Index Blood Research Articles

EFFECT OF CYPHENOTHRIN-INDUCED SPLENIC DAMAGE AND HEMATOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS IN MALE WISTAR RATS (RATTUS NORVEGICUS)

Objective: Cyphenothrin is a major insecticide causing toxicological implications in mammals. Several studies estimated the consequences posed by this insecticide. The present study was designed to investigate the possible pyrethroid effects of cyphenothrin-induced hematological alterations and splenic damage in male Wistar albino rats. Methods: The rats were subjected to 60 d of exposure to a sublethal concentration of cyhenothrin. Hematological analyses revealed alterations in blood indices including red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and platelet count. However, increased cyphenothrin level in treated rat groups was significant in the present study. This might be attributed to cyphenothrin enhancing stress of animal physiology. Results: Histological examination of spleen resulted in rarefication of white pulp, damaged marginal zone, decreased periarteriolar lymphoid sheath (PALS) 35.33 mg/Kg BW high dose, and number of lymphoid follicles in the high concentration of cyphenothrin group. However, the treatment of cyphenothrin significantly affected the low-concentration cyphenothrin-treated group more than the high-concentration-treated group 63.6 mg/Kg BW low dose compared to the control. Conclusion: This indicates the effective property of toxicity on the immunomodulatory effects of cyphenothrin. Results of the present study suggest that the Cyphenothrin effect has a potentially key role in hematological and immunomodulatory processes that might be implemented.

Effect of pre-slaughter fasting time on carcass yield, blood parameters and meat quality in broilers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-slaughter fasting time on carcass yield, meat quality, blood parameters and glucose metabolism in broilers. Four hundred and fifty Arbor Acres (AA) broilers at 42 days of age were divided into 5 groups with 6 replicates in each group and 15 chickens as one replicate. Following this period, broilers from each group were distributed among five groups according to preslaughter fasting period as 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 h. With increasing fasting time, the carcass yield (p<0.01), the breast muscles yield (p<0.01) and the thigh yield (p<0.01) of the broilers were all linearly increased. With increasing fasting time, the L* values (p<0.01), cooking loss (p = 0.020), moisture content (p<0.01) in the leg muscles linearly downregulated, while the drip loss (p = 0.043), pH45 min (p<0.01) and pH24 h (p<0.01) were linearly upregulated. A trend for a lower (p = 0.071) shear force in the leg muscles was also observed in broilers fasted for longer time. Similar results were also found in breast muscles. The different fasting treatments did not influence the breast muscles glycogen content (p>0.10), while the increase of fasting time resulted in a linear decrease of the blood glucose (p = 0.021) and, more specifically, the glycogen content of the liver and leg muscles (p<0.001). With increasing fasting time, the aspartate transaminase (p<0.01), uric acid (p<0.01), and triglycerides (p<0.01) in serum linearly downregulated, while the alanine aminotransferase was linearly upregulated. The results of this study show a significant influence of fasting time on carcass yield and meat quality in broilers. Moderate fasting (8 to 12 h) before slaughter can reduce the weight loss of broilers. Prolonged fasting (≥16 h) increased body weight loss, decreased slaughtering performance and fluctuating blood indexes of broilers.

Prevention of acute respiratory viral infections in children with chronic exudative otitis media in the postoperative period

Introduction. Chronic otitis media vis effusion (COME) is a disease characterized by the presence of exudate in the cavities of the middle ear and hearing loss. Predisposing factors to the development of COME can be recurrent upper respiratory tract infections.Aim. To study the effectiveness of the drug Sinupret® in children who have undergone surgical treatment for COMEMaterials and methods. A clinical study was conducted at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of TMU and GBUZ TO OKB No. 2 in 2020–2021. This study involved 30 children (15 boys and 15 girls) with HESO. The mean age of all patients was 6.33 ± 0.31 years. In the 1st group of children, consisting of 15 people (10 boys and 5 girls), Sinupret® was prescribed in the postoperative period, in the 2nd group of children, consisting of 15 people (5 boys and 10 girls), Sinupret® was not prescribed. Diagnosis of chronic POE was carried out on the basis of clinical and instrumental examination and integral indices of peripheral blood. Conservative treatment consisted of topical decongestant therapy and rifamycin 2.6% ear drops for a week. The observation period included 12 months.Results. ARVI episodes during the year in group I were observed in 20%, in group II in 60% of children, the average duration of the disease in group I was 5 ± 0.71 days, in group II 7.8 ± 0.42 days (p = 0.01), stable hearing recovery in children of the 1st group was recorded in 100%. POE recurrence in children of group II was registered in 27% (4 people), which required repeated shunting to restore hearing.Conclusions. Prophylactic use of the drug Sinupret® in children who have undergone surgical treatment for chronic OME allows you to achieve a stable restoration of hearing and contributes to complete recovery.

