Quantifying heat stress; the roles on metabolic status and intestinal integrity in poultry, a review.

Heat stress adversely affects intestinal barrier integrity ranging from minor enterocyte injury to fatal inflammatory heat shocks. The current review discusses the physiological mechanisms of the adaptive response of poultry and the nutritional interventions to improve intestinal integrity during heat stress. There are several possible metabolic mechanisms of protection including stress adaptation signaling pathways, blood flow, intestinal barrier permeability, epithelial cell proliferation, antioxidant status, microbiota composition, expression of heat shock proteins, inflammatory responses, and energy metabolism. The current review discusses the methods of intestinal permeability determination in order to estimate the extent of damage in the farm. There is a lack of knowledge about the nutritional strategies and the interaction between nutrients to reduce intestinal barrier damage and elucidate mechanisms in heat stress.

A pilot study of planar coil based magnetic stimulation using acute hippocampal slice in mice.

Micromagnetic stimulation using small-sized implantable coils has recently been studied. The main advantage of this method is that it can provide sustainable stimulation performance even if a fibrotic encapsulation layer is formed around the implanted coil by inflammation response, because indirectly induced currents are used to induce neural responses. In previous research, we optimized the geometrical and control parameters used in implantable magnetic stimulation. Based on those results, we fabricated the planar coil and studied the LTP effect in the hippocampal slice by two different magnetic stimulation protocols using the quadripulse stimulation (QPS) pattern. We found that direct magnetic stimulation (DMS) induced insignificant LTP effect and priming magnetic stimulation (PMS) occluded LTP effect after tetanic stimulation, when QPS patterned magnetic stimulation with 1 A current pulse was applied to the planar coil.

Effects of dietary supplementation with a chlorella by-product on the growth performance, immune response, intestinal microflora and intestinal mucosal morphology in broiler chickens.

This study aimed to determine the effect of different dietary levels of a Chlorella by-product (CBP) on the growth performance, immune response, intestinal microflora and intestinal mucosal morphology of broilers. In total, 480 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments with four replicated pens consisting of 30 chicks. The basal diet was formulated to be adequate in energy and nutrients. Three additional diets were prepared by supplementing 25, 50 or 75 g/kg of CBP to the basal diet. The diets were fed to the broilers ad libitum for 35 days. Result indicated that increasing inclusion level of CBP improved BW gain (linear, p < 0.05). There was no effect of inclusion level of CBP in diets on total cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels during the 35 days. Plasma IgG, IgM and IgA concentrations increased (linear, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP in diets. Supplementation of CBP in the diets increased (linear, p < 0.05) the concentrations of Lactobacillus in the caecal content and decreased (linear, p < 0.05) the concentrations of Escherichia coli and Salmonella in the caecal content. Villus height increased (linear and quadratic, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP in diets. Crypt depth increased (quadratic, p < 0.05) with inclusion level of CBP, and a decreased villus height: crypt depth ratio (quadratic, p < 0.05) was observed as inclusion level of CBP in diets increased. The results of the current experiment indicate that dietary supplementation of CBP improves growth performance of birds. Dietary CBP has improving Lactobacillus spp. concentrations in the gastrointestinal tract, plasma immunoglobulin concentrations and intestinal mucosal morphology.

Effects of stock density on the laying performance, blood parameter, corticosterone, litter quality, gas emission and bone mineral density of laying hens in floor pens.

The effects of stocking density on the performance, egg quality, leukocyte concentration, blood biochemistry, corticosterone levels, bone mineral density, and noxious gas emission of laying hens were investigated. Eight hundred 34-week-old Hy-Line Brown laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were randomly assigned to one of 4 treatments, each of which was replicated 4 times. Four stocking densities, including 5, 6, 7, and 10 birds/m2, were compared. A commercial-type basal diet was formulated to meet or exceed nutrient recommendations for laying hens from the National Research Council. The diet was fed to the hens ad libitum for 8 wk. Results indicated that hen-day egg production, egg mass, and feed intake were less for (P < 0.01) 10 birds/m2 stock density than other stock densities. Production rate of floor and broken eggs and eggshell strength were greater (P < 0.01) for 10 birds/m2 stock density than other stock densities. There were no significant differences in the level of leukocytes among densities. However, heterophils and the H/L ratio were greater (P < 0.01) for 10 birds/m2 than in stock density of 6 or 7 birds/m2 Serum corticosterone was greater (P < 0.01) 10 birds/m2 than stock density than other stock densities. Litter moisture and gas emission (CO2 and NH3) were greater (P < 0.01) for 10 birds/m2 than stock density than 6 and 7 birds/m2 stock density. Bone mineral content was not influenced by increasing stock density. However, bone mineral density was less (P < 0.05) for 10 m2 stock density than other stock densities. These results indicate that increasing the density beyond 5 birds/m2 elicits some negative effects on laying performance of Hy-Line brown laying hens.

