Resveratrol Alleviates Oxidative Stress Induced by Oxidized Soybean Oils and Improves Gut Function via Changing Gut Microbiota in Weaned Piglets

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary resveratrol supplementation on growth performance, redox status, inflammatory state, and intestinal function of weaned piglets fed oxidized soybean oils.Methods: A total of twenty-eight castrated weaned male piglets with a similar body weight of 10.19 ±1 kg were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatments for 28 days feeding trial with 7 replications per treatment and 1 piglet per replicate. Treatments were arranged as a 2×2 factorial with oil type [fresh soybean oils (FSOs) vs. oxidized soybean oils (OSOs)] and dietary resveratrol (RES) (0 vs. 300 mg/kg).Result: Inclusion of OSOs decreased the villus/crypt ratio (VCR), while the villus height (VH) and VCR in the jejunum of weaned piglets was increased by dietary RES (P< 0.05). The activities of lipase, chymotrypsin, and lactase were decreased by OSOs, however dietary RES supplementation increased the activities of lipase, chymotrypsin, lactase, and α-amylase in the jejunum of weaned piglets (P< 0.05). Dietary RES increased the apparent digestibility of crude fat (EE). Dietary RES supplementation in the diets supplemented with OSOs decreased the level of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the plasma of weaned piglets, but failed to influence the IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α level when diets supplemented with FSOs. Dietary RES alleviated the decrease of total-superoxide dismutase activity in the plasma of weaned piglets fed OSOs (P< 0.05). Dietary supplemented with OSOs and RES decreased the level of H2O2 in the plasma of weaned piglets (P< 0.05). RES alleviates the intestinal barrier damage fed OSOs in weaned piglets by increasing the mRNA expression of ZO-1 and Occludin. It is noteworthy that inclusion of OSOs in diets increased the abundance of Actinobacteria, and decreased the abundance of Tenercutes (P< 0.05). RES increased the abundance of Firmicutes, and decreased the abundance of Bacteroidetes (P< 0.05). At the genus level, RES decreased the abundance of Prevotella-1, Prevotellaceae UCG003, and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_6 in the colon. OSOs decreased the level of acetic acid, and dietary RES increased the level of acetic acid and butyric acid in the colon of weaned piglets.Conclusions: Dietary RES supplementation improved the villus-crypt structure, digestive enzyme activities and alleviated OSOs induced digestive absorption disorder. In addition, RES may alleviate OSOs immune status and energy metabolism of weaned piglets by affecting gut microbiota and its metabolite SCFAs. Notably, this positive effect of RES on OSOs may be related to decrease in the abundance of Prevotella_1 and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003.

T329S Mutation in the FMO3 Gene Alleviates Lipid Metabolic Diseases in Chickens in the Late Laying Period

The T329S mutation in flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) impairs the trimethylamine (TMA) metabolism in laying hens. The TMA metabolic pathway is closely linked to lipid metabolic diseases, such as atherosclerosis and fatty liver disease. We aimed to evaluate the effects of the T329S mutation in FMO3 on lipid metabolism in chickens during the late laying period. We selected 18 FMO3 genotyped individuals (consisting of six AA, six AT, and six TT hens) with similar body weight and production performance. The lipid metabolism and deposition characteristics of the laying hens with different genotypes were compared. The T329S mutation moderated the serum-lipid parameters in TT hens compared to those in AA and AT hens from 49 to 62 weeks. Furthermore, it reduced the serum trimethylamine N-oxide concentrations and increased the serum total bile acid (p < 0.05) and related lipid transporter levels in TT hens. Moreover, it significantly (p < 0.01) decreased atherosclerotic lesions and hepatic steatosis in TT hens compared to those in the AA and AT hens. Our findings may help improve the health status in laying hens during the late laying period.

