Breast Muscle Research Articles

Effects of a diet supplemented with polysaccharides from Pogostemon cablin on growth performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity in Chongren Partridge chickens.

In this study, the Pogostemon cablin polysaccharides (PCPs) were heteropolysaccharides with molecular weights of 63.17 kDa and 8.99 kDa, and their total carbohydrate content was 76.17 ± 0.23%, uronic acid content was 19.92 ± 0.42%, and protein content was 1.24 ± 0.07%. PCP is composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, and glucuronic acid, with a molar ratio of 0.196:0.249:0.451:0.104. In addition, we further investigated the effects of the diet supplemented with different doses of PCP on growth performance, meat quality, and anti-oxidant capacity in Chongren Partridge chickens. A total of 200 chickens were randomly allocated into 4 treatments, and fed with a basal diet of 0 (CON), 200 (LPCP), 400 (MPCP), and 800 (HPCP) mg/kg PCP for a 14-day prefeeding period and a formal experimental period of 56 days. Results showed that dietary PCP significantly increased final body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), and decreased feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) from days 1 to 56. Meanwhile, dietary PCP reduced yellowness (b∗) values and increased redness (a∗) values at 24 h in breast muscles (p < 0.05). Furthermore, LPCP and MPCP significantly increased the level of guanylic acid (GMP) (p < 0.05). MPCP increased the content of free amino acids (isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, threonine, valine, alanine, glutamic acid, serine, cysteine), total essential amino acid (EAA), total flavor amino acid (FAA), total AA, the content of fatty acids (c14:1, c16:1, and c22:2), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in the breast muscle when compared to CON (p < 0.05). In addition, MPCP significantly reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the transcript abundances of fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2), fatty acid synthase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) in the breast muscles of the chickens (p < 0.05). In light of the aforementioned results, PCP at 400 mg/kg could be used as an effective additive because it not only promotes the growth performance of Chongren Partridge chickens but also shows a conducive role in meat quality, especially in meat flavor.

RNA-sequencing revisited data shed new light on wooden breast myopathy

Wooden Breast (WB) abnormality represents one of the major challenges that the poultry industry has faced in the last 10 years. Despite the enormous progress in understanding the mechanisms underlying WB, the precise initial causes remain to be clarified. In this scenario, the present research is intended to characterize the gene expression profiles of broiler Pectoralis major muscles affected by WB, comparing them to the unaffected counterpart, to provide new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying this defect and potentially identifying novel genes likely involved in its occurrence. To this purpose, data obtained in a previous study through the RNA-sequencing technology have been used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 6 affected and 5 unaffected broilers' breast muscles, by using the newest reference genome assembly for Gallus gallus (GRCg7b). Also, to deeply investigate molecular and biological pathways involved in the WB progression, pathways analyses have been performed. The results achieved through the differential gene expression analysis mainly evidenced the downregulation of glycogen metabolic processes, gluconeogenesis, and tricarboxylic acid cycle in WB muscles, thus corroborating the evidence of a dysregulated energy metabolism characterizing breasts affected by this abnormality. Also, genes related to hypertrophic muscle growth have been identified as differentially expressed (e.g., WFIKKN1). Together with that, a downregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and functionality has been detected. Among them, PPARGC1A and PPARGC1B chicken genes are particularly noteworthy. These genes not only have essential roles in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis but also play pivotal roles in maintaining glucose and energy homeostasis. In view of that, their downregulation in WB-affected muscle may be considered as potentially related to both the mitochondrial dysfunction and altered glucose metabolism in WB muscles, and their key involvement in the molecular alterations characterizing this muscular abnormality might be hypothesized.

Comprehensive Screening of Salinomycin in Feed and Its Residues in Poultry Tissues Using Microbial Inhibition Tests Coupled to Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Salinomycin is a coccidiostat approved as a feed additive for the prevention of coccidiosis in poultry. Official control of its residues is set by the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/1644. The aim of our study was to assess the suitability of three microbial inhibition tests (MITs), Premi®Test, Explorer 2.0, and the Screening Test for Antibiotic Residues (STAR) linked to the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), for the screening of salinomycin residues in the tissues of broiler chickens (breast and thigh muscle, heart, liver, gizzard, kidneys, lungs, spleen, skin, and fat) fed commercially produced feed containing 70 mg.kg-1 of salinomycin in the complete feed. The first residue screening (Sampling A) was performed on the last day of administration of the salinomycin-medicated feed (day 30), and the second screening (Sampling B) was performed on the day of slaughter (day 37) after the expiry of the withdrawal period with the feeding of non-medicated feed. Based on the quantitative confirmation of salinomycin residues in the examined chicken tissues by the ELISA method (Sampling A from 0.025 to 0.241 mg.kg-1; Sampling B from 0.003 to 0.076 mg.kg-1), all the MITs with the preference of the bacterial strain Bacillus stearothermophilus var. calidolactis ATCC 10149 demonstrated the ability to detect the residues of salinomycin in the examined tissues of broiler chickens at the level of the maximum residue limits set from 0.015 to 0.150 mg.kg-1 by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1914 and confirmed the relevance of their sensitivity to the coccidiostat salinomycin.

