High mortality with severe dystrophic cardiac calcinosis in C3H/OUJ mice fed high fat purified diets

Severe degenerative myocardial disease occurred in female C3H/OUJ mice fed purified diets for 36 weeks; the diet contained 5% or 20% fat as non-hydrogenated soybean oil. Deaths of lactating females of this group (17/35 high fat diet and 7/35 low fat diet animals) were due to sudden cardiovascular collapse. Cardiomegaly with marked atrial and ventricular myocardial mineralization was seen at necropsy. Histologically, the random, myopathic foci were characterized by severe myocardial degeneration, mineralization, and fibrosis. Mural thrombosis, pulmonary arteriosclerosis, and mild myocardial inflammatory cell infiltrates were also present. Pathological changes were similar to those of dystrophic cardiac calcinosis, an incidental necropsy finding in certain mouse strains.     

山楂叶黄酮对产蛋后期种鸡蛋壳品质的影响

山楂叶黄酮（HF）是山楂叶提取物,具有抗氧化、抗炎和降血脂的作用。本试验旨在研究日粮HF对产蛋后期种母鸡蛋壳品质的影响。选取体重相近的60周龄健康种母鸡（栖岭草鸡）270只,随机分为3组,每组6个重复,每个重复15只鸡。对照组（CON）饲喂玉米-豆粕型基础日粮（BD）,低剂量组（LHF）饲喂BD+30 mg·kg^-1 HF日粮,高剂量组（HHF）饲喂BD+60 mg·kg^-1 HF日粮。试验预饲2周,正式饲喂8周,最后,采集种蛋测定蛋壳品质,采集血样测定钙和磷含量,采集壳腺组织观察组织形态学、细胞凋亡和抗氧化蛋白的变化。结果显示：1）与CON组相比,HF处理显著提高了蛋壳厚度和蛋壳强度（P<0.05）,对蛋黄颜色、蛋白高度、哈氏单位和壳腺的器官指数没有显著影响（P>0.05）。2）与CON组相比,HF处理显著提高了血清钙的含量（P<0.05）,显著上调了壳腺部CaBP-D28K、OPN和OC-116基因mRNA的表达水平（P<0.05）,HHF组壳腺部Ca²⁺ATP酶的活性显著提高（P<0.05）。3）组织学切片分析表明,HF处理显著降低了壳腺细胞的凋亡率（P<0.05）,并显著提高了壳腺部绒毛的长度和腺体的密度（P<0.05）。4）与CON组相比,HF处理组壳腺部MDA的含量显著降低（P<0.05）,HHF处理显著提高了GSH-Px酶的活性（P<0.05）。5）HHF组壳腺部KEAP1、p-NFκB/NFκB和Bax/Bcl2蛋白表达水平较CON组显著降低（P<0.05）;Nrf2、HO-1和PCNA蛋白的表达量则显著提高（P<0.05）。综上,日粮中添加60 mg·kg^-1的HF通过激活Nrf2/HO-1信号通路增强壳腺的抗氧化能力,改善细胞凋亡进程和钙离子转运能力,从而提高产蛋后期种鸡的蛋壳品质。     

Tolerance of young turkey poults to various combinations of dietary furazolidone and salt.

Three feeding trials were conducted to study the tolerance of young turkey poults to furazolidone and to various combinations of salt and furazolidone in the diet. Poults of mixed sexes tolerated up to 0.03% dietary furazolidone from hatch to six weeks of age without harmful effects as judged from the data on mortality rate, feed intake, body weight and plasma composition. High mortality with cardiac dilation and ascites occurred in poults fed the same basal diet containing 0.05 or 0.07% furazolidone. Mortality was positively related to levels of dietary furazolidone, and occurred mainly between two and four weeks of age. The cumulative feed intake and body weight of these poults were significantly lower than those of the control poults at six weeks of age. There was indication of decreased renal function in poults on high furazolidone intake and the mechanism of furazolidone-induced cardiac dilation is discussed. Mortality rate, incidence of cardiac dilation with ascites and heart, liver and body weights and feed efficiency were similar in poults fed diets containing 0.022% furazolidone and varying levels of salts (0.5, 1.0 or 1.5%) compared with the control fed the same basal diet containing 0.5% salt from hatch to eight weeks of age. It is concluded that a starter diet containing 0.022% furazolidone and up to 1.5% salt does not affect the performance of poults from hatch to eight weeks of age.     

