Administration Of Different Levels Research Articles

Toxicity and Impact of Silica Nanoparticles on the Configuration of Gut Microbiota in Immunodeficient Mice.

Nanoparticles (NPs), having exceptional physicochemical and electrical characteristics with lower toxicity, have evolved as dynamic drug delivery carriers in living organisms. Potentially, the intragastric gavage of silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) affects gut microbiota profiles in immunodeficient mice. In this study, the impact of SiNPs of variable size and dosage was investigated in cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunodeficient mice, specifically on their immune functions and gut microbiota, through physicochemical and metagenomic analysis. SiNPs of different sizes and doses were gavaged to Cy-induced immunodeficient mice for 12 days at an interval of 24 h to investigate their effects on immunological functions and the gut microbiome of mice. Our results showed that SiNPs had no significant toxicological effects on the cellular and hematological activities of immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, after the administration of different levels of SiNPs, no immune dysfunction was found in the immunosuppressed mice groups. However, gut-microbial studies and comparisons of characteristic bacterial diversity and compositions demonstrated that SiNPs significantly affect the abundance of different bacterial communities. LEfSe analysis revealed that SiNPs significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, Sphingomonas, Sutterella, Akkermansia, and Prevotella, and potentially reduced Ruminococcus and Allobaculum. Thus, SiNPs significantly regulate and modify the configuration of the gut microbiota in immunodeficient mice. These dynamic variations in the intestinal bacterial community, abundance, and diversity provide new insight into the regulation and administration of silica-based NPs. This would be helpful for the further demonstration of the mechanism of action and prediction of the potential effects of SiNPs.

Using Lactobacillus Acidophilus in Fish Feed to Improve Disease Resistance and Immune Status of Cultured Nile Tilapia

The probiotic activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria as a dietary supplement was estimated by its effect on the immune response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and its protective effect against challenge infections The present study predestined the effects of different Lactobacillus acidophilus dietary levels as feed supplement on growth performance, biochemical parameters, antioxidant activity and protection of Oreochromis niloticus against Enterococcus faecalis that previously isolated from cultured Oreochromis niloticus from Kafr Elsheikh Governorate fish farms that identified by biochemical tests and API20 E .Six types of bacteria were found, Enterococcus faecalis by 25%, Aeromonas hydrophilla by 20.9%, Pseudomonas.auriginousa. by 18.6% Staphylococcus aureus20..9%., Escherichia coli by11.6% and proteus vulgaris by 2.3% were isolated from 60 apparently healthy and naturally infected Oreochromis niloticus fish collected from Kafr El Sheikh Governorate fish farms . Fish were allotted into 5 groups, 1st and 2nd group fed on basal diet and 3rd ,4th and 5th fed on basal diet supplemented by different levels of dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus 1.5 × 108, 3 × 108 and 6 × 108 CFU /g respectively for 10 weeks. Our results showed that dietary administration of different levels of L. acidophilus improved weight gain rate, relative growth rate, average body weight and feed conversion ratio compared to fish fed unsupplemented diet. Also showed the superior results in biochemical parameters (significant increase (P < 0.05) in lysosomal activity, bactericidal activity, WBCs, antioxidant enzymes activities and significant decrease (P < 0.05) in cholesterol, cortisol and glucose and the appropriate inclusion is 6 × 108 CFU /g. It could be concluded that using Lactobacillus acidophilus good due to their high effective growth promoting, antibacterial and positive impact on innate immunity and antioxidant enzymes activities and had hypocholesteremic and hypoglycemic effect. This study highly recommends the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus as therapeutic agents in dealing with Enterococcus faecalis infection in fish culture. On our study Lactobacillus acidophilus can act as probiotics to improve immune responses ,growth, and fish welfare.

Dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus modulated skin mucus protein profile, immune and appetite genes expression in gold fish (Carassius auratus gibelio)

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus on skin mucus protein pattern, immune and appetite related genes expression as well as growth performance in gold fish (Carassius auratus gibelio). Three hundred healthy gold fish (2.5 ± 0.05) juveniles were randomly distributed in 12 glass aquariums (400-L; 25 fish per aquaria) and fed experimental diets contain different levels of L. acidophilus (0, 1.5 × 108, 3 × 108 and 6 × 108) for 8 weeks. SDS-PAGE analysis of skin mucus protein profile at the end of the feeding trial revealed differences in protein profile of probiotic fed fish and control group; even three new bands were observed in L. acidophilus treated groups. Furthermore, fish fed 6 × 108 CFU g−1 supplemented diet showed up-regulation of both TNF-1α and TNF-2α gene expression (P < 0.05). Evaluation of appetite related gene expression showed down-regulation of ghrelin in probiotic fed fish compared those of control treatment (P < 0.05). However, administration of different levels of L. acidophilus had no significant effects on growth performance (P > 0.05). These results demonstrated that while no beneficial effects on growth performance, dietary L. acidophilus affects immune and appetite related genes expression as well as skin mucus protein profile.