Ecological specialization, rather than the island effect, explains morphological diversification in an ancient radiation of geckos

Island colonists are often assumed to experience higher levels of phenotypic diversification than continental taxa. However, empirical evidence has uncovered exceptions to this ‘island effect’. Here, we tested this pattern using the geckos of the genus Pristurus from continental Arabia and Africa and the Socotra Archipelago. Using a recently published phylogeny and an extensive morphological dataset, we explore the differences in phenotypic evolution between Socotran and continental taxa. Moreover, we reconstructed ancestral habitat occupancy to examine if ecological specialization is correlated with morphological change, comparing phenotypic disparity and trait evolution between habitats. We found a heterogeneous outcome of island colonization. Namely, only one of the three colonization events resulted in a body size increase. However, in general, Socotran species do not present higher levels or rates of morphological diversification than continental groups. Instead, habitat specialization explains better the body size and shape evolution in Pristurus . Particularly, the colonization of ground habitats appears as the main driver of morphological change, producing the highest disparity and evolutionary rates. Additionally, arboreal species show very similar body size and head proportions. These results reveal a determinant role of ecological mechanisms in morphological evolution and corroborate the complexity of ecomorphological dynamics in continent–island systems.

Effects of Dietary Bacillus and Non-starch Polysaccharase on the Intestinal Microbiota and the Associated Changes on the Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, and Serum Antioxidant Profiles in Ducks

Given the desirable results of using probiotics and enzyme preparations as feed supplements in poultry health, here, the effects of Bacillus and Non-starch Polysaccharase (NSPase) on the growth performance, serum antioxidant profiles, and gut microbial communities of early stage ducks is investigated. A total of 400 Zhijiang ducks (of similar body weight and 1 day age) was selected and randomly divided into four groups. The feeding period was 28 days. Each group contained 10 replicates of 10 birds. Control group (I) was fed with basal diet, while treatment groups II to IV were fed, respectively, with 150 mg/kg NSPases, 25 mg/kg Bacillus probiotics, and 150 mg/kg NSPases + 25 mg/kg Bacillus probiotics in their basal diet. The results demonstrated that dietary Bacillus (25 mg/kg) increased average final weight, average daily gain (ADG), and decreased the malonaldehyde (MDA) in birds (P &lt; 0.05). Dietary Bacillus (25 mg/kg) and NSPases + Bacillus (150 mg/kg + 25 mg/kg) presented much higher glutathione (GSH) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in birds (P &lt; 0.05). Additionally, as revealed by β-diversity indices and analysis of similarities, dietary NSPases + Bacillus could affect the ileum microbial abundances and diversities at the genera level (P &lt; 0.05), but it had no effect on the caecal microbiota. Also, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that dietary Bacillus and NSPases + Bacillus increased the populations of Ruminococcaceae genera in the cecum (P &lt; 0.05), and S24-7_group and Lactobacillus genera in the ileum (P &lt; 0.05). However, dietary NSPases and Bacillus alone and in combination could significantly decrease the content of Bacteroides in the ileum (P &lt; 0.05). According to Spearman correlation analysis, 7 ilea bacterial microbiomes (S24-7 group, Lactobacillus, Subgroup 2, Subgroup 1, Kitasatospora, Candidatus Solibacter, and Akkermansia) were positively correlated with SOD (P &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, Bacillus (25 mg/kg) and NSPases (150 mg/kg) included in the diet could efficiently enhance the growth performance by altered gut microbiota composition at the genera level and antioxidant indices of ducks.

The evolution of two distinct strategies of moth flight

Across insects, wing shape and size have undergone dramatic divergence even in closely related sister groups. However, we do not know how morphology changes in tandem with kinematics to support body weight within available power and how the specific force production patterns are linked to differences in behaviour. Hawkmoths and wild silkmoths are diverse sister families with divergent wing morphology. Using three-dimensional kinematics and quasi-steady aerodynamic modelling, we compare the aerodynamics and the contributions of wing shape, size and kinematics in 10 moth species. We find that wing movement also diverges between the clades and underlies two distinct strategies for flight. Hawkmoths use wing kinematics, especially high frequencies, to enhance force and wing morphologies that reduce power. Silkmoths use wing morphology to enhance force, and slow, high-amplitude wingstrokes to reduce power. Both strategies converge on similar aerodynamic power and can support similar body weight ranges. However, inter-clade within-wingstroke force profiles are quite different and linked to the hovering flight of hawkmoths and the bobbing flight of silkmoths. These two moth groups fly more like other, distantly related insects than they do each other, demonstrating the diversity of flapping flight evolution and a rich bioinspired design space for robotic flappers.