Anticoccidial effect of green tea-based diets against Eimeria maxima

Anticoccidial effects of green tea (GT)-based diets were evaluated in chickens following oral infection with Eimeria maxima an ubiquitous intestinal parasite of poultry that impairs the growth and feed efficiency of infected birds. Five-week-old chickens were assigned to four groups (GT 0.5%, GT 2.0%, untreated/infected and non-infected control) and each group consisted of 15 chickens. Chickens were fed a standard diet supplemented with ground green tea for 2 weeks prior to infection with E. maxima (10,000 sporulated oocysts per bird). The effects of green tea on E. maxima infection were assessed by two parameters, fecal oocyst shedding and body weight gain. The green tea-fed chickens produced significantly reduced fecal oocysts (P<0.05) when compared to the E. maxima-infected group fed standard diet. The green tea-based diet, however, did not improve body weight loss caused by E. maxima infection. This study is the first to demonstrate anticoccidial effect of green tea on Eimeria parasites.     

Chlorpyrifos induces cardiac dysfunction in rabbits

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of organophosphate (OP) insecticide chlorpyrifos on cardiac morphology and function in rabbits using echocardiography. Twenty New Zealand male rabbits were divided equally into four groups. Rabbits were exposed to chlorpyrifos in drinking water at concentrations of 0, 125, 250 or 375 ppm for 90 days. The comparison among the groups indicated that 375 ppm chlorpyrifos resulted in significant decrease (p<0.05) in heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular fractional shortening (FS), left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), percentage thickening of left ventricle posterior wall (PWT), and significant increase (p<0.05) in left atrial diameter (LA), left ventricular internal diameter in end diastole (LVIDD), left ventricular end diastolic (EDV) and end systolic volumes (ESV) compared to those of the control group. These results showed that chlorpyrifos induces cardiac dysfunction in rabbits.     

牛磺酸对肉仔鸡免疫功能和抗氧化能力的影响

试验选用1日龄艾维茵肉鸡360羽,采用单因子随机设计,分成4组,每组5个重复,空白对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验1组、试验2组和试验3组分别在基础日粮上添加0.05%、0.10%和0.15%牛磺酸。试验期42d,探讨牛磺酸对肉仔鸡免疫机能和抗氧化能力的影响。结果表明,与对照组相比,3周龄时试验各组脾脏指数和胸腺指数显著提高(P<0.05),6周龄时试验2组和试验3组IgA和IgG的含量显著提高(P<0.05),3周龄时试验2组的血清SOD和肝脏SOD活性均显著提高(P<0.05),血清MDA和肝脏MDA含量均显著降低(P<0.05)。结论,添加牛磺酸能提高肉鸡的免疫机能和机体抗氧化能力,且0.1%的牛磺酸添加效果最好。     

亚麻仁油钙盐对鹌鹑蛋黄脂肪酸组成的影响

本试验将180只8周龄鹌鹑随机分为4组,分别在日粮中添加0%、1.5%、2.5%和5.0%亚麻仁油钙盐。试验期为20周,其结果表明,与对照组相比,蛋黄中C18∶3和二十二碳六烯酸(DHAC22∶6)的含量显著增加(P<0.05);亚油酸(C18∶2)的含量差异不显著(P>0.05);花生四烯酸(C20∶4)含量和n-6/n-3比率显著降低(P<0.05)。蛋黄中脂肪酸C18∶3含量与亚麻仁油钙盐添加比率间关系为Y=0.1326X-0.0066(r=0.9965)。日粮中亚麻仁油钙盐适宜的添加量为1.5%。     

