Effects of dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation on productive performance, egg quality, and antioxidant performance during the late laying period in Zi geese.

This study investigated the effects of dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation on the productive performance, egg quality, and antioxidant performance of Zi geese during the late laying period. Three hundred twelve Zi geese (1 yr old) were randomly allocated into 2 cohorts to form a control group and an experimental group (with each cohort including 6 replicates and 21 female geese and 5 male geese in each replicate). The control group was fed a basal diet, and the experimental group was fed a diet containing 3% Enteromorpha powder. The data showed that Enteromorpha powder supplementation significantly improved egg production, laying rate, average daily egg weight (P < 0.01), and egg yolk color (P < 0.05). Supplementation decreased the ADFI and feed conversion rate (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was significantly higher in serum and ovary tissue (P < 0.05), but GSH-Px activity was lower in liver tissue (P < 0.01). Malondialdehyde was reduced in liver and ovary tissue (P < 0.05) in the Enteromorpha powder supplementation group. Meanwhile, the expression of the CAT gene was significantly upregulated in the liver (P < 0.01) in the Enteromorpha group. These results indicate that dietary Enteromorpha powder supplementation improved productive performance and reduced the level of lipid peroxidation in Zi geese during the late laying period.

[Double Labeling and Simultaneous Monitoring for Hsp70 and Hsf-1 Kinetics in SCC-25 Cells with a Short-Term Dietary Restriction of Leucine Following Heat Shock].

To develop a quantum-dot-based multiplexed imaging system for the simultaneous monitoring of Hsf- 1/Hsp70 after heat shock, and to evaluate the effects of combined thermotherapy and leucine deprivation therapy on Hsf-1 inactivation. SCC-25 cells were leucine starved for 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 days following which the cells underwent heat shock at 42°C for 30 min. At 6 h after heat shock, Hsf-1 activation and translocation to the nucleus was observed in cells that were leucine starved for 0, 1 and 2 days, and the synthesis of Hsp70 and Hsf-1 reached their maximum values and had a tendency to gather in the nucleus. However, in cells that were leucine starved for 3 and 4 days, Hsf-1 activity and Hsp70 synthesis level was dramatically decreased. Dietary restriction of leucine for at least three days could result in the inactivation of Hsf-1, leading to a reduction in Hsp70 synthesis. The combination of thermotherapy and short-term leucine deprivation therapy may become effective approach for the treatment of oral tumors.

The driving forces for nitrogen and phosphorus flows in the food chain of china, 1980 to 2010.

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) use and losses in China's food chain have accelerated in the past three decades, driven by population growth, rapid urbanization, dietary transition, and changing nutrient management practice. There has been little detailed quantitative analysis of the relative magnitude of these driving forces throughout this period. Therefore, we analyzed changes in N and P flows and key drivers behind changes in the food (production and consumption) chain at the national scale from 1980 to 2010. Food (N and P) consumption increased by about fivefold in urban settings over this period but has decreased in rural settings since the 1990s. For urban settings, the integrated driving forces for increased food consumption were population growth, which accounted for ∼60%, and changing urban diets toward a greater emphasis on the consumption of animal products. Nutrient inputs and losses in crop and animal productions have continuously increased from 1980 to 2010, but the rates of decadal increase were greatly different. Increased total inputs and losses in crop production were primarily driven by increased crop production for food demand (68-96%) in the 1980s but were likely offset in the 2000s by improved nutrient management practices, as evidenced by decreased total inputs to and losses from cropland for harvesting per nutrient in crop. The contributions of animal production to total N and P losses to waters from the food chain increased by 34 and 60% from 1980 to 2010. These increases were caused mainly by decreased ratios of manure returned to cropland. Our study highlights a larger impact of changing nutrient management practice than population growth on elevated nutrient flows in China's food chain.

Nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiencies and losses in the food chain in China at regional scales in 1980 and 2005.

