Egg production,fertility, hatchability and immune responses of some chicken strains under high ambient temperatures

This experiment was designed to investigate and compare the egg production, fertility, hatchability and immune responses of some local developed Egyptian chicken strains under high ambient temperatures. A total of 108 (26 weeks old) laying hens of Matrouh, Silver Montazah, Mandarah and Inshas (9 hens × 3 replicates × 4 strains) were used to evaluate the impact of thermal stress (24-34ºC) during summer season (June, July and August) on egg production, fertility, hatchability and immune responses. The obtained results revealed that final body weight (FBW/g) and body weight change (BWC/g) among different chicken strains were not affected. The daily feed consumption (FC/g) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) for Silver Montazah and Inshas strains were significantly (p ≤ .05) higher than those of Matrouh and Mandarah strains. The mean egg production (EP/%) and egg mass (EM) for Silver Montazah and Inshas strains were significantly (p ≤ .05) higher than those of Matrouh and Mandarah strains. The highest percentages of hatchability of total eggs (HTE) and fertile eggs (HFE) were recorded in Inshas chickens, while the lowest value was recorded in Mandarah chickens. Also, the highest embryonic mortalities (p ≤ .05) and lowest chick weight at hatch (CWH/g) were recorded in Mandarah chickens compared with the other strains. The highest values for antibody titres against phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) were recorded in Mandarah chickens, while the least values were recorded in Inshas chickens.     

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.     

羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌感染小鼠脾脏转录组分析

试验旨在探索羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌入侵宿主脾脏组织中引发的免疫应答途径。首先利用羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌(HN01菌株)感染小鼠,建立羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌感染的动物模型;之后利用转录组测序技术获得感染小鼠与正常小鼠的脾脏转录组数据,并使用COG、KOG、eggNOG、GO、KEGG数据库对测序结果中的差异表达基因(differentially expressed genes,DEGs)进行功能注释与分析,同时对于显著富集到关键免疫通路的差异表达基因使用STRING软件和KEGG mapper进行蛋白互作分析,筛选出核心通路中起关键作用的基因;最后选取关键的10个基因进行实时荧光定量RT-PCR验证。转录组分析结果显示,与正常组相比,感染组中筛选出3 380个差异表达基因(P<0.01,log₂|FoldChange|≥0.5),其中1 691个基因上调,1 689个下调。基因功能富集分析结果表明,感染组脾脏中的差异表达基因主要发挥信号转导的功能,其主要参与的生物途径包括细胞因子与细胞因子受体互作通路、趋化因子信号通路、HIF-1信号通路、TNF信号通路。蛋白互作分析筛选出约28个核心差异表达基因,结合实时荧光定量RT-PCR验证后,其中9个基因的表达结果与测序一致,分别是C3、Cd4、Cxcl13、Lck、Gnai1、Grap2、IL-6、Cxcr6及Serping1基因。本研究初步证明了脾脏在抵抗多杀性巴氏杆菌入侵中参与了一系列免疫应答反应,为进一步研究羊源D型多杀性巴氏杆菌与宿主之间相互作用的分子机制奠定理论基础。     

Research Lactobacillus rhamnosusFermented Herbal and Bacillus subtilis Complex on Immune Performance,E.coli Infection of Broiler

