Changes in selected serum parameters of broiler chicken fed supplemental chromium

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chromium (Cr) from Cr yeast on the growth performance and total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, total protein and Cr concentration in the serum of broiler chicken. The birds were fed a control diet or a control diet supplemented with Cr at a level of 300, 500 microg/kg Cr. The supplementation of 500 mug/kg Cr increased body weight, weight gain and feed efficiency (p < 0.05). In addition, supplementation with Cr decreased the serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (p < 0.05), triglycerides (p < 0.05) and glucose (p < 0.05) concentrations whereas serum HDL cholesterol increased. Serum total protein and serum Cr concentration slightly but not significantly increased in both Cr groups. The study suggest that Cr supplementation particularly at 500 microg/kg Cr from Cr yeast can influence on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of broiler chicken and can be used as additives in animal diet but it still needs more investigations.     

The distribution and chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal and inflamed ileum in the pig

The present study investigated the chemical coding of neurons in the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex supplying the normal (n=4) and inflamed (n=4) ileum (chemically-induced inflammation) in juvenile pigs using retrograde tracing combined with immunohistochemistry. Ileum-projecting neurons (IPN) were predominantly distributed in the left and right superior mesenteric pools of the ganglion. The majority of them were adrenergic (tyrosine hydroxylase-positive) and also contained neuropeptide Y, somatostatin or galanin. No clear-cut differences in the distribution and chemical coding of IPN were found between normal and inflamed pigs. However, in the inflamed group, the density of peptidergic, IPN-associated nerve fibres was higher than that found in the control group.     

Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response

In innate immune responses, activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) triggers direct antimicrobial activity against intracellular bacteria, which in murine, but not human, monocytes and macrophages is mediated principally by nitric oxide. We report here that TLR activation of human macrophages up-regulated expression of the vitamin D receptor and the vitamin D-1-hydroxylase genes, leading to induction of the antimicrobial peptide cathelicidin and killing of intracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We also observed that sera from African-American individuals, known to have increased susceptibility to tuberculosis, had low 25-hydroxyvitamin D and were inefficient in supporting cathelicidin messenger RNA induction. These data support a link between TLRs and vitamin D-mediated innate immunity and suggest that differences in ability of human populations to produce vitamin D may contribute to susceptibility to microbial infection.     

Quantitative genetic aspects of coat color in horses

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for coat color in horses. Besides defining coat color classes (gray, chestnut, bay, and black), the phenotypes were also measured quantitatively according to standardized international procedures (Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage L*, a*, b*), where L* describes lightness, a* describes color saturation from red to green, and b* describes color saturation from yellow to blue. The total color saturation was derived from a* and b* and referred to as Chroma. A total of 294 horses from the breeds Lipizzan, Nonius, Arabian Pure Bred, Shagya Arabian, and Gidran were measured at neck, shoulder, and belly. Heritabilities (within and between breeds or color classes) and repeatabilities were estimated using REML from univariate animal models defined separately for gray and nongray horses. For gray horses, the estimated within-breed heritabilities for L* ranged from 0.45 to 0.49 and for a*, b*, and Chroma from 0.09 to 0.52, indicating moderate polygenic effect. For nongray horses, between-color class heritabilities were high (0.70 to 0.85) and within-color class heritabilities were negligible (except for L* measured on neck and belly, 0.21 and 0.34, respectively). Additionally, the importance of L* was described by the relation with the total melanin content of horse coat hair; for gray and nongray horses, a strong negative linear relationship was detected (P < 0.01). The spectrometric measures and the results of this study demonstrate a possible approach to the estimation of the polygenic component involved in coat color inheritance.     

Interindividual variability in plasma concentrations after systemic exposure of swine to dietary doxycycline supplied with and without paracetamol: a population pharmacokinetic approach

