Expression of chicken epidermal growth factor (cEGF) in Escherichia coli regulates the microflora structure of the duodenum to improve growth performance and intestinal morphogenesis in broilers.

1. A study used gene synthesis to obtain the functional domains of chicken epidermal growth factor (cEGF) and examined their impact on broiler growth performance, small intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities in the intestinal contents and the structure of duodenal microflora.2. The pET-32a-cEGF recombinant expression vector was constructed. The specific band at 26 KDa was shown by SDS-PAGE analysis and WB results. The purified protein content was shown to be 1687 µg/ml by assay.3. A total of 180 healthy, one-day-old Arbor Acres male, white-feathered broilers were randomly divided into three dietary treatment groups (six replicate pens, 10 birds per replicate): A control diet (ND); cEGF diet (cEGF), control supplemented with 250 mg/kg cEGF and the control diet (CD) supplemented with 250 mg/kg chlortetracycline.4. The results showed that feeding the cEGF and CD diet reduced FCR of broilers aged 1-21 d, average daily feed intake (ADFI) at 22-42 d, and the FCR in the whole period (1-42 d; p < 0.05). Compared with the ND group, the cEGF diet increased duodenal α-amylase and alkaline phosphatase activities in the 1-21 d, duodenal lipase, alkaline phosphatase, and ileal alkaline phosphatase activities in the post-period and increased villus height in the duodenum and ileum (p < 0.05). In addition, the ACE and Chao1 index for the birds fed cEGF were higher than the ND group (p < 0.05). At the phyla level, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were dominant in all groups. At the genus level, the dominant genus was Lactobacillus. The LEfSe analysis showed that the cEGF group was enriched by 11 species including Brevibacillus, Eisenbergiella, Cloacibacterium, Butyricoccus spp.5. The addition of 250 mg/kg cEGF to the diet can increase growth performance by improving intestinal development and digestive enzyme activity, which may be related to the duodenal intestinal microflora. Therefore, cEGF is an effective alternative to antibiotics in broiler farming.

Interactions between enzyme preparations and trace element sources on growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chicks.

This experiment was conducted to explore the interactions between enzyme preparations and trace element sources on growth performance and intestinal health of broilers chicks. A total of 480 one-day-old healthy male yellow-feather broilers with similar weight were randomly arranged in a 2  ×  2 factorial design with 2 kinds of compound trace element sources (inorganic [I] and organic [O] trace element supplemented with 80, 8, 60, 40, 0.15 mg/kg of Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se, respectively) and 2 levels of enzyme preparations (0 and 200 mg/kg). The 4 groups named I, O, IE, and OE with 6 replicates and 20 birds per replicate. The trail lasted for 28 days. Results showed that the average weight (ABW), average daily gain (ADG) of broilers in IE and OE groups significantly increased while the F/G significantly decreased as compared with group I and O (P < 0.05). Enzyme preparation supplementation, regardless of the trace element sources, significantly increased the duodenal and jejunal endogenous enzyme (e.g., Try and AACT) activity, and improved the morphology and jejunal barrier function evidenced by the increased villus height and MUC-2 mRNA expression (P < 0.05). Sequencing data manifested that enzyme preparations favorably modulated the cecal microflora by increasing bacterial diversity and abundance of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria (e.g., Anaerostipes, Anaerofusis, and Pygmaioactor), while decreasing the abundance of harmful bacteria (e.g., Desulfovibrio). Factorial analysis indicated that there were no interactions between enzyme preparation and trace element sources on growth performance and intestinal health of broiler chicks. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with enzyme preparations, regardless of the trace element sources, could enhance endogenous enzyme activity, improve intestinal morphology and barrier functions, and favorably modulate the cecal microflora, thereby improving the intestinal health and growth performance of broiler chicks.

Factors influencing the development of gastrointestinal tract and nutrient transporters' function during the embryonic life of chickens-A review.