Involvement of N4BP2L1, PLEKHA4, and BEGAIN genes in breast cancer and muscle cell development.

Patients with breast cancer show altered expression of genes within the pectoralis major skeletal muscle cells of the breast. Through analyses of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-breast cancer (BRCA), we identified three previously uncharacterized putative novel tumor suppressor genes expressed in normal muscle cells, whose expression was downregulated in breast tumors. We found that NEDD4 binding protein 2-like 1 (N4BP2L1), pleckstrin homology domain-containing family A member 4 (PLEKHA4), and brain-enriched guanylate kinase-associated protein (BEGAIN) that are normally highly expressed in breast myoepithelial cells and smooth muscle cells were significantly downregulated in breast tumor tissues of a cohort of 50 patients with this cancer. Our data revealed that the low expression of PLEKHA4 in patients with menopause below 50years correlated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Moreover, we identified N4BP2L1 and BEGAIN as potential biomarkers of HER2-positive breast cancer. Furthermore, low BEGAIN expression in breast cancer patients with blood fat, heart problems, and diabetes correlated with a higher risk of this cancer. In addition, protein and RNA expression analysis of TCGA-BRCA revealed N4BP2L1 as a promising diagnostic protein biomarker in breast cancer. In addition, the in silico data of scRNA-seq showed high expression of these genes in several cell types of normal breast tissue, including breast myoepithelial cells and smooth muscle cells. Thus, our results suggest their possible tumor-suppressive function in breast cancer and muscle development.

Effects of Sex on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, Blood Biochemical Parameters, and Meat Quality of XueShan Chickens.

The demand for high-quality chilled chicken has continued to increase in China. Chickens are sexually dimorphic, and to better understand the specific differences in chicken production based on sex, we examined how sex affects growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of yellow-feathered chickens. Male and female Xueshan chickens were used as the experimental model. Although males exhibited better growth performance, including body weight (BW), body slope, keel, shank length, and shank girth (p < 0.05), as well as carcass traits, such as dressed weight, leg muscle, and lean meat, females had higher carcass and breast muscle yields (p < 0.05). Males had higher follicle density and yellowness (b*) of the skin and better skin than females (p < 0.05). Among blood biochemical parameters, the serum content of corticosterone (CORT) was higher in males, while those of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and catalase (CAT) were lower in males than in females (p < 0.05). The pH levels, shear force, and moisture content quality were better in male breast meat, while the intramuscular fat content (IMF) was lower in males than in females (p < 0.05). The redness (a*) and moisture content were higher in male leg meat, while the pH, water-loss rate (WLR), lightness (L*), and IMF were lower (p < 0.05). The muscle fiber diameter and cross-sectional area were also higher in males (p < 0.05). Consumers felt that soup of male chicken was better than female (p < 0.05), while mouthfeel and tenderness acceptance of breast meat were different between the sexes. These results indicate that female chickens can be marketed as a whole carcass, while males are more suitable for processed carcass products. This study provides significant insights into the production and processing methodologies of yellow-feathered chickens.

Molecular and gene expression analyses of chicken oncomodulin and their association with breast myopathies in broilers

