Effect of Ginger Root Extract on Intestinal Oxidative Status and Mucosal Morphometrics in Broiler Chickens.

This study was designed to assess the effect of ginger root extract (GRE) supplementation on the oxidative status and intestinal mucosal development in broiler chickens for 6 weeks. Day-old chicks (Ross 708 strain, n = 432) were distributed into six treatments with six replicate of twelve birds each: Negative CON (basal), MX (basal diet + bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) 0.055 g/kg diet), GRE-1 (basal diet + 0.375% GRE), GRE-2 (basal diet + 0.75% GRE), GRE-3 (basal diet + 1.5% GRE), GRE-4 (basal diet + 3% GRE). Growth indices, goblets cell count, mucin (MUC2) in ileum tissue, antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GPX) in ileum and liver, biological antioxidant potential (BAP), and reactive oxygen metabolite level in blood and intestinal villi measurement were determined. Body weight (BW) was highest (p < 0.05) in all groups except GRE-4, body weight gain (BWG) was best in GRE-1, while FCR was least in all groups except GRE-4. Optimum MUC2 gene expression, SOD, CAT, blood antioxidants, and intestinal morphometric values were observed in GRE-3. The inclusion of ginger root extract up to 1.5% improved growth and reduced oxidative stress while enhancing mucosal development in broiler chicks.

Spray-Dried Plasma Promotes Broiler Chick Growth by Enhancing Immune Surveillance.

Spray-dried plasma (SDP) contain a variety of functional proteins that play an immunomodulatory role. To evaluate the potential of SDP to stimulate the immune system, day-old Ross 708 male broiler chicks (200) were allocated randomly to five dietary treatments. Treatment 1 (CX) comprised chicks fed basal unmedicated corn-soybean meal (SBM) without the addition of SDP. Treatment 2 (MX) includes chicks fed unmedicated corn-SBM basal containing Bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) at 0.055 g/kg diet. Treatments 3 (SDP1), 4 (SDP2), and 5 (SDP3) contained chicks given unmedicated corn-SBM basal, into which SDP was included at 10, 20, and 30 g/kg diet, respectively. On d 7, 14, and 21, chicks' body weight and FCR were calculated. Additionally, leucocyte counts, oxidative status, and IgY concentrations were determined in blood. On d 23, fecal populations of selected indicator bacteria species were determined. Results showed that FCR for SP3 was superior (p < 0.05) to other treatments. Likewise, heterophil numbers decreased in MX and SDP treatments compared to CX. Circulating IgY concentration was higher for SDP dietary treatments (p < 0.05) compared to MX. In conclusion, dietary SDP at 30 g/kg enhanced immune surveillance by increasing circulating IgY levels, maintaining a normal oxidative state, and increasing gut Bifidobacteria, thereby improving chick growth performance.

Characterization of sow milk N-linked glycoproteome over the course of lactation.

Milk proteins serve as nutrition and affect neonate development and immunity through their bioactivity. Post-translational modifications of proteins affect their bioactivity. Glycosylation is the attachment of sugar moieties to proteins, with attachment of glycans to asparagine indicated as N-linked glycosylation. Our objective was to characterize N-linked glycosylated proteins in homogenate swine milk samples collected from sows (n = 5/6) during farrowing to represent colostrum and on days 3 and 14 post-farrowing to represent transitional and mature milk, respectively. Glycopeptides were isolated with lectin-based extraction and treated with Peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) to identify N-linked glycosylation sites. Purified glycopeptides were analyzed by label-free liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). MaxQuant software was used to align spectra to Sus scrofa Uniport database to identify proteins and measure their relative abundances. Analysis of variance and Welch's t-test analysis identified glycoproteins differentially abundant between colostrum, transitional, and mature milk (false discovery rate <0.05). Shotgun proteome analysis identified 545 N-linked and glutamine, Q, -linked, glycosylation (P > 0.75 for deamidation) sites on 220 glycoproteins in sow milk. Glycoproteins were found across all three phases of swine milk production and varied by number of glycosylation sites (1-14) and in abundance and distribution between colostrum, transitional, and mature milk. Polymeric immunoglobulin receptor was the most glycosylated protein with 14 sites identified. Also highly glycosylated were casein and mucin proteins. These data are described and the relevance of glycosylated milk proteins in neonate development, such as protection against pathogens, is discussed.