Anorexigenic substances released during infection may hinder the therapeutic efficacy of in-feed antibiotics. Paracetamol (acetaminophen; PARA) inhibits the anorexia of infection and seems to improve the clinical efficacy of doxycycline (DOX) against bacterial respiratory disease in swine herds. In order to verify whether PARA selectively stimulates intake of DOX-medicated feed in diseased pigs, we documented the pharmacokinetics (PK) of DOX when coadministered with PARA and examined the effect of in-feed PARA on the interindividual variability in plasma concentrations after systemic exposure to in-feed DOX in swine herds with respiratory disease. Systemic exposure to DOX was measured with the area under the curve (AUC) of its plasma concentrations over time. First, a rich-sampling PK study of in-feed and i.v. DOX (10 mg/kg of BW) and PARA (30 and 10 mg/kg of BW, respectively) was performed on 5 pigs. The PK profiles of in-feed DOX were used in mathematical simulations to determine 5 optimal sampling times for the farm-based population PK study. A randomized, blind, parallel PK study was performed in 2 herds with bacterial respiratory disease, where liquid feed was fortified with DOX alone (5 mg x kg of BW(-1) x meal(-1)) or combined with PARA (15 mg x kg of BW(-1) x meal(-1)). Medicated meals were given twice, 12 h apart, to group-housed growing pigs (n > 50 pigs x treatment(-1) x herd(-1), totaling 215 pigs). Plasma concentrations of DOX and PARA were measured with HPLC. At variance with our expectations, PARA decreased (P = 0.069) mean AUC of in-feed DOX and did not decrease its variability (P > 0.34). Mean AUC of DOX increased with feed intake and with initial exposure to DOX, and was greater in sick animals. Therefore, symptomatic PARA-induced improvement in bacterial respiratory disease control with DOX is more likely caused by its analgesic/antipyretic effects than by its orexigenic effect. Interindividual variation in the AUC of DOX was large in pigs given group medication, even when sufficient feeding space was allowed and the amount of feed offered was greater than their requirements. Therefore, future studies to improve the efficacy of group antibiotic therapy should focus on feeding behavior characteristics as well as biopharmaceutical properties of medicated feeds.     

Effects of beta-glucan extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae on growth performance, and immunological and somatotropic responses of pigs challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide

Three experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of beta-glucan supplementation on pig performance and immune function. In Exp. 1, 100 weaned pigs (8.65 +/- 0.42 kg of BW and 28 +/- 2 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment to determine the effects of graded levels of beta-glucan. Pigs were randomly allotted to 1 of 5 treatments containing beta-glucan supplemented at 0, 25, 50, 100, or 200 ppm. Each treatment was replicated using 5 pens containing 4 pigs per pen. The ADG of pigs between d 14 to 28 and d 0 to 28 responded to dietary beta-glucan in a quadratic fashion (P < 0.05), whereas beta-glucan had no effect on ADFI and G:F in any period. In Exp. 2, 80 crossbred pigs (8.23 +/- 0.56 kg of BW and 28 +/- 2 d of age) were used in a 35-d experiment. Pigs were allotted to 1 of 2 dietary treatments (0 or 50 ppm of beta-glucan in the diet) using 10 pens with 4 pigs per pen. Pigs treated with beta-glucan had greater ADG in the 14- to 28-d (P = 0.05) and 0-to 28-d (P = 0.035) periods. The ADFI of pigs receiving beta-glucan was increased (P < 0.05) in the periods from 0 to 14, 0 to 28, and 28 to 35 d. The lymphocyte proliferation index in response to phytohemagglutinin (P = 0.051) and concanavalin A (P = 0.052) tended to decrease on d 14 in pigs supplemented with beta-glucan compared with pigs without supplementation. In Exp. 3, 24 barrows (8.89 +/- 0.20 kg of BW and 28 d of age) were used to investigate the immunological and somatotropic responses of pigs challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Experimental treatments were arranged in a 2 x 2 factorial, with the main effects of LPS challenge (saline vs. LPS) and dietary addition of beta-glucan (0 vs. 50 ppm). Pigs were raised individually in metabolic cages. Pigs were fed 0 or 50 ppm of beta-glucan for 28 d and then challenged with LPS (25 microg/kg of BW) or saline. After LPS injection, blood was obtained at 0, 1.5, 3, 4.5, 6, and 7.5 h to determine cytokine production and the somatotropic response. Dietary beta-glucan increased plasma interleukin-6 at 1.5, 3, and 4.5 h and tumor necrosis factor-alpha at 3 and 4.5 h and increased plasma interleukin-10 from 3 to 7.5 h after LPS challenge. The beta-glucan treatments had no effect on growth hormone. In conclusion, beta-glucan can selectively influence performance and partially offer benefits on somatotropic axis and immune function in weaned piglets challenged with LPS.     