Photoprotective Effect of Carpomitra costata Extract against Ultraviolet B-Induced Oxidative Damage in Human Keratinocytes.

Natural marine products show various biological properties such as antiphotoaging, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammation. This study evaluated the protective effects of the brown alga Carpomitra costata (Stackhouse) Batters (Sporochnaceae) against ultraviolet B (UVB)-provoked damage in human HaCaT keratinocytes. C. costata extract (CCE) effectively reduced superoxide anion, hydroxyl radical, and UVB-stimulated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. CCE also restored the expression and activity of UVB-suppressed antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, CCE decreased UVB-triggered oxidative damage to cellular components including DNA, protein, and lipid and defended the cells against mitochondrial membrane depolarization-medicated apoptosis. The results of this study indicate that CCE can safeguard human keratinocytes against UVB-induced cellular damage via a potent antioxidant mechanism. CCE may find utility as part of a therapeutic arsenal against the damaging effects of UVB radiation on the skin.

Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Red Ginseng By-product on Laying Performance, Blood Biochemistry, Serum Immunoglobulin and Microbial Population in Laying Hens.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of red ginseng by-product (RGB) on the laying performance, blood biochemistry, and microbial population in laying hens. A total of 120 Hy-Line Brown laying hens (75 weeks old) were randomly allotted to 1 of 3 dietary treatments with 4 replicates per treatment. A commercial-type basal diet was prepared, and 2 additional diets were prepared by supplementing 5.0 or 10.0 g/kg of RGB to the basal diet at the expense of corn. The diets were fed to hens on an ad libitum basis for 4 weeks. There were no differences in feed intake, egg weight, and feed conversion ratio during 4 weeks of the feeding trial. However, hen-day egg production was significantly greater (p<0.05) for the RGB treatment groups than that for the basal treatment group. There were no differences in triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase, and alanine aminotransferase during the 4-week feeding trial. However, RGB supplementation increased (p<0.05) the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM content compared with basal treatment group. The total cholesterol was lower (p<0.05) in the RGB treatments groups than that in the basal treatment group. The intestinal Lactobacillus population was greater (p<0.05) for the RGB treatments groups than that for the basal treatment group. However, the numbers of Salmonella and Escherichia coli were not different among dietary treatments. During the entire experiment, there was no significant difference in egg quality among all the treatments. In conclusion, in addition to improving hen-day production, there were positive effects of dietary RGB supplementation on serum immunoglobulin and cholesterol levels in laying hens.

Negative Susceptibility Vessel Sign and Underlying Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis in Acute Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The role of MR imaging in predicting underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis before endovascular stroke therapy has not been studied. Our aim was to determine the diagnostic value of the negative susceptibility vessel sign on T2*-weighted gradient-echo MR imaging for predicting underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in patients with acute MCA occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-one consecutive patients with acute stroke because of MCA occlusion underwent gradient-echo MR imaging and MRA before endovascular therapy. The negative susceptibility vessel sign was defined as an absence of a hypointense signal change within the occluded MCA on gradient-echo imaging. Underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis was determined by conventional angiography. The sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and accuracy of the negative susceptibility vessel sign for predicting the presence of underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis were assessed. RESULTS: The negative susceptibility vessel sign was identified in 42 (46.1%) of 91 patients, and 18 (19.8%) patients had an underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis responsible for acute ischemic symptoms. The negative susceptibility vessel sign was more frequently observed in patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis than in those without it (100% versus 32.9%, P < .001). In the prediction of an underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis, the negative susceptibility vessel sign had 100% sensitivity, 67.1% specificity, 42.9% positive predictive value, 100% negative predictive value, and an accuracy of 73.6%. CONCLUSIONS: The negative susceptibility vessel sign on gradient-echo MR imaging is a sensitive marker with a high negative predictive value for the presence of an underlying intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke because of MCA occlusions. The susceptibility vessel sign can be used in decision-making when performing subsequent endovascular revascularization therapy in patients with acute MCA occlusions.