Milk is essential for healthy growth and development of neonates, with proteins in milk serving as key nutrients and regulators of these processes. Protein activity is affected by modifications made to their structure including the addition of sugar groups called glycans. Here we present the characterization of sow milk proteins modification with glycan groups on asparagine and glutamine amino acids in colostrum, transitional, and mature milk of pigs. We found 220 high confidences (found in at least two sows on one day) glycoproteins, and that the abundance of glycosylated proteins varied by stage of milk production and number of glycosylated sites.

The Association of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and Liver Injury in US Adults.

BACKGROUND: Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a ubiquitous obligatory intracellular parasite which infects over 40 million Americans and causes toxoplasmosis. Inside the human body, T. gondii can damage tissues and invade vital organs. METHODS: This study evaluated the association of T. gondii infection and liver disease using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2009-2010, with a sample size of 3371 participants (age 20-80 years). Toxoplasma infection was determined by the level of T. gondii IgG antibody in serum samples. Liver disease was assessed by liver injury biomarkers and the Fatty Liver Index (US-FLI). The evaluation of the association between T. gondii infection and liver disease included the calculation of the Mantel-Haenszel risk ratio (RRMH), Rho-Scott chi-square bivariate analyses, design-based t-tests, and linear and logistic regression models which were adjusted for demographic and anthropometric covariates. RESULTS: Mean levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly more elevated in the T. gondii IgG-positive (IgG+) participants as compared to T. gondii-negative (IgG-) participants, p = 0.0435 and 0.0310, respectively. In linear regression analysis, exposure to T. gondii IgG+ had statistically significant positive associations with AST (p = 0.0211), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p = 0.0221), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (p = 0.0258) after adjusting for BMI, age, gender, and race. T. gondii exposure was associated with an elevated relative risk of chronic liver disease (CLD) (RRMH = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.05-1.51). This association was more pronounced in certain occupations, such as construction, agriculture, forestry, and fishing, where Toxoplasma infection is more common (p = 0.0477). Moreover, Toxoplasma infection increased the odds of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (OR = 6.99, 95% CI = 1.85-26.32, p = 0.0237). CONCLUSION: T. gondii IgG+ antibody was significantly associated with liver injury biomarkers (ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP) and an increased risk of CLD and NAFLD. Moreover, the association of Toxoplasma with CLD was more evident in specific occupations where the prevalence of Toxoplasma was high. The findings of this study provide insight into utilizing liver biomarkers and US-FLI to assess the health complications of Toxoplasma when imaging tests are not accessible.

Effect of circadian system disruption on the concentration and daily oscillations of cortisol, progesterone, melatonin, serotonin, growth hormone, and core body temperature in periparturient dairy cattle.

Metabolic, circadian, sleep, and reproductive systems are integrated and reciprocally regulated, but the understanding of the mechanism is limited. To study this integrated regulation, the circadian timing system was disrupted by exposing late pregnant nonlactating (dry) cows to chronic shifts in the light-dark phase, and rhythms of body temperature and circulating cortisol (CORT), progesterone (P4), serotonin (5HT), melatonin (MEL), and growth hormone (GH) concentrations were measured. Specifically, across 2 identical studies (1 and 2), at 35 d before expected calving (BEC) multiparous cows were assigned to control (CON; n = 24) and exposed to 16 h light and 8 h dark or phase shift (PS; n = 24) treatments and exposed to 6-h light-dark phase shifts every 3 d until parturition. All cows were exposed to control lighting after calving. Blood samples were collected in the first study at 0600 h on d 35 BEC, d 21 BEC, and 2 d before calving, and d 0, 2, 9, 15, and 22 postpartum (PP). A subset of cows (n = 6/group) in study 1 was blood sampled every 4 h over 48 h beginning on d 23 BEC, 9 BEC, and 5 PP. Body temperature was measured every 30 min (n = 8-16/treatment) for 48 h at 23 BEC and 9 BEC in both studies; and at 14 PP and 60 PP only in study 2. Treatment did not affect levels of CORT, GH, or P4 at 0600 h, but overall level of 5HT was lower and MEL higher in PS cows across days sampled. A 2-component versus single-component cosinor model better described [>coefficient of determination (R2);

Shotgun proteomics of homogenate milk reveals dynamic changes in protein abundances between colostrum, transitional, and mature milk of swine.