Oncomodulins (OCMs), also known as non-α-parvalbumins, are small molecules known for their high-affinity binding of Ca2+ ions. They play crucial roles as Ca2+ buffers and participate in signaling pathways within muscle and neuron cells. In chickens, 3 oncomodulin molecules have been identified at the protein level and are named chicken oncomodulin 1 (OCM1), -3 (OCM3), and alpha-parvalbumin (PVALB). OCM4 was newly assigned by genome annotation. A gene cluster containing OCM1, OCM3, and OCM4 is located in chromosome 14, while a single gene of PVALB is on chromosome 1. The Ca2+ signaling pathway may be a potential contributor to the onset of chicken breast myopathies. However, chicken OCMs have not been extensively studied in muscle tissues. In this study, the genetic specifications, tissue-specific and differential expression of OCM1, OCM3, OCM4, and PVALB in the context of chicken breast myopathies were investigated. OCM1 exhibited moderate expression in the liver, intestine, and kidney. OCM3 was highly expressed in thymus and breast muscle. A long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcribed from the antisense strand of the OCM3 gene was found to be expressed in liver, lung, heart, intestine, and kidney tissues. OCM4 was barely expressed in thymus, thigh-, and breast muscle. PVALB exhibited high expression across all tissues examined. Results of quantitative PCR (qPCR) indicated that the expression of OCM3 was significantly increased (4.4 ± 0.7 fold; P-value = 0.03) in woody breast (WB) muscle and even greater (8.5 ± 0.6 fold; P-value = 0.004) in WB/white striping (WS) muscles. The expression of PVALB showed no difference in WB muscle, but it was notably higher (4.6 ± 0.7 fold; P-value = 0.054) in WB/WS muscle, although statistical significance was not reached. These findings suggest that increased expression of OCM3 and PVALB may be linked to chicken breast myopathies with regard to disruption of Ca2+ buffering.

Effects of in ovo feeding of xylobiose and xylotriose on growth performance, carcass traits, ileal histomorphometry, and immune-related gene expression in broiler chickens

Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are known as prebiotics which promote beneficial gut microbes, improve gut health and the performance of broilers. Xylobiose (XOS2) and xylotriose (XOS3) are two compounds in the XOS group. In ovo feeding could deliver these prebiotics to the embryo, and this is considered as an effective method for studying the effects of the prebiotics during embryonic development and the post-hatch period. This study investigated the effects of in ovo feeding of XOS2 and XOS3 on growth performance, carcass traits, ileal histomorphometry, and immune-related gene expression in broilers. A total of 144 fertilized eggs of Cobb 500 broilers were divided into three groups: (a) non-injected control (CON), (b) XOS2, and (c) XOS3. The eggs from XOS2 and XOS3 groups were injected with 0.5 ml of 0.85% normal saline solution containing 3 mg of XOS2 and 3 mg of XOS3, respectively, into their amniotic sac on the 17th embryonic day. A total of 131 hatched chicks were raised in 18 replicate pens (5 or more chicks per pen) following standard management practices and fed a corn-soybean meal-based diet for 21 days. The feed intake and body weight (BW) data were recorded weekly. The chickens were euthanized on day 7, day 14, and day 21 to collect ileum sections, and the carcass traits were recorded on only day 21. Total RNA was extracted from ileum tissues, and qPCR was performed to measure the gene expression. All the statistical analyses considered the significance level at a P value <0.05. The result showed that in ovo treatments did not affect the hatchability of the eggs. The XOS2 group showed a trend to increase the BW on day 0, compared to CON (P=0.052), and the XOS3 group showed better FCR improvement than the XOS2 group in the first week. There was no difference (P>0.05) among the groups for the weight of the breast muscle, drumsticks, gizzard, proventriculus, and carcass weight at the age of 21 days. The histomorphometry of the ileum on day 7 revealed a significant reduction (P<0.05) of villi height (VH), villi width (VW), and crypt depth (CD) in XOS2, compared to the CON group. On day 7, a lower CD and a higher VH to CD ratio were recorded in XOS3, compared to CON. On day 14, XOS3 showed an increase in VW and villi surface area (VSA) compared to XOS2 birds. On day 7, the expression of IL10 in XOS2 was higher compared to CON and XOS3, and CD56 was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the XOS2 compared to CON group. On day 21, the XOS2 and XOS3 significantly lower the expression of IFNγ. Overall, XOS2 and XOS3 significantly increased immunity until day 21. In conclusion, in ovo XOS feeding demonstrated the potential to modulate gut morphology and immunity of the chickens during the post-hatch days.

Serum Biochemical Parameters of Broilers Affected by Wooden Breast Myopathy.

Wooden breast (WB) myopathy is a pathology of the pectoralis major muscle. Wooden breast is caused by multiple factors. The exact etiopathogenesis of this myodegenerative pathology is still unclear. Fast-growing commercial lines of broilers that are selected for high breast muscle yields are more susceptible to this myopathy. The biochemical analysis of blood is used to diagnose pathologies and understand disease processes. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine and compare the changes in the blood serum biochemical parameters of Ross 308 chicken broilers without myopathy and those affected by WB myopathy. Blood samples were collected from male and female Ross 308 broilers that were 43 days old, with an average live weight of 2.98-3.09 kg. Representative blood samples were selected from broilers with WB (n = 33) and without WB (n = 33). In the laboratory, the blood was centrifugated, and biochemical tests were performed with an automated computerized biochemistry analyzer. The research results showed that broilers with WB had elevated blood serum levels of creatine kinase (CK) (p = 0.018), potassium (p = 0.010), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (p = 0.012). In conclusion, elevated serum levels of CK and potassium indicated that skeletal muscle cells were damaged. Moreover, increased ALT levels suggested a possible association between WB myopathy and liver damage. Additionally, these research findings underscore the diagnostic significance of CK and hint at its potential as a WB biomarker.