Various levels and forms of dietary α-lipoic acid in broiler chickens: Impact on blood biochemistry, stress response, liver enzymes, and antibody titers.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the impact of various levels and forms of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on blood biochemistry, immune and stress response, and antibody titers in broiler chickens. The four levels (7.5, 15, 75, and 150 ppm) and 2 sources (powder, P-ALA and encapsulated, E-ALA) of ALA along with negative (C-) and positive control (C+; contains antibiotics) diets consisted of 10 dietary treatments, and these treatments were allocated to 1,200 1-d-old chicks and were replicated 12 times with 10 birds per replicate. Among the blood biochemistry parameters, creatinine levels were almost 3 times lower in E-ALA-supplemented diets compared to the C- diet (0.09 vs. 0.25 mg/dL; P<0.0001). Neither level nor source of ALA affected blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, or albumin to globulin ratio (AGR). The supplemented diets decreased serum levels of the liver enzymes aspartate-aminotransferase (AST; P<0.006) and alanine-aminotransferase (ALT; P<0.0003). The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antibody response in supplemented groups was poor at day zero (P<0.0001) but increased by d 14 (P<0.03). Birds did not respond to infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccination at any observed stage (P>0.05). The concentration of cortisol was reduced in chickens fed ALA-supplemented diets as compared to the C- diet (P<0.001). Results suggest that ALA-supplemented diets ameliorated blood biochemistry profiles and immune responses and reduced stress in broiler chickens. The encapsulated form of ALA was more effective than the powder form.

Epigenetic modification of Nrf2 in 5-fluorouracil-resistant colon cancer cells: involvement of TET-dependent DNA demethylation.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a widely used anticancer drug for the treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, resistance to 5-FU often prevents the success of chemotherapy. Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcriptional regulator and a possible target to overcome 5-FU resistance. The present study examined epigenetic changes associated with Nrf2 induction in a human CRC cell line (SNUC5) resistant to 5-FU (SNUC5/5-FUR). Nrf2 expression, nuclear translocation, and binding to promoter were higher in SNUC5/5-FUR cells than in SNUC5 cells. The activated Nrf2 in SNUC5/5-FUR cells led to an increase in the protein expression and activity of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an Nrf2-regulated gene. SNUC5/5-FUR cells produced a larger amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than SNUC5 cells. The siRNA- or shRNA-mediated knockdown of Nrf2 or HO-1 significantly suppressed cancer cell viability and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo, resulting in enhanced 5-FU sensitivity. Methylation-specific (MS) or real-time quantitative MS-PCR data showed hypomethylation of the Nrf2 promoter CpG islands in SNUC5/5-FUR cells compared with SNUC5 cells. Expression of the DNA demethylase ten-eleven translocation (TET) was upregulated in SNUC5/5-FUR cells. ROS generated by 5-FU upregulated TET1 expression and function, whereas antioxidant had the opposite effect. These results suggested that the mechanism underlying the acquisition of 5-FU resistance in CRC involves the upregulation of Nrf2 and HO-1 expression via epigenetic modifications of DNA demethylation.

Gracilaria bursa-pastoris (Gmelin) Silva extract attenuates ultraviolet B radiation-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes.