The Relationship between Complement Components C1R and C5 Gene Polymorphism and the Values of Blood Indices in Suckling Piglets.

The main mechanism of innate immunity is the complement system. Its components include the protein products of the C1R and C5 genes, which are involved in the classical activation pathway as well as the inflammatory and cytolytic immune responses, respectively. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism in C1R (726T > C) and C5 (1044A > C) genes, and the values of hematological and biochemical blood indices in suckling crossbred (Polish Large White × Polish Landrace × Duroc × Pietrain) piglets (n = 473), considering their age (younger, 21 ± 3 days, n = 274; older, 35 ± 3 days, n = 199) and health status. The frequencies of the C5 genotypes deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg expectations. Younger piglets, healthy piglets, piglets that deviated from physiological norms and older piglets with the C1R TT genotype all had lower white and red blood cell indices. In piglets with the C5 CC genotype, younger piglets, piglets that deviated from physiological norms and older piglets, a greater number and/or percentage of monocytes were recorded in the blood. Older piglets also showed an increase in the number of leukocytes and granulocytes, along with a tendency for a decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes in their blood. We concluded that a polymorphism in the C1R gene may exhibit a functional association or genetic linkage with other genes involved in the process of erythropoiesis. Furthermore the relationship between the C5 gene polymorphism and the number and/or percentage of monocytes in the blood may modify the body's defense abilities. Piglets with the CC genotype, having an increased number/proportion of these cells in their blood, probably display a weakened immune response to pathogens or a chronic stimulation of the immune system.

Protective effect of Nigella sativa Linn seeds (black cumin seeds) fortified diet against sodium arsenite-induced toxicities

Arsenic poisoning is an important global health issue in many countries due to having toxic arsenic (As) metalloid in drinking water and food in arsenic-endemic regions. This study was designed on animal models to monitor the protective effect of black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa Linn.) from sodium arsenite (SA) toxicity. Sodium arsenite (10 mg/kg body wt/day) was given orally with drinking water and black cumin seed (100 mg/kg body wt/day) was given as a food supplement for four weeks. This study revealed that black cumin seed significantly (P < 0.05) improved the blood indices in relation to total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), total serum urea, glucose, and uric acid of the experimental animals. It also developed the body weight loss of SA-induced rats significantly (P < 0.05). Therefore, black cumin seed has the potential to mitigate arsenic-induced changes in cardiovascular, liver, and renal function, and ongoing pathophysiological studies will clarify its plausible mechanism.

Alterations of Body Composition, Blood Morphology and Fibrinogen Concentration after Vibration Therapy in Older Adult Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Vibrotherapy is one of the methods of physical therapy. Vibration, like various forms of physical activity, affects metabolic processes and health. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of thirty vibration sessions on body composition, hematologic and rheological indexes of blood, and protein and fibrinogen concentration in elderly women's blood. The study included 69 women, aged 60-70 years (mean age 64.6 ± 2.9), who were randomly and parallel assigned into: the vibrotherapy group 1 (G1) that took part in vibrotherapy on the Knees module, the vibrotherapy group 2 (G2) that took part in vibrotherapy on the Metabolism module, and the control group (CG) without interventions. In all patients, the following assessments were performed twice-baseline and after thirty vibrotherapy sessions: an assessment of body composition, a complete blood count with a hematology analyzer and erythrocyte aggregation by a laser-optical rotational red cell analyzer; total plasma protein and fibrinogen concentrations were established, respectively, by biuret and spectrophotometric methods. Intergroup (between groups) and intragroup (within each group) changes were statistically evaluated. After applying thirty vibration sessions, a decrease in body composition parameters (BM, body mass G1, p < 0.05; G2, p < 0.001 and FFM, fat free mass G1, p < 0.05; G2, p < 0.05) was confirmed in both intervention groups and BMI, body mass index in G2 (p < 0.05). It was found that, in G2, changes in erythrocyte aggregation indexes (T ½, half time kinetics of aggregation, p < 0.05 and AI, aggregation index, p < 0.05) and decrease of fibrinogen concentration (p < 0.05) took place. A series of thirty vibration sessions did not cause significant alterations in blood morphological parameters; therefore, vibrotherapy did not disturb hematological balance. Vibration sessions had a positive effect on BM, BMI, AG and fibrinogen concentration in the studied women, indicating the usefulness of this form of activation in older adults. Due to a decrease in FFM observed in the study, vibrotherapy should be employed in conjunction with physical exercise and other forms of physical activity in the group of older adults.