Genome-wide association analysis explores the genetic loci of amino acid content in duck’s breast muscle

BackgroundAmino acids are the basic components of protein and an important index to evaluate meat quality. With the rapid development of genomics, candidate regions and genes affecting amino acid content in livestock and poultry have been gradually revealed. Hence, genome-wide association study (GWAS) can be used to screen candidate loci associated with amino acid content in duck meat.ResultIn the current study, the content of 16 amino acids was detected in 358 duck breast muscles. The proportion of Glu to the total amino acid content was relatively high, and the proportion was 0.14. However, the proportion of Met content was relatively low, at just 0.03. By comparative analysis, significant differences were found between males and females in 3 amino acids, including Ser, Met, and Phe. In addition, 12 SNPs were significantly correlated with Pro content by GWAS analysis, and these SNPs were annotated by 7 protein-coding genes; 8 significant SNPs were associated with Tyr content, and these SNPs were annotated by 6 protein-coding genes. At the same time, linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis was performed on these regions with significant signals. The results showed that three SNPs in the 55–56 Mbp region of chromosome 3 were highly correlated with the leader SNP (chr3:55526954) that affected Pro content (r2 > 0.6). Similarly, LD analysis showed that there were three SNPs in the 21.2–21.6 Mbp region of chromosome 13, which were highly correlated with leader SNP (chr13:21421661) (r2 > 0.6). Moreover, Through functional enrichment analysis of all candidate genes. The results of GO enrichment analysis showed that several significant GO items were associated with amino acid transport function, including amino acid transmembrane transport and glutamine transport. The results further indicate that these candidate genes are closely associated with amino acid transport. Among them, key candidate genes include SLC38A1. For KEGG enrichment analysis, CACNA2D3 and CACNA1D genes were covered by significant pathways.ConclusionIn this study, GWAS analysis found a total of 28 significant SNPs affecting amino acid content. Through gene annotation, a total of 20 candidate genes were screened. In addition, Through LD analysis and enrichment analysis, we considered that SERAC1, CACNA2D3 and SLC38A1 genes are important candidate genes affecting amino acid content in duck breast muscle.

Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Wild-Living Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos L.) Originating from Croatia.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of sex and hunting location on carcass characteristics and meat quality of wild-living mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) from Croatia. Twenty-eight mallards (14 ♂; 14 ♀) were hunted at two hunting locations (HL I = 8 ♂, 8 ♀; HL II = 6 ♂, 6 ♀) in the Croatian lowlands. The carcasses were eviscerated, dressed, and dissected, and the individual internal organs and carcass parts were weighed. The breast muscle (m. pectoralis major) was sampled and used to determine color, pH, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force, and proximate chemical and fatty acid composition. Sex and HL had a significant effect on the majority of carcass characteristics analyzed, but they had no effect on the physical meat parameters. The protein and ash content of mallard meat was significantly higher in HL II (23.16% vs. 22.67%; 1.45% vs. 1.36%, respectively) and the moisture content in females (72.40% vs. 71.59%). HL had a significant effect on SFA (II 33.96% vs. I 29.91%), PUFA n-3 (II 3.55% vs. I 2.69%), PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios, and all lipid indices. Females had a significantly higher C22:6n-3 content, a higher PI index and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio. The data presented in this study contribute to a better understanding of game-bird meat quality originating from different regions.