Intestinal morphology and regulation of nutrient transportation genes during the embryonic and early life of chicks influence their body weight and feed conversion ratio through the growing period. The intestine development can be monitored by measuring villus morphology and enzymatic activity and determining the expression of nutrient transporters genes. With the increasing importance of gut development and health in broiler production, considerable research has been directed towards factors affecting intestine development. Thus, this article reviews (1) intestinal development during embryogenesis, and (2) maternal factors, in ovo administration, and incubation conditions that influence intestinal development during embryogenesis. Conclusively, (1) chicks from heavier eggs may have a better-developed intestine than chicks from younger ones, (2) in ovo supplementation with amino acids, minerals, vitamins or a combination of several probiotics and prebiotics stimulates intestine development and increases the expression of intestine mucosal-related genes and (3) the long storage period, improper incubation temperature and imbalanced ventilation can negatively influence intestinal morphology and nutrient transporters gene expression. Finally, understanding the intestine development during embryonic life will enable us to enhance the productivity of broilers.

The small and large intestine contain related mesenchymal subsets that derive from embryonic Gli1+ precursors.

The intestinal lamina propria contains a diverse network of fibroblasts that provide key support functions to cells within their local environment. Despite this, our understanding of the diversity, location and ontogeny of fibroblasts within and along the length of the intestine remains incomplete. Here we show that the small and large intestinal lamina propria contain similar fibroblast subsets that locate in specific anatomical niches. Nevertheless, we find that the transcriptional profile of similar fibroblast subsets differs markedly between the small intestine and colon suggesting region specific functions. We perform in vivo transplantation and lineage-tracing experiments to demonstrate that adult intestinal fibroblast subsets, smooth muscle cells and pericytes derive from Gli1-expressing precursors present in embryonic day 12.5 intestine. Trajectory analysis of single cell RNA-seq datasets of E12.5 and adult mesenchymal cells suggest that adult smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts derive from distinct embryonic intermediates and that adult fibroblast subsets develop in a linear trajectory from CD81+ fibroblasts. Finally, we provide evidence that colonic subepithelial PDGFRαhi fibroblasts comprise several functionally distinct populations that originate from an Fgfr2-expressing fibroblast intermediate. Our results provide insights into intestinal stromal cell diversity, location, function, and ontogeny, with implications for intestinal development and homeostasis.

Exploration of Zingiber officinale effects on growth performance, immunity and gut morphology in broilers / Exploração dos efeitos do Zingiber officinale no desempenho de crescimento, imunidade e morfologia intestinal em frangos de corte

The current study aimed to determine the effects of different levels of Zingiber officinale as a herbal feed additive on growth performance, carcass characteristic, serum biochemistry, total bacterial count (TBC), gut morphology, and immunological parameters of broilers. A total of 1500, day-old broiler chicks (Hubbard) were equally accredited to five treatment groups, each with six replicates (50 birds/replicate). Five experimental diets were prepared using basal diet i.e. with antibiotics positive control (PC), 3 g/kg ginger (group A), 6 g/kg ginger (group B), 9 g/kg ginger (group C) and without antibiotics negative control (NC). Group A and C showed significantly (p<0.05) higher feed intake (FI) as compared to other groups. Group C showed significantly (p<0.05) lower Total bacterial count (TBC) followed by group B as compared to NC. Carcass characteristics showed non-significant effects among different treatments. Mean villi length and width were significantly (p <0.05) higher in all ginger supplemented groups as compared to the control groups. Blood serum parameters including cholesterol, triglycerides, and low density lipoproteins (LDL) were significantly (p<0.05) lower in groups B and C in comparison with the control groups. Whereas high-density lipoproteins (HDL) was significantly higher in group B as compared to the others. In conclusion, ginger supplementation @0.6% in the basal diet significantly improved growth performance and gut morphometry of broilers. It also showed a positive impact on cholesterol, triglycerides and gut microbes. Therefore, ginger could be a better substitute for antibiotic growth promoters.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar os efeitos de diferentes níveis de Zingiber officinale como aditivo à base de plantas medicinais sobre o desempenho de crescimento, características da carcaça, bioquímica sérica, contagem bacteriana total (CBT), morfologia intestinal e parâmetros imunológicos de frangos de corte. Um total de 1.500 pintos de corte de um dia de idade (Hubbard) foram igualmente credenciados em cinco grupos de tratamento, cada um com seis repetições (50 aves/repetição). Cinco dietas experimentais foram preparadas usando dieta basal, ou seja, com controle positivo de antibióticos (PC), 3 g/kg de gengibre (grupo A), 6 g/kg de gengibre (grupo B), 9 g/kg de gengibre (grupo C) e sem controle negativo de antibióticos (NC). Os grupos A e C apresentaram consumo de ração (FI) significativamente (p < 0,05) maior do que os outros grupos. O grupo C apresentou contagem bacteriana total (CBT) significativamente menor (p < 0,05) seguido pelo grupo B em comparação com o NC. As características da carcaça apresentaram efeitos não significativos entre os diferentes tratamentos. O comprimento e largura médios das vilosidades foram significativamente (p < 0,05) maiores em todos os grupos suplementados com gengibre em comparação com os grupos de controle. Os parâmetros séricos do sangue, incluindo colesterol, triglicerídeos e lipoproteínas de baixa densidade (LDL), foram significativamente (p < 0,05) menores nos grupos B e C em comparação com os grupos controle. Enquanto as lipoproteínas de alta densidade (HDL) foram significativamente maiores no grupo B em comparação com os outros. Em conclusão, a suplementação de gengibre a 0,6% na dieta basal melhorou significativamente o desempenho de crescimento e a morfometria intestinal de frangos de corte. Ele também mostrou um impacto positivo sobre o colesterol, triglicerídeos e micróbios intestinais. Portanto, o gengibre pode ser um substituto melhor para os promotores de crescimento com antibióticos.