Intestinal histomorphology, autochthonous microbiota and growth performance of the oscar (Astronotus ocellatusAgassiz, 1831) following dietary administration of xylooligosaccharide

The present study investigates the changes in intestinal histomorphology, autochthonous microbiota and growth performance of the oscar, Astronotus ocellatus, following dietary administration of different levels of xylooligosaccharide (XOS). One hundred forty-four oscars (8.88 ± 0.23 g; n = 144) were randomly stocked in 12 aquaria (100-L) assigned to four treatments repeated in triplicate. Fish were fed a commercial diet, Biomar, supplemented with different levels (0 [control], 0.5, 1, 2%) of XOS for 8 weeks. Treatments were investigated under static aerated water conditions with a 70% daily water exchange. Evaluation of intestinal histomorphology (villus height, enterocytes height and thickness of the tunica muscularis) revealed no significant differences between XOS-fed groups and the control treatment (P > 0.05). However, administration of XOS in the oscar diet increased the total autochthonous intestinal heterotrophic bacteria significantly (P < 0.05). Autochthonous lactic acid bacteria levels were also significantly elevated in XOS-fed groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary XOS remarkably increased growth performance (control: 22.76 ± 2.79, 2% XOS: 29.13 ± 2. 8; n = 12) parameters of the oscar (P < 0.05). These results demonstrated the beneficial effects of XOS on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota of A. ocellatus.

Effects of in Ovo Administration of Betaine and Choline on Hatchability Results, Growth and Carcass Characteristics and Immune Response of Broiler Chickens

The effect of in ovo administration of different levels of betaine and choline on egg hatchability, immune response, growth and carcass traits of broiler chickens was studied. Four thousand hatching eggs from Ross 308 broiler breeder layers, weighed individually, were incubated for 21 days in a commercial hatchery. At 12th day of incubation, 3456 fertilized eggs were randomly divided into 8 experimental groups of 3 replicates each (144 eggs per replicate): negative control (NC) – not injected; positive control (PC) – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water; Bet 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble betaine; Bet 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble betaine; Chol 0.25 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.25 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.375 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.375 mg soluble choline; Chol 0.50 – injected with 0.5 mL deionized water+0.50 mg soluble choline. Among the hatched chickens, 360 males were randomly chosen (45 for each group) and were grown up to 42nd day of age. The embryo mortality, pecked eggs, infected eggs and hatchability percentages were similar among the experimental groups. The betaine and choline treatments improved hatching weight and final weight of chickens, while reduced feed conversion ratio and abdominal fat percentage. No effect on carcass yield, and breast muscle, leg and wings percentages, as well as on immunoglobulin M (IgM), G (IgG), and total antibody (IgT) titers was observed. The treatments had little effect on internal organs.

The effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus as feed supplement on skin mucosal immune parameters, intestinal microbiota, stress resistance and growth performance of black swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri)

The present study evaluates the effects of different levels of dietary Lactobacillus acidophilus as feed supplement on intestinal microbiota, skin mucus immune parameters and salinity stress resistance as well as growth performance of black swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri). One-thousand and eight hundred healthy black swordtail larvae (0.03 ± 0.001 g) were randomly distributed in 12 tanks (100 L) at a density of 150 fish per aquaria and fed different levels of dietary L. acidophilus (0, 1.5 × 108, 3 × 108 and 6 × 108 CFU g−1) for 10 weeks. At the end of trial, there were significant differences among antibacterial activity of skin mucus in probiotic fed fish and control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the skin mucus protein level and alkaline phosphatase activity in control group were significantly lower than those of L. acidophilus fed fish (P < 0.05). Microbiological assessments revealed that feeding with probiotic supplemented diet remarkably increased total autochthonous bacteria and autochthonous lactic acid bacteria levels (P < 0.05). The results showed that dietary administration of L. acidophilus significantly elevated black swordtail resistance against salinity stress (i.e survival %) (P < 0.05). Also, dietary administration of different levels of L. acidophilus improved weight gain, SGR, FCR compared to fish fed unsupplemented diet (P < 0.05). These results demonstrate beneficial effects of dietary L. acidophilus on mucosal immune parameters, intestinal microbiota, stress resistance and growth parameters of black swordtail and the appropriate inclusion is 6 × 108 CFU g−1.