Large-scale transcriptomic and genomic analyses reveal a novel functional gene SERPINB6 for chicken carcass traits

BackgroundCarcass traits are crucial indicators of meat production efficiency. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms associated with these traits remain unclear.ResultsIn this study, we conducted comprehensive transcriptomic and genomic analyses on 399 Tiannong partridge chickens to identify key genes and variants associated with carcass traits and to elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanisms. Based on association analyses with the elastic net (EN) model, we identified 12 candidate genes (AMY1A, AP3B2, CEBPG, EEF2, EIF4EBP1, FGFR1, FOXD3, GOLM1, LOC107052698, PABPC1, SERPINB6 and TBC1D16) for 4 carcass-related traits, namely live weight, dressed weight, eviscerated weight, and breast muscle weight. SERPINB6 was identified as the only overlapping gene by 3 analyses, EN model analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis and differential expression analysis. Cell-level experiments confirmed that SERPINB6 promotes the proliferation of chicken DF1 cells and primary myoblasts. Further expression genome-wide association study and association analysis indicated that rs317934171 is the critical site that enhances SERPINB6 expression. Furthermore, a dual-luciferase reporter assay proved that gga-miR-1615 targets the 3′UTR of SERPINB6.ConclusionsCollectively, our findings reveal that SERPINB6 serves as a novel gene for chicken carcass traits by promoting fibroblast and myoblast proliferation. Additionally, the downstream variant rs317934171 regulates SERPINB6 expression. These results identify a new target gene and molecular marker for the molecular mechanisms of chicken carcass traits.

Differential responses to heat stress in normal and dwarf chickens: implications for meat quality and immune function

Abstract This study investigated the impact of heat stress (HS) on meat quality, antioxidant ability, and immunity in normal and dwarf-size chickens. A total of 144 chickens, with 72 from the normal yellow chicken (NYC) strain and 72 from the dwarf yellow chicken (DYC) strain, were equally divided into groups exposed to heat stress (35±1°C for 8 hours daily) and those kept at 28±1°C as the control group. After seven days of treatment, meat color parameters, including lightness (L*-value), redness (a*-value), and yellowness (b*-value), were assessed. Histopathological examination was conducted on spleen tissues to assess structural changes. Gene expression analysis determined the expression levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, and liver catalase (CAT) related to immune response and antioxidant capacity. HS significantly affected meat color parameters, with an increase in lightness (L*-value) (P&lt;0.01) and a decrease in redness (a*-value) (P&lt;0.01) observed in breast and thigh muscles. Furthermore, HS led to increased drip loss (P&lt;0.05), cooking loss (P&lt;0.05), and shear force (P&lt;0.01) in breast muscles. Histopathological examination of spleen tissues revealed varying degrees of lymphoid depletion, necrosis, fibrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltration in response to HS. Gene expression analysis showed that HS upregulated the expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-6 in the spleen of NYC (P&lt;0.05) but not in DYC. Additionally, HS reduced the expression of liver catalase (CAT) in NYC (P&lt;0.05) but had no significant effect on DYC. These findings indicate that HS adversely affects meat quality, immune response, and antioxidant capacity in broilers, with normal-sized chickens being more susceptible to these effects compared to dwarf chickens. The results provide valuable insights into the differential responses of chicken strains to HS and underscore the importance of considering genetic factors in mitigating the negative impacts of heat stress on poultry production.

Effect of distiller’s dried yeast on selected microbiotic fractions and the carcass and meat quality of broiler chickens

Abstract The study was conducted on 112 broiler chickens fed for 35 and 37 days with various levels of distiller’s yeast in diets – 3% in starter, 6% in grower, and 9% in finisher feeds. The results showed that as the level of distiller’s dried yeast in the broiler diets increased, the total number of bacteria in the mucosa of the small intestine, cecum, and colon decreased, including mainly Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus, and E. coli. The addition of 9% yeast to the diet significantly reduced the abundance of Lactobacillus sp. in the intestinal mucosa of broiler chickens. There was no significant effect of the level of distiller’s dried yeast in the diet of broiler chickens on carcass quality, pH, water holding capacity, sensory characteristics, and macronutrient and micronutrient content in breast muscle. On the other hand, there was a significant effect of the analyzed distiller’s yeast on color characteristics and basic chemical composition of breast muscle. The highest lightness (L*), yellowness (b*), and chroma (C*) and the lowest dry matter content were found in the meat of chickens receiving 6% and 9% distiller’s dried yeast in their diets. The results of the study indicate that for the best results in terms of carcass and meat quality, the optimal content of the analyzed yeast in the diet of broiler chickens should not exceed 3%.

