P/kg of the diet. Five (experiment 1) and 6 (experiment 2) replicated pens of 10 birds were used. Excreta were collected from trays underneath the pens. Birds were asphyxiated by carbon dioxide exposure and the ileum (from Meckel's diverticulum to 2-cm anterior to the ileo-ceca-colonic junction) was dissected. Digesta was collected from the entire section (experiment 1) or from 3 subsections of equal lengths (experiment 2). Excretion of P increased linearly with increasing dietary P concentration up to a level of about 5.2 g of P/kg of the diet and increased nonlinearly with further increase in dietary P. In contrast, P flow in the ileum increased linearly over the entire range of P intake. Up to the level of 5.2 g of P/kg of the diet, P excretion was slightly lower than P flow in the ileum, but responses in P excretion and P flow in the ileum were similar, suggesting that P excretion with urine is very low and unaffected by P intake when the birds are supplied with P below their requirement. Between the 3 subsections of the ileum, calculated digestibility was significantly different for the basal diet and the diet with the 3 lowest levels of P supplementation. We concluded that the response in P prececal digestibility to increments in dietary P concentration is linear over a wider range of dietary P than the response in P retention. When digesta is collected from the ileum for determination of P prececal digestibility, the first third of the ileum should not be considered.

[Study on absorption ingredients of Plantaginis semen by in vitro everted intestinal sac method].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for quick investigating the absorption ingredients of Plantaginis semen and guiding the index selection for its quality control. METHOD: The absorption of three concentrations of Plantaginis semem was investigated with the in vitro everted intestinal sac (VEIS) model The intestinal sac contents of jejunum and ileum were collected at different time and geniposidic acid was detected by HPLC and LC-MS(n) as the representative marker. RESULT: Six ingredients could be detected. At different concentrations of Plantaginis semen, geniposidic acid tested by VEIS showed that there was a good linear correlation between the drug absorption from the medium across the intestinal epithelium into the sac contents in various intestines section. The absorption of the gut sacs from 0 to 90 min manifested a significant time-dependent manner. The Ka of geniposidic acid in the jejunum and ileum increased along with the raised dosage of the Plantaginis Semen (P < 0.05), which indicated a passive absorption manner. CONCLUSION: This method can be used as a tool to investigate the absorption ingredients of Plantaginis Semen. Comparing with the jejunum, the ileum can provide more absorption information faster. The optimal incubation time in intestinal sac was 90 min.

ω-3 fatty acids attenuate mucosal inflammation in premature rat pups.

BACKGROUND: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal disease of premature infants. Although ω-3 fatty acids are known to have antiinflammatory effects, their effect against NEC remains unclear. METHODS: Mother rats fed a soybean-based, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)- or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-enriched diet from days 7 to 20 of gestation were examined. On day 20, the rat pups were delivered by abdominal incision, their intestines were removed, and messenger RNA was extracted. A rat NEC model was used to confirm the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on the inflamed intestine (n = 20-28). The expression of inflammatory molecules was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 11-14). RESULTS: The concentrations of DHA and EPA in the intestine were significantly increased in the DHA and EPA groups (P < .01). The expression of the antiinflammatory prostaglandin E2 receptor EP3 was increased in the DHA (P < .05) and EPA groups (P < .01). In the NEC model, the reduced incidence of colitis was confirmed in the DHA and EPA groups. The expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ was increased (P < .05), and the inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB α/ß decreased in both the DHA (P < .01) and EPA groups (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that ω-3 fatty acids are beneficial for protecting the premature intestine from inflammation by regulating eicosanoid- and nuclear factor-κB-related metabolite expression.