大豆黄酮对产蛋后期蛋鸡内分泌及骨代谢的影响

1000只455日龄伊莎褐蛋鸡，随机分为2组，即对照组和大豆黄酮组。日粮处理：对照组为基础日粮，大豆黄酮组为基础日粮＋10mg／kg大豆黄酮。试验为期9周。结果显示：与对照组比较，大豆黄酮显著提高蛋鸡的生产性能，其血浆钙和降钙素水平，在试验中期分别增加27．05％（P〈0．05）、29．19％（P〈0．05）；在试验后期分别增加22．69％（P〈0．05）和20．28％（P〈0．05）；整个试验期，大豆黄酮组左胫骨、左肱骨骨密度（BMD）增加18．59％（P〈0．05）、11．41％（P〉0．05）。结论：大豆黄酮可提高产蛋后期蛋鸡的生产性能并改善骨代谢。     

Effects of autologous stem cells on immunohistochemical patterns and gene expression of metalloproteinases and their tissue inhibitors in doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in a rabbit model

This study aims to investigate the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) in chronic doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in a rabbit model and to evaluate the effects of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation in this disease. Thirty-nine 3-month-old New Zealand rabbits were divided into 4 groups: group 1 (n = 9) was the untreated control. Groups 2-4 were treated with 6 weeks of doxorubicin (3 mg/kg). Group 2 (n = 6) received no further treatment. In group 3 (n = 9), animals were treated with culture medium (CM) alone. In group 4 (n = 15), autologous MSCs (1.5-2.0 x 10(6)/ml) were injected in the left ventricular (LV) wall. Hearts were stained with HE and picrosirius red. MMP-1, -2, -3 and -9 and TIMP-2 and -3 were detected immunohistochemically. The mRNA levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results confirmed that doxorubicin treatment resulted in minimal myocardial fibrosis and showed that expression of MMPs increased and TIMP-3 decreased. The injection procedure resulted in increased myocardial fibrosis in groups 3 and 4. After MSC injection, MMP-1, MMP-2, and TIMP-3 expression was higher than that in group 2. CM injection led to more fibrosis, elevated TIMP-3, but diminished MMP-1 and MMP-2 expression compared with MSC injection. The mRNA levels of MMPs and TIMPs were not significantly different among all groups. In conclusion, chronic doxorubicin cardiomyopathy was characterized by increased MMP and decreased TIMP-3 expression. MSCs injection into the LV resulted in marked differences of collagen content and MMP/TIMP expression in the whole heart, although significant numbers of living MSCs were not detected after 4 weeks.     

Non-starch polysaccharides alter interactions between Heterakis gallinarum and Histomonas meleagridis

Nutrition of the host animal may not only influence interactions between the host and its parasites, but also relations between different parasites species residing on the same host. We investigated effects of insoluble and soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) on establishment and development of Heterakis gallinarum in chicken being treated or left untreated against Histomonas meleagridis. Six groups of one-day-old birds were allocated to three diets, two on each diet. The birds were fed ad libitum either a basal diet (CON), or CON+insoluble NSP (I-NSP) or CON+soluble NSP (S-NSP) until an age of 11wk. At an age of 19d, one of each diet groups was prophylactically treated for 9d with dimetridazole (0.05%, w/v) via drinking water against histomonas. The remaining three groups were left un-treated. Two days after starting dimetridazole treatment (at 3wk), each of the 6 groups was divided into two sub-groups. One dimetridazole treated and one dimetridazole un-treated groups of birds on each diet (6 groups) were infected with 200 embryonated eggs of H. gallinarum that were previously harvested from histomonas-carrying H. gallinarum infected chickens. The remaining 6 groups of uninfected birds, either treated or left un-treated against H. meleagridis, served as controls. Worm burdens of infected birds were determined 8wk p.i. Treatment against H. meleagridis significantly increased incidence of H. gallinarum infection and average worm length in all infected groups independent of the diet consumed (p<0.001). An interaction between effects of diet and dimetridazole treatment on worm burden (p<0.001) indicated that the S-NSP diet resulted in lowest worm burden in dimetridazole un-treated birds, whereas it caused the highest worm burden in the treated birds (p<0.05). Furthermore, the treatment resulted in higher worm burdens when compared to un-treated birds on the corresponding diets (p<0.05). Infection with H. gallinarum impaired body weight (BW) of the chicks (p<0.05) and H. meleagridis aggravated this effect (p<0.05). Dimetridazole treated and un-treated uninfected birds developed similar BW (p>0.05). Both NSP supplemented diets resulted in lower (p<0.05) BW when compared with the CON diet, S-NSP being inferior to I-NSP (p<0.05). It is concluded that H. meleagridis harms the definitive host as well as H. gallinarum. Both insoluble and soluble NSP supplemented diets favor H. gallinarum infection while S-NSP additionally intensifies histomonas infection, which then impairs establishment and development of H. gallinarum.     