This experiment was designed to study the complex of Lactobacillus rhamnosus fermented herbal and Bacillus subtilis on White Feather broiler immunity performance and impact of Escherichia coli infection.360 one-day-old broiler chickens were randomly divided into 3 groups with 4 replicates in each group and 30 chickens per replicate.The pretrial period lasted for 7 d,and the experiment lasted for 35 d.The chickens in the group Ⅰ(positive control group) and group Ⅱ(negative control group)were all only fed a basal diet,group Ⅲ was test group,by additive 1% fermented herbal preparations,groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ were intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL E.coli at 35 d,broiler mortality,immune organ index,cecalmicroflora content,immunoglobulin levels,IL-2 and IL-6 content were tested.The results showed that injection of E.coli caused massive death of chickens,group Ⅱtook up to 75.00%,it was significantly higher than groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ (P < 0.05),the mortality in group Ⅲ was significantly lower than group Ⅱ(P < 0.05),was only 23.33%.Injection of E.coli maked spleen index and thymus index of group Ⅱincreased significantly (P < 0.05),the spleen index and thymus index of groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ were no significant difference (P > 0.05).E.coli counts was significantly decreased after injectionin group Ⅲ (P < 0.05),but the number of intestinal Lactobacilli of group Ⅲ was significantly increased (P < 0.05),and inhibited the propagation of E.coli,the counts of E.coli in groups Ⅰ and Ⅲ were no significant difference (P > 0.05).At 42 d,the sIgA of the intestinal fluid in group Ⅲ were higher than that of groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ with 11.99% and 36.56%,respectively(P < 0.05).The serum IgG concentrations of group Ⅲ was higher than that of groupsⅠand Ⅱwith 14.68% and 28.15%,respectively(P < 0.05).At 42 d,the IL-2 content of group Ⅱ was the lowest,it was significantly lower than group Ⅲ(P < 0.05),the IL-6 of group Ⅲ was significantly lower than group Ⅱ(P < 0.05).     

Effects of dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bacillus subtilis on laying performance,egg quality,blood biochemistry and immune response of organic laying hens

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two different probiotic micro‐organisms on the performance, egg quality and blood parameters of organically reared hens. A total of 900 16‐week‐old Hy‐Line layer hybrids were randomly assigned to three groups of 300 birds each. The control (CTR) group was fed a corn–soya bean cake‐based diet; the L group was fed the same diet supplemented with 0.1% Lactobacillus acidophilus, while the B group was fed the same diet supplemented with 0.05% Bacillus subtilis. Data were recorded at the beginning (weeks 5 and 6: T1) and at the end (weeks 19 and 20: T2) of the experiment, and no differences in hen performance were recorded between dietary groups or sampling times. All of the investigated clinical chemistry parameters, except GGT, were affected by diet (p < 0.05), with the best results recorded for the probiotic‐treated groups. The immune‐response values showed higher blood bactericidal activity in the B and L groups at T2 (p < 0.05) and a lower lysozime concentration in the B group at T1. Higher antibody production against Newcastle disease virus was observed in the L group compared to the CTR (p = 0.013). No differences in oxidative status were recorded, and no effects of diet on egg quality were observed. Among the physical egg characteristics, only the Roche scale colour was affected by diet (p < 0.05): the egg yolk was paler in the L group. The age of the hen was the most relevant factor affecting physical egg characteristics. The chemical parameters of the egg were almost unaffected by supplementation with probiotics except for the lipid content, which decreased with the L diet (p < 0.05). Both probiotic inclusions had beneficial effects on hen metabolism and welfare, and L. acidophilus induced the best immune response.     

Effects of Alternative Molting Programs and Population on Layer Performance: Results of the Thirty-Fifth North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test

A study involving 7 white-egg and 3 brown-egg commercial layer strains was conducted at the North Carolina Piedmont Research Station to assess the effects cage population 3-bird vs. 4-bird cages and alternative molt programs on performance through 113 wk of age (791 d). The flock was divided into 3 groups; not molted (NM), maintained in continuous production; molted using feed restriction (FR), an industry-type 14-d feed withdrawal molting program initiated at 463 d of age; and molted using a nonfasted/anorexic program (NF), in which an ad libitum supply of a low protein, low energy molt feed was provided. Productivity, egg size, and egg quality were monitored at 28-d periods throughout the test providing the performance data for the white-egg and brown-egg strains with regard to these management factors. Detailed results by strain are available on the following Web site: http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_info.html#layer. The performance for the 3-bird or 4-bird cage groups for either type of layer was similar, except that birds in 4-bird cages had higher feed consumption in the first production phase than did the birds in 3-bird cages. In the same time period the white-egg birds in the 3-bird cages had a greater percentage of cracked eggs and a smaller percentage of Grade A large eggs than those in 4-bird cages. No differences were observed in egg income for the 2 population sizes for either type of layer. However, due to their higher feed consumption, the white egg birds in the 4-bird cages had higher feed cost per hen for the first cycle, which was offset by the egg income component due to their increased production rate. The molted layers outperformed the nonmolted layers for both types of layers in terms of overall income over feed costs. The FR molted hens, under a program that has traditionally been used by commercial producers, outperformed NF-molted hens, indicating that further refinements are needed to make the NF program economically competitive with the FR molting program.     