[Everted intestinal sac method for quick finding absorption ingredients of Wuzhuyu decoction].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method for quick finding the absorption ingredients of Wuzhuyu decoction in order to select the index to control its quality. METHOD: The absorption of three concentration of Wuzhuyu decotion was investigated with the in vitro-everted intestinal sac model. The intestinal bag fluid of jejunum and ileum were collected in different time and the eight ingredients, which were evodiamine (Ev), rutaecarpine (Ru), limonin (Li), ginsenoside-Rb1, -Rg1, -Re (Rb1, Rg1, Re), isorhamnetin-3-O-beta-D-glucosyl(6''-->1'")-alpha-L-rhamnoside (Irs)and 6-gingerol (6-Gi), were detected by HPLC as the represent constituents in samples. RESULT: Eight ingredients except Ru in samples could be detected, but Ev could not be detected in high concentration samples. The ratios between absorption ingredients were different from in Wuzhuyu decotion. CONCLUSION: The in vitro-everted intestinal sac canc absorb the ingredients of Wuzhuyu decotion selectivity. Compare with the ileum, the jejunum can provide the more absorption information and faster, the best test time is 60-90 min.

Protective effects of Nigella sativa on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

BACKGROUND: In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that Nigella Sativa (NS) has protective effects against ischemia reperfusion injury on various organs. However, its protective effects on intestinal tissue against ischemia reperfusion injury are unclear. We aimed to determine whether NS prevents intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty rats were divided into three groups as sham (group 1), control (group 2), and NS-treatment group (group 3). All rats underwent intestinal ischemia for 60 min followed by a 60-min period of reperfusion. Rats were intraperitoneally infused only 0.9% saline solutions in group 2. Rats in the group 3 received NS (0,2 mL/kg) intraperitoneally, before ischemia and before reperfusion. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), total oxidative status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in ileum tissue were measured. Also, ileum tissue histopathology was evaluated by a light microscope. RESULTS: The levels of liver enzymes in group 3 were significantly lower than those in group 2 (p <.01). TAC and CAT activity levels in ileum tissue were significantly higher in group 3 than in group 2. TOS, OSI, and MPO in ileum tissue were significantly lower in group 3 than group 2 (p <.05 for TOS and MPO; p < .01 for OSI). Histological tissue damage was milder in the NS treatment group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that NS treatment protected the rat's intestinal tissue against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Dietary alpha-ketoglutarate supplementation ameliorates intestinal injury in lipopolysaccharide-challenged piglets.

Neonates are at increased risk for inflammatory bowel disease, but effective prevention and treatments are currently limited. This study was conducted with the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglet model to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) on the intestinal morphology and function. Eighteen 24-day-old pigs (weaned at 21 days of age) were assigned randomly to control, LPS, and LPS + AKG groups. The piglets in the control and LPS groups were fed a corn- and soybean meal-based diet, whereas the LPS + AKG group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 1% AKG. On days 10, 12, 14, and 16, piglets in the LPS and LPS + AKG groups received intraperitoneal administration of LPS (80 microg/kg BW), whereas piglets in the control group received the same volume of saline. On day 16, D-xylose was orally administrated to all pigs at the dose of 0.1 g/kg BW, 2 h after LPS or saline injection, and blood samples were collected 3 h thereafter. Twenty-four hours post-administration of LPS or saline, pigs were killed to obtain intestinal mucosae for analysis. Compared with the control group, LPS challenge reduced (P < 0.05) protein levels, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth, and the ratio of phosphorylated mTOR to total mTOR in duodenal, jejunal, and ileal mucosa. These adverse effects of LPS were attenuated (P < 0.05) by AKG supplementation. Moreover, AKG prevented the LPS-induced increase in intestinal HSP70 expression. Collectively, these novel results indicate that dietary supplementation with 1% AKG activates the mTOR signaling, alleviates the mucosal damage, and improves the absorptive function of the small intestine in LPS-challenged piglets. The findings not only help understand the mode of AKGs actions in the neonatal gut but also have important implications for infant nutrition under inflammatory conditions.

Identification of cobalamin and cobalamin analogues along the gastrointestinal tract of dairy cows.

