Effects of rumen-protected creatine pyruvate on blood biochemical parameters and rumen fluid characteristics in transported beef cattle

Background The fasting and stress associated with road transportation contributes to a lack of energy and a decline in the immune system of beef cattle. Therefore, it is essential for beef cattle to enhance energy reserves before transportation. Creatine pyruvate (CrPyr) is a new multifunctional nutrient that can provide both pyruvate and creatine, which are two intermediate products of energy metabolism. To investigate the effects of transport and rumen-protected (RP)-CrPyr on the blood biochemical parameters and rumen fluid characteristics of beef cattle, twenty male Simmental crossbred cattle (659 ± 16 kg) aged 18 months were randomly allocated to four groups (n = 5) using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two RP-CrPyr supplemental levels (0 or 140 g/d) and two transport treatments (5 min or 12 h): T_CrPyr140, T_CrPyr0, NT_CrPyr140, and NT_CrPyr0. After feeding for 30 days, three cattle per treatment were slaughtered. Results Compared with nontransport, transport decreased the total antioxidant capacity, catalase activity, contents of IgA, interferon γ, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 in serum, and the amounts of total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetate, and butyrate in rumen (P < 0.05); increased the serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) level, contents of rumen LPS and ammonia nitrogen (P < 0.05). RP-CrPyr supplementation decreased the levels of cortisol and LPS in serum and the butyrate concentration in the rumen of beef cattle compared with those in the unsupplemented groups (P < 0.05). RP-CrPyr and transport interaction had a significant effect on the contents of serum tumour necrosis factor-α, IL-6, LPS, ruminal pH, acetate content, and acetate/propionate (P < 0.05). In terms of ruminal bacterial composition, group T_CrPyr0 increased the Prevotella genus abundance compared with group NT_CrPyr0 (P < 0.05), while group T_CrPyr140 increased Firmicutes phylum abundance and decreased Bacteroidetes phylum and genus Prevotella abundance compared with group T_CrPyr0 (P < 0.05). Moreover, Bacteroidetes was positively correlated with serum LPS. Conclusions These results indicated that dietary supplementation with RP-CrPyr might be beneficial to alleviate transport stress by decreasing serum cortisol and LPS levels and promoting the restoration of the rumen natural flora.

Blood cells and some hematological parameters of red drum (Linnaeus, 1766) in Vietnam

This research focuses on hematological characteristics, erythrocyte morphology and some biochemical parameters of red drum Sciaenops ocellatus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae), cultured in natural water environment in areas near river mouth (L1), estuaries (L2) in Ha Tinh province and coastal areas (L3) in Nha Trang city, Khanh Hoa province of Vietnam. A total of 18 speciments were examined in research, six in each location. Blood was drawn from the tail vein, using a microscope to research morphology and automated gauges to determine blood biochemical parameters. Analysis of blood samples showed that the rate of red drum’s erythrocyte morphology disorders in all three locations was quite high. The two main types of disorders were nuclear deformity and nuclear-matter distribution. Changes in erythrocyte size, shape and nuclear were related to salt concentration at culture locations. Blood hemoglobin content was stable in all three regions. Other hematological parameters such as the number of erythrocytes, blood biochemical parameters (glucose, SGOT, SGPT, urea, creatine, plasma iron, albumin, and protein) have differences among the locations, which showed the different reactions of the same species with different environmental conditions.

Hematological and biochemical features with tuberculosis and bacterial lymphadenitis in children

