Blood Urea Nitrogen Concentrations Research Articles

Ovine Toxoplasmosis Sero-Status, Risk Factors Analysis, and Estimation of Haematological and Serum Biochemical Alterations.

Toxoplasmosis is a significant food-borne protozoal disease in humans and animals. The study aimed to find out Toxoplasma seropositivity in sheep, estimate epidemiological risk factors and assess haemato-biochemical parameter changes. Blood samples were collected from 276 indigenous sheep in five districts surrounding Sulaymaniyah Province in the northern region of Iraq. Toxoplasmosis was determined by detecting anti-Toxoplasma antibodies by ELISA. The impact of various risk factors on seropositivity was evaluated. Haematological and serum biochemical changes from naturally infected sheep were analysed using commercial kits. The overall seroprevalence of Toxoplasma antibodies among the studied population was 41.67%. Sharazoor district had a higher prevalence rate of 46.15% than Bakrajo, with the lowest frequency rate of 38.18%. Ewes with an abortion history had a higher risk for seropositivity of about 47.4% (OR=1.4, 95% CI: 0.9-1.6). Sampling season and herd size are other risk factors, with higher seropositivity at 42.5% (OR=1.1, 95% CI: 0.8-1.4) during the dry season and among small flocks ≤100 animals/farm at 43.6% (OR=1.1, 95% CI: 0.7-1.4). Toxoplasma prevalence was correlated with animals' ages; a higher seropositivity of 43.3% was found among older sheep (OR=0.8, 95% CI: 0.6-1.2). Seropositive sheep had significantly higher total leukocyte, lymphocyte and granulocyte counts but significantly lower haemoglobin, haematocrit and total erythrocyte counts. The serum levels of total protein and albumin were significantly reduced, with increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations. Also, AST enzyme activity represents a higher value in positive sheep with toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma infection among the ovine population is common. Its impact on livestock productivity should not be neglected. A potential risk for humans through infected sheep could be a hazardous source for public health.

RENAL FUNCTION PARAMETERS OF HEALTHY CAPTIVE AND SEMICAPTIVE AMAZONIAN MANATEES (TRICHECHUS INUNGUIS).

Evaluating renal function is essential for managing captive wild animals, particularly threatened species like the Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) in rehabilitation and prerelease programs. A series of urine diagnostic tests, such as gross appearance, semiquantitative chemical analyses, microscopic review of sediments, and quantitative analyses of urea and creatinine, were performed in 57 free-catch urine samples. On the same occasion, 52 serum samples from the same individuals were analyzed for creatine kinase activity, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, albumin, sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations; serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) was measured for the first time in the species. Females had higher urine creatinine concentration (21.7 ± 11.8 mg/dl) and specific gravity (1.003 ± 0.003 mg/dl) than males (11.9 ± 8.5 mg/dl and 1.001 ± 0.002 mg/dl) (P < 0.01 for both). Males presented higher urine creatinine:urea ratio than females (24.8 ± 29.2 and 20.5 ± 29.2, respectively) (P < 0.05). Urine pH was lower in manatees from the semicaptive area (7.8 ± 0.6) than in manatees under human care (8.5 ± 0.6) (P = 0.02) using the benchtop pH meter but showed no difference between areas in the dipstick reaction (P = 0.71), given its lower sensitivity and narrower range detection. Furthermore, 18 and 75% of urine samples were positive for the presence of blood and/or nitrite, respectively, in the dipstick reaction, possibly because of sample contamination. Significant correlation was observed between serum blood urea nitrogen and urine urea concentrations (P = 0.02), and between serum and urine creatinine concentrations (P = 0.01). Serum SDMA did not differ between sex or between captive and semicaptive individuals. However, it positively correlated with urine (P = 0.02) and serum creatinine (P = 0.01) demonstrating its potential as a bioindicator of kidney function. The renal function of Amazonian manatees can be effectively assessed by urinalysis, especially when combined with serum biochemistry.