Fucoidan Improves Growth, Digestive Tract Maturation, and Gut Microbiota in Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) Larvae.

The early life period is considered an essential period for gut microbial colonization. Manipulating gut microbiota interventions during early life periods has been proven to be a promising method to boost healthy growth. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary fucoidan (Fuc) on the growth, digestive tract maturation, and gut microbiota of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) larvae. Four diets were formulated with different levels of Fuc (0.00%, 0.50%, 1.00%, and 2.00%). Results showed that dietary Fuc significantly improved the growth performance of larvae. Meanwhile, dietary Fuc promoted digestive tract maturation. Dietary 1.00% Fuc significantly improved intestinal morphology. Dietary Fuc upregulated the expression of intestinal cell proliferation and differentiation related-genes and intestinal barrier related-genes. Dietary 2.00% Fuc significantly increased the activities of brush border membranes enzymes and lipase while inhibiting α-amylase. Furthermore, dietary Fuc maintained healthy intestinal micro-ecology. In detail, dietary 1.00% and 2.00% Fuc altered the overall structure of the gut microbiota and increased the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes while decreasing the relative abundance of opportunistic pathogens and facultative anaerobe. In conclusion, appropriate dietary Fuc (1.00-2.00%) could improve the growth of large yellow croaker larvae by promoting digestive tract maturation and maintaining an ideal intestinal micro-ecology.

Differential toxicity to murine small and large intestinal epithelium induced by oncology drugs.

Gastrointestinal toxicity is a major concern in the development of drugs. Here, we establish the ability to use murine small and large intestine-derived monolayers to screen drugs for toxicity. As a proof-of-concept, we applied this system to assess gastrointestinal toxicity of ~50 clinically used oncology drugs, encompassing diverse mechanisms of action. Nearly all tested drugs had a deleterious effect on the gut, with increased sensitivity in the small intestine. The identification of differential toxicity between the small and large intestine enabled us to pinpoint differences in drug uptake (antifolates), drug metabolism (cyclophosphamide) and cell signaling (EGFR inhibitors) across the gut. These results highlight an under-appreciated distinction between small and large intestine toxicity and suggest distinct tissue properties important for modulating drug-induced gastrointestinal toxicity. The ability to accurately predict where and how drugs affect the murine gut will accelerate preclinical drug development.

Intestinal morphology and microflora to Vibrio alginolyticus in pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

In recent years, the shrimp farming industry encountered significant economic losses induced by Vibrio alginolyticus. In this study, the influence of Vibrio alginolyticus on intestinal histomorphology and microbiome composition in Litopenaeus vannamei were studied. The results showed that the intestinal mucosal epithelial cells of Vibrio group (VA group) injected only with Vibrio alginolyticus showed large area exfoliation at 12 h, and the tissue morphology of intestine recovered at 48 h. Compared with the control group (CK group), the abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly higher (P < 0.05), while the abundance of Actinobacteria was significantly lower after infection with Vibrio alginolyticus. The abundance of Shewanella in intestinal microbiome of Litopenaeus vannamei was significantly higher at 12 h (P < 0.05), but the abundance of Candidatus_Bacilloplasma was significantly lower at 48 h after infection (P < 0.05). In VA group, the diversity of intestinal microbiome was significantly lower at 12 h, which could be caused by the proliferation of Candidatus_Bacilloplasma and Shewanella. All above findings suggested that the stability of the dynamic balance of microbiome in the intestine helped Litopenaeus vannamei to resist pathogen colonization.