The purpose of this study was to assess the protective effects of an ethanol extract derived from the red alga Gracilaria bursa-pastoris (Gmelin) Silva (GBE) on ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated human HaCaT keratinocytes. GBE exhibited scavenging activity against intracellular reactive oxygen species that were induced by either hydrogen peroxide or UVB radiation. In addition, both the superoxide anion and the hydroxyl radical were scavenged by GBE in cell-free systems. GBE absorbed light in the UVB range (280-320 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum and lessened the extent of UVB-induced oxidative damage to cellular lipids, proteins, and DNA. Finally, GBE-treated keratinocytes showed a reduction in UVB-induced apoptosis, as exemplified by fewer apoptotic bodies. These results suggest that GBE exerts cytoprotective actions against UVB-stimulated oxidative stress by scavenging ROS and absorbing UVB rays, thereby attenuating injury to cellular constituents and preventing cell death.

Quercetagetin inhibits macrophage-derived chemokine in HaCaT human keratinocytes via the regulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 and transforming growth factor-ß1.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory chemokines, such as macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC/CCL22), are elevated in the serum and lesioned skin of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD), and are ligands for C-C chemokine receptor 4, which is predominantly expressed on T helper 2 lymphocytes, basophils and natural killer cells. We have previously reported that quercetagetin has an inhibitory activity on inflammatory chemokines, which is induced by interferon (IFN)-γ and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, occurring via inhibition of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) signal. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the specific mechanisms of quercetagetin on the STAT1 signal. METHODS: We confirmed the inhibitory activity of quercetagetin on MDC and STAT1 in HaCaT keratinocytes. The interaction between STAT1 and IFN-γR1 was investigated using immunoprecipitation. The small interfering RNA approach was used to investigate the role of suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1 induced by quercetagetin. RESULTS: Quercetagetin inhibited the expression of MDC at both the protein and mRNA levels in IFN-γ- and TNF-α-stimulated HaCaT human keratinocytes. Moreover, quercetagetin inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT1 through upregulation of SOCS1. Increased expression of SOCS1 disrupted the binding of STAT1 to IFN-γR1. Furthermore, quercetagetin augmented the expression of TGF-ß1, which is known to modulate the immune response and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that quercetagetin may be a potent inhibitor of the STAT1 signal, which could be a new molecular target for anti-inflammatory treatment, and may thus have therapeutic applications as an immune modulator in inflammatory diseases such as AD.

Acute basilar artery occlusion: outcome of mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire stent within 8 hours of stroke onset.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mechanical thrombectomy with a stent retriever applied shortly after symptom onset could increase good functional outcomes and improve survival in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion, but this has not yet been studied. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of mechanical thrombectomy with a Solitaire stent within 8 hours of stroke onset in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 25 consecutive patients with acute basilar artery occlusion who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy by use of the Solitaire stent within 8 hours of stroke symptom onset. Successful recanalization was defined as TICI grade 2b or 3. Good outcome was defined as mRS score of 0-2 at 3 months. Clinical and radiologic data in patients with good outcomes were compared with those with poor outcomes. RESULTS: Successful recanalization was achieved in 96% (24/25) of patients, and 48% (12/25) of patients had good outcomes. Eighty-eight percent (22/25) of patients survived to 3 months. The median NIHSS score on admission was significantly lower in patients with good outcomes than in those with poor outcomes (9.5 versus 14, P = .005). Procedure-related complications occurred in 2 patients (8%). No symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages occurred. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that mechanical thrombectomy by use of a Solitaire stent within 8 hours of stroke onset increases good outcomes and improves survival in patients with acute basilar artery occlusion.

Influence of monochromatic light on quality traits, nutritional, fatty acid, and amino acid profiles of broiler chicken meat.

The role of monochromatic lights was investigated on meat quality in 1-d-old straight-run broiler chicks (n = 360), divided into 6 light sources with 6 replicates having 10 chicks in each replicate. Six light sources were described as incandescent bulbs (IBL, as a control) and light-emitting diode (LED) light colors as white light (WL), blue light, red light (RL), green light, and yellow light. Among LED groups, the RL increased the concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.001), saturated fatty acids (P < 0.001), and the saturated:polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio (P < 0.001), but reduced the concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acid, n-3 fatty acid, and n-6 fatty acid. The IBL increased the n-3 and sulfur-containing amino acids but reduced the n-6:n-3 nonessential amino acids. The WL improved the concentration of most of the essential amino acids (P < 0.01) and nonessential amino acids (P < 0.01) of breast meat. It can be extracted that the light produced by LED responded similar to the IBL light in influencing nutrient contents of meat. Moreover, LED is not decisive in improving fatty acid composition of meat. However, the role of IBL in reducing n-6:n-3 ratio and enhancing n-3 cannot be neglected. Among LED, WL is helpful in improving essential and nonessential amino acid contents of broiler meat.