In Vivo Activity Of Medications In Different Dosage And Ultrahigh Dilutions

Biological activity of medical remedies varies depending on the dosage of the medicinal substance. As we analyze the results of the medicinal effect we can determine three areas of its effect. First of all, this is a therapeutic area where its dose-dependent medical effect is demonstrated. When a certain amount of drug in the body it exceeded this causes transition to the toxic area where every medicine causes certain pathological manifestations. Significant decrease of the drug dose demonstrates the area of no effect on the body. At the same time similar body reaction can be observed with homeopathic remedies in ultrahigh dilutions. Classical definition of a dose as an amount of substance introduced into the body is not suitable for homeopathic remedies that often don’t have drug substance molecules at all. The presence of areas of different reaction is explained by the effect of electromagnetic wave emissions of drug substances. It is known that molecules of all medicinal substances have certain frequencies that come into resonance with different body structures, including genes that have similar oscillatory characteristics. This causes expression of certain genes and increase of their activities. Increase of an allopathic substance dose causes voltage increase it its wave and consequently an increase of the effect on the genes. However overdose causes hyperstimulation and exhaustion of the gene under expression and consequently pathological symptoms develop. On the other hand a dose too small cannot stimulate gene activity and this causes a lack of medical effect. As demonstrated by long-term studies, the activity of potentiated remedies (in ultrahigh dilutions) is related to development of coherence. Coherence is a phasic shift of the medicinal wave that occurs with potentiation of a remedy. As the potency is increased, every step, i.e. coherent wave shift decreases, thus increasing the probability of exact coincidence of the drug and gene waves and their contraposition to the wave of a xenobiotic. Wave shift by have the phase of a xenobiotic wave makes them opposite in terms of amplitude. They begin to damp each other and thus pathogenic effects of a xenobiotic are neutralized. In such a way, drug activity on the body is determined by wave characteristics of the medicinal substance molecules. Activity of allopathic medications depends on the dose, e.g. the number of drug substance molecules. Activity of homeopathic medications depends on the degree of their potentiation.

Carcass Traits, Meat Quality, and Volatile Compounds of Lamb Meat from Different Restricted Grazing Time and Indoor Supplementary Feeding Systems

This study was conducted to investigate the carcass traits, meat quality, and volatile compounds of growing lambs under different restricted grazing time and indoor supplementary feeding systems. Fifty 3-month-old male Tan lambs (with similar body weight) were divided into five groups randomly according to grazing time 12 h/d (G12), 8 h/d(G8), 4 h/d(G4), 2 h/d (G2), and 0 h (G0, indoor supplementary feeding). Animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment, and the longissimus thoracis (LT) samples were collected for further analysis. The results indicated that indoor supplementary feeding improved the percentages of carcass fat and non-carcass fat of pre-slaughter weight (PSW) and decreased the cooking loss of lamb meat. Grazing for 8 h/d or 2 h/d enhanced PSW, carcass, and meat percentages of PSW. Lambs grazing for 2 h/d with supplement and indoor supplementary feeding lambs had a higher level of intramuscular fat and lightness (L*) value and lower cooking loss in the LT muscle, but higher yellowness (b*) and fat content were found in indoor supplementary feeding lambs. More categories of volatile compounds were identified in meat from grazing lambs than from indoor supplementary feeding lambs, but lower content of aldehydes and total volatile flavor compounds was detected in grazing lambs. Overall, the results demonstrated that the feeding system is a main factor that affects lamb meat quality, and proper grazing time can improve the quantity and quality of lamb meat and provide meat with different flavors to the consumers.

High Cysteine Diet Reduces Insulin Resistance in SHR-CRP Rats

Increased plasma total cysteine (tCys) has been associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome in human and some animal studies but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed at evaluating the effects of high cysteine diet administered to SHR-CRP transgenic rats, a model of metabolic syndrome and inflammation. SHR-CRP rats were fed either standard (3.2 g cystine/kg diet) or high cysteine diet (HCD, enriched with additional 4 g L-cysteine/kg diet). After 4 weeks, urine, plasma and tissue samples were collected and parameters of metabolic syndrome, sulfur metabolites and hepatic gene expression were evaluated. Rats on HCD exhibited similar body weights and weights of fat depots, reduced levels of serum insulin, and reduced oxidative stress in the liver. The HCD did not change concentrations of tCys in tissues and body fluids while taurine in tissues and body fluids, and urinary sulfate were significantly increased. In contrast, betaine levels were significantly reduced possibly compensating for taurine elevation. In summary, increased Cys intake did not induce obesity while it ameliorated insulin resistance in the SHR-CRP rats, possibly due to beneficial effects of accumulating taurine.