Atrazine exposure and recovery alter the intestinal structure, bacterial composition and intestinal metabolites of male Pelophylax nigromaculatus.

The pesticide atrazine poses a potential threat to the health of frogs living in farmland areas. The exposure concentration in traditional pesticide experiments is usually constant, while pesticide pollution in actual water may fluctuate due to periodic or seasonal application. We examined the effects of different concentrations of atrazine (50, 100 and 500 µg/L) over a 14-day exposure and a 7-day recovery on intestinal histology, bacterial composition and intestinal metabolites of male Pelophylax nigromaculatus. HE staining revealed that after a 14-day atrazine exposure, the 100 µg/L and 500 µg/L groups showed obvious cysts and significantly decreased intestinal crypt depth and villus height. After a 7-day recovery, the damaged intestine in the 100 µg/L group was partially recovered, while in the 500 µg/L exposure group there was no improvement. 16S rRNA gene analysis of intestinal bacteria showed that 500 µg/L atrazine exposure significantly caused a persistent decrease in bacterial α diversity. Compared to the control and other atrazine exposure groups, the 500 µg/L group showed significant changes in the relative abundance of predominant bacteria. In addition, most dominant bacteria in the 500 µg/L recovery group showed significant differences with the 50 µg/L and 100 µg/L recovery groups. Nontargeted metabolomics profiling based on UPLC/MS analysis showed that atrazine exposure and recovery induced changes in the intestinal metabolic profile. The changes in metabolites were mainly related to purine/pyrimidine metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism. In general, these pathways were closely related to energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism. These results suggest that the short-term exposure to 500 µg/L atrazine causes persistent harm to intestinal health. This study is an important step toward a better understanding of the toxic effects of atrazine exposure and recovery in frog intestines.

Intestinal upregulation and specific dynamic action in snakes - Implications for the 'pay before pumping' hypothesis.

Animals which feed infrequently and on large prey, like many snake species, are characterized by a high magnitude of gut upregulation upon ingesting a meal. The intensity of intestinal upregulation was hypothesized to be proportional to the time and energy required for food processing (Specific-Dynamic-Action; SDA); hence, a positive correlation between the scope of intestinal growth and SDA response can be deduced. Such a correlation would support the so far not well established link between the intestinal and metabolic consequences of digestion. In this study I tested this prediction using an interspecific dataset on snakes gleaned from published sources. I found that SDAduration and SDAscope were positively correlated with post-feeding factorial increase in small intestine mass, but not with microvillar elongation. This indicates that a wide range of whole intestine remodelling (up- but potentially also downregulation) may temporarily prolong meal processing and that a greater magnitude of intestinal growth requires a stronger metabolic elevation. However, these effects do not seem large enough to drive the variation in the entire energetic costs of digestion, because SDAexpenditure was not affected either by intestinal or microvillar growth. I therefore propose that intestinal upregulation elicits non-negligible costs, but that these costs are a fairly small component of the whole SDAexpenditure.

Effect of partial substitution of fishmeal with insect meal (Hermetia illucens) on gut neuromuscular function in Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).

Alternative nutrient sources to fishmeal for fish feed, such as insect meals, represent a promising sustainable supply. However, the consequences for fish digestive function have not been exhaustively investigated. In the present study we evaluated the effect of partial fishmeal substitution with 10% Hermetia illucens (Hi10) larvae meal on the neuromuscular function of proximal and distal intestine in gilthead sea bream. In animals fed with insect meal, weight and growth parameters were similar to controls fed with conventional fishmeal. In addition, no anomalies in intestinal gross morphology and no overt signs of inflammation were observed. The gastrointestinal transit was significantly reduced in Hi10 fed animals. In the proximal and distal intestine longitudinal muscle, Hi10 feeding downregulated the excitatory cholinergic and serotoninergic transmission. Sodium nitroprusside-induced inhibitory relaxations increased in the proximal intestine and decreased in the distal intestine after Hi10 meal. Changes in the excitatory and inhibitory components of peristalsis were associated with adaptive changes in the chemical coding of both proximal and distal intestine myenteric plexus. However, these neuromuscular function alterations were not associated with considerable variations in morphometric growth parameters, suggesting that 10% Hi meal may represent a tolerable alternative protein source for gilthead sea bream diets.