Comparing clinical and biochemical characteristics of febrile seizures in children with and without COVID-19: a retrospective study

BackgroundTransmission of COVID-19 is now normalized. There is an association between it and increased incidence of febrile seizures in children. Exploring whether COVID-19 has a specific effect on the clinical and biochemical features of febrile seizures is critical for the development of clinical treatment and prevention strategies. This study is to compare the differences in clinical features, hematological features, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 children with febrile seizures and to provide a new perspective for further exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the nervous system of children.MethodsThis was a retrospective case–control study. The cases included children with COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures admitted to Xiamen Children’s Hospital from December 2022 to December 2023. The age, gender, length of hospital stay, peak body temperature, presence or absence of other viral infections, hematological characteristics, and cerebrospinal fluid characteristics were compared between children with COVID-19 febrile seizures and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures.ResultsA total of 50 COVID-19 children with febrile seizures and 192 non-COVID-19 children with febrile seizures were enrolled in this study. Multivariate analysis showed that age (OR = 0.715, P = 0.031), blood urea nitrogen (OR = 0.454, P = 0.029), platelet count (OR = 0.987, P = 0.009) and magnesium ion concentration (OR = 0.109, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with COVID-19 febrile seizures. Albumin (OR = 1.840, P < 0.001) was positively correlated. The concentration of potassium ion in cerebrospinal fluid (OR = 0.334, P = 0.012) was negatively correlated with COVID-19 febrile seizures, and the concentration of sodium ion (OR = 4.383, P = 0.022) was positively correlated with COVID-19 febrile seizures.ConclusionThere were differences in age, blood urea nitrogen, platelet count, magnesium ion concentration, albumin, potassium ion concentration in cerebrospinal fluid, and sodium ion concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid between children with COVID-19 febrile seizures and non-COVID-19 febrile seizures. This study may provide valuable insights into the potential mechanisms of COVID-19 damage to the nervous system in children, and the long-term neurological prognosis of these children requires long-term follow-up.

A diet containing mango peel silage impacts upon feed intake, energy supply and growth performances of male dairy calves

The major challenges for disposal of waste from fruit processing factories are high transportation costs, limited landfill availability and environmental pollution. Therefore, developing efficient waste management techniques to reduce transportation costs and environment pollution is important. In 2021, global mango production was estimated to be at 57 million tons and mango peel (MP) represents 7–24% of the whole fruit weight. MP has been considered for use as ruminant feed in the form of fresh, dried, or silage. Fresh MP was abundant during the mango season and high in fermentable carbohydrate, which can easily breakdown and pollute the environment if a proper waste management method is not implemented. Thus, in this study, fresh MP was ensiled after sun-drying for one day and then fed to male dairy calves as a roughage source to evaluate its effect on feed intake, digestibility, energy balance, BW gain, feed efficiency and blood metabolites. Eight growing crossbred weaned male dairy calves (Holstein Friesians × Zebu) were allocated into two groups [Control (n = 4) and mango peel silage (MPS, n = 4)]. This experiment lasted for 12 weeks and calves were housed in 3.0 × 1.5 meters individual pen with concrete floor. Before feeding times, the weights of feed ingredients were weighed and mixed for 15 min. Calves were then given their respective diets ad libitum twice a day, at 0800 and 1600 h. Daily feed offered and refusals were recorded to determine the daily feed intake. A digestion trial was performed over the last five days of the experiment. BW and measurements were recorded every two weeks to determine the weight gain and body physical changes. Blood was collected at the end of experiment to analyze serum biochemical parameters. Ensiling improved the energy and protein content and decreased fiber content of MP, thereby improving the forage quality. Feeding a diet containing MPS at 30% of DM weight, compared to an isonitrogenous Control diet increased (P < 0.05) feed intake, energy supply and energy balance, changes in body measurements, weight gain, feed efficiency, and glucose concentration, as well as lowered (P < 0.05) the blood urea nitrogen concentration of male dairy calves. Ensiling fresh MP after sun-drying for one day led to stable, high-DM silage. Therefore, ensiling fresh MP could improve the feed supply for ruminant production and be an effective waste management strategy for fruit processing businesses.