Cobalamin analogues in samples of rumen fluid, duodenal and ileal digesta and faeces of lactating dairy cows collected during the course of two nutritional studies were identified using a recently developed liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method in order to determine if changes in diet composition could alter their proportions. Only cobalamin and cobinamine were detected in feedstuffs; six supplementary analogues were detected in the gastrointestinal tract content. The proportion of analogues produced by the gastrointestinal microflora was higher than the vitamin itself. The mode of conservation of forage had no effect on the proportion of analogues in rumen fluid, duodenal digesta and faeces, whereas increasing metabolisable protein supply raised the proportion of analogues reaching the duodenum (p = 0.008). The proportion of analogues was higher in ileal than duodenal digesta, this observation probably indicates a preferential absorption of cobalamin in the small intestine. The present results showed that changes in diet composition could alter cobalamin synthesis in rumen.

Precaecal and postileal metabolism of P, Ca and N in pigs as affected by different carbohydrate sources fed at low level of P intake.

Three different carbohydrate sources (cellulose on wood basis, maize starch and apple pectin) in combination with a low phosphorus (P) basal diet were fed to eight pigs fitted with single ileum-T-cannulas in a balance trial. The effects on net disappearance of dry matter, N, P and Ca as well as phytate (IP6) degradation in the intestine were studied. A basal diet and three diets supplemented with 25% of one carbohydrate source were applied in three experimental periods following an incomplete Latin Square design. Animals were housed individually in balance crates. After 15 days of adaptation to the diets, five days of total excreta collection were followed by two days of spot sampling of ileal digesta. The results showed a significantly decreasing effect of cellulose on the precaecal, postileal and total tract digestibility of DM, N and P. Starch reduced precaecal IP6 degradation and P digestibility. The addition of pectin negatively affected the precaecal digestibility of DM, N and Ca as well as the total tract digestibility of P and Ca. Postileally, cellulose and pectin caused a net secretion while starch induced a net absorption of P.

Studies on spasmogenic and spasmolytic activities of Calendula officinalis flowers.

The aqueous-ethanol extract of Calendula officinalis flowers (Co.Cr) was studied for its possible spasmolytic and spasmogenic effects in isolated gut preparations. In rabbit jejunum, Co.Cr caused a dose-dependent (0.03-3.0 mg/mL) relaxation of spontaneous and K+-induced contractions, suggestive of calcium channel blockade (CCB). In a few preparations, a mild non-reproducible spasmogenic effect was observed at lower doses, followed by relaxation. The CCB effect was confirmed when pretreatment of the jejunum preparations with Co.Cr produced a dose-dependent rightward shift in the Ca(++) dose-response curves, similar to that of verapamil. Activity-directed fractionation revealed that the spasmolytic activity of the plant was concentrated in its organic fractions. The aqueous fraction exhibited a marked atropine sensitive spasmogenic effect but was found to be devoid of any spasmolytic effect. These data indicate that the crude extract of Calendula officinalis flowers contains both spasmolytic and spasmogenic constituents, exhibiting these effects through calcium channel blocking and cholinergic activities and this study provides a scientific base for its traditional use in abdominal cramps and constipation.

Distribution of PrP(Sc) in cattle with bovine spongiform encephalopathy slaughtered at abattoirs in Japan.

Three 80- to 95-month-old Holstein dairy cattle infected naturally with the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and slaughtered at abattoirs in Japan were examined for the distribution of disease-specific and protease-resistant prion protein (PrP(Sc)) by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot (WB) analyses. The cattle showed no clinical signs or symptoms relevant to BSE but were screened as positive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a rapid test for BSE. This positive result was confirmed by IHC or WB in a specimen of the medulla oblongata. Histopathologically, these cattle showed no vacuolation in tissue sections from the central nervous system except for the medulla oblongata. Both IHC and WB analyses revealed PrP(Sc) accumulation in the brain, spinal cord, satellite and ganglionic cells of the dorsal root ganglia, and the myenteric plexus of the distal ileum. In addition, small amounts of PrP(Sc) were detected in the peripheral nerves of 2 cattle by WB. No PrP(Sc) was demonstrated by either method in the Peyer's patches of the distal ileum; lymphoid tissues including the palatine tonsils, lymph nodes, and spleen; or other tissues. The distribution of PrP(Sc) accumulation in the preclinical stage was different between naturally infected cattle and cattle inoculated experimentally with the BSE agent.