WPŁYW RODZAJU PREPARATU MLEKOZAST ˛EPCZEGO NA WYNIKI ODCHOWU CIEL ˛AT ORAZ WSKAZNIKI HEMATOLOGICZNE I BIOCHEMICZNE KRWI

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the type of milk replacer on the production results of calf rearing and hematological and biochemical parameters of their blood. Calves (heifers) of the Polish Holstein-Friesian breed, divided into two groups of 18 animals each, were maintained and fed equally, except for milk replacers used from the 31st to the 90th day of calf life. Group A received milk replacer based on skimmed milk powder, and group B received milk replacer based on whey powder. Production parameters were calculated and hematological and biochemical blood indices were determined. Better calf rearing results were found when the formula A was used. Calves, despite a lower initial weight at 30 days of age, reached a higher final weight at 90 days of rearing. There was a significantly higher number of leukocytes and erythrocytes in the blood of gorup A clves, whereas in group B there was a higher average red blood cell volume and average weight of hemoglobin in a red blood cell. In addition, there were significant differences in the levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol in the blood of calves fed different milk replacers (P ≤ 0.05).

Characterization of Rongchang piglets after infection with type 2 porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus strains differing in pathogenicity.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) affects the production and health of pigs and causes severe economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Different pig breeds have been reported to have different levels of susceptibility to PRRSV, and different PRRSV strains may also influence the infectivity and pathogenicity of the virus. In this study, the susceptibility of Rongchang pigs (a prominent local pig breed in China) to PRRSV infection was thoroughly investigated. Rongchang piglets were exposed to two PRRSV strains: HuN4 (highly pathogenic PRRSV) and SD53-1603 (moderately virulent NADC30-like PRRSV). We observed that Rongchang pigs infected with HuN4 displayed significant clinical manifestations, including fever, reduced body weight, and interstitial pneumonia lesions. Routine blood tests revealed that HuN4-infected pigs exhibited slightly decreased levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin, reticulocytes, and a notable increase in monocytes than control pigs. Additionally, the Rongchang pigs exhibiting severe clinical signs presented a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and a lower lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio. In contrast, SD53-1603 infection did not cause considerable harm to Rongchang pigs, only resulting in slightly elevated leukocytes and lymphocytes. Furthermore, these two PRRSV strains elicited divergent cytokine responses, such that SD53-1603 infection induced higher levels of TNF-α and IFN-γ, whereas HuN4 infection upregulated IL-1β. These dissimilarities in clinical symptoms, pathological changes, viremia, cytokine expression, and routine blood indices between HuN4 and SD53-1603 infections are critical in understanding the mechanisms of PRRSV infection and developing rational prevention and control strategies against PRRSV.