苏氨酸和异亮氨酸对皖西白鹅屠宰性能、器官指数及肠道形态结构、消化酶活性、抗氧化和免疫指标的影响

本试验旨在研究苏氨酸和异亮氨酸对皖西白鹅屠宰性能、器官指数及肠道形态结构、消化酶活性、抗氧化和免疫指标的影响。选取30日龄体重相近的皖西白鹅180只,随机分为3组,每组3个重复,每个重复20只。对照组饲喂基础饲粮,苏氨酸组在基础饲粮中添加2.0 g/kg的L-苏氨酸,异亮氨酸组在基础饲粮中添加2.5 g/kg的L-异亮氨酸。试验期60 d。结果表明：1）各组之间90日龄屠宰性能和器官指数无显著差异（P>0.05）。2）异亮氨酸组60日龄十二指肠和空肠绒毛高度、隐窝深度显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）,苏氨酸组60日龄十二指肠、空肠和回肠隐窝深度及90日龄十二指肠和回肠绒毛高度显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。3）苏氨酸组和异亮氨酸组60、90日龄十二指肠胰蛋白酶活性极显著高于对照组（P<0.01）,苏氨酸组60、90日龄十二指肠麦芽糖酶活性及90日龄空肠淀粉酶、乳糖酶活性显著或极显著高于对照组（P<0.05或P<0.01）。4）异亮氨酸组60日龄空肠总抗氧化能力显著高于对照组和苏氨酸组（P<0...     

Tumour necrosis factor stimulated gene 6 intrinsically regulates PD-L1 expressions in breast cancer cells,leading to modulation of tumour microenvironment

Recent studies have shown that tumour cells express tumour necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 (TSG-6) and its protein, which is known to play a key role in regulating excessive immune responses and proliferation and growth of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It has not been confirmed whether the inhibition of TSG-6 for tumour cells can suppress tumour cell growth and regulate the activation of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). TSG-6-specific small interfering RNA was transfected into canine and human breast cancer cells (CIPp, CIPm and BT-20). TSG-6-down-regulated (siTSG-6) cells showed decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Decreased mRNA expressions of NF-κB, STAT3 and Sox2, confirming that TSG-6 is an upper factor governing tumour growth and metastasis. Notably, siTSG-6 cells showed significantly decreased expression levels of CD44 and PD-L1. Direct and indirect co-culture of canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) and the siTSG-6 cells showed significant activation in M1 type macrophages and cytotoxic T cells. They also showed a tendency to decrease in the expression of CTLA-4 and increase in the expression of PD-1. In conclusion, this study suggests that the down-regulation of TSG-6 in breast cancer cells could not only suppress tumour growth and metastasis, and but also regulate TME. Since modulation of immune checkpoint proteins occurs in both tumour cells and immune cells, inhibiting TSG-6 and its protein within the TME could be novel therapeutic target for anticancer treatment.     

THE OPTIMAL DECISTON OF ECONOMICAL DEVELOPMENT BY MARKOVIAN DECISION PROGRAMMING

This paper studies the tactics choice and its improvement in the development of economy by means of Markovian Decision Programming. An optimal decision and the maximum expected revenue can be obtained. The . paper also presents the procedures and formulas of numerical evaluation.