Hemato-immunological responses of Heros severus fed diets supplemented with different levels of Dunaliella salina

In this study, the effects of oral administration of different levels of Dunaliella salina (a natural β-carotene source) on growth parameters, immunological and hematological indices, as well as skin carotenoids, of Heros severus were investigated. One hundred and eighty H. severus weighing 27 ± 0.5 g were divided randomly into four groups in triplicate (15 fish in each replicate). Groups 1-4 received food supplemented with 0, 50, 100 and 200 mg kg⁻¹ D. salina powder, respectively. After 6 weeks, the growth parameters were compared among the groups. Blood samples were taken from each group, and hematological parameters including red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), hematocrit (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb) and immunological indices (serum and mucus lysozyme and bactericidal activity, resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila infection) as well as carotenoid content of skin were evaluated. Results showed that some growth indices increased significantly in fish fed with 100 and 200 mg kg⁻¹ D. salina-supplemented food (P < 0.05). Although serum lysozyme activity was increased in fish fed with food supplemented with 100 and 200 mg kg⁻¹ D. salina (P < 0.05), no significant change was observed in serum and mucus bactericidal activity and mucus lysozyme activity among the groups (P > 0.05). Most of the hematological parameters such as WBC, RBC, PCV and Hb significantly increased in D. salina-treated fish compared with controls (P < 0.05). Mortality induced after challenge with A. hydrophila in 200 mg kg⁻¹ D. salina-treated fish was 36.67 %, which significantly decreased compared with control (P < 0.05). Skin carotenoid content in all D. salina treatments was statistically higher than that of control (P < 0.05). Conclusively, D. salina as a food additive can affect positively the growth, immunological and hematological parameters of H. severus.

Modulating gut microbiota and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana by administration of different levels of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis on growth, gut microbiota, and digestive enzyme activities of Artemia urmiana. Three diets containing 102 (T1), 104 (T2), 106 (T3) CFU of probiotics/g feed, and a control diet (C) without probiotic were used through a completely randomized design (treatments with triplicates). Twelve plastic tanks with the capacity of 60- l and density of 20 nauplii/ml were used and the trial continued for 15 days. Results showed that probiotics significantly increased the total length of A. urmiana (P < 0.05). Although the total aerobic gastrointestinal bacteria count showed no significant differences among the treatments, the total Bacillus count significantly increased in experiments (P < 0.05). The ratio of TCBS to total aerobic bacteria count was significantly lower in T1 (0.31 ± 0.05), T2 (0.27 ± 0.15), and T3 (0.25 ± 0.05) compared to the control (0.76 ± 0.34) (P < 0.05). The probiotics were able to increase the protease and amylase activities (P < 0.05). No significant effect on lipase activity. The study determined T2 and T3 as the most effective treatments for improving growth, bacterial flora, and digestive enzyme activities. As less probiotic needed in T2, using 104 bacteria per g diet is recommended for rearing Artemia up to the maturity stage.

The effects of dietary oregano oil supplementation on pig meat characteristics

The effects of different concentrations of dietary oregano essential oil supplementation on finishing pig meat characteristics were investigated in the present study. Thirty-two barrows and thirty-two gilts were divided into four equal groups. During the experimental period, which started when the animals were 5 months old and finished after 35 days, the first group was fed the control diet (group C), whereas the other three groups consumed the same diet, with the only difference that the feed was supplemented with oregano essential oil at concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 1 ml/kg of fed diet (groups OR1, OR2 and OR3, respectively). At the end of the experiment, pigs were fasted for 12 h, weighed and slaughtered. After overnight chilling, a 50 cm loin section was removed from the half of the carcasses (8 pigs per nutritional treatment; 4 barrows and 4 gilts) and transported to laboratory for further examination. No significant differences were observed after dietary oregano essential oil supplementation in final body weight (kg), body weight gain (g) and dressing out (%). Tenderness of longissimus muscle, expressed as shear force value, pH values at 45 min and 24 h postmortem, colour parameters and sensory attributes of eating quality were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatment. Moreover, the lipid oxidation results suggested a lack of antioxidant effect for the oregano essential oil. In conclusion, carcass and meat quality attributes were unchanged, indicating that the dietary administration of different levels of oregano essential oil did not exert any effect on pig meat parameters in the present experiment.