鸡腿菇菌糠对天府肉鸭生长性能及免疫功能的影响

本试验旨在研究肉鸭日粮中添加鸡腿菇菌糠对肉鸭生长性能及免疫功能的影响。试验选用320只1日龄健康天府肉鸭,随机分成4组,对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ组分别饲喂在基础日粮中添加2%、4%和6%鸡腿菇菌糠的日粮。结果表明,与对照组相比,在肉鸭日粮中添加鸡腿菇菌糠,肉鸭的日采食量显著提高(P<0.05);在试验前2周肉鸭的日增重显著提高(P<0.05),后2周对肉鸭的日增重影响不大(P>0.05);饲料的转化率略微降低(P>0.05)。鸡腿菇菌糠对肉鸭的免疫器官指数和淋巴细胞增殖反应无显著影响(P>0.05)。因此,在肉鸭日粮中添加2%、4%、6%的鸡腿菇菌糠均对肉鸭的生长性能具有一定的促进作用,但对免疫功能无显著影响,综合各项指标,在肉鸭日粮中添加2%的鸡腿菇菌糠效果最好。     

富含ω-3多不饱和脂肪酸鸡蛋的研究

10 0只 5 2周龄蛋鸡分为 5组 ,对照组饲喂基础日粮 ,试验组分别饲喂 3%的胡麻油 ,3%的菜籽油 ,3%的大豆油和 3%的花生油 ,研究日粮中添加植物油对鸡蛋中ω 3多不饱和脂肪酸的影响。结果表明 :日粮中添加 3%植物油可明显提高生产性能和增加蛋黄中亚麻酸 (C18:3)的含量(P <0 .0 5 )。 2 0d、30d和 4 0d收集的鸡蛋蛋黄中 ,试验组的亚麻酸含量明显高于对照组 (P <0 .0 5 )。试验 1组增加幅度最高 ,分别比对照组提高 88.9%、95 .2 %、95 .6 % ,鸡蛋蛋黄中亚麻酸的含量 2 0～ 30d呈上升趋势 ,30～ 4 0d呈下降趋势。     

非淀粉多糖酶和益生素对肉仔鸡生长性能及养分表观代谢率的影响

本研究旨在探讨在饲粮中添加非淀粉多糖酶和益生素对肉仔鸡生长性能和养分表观代谢率的影响。选用1日龄健康AA+肉仔鸡,采用单因素完全随机化试验设计,试验共设3个处理组,每个处理5个重复,每个重复40只。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验1组饲喂基础饲粮+400 mg/kg非淀粉多糖酶,试验2组饲喂基础饲粮+100 mg/kg益生素,试验期6周。结果表明:益生素与对照组相比能显著提高1～42日龄肉仔鸡的日采食量5.26%(P<0.05),分别降低1～21日龄6.43%(P<0.05)和1～42日龄料重比4.57%(P<0.05)。非淀粉多糖酶和益生素能显著提高钙的表观代谢率6.83%(P<0.05)和11.86%(P<0.05),以及磷的表观代谢率11.45%(P<0.05)和16.10%(P<0.05)。由此得出,添加非淀粉多糖酶和益生素对肉鸡生长性能和表观养分代谢率作用有所提高,益生素组好于非淀粉多糖组。     