Crop and animal production in China has increased significantly during the last decades, but at the cost of large increases in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) losses, which contribute to ecosystem degradation and human health effects. This information is largely based on scattered field experiments, surveys and national statistics. As a consequence, there is as yet no comprehensive understanding of the changes in N and P cycling and losses at regional and national scales. Here, we present the results of an integrated assessment of the N and P use efficiencies (NUE and PUE) and N and P losses in the chain of crop and animal production, food processing and retail, and food consumption at regional scale in 1980 and 2005, using a uniform approach and databases. Our results show that the N and P costs of food production-consumption almost doubled between 1980 and 2005, but with large regional variation. The NUE and PUE of crop production decreased dramatically, while NUE and PUE in animal production increased. Interestingly, NUE and PUE of the food processing sector decreased from about 75% to 50%. Intake of N and P per capita increased, but again with large regional variation. Losses of N and P from agriculture to atmosphere and water bodies increased in most regions, especially in the east and south of the country. Highest losses were estimated for the Beijing and Tianjin metropolitan regions (North China), Pearl River Delta (South China) and Yangzi River Delta (East China). In conclusion, the changes and regional variations in NUE and PUE in the food chain of China are large and complex. Changes occurred in the whole crop and animal production, food processing and consumption chain, and were largest in the most populous areas between 1980 and 2005.

Effects of iron glycine chelate on growth, tissue mineral concentrations, fecal mineral excretion, and liver antioxidant enzyme activities in broilers.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of iron glycine chelate (Fe-Gly) on growth, tissue mineral concentrations, fecal mineral excretion, and liver antioxidant enzyme activities in broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old commercial broilers (Ross × Ross) were randomly allotted to six dietary treatments with six replications of ten chicks per replicate. Broilers were fed a control diet with no Fe supplementation, while five other treatments consisted of 40, 80, 120, and 160 mg Fe/kg diets from Fe-Gly, and 160 mg Fe/kg from ferrous sulfate, respectively. After a 42-day feeding trial, the results showed that 120 and 160 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Gly improved the average daily gain (P < 0.05) and average daily feed intake (P < 0.05) of broilers (4-6 weeks). Addition with 120 and 160 mg Fe/kg from Fe-Gly and 160 mg Fe/kg from FeSO(4) increased Fe concentration in serum (P < 0.05), liver (P < 0.05), breast muscle (P < 0.05), tibia (P < 0.05), and feces (P < 0.01) at 21 and 42 days. There were linear responses to the addition of Fe-Gly from 0 to 160 mg/kg Fe on Fe concentration in serum (21 days, P = 0.005; 42 days, P = 0.001), liver (P = 0.001), breast muscle (P = 0.001), tibia (P = 0.001), and feces (21 days, P = 0.011; 42 days, P = 0.032). Liver Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activities of chicks were increased by the addition of 80, 120, and 160 mg Fe/kg as Fe-Gly to diets at 42 days. There were no differences in liver catalase activities of chicks among the treatments (P > 0.05). This study indicates that addition with Fe-Gly could improve growth performance and iron tissue storage and improves the antioxidant status of broiler chickens.

Modeling nutrient flows in the food chain of China.

Increasing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs have greatly contributed to the increasing food production in China during the last decades, but have also increased N and P losses to the environment. The pathways and magnitude of these losses are not well quantified. Here, we report on N and P use efficiencies and losses at a national scale in 2005, using the model NUFER (NUtrient flows in Food chains, Environment and Resources use). Total amount of "new" N imported to the food chain was 48.8 Tg in 2005. Only 4.4.Tg reached households as food. Average N use efficiencies in crop production, animal production, and the whole food chain were 26, 11, and 9%, respectively. Most of the imported N was lost to the environment, that is, 23 Tg N to atmosphere, as ammonia (57%), nitrous oxide (2%), dinitrogen (33%), and nitrogen oxides (8%), and 20 Tg to waters. The total P input into the food chain was 7.8 Tg. The average P use efficiencies in crop production, animal production, and the whole food chain were 36, 5, and 7%, respectively. This is the first comprehensive overview of N and P balances, losses, and use efficiencies of the food chain in China. It shows that the N and P costs of food are high (for N 11 kg kg(-1), for P 13 kg kg(-1)). Key measures for lowering the N and P costs of food production are (i) increasing crop and animal production, (ii) balanced fertilization, and (iii) improved manure management.

Effects of zinc glycine chelate on growth, hematological, and immunological characteristics in broilers.