Intelligent identification system of gastric stromal tumors based on blood biopsy indicators

BackgroundThe most prevalent mesenchymal-derived gastrointestinal cancers are gastric stromal tumors (GSTs), which have the highest incidence (60–70%) of all gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). However, simple and effective diagnostic and screening methods for GST remain a great challenge at home and abroad. This study aimed to build a GST early warning system based on a combination of machine learning algorithms and routine blood, biochemical and tumour marker indicators.MethodsIn total, 697 complete samples were collected from four hospitals in Gansu Province, including 42 blood indicators from 318 pretreatment GST patients, 180 samples of gastric polyps and 199 healthy individuals. In this study, three algorithms, gradient boosting machine (GBM), random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR), were chosen to build GST prediction models for comparison. The performance and stability of the models were evaluated using two different validation techniques: 5-fold cross-validation and external validation. The DeLong test assesses significant differences in AUC values by comparing different ROC curves, the variance and covariance of the AUC value.ResultsThe AUC values of both the GBM and RF models were higher than those of the LR model, and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The GBM model was considered to be the optimal model, as a larger area was enclosed by the ROC curve, and the axes indicated robust model classification performance according to the accepted model discriminant. Finally, the integration of 8 top-ranked blood indices was proven to be able to distinguish GST from gastric polyps and healthy people with sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve of 0.941, 0.807 and 0.951 for the cross-validation set, respectively.ConclusionThe GBM demonstrated powerful classification performance and was able to rapidly distinguish GST patients from gastric polyps and healthy individuals. This identification system not only provides an innovative strategy for the diagnosis of GST but also enables the exploration of hidden associations between blood parameters and GST for subsequent studies on the prevention and disease surveillance management of GST. The GST discrimination system is available online for free testing of doctors and high-risk groups at https://jzlyc.gsyy.cn/bear/mobile/index.html.

Outcome of preventive nursing intervention, prophylactic anticoagulation and the use of the Caprini score on venous thromboembolism after varicose vein surgery.

This research was devoted to estimate the outcome of preventive nursing intervention on venous thromboembolism (VTE) after varicose vein surgery in lower extremities. A total of 516 subjects with varicose veins of lower extremities (from January 2020 to January 2022) treated in our hospital were separated into observation subgroup (n = 258) and control subgroup (n = 258) at random. The conventional nursing intervention was applied in the control subgroup, preventive nursing intervention, prophylactic anticoagulation and the use of Caprini score was applied in the observation subgroup. The levels of blood indexes [hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (PLT) and D-dimer (D-D)] were compared between the two subgroups before operation and 7 days postoperative, the occurrence of subcutaneous congestion, lower limb swelling and pain, VTE and nursing satisfaction of the subject 4 (four) weeks after discharge. After intervention, the levels of PLT and D-D in the observation subgroup were notably lower than those in the control subgroup. Four weeks after discharge, the incidence of subcutaneous congestion, lower limb swelling and pain, there had no notable difference in two subgroups Versus the control subgroup, VTE in the observation subgroup was notably lower and nursing satisfaction was higher. Preventive nursing intervention can reduce the level of PLT and D-D, restrain in the incidence of VTE and improve the nursing satisfaction of subjects with varicose veins of lower extremities after varicose vein surgery of lower limb.

The zhuyu pill relieves rat cholestasis by regulating the mRNA expression of lipid and bile metabolism associated genes.

Background: The Zhuyu pill (ZYP), composed of Coptis chinensis Franch. and Tetradium ruticarpum (A. Jussieu) T. G. Hartley, is an effective traditional Chinese medicine with potential anti-cholestatic effects. However, the underlying mechanisms of ZYP remain unknown. Objective: To investigate the mechanism underlying the interventional effect of ZYP on mRNA-seq analysis in cholestasis rat models. Materials and methods: This study tested the effects of a low-dose (0.6g/kg) and high-dose (1.2g/kg) of ZYP on a cholestasis rat model induced by α-naphthyl-isothiocyanate (ANIT, 50mg/kg). Serum biochemistry and histopathology results were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of ZYP, and mRNA-Seq analysis was performed and verified using real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). GO, KEGG, and GSEA analyses were integrated to identify the mechanism by which ZYP impacted cholestatic rats. Results: ZYP was shown to significantly improve abnormal changes in the biochemical blood indexes and liver histopathology of cholestasis rats and regulate pathways related to bile and lipid metabolism, including fatty acid metabolism, retinol metabolism, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, to alleviate inflammation, cholestasis, and lipid metabolism disorders. Relative expression of the essential genes Cyp2a1, Ephx2, Acox2, Cyp1a2, Cyp2c11, and Sult2a1 was verified by qRT-PCR and showed the same trend as mRNA-seq analysis. Conclusion: ZYP has a significant anti-cholestatic effect by regulating bile metabolism and lipid metabolism related pathways. These findings indicate that ZYP is a novel and promising prospect for treating cholestasis.