Association between serum urea nitrogen levels and prostate-specific antigens (NHANES 2003–2010)

BackgroundIncreasing evidence suggests that serum urea nitrogen may be a risk factor for prostate cancer (PCa) and influence serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations, but direct evidence of a relationship between PSA and serum urea nitrogen levels in the general population is still lacking. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between serum urea nitrogen levels and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate cancer.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2003–2010) database. We performed a multifactorial regression analysis of the association between serum urea nitrogen levels and PSA and PCa, followed by subgroup analyses.ResultsA total of 5256 subjects were included in this study, and after adjusting for demographic, biological, and immunologic variables, we found that there was a threshold for blood urea nitrogen concentration below which every 1 ng/mL increase in serum urea nitrogen was associated with a 0.0325 ng/mL increase in PSA concentration (log2 transformed) (95% CI: 0.0064, 0.0586), and the P trend was was less than 0.05 and the difference was statistically significant. Sensitivity analyses using the generalized additive model (GAM) showed a linear relationship between serum urea nitrogen and serum PSA concentrations when blood urea nitrogen concentrations ranged from 0 ng/ml to 6.78 ng/ml.ConclusionSerum urea nitrogen was independently and positively correlated with serum PSA concentration when the concentration of serum urea nitrogen ranged from 0 ng/ml to 6.78 ng/ml.

The Brophy Kit: a Manual Hemodialysis Device for Neonates

IntroductionAcute kidney injury (AKI) is common in critically ill neonates, including very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW, ELBW) neonates. In severe cases, kidney replacement therapy (KRT) may be warranted. Currently, available KRT devices are only indicated for those ≥2.5 kg and require a double lumen or two separate single lumen catheters. We miniaturized the Kirpa Kit™ manual dialysis device, naming it the Brophy Kit™, and we assessed its in vitro clearance and ultrafiltration (UF) performance. MethodsWe diluted packed red blood cells to a normal hematocrit (Hct 31.1 – 36.8%) and conducted 12 clearance and 3 UF experiments. A cycle consisted of aspirating 10 mL of blood from the blood bag, passing it through a hemofilter, and returning it in a circular path. For clearance experiments, we tested 4 configurations, with varied timing and volume of saline flushes to refresh the dialysis compartment, then measured blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and potassium concentrations every 5 cycles. For each UF cycle, 1 mL of ultrafiltrate was removed, and Hct was measured every 10 cycles. ResultsMedian BUN and potassium reduction were 31.0% (IQR 17.6–37.9) and 35.0% (IQR 26.9–41.7), respectively, after 30 clearance cycles. Median Hct increased to 52.6% (IQR 52.5 – 53.8) after 60 UF cycles, more than the expected Hct (47.7%). ConclusionsThe Brophy Kit™ performs in-vitro clearance efficiently and UF consistently. The Brophy Kit™ may address a technological KRT gap for small neonates due to its minimal extracorporeal volume and ability to function with single lumen access.

Development of a risk score for predicting one-year mortality in patients with atrial fibrillation using XGBoost-assisted feature selection.

There are no tools specifically designed to assess mortality risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to utilize machine learning methods to identify pertinent variables and develop an easily applicable prognostic score to predict 1-year mortality in AF patients. This study, based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV (MIMIC-IV) database, focused on patients aged 18 years and older with AF. A critical care database from China was the external validation set. The importance of variables from XGBoost guided the development of a logistic model, forming the basis for an AF scoring model. Records of of 26 365 AF patients were obtained from the MIMIC-IV database. The external validation dataset included 231 AF patients. The CRAMB score (Charlson comorbidity index, readmission, age, metastatic solid tumor, and maximum blood urea nitrogen concentration) outperformed the CCI and CHA2DS2-VASc scores, demonstrating superior predictive value for 1-year mortality. In the test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) for the CRAMB score was 0.765 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.753-0.776), while in the external validation set, it was 0.582 (95% CI, 0.502-0.657). The simplicity of the CRAMB score makes it user-friendly, allowing for coverage of a broader and more heterogeneous AF population.

Effects of Dietary Energy Profiles on Energy Metabolic Partition and Excreta in Songliao Black Pigs Under Different Ambient Temperature.