PSVI-15 Assessing the implications of a silymarin-enriched diet on the performance and blood absorption rate of broiler and laying hen

Abstract This experiment was executed to assess the impacts of silymarin on different aspects of broiler and laying hen, including growth, digestibility, excreta score, footpad lesion score, tibia ash, meat quality, and blood absorption rate. In Experiment 1: 1-d-old Ross 308 broilers (mixed sex; n = 576) were arbitrarily assigned with an average body weight of 42 ± 0.3 g for a 32-d trial. The broilers were sorted into eight repetition pens with 18 birds per pen and four research treatments (basal diet as the control and basal diet included 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06% micelle silymarin). Experiment 2: 61-wk-old Hy-line brown laying hens (n = 16) were divided into 2 treatment groups (TRT1, basal diet + powdered silymarin 4%; TRT2, basal diet + micelle silymarin 4%), with 8 numbers per repetition. Feeding broilers with a graded dose of micelle silymarin (MS) increased body weight gain linearly during d 1–9, 9–21, 21–32, and overall (P = 0.021, 0.011, 0.019, and 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, there was a linear increase in feed intake (P = 0.017) during d 1–9, and the enhancement of dry matter utilization (linear, P = 0.011) was exhibited as the amount of MS inclusion in the diet increased. Tibia ash content enhanced linearly (P = 0.038), and meat quality traits also revealed a linear improvement in breast muscle color (yellowness) (P = 0.045) and linear decrease (P = 0.004) in pH level with the increasing levels of MS in the broiler diet. Nonetheless, both the excreta score and the footpad lesion score showed no significant alteration (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Moreover, a greater absorption rate of silymarin was observed in the blood of laying hens 2 h (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) and 4 h (P &amp;lt; 0.0001) after feeding with micelle-type silymarin as compared with powdered-type silymarin. Briefly, MS can be a favorable supplement for poultry production as it can increase the growth, digestibility, toe ash, and meat quality of broilers and the blood absorption rate of laying hens.

Dietary supplementation with Chlorella vulgaris in broiler chickens submitted to heat-stress: effects on growth performance and meat quality

Heat stress can greatly challenge growth and meat quality of broiler chickens where research is looking for sustainable ingredients, such as microalgae, that could also alleviate its negative impacts. Thus, in the present study, 576 1-D-old chicks (Ross 308) were housed until commercial slaughtering (42 D) in 36 pens in 2 rooms of a poultry house, according to a full factorial design encompassing 2 room temperatures (standard vs. high), 2 sexes (females vs. males), and 3 dietary treatments, that is, diet C0 (control diet), diet C3, and diet C6 containing 0, 3, and 6%, respectively, of C. vulgaris meal replacing the same quantities of soybean meal. The highest inclusion level of C. vulgaris decreased feed intake (P < 0.001) and body weight (P < 0.0001) compared to the control diet; it increased yellow and red indexes (P < 0.0001) of the breast muscle, besides the proportion of n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (P = 0.028). Heat stress decreased feed intake (P = 0.001), breast (P = 0.001) and p. major yields (P = 0.036), and increased meat pH (P= 0.008) and cooking losses (P < 0.001), umami (P = 0.021) and brothy flavor (P < 0.001), and the proportion of n3 PUFA rates (P = 0.027), while reducing the contents of several amino acids in the breast meat (P ≤ 0.05). Compared to females, males displayed higher feed intake and growth, and more favorable feed conversion (P < 0.001). Carcass and p. major yields were greater in females (P < 0.001) which also showed a higher occurrence of spaghetti meat compared to males (P < 0.001). In conclusion, C. vulgaris can be used to replace until 3% of soybean meal in diets for broiler chickens without negative implications, while positively affecting breast meat color according to consumers' preferences. However, the microalgae inclusion did not mitigate the negative effects of a chronic heat stress on growth performance nor reduced the occurrence of any myopathies.

Abstract PO5-18-03: A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of 1 cm versus 2 cm resection margins in Phyllodes Tumours of the Breast - An Exploratory Study