Modulation of intestinal morphology and microbiota by dietary Macleaya cordata extract supplementation in Xuefeng Black-boned Chicken.

Antibiotics are commonly overused to prevent livestock from diseases and to increase production performance. As potential substitutes of antibiotics, plant extracts have attracted the attention of researchers. It was known to all that addition of Macleaya cordata extract (MCE) to the food could advance immunity, intestinal health and animal performance. Thus, it was conducted to investigate the influence of MCE (0, 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg, with six replicate pens/treatment and 24 hens/pen) on intestinal morphology and microbial diversity in different intestinal segments in Xuefeng black-boned chicken in this study. The results showed that MCE supplement (100, 150 and 200 mg/kg) significantly diminished (P < 0.05) the crypt depth of the jejunum as compared to basal diet group. The 100 mg/kg group displayed a marked increase (P < 0.05), compared with 0 and 200 mg/kg group, in ileum microbial diversity as represented by the Shannon's index. In the cecum, treatment of MCE significantly decreased (P < 0.01) the Firmicutes, but Deferribacteres in 200 mg/kg MCE group were significantly raised (P < 0.05). In conclusion, we found that MCE improved intestinal morphology and reduced the crypt depth in jejunum. Together, addition of 200 mg/kg MCE modulated intestinal microbiota, increased beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus. Adding 100 mg/kg MCE to diet increased bacterial community diversity and relative abundance in jejunum and ileum, but had no effect on cecum microbial diversity.

Association between productive parameters and intestinal histomorphological findings in broilers supplemented with probiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis) / Asociación entre parámetros productivos y hallazgos histomorfológicos en pollos de engorde suplementados con probióticos (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus y Bacillus subtilis)

SUMMARY: This study evaluates the effect of probiotics Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis on production parameters and intestinal histomorphology of broilers of 45 days of age. Eleven 45-day-old Ross 500 broilers were used and classified as control group (CG) (n = 5) or supplemented with probiotics group (n = 8). Histopathological evaluation of duodenum, ileum, and jejunum was performed. The area of the villi height, base and apex were evaluated as well as the size and number of crypts. In addition, mucus production was quantified in different portions of the small intestine. The villi present duodenum of broilers supplemented with probiotics had a greater area (p = 0.0127), a greater basal width (p = 0.0049) and a greater apical width (p = 0.0024), as well as a greater crypt area (p = 0.0189). Significantly higher levels of mucus were noted in the duodenum (p = 0.0480) and jejunum (p = 0.0480) of broilers supplemented with probiotics. We suggest that probiotic supplementation improve the intestinal nutrients absorption.

RESUMEN: Este estudio evalúa el efecto del uso de probióticos como: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis en parámetros productivos e histomorfologia intestinal de pollos de engorde de 45 días de edad. Fueron usados 11, los cuales fueron clasificados en grupo control (CG) (n = 5) y grupo suplementado con probióticos (PG) (n = 8). Fue realizado análisis histopatológico de secciones de duodeno, íleon y yeyuno. Fue evaluado ancho, altura y área del ápice de la vellosidad, área y número de criptas. Además, fue estimada la producción de moco en los diferentes segmentos del intestino delgado. Fue observada mayor área de la vellosidad en duodeno, PG (p = 0.0127), ancho basal mayor en PG (p = 0.0049) ancho apical mayor en PG (p = 0.0024), así como mayor área de criptas en PG (p = 0.0189). No fueron encontradas diferencias significativas respecto a los segmentos de yeyuno e íleon. PG presentó mayor producción de moco en duodeno (p = 0.0480) y en yeyuno (p = 0.0480). Concluimos que la suplementación con probióticos en pollos de engorde genera cambios en la histomorfologia intestinal, evidenciables en áreas apicales y basales de las vellosidades intestinales. Soporte financiero: Dirección General de Investigaciones - Universidad de los Llanos.