Technical note: a monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for determination of ractopamine in swine feeds

An ELISA was developed for routine screening of ractopamine in swine feeds. Swine feed samples were extracted and purified, and the aqueous portion of the extract was analyzed for ractopamine using ELISA and confirmed by HPLC. For swine complex feeds containing ractopamine at 2.5 to 40 mg/kg, the average recoveries ranged from 73.1 to 86.5% by ELISA and 81.9 to 98.2% by HPLC. For the swine supplement containing ractopamine at 50 to 400 mg/kg, the average recoveries were 105.5 to 111.4% by ELISA and 89.1 to 92.9% by HPLC. The limit of detection was 0.24 microg/g by ELISA and 0.48 microg/g by HPLC, respectively. Results from the swine complex feeds (P = 0.009) and the supplement (P = 0.005) using ELISA and HPLC were not highly correlated. The ELISA was more sensitive and rapid and less expensive than the HPLC method and could be used for ractopamine screening in swine feeds before confirmation and quantification by other methods, such as HPLC.     

Metabolite profiling of wheat grains (Triticum aestivum L.) from organic and conventional agriculture

In some European community countries up to 8% of the agricultural area is managed organically. The aim was to obtain a metabolite profile for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grains grown under comparable organic and conventional conditions. These conditions cannot be found in plant material originating from different farms or from products purchased in supermarkets. Wheat grains from a long-term biodynamic, bioorganic, and conventional farming system from the harvest 2003 from Switzerland were analyzed. The presented data show that using a high throughput GC-MS technique, it was possible to determine relative levels of a set of 52 different metabolites including amino acids, organic acids, sugars, sugar alcohols, sugar phosphates, and nucleotides from wheat grains. Within the metabolites from all field trials, there was at the most a 50% reduction comparing highest and lowest mean values. The statistical analysis of the data shows that the metabolite status of the wheat grain from organic and mineralic farming did not differ in concentrations of 44 metabolites. This result indicates no impact or a small impact of the different farming systems. In consequence, we did not detect extreme differences in metabolite composition and quality of wheat grains.     

Crocin bleaching assay (CBA) in structure-radical scavenging activity studies of selected phenolic compounds

The applicability of the crocin bleaching assay (CBA) to structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of a great number (n = 39) of selected phenolic compounds was thoroughly investigated. The focus was on the activity of hydroxybenzoic, hydroxyphenylacetic, hydroxyphenylpropanoic, and hydroxycinnamic acids. Other assays [oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), lipid oxidation] were applied when necessary. Hydroxybenzoic acids were less active than the respective simple phenols. The position of the -COOH group relative to hydroxyl substituents was critical. The number and position of the -OH groups governed the order and size of activity within the subgroup of these acids. Gallic acid was the most active, being 1.6- and 3.4-fold superior to protocatechuic and syringic acids, respectively. The effect of proximity of the -COOH group to the phenyl ring was more distinct for 3,4-guaiacol acids (ferulic > dihydroferulic congruent with homovanillic > vanillic) than for 3,4-catechol ones (caffeic > protocatechuic > or = dihydrocaffeic congruent with homoprotocatechuic). Compounds such as vanillin, tyrosol, ferulic acid derivatives, rosmarinic acid, and quercetin were examined to reinforce discussion on the basis of physical organic chemistry principles. Taking into account the acidity of most compounds, the CBA-derived order of activity was meaningful.     

Endoscopic examination of snakes by access through an air sac

Sixteen boa constrictors (Boa constrictor), three royal pythons (Python regius) and 15 Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) were examined endoscopically by access through the air sac. The snakes were immobilised in a ventral position using a half-open anaesthetic system with assisted ventilation and a mixture of isoflurane and oxygen. The rigid endoscope was introduced percutaneously and the internal structure of the lungs and the air sac, and the shape, size and external surface of the liver were visible in the cranial direction. In the smaller snakes the bifurcation and caudal part of the trachea could be viewed, provided the endoscope was positioned in a retrograde orientation. The caudal orientation of the endoscope made it possible to view the gall bladder and the size, shape and surface of the spleen. In some cases, the pancreas and the surface of the stomach and colon could be monitored. Endoscopy through the air sac also made it possible to check the major veins in the coelom. The snakes were monitored for at least 30 days after the intervention and no changes in their respiratory function or general health were observed.