1.The Effect of Administration of Different Levels of GnRH on the Day 0, 5 and 12 Post-Insemination on Progesterone Concentration in Dairy Heifers

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different levels of GnRH in different days of reproductive cycle on progesterone concentration in dairy heifers. Two hundred heifers were divided into ten experimental treatment: control group with no injection (1) administration of 2.5 mL Gonadorelin (a GnRH analogue) in day of insemination (2) administration of 5 mL GnRH in day of insemination (3) administration of 10 mL GnRH in day of AI insemination (4) administration of 2.5 mL GnRH in day 5 post-insemination (5) administration of 5 mL GnRH in day5 post-insemination (6) administration of 10 mL GnRH in day5 post-insemination (7) administration of 2.5 mL GnRH in day 12 post-insemination (8) administration of 5 mL GnRH in day 12 post-insemination (9) administration of 10 mL GnRH in day 12 post-insemination. Blood samples were collected in days 0, 5, 12 and 19 post insemination (AI = Day 0) for analysis of serum P4 concentration. There was no significant difference among experimental groups on day of insemination. Evaluation of P4 concentration on day 19 illustrated differences in progesterone concentration between groups on day 19 post-insemination. P4 concentration of serum in the day 19 post-insemination significantly increased in groups either by 5 or 10 mL injection of GnRH whether in day 5 or 12 post-insemination versus control group (9.24 +/- 2.2, 8.6 +/- 1.96, 9.43 +/- 2.15 and 9.42 +/- 2.14 versus 5.5 +/- 0.8, respectively; p < 0.05). GnRH administration in the day 5 and 12 post-AI significantly increased progesterone concentration that may decline early embryonic death and improve pregnancy rate.

Performance and caecal adaptation of turkeys to diets without or with antibiotic and with different levels of mannan-oligosaccharide

A study on turkeys was conducted to evaluate the administration of different levels of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) (0.1, 0.25 and 0.5%) to a diet without or with an antibiotic (Flavomycin, 8 mg/kg feed). The growth performance as well as caecal development and metabolism indicators of turkeys after 8 weeks of experimental feeding were estimated. No interactions were noted between the contents of antibiotic and MOS in the diet in any of the parameters examined. During 8 weeks of experimental feeding, the feed intake as well as feed conversion ratio were similar in all experimental groups. The turkeys fed a control diet (without MOS) supplemented with antibiotic were the heaviest, but there were no statistical differences between groups. Depending on dietary dose, MOS had a different influence on caecal digesta parameters. The medium level of dietary MOS (0.25%) resulted in the highest caecal pH, dry matter and protein concentrations as well as the bacterial glycolytic activity (including β-glucuronidase). Compared to other dietary treatments, the highest amount of MOS (0.5%) reduced ammonia concentration and enhanced volatile fatty acids concentration, especially of acetate and butyrate, in the caecal digesta. The medium level of dietary MOS caused a significant enhancement of propionate, iso-butyrate and iso-valerate concentrations in the digesta. The antibiotic addition to a diet resulted in a lack of birds' response.

Absorption and urinary excretion of (-)-epicatechin after administration of different levels of cocoa powder or (-)-epicatechin in rats.

(-)-Epicatechin is a major polyphenol component of cocoa powder. The absorption and urinary excretion of (-)-epicatechin following administration of different levels of either cocoa powder (150, 750, and 1500 mg/kg) or (-)-epicatechin (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) were evaluated in rats. Both the sum of plasma (-)-epicatechin metabolites at 1 h postadministration and peak plasma concentrations increased in a dose-dependent fashion. The sum of (-)-epicatechin metabolites in urine, excreted within 18 h postadministration, also increased with dose. Moreover, the sum of (-)-epicatechin metabolites excreted in urine reached the same level in both (-)-epicatechin and cocoa powder administration groups for equivalent amounts of (-)-epicatechin. These results suggest that, in the dose range examined in this study, bioavailability of (-)-epicatechin following administration of either (-)-epicatechin or cocoa powder shows dose dependence and that the various compounds present in cocoa powder have little effect on the bioavailability of (-)-epicatechin in cocoa powder.