Comparison of the amount of pectin in the human terminal ileum with the amount of orally administered pectin.

OBJECTIVE: Dietary fiber by definition is resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine, and it should naturally reach the large intestine. To date, there have been several reports that have examined in vivo how much dietary fiber actually reaches the terminal ileum in human subjects using glucose, with large differences in results. We compared the amount of pectin in the human terminal ileum with that of orally administered pectin. METHODS: Seven healthy male volunteers ages 20 to 27 y were given a test meal containing 4.05 g of pectin. A double-lumen tube was placed in the terminal ileum by using the endoscopic retrograde bowel insertion method, and the ileal contents were aspirated through the tube. Amounts of pectin orally administered and collected from the terminal ileum were estimated as galacturonic acid concentrations (Englyst's method) and were compared with each other. RESULTS: The mean +/- standard deviation amount of pectin collected in the terminal ileum was 3.58 +/- 0.43 g, or 88.4 +/- 10.5% of pectin administered. Further, there were large individual differences in recovery, ranging from 76.8% to 105.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 90% of ingested pectin was recovered in the terminal ileum in this study. Ten percent may have been degraded by bacteria within the digestive tract, especially the terminal ileum.

Depressed prostanoid-induced contractility of the gut in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is not affected by the level of dietary fat.

Dietary saturated fat (SF) has adverse effects on cardiac and vascular smooth muscle (VSM) contractility. Furthermore, VSM of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is overreactive to various biological stimuli. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of increasing dietary fat as lard on gut contractility in SHR. Control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and SHR (13 wk old) were fed for 12 wk a diet containing 3% sunflower oil [low fat (LF), 3% total fat] or diets supplemented with 7% lard [medium fat (MF), 10% total fat] or 27% lard [high fat (HF), 30% total fat]. For ileal and colonic tissues (WKY and SHR), there was a lower total phospholipid PUFA (n-6)/(n-3) ratio with increased dietary SF (P < 0.003). For WKY, increasing SF led to lower levels of the major SCFA and lower total SCFA levels in cecal digesta (P < 0.01). This trend was evident in SHR but significant only for butyrate (P < 0.01). Contractility responses were unaltered in ileum. In colon, there was a change of sensitivity (50% effective concentration) to angiotensin II in WKY (P < 0.05) due to increased SF and a change of sensitivity to prostaglandin (PG)E(2) and carbachol in SHR (P < 0.05). When the 3 dietary groups were combined, there was lower sensitivity (P < 0.01) and lower maximal contraction (P < 0.05) in ileum and lower maximal contraction in colon of SHR in response to PGF(2alpha) (P < 0.05) and PGE(2) (P < 0.01) compared with WKY. Unlike (n-3) PUFA, dietary SF had little overall effect on gut contractility. However, this is the first report of a defect in PG responsiveness from gut tissue from hypertensive rats.

Ileal endogenous nitrogen recovery is increased and its amino acid pattern is altered in pigs fed quebracho extract.

Ileal endogenous nitrogen recovery (ENR) in pigs (9 +/- 0.6 kg body weight) was estimated simultaneously using the (15)N-isotope dilution technique ((15)N-IDT) and the peptide alimentation ultrafiltration (UF) method. Diets were cornstarch, enzyme-hydrolyzed casein with no (control) or high (4%) content of quebracho extract (Schinopsis spp.) rich in condensed tannins. The amino acid (AA) pattern of the ENR was also determined. The ENR of pigs fed the quebracho diet was higher (P = 0.0001) than that of pigs fed the control diet [6.00 vs. 1.95 g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) for the (15)N-IDT and 5.18 vs. 1.49 g/kg DMI for the UF method, respectively]. With the (15)N-IDT, ENR values were 0.44-0.79 g/kg DMI (24%) higher (control P = 0.0032, quebracho P = 0.0002) than for the UF method. Apparent nitrogen digestibility depended on diet (69.0% quebracho vs. 86.0% control, P = 0.0001). Real nitrogen digestibility (RD-N) determined by the UF method was higher (P = 0.0001) for the control than for the quebracho diet (91.4 vs. 88.2%). Corresponding values for the (15)N-IDT did not differ (P = 0.0569) between diets (92.8 vs. 91.4%). The (15)N-IDT gave higher values for RD-N of both diets (control P = 0.0030, quebracho P = 0.0002) compared with the UF method. Endogenous AA recoveries (g/kg DMI) were increased 300% (P = 0.0001) and the AA-pattern of ENR was changed (P from 0.0001 to 0.7530 for different AA) by the quebracho diet. A constant AA-pattern of ENR cannot be assumed. Despite limitations of both techniques, the (15)N-IDT and the UF method gave similar results with respect to ENR.

Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier provides heterogeneous microvascular oxygenation in heart and gut after hemorrhage in pigs.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the hypothesis was tested that resuscitation with hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) affects the oxygenation of the microcirculation differently between and within organs. To this end, we tested the influence of the volume of an HBOC on the microcirculatory oxygenation of the heart and the gut serosa and mucosa in a porcine model of hemorrhage. METHODS: In anesthetized open-chested pigs (n = 24), a controlled hemorrhage (30 mL/kg over 1 hour) was followed by resuscitation with 10, 20, or 30 mL/kg diaspirin-crosslinked hemoglobin (DCLHb) or isovolemic resuscitation with 30 mL/kg of a 6% hydroxyethyl starch solution (HAES). Measurements included systemic and regional hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters. Microvascular oxygen pressures (microPO2) of the epicardium and the serosa and mucosa of the ileum were measured simultaneously by the palladium-porphyrin phosphorescence technique. Measurements were obtained up to 120 minutes after resuscitation. RESULTS: After hemorrhage, a low volume of DCLHb restored both cardiac and intestinal microPO2. Resuscitation of gut microPO2 with a low volume of DCLHb was as effective as isovolemic resuscitation with HAES. Higher volumes of DCLHb did not restore cardiac microPO2, as did isovolemic resuscitation with HAES, but increased gut microPO2 to hyperoxic values, dose-dependently. Effects were similar for the serosal and mucosal microPo2. In contrast to a sustained hypertensive effect after resuscitation with DCLHb, effects of DCLHb on regional oxygenation and hemodynamics were transient. CONCLUSION: This study showed that a low volume of DCLHb was effective in resuscitation of the microcirculatory oxygenation of the heart and gut back to control levels. Increasing the volume of DCLHb did not cause an additional increase in heart microPO2, but caused hyperoxic microvascular values in the gut to be attained. It is concluded that microcirculatory monitoring in this way elucidates the regional behavior of oxygen transport to the tissue by HBOCs, whereas systemic variables were ineffective in describing their response.

Effects of supplemental fructooligosaccharides plus mannanoligosaccharides on immune function and ileal and fecal microbial populations in adult dogs.

The goal of this study was to examine whether supplemental fructooligosaccharides (FOS) plus mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) influenced immune function and ileal and fecal microbial populations of adult dogs. Eight adult dogs surgically fitted with ileal cannulas were used in a crossover design. Dogs were fed 200 g of a dry, extruded, kibble diet twice daily. At each feeding, dogs were dosed with either 1 g sucrose (placebo) or 2 g FOS plus 1 g MOS orally via gelatin capsule. Fecal, ileal, and blood samples were collected at the end of each 14-d period to measure microbial populations and immune characteristics. Treatment least squares means were compared using the GLM procedure of SAS. Supplementation of FOS plus MOS increased fecal bifidobacteria and fecal and ileal lactobacilli concentrations. Dogs fed FOS plus MOS also tended to have lower blood neutrophils and greater blood lymphocytes vs placebo. Serum, fecal, and ileal immunoglobulin concentrations were unchanged by treatment. Supplementation of FOS plus MOS beneficially altered indices of gut health by improving ileal and fecal microbial ecology. Supplementation of FOS plus MOS also altered immune function by causing a shift in blood immune cells.