Research progress in the role and mechanism of Leucine in regulating animal growth and development.

Leucine, a branched-chain amino acid, is essential in regulating animal growth and development. Recent research has uncovered the mechanisms underlying Leucine's anabolic effects on muscle and other tissues, including its ability to stimulate protein synthesis by activating the mTORC1 signaling pathway. The co-ingestion of carbohydrates and essential amino acids enhances Leucine's anabolic effects. Moreover, Leucine has been shown to benefit lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity, making it a promising strategy for preventing and treating metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity. While emerging evidence indicates that epigenetic mechanisms may mediate Leucine's effects on growth and development, more research is needed to elucidate its mechanisms of action fully. Specific studies have demonstrated that Leucine promotes muscle growth and metabolic health in animals and humans, making it a promising therapeutic agent. However, it is essential to note that Leucine supplementation may cause digestive issues or interact with certain medications, and More study is required to determine definitively optimal dosages. Therefore, it is important to understand how Leucine interacts with other nutrients, dietary factors, and lifestyle habits to maximize its benefits. Overall, Leucine's importance in human nutrition is far-reaching, and its potential to prevent muscle loss and enhance athletic performance warrants further investigation.

Research progress in physiological effects of resistant substances of Urtica dioica L. on animal performance and feed conversion.

Several members of family Urticaceae are mainly found in the temperate and subtropical zones of the Northern Hemisphere and are important medicinal plants. Among them, Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae) is an annual or perennial herb that has been used for feeding and medicinal purposes since long time and is the most exploited species of Urticaceae. Recently, it has received attention to be used as animal feed, as its fresh leaves fed to animals in moderate, dried, and other forms. This review details the advantages of U. dioica as an alternative feed in terms of germplasm specificity, nutritional composition, and feed application status. Its roots, stems, leaves, and seeds are rich in active ingredients. It has also been found to have anticancer effects through antioxidant action and promotion of apoptosis of cancer cells. In shady conditions, U. dioica is highly adaptable while under stressful conditions of drought; it also reduces light absorption and ensures carbon assimilation through light energy conversion efficiency. Therefore, it can be added to animal diets as a suitable feed to reduce costs and improve economic efficiency. This paper investigates the feasibility of using U. dioica as a feed and systematically presents the progress of research and exploitation of U. dioica.

Mixed silage with Chinese cabbage waste enhances antioxidant ability by increasing ascorbate and aldarate metabolism through rumen Prevotellaceae UCG-004 in Hu sheep.

Silage is rich in nutrients, which can make up for the lack of seasonal roughage, and has a certain promotion effect on the intensive feeding of ruminants. In addition, silage can maintain the rumen function of ruminants to a certain extent and reduce the risk of rumen acidosis and abomasum translocation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the mixed silage of Chinese cabbage waste and rice straw (mixed silage) on antioxidant performance, rumen microbial population, and fermentation metabolism of Hu sheep. The 16 healthy Hu sheep (eight rams and eight ewes, 39.11 ± 1.16 kg, 5.5 months) were randomly divided into two groups (the control group and the mixed silage group) with eight animals (four rams and four ewes) in each group. The control group was fed with farm roughage (peanut seedlings, corn husk, and high grain shell) as forage, and the mixed silage group was fed with the mixed silage as forage. The results showed that the mixed silage had no effect on the growth performance of Hu sheep (p > 0.05). Ruminal butyric acid, total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in the mixed silage group were increased, whereas the pH was decreased (p < 0.05). The blood and rumen total antioxidants capacity (T-AOC) concentration in the mixed silage group was higher, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in rumen, serum, liver, and kidney was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). PCoA and ANOSIM results of Illumina sequencing indicated that the mixed silage affected the bacterial composition of the rumen microbes. The mixed silage increased the proportion of Prevotellaceae UCG-004 which was in a positive correlation with Vitamin C (Vc). In addition, PICRUSt functional prediction analysis showed that ascorbate and aldarate metabolism were up-regulated in the mixed silage group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, higher contents of VC and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in the mixed silage were beneficial to the growth and reproduction of Prevotellaceae UCG-004, resulting in increased production of the butyric acid significantly upregulated the metabolism of ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, thereby improving the antioxidant properties of Hu sheep.

Role of primary metabolites in plant defense against pathogens.

Plants under natural environment facing various pathogens, tend to produce defense to maintain their fitness and minimize pathogenic damage. Plant-pathogens interaction is gaining more importance by researches as, their means of the fight are primary metabolites. The ultimate result of either means of defense is pathogenesis or resistance. Plant defense mechanisms can be grouped either into inducible and constitutive defense or chemical, structural and morphological defense. Majority of defense mechanisms have a passive role, i.e. only defensive against pathogens, but a few are very active. Plant primary metabolites are catching interest in their immunity role. Deep information of molecular mechanisms involved during the plant-pathogen system is need of the day for future disease control. This review will highlight the role of primary metabolites and their mechanism of action in plant defense.

Role of secondary metabolites in plant defense against pathogens.

Pathogens get entry into host cell, reproduce there and use biological machinery of host plants which is threat to global crop production. Integrated management strategies based upon minimizing population and use of resistant cultivars can address this potential problem. In developing world farmers are less likely to adopt these approaches instead they prefer the use of chemical pesticides. Reckless use of chemical pesticides is destroying our ecosystem. That's why it is required to explore ecofriendly alternatives, like plant based metabolites to control pathogens. Studies conducted on different plant-metabolites reported that these metabolite can potentially combat plant pathogens. In this study we have also discussed some of plant secondary metabolites including alkaloids, flavonoids and phenolics. In this review we tried to highlight the new trends in utilizing secondary metabolites for controlling bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens with the hope that upcoming drugs will be human and ecosystem friendly.