A case–control study to evaluate hematological indices in blood of diabetic and non-diabetic individuals in Ibb City, Yemen

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, metabolic illness characterized by an elevation of blood sugar levels. Patients with diabetes show changes in hematological indices. The study aimed to determine hematological indices, ESR, CRP, blood pressure (BP), and weight and their relationship with a fasting blood sugar (FBS) level and different variables in diabetic mellitus patients (DM) compared with healthy control (HC). A total of 202 participants (102 DM group and 100 HC group) were selected randomly. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Blood samples were collected from different places and investigated in Zain Medical Laboratories in Ibb City, Yemen (September 2022 to May 2023). GraphPad Prim was used to analyze the results. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean and standard deviation of age, weight, gender, residence, marital status, education levels, economic status, regular exercise, following a strict diet, and family history of diabetes revealed significant differences between DM and HC groups (P < 0.0001, P = 0001, P = 0.0027, P = 0.0002, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0002, P = 0.0011, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0001, respectively). FBS results, systolic and diastolic BP, MCV, WBCs, monocytes, eosinophils, and platelets displayed significant differences between both groups (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0404, P = 0.0191, P < 0.0001, P = 0.0253, P < 0.0001, and P = 0.0229, respectively). ESR exhibited statistical significance (P < 0.0001), while CRP displayed no significance. A Pearson's correlation showed that weight, Hb, RBCs, PCV, and WBCs were statistically negatively correlated with FBS whereas other hematological indices showed no correlation with FBS. In conclusion, DM patients had relatively higher levels of MCV, WBCs, eosinophils, platelets and ESR than the control group.

Comparative Analysis of Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells, Platelet Count, and Indices in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients and Normal Controls: Association and Clinical Implications.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health burden affecting 537 million adults worldwide, characterized by chronic metabolic disorder and various complications. This case control study aimed to assess the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), including hyperglycemia levels, on hematological parameters and complete blood count (CBC) derived parameters. A total of 250 known diabetic patients from the Jazan Diabetic Center, Saudi Arabia, between January 2021 and December 2022, along with 175 healthy adult controls were recruited from Jazan Hospital's blood donation center. Demographic characteristics, medical histories, and relevant factors such as gender, age, BMI, treatment, disease duration, and comorbidities were collected with informed consent. The results of the red blood cell (RBC) count, RBC indices, and mean platelet volume showed significant differences between patients and controls, while the white cell (WBC) and platelet count were comparable between the two groups. CBC-derived parameters, especially neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/neutrophil ratio (PNR) exhibited significant differences. CBC and derived parameters serve as inexpensive tools for T2DM patients monitoring, indicating early blood cell alterations and potential development of anemia. Further studies are needed to explore their role in predicting T2DM pathogenesis and progression, aiming to reduce severe complications, mortality and morbidity.

Implications of blood indices in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Two feasible determinants of disease activity and lupus nephritis

Implications of blood indices in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Two feasible determinants of disease activity and lupus nephritis

The relationship between systemic inflammation index, systemic immune-inflammatory index, and inflammatory prognostic index and 90-day outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis

Background and purposeTo explore the association of systemic inflammatory index (SIRI), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and inflammatory prognosis index (IPI) with 90d outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis.MethodsThe patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis were enrolled in the present study from September 2019 to December 2022. According to the relevant blood indexes obtained in 24 h after admission, the corresponding values of SIRI, SII and IPI were calculated. The correlation among SIRI, SII, IPI, and admission NIHSS scores was examined by Spearman correlation analysis. ROC curve analysis was conducted to determine the optimal cut-off value of SIRI, SII, IPI, and their corresponding sensitivity and specificity to evaluate their predictive value on admission for poor prognosis. To investigate whether high SIRI, SII, and IPI were independent predictors of poor outcomes within 90 days, variables with P-value < 0.05 during univariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis.ResultsCompared with the good outcome group, the poor outcome group had higher SIRI, IPI, and SII. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the SIRI, IPI, and SII levels significantly correlated with the admission NIHSS score (r = 0.338, 0.356, 0.427, respectively; Ps < 0.001). Univariate analysis and Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed high SIRI, SII, and IPI values as independent risk factors for poor 90-day prognosis (OR = 1.09, 1.003 and 7.109, respectively).ConclusionsHigh SIRI, IPI, and SII values are correlated with poor 90d outcomes in AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis.