瘤胃保护型亮氨酸对滩羊母羊繁殖性能、消化性能及初乳品质的影响

本试验旨在探讨瘤胃保护型亮氨酸(RP-Leu)对滩羊母羊繁殖性能、消化性能及初乳品质的影响。选取体重为(42.18±2.62)kg的经产滩羊母羊48只,随机分为4组,每组3个重复,每个重复4只。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,试验组在对照组基础上分别添加0.10%、0.20%和0.30%的RP-Leu。试验期为妊娠后第35天始至分娩后第60天(断奶)结束。结果表明:与对照组相比,妊娠期母羊饲粮添加0.20%RP-Leu显著提高了羔羊初生重和断奶重(P0.05),显著提高了妊娠期母羊粗蛋白质的表观消化率(P0.05),显著提高了初乳中乳脂、乳蛋白和乳糖含量(P0.05),同时显著降低了母羊分娩后第15天血清尿素氮含量(P0.05)。综上所述,饲粮中添加0.20%RP-Leu能够改善妊娠滩羊氮沉积和初乳品质,同时实现促进羔羊生长发育的目的。     

洛伐他汀(Lovastatin)对鸡蛋和鸡血浆中胆固醇含量的影响

将44只新扬州鸡随机平均分成4组.对照组用基础日粮,试验组在饲喂基础日粮的同时分别添加0.015%、0.03%和0.06%的洛伐他汀(Lovastatin),研究洛伐他汀对鸡蛋和血浆中胆固醇含量的影响,试验期为5周.试验结果表明:洛伐他汀能显著降低产蛋鸡血浆和鸡蛋中胆固醇水平(P＜0.05),但对产蛋率的影响不显著(P＞0.05).     

Myocardial taurine concentrations in cats with cardiac disease and in healthy cats fed taurine-modified diets.

Myocardial taurine concentrations were measured in cats with cardiac disease and in healthy cats fed diets with various concentrations of taurine. Group 1 was composed of 26 cats with 3 categories of naturally developing cardiac disease: dilatative cardiomyopathy (group 1A), 10 cats; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (group 1B), 9 cats; and volume overload (group 1C), 7 cats. These cats had been fed various commercial diets. Group 2 was composed of 40 healthy cats that had been fed diets varying in taurine concentration (0 to 1% taurine) for at least 2 years. Mean myocardial taurine concentrations did not differ significantly between group-1 cats with dilatative cardiomyopathy and those with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or volume overload. Cats in group 1A had a mean myocardial taurine concentration 3 times higher than healthy cats fed a taurine-free diet (P less than 0.002). Mean myocardial taurine concentrations did not differ significantly between group-1A cats and healthy cats fed a diet containing 0.02% taurine; group-1A cats had significantly lower mean myocardial taurine concentrations than did healthy cats fed a synthetic diet containing 0.05 or 1.0% taurine (P less than 0.001). Acute oral administration of taurine in 5 group-1A cats appeared to increase mean myocardial taurine concentrations, compared with similar cats not given taurine during treatment for cardiac failure. In group-2 cats, mean myocardial taurine concentrations increased directly with percentage of dietary taurine.     

Dietary NaCl does not affect blood pressure in healthy cats

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of dietary salt intake on systolic blood pressure, water intake, urine output, and urine concentration in cats. Ten healthy young adult cats (mean age 2.5 years) were randomly divided into 2 groups and fed either a control diet (0.46% Na and 1.33% Cl on a dry matter [DM] basis) or a diet with a moderately increased salt content (1.02% Na and 2.02% Cl on a DM basis) for 2 weeks. After a 1-week wash-out period, each group was switched to the opposite diet for 2 weeks. During each 2-week study period, food and water intake, urine volume, urine specific gravity, and urine osmolality were measured daily. Systolic blood pressure (calculated as the mean of 5 readings measured with a Doppler flow detector) was assessed twice daily. No significant effect of diet composition was found on systolic blood pressure, and blood pressure measurements remained within reference limits throughout the study in all 10 cats. However, animals fed the higher salt diet had significantly increased water intake and urine osmolality, and significantly decreased urine specific gravity in comparison to animals fed the control diet. Examination of results of this preliminary study suggests that feeding a diet with moderately increased salt content increases water intake and causes diuresis without increasing systolic blood pressure in healthy adult young cats.     