A biomechanical examination of the inclusion of active flexibility in artistic gymnastic movements requiring mobility

Background and Study Aim. The purpose of the study is a biomechanical examination of the inclusion of active flexibility in artistic gymnastic movements requiring mobility (muscles' ability to stretch), flexibility and other motor abilities such as force, power, etc. Material and Methods. The study included 17 girl gymnasts aged 7-9 years old, with a body height of 140.7±10.2, weight of 34.1±6.4, and a body mass index of 17.6±3.0. Data collection in the study was made by using performance tests developed by FIG such as a Forward-Backward Split, Side Spit, Arm-Trunk Angle Backward, Trunk Bent Forward, Leg Raise forward, Leg Raise Sideward, Bridge, Standing long Jump, Lift Trunk Forward-60secs, Angle Degree of the Leg Split Position in Cartwheel, and Arm-Upper Body Angle Backward in Bridge Technique. The Kinovea 0.8.15 program was used in the data analysis of the variables in the study. The SPSS 24 software program was used for the data analysis. Percentages of the angle degree calculated by the formula “%= (angle0 of the mobility in functional movement / angle0 of the active flexibility) *100” were found. Results. Results indicate that active flexibility was 90% functional in the leg raise sideward, 90% in the leg split during execution of the cartwheel, 17.5% in the bridge technique, and completely functional for the flexibility ratio expressed in the leg raise forward technique. In the analysis of the various elements of the similar biomechanics, the anatomic structure and similar body planes, it was concluded that active flexibility expressed in the movements required a mobility of around 65-75%. Conclusions.. it was determined that the functionality rate of the techniques requiring active flexibility and requiring mobility of the same biomechanical and anatomical structure was around 65-75%. Therefore, to execute 100% of the flexibility in action (during active elements) as it is in a passively or actively, it may significantly increase force, motor control, dynamic balance, coordination etc., in the large range of motion.

PSIX-27 Effects of supplemented zinc oxide in post-weaning piglets from d 25 to d 52 of age

Supplementation of pharmacological levels of ZnO (3000 ppm) is widely used for prevention and treatment of diarrhea in weaning piglets and to improve their performance. However, this practice has raised concerns about environmental impact, antimicrobial resistance and nutritional interactions. In this study we compared graded amounts of regular ZnO to equivalent levels of potentiated ZnO (HiZox), added to the piglet’s diets. Our aim was to assess possible advantages of different Zn sources as well as a reduction potential regarding the supplemented dose. Therefore, 1440 piglets (initial BW 10.1 ± 1.55 kg) were randomly allotted to 12 dietary treatments: supplementation of 150, 300, 600, 900, 1500 and 3000 ppm of Zn from regular ZnO or equivalent from HiZox. From day 1 to day 14, piglets were fed dietary treatments accordingly; from day 15 to day 28 all groups received HiZox at 150 ppm. Performance was recorded on d 1, 14 and 28 on trial.The highest (P &lt; 0.001) ADG was observed for piglets fed HiZox at 3000 ppm (247 g/d), while HiZox at 900 ppm and regular ZnO at 3000 ppm presented the same ADG values. The subsequent 14-day levelling to 150 ppm of HiZox led on average to similar body weight gains (ZnO: 7.05 kg; HiZox: 6.93 kg). ADFI increased (P &lt; 0.001) in the first 14 d of trial with increasing Zn levels for both sources. Comparison of ZnO at 3000 ppm and HiZox at 900 ppm showed similar effects on improving fecal consistency during the first two weeks after weaning, which may be due to the more effective surface specific area of HiZox than regular ZnO. In conclusion, HiZox at 900 ppm can be used for improving growth performance and fecal consistency during the first two weeks after weaning as an alternative to the pharmacological level of regular ZnO.