Cava Smoothie As An Adjuvant in Iron Supplementation Can Increase Hemoglobin Levels and Erythrocyte Indices in Anemic Adolescent Girls

Uncontrolled anemia leads to a decline in hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte blood indices, posing various health risks. To address this, a study aimed to assess the effectiveness of cava smoothies and iron supplementation in boosting hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte indices among anemic adolescent girls. The study involved 87 adolescent girls with moderate anemia, divided into three groups. The control group (C) received weekly iron tablets (60 mg), while two intervention groups (I1 and I2) were given the same iron tablets along with cava smoothies in increasing doses over 28 days. The results revealed significant improvements in hemoglobin levels. Group C showed an increase of 0.27 g/dL, while I1 and I2 demonstrated remarkable gains of 1.46 g/dL and 2.54 g/dL, respectively. Furthermore, erythrocyte indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC) exhibited positive changes. Group C saw increases of 0.35 fl, 0.34 pg, and 0.27 g/dL, I1 showed improvements of 0.69 fl, 0.61 pg, and 0.64 g/dL, and I2 experienced substantial enhancements of 1.97 fl, 1.61 pg, and 1.60 g/dL. In conclusion, the study confirmed that cava smoothies and iron supplementation effectively raise hemoglobin levels and improve erythrocyte indices in anemic adolescent girls, highlighting the potential benefits of this intervention for combating anemia.

Effects of an MCPA-based herbicide formulation on the common carp Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758 – haematological, biochemical and histological evaluation

Herbicides (weed control agents) are used in crops on a massive scale. MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophen- oxyacetic acid) is a herbicide used to control weeds in cereals and other crops. The aim of this study was to investigate the toxic effects of an MCPA-based herbicide formulation (Chwastox Extra® 300 SL) in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The fish were exposed for 10 days, to a concentration which corresponded to 1 mg/l or 5 mg/l of MCPA. Our analysis showed fluctuations of the haematological parameters during the treatment. Plasma biochemical changes that were statistically significant, i.e.a decrease of the total protein concentration and alanine aminotransferase activity, were observed after 1 day of exposure. No histopathological lesions in the gills, trunk kidney and liver were identified. The results of the present study indicate that Chwastox Extra® 300 SL has a relatively low toxicity for the common carp. It was also observed that the blood indices were more sensitive to the tested herbicide formulation than the microstructure of the selected organs. Further research aimed at studying the effects of Chwastox on water invertebrates and fish of other taxa is recommended.

Combined use of CDAI and blood indices for assessing endoscopic activity in ileocolic Crohn’s disease

BackgroundMucosal healing has become the primary treatment target for patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). We aimed to develop a noninvasive and convenient tool to evaluate the endoscopic activity in patients with ileocolic CD.MethodsA retrospective multicenter study including 300 CD patients (training, 210 patients; test, 90 patients) was conducted at two tertiary referral centers. Independent risk factors associated with endoscopic activity were explored, which were then combined into a comprehensive index. The predictive performance was evaluated with the area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). Cohen’s Kappa was adopted to examine the consistency between each indicator and endoscopic activity.ResultsA total of 210 CD patients were recruited in the training cohort. We found that Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI), C-reactive protein (CRP) and platelet-to-lymphocyte percentage ratio (PLpR) were independently associated with endoscopic activity. Additionally, the comprehensive index generated from the above three indices achieved good discrimination and performed better than CDAI in AUC (0.849 vs. 0.769, P < 0.05). This was further well demonstrated by the external test cohort, which showed good discrimination (AUC: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.744–0.936). Intra-individual comparison revealed the comprehensive index to be superior in the prediction of endoscopic activity. In the subgroup analysis, the AUC of comprehensive index was significantly higher than CDAI especially in inflammatory phenotype (0.824 vs. 0.751, P < 0.05).ConclusionCombining CDAI, CRP and PLpR significantly improved the accuracy for predicting endoscopic activity in ileocolic CD, which can help better monitor an endoscopic flare.