Abstract Introduction Phyllodes tumors are rare fibroepithelial tumors constituting 0.3-1% of breast tumors. It presents as a rapidly growing breast lump, with a bosselated surface and overlying shiny stretched skin with dilated prominent veins. Diagnosis is made by mammography and ultrasonography and tissue diagnosis is made by core needle biopsy. The tumor is known for its propensity to grow rapidly within the mesenchymal elements of breast tissue, and to locally recur. Surgery with adequate margins of excision has been known to prevent local recurrence. Phyllodes tumors have inspired much debate among surgeons, regarding the extent of margins during resection. These margins have been defined clearly for carcinoma of the breast (no ink on tumor) but the same consensus has not been reached for Phyllodes tumor. We carried out the world’s first randomized trial to settle the debate to compare the effects of a 1cm margin with that of a 2 cm margin, aiming to arrive at a consensus on the appropriate surgical margin to prevent re-excision and recurrences. We also aimed to compare cosmetic outcomes both subjectively and objectively between the 2 arms. Materials and Methods We carried out a prospective exploratory randomized control trial on patients with suspected phyllodes tumors of the breast from July 2020 to January 2022. After establishing diagnosis, and obtaining informed consent, patients were randomized to either of the 2 arms, to undergo resection with a lcm vs a 2 cm margin. Intraoperatively, the margin of the tumor was delineated by ultrasound for maximum accuracy. The incision made was deepened through the breast and pectoralis major muscle at a distance of exactly 1 cm or 2 cm from the tumor edge. The entire mass was excised en bloc with a 3 dimensional clearance from all sides. If the tumor was found infiltrating the underlying muscle (e.g Pectoralis major muscle, Serratus anterior), a full thickness section of the muscle was also excised with the specimen. The patients were followed up every 3 months with clinical examination and ultrasonography (followed by core needle biopsy for any suspicious mass), for a period of 12-18 months, to evaluate for recurrence.Cosmesis was evaluated by a 5-point Likert scale evaluated by the patient and the surgeon, and objectively using Breast Retraction Assessment and Nipple Deviation. Results We analysed the results of 41 patients who underwent surgery for Phyllodes tumor of the breast. All patients had negative margins after surgery. The mean margin distance (SD) in the 1 cm arm was 0.69 (0.20) cm and 1.83 (0.67) cm in the 2 cm arm. which was statistically significant between the groups. On the follow up ultrasound examination at 12 months, 1 patient (5.3%) was found to have a locoregional recurrence, but this was not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in cosmesis between the arms. Conclusions We achieved our primary objective of histologically negative margins in all patients within both the groups. However, due to the limited number of patients recruited in the study, and due to the short duration of follow-up, we are not able to report significance in terms of recurrences between the 2 groups, to advocate for one over the other. The practice in our unit has been the 2 cm margin, as it offers good oncological outcomes and is definitely safe. Given that cosmetic outcomes were comparable in both arms, one can be assured that a 2 cm margin does not offer worse cosmesis compared to a 1 cm margin. However, our study at this point in time, establishes non inferiority of a 1 cm margin. There have been no randomized control trials conducted in world literature to influence guidelines and clinical practice regarding the ideal margin resection for phyllodes tumor. Our study would be the first of its kind, and is a novel concept not yet conducted for phyllodes tumor. We will continue this trial for years to come, and hope to generate level I data, with increased patient enrolment and a longer duration of follow up. Citation Format: Vandhana Rajgopal, Anita Dhar, Kamal Kataria, Piyush Ranjan, Anurag Srivastava. A Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of 1 cm versus 2 cm resection margins in Phyllodes Tumours of the Breast - An Exploratory Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-18-03.

Therapeutic effects of lincomycin and level of drug degradation in broiler tissues after treatment.

Lincomycin is an antibiotic used in broiler farming and is commonly combined with other substances to achieve synergistic and complementary effects on the antibacterial spectrum and mechanism. We developed a specific high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to measure lincomycin levels in broiler tissues. This study aimed to determine the lincomycin level in tissues and compare it with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and maximum residue limit (MRL) of certain pathogenic bacteria. Three groups of broiler chickens were involved in the study (n = 20 in each group): A control group without lincomycin treatment and two groups (each further divided into two sub-groups) that received oral lincomycin at a dose of 1 g/10 kg of body weight daily for 7 and 14 consecutive days. Tissue samples were collected from each group 1 day and 1 week after lincomycin administration (ALA). This study validated the development of a technique for analyzing drug level degradation in tissues using HPLC. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed for drug levels to assess their therapeutic value and safety based on lincomycin MIC of certain pathogenic bacteria and MRL. The method validation resulted in linear regression and coefficient of determination for tissues with r2 > 0.99, with a recovery rate of 90%-110%, precision as the coefficient of variation 15%, and specificity with no peak overlap for lincomycin. The limits of detection for the liver and kidney were 0.01 μg/g, 0.05 μg/g, and 0.1 μg/g for the breast muscle and all tissues. Administration of lincomycin for 7 and 14 days resulted in therapeutic value concentrations. Lincomycin levels in the liver and kidney of ALA exceeded the MRL, whereas breast muscles were below the MRL for a week of ALA treatment. Administration of lincomycin for 7 and 14 consecutive days resulted in therapeutic value; however, after a week, most tissues showed high drug concentrations that exceeded the MRL. It is necessary to carefully consider the prolonged therapeutic dose of lincomycin in broilers. Antibiotic therapy must be guided in such a way as to protect the product from harmful residues.