Three hundred sixty healthy Ross x Ross 1-day-old broilers were used to study the effects of zinc glycine chelate (Zn-Gly) on growth performance, hematological, and immunological characteristics. All broilers were randomly assigned into six treatments. Diets were as follows: (1) control (containing 29.3 mg Zn kg(-1) basic diet [0-3 weeks] and 27.8 mg Zn kg(-1) [4-6 weeks]); (2) basic diet plus 30 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly; (3) basic diet plus 60 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly; (4) basic diet plus 90 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly; (5) basic diet plus 120 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly; (6) positive control, basic diet plus 120 mg Zn kg(-1) from zinc sulfate (ZnSO(4)). After the 21- and 42-day feeding trials, the results showed that both of Zn-Gly and ZnSO(4) could improve the growth performance of broilers, with the greatest average daily feed intake observed in the broilers fed 90 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly, but the greatest average daily gain observed with 120 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly (0-3 weeks) and 90 mg Zn kg(-1) from Zn-Gly (4-6 weeks). Adding additional Zn-Gly improved the levels of immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, and IgG) and the contents of total protein and Ca in serum and increased the immune organs index especially with 90 mg Zn kg(-1) as Zn-Gly. However, there were no significant differences in responses to complements (C3 and C4) and albumin in serum among the treatments.

Dietary zinc glycine chelate on growth performance, tissue mineral concentrations, and serum enzyme activity in weanling piglets.

One hundred twenty crossbred piglets (Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire) were used to determine the effects of dietary zinc glycine chelate on growth performance, tissue mineral concentrations, and serum enzyme activity. All pigs were allotted to four treatments and fed with basal diets supplemented with 0, 50, and 100 mg/kg Zn as zinc glycine chelate or 3,000 mg/kg Zn as zinc oxide (ZnO). After the 35-day feeding trial, results of the study showed that, compared to the control, average daily gain was improved (P < 0.05) for pigs fed 100 mg/kg Zn from zinc glycine chelate or 3,000 mg/kg Zn from ZnO and Zn concentrations in serum and M. longissimus dorsi were significantly enhanced by 100 mg/kg dietary zinc glycine chelate and 3,000 mg/kg ZnO. In addition, supplementation of 100 mg/kg zinc glycine chelate decreased (P < 0.05) the liver Fe level, liver Zn level, spleen Cu level, and kidney Cu level compared to that of the 3,000-mg/kg ZnO group. For feces mineral excretion, 3,000 mg/kg Zn from ZnO greatly increased the concentration of fecal Zn (P < 0.01) and Mn (P < 0.05) compared to that of the control or the 100-mg/kg zinc glycine chelate group. Moreover, alkaline phosphatase and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase activities of pigs in 100 mg/kg zinc glycine chelate and ZnO treatments were greatly higher than that of the control. The results of present study showed that supplementation with zinc glycine chelate could improve growth and serum enzyme activities and could also decrease zinc excretion in feces in weanling pig compared to high dietary ZnO.

Effects of dietary copper (II) sulfate and copper proteinate on performance and blood indexes of copper status in growing pigs.

160 crossbred (Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire) gilts averaged 21.25 kg body weight were used to study the effects of dietary copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4) and copper proteinate (Cu-Pr) on growth performance, plasma Cu concentration, ceruloplasmin activity, and erythrocyte Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. All pigs were allotted to four treatments and fed with basal diets supplemented with 0 (control), 250 mg /kg Cu as CuSO4, and 50 and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr. Growth performance was determined based on two growth phase (phase 1: days 0 to 15, phase 2: days 15 to 30). After 30 days of the treatment, 16 pig blood samples (four per treatment) were collected for indexes of copper status determination. The experimental results showed that compared with control, pigs fed with 250 mg Cu/kg as CuSO4 and 100 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Pr had higher average daily gain and average daily feed intake in the whole growth phase (d 0 to 30). In addition, 250 mg Cu/kg as CuSO4 and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr enhanced plasma ceruloplasmin activity (P < 0.05), and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr increased erythrocyte Cu/Zn-SOD activity (P < 0.01) compared with the control. There was no obvious treatment response on plasma Cu concentration in the present study.