Evaluation of the Interaction between Gum Arabic Addition and Stocking Density on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and General Health Parameters of Broiler Chickens.

The present study aims to investigate the interaction between the addition of gum arabic as a prebiotic and various stocking densities on performance indicators, intestinal morphology, carcass characteristics, lymphoid organs, and selected blood indices of broiler chickens. A total of 816 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were used and randomly divided into six blocks as replicates with eight treatments per block (forty-eight floor pens) based on 4 × 2 factorial arrangements with four dietary treatments containing 0.00% (CONT), 0.12% gum arabic (T1), 0.25% gum arabic (T2), and 0.10% commercial prebiotic (T3) and two stocking densities (normal = 28 kg/m2; high = 50 kg/m2). All performance indicators were evaluated during the feeding phases. Blood biochemical indicators were analyzed at 36 days of age. At 37 days of age, carcass characteristics, lymphoid organs, and intestinal morphology were measured. On days 1-36, growth performance indicators were negatively affected at high stocking density, but all growth performance indicators except feed intake improved in chickens receiving T1-T3 compared to CONT (p < 0.05). The relative weight of total small intestine and weight-to-length ratio showed a significant interaction between treatments and stocking density (p < 0.05). A high stocking density decreased pre-slaughter weight, carcass weight, and dressing yield, while legs and thymus increased (p < 0.05). None of the interactions or treatments affected carcass characteristics or lymphoid organs (p > 0.05). Indicators of blood biochemistry were not affected by treatments, stocking density, or their interaction (p > 0.05), except for uric acid, creatinine, and aspartate aminotransferase, which were higher at a high stocking density (p < 0.05). In conclusion, gum arabic as a prebiotic improved growth performance, production efficiency, and intestinal morphology in broilers. In contrast, high stocking density negatively affected performance, production efficiency, some blood indices, carcass weight, dressing yield, and intestinal morphology. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism.

Effect of Yarrowia lipolytica yeast biomass with increased kynurenic acid content on selected metabolic indicators in mice.

The unconventional yeast species Yarrowia lipolytica is a valuable source of protein and many other nutrients. It can be used to produce hydrolytic enzymes and metabolites, including kynurenic acid (KYNA), an endogenous metabolite of tryptophan with a multidirectional effect on the body. The administration of Y. lipolytica with an increased content of KYNA in the diet may have a beneficial effect on metabolism, which was evaluated in a nutritional experiment on mice. In the dry biomass of Y. lipolytica S12 enriched in KYNA (high-KYNA yeast) and low-KYNA (control) yeast, the content of KYNA was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Then, proximate and amino acid composition and selected indicators of antioxidant status were compared. The effect of 5% high-KYNA yeast content in the diet on the growth, hematological and biochemical indices of blood and the redox status of the liver was determined in a 7-week experiment on adult male mice from an outbred colony derived from A/St, BALB/c, BN/a and C57BL/6J inbred strains. High-KYNA yeast was characterized by a greater concentration of KYNA than low-KYNA yeast (0.80 ± 0.08 vs. 0.29 ± 0.01 g/kg dry matter), lower content of crude protein with a less favorable amino acid composition and minerals, higher level of crude fiber and fat and lower ferric-reducing antioxidant power, concentration of phenols and glutathione. Consumption of the high-KYNA yeast diet did not affect the cumulative body weight gain per cage, cumulative food intake per cage and protein efficiency ratio compared to the control diet. A trend towards lower mean corpuscular volume and hematocrit, higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and lower serum total protein and globulins was observed, increased serum total cholesterol and urea were noted. Its ingestion resulted in a trend towards greater ferric-reducing antioxidant power in the liver and did not affect the degree of liver lipid and protein oxidation. The improvement of the quality of Y. lipolytica yeast biomass with increased content of KYNA, including its antioxidant potential, would be affected by the preserved level of protein and unchanged amino acid profile. It will be worth investigating the effect of such optimized yeast on model animals, including animals with metabolic diseases.