Histological effects of sublethal concentrations of insecticide Lindane on intestinal tissue of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

This study investigates acute toxicity and histological effects of Lindane insecticide on intestinal tissues of immature grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). For these purposes, 105 fish were exposed to different concentrations of Lindane for 96 h in 5 groups with 3 replications. Samples of intestinal tissues were prepared in both control and exposure groups during and after the toxicity test. Vaculation, necrosis, bleeding and epithelial degeneration were apparent in the intestine tissue of treated individuals. The LC50 96 h of Lindane was 0.788 ppm in the present study, also the results showed besides pesticide-induced lesions, symptoms of abnormal swimming, anxiety, tendency to swim near the surface, and death due to terminal toxicity with mouth widely open. The exposed fish were pale in color, showed oxygen deficit and severe respiratory problems. Overall, our results confirm the toxicity of different concentrations of Lindane insecticide affecting behavior, intestinal function and inducing tissue lesions of immature grass carp.

Gut immune-related gene expression, histomorphometry and hematoimmunological assays in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed Aspergillus oryzae fermented olive cake.

Fermentation strategy is well documented to improve the nutritional value of agricultural waste by-products such olive cake (OC), which, in turn, provides healthy, safe, and affordable feedstuff. This study assessed the combined impact of Aspergillus oryzae-fermented OC (AFOC) on the growth performance, intestinal morphometry, blood biochemistry, lysozyme activity, gut immune-related genes, and flesh quality of Nile tilapia. We divided 225 fish into five groups and further subdivided into three replicates (n = 15 each) and fed them five diets (Control, AFOC5, AFOC10, AFOC15, AFOC20) to determine AFOC nutritional value and its optimized incorporation level in the diet. The trial continued for 3 months. The crude protein content of OC improved by 7.77% after A. oryzae fermentation, while lipid content decreased by 14.19%. In addition, growth and feed utilization significantly improved at (10.8-11.2) % AFOC dietary level. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) significantly improved, and the serum lysozyme level was significantly higher in the AFOC10 group compared to other groups. Interestingly, gut-related inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß) revealed higher relative mRNA expression in the AFOC10 group compared to other groups. The histomorphometric parameters was greatly influenced by the AFOC incorporation level (10%-20%). These findings suggested that A. orzae fermentation modifies the nutritional quality of OC, as seen through its positive impact on the growth performance, local and systemic immunity, and intestinal absorptive capacity of Nile tilapia. The recommended dose for dietary AFOC was around 11.

Less need for differentiation? Intestinal length of reptiles as compared to mammals.

Although relationships between intestinal morphology between trophic groups in reptiles are widely assumed and represent a cornerstone of ecomorphological narratives, few comparative approaches actually tested this hypothesis on a larger scale. We collected data on lengths of intestinal sections of 205 reptile species for which either body mass (BM), snout-vent-length (SVL) or carapax length (CL) was recorded, transforming SVL or CL into BM if the latter was not given, and analyzed scaling patterns with BM and SVL, accounting for phylogeny, comparing three trophic guilds (faunivores, omnivores, herbivores), and comparing with a mammal dataset. Length-BM relationships in reptiles were stronger for the small than the large intestine, suggesting that for the latter, additional factors might be relevant. Adding trophic level did not consistently improve model fit; only when controlling for phylogeny, models indicated a longer large intestine in herbivores, due to a corresponding pattern in lizards. Trophic level effects were highly susceptible to sample sizes, and not considered strong. Models that linked BM to intestine length had better support than models using SVL, due to the deviating body shape of snakes. At comparable BM, reptiles had shorter intestines than mammals. While the latter finding corresponds to findings of lower tissue masses for the digestive tract and other organs in reptiles as well as our understanding of differences in energetic requirements between the classes, they raise the hitherto unanswered question what it is that reptiles of similar BM have more than mammals. A lesser effect of trophic level on intestine lengths in reptiles compared to mammals may stem from lesser selective pressures on differentiation between trophic guilds, related to the generally lower food intake and different movement patterns of reptiles, which may not similarly escalate evolutionary arms races tuned to optimal agility as between mammalian predators and prey.

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract improves growth, intestinal histomorphometry, immunity, antioxidant status and modulates transcription of cytokine genes in hapa-reared Oreochromis niloticus.