Milk is an easily digestible source of nutrients and bioactive factors, its composition reflects the neonate's needs, and changes from colostrum to transitional and mature milk. Our objective was to measure milk fat, lactose, total carbohydrate, and protein content in parallel with global proteome of homogenate milk samples to characterize changes across the three phases of swine lactation. Milk samples were collected from multiparous sows (n = 9) on postnatal day 0 (D0; colostrum), 3 (D3; early transitional), 7 (D7; late transitional), and 14 (D14; mature). On D3, percent fat (16 ± 2.1) and lactose (3.8 ± 0.3) were higher (P < 0.05) than on D0 (10 ± 3.9 and 1.5 ± 0.3, respectively). Levels of fat and lactose were not different between D3 and D14. Percent total protein decreased (P < 0.05) between D0 (11 ± 2.1) and D3 (5 ± 0.7), but there was no significant change in percent protein between D3 and D14. Total carbohydrates increased (P < 0.05) between D3 (944 ± 353 µg/mL) and D14 (1,150 ± 462 µg/mL). Quantitative proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) of homogenate D0, D3, and D14 milk samples (n = 6) identified 772 protein groups which corresponded to 501 individual protein-coding genes. A total of 207 high confidence proteins were detected in n = 3 sows/day. Of the high confidence proteins, 81 proteins were common among all 3 days of lactation. Among the proteins that decreased between the days (false discovery rate; FDR < 0.05) were multiple apolipoproteins and XDH which decreased between D0 to D3. Proteins that increased across the days (FDR < 0.05) were complement factors and 14-3-3 proteins (YWHAQ, YWHAE). Our data provide a good characterization of milk proteome changes that likely reflect mammary function as well as the neonate's phase-specific developmental needs. This data may be useful in developing approaches to enhance the health and welfare of swine.

Inclusion of Oat and Yeast Culture in Sow Gestational and Lactational Diets Alters Immune and Antimicrobial Associated Proteins in Milk.

Maternal diet supplementation with pro- and prebiotics is associated with decreased incidence of diarrhea and greater piglet performance. This study investigated the impact adding whole ground oat as a prebiotic, alone or in combination with a probiotic, yeast culture (YC) (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), to sow gestation and lactation rations had on milk protein composition, piglet growth, and incidence of post-weaning diarrhea (PWD). Diets: control (CON), CON + yeast culture (YC) [5 g/kg], CON + oat (15% inclusion rate) (Oat) or CON+ YC [5 g/kg] + Oat (15%) were fed the last 30 days of gestation and throughout lactation (18-21 days). Shotgun proteome analysis of day 4 and 7 postpartum milk found 36 differentially abundant proteins (P-adj < 0.1) in both Oat and YC supplemented sows relative to CON. Notable was the increased expression of antimicrobial proteins, lactoferrin and chitinase in milk of Oat and YC sows compared to CON. The levels of IgA, IgM (within colostrum and milk) and IgG (within milk) were similar across treatments. However, colostral IgG levels in Oat-supplemented sows were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of the control sows, IgG from Oat-supplemented sows displayed greater reactivity to E. coli-antigens compared with CON and YC. Piglets from sows that consumed Oat alone or in combination weighed significantly more (p < 0.05) at birth compared to CON and YC. However, piglets in the Oat + YC group weighed less at weaning and had the lowest weight gain (p < 0.05) postweaning, compared with CON. Taken together with the observation that piglets of either YC- or Oat-fed sows had less PWD compared to CON and YC+ Oat suggests that Oat or YC supplementation positively impacts piglets through expression of certain milk-associated immune and antimicrobial proteins.

Inclusion of Oat in Feeding Can Increase the Potential Probiotic Bifidobacteria in Sow Milk.

The objectives of this study were to (i) investigate the impact of feeding oat on the population of bifidobacteria and (ii) evaluate their probiotic potential. In this study, we investigated the effects of supplementing sows' gestation and lactation feed with 15% oat (prebiotic source) on the levels of probiotic population in milk. We found that dietary inclusion of oat during lactation and gestation resulted in increased levels of bifidobacteria compared to lactobacilli in sow milk. Furthermore bifidobacteria within the sow milk samples were further evaluated for probiotic potential based on aggregating properties, and acid- and bile-tolerance after exposure to hydrochloric acid (pH 2.5) and bile salts (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.0% and 2.0%). All isolates survived under the condition of low pH and bile 2.0%. Autoaggregation ability ranged from 17.5% to 73%. These isolates also showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli O157:H7.Together our results suggest that inclusion of oat in feeding systems could have the potential to improve the intestinal health of piglets by increasing the population of bifidobacteria.