Supplementation of direct-fed microbials as an alternative to antibiotic on growth performance, immune response, cecal microbial population, and ileal morphology of broiler chickens.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the supplementation of direct-fed microbials (DFM) as an alternative to antibiotics on growth performance, immune response, cecal microbial population, and ileal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 800 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Ross × Ross) were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments with 4 replicate pens per treatment (50 birds/replicate pen). The 4 dietary treatments fed for 35 d were a corn-soybean meal basal diet (control); control plus 0.1% virginiamycin, as an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP); control plus 0.1% direct-fed microbials that contained Lactobacillus reuteri (DFM 1); and control plus 0.1% direct-fed microbials that contained a mixture of L. reuteri, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DFM 2). Results showed that dietary AGP and DFM supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the BW gain of broilers during 0 to 21 d. The feed intake was reduced, whereas the feed conversion was improved significantly when birds were fed DFM 2 at 0 to 7 d of age. The white blood cell and monocyte levels were significantly higher in the DFM 2 group compared with the control. In addition, feeding DFM significantly (P < 0.05) increased the plasma immunoglobulin levels where a higher level was observed in DFM 2 compared with those of the other treatments. Neither DFM nor AGP treatments affected the cecal Lactobacillus and Salmonella content; however, cecal Escherichia coli content significantly decreased in broiler chickens fed DFM and AGP. The ileal villus height, and width and total thickness of muscularis externa were significantly increased when birds were fed DFM compared with AGP and control. These results indicate that the dietary supplementation of DFM increases the growth performance of birds at an early age, stimulates the immune response, decreases the number of E. coli, and improves the ileal morphology of broiler chickens. Thus, DFM that contained a mixture of several beneficial microorganisms could be a viable alternative to antibiotics in the broiler diets.

Growth performance and hematological traits of broiler chickens reared under assorted monochromatic light sources.

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of different monochromatic lights on growth performance and hematological response of growing broiler chickens. A total of 360 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly divided into 6 lighting treatments, which were replicated 6 times with 10 chicks in each replicate. Six light treatments include incandescent bulbs (as a control) and light-emitting diode white light, blue light, red light, green light, and yellow light (YL). The birds were provided with similar nutritional specifications and environmental management facilities, except for the lights throughout the experimental period. Growth performance was evaluated in terms of BW, BW gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio at weekly intervals. At the end of 5 wk, 2 birds from each replicate were randomly selected for blood collection to determine hematological response. The BW and feed intake was numerically higher in YL at 5 wk of age. But interestingly, this did not result in improved feed conversion ratio in YL; nevertheless, numerical values were lower in YL at 5 wk (P > 0.05). Red blood cells, blood platelet count, and percent hematocrit were numerically higher under YL, whereas white blood cell counts and percent hemoglobin remained unaffected due to light treatments. It was concluded that monochromatic light is a potential light source that might provide a beneficial effect on growth performance but is inconclusive for hematological measures of broilers.

A laminin-2-derived peptide promotes early-stage peripheral nerve regeneration in a dual-component artificial nerve graft.

The DLTIDDSYWYRI motif (Ln2-P3) of human laminin-2 has been reported to promote PC12 cell attachment through syndecan-1; however, the in vivo effects of Ln2-P3 have not been studied. In Schwann cells differentiated from skin-derived precursors, the peptide was effective in promoting cell attachment and spreading in vitro. To examine the effects of Ln2-P3 in peripheral nerve regeneration in vivo, we developed a dual-component poly(p-dioxanone) (PPD)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) artificial nerve graft. The novel graft was coated with scrambled peptide or Ln2-P3 and used to bridge a 10 mm defect in rat sciatic nerves. The dual-component nerve grafts provided tensile strength comparable to that of a real rat nerve trunk. The Ln2-P3-treated grafts promoted early-stage peripheral nerve regeneration by enhancing the nerve regeneration rate and significantly increased the myelinated fibre density compared with scrambled peptide-treated controls. These findings indicate that Ln2-P3, combined with tissue-engineering scaffolds, has potential biomedical applications in peripheral nerve injury repair.