This study was designed to evaluate the impacts of dietary supplementation with Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GBL) on the growth, intestinal histomorphometry, immunity, antioxidant status, and expression of cytokine genes in Nile tilapia reared in the hapas. A control diet was enriched with different GBL levels (0.0, 5.0, 7.0, and 9.0 g/kg) to form 4 experimental diets and were fed to Nile tilapia for 8 weeks. The findings illustrated that dietary GBL significantly enhanced the growth and feed utilization indices compared to those reared in the control group. A dose-dependent increase of hepatic catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities alongside a decline of hepatic malondialdehyde levels were recorded in GBL groups compared with the control. Serum lysozyme activity, complement C3, and immunoglobulin M levels were significantly increased in GBL groups compared with the control group. Moreover, dietary GBL maintained the normal intestinal and hepatopancreatic histological structures with a significant increase of some histomorphometric measurements of proximal, middle, and distal intestinal parts of the treated fish. Interestingly, dietary GBL supplementation significantly increased the mRNA expression of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (INF-γ) genes in the splenic tissues of treated fish over the control group. To conclude, it could be recommended to use GBL as a functional phytogenic feed additive to improve the growth, hepatic and intestinal health status, hepatic antioxidant status, and immunity of treated Nile tilapia. Besides, the second order polynomial regression revealed that 7.50 g GBL/kg diet is the optimal inclusion level to improve growth with no negative impacts on the overall health condition of treated Nile tilapia.

Endoscopic evaluation of surgically altered bowel in inflammatory bowel disease: a consensus guideline from the Global Interventional Inflammatory Bowel Disease Group.

The majority of patients with Crohn's disease and a proportion of patients with ulcerative colitis will ultimately require surgical treatment despite advances in diagnosis, therapy, and endoscopic interventions. The surgical procedures that are most commonly done include bowel resection with anastomosis, strictureplasty, faecal diversion, and ileal pouch. These surgical treatment modalities result in substantial alterations in bowel anatomy. In patients with inflammatory bowel disease, endoscopy plays a key role in the assessment of disease activity, disease recurrence, treatment response, dysplasia surveillance, and delivery of endoscopic therapy. Endoscopic evaluation and management of surgically altered bowel can be challenging. This consensus guideline delineates anatomical landmarks and endoscopic assessment of these landmarks in diseased and surgically altered bowel.

The influence of coconut oil on the growth, immune, and antioxidative responses and the intestinal digestive enzymes and histomorphometry features of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

The trials of finding non-conventional and alternative aquafeed ingredients are increasing. In this sense, this study evaluated the influence of coconut oil on the growth, feed utilization, immune, and antioxidative responses of Nile tilapia. Five test diets were formulated by mixing coconut oil with the other ingredients at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4% of the total ration and presented for tilapia for 60 successive days. The final weight, SGR, weight gain (WG), and feed intake were superior in fish delivered 2% of coconut oil (P < 0.05). Concurrently, fish that received 2% coconut oil had lower FCR and higher PER than fish of the control and 4% groups (P < 0.05). Higher lipase activity was observed in fish of 2% and 3% levels than the remaining groups (P < 0.05). Besides, the amylase and protease activities of fish in 1%, 2%, and 3% groups were higher than the 0% level (P < 0.05). The total blood cholesterol, RBCs, and PCV showed higher values in Nile tilapia fed 2% and 3% coconut oil (P < 0.05). The lysozyme and phagocytic activities were higher in fish fed 2% and 3% levels than the control (P < 0.05), while the phagocytic index in 2% and 3% levels was higher than 0% and 4% levels. Furthermore, SOD and CAT were higher in fish fed 1%, 2%, and 3% than fish fed 0% and 4% levels while GSH was higher in fish of 1%, 2%, and 3% than fish fed 0% level (P < 0.05). However, the MDA level was markedly lower in fish fed 25, 3%, and 4% coconut oil than the 0% level (P < 0.05). The intestine's histological structure in all groups appeared normal, forming of intestinal villi projecting from the intestinal wall. Also, the structure of the hepatopancreas had a normal architecture in all groups. To sum up, the inclusion of coconut oil at 2 to 3% is recommended as a replacer for fish oil in Nile tilapia diets.