Objective — to improve approaches to differential diagnosis of lymphadenitis by identifying features of hematological and biochemical parameters of blood of children with nonspecific bacterial and specific tuberculous lymphadenitis. Materials and methods. Under our supervision were 45 children aged 1 to 5 years with an increase in lymph nodes (LN), who were treated in the surgical department of the Odessa Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital for the period from 2017 to 2018. Patients were assessed for general condition and affected lymph node lesions, as well as blood sampling for general and biochemical studies. Additionally, the calculation of integrated hematological indices of immunological tolerance of the organism was performed, namely the index of neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR); lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR); neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR); lymphocyte to eosinophil ratio (LER). For comparison with the norm used the data of these indicators, established in healthy children. Results and discussion. All patients were divided into 2 clinical groups. The first group (СG-1) included 25 children with lymphadenitis caused by BCG vaccination, the second (СG-2) — 20 patients with acute purulent lymphadenitis. The study found that the condition of most children (75 %) of the second group was more severe compared with patients with CG-1, which was manifested by more pronounced manifestations of intoxication and local condition of the affected LN.Evaluation of a general blood test showed that the average number of leukocytes with specific lymphadenitis in most (80.8 %) patients was within normal limits, with purulent; on the contrary, in 71.4 % of children there was a tendency to increase. The calculations of hematological indices revealed a decrease in NLR, and, with BCG lymphadenitis, it decreased by half (to 0.96) compared with bacterial lymphade­nit (to 1.88), which indicates an increase in specific immunological reactivity in children of CG-1. ISNM in most patients with lymphadenit remained low throughout the course of the disease. This indicates the timely activation of the macrophage defense system of the body. LMR with tuberculous lymphadenit grew, while with bacterial lymphadenit, on the contrary, it decreased by half, which indicates earlier mobilization of lymphocytes as an effector immunity in children with BCG lymphadenitis. LER in all forms of the disease tended to increase, which indicates the predominance of a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction in children of both groups.Analysis of blood biochemical parameters in patients of both clinical groups did not reveal clear differences in children with bacterial and tuberculous lymphadenitis. Conclusions. At specific defeat of LN unlike nonspecific, the clinical and laboratory picture with lack of expressive leukocytes reaction is noted. Determining the indices of the ratio of blood leukocytes makes it possible to more deeply assess the level of immunological reactivity and the general condition of the child, which increases the informative value of clinical blood tests. Analysis of blood biochemical parameters in patients with specific and nonspecific lymphadenitis, although it has no specific differential diagnostic value, however, is an important component of assessing the quality of treatment and the patient’s condition as a whole.

Blood biochemical parameters as predictors of disease severity and mortality in COVID-19 patients- an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been rapidly spreading across the globe and poses a great risk to human health. Patients with abnormalities in laboratory parameters are more susceptible to COVID-19. Therefore, we explored the association of blood biochemical parameters with severity and mortality of COVID-19 amongst 3695 patients across seventeen studies. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cochrane library and LitCOVID database until February 28, 2021. Seventeen studies were included in the meta-analysis with 3695 COVID-19 patients. Results: The pooled analysis showed that compared to non-severe group, severe group was characterised by significantly elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (standardised mean difference [SMD]: 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.23 to 1.06; p<0.001, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (SMD: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.02 to 1.07 p=0.004) and lymphopenia (SMD: -1.22, 95% CI: -2.15 to -0.30; p<0.01), decreased serum albumin (SMD: -1.60, 95% CI: -2.96 to -0.22 ; p<0.001), creatinine (SMD: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.90; p<0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)(SMD: -1.54, 95% CI: -2.27 to -0.80; p=0.002) and haemoglobin (SMD:-0.89, 95% CI: ; p<0.001). Additionally, in the non-survivor group, elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (SMD: 1.54 95% CI: -2.27 to 0.80; p=0.002), decreased serum albumin (SMD: 1.08, 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.42; p<0.001) were reported. There was no comorbidity which was found to be significant in the severe group. Conclusion: Serum albumin, ALT, ESR, lymphopenia, haemoglobin, and leucocytosis can reflect the severity of COVID-19, while the LDH, leucocytosis and albumin can be considered as risk factor to higher mortality. Keywords: COVID-19, laboratory parameters, SARS-CoV-2, disease severity, mortality

Effect of black pepper (Piper nigrum) extract on productive traits, economic efficiency and blood biochemical parameters of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W.)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the dietary black pepper extract supplement on the survival rate, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), economic efficiency (ECR) and blood biochemical parameters of rainbow trout, cultivated in a recirculation system. One hundred and twenty rainbow trout were distributed in two experimental variants, with two replicates of 30 fish per each. The average initial live weight of fish from the control group (C) and experimental group (P.n) were 41.55±7.96 g and 41.23±8.38 g, respectively (p>0.05). Trouts were fed extruded feed with granule size of 2 mm. Through lubrication of feed granules with 5 ml sunflower oil per 100 g feed, rainbow trouts from group P.n were supplemented with 1% powdered black pepper extract, whereas control rainbow trouts (С) received feed lubricated with the same amount of sunflower oil. Fish were fed 3 times/daily with the diet, based on 3% of biomass. The trial period was 60 days. Survival rate in trouts from both experimental groups was 100%. At the end of the trial, average live weight of fish from group P.n was by 5.84% higher compared to that of control fish the average weight of which was 117.25±19.15 g, yet differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). The average individual weight gain of control rainbow trouts was 75.70±11.53 g, which was inferior to that of P.n fish by 8.65% (p>0.05). Better FCR was demonstrated in trouts from the group supplemented with 1% black pepper extract – 0.98±0.02, which was by 10.20% less compared to control fish (p<0.01). The addition of 1% black pepper extract to the feed of rainbow trouts tended to result a trend in better growth performance parameters in this species. ECR of group P.n was by 3.98% better than that of the control fish, which showed an ESR value of 1.51. Blood biochemical parameters of fish from both groups were not consistently different.