The role of olive leaves and saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation in enhancing the performance and economic feasibility of fattening lambs.

Objectives were to assess the use of olive leaves (OL) to replace wheat straw, the forage source, and the supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) on nutritional intake, growth performance, blood parameters, and carcass quality in lambs. A total of twenty-one newly weaned Awassi lambs, weighing an average of 19 ± 0.6 kg, were randomly distributed to three groups. These three diets were: CON: 0% OL control diet; OL diet of 25%; and OL plus 0.4 g SC/head/d (OLSC) diet of 25% of dietary dry matter (DM). The first seven days were devoted to adaptation and the next sixty days were devoted to gathering data. Daily records of nutrient intake were made. On the 49th day of data collection, four animals were randomly selected from each group and kept in individual metabolism cages (1.0 × 0.8 m) with slatted mash for eight days (four days for data collection and four days for cage adaptation) to evaluate N balance and nutrient digestibility. All lambs were slaughtered after the study to assess the quality of the meat and the carcass features. No difference in DM consumption (P > 0.05) between the treatment groups. When OL-containing diets were compared to the CON diet, the consumption of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) was lower (P ≤ 0.0002), whereas metabolizable energy and ether extract were higher (P < 0.0001). While the OL diet was intermediate, the final BW, total gain, and average daily gain for the OLSC diet tended to be higher (P < 0.087) than the CON diet. Lambs fed the OL-containing diets had a lower (P = 0.0020) cost of growth ($US/kg) than lambs in the CON group. All other nutrient digestibilities were comparable between the treatment diets, except NDF digestibility, which was greater (P = 0.045) in the OLSC group than in the CON group. The N balance variables showed a similarity between the various diets (P > 0.05). Lambs fed the OLSC diet tended to have higher weights (P ≤ 0.098) for fasting live weight, hot carcass weight, carcass cuts weights, and cold carcass weight than lambs on the CON diet. The OLSC diet resulted in higher (P < 0.025) loin weight and intermuscular fat in comparison to the CON and OL diets. No difference (P ≥ 0.05) in the dissected tissues between diets. The longissimus dorsi muscle's dimensions and physicochemical characteristics did not alter (P > 0.05) across the treatment diets. In comparison to the CON and OL diets, the OLSC diet resulted in higher serum glucose levels (P = 0.044). Nonetheless, there were similarities (P ≥ 0.05) in various serum blood parameters between the treatment diets. In conclusion, using OL or/and supplemented SC is positively associated with nutrient intake, growth performance, some carcass parameters, and loin cut tissue, and the most effective aspect is decreasing production cost ($US/kg gain), which makes it a good solution to pass inflation feedstuff prices and cover animal needs.

Effects of chickpea grain feeding on the growth and carcass features of growing lambs.

An investigation was conducted to find out how diet formulation of chickpea grains (CHPE) rather than soybean meal and barely grain affected the performance, blood metabolites, carcass, and meat quality features of Awassi lambs. Thirty lambs, with an average age of 73 ± 0.85 days and an initial body weight of 21.0 ± 1.29 kg, were randomly assigned into one of three diets, with 10 lambs per treatment diet. The diets were designed to replace a portion of the barley grain and soybean meal and included no CHPE (CON), 7.5% CHPE (CHPE7.5), and 15% CHPE (CHPE15). Lambs were individually housed, fed every day, and weighed every two weeks to measure performance characteristics over the 60-day study period. Four lambs per treatment were chosen at random on day 42 to participate in an N balance study and assess diet digestibility. All lambs were slaughtered at the termination of the trial period to measure the features of the carcass characteristics and meat quality. As the amount of CHPE included in the diets increased, the cost of diets reduced. As the amount of CHPE in the diets increased, so did the intake of ether extract (EE). The CON group's cost per kilogram of increase was higher (P = 0.017) than that of the CHPE7.5 and CHEP15 groups. The digestibility of EE was higher (P = 0.024) in the CHPE15 diet as opposed to the CHPE7.5 and CON diets. The various treatments did not impact blood metabolites, carcass features, or meat quality. Therefore, the present study suggested that chickpeas might be added to the diets of finishing lambs up to 15% of dry matter.

Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation during the suckling period on performance of Awassi ewes.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of supplementing two levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) during suckling period on performance and serum metabolites of Awassi ewes. The study comprised two experimental periods, for experimental period 1, 30 nursing Awassi ewes with their single lambs were randomly assigned to one of three equal treatment groups: a control diet (CON; n=10), low SC (LSC) diet (0.4 g SC/head/day; n=10), and high SC (HSC) diet (0.8 g SC/head/day; n=10) with 9-week experimental periods including 1 week for dietary and pen adaptation and 8 weeks for data and sample collection. For experimental period 2, 4 ewes from each group were randomly selected and were individually housed in metabolism crates with 7-day experimental periods including 3 days for crate adaptation and 4 days for data and sample collection. The results showed that the supplementation of SC improved dry matter (DM) intake of ewes (P = 0.03). Digestibility of DM was higher (P < 0.05) for SC treatment groups. The SC treatment groups had a tendency improvement in digestibility of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber. Addition of SC improved (P < 0.05) N balance parameters of ewes. A significant increase was observed for the rumen fluid pH of lactating ewe supplemented with SC. No difference was detected in the live weight change of lactating ewes in all treatment groups. The final body weight of the lambs tended to be greater for SC treatment groups vs CON group but average daily gain and total weight gain were significantly higher (P = 0.05) for SC treatment groups. Lactating ewes in the SC treatment groups produced more milk per day (P ≤ 0.05) than those in the CON diet. Milk fat % and yield in the SC treatment groups were also greater (P = 0.05). No differences were found in % of milk protein, lactose, and solid-not-fat (SNF) between all groups (P > 0.05) while lactose and SNF yields were greater (P < 0.05) for SC treatment groups. However, % of the total solids (TS) of milk was higher for HSC diet compared to LSC and CON diets (P < 0.05) while TS yields were significantly higher for SC treatment groups. Energy-corrected milk values were greater (P < 0.05) in HSC diet compared to LSC and CON diets. With the exception of aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase, no differences were detected in all other serum metabolite concentrations of lactating ewes in between treatment groups. In conclusion, this study indicates that SC supplementation with varying levels in the diet had a similar positive effect on some performance and physiological parameters of lactating Awassi ewes and their lambs.

Fattening performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass traits of two fat-tailed sheep breeds.

Fat-tailed sheep breeds are the most widespread types of sheep in the Middle East. They are hardy and have acceptable growth and carcass traits. The purpose of this study is to compare the fattening performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass characteristics of two fat-tailed sheep breeds, Awassi and Najdi. Thirty single-born Awassi and Najdi male lambs (15 lambs per breed) were examined for fattening and carcass characteristics. The study lasted 70 days (10 days adaptation period and 60 days for collecting the data). Feed consumption was monitored daily, and the body weight of lambs was recorded upon arrival to the trial area and biweekly afterward. Lambs were slaughtered at the end of the study to assess carcass and meat quality characteristics. Nitrogen intake and retained nitrogen were higher (P < 0.05) for Najdi lambs. The digestibility of nutrients was comparable between the two genetic groups. Initial body weight, final body weight, average daily gain, and dry matter intake were not affected (P > 0.05) by the lamb's breed. Furthermore, the feed-to-gain ratio, hot and cold carcass weights, and dressing percentage were not affected by breed type (P > 0.05). Breed type has no influence on the shoulder, loin, and rack percentages of the lamb. Moreover, meat quality traits were not affected by the lamb's breed (P > 0.05). In the dissected leg cut, no differences in the leg component were found among the two breed types (P > 0.05). Results of this study reveal that nitrogen intake and retained nitrogen were higher for Najdi lambs, but this was not reflected in fattening performance and carcass traits.

Impacts of substituting soybean meal with cold extraction sesame meal on growth accomplishment and health in growing Awassi lambs.

Blood metabolites and growing performing were evaluated in lambs (15.7 ± 0.33 kg; initial body weight) fed diets containing either soybean meal or cold extraction sesame meal (SM). The design of the study was a complete randomized design. Twenty-two lambs were divided into two diets, 0% SM (CON) or 12.5% SM (SM12.5) of dietary dry matter (DM), raised for 84 days (7 and 77 days for adaptation and data collection, respectively) and fed ad libitum diets (crude protein (CP) content 15.6% DM). Parameters that were measured included nutrient intake, average daily gain (ADG), digestibility, N balance, and blood parameters. Excluding ether extract (EE) and metabolizable energy intake which were greater (P ≤ 0.05) in the SM12.5 group versus the CON group, no differences in other nutrient intakes were detected (P ≥ 0.05) between the two diets. Lambs fed the SM12.5 diet had more digestibility for DM, CP, neutral detergent fiber, and EE. Nitrogen in feces was lower (P ≤ 0.05) in the SM12.5 group versus the CON group. However, retained N (g/day) increased (P ≤ 0.05) in the SM12.5 group versus the CON group. Final body weight and ADG improved (P ≤ 0.05) in the SM12.5 diet. Cost per kilogram of gain diminished (P ≤ 0.05) in the SM12.5 than the CON diet. Blood glucose increased while creatinine decreased (P ≤ 0.05) in lambs that consumed SM12.5. Results obtained herein proved that replacing soybean meal with sesame meal improved growth performance while reducing the cost of gain in addition to not affecting health negatively.

The effects of feeding chickpea grains on the lactating performance and blood metabolites of ewes.

An experiment was conducted to see how replacing soybean meal with chickpea grains (CHPE) affected the performance, milk production, digestibility, nitrogen (N) balance, and blood metabolites of Awassi ewes. Thirty Awassi ewes with an initial body weight of 53.2 ± 2.31 kg and aged between 4 and 5 years were selected and randomly assigned to different feeding treatments (10 ewes per diet). Dietary dry matter (DM) was (1) 0 g/kg CHPE (CON); (2) 150 g/kg CHPE (CHPE150); and (3) 300 g/kg CHPE (CHPE300). The costs of these diets were determined using current ingredient prices. The experiment lasted 9 weeks. During the trial, ewes and their lambs were kept in individual pens. Daily nutrient intake was monitored. Every 2 weeks, the body weight (BW), milk output, and composition of the ewes were measured. In comparison to the CON diet, adding the CHPE to the experimental diets lowered feed costs (US$) per ton by 11% for CHPE150 and 21% for CHPE300. The CHPE300 group had a lower (P < 0.05) consumption of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than the CHPE150 group, while the CON group had the highest (P < 0.05) intake of NDF. The intake of ether extract (EE) (g/d) was higher (P < 0.05) in the ewes fed the CHPE300 compared to the ewes fed CHPE150, and it was lowest in ewes fed the CON diet. When the ewes were fed the CHPE300 and the CHPE150 diets, the total solids (g/kg) in each kg of milk produced per day was higher (P < 0.05) than when they were fed the CON diet. The cost per kg of milk produced by the ewes was lowered (P < 0.05) when the CHPE was added to their diets. When the ewes on the CHPE300 and the CHPE150 diets were compared to the ewes on the CON diet, crude protein (CP) digestibility was higher (P < 0.05). The EE digestibility was higher (P < 0.05) for the CHPE300 group, while the CHPE150 group had an intermediate outcome. The CHPE300 group had lower amounts of N in their feces and urine (P < 0.05) than the other groups. The retention of N (g/100 g) in the ewes fed the CHPE300, and the CHPE150 diets was higher (P < 0.05) than in the ewes fed the CON diet. As a result, the current research demonstrates that part of soybean meal and barley grain could be replaced with chickpeas in the diets of lactating Awassi ewes.

Soft Tissue Sarcomas: A 16-Year Experience of a Tertiary Referral Hospital in North Jordan.

Background and Objectives: Sarcomas are rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin. Their low prevalence and histological heterogeneity make their diagnosis a challenging task. To the best of our knowledge, the epidemiology of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) was not well studied in Jordan. This study thus aimed to determine STS epidemiologic trends at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH); a tertiary hospital that provides cancer healthcare for 70% of the population in Irbid Governorate, North Jordan. The findings of this study will provide a good reference point of the burden of STSs in Jordan and the Middle East region. Materials and Methods: All cases with confirmed STS diagnoses who attended KAUH from January 2003 until December 2018 were included in the initial analysis. Bone sarcomas, gastrointestinal stromal tumors and uterine sarcomas were not included in the study. Information collected from the pathology reports and electronic medical records was used to determine STS prevalence, incidence rate, age and gender distributions, histological types and anatomic location. Cases were reviewed by three pathologists with interest in soft tissue tumors. The findings were compared with literature. Results: In total, 157 STS cases were reported (1.9% of cancers diagnosed at KAUH during the 16-year study period). Crude annual incidence rate (IR) per 100,000 person-years ranged from 0.48 in 2015 to 1.83 in 2011 (average = 1.04). Age-standardized IR (ASR)(World WHO 2000-2025) was 1.37. Male:female ratio was 1.3:1. Median age was 39 years. Age ranged from <1 year to 90 years. Overall STS rates increased with age. The most common histological types were liposarcoma (19%), rhabdomyosarcoma (17%) and leiomyosarcoma (10%). The most common anatomic location was the extremity (40.1%), followed by the trunk (14.7%), then head and neck (10.8%). Conclusion: STSs are rare in North Jordan. A slight increase in their incidence was identified during the study period similar to global trends. The collection of relevant data on established risk factors along with a broader scale evaluation of the epidemiology of STS in the Middle East region is recommended to better evaluate disease burden and trends.

Dietary inclusion of alternative feedstuffs had no negative effects on hematological and biochemical parameters of growing Awassi lambs.

Dietary inclusion of alternative feedstuffs (AF) could impact animal performance, ruminal ecosystem, and/or blood parameters. The objective of the current trial was to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of mixed AF on hematological and biochemical parameters of growing lambs. Male Awassi lambs (n = 27, average BW = 20.0 ± 0.5 kg and average age of 90 days) were randomly assigned to one of three dietary groups (9 lambs/group). Diets were formulated to contain (on DM basis) 0 (CTL; conventional diet without AF), 25% (25AF), or 50% (50AF) of mixed AF (dry bread, carob pods, olive cake, and sesame meal). Blood samples were collected from each lamb before morning feeding at the beginning (7 days after the start), middle (day 35), and end (68 day) of the study. Hematological parameters were not affected (P ≥ 0.11) by treatment diets. Except for urea N and cortisol, dietary treatments had no significant (P ≥ 0.07) effects on serum levels of all of the measured metabolites and enzymes. Lambs fed the 50AF diet had the lowest blood level of urea N and cortisol. The current study demonstrates that dietary inclusion of AF up to 50% did not negatively impact lambs' health assessed with changes in hematological and biochemical parameters.

Fourier convolution versus derivative spectrophotometry: Application to the analysis of two binary mixtures containing tamsulosin hydrochloride as a minor component.

Simple and rapid spectrophotometric methods are described for determination of two mixtures of tamsulosin (TM), as minor component, with either solifenacin (SL) or tolterodine (TL). The proposed methods involve treatment of the absorbance ratio spectra or zero order spectra by derivative or discrete Fourier function. TM and TL mixture could not be resolved by manipulation of their zero order spectra due to the strong overlap between both spectra and only derivative or Fourier function coefficients of ratio spectra could resolve their spectra. TM and SL mixture was fully resolved by the manipulation of both ratio and zero order spectra. The values of the derivative or the Fourier function coefficients of ratio spectra and/or zero order spectra, at either peak or trough points, were correlated to the concentration of each drug in each mixture. Calibration graphs were linear in ranges 2.5-40 and 30-500µg.mL-1 using derivative ratio and Fourier function ratio, 5-40 and 80-600µg.mL-1 using direct derivative and 2.5-40 and 30-300µg.mL-1 using direct Fourier function for TM and SL, respectively. The plots of derivative ratio amplitude and the Fourier function ratio coefficient versus concentration were linear over ranges 2.5-20 and 25-250µg.mL-1 for TM and TL, respectively. Higher sensitivity as indicated by lower values of detection and quantitation limits were obtained using Fourier convoluted spectra (ratio or zero order) compared to derivative methods. All validation aspects per ICH guidelines are included. The proposed methods were also applied for the studied drugs assay in their tablets and capsules.

Association study of apolipoprotein E promoter polymorphism (-427 T/C) and Alzheimer's disease in a Tunisian population.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with an as yet poorly understood etiology. Both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated as predisposing factors. The apolipoprotein E (APOE) ɛ4 allele is an established genetic susceptibility factor for AD for several populations including the Tunisian population. Polymorphism rs769446 (-427 T/C) at the promoter region of the APOE gene is postulated to affect the expression of the gene through differential binding of transcription factors. AIMS: This study aims at examining the APOE promoter polymorphism rs769446 for possible association with AD in a Tunisian population. METHODS: Using a case-control study design, a sample of 85 patients and 90 controls were investigated for association with the rs769446 polymorphism. RESULTS: No evidence of association was found in this population upon comparison between patients and healthy controls or upon stratification by APOE É›4. CONCLUSIONS: Investigations of potential gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions for this polymorphism need to be further conducted.

[Predictors factors of refractory epilepsy in childhood]. / Les critères prédictifs d'une épilepsie pharmacorésistante chez l'enfant.

The aim of this study is to identify early predictors of refractory epilepsy. From 600 epileptic children followed for at least 2 years in the department of neurology of Charles Nicolle hospital of Tunis, were identified children with refractory epilepsy. Controls were children who responded well to antiepileptic drugs and who were seizure free for at least 2years. We collected anamnestic, clinical, neuropsychological and radiological data for all children. We identified 67 children with refractory epilepsy, representing 11.6% of the initial population. At diagnosis, the average age was 9.16 years. Some factors have been identified as predictors of drug resistance epilepsy: age of onset less than one year, partial and atonic seizure, combination of several types of attacks, presence of mental retardation and pyramidal syndrome, abnormal electroencephalogram especially focal abnormalities, spike, amplitude abnormalities, interhemispheric asymmetry; and resistance to first antiepileptic drug. Symptomatic epilepsy, especially if associated with radiological lesions such as hippocampal sclerosis and structural brain malformations, was highly correlated with drug resistance. Our study suggests that the initial presentation of epilepsy could predict long-term outcome to drug resistance epilepsy if a detailed analysis of anamnestic, clinical and complementary data is established.

Depression in multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Prevalence of depression in MS is significant. Existence of mood disorders alters the patients' life quality. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of depression in MS and establish the relationship between the severity of the disease, the onset of depression and their correlation with neuroimaging. METHODS: Fifty patients with MS aged 20 to 50 years followed at the Neurology Department of Charles-Nicolle Hospital from 2008 to 2012 participated in this study. The evaluation included a neuropsychological assessment, physical examination with EDSS and MRI. RESULTS: Association between MS and depression is common and known. In our study, prevalence of depression was 65%. Coexistence of other psychiatric disorders was found in around 10% of patients. Mood disorder was inaugural in some cases and delayed in others. This suggests that depression in MS may be linked to the disease or a result of a functional disability process. Occurrence of depression was not directly related to disease severity in all cases studied. CONCLUSION: Depression is a possible manifestation of MS. This mood disorder is due to the demyelinating brain damage or to a genetic susceptibility. However, a fortuitous association cannot be excluded.

Growth Performance, Blood Metabolites and Carcass Characteristics of Black Goat Kids Fed Diets Containing Olive Cake.

This study investigated the dietary effect of incorporating different levels of olive cake (OC) on the metabolic responses, growth performance, and carcass characteristics of black goat male kids. Thirty kids (body weight = 17.3 ± 0.40 kg) were randomly distributed into one of three equally sized dietary groups: a control diet (CON), OC at 75 g/kg (OC75), and OC at 150 g/kg (OC150) of dietary dry matter (DM). The results revealed that the intake of DM, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) was similar (p ≥ 0.11) among the three treatment groups. However, the OC150 group had the greatest (p < 0.0001) ether extract (EE) intake compared to the OC75 and CON groups. The growth measurements were similar (p ≥ 0.13) among the three groups. Feed efficiency was not affected by the inclusion of OC. In contrast to the CON diet, the cost of gain was, however, reduced (p = 0.004) in the OC diets. All three treatment groups' digestibility of DM, CP, and ADF was similar. However, when compared to the OC75 and CON groups, the digestibility of NDF was better (p < 0.05) in the OC150 group. The N intake did not differ among the three experimental groups. Nitrogen retained as g/d was higher (p = 0.04) in the OC150 and OC75 groups compared to the CON group, while retention as a percentage (g/100 g) was similar among the three groups. Except for intermuscular fat, total fat, leg fat depth, and tissue depth, the inclusion of OC did not result in any discernible treatment effects on the carcass and meat quality parameters. Only alanine aminotransferase enzyme activity was lower (p < 0.0001) in OC-treated groups compared to the CON group. In summary, incorporating OC at 75 g/kg and 150 g/kg levels into the diets of black goat kids had positive comparable effects on some parameters related to growth performance, carcass attributes, and meat quality. Importantly, utilizing olive cake led to cost savings in production and may serve as a viable alternative feed source in goat nutrition.

Effects of feeding pomegranate seed pulp and coconut meal by-products on milk yield, milk quality, and metabolic responses of Awassi ewes and pre-weaning growth.

Background and Aim: Feeding by-products, such as pomegranate seed pulp (PSP) and coconut meal (COC), to livestock may enhance production efficiency and increase profits. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PSP and COC on milk production, body weight change, metabolic response (Exp. 1), digestibility, and N balance (Exp. 2). Materials and Methods: Twenty-four ewes nursing single lambs were randomly assigned to one of three diets: Control (CON) (n = 8), 7.5% PSP (n = 8), and 7.5% COC (n = 8) of dry matter (DM). Every sheep was born 3-4 days before the start of the experiment. The 1st week of the experiment was devoted to diet adaptation, while the data were collected during the following 8 weeks (Exp. 1). Nine lambs were randomly assigned to one of the three diets for intensive data collection to evaluate the diet digestibility and animal nitrogen (N) balance (Exp. 2). The data were analyzed using the MIXED SAS procedures. Results: The PSP group consumed more DM, followed by the COC and CON groups. For lambs, the final BW, total gain, and average daily gain in the PSP group were greater (p < 0.05) than those in the COC and CON groups. The CON group had lower milk output, total solids, protein, fat, and lactose levels than the PSP and COC groups (p < 0.05). The cost of milk production was lower (p < 0.05) in the PSP and COC diet groups than in the CON group. Blood serum parameters were similar among the dietary groups, except for total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein, which were higher in the COC group than in the CON group. No differences were observed in nutrient digestibility and N balance. Conclusion: Feeding PSP and COC to nursing ewes appears beneficial because it increases milk production and pre-weaning lamb growth and reduces milk production cost.

Localization of Friedreich ataxia phenotype with selective vitamin E deficiency to chromosome 8q by homozygosity mapping.

Friedreich ataxia and ataxia with selective vitamin E deficiency (AVED) share very similar clinical phenotypes. We have mapped the AVED locus to proximal 8q with only three large consanguinous Tunisian families, representing to our knowledge the first use of homozygosity mapping for primary linkage analysis. Subsequently, three additional families showed linkage with the same markers. A maximum lod score of 17.9 was obtained at theta = 0 for the haplotype D8S260-D8S510, consisting of the two closest markers. With only 6 families, the AVED locus is therefore mapped precisely as illustrated by the lod-1 confidence interval of 2.4 cM on either side of D8S260-D8S510. Isolation of a yeast artificial chromosome contig > 800 kilobases (kb) showed that D8S260 and D8S510 are less than 400 kb apart.

The gene encoding gigaxonin, a new member of the cytoskeletal BTB/kelch repeat family, is mutated in giant axonal neuropathy.

Disorganization of the neurofilament network is a prominent feature of several neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), infantile spinal muscular atrophy and axonal Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Giant axonal neuropathy (GAN, MIM 256850), a severe, autosomal recessive sensorimotor neuropathy affecting both the peripheral nerves and the central nervous system, is characterized by neurofilament accumulation, leading to segmental distension of the axons. GAN corresponds to a generalized disorganization of the cytoskeletal intermediate filaments (IFs), to which neurofilaments belong, as abnormal aggregation of multiple tissue-specific IFs has been reported: vimentin in endothelial cells, Schwann cells and cultured skin fibroblasts, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in astrocytes. Keratin IFs also seem to be alterated, as most patients present characteristic curly or kinky hairs. We report here identification of the gene GAN, which encodes a novel, ubiquitously expressed protein we have named gigaxonin. We found one frameshift, four nonsense and nine missense mutations in GAN of GAN patients. Gigaxonin is composed of an amino-terminal BTB (for Broad-Complex, Tramtrack and Bric a brac) domain followed by a six kelch repeats, which are predicted to adopt a beta-propeller shape. Distantly related proteins sharing a similar domain organization have various functions associated with the cytoskeleton, predicting that gigaxonin is a novel and distinct cytoskeletal protein that may represent a general pathological target for other neurodegenerative disorders with alterations in the neurofilament network.

Effect of feeding pomegranate seed pulp on Awassi lambs' nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and carcass quality.

Background and Aim: The use of alternative feeds in feeding livestock as an alternative to traditional feeds has been used for many years, on the one hand, to lower the price of feed and, on the other hand, to raise the profitability of raising livestock. The study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding pomegranate seed pulp (PSP) on the growth performance and carcass characteristics and the health of Awassi lambs. Materials and Methods: Twenty-four male lambs (16.9 ± 0.42 kg) were assigned randomly to one of two isonitrogenous (160 g/kg crude protein of dietary dry matter [DM]) treatment diets. The diets were the control (CON) and PSP-containing diet (100 g/kg of dietary DM; PSP100). The experimental period was 70 days preceded by 7 days of adaptation to diets. Feed intake was measured and lambs were weighed on day one and then biweekly. On day 49, eight lambs (four lambs per treatment) were chosen randomly and placed in metabolic cages for a digestibility trial. At the end of the trial, lambs were slaughtered to evaluate carcass characteristics and meat quality. The data were analyzed using Proc Mixed procedures of SAS. Results: The results revealed that nutrient intake was greater (p < 0.05) in lambs fed PSP100 than those fed the CON diet. Nitrogen intake and nitrogen retention were greater (p < 0.05) for lambs who consumed the PSP100 diet compared to CON. Final weight, total gain, and average daily gain were greater (p < 0.05) with lambs fed PSP100. Hot and cold carcass weights were higher (p < 0.05) by the PSP100 group than by the CON group. Carcass cut weight increased (p < 0.05) with feeding PSP100 diet. No differences were detected in blood parameters except high-density lipoprotein content, which was greater (p < 0.05) in the PSP100 group compared with the CON group. Conclusion: It could be concluded that adding PSP to lambs' diets improved growth and carcass measurements positively and did not negatively affect lambs' health; therefore, it is recommended to use PSP as an alternative to traditional feeds in lambs formulated rations.