In order to further reveal the special characteristics of energy metabolism and the characteristics of energy requirements of fattening pigs grown in low-temperature environments, this study used a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial array of treatments, which harnessed two temperatures (low-temperature, LT group: 10 °C; normal-temperature, NT group: 20 °C), two feed energy levels (normal-energy, NE group: 14.02 MJ/kg metabolic energy; high-energy, HE group: 15.14 MJ/kg metabolic energy), and two feed energy sources (LF group: low fat, HF group: high fat). Thirty-two Songliao black fattening pigs with an initial body weight of 85.48 ± 2.31 kg were completely randomized into eight treatment groups, with four replicates in each treatment group and one pig in each replicate. The pigs were placed in a respiratory metabolic chamber for a 6-day trial. There was one pig per respiratory metabolic chamber in a single cage. The results showed that the average daily weight gain in the normal-temperature, high-energy, and high-fat groups was higher than that of the low-temperature, normal-energy, and low-fat groups (p < 0.05). The fat deposition rate, protein oxidation, and fat oxidation of the high-fat group were higher than those of the low-fat group (p < 0.05). The energy digestibility, protein digestibility, and fat digestibility in the high-fat group were higher than those in the normal-energy group (p < 0.05). The fat digestibility and energy deposition rate in the high-fat group were higher than those in the low-fat group (p < 0.05). The respiratory quotient in the high-energy group was lower than that in the normal-energy group (p < 0.05), and the respiratory quotient in the high-fat group was lower than that in the low-fat group (p < 0.05). There was an interaction between temperature and energy sources in terms of the respiratory quotient, fat oxidation, blood urea nitrogen content, and glucose content (p < 0.05). Appropriately increasing the energy level of the diet and improving the energy structure of the feed (increasing the level of fats and oils) will benefit Songliao black fattening pigs by increasing their energy use efficiency and at the same time reducing greenhouse gas CO2 emissions, and these changes are more pronounced in cold environments.

High-intensity interval training attenuates renal injury induced by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in rats

Background: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been recognized as an effective form of short-duration exercise. The purpose of this study was to assess whether HIIT could reduce renal injury induced by myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in rats. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the Sham Group (SHAM), Coronary Artery Occlusion (CAO) group, HIIT group, and Ischemic Precondition (IPC) group. Rats underwent 40 minutes of left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion under anesthesia, followed by 3 hours of reperfusion, to induce myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (MIR). Post-surgery, rats were sacrificed, and their blood, heart, and kidney tissues were examined. The HIIT group underwent 4 weeks of HIIT training before surgery. Results: HIIT intervention significantly reduced renal injury after MIR and the concentrations of Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) and Creatinine (CRE) in the serum. Moreover, pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6, were significantly decreased, while the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was significantly increased in the serum. Additionally, HIIT intervention suppressed the expression of FoxO1, BAX/Bcl-2 ratio, TNF-α, and Cleaved-caspase-3/caspase-3 ratio in kidney tissues, ultimately reducing renal cell apoptosis. Conclusion: This study is the first to demonstrate that HIIT has effects similar to IPC, significantly reducing renal injury after MIR. HIIT regulates the production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, inhibits renal cell apoptosis, thereby reducing the occurrence of cardio-renal syndrome.

CIRCTMCO3 ALLEVIATES SEPSIS-INDUCED ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY VIA REGULATING MIR-218-5P/ZEB2 AXIS.

Background: Growing evidence has found the critical role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in sepsis-induced acute kidney injury (S-AKI). CircTMCO3 has been found to be involved in tumor microenvironment changes of ovarian cancer. This study aimed to explore whether circTMCO3 functions in S-AKI, and if so, to elucidate the molecular mechanism. Methods: CircTMCO3 expression was analyzed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced HK-2 cells and in the kidney tissues of mice treated with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), respectively. Furthermore, the effects of circTMCO3 on S-AKI and the related mechanisms were evaluated in both models through gain- and/or loss-of-function strategies. Results: CircTMCO3 expression was suppressed in both S-AKI models. Upregulation of circTMCO3 mitigated LPS-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in HK-2 cells. In contrast, circTMCO3 downregulation exacerbated LPS-induced injuries in HK-2 cells. Intravenous injection of circTMCO3 lentivirus to increase circTMCO3 expression improved renal function and attenuated kidney injury in S-AKI mice, as evidenced by the decrease in serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentrations, amelioration of tubular pathological injury, reduction of renal cell apoptosis, and mitigation of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). Moreover, circTMCO3 directly targeted miR-218-5p, and the mimic of which abolished the protective effect of circTMCO3 in cell models. ZEB2 was identified to be a target of miR-218-5p; its downregulation not only reversed the impacts of miR-218-5p inhibitor on S-AKI, but also mitigated the effects mediated by circTMCO3 upregulation in vitro . Conclusions: CircTMCO3 protects against S-AKI by regulating miR-218-5p/ZEB2 axis, thereby mediating antiapoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. This indicates that increasing circTMCO3 expression might be a future therapeutic method for S-AKI.