壳聚糖对肉鹅屠宰性能及肉品质的影响

为研究壳聚糖对肉鹅屠宰性能及肉品质的影响,选28日龄健康肉鹅120只,随机分成4组,每组5个重复,每个重复6只。对照组饲喂基础日粮,试验组分别饲喂基础日粮中添加0.05%、0.10%、0.15%壳聚糖的试验组日粮,试验期42d。结果表明:肉仔鹅日粮中添加0.05%~0.15%的壳聚糖可明显降低屠体脂肪含量,但对其它屠宰性能没有明显影响;鹅肉的pH和嫩度、干物质、氨基酸及总还原糖没有明显变化,但蛋白含量有所增加,脂肪含量有所下降,肌苷酸明显增加,从而改善鹅肉的风味。     

肉鸡胆固醇代谢调控研究

试验用4周龄艾维茵肉仔鸡128只随机分为四组,每组4个重复,分别在基础日粮中加入0,0.03%,0.06%,0.1%含胆固醇合成抑制剂洛伐沙丁(Lovastatin,LT)的添加剂饲喂三周.研究LT对肉鸡血浆、肌肉、肝脏中胆固醇和甘油三脂含量的影响.结果表明,试验组肉仔鸡血浆总胆固醇(TC)和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-Chol)的水平均显著低于对照组(P＜0.01),血浆总甘油三脂(TG)随添加量增加显著提高(P＜0.05),高密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量下降(P＞0.05).试验组鸡肉中总胆固醇(TC)和总甘油三脂(TG)含量均显著低于对照组(P＜0.01),而肝脏中各指标差异不显著(P＞0.05).与对照组相比,试验组饲料利用率提高(P＞0.05),生长速度相似.屠宰率、腹脂率、胸肌率、腿肌率略高于对照组,差异不显著(P＞0.05).研究表明胆固醇合成抑制剂能够减少肉鸡肌肉、肝脏胆固醇的沉积,改善肉鸡生产性能.     

饲料中镉对产蛋鸡生产性能、抗氧化功能及其体内残留的影响

为研究日粮中低剂量镉对蛋鸡生产性能、抗氧化功能以及其在体内沉积的影响,将192羽巴布考克B300蛋鸡随机分为4组,每组3个重复,每重复16羽.对照组饲喂玉米-豆粕型基础日粮,试验组日粮为基础日粮中分别添加5、10和20 mg·kg-1的镉(氯化镉形式,CdCl2·2.5H2O),试验期9周.结果表明:1)在1～3、4～6和7～9周,试验组的产蛋率和日采食量均低于对照组,但差异不显著(P＞0.05);各组在第7～9周时的采食量显著低于1～3周,分别下降了5.89％ (P＜0.05)、6.77％ (P＜0.05)、9.61％ (P＜0.05)和12.71％ (P＜0.05);从整个试验期(1～9周)来看,产蛋率变化相对明显,试验组产蛋率比对照组分别下降了1.86％、2.27％和2.68％,但其差异不显著(P＞0.05),平均蛋质量、日采食量和料蛋比也无显著差异(P＞0.05);2)镉添加量越高,鸡蛋中镉含量越高,各组差异显著(P＜0.05),但均低于30μg·kg-,且蛋黄中镉含量高于蛋清;3)饲料中加镉后,各组间肾脏、肝脏及卵巢中镉含量差异显著,肾脏中镉含量最高,肝脏次之,卵巢中含镉较少,20 mg·kg-1组的肾镉含量可达0.261 mg·kg-1;4)血清MDA含量试验组显著高于对照组,分别比对照组高出1.47、2.24和2.68倍(P＜0.05);试验组的总SOD和CuZn-SOD活力均低于对照组,分别比对照组下降了8.30％ (P＞0.05)、7.29％ (P＞0.05)、16.92％ (P＜0.05)和11.61％ (P＜0.05)、14.94％ (P＜0.05)和16.37％(P＜0.05);血清NO含量试验组比对照组分别升高了11.19％ (P＞0.05)、26.72％(P＜0.05)和46.68％ (P＜0.05).试验结果证实了镉可逐渐蓄积在体内,并通过氧化损伤等途径来影响蛋鸡健康,导致其生产性能下降.