The effects of oncostatin M on trophoblast cells: influence on matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9, and invasion activity.

Oncostatin M (OSM), a cytokine of the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family, can either promote or inhibit cell growth in various normal and tumor cells and is expressed in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma, and other inflammatory conditions. We investigated one of the possible mechanisms involved in trophoblast invasion using the human placental cell line derived from first trimester extravillous trophoblasts (HTR8SVneo): modulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9 expression and enzymatic activity. And we addressed also the effects of exogenous OSM on the in vitro invasion activity of HTR8SVneo cells. We found that OSM enhanced the constitutive RNA and protein expressions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in HTR8SVneo cell lines. Also, OSM treatment increased significantly the enzymatic activity of MMP-2 on gelatin zymography. The effects OSM on enzymatic activity of MMP-9 was not significant. We found that OSM increased invasion activities of HTR8SVneo cells in time-dependent and dose-dependent manners. This study suggests that OSM enhances invasion activities of extravillous trophoblasts during the first trimester through the increased enzyme activity of gelatinases, especially MMP-2.

Effect of heating system using a geothermal heat pump on the production performance and housing environment of broiler chickens.

A geothermal heat pump (GHP) is a potential heat source for the economic heating of broiler houses with optimum production performance. An investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of a heating system using a GHP on production performance and housing environment of broiler chickens. A comparative analysis was also performed between the GHP system and a conventional heating system that used diesel for fuel. In total, 34,000 one-day-old straight run broiler chicks were assigned to 2 broiler houses with 5 replicates in each (3,400 birds/replicate pen) for 35 d. Oxygen(,) CO(2), and NH(3) concentrations in the broiler house, energy consumption and cost of heating, and production performance of broilers were evaluated. Results showed that the final BW gain significantly (P < 0.05) increased when chicks were reared in the GHP broiler house compared with that of chicks reared in the conventional broiler house (1.73 vs. 1.62 kg/bird). The heating system did not affect the mortality of chicks during the first 4 wk of the experimental period, but the mortality markedly increased in the conventional broiler house during the last wk of the experiment. Oxygen content in the broiler house during the experimental period was not affected by the heating system, but the CO(2) and NH(3) contents significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the conventional broiler house compared with those in the GHP house. Fuel consumption was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) and electricity consumption significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the GHP house compared with the consumption in the conventional house during the experiment. The total energy cost of heating the GHP house was significantly lower (P < 0.05) compared with that of the conventional house. It is concluded that a GHP system could increase the production performance of broiler chicks due to increased inside air quality of the broiler house. The GHP system had lower CO(2) and NH(3) emissions with lower energy cost than the conventional heating system for broiler chickens.

Safety of protected carotid artery stenting in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis and carotid intraplaque hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Carotid IPH can be detected with MR imaging. The aim of this study was to determine the safety of CAS using an emboli protection device in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis and MR imaging-depicted carotid IPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a prospective data base that included 91 consecutive patients with severe carotid stenosis and high-risk features who were treated with CAS by using an emboli protection device. Seventy-eight of the included patients underwent prestenting 3D TOF MRA. IPH was defined as the presence of high signal intensity within the carotid plaque, greater than 150% of the signal intensity of the adjacent neck muscle on TOF source images. The primary outcome measure was the combined incidence of stroke, MI, and death within 30 days of CAS. Associations between IPH and the primary outcome were investigated. RESULTS: IPH was detected on TOF MRA in 30 patients. Symptomatic patients were more common in the IPH group than in the non-IPH group (66.7% vs 41.7%; P = .032). Overall, 30-day stroke, MI, or death rates were 6.6%. There was no significant difference in the primary outcome between the IPH and non-IPH groups (10% and 6.25%, respectively; hazard ratio for IPH, 1.151; 95% CI, 0.035 to 37.500; P = .937). A logistic regression showed there was no independent variable associated with the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that protected CAS seems to be safe in patients with severe carotid stenosis and IPH.