Investigating the chemical composition, digestion and fermentation of Alternanthera sessilis red plant and its effect on the performance of fattening lambs.

The present experiment was conducted to evaluate the nutritional value of red Alternanthera sessilis for fattening lambs when they were replaced with alfalfa forage. Forty growing lambs with an average weight of 21.12kg and an age of 5 months were randomly assigned to four experimental treatments. Growth performance, nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation parameters, protozoa population, blood parameters, and composition of carcass components were evaluated. The results of this experiment showed that the use of Alternanthera sessilis in the diet significantly reduced feed intake, increased the average daily weight gain, and improved the feed conversion ratio compared to the control treatment (P < 0.05). The digestibility of dry matter and protein was significantly increased (P < 0.05), while the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and organic matter showed a numerical increase. Diets containing different levels of the Alternanthera sessilis plant did not affect pH, but the increase in the amount of this plant in the diet led to an increase ammonia nitrogen concentration and rumen protozoa population (P < 0.05). The addition of Alternanthera sessilis to the diet significantly reduced the concentration of blood glucose and cholesterol and increased the concentration of blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.05). Except for the weight of the thigh and neck, the effect of experimental treatments on other carcass components was not significant. Overall, the results of this experiment showed that using the Alternanthera sessilis plant in the rations of fattened lambs as a substitute for alfalfa forage not only had no negative effect on the studied parameters but also improved them in some cases. Therefore, Alternanthera sessilis can be used in rations of fattened lambs as a substitute for part of alfalfa forage.

375 The effects of protease supplementation on weaned piglet performance and intestinal function fed greater amounts of lower digestible protein sources

Abstract The present study investigated the impact of dietary protease supplementation on the growth performance and intestinal function of weaned piglets when fed a diet comprising high levels of low digestible protein sources, in comparison with a standard commercially representative piglet diet. A total of 180 weaned piglets, 21 d old, of Duroc × Large White × Landrace crossbreeds, with an initial body weight (BW) of 6.27 ± 0.45 kg, were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: 1) a standard commercial positive control (PC) diet comprising 22.2% soy protein, 5% whey protein, and 3% fish meal, 2) a negative control (NC) diet comprising 30.1% soy protein without whey protein and fish meal, and 3) a NC diet supplemented with 0.02% protease (NC + PROT). The diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric and were pelleted at conditions of 0.4 MPa and 75°C. The experimental design employed a completely randomized design with 6 replicate pens per treatment, each pen containing 10 piglets. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA, with differences between means assessed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (P &amp;lt; 0.05). In terms of piglet performance, feeding the NC diet, containing high levels of low digestible protein sources, resulted in a significant decrease (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in final BW, average daily gain (ADG), and average daily feed intake (ADFI) by 3.1%, 8.2%, and 5.2%, respectively, compared with piglets fed the PC diet. Conversely, the NC diet significantly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the feed-to-gain ratio and incidence of diarrhea by 3.4% and 88.3%, respectively, relative to PC. However, the supplementation of protease in the NC + PROT diet restored final BW, feed-to-gain ratio, and incidence of diarrhea to the same level as PC, while ADG and ADFI were increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) by 4.6% and 4.3%, respectively. Regarding intestinal function, relative to PC, piglets fed the NC diet exhibited significantly less (P &amp;lt; 0.05) duodenal villus height, crude protein digestibility, and gene expressions of duodenal peptide transporter PepT1 and jejunal amino acid transporter b0,+AT, while blood urea nitrogen and diamine oxidase concentrations were greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05). However, the addition of protease in the NC diet reinstated measures of intestinal function, as NC + PROT-fed piglets showed similar duodenal villus height, crude protein digestibility, gene expressions of duodenal peptide transporter PepT1 and jejunal amino acid transporter b0,+AT, as well as blood urea nitrogen and diamine oxidase concentrations to PC. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of protease in weaned piglets fed higher levels of lower digestible protein sources mitigated losses in growth performance and intestinal functionality by enhancing intestinal development, protein digestibility, nutrient transport efficiency, and overall health status of piglets.

336 Effects of feeding an immunomodulatory feed additive (NutraGen) on metabolite concentrations and cortisol production in calves following exposure to a combination bovine respiratory disease challenge

Abstract Two 89-d experiments (Exp 1 and Exp 2) evaluated the effects of feeding an immunomodulