Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Barodon on Growth Performance,Innate Immunity and Disease Resistance of Juvenile Olive Flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus,Against Streptococcus iniae

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Barodon, an anionic alkali mineral complex, on growth, feed utilization, humoral innate immunity and disease resistance of olive flounder. A basal experimental diet was used as a control and supplemented with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, or 0.5% Barodon. Triplicate groups of fish (26.4 ± 0.2 g) were fed one of the diets to apparent satiation twice daily for 10 wk. The growth performance was enhanced (P < 0.05) linearly and quadratically in fish fed diets containing Barodon compared with that in fish fed the control. Feed utilization was significantly improved by Barodon supplementation. Serum lysozyme and antiprotease activities were increased quadratically in Barodon fed groups. Also, significantly higher superoxide dismutase activity was found in Barodon‐fed fish. Dietary supplementation of 0.1–0.3% Barodon resulted in significant enhancement of fish disease resistance against Streptococcus iniae. The findings in this study indicate that dietary supplementation of Barodon can enhance growth, feed utilization, innate immunity, and disease resistance of olive flounder and that the optimum level seems to be 0.1% in diets.     

Equol,a Blood–Brain Barrier Permeable Gut Microbial Metabolite of Dietary Isoflavone Daidzein,Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects against Neurotoxins Induced Toxicity in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells and Caenorhabditis elegans

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Emerging data support that plant food based isoflavones have ameliorating effects on a variety of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease...     

New technique of sex preselection for increasing female ratio in boar sperm model

In this study, we tried to optimize the porcine semen extender conditions to maximize the differences between live X chromosome-bearing (X) spermatozoa and to Y chromosome-bearing (Y) spermatozoa without a decline in the fertility rate at different pH conditions during storage. We observed the viability of X and Y boar spermatozoa in acidic (pH 6.2), original (pH 7.2), and alkaline condition (pH 8.2) for 5 days to investigate the effect of storage conditions on the X to Y spermatozoa ratio. The functional parameters of spermatozoa were also examined to evaluate sperm quality. Sperm motility was preserved at pH 7.2 and pH 6.2 for 3 days, while sperm motility at pH 8.2 decreased significantly after 2 days. Non-capacitated spermatozoa increased while capacitated spermatozoa decreased during storage. Sperm viability decreased significantly duration-dependent under all pH conditions, but there was no significant difference during storage at pH 6.2 and 7.2. The X: Y ratio of live spermatozoa in acidic condition was maximized (1.2:1) without affecting the sperm function and fertility-related protein expression after 2 days compared to original conditions. Moreover, insemination of sows using acidic extender increased the number of female pups on days 1 and 2 of preservation. These results indicate that the production of female offspring may increase when acidic BTS is used for 2 days without affecting the success rate of AI. Above all, this method is simple and economical compared to other methods.     

Effects of dietary Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance,immune response and intestinal barrier function in weaned piglets

The present study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance, immune response and intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.15 kg were divided into four diets for 28 days. The treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate and 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc, AT), probiotics (400 mg/kg Bacillus coagulans ≥5 × 109 CFU/g, BC) or yeast hydrolysate (5000 mg/kg yeast hydrolysate, YH). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were improved by AT and YH diets (p < 0.05), while BC diet only increased ADG (p < 0.05). The complement 3 (C3), lysozyme (LZM) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum were increased in BC diet (p < 0.05). Feeding AT and YH caused the increase of jejunal villus height (p < 0.05), and a higher ratio of villus height/crypt depth was observed in AT, BC and YH groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa was up-regulated by AT, BC and YH diets (p < 0.05). Dietary AT, BC or YH inclusion decreased the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentration and TNF-α mRNA expression (p < 0.05), and YH supplementation even down-regulated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expressions (p < 0.05). In summary, the dietary administration of BC or YH both improves growth performance through promoting the intestinal barrier function, indicating both of them can serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics growth promoters for the piglet production.     

甘南草原3种啮齿动物的食性及其营养生态位特征

研究啮齿动物的食性及其营养生态位特征不仅可以了解高寒草甸环境变化下物种的食性适应特征,还可探讨多种啮齿动物的种间关系。本研究采用粪便显微组织观察法,分析了甘南草原高原鼠兔（Ochotona curzoniae）、高原鼢鼠（Eospalax baileyi）和喜马拉雅旱獭（Marmota himalayana）3种啮齿动物的食性及营养生态位特征。结果发现：3种啮齿动物所采食的植物种类基本相同,但其比例各异;高原鼢鼠所采食的植物主要是珠芽蓼（Polygonum viviparum）和鹅绒委陵菜（Potentilla anserina）等杂类草,且对莎草科（Cyperaceae）植物的采食量显著高于其它两种动物,高原鼠兔主要采食禾本科（Poaceae）植物,喜马拉雅旱獭则主要采食禾本科和菊科（Asteraceae）植物;营养生态位宽度依次为喜马拉雅旱獭>高原鼢鼠>高原鼠兔,其中高原鼠兔与喜马拉雅旱獭的营养生态位重叠最大（0.52）。3种啮齿动物在食物上存在分化,营养生态位分离,是其共存的重要原因。     

Functional and Nutritional Characteristics of Soft Wheat Grown in No‐Till and Conventional Cropping Systems

The effects of no‐till versus conventional farming practices were evaluated on soft wheat functional and nutritional characteristics, including kernel physical properties, whole wheat composition, antioxidant activity, and end‐product quality. Soft white winter wheat cultivar ORCF 102 was evaluated over a two‐year period from three long‐term replicated no‐till versus conventional tillage studies in Oregon. Wheat from the no‐till cropping systems generally had greater test weight, kernel diameter, and kernel weight and had softer kernels compared with wheat from the conventional tillage systems. Compared with the conventional systems, no‐till whole wheat flour had lower protein and SDS sedimentation volume. Ash content as well as most minerals measured (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, and zinc), except for manganese and phosphorus, were generally slightly lower in no‐till than in conventional wheat. Whole wheat flour from the no‐till cropping systems generally had slightly lower total phenolic content and total antioxidant capacity. Milling properties, including flour yield, break flour yield, and mill score, were not affected by tillage systems. Refined flour from no‐till systems had lower protein, SDS sedimentation volume, and lactic acid and sucrose solvent retention capacities compared with flour from conventional tillage. No‐till wheat generally had greater sugar‐snap cookie diameter than conventionally tilled wheat. In conclusion, no‐till soft white winter wheat generally had slightly reduced nutritional properties (protein, ash, most minerals, and total antioxidant content) compared with wheat from conventionally tilled systems, and it had equivalent or sometimes superior functional properties for baking cookie‐type products.     

Isolation and characterization of antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli from national horse racetracks and private horse-riding courses in Korea

Limited information is available regarding horse-associated antimicrobial resistant (AR) Escherichia (E.) coli. This study was designed to evaluate the frequency and characterize the pattern of AR E. coli from healthy horse-associated samples. A total of 143 E. coli (4.6%) were isolated from 3,078 samples collected from three national racetracks and 14 private horse-riding courses in Korea. Thirty of the E. coli isolates (21%) showed antimicrobial resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent, and four of the AR E. coli (13.3%) were defined as multi-drug resistance. Most of the AR E. coli harbored AR genes corresponding to their antimicrobial resistance phenotypes. Four of the AR E. coli carried class 1 integrase gene (intI1), a gene associated with multi-drug resistance. Pulsed-field gel electrophoretic analysis showed no genetic relatedness among AR E. coli isolated from different facilities; however, cross-transmissions between horses or horses and environments were detected in two facilities. Although cross-transmission of AR E. coli in horses and their environments was generally low, our study suggests a risk of transmission of AR bacteria between horses and humans. Further studies are needed to evaluate the risk of possible transmission of horse-associated AR bacteria to human communities through horse riders and horse-care workers.     

Increased humoral antibody response of foot-and-mouth disease virus vaccine in growing pigs pre-treated with poly-γ-glutamic acid

This study was conducted to determine if humoral antibody response of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine improved in 8-week-old growing pigs born to well-vaccinated sows pre-treated with 60 mg of poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) three days before vaccination. Antibody against FMD virus serotype O was measured 0, 2, 4 and 6 weeks post-vaccination, using a PrioCHECK FMDV type O ELISA kit. The results showed that positive antibody reactions against FMDV serotype O antigen among a component of the vaccine significantly increased in response to pre-injection with γ-PGA.