The Correlation Between Protein Intake And Muscle Mass in Breast Cancer Patients at Dr. H. Abdul Moeloek Regional Hospital

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death among women. Since protein serves as a building ingredient for cells, muscles, and tissues, eating enough of it is thought to be essential for gaining muscle mass. The cornerstone for cancer patients to maintain and/or gain muscle mass will be an adequate protein intake. In this study, breast cancer patients' muscle mass was measured and a 24-hour recall of their weekdays and weekends was conducted. The average amount of protein consumed by participants was 31.22 grams, and the average percentage of muscle mass was 24.02%. The purpose of this study is to ascertain how breast cancer patients' protein consumption and muscle mass relate to one another. This study uses quota sampling as the sample method and a cross-sectional design. There were fifty-six responders in the sample. This research uses the Spearman rank. The normality test results show that the significance value for muscle mass is p value = 0.016 (p &lt; 0.05), it can be concluded that the data is distributed abnormally. Meanwhile, the normality test results for protein intake p-value = 0.200 (p &gt; 0.05) can be concluded that the data is normally distributed, so it is continued with the Spearman rank correlation test. Based on the results of the Spearman rank correlation test, a correlation coefficient value of 0.488 was obtained with a significance p-value of 0.0001. So there is a positive significant correlation between protein intake and muscle mass in breast cancer sufferers at Dr. H. Abdul Moeloek Regional Hospital of Lampung Province p value = 0.0001 (p&lt;0.05).

Nutritional Value and Physicochemical Properties of Male and Female Broad-Breasted Bronze Turkey Muscle.

Colored varieties of turkeys, such as the broad-breasted Bronze, not currently subject to intensive breeding work, are kept only in amateur breeding and treated rather as ornamental poultry. They are raised in extensive systems, which undoubtedly affects the quality of the meat obtained. Consumers are looking for meat with specific and unique sensory qualities; hence, the interest in meat from turkeys with a slower-than-typical growth rate, such as the broad-breasted Bronze, is justified. The object of this research was to analyze the physicochemical properties and nutritional value (amino acid, fatty acid, and antioxidant profile) of the breast and thigh muscles of broad-breasted Bronze turkeys with regard to gender. It was shown that gender had little effect on muscle chemical composition, amino acid, and fatty acid content (p > 0.05), as well as most oxido-reduction indices. However, significant differences were noted in muscle quality traits such as color brightness (L*; turkeys > indors; p = 0.023), proportion of red (a*; turkeys < indors; p = 0.048) and yellow (b*; turkeys > indors; p = 0.039), and water absorption (turkeys < indors; p = 0.009). The type of muscle also had a significant effect on quality characteristics. Higher a*, b*, C*, pH, water absorption, and thermal leakage were shown in the femoral muscle (p < 0.001), while L* and h were higher in the pectoral muscle (p < 0.001). Turkey meat was characterized by a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (MUFA + PUFA ~68%), favorable FA index values, and low lipid oxidation indices. Thigh muscles (especially turkey) were more caloric, and contained significantly (p < 0.001) more fat and all major FA groups. Breast muscles (especially of turkeys) were characterized by a high protein content (about 25%) and a high proportion of essential amino acids. The data obtained indicate that broad-breasted Bronze turkeys can provide high-quality meat, and are an excellent option for meeting modern consumer needs.

Strand-Specific RNA Sequencing Reveals Gene Expression Patterns in F1 Chick Breast Muscle and Liver after Hatching.

Heterosis refers to the phenomenon where hybrids exhibit superior performance compared to the parental phenotypes and has been widely utilized in crossbreeding programs for animals and crops, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain enigmatic. A better understanding of the gene expression patterns in post-hatch chickens is very important for exploring the genetic basis underlying economically important traits in the crossbreeding of chickens. In this study, breast muscle and liver tissues (n = 36) from full-sib F1 birds and their parental pure lines were selected to identify gene expression patterns and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 28 days of age by strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq). This study indicates that additivity is the predominant gene expression pattern in the F1 chicken post-hatch breast muscle (80.6% genes with additivity) and liver (94.2% genes with additivity). In breast muscle, Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that a total of 11 biological process (BP) terms closely associated with growth and development were annotated in the identified DEG sets and non-additive gene sets, including STAT5A, TGFB2, FGF1, IGF2, DMA, FGF16, FGF12, STAC3, GSK3A, and GRB2. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotation presented that a total of six growth- and development-related pathways were identified, involving key genes such as SLC27A4, GLUL, TGFB2, COX17, and GSK3A, including the PPAR signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and mTOR signaling pathway. Our results may provide a theoretical basis for crossbreeding in domestic animals.