Fish Oil Supplementation as an Omega-3 Fatty Acid Source during Gestation: Effects on the Performance of Awassi Ewes and Their Offspring.

The primary aim of this research was to assess the impact of supplementing fish oil into the diet of pregnant Awassi ewes on various aspects of the dam's productive performance, offspring birth weight, colostrum yield and quality, milk production and composition, postpartum offspring performance, and the composition of fatty acids in milk. In this study, two different fat sources, namely palm oil (PO) and fish oil (FO), were utilized, with both being included at a rate of 2.4% of dietary dry matter (DM) during the initial 65 days of gestation (early gestation stage), and then at 2.1% DM from day 65 of gestation until lambing (late gestation stage). The study subjects were Awassi ewes with a body weight (BW) averaging 57 ± 1.5 kg and an age of 3.5 ± 1.2 years. These ewes were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: (i) a diet containing only palm oil from day 0 to day 150 of pregnancy (PO, n = 15); (ii) a diet containing palm oil from day 0 to day 65 of pregnancy, followed by a diet containing fish oil from day 66 to day 150 of pregnancy (POFO, n = 16); (iii) a diet containing fish oil from day 0 to day 65 of pregnancy, followed by a diet containing palm oil from day 66 to day 150 of pregnancy (FOPO, n = 16); (iv) a diet containing only fish oil from day 0 to day 150 of pregnancy (FO, n = 16). Within each treatment, ewes were housed in three replicates, with each replicate further divided into three subgroups. The first two subgroups each contained eight ewes, while the third subgroup contained nine ewes. In addition, each treatment contained 10 primiparous and 15 multiparous ewes. The results indicated that the POFO treatment led to significant increases (p < 0.05) in birth weight, gestation length, and colostrum IgG concentration. However, it also resulted in a decrease (p < 0.001) in colostrum production and a reduction (p < 0.001) in the percentage of milk fat and milk protein. Furthermore, the milk from the POFO treatment exhibited higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (p < 0.001) compared to the PO and FOPO treatments, while the milk saturated fatty acids (SFA) were lower (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the addition of fish oil at a rate of 2.1% DM during the late pregnancy period showed promise for enhancing birth weight, colostrum IgG concentration, and the PUFA content in the milk.

Dietary Intake Is Not Associated with Body Composition nor with Biochemical Tests but with Psychological Status of Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy can negatively affect cancer patients' eating patterns, psychological status, body composition, and quality of life. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlations between dietary intake/care and the psychological status of cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. An observational study was conducted on 75 participants during their first cycle of chemotherapy treatment, and they were followed up for three cycles. Each participant completed a reliable validated questionnaire, psychological questionnaire, quality of life questionnaire, and three-day food records. Dietary intake was considered adequate if there was an adherence of participants to dietary recommendations offered by the dietitian and was confirmed by ESHA analysis software (version 10.6.3). Seventy-five percent of participants had inadequate nutrition intake. All anthropometric measurements decreased after 2 months of chemotherapy regardless of patients' dietary intake. Approximately half of the participants reported depression and anxiety. There were significant differences between all nutrient intake levels when compared to the recommended dietary allowance except for fat, unsaturated fatty acids, and iron. Also, there were associations between nutritional intake and life quality and depression. In conclusion, poor dietary intake was associated with depression and insufficient macro- and micronutrient intake. Emotional and nutritional support from healthcare providers and family are highly necessary.