Effect of oral administration of different levels of 17α- methyltestosterone on the sex reversal, growth and food conversion efficiency of the tilapia Oreochromis spilurus (Günther) in brackish water

Abstract. The effect of oral administration of 17α-methyltestosterone (17-MT) to Oreochromis spilurus (Günther) in brackish water (3-5 ppt) was studied in terms of masculinization, growth, food conversion efficiency (FCE), specific growth rate (SGR) and survival rate. A 38-day hormone treatment followed by 205 days of normal diet yielded a higher percentage of males, differing significantly from the normal 1:1 ratio. The highest proportion of males (90-3%) was in the replicates given 70 mg/kg of 17-MT. After the hormone treatment phase, no effects were observed on growth, FCE, SGR and survival rate. At the end of the experiment (243 days), the treated groups showed significant increases in growth, SGR and FCE. The 50 mg/kg replicates showed the highest growth and SGR, and the 70 mg/kg groups the highest FCE. The maximum survival rate was in the controls, and the minimum in the 50 mg/kg groups. It can be concluded that the androgen-induced sex reversal in O. spilurus is comparable to that in other tilapia species. However, further studies should be carried out to determine the optimum dose and duration to achieve 100% masculinization.

Clinical Signs and Performance of Pigs During the Administration of Different Levels of Carbadox and After Withdrawal

An experiment was designed to study the clinical effects of carbadox in pigs. Five different carbadox levels were tested namely 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm. They were compared with a control group fed on a diet without medication. After 10 weeks all pigs received a diet without carbadox till the end of the experiment, 21 weeks after the start. After two weeks of carbadox treatment the first clinical signs were observed in the 200 ppm group. The most obvious effects seen were production of dry faeces and drinking of urine from the floor or from pen-mates. Other signs were a decreased abdominal volume, a pale skin with long withered hair, perverted eating and a restless behaviour. The haematocrit values in pigs receiving 100 ppm and upwards were increased. There was a negative correlation between the dose of carbadox and the time after which the response occurred. Weight gain was significantly lowered and feed conversion essentially poorer in the 200 ppm, 150 ppm and 100 ppm groups during the treatment as compared to the controls. No growth promoting effect was seen in the 25 and 50 ppm groups. After withdrawal of carbadox, clinical signs persisted in the 150 and 200 ppm groups. The 100 ppm group produced normal faeces 5 weeks after withdrawal, whereas drinking of urine persisted. From this study it appears that only an oral dosage of 25 ppm or lower can be given to pigs without risks of toxic effects. The widely claimed growth promoting effect of carbadox could not be confirmed in this study. This might be due to the small number of animals per group.

Effect of recombinant bovine growth hormone administration on growth and body composition of channel catfish

An 8-week experiment was conducted to determine the effects of intraperitoneal administration of different levels of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rbGH) on growth and body composition of fingerling channel catfish. Administration of the rbGH resulted in a significant dose response increase in growth rate and feed consumption when compared to placebo-injected controls. However, unhandled controls grew at the same rate and consumed about the same amount of feed as fish receiving 1.0 μg rbGH/g, suggesting that the stress of the experimental procedure may have had a direct effect on growth rate of the fish. Changes in condition factor showed a similar pattern. Body composition analysis showed the increase in weight gain was due to an increase in fat deposition. This suggests the increase in growth rate of channel catfish following rbGH administration was primarily due to a stimulation of appetite and not due to a stimulation in skeletal growth.

The distribution of selenium in the tissues of lambs following intramuscular administration of different levels of sodium selenite

Experiments were conducted to examine selenium (Se) metabolism in blood and tissues of lambs following intramuscular Se supplementation at varying doses (0 · 05, 0 · 25 and 0 · 6 mg Se/kg bodyweight). While a dose response was observed for erythrocyte Se levels no differences in glutathione peroxidase levels were noted between groups. Control experiments suggested that this was due to the lambs erythropoietic system receiving adequate Se from the feed (0 · 38μg Se/g). Longer half-lives of Se in plasma were observed at higher Se dosing regimes. Analysis of tissue Se from 30 and 56 day kills demonstrated that there was no accumulation of Se at the injection site. Liver and kidney Se concentrations were higher than those of heart and skeletal muscle. Half-lives of Se in the tissues differed, with those of liver and kidney being shorter (8–14 days) than those of the two muscle samples (18–28 days). The dose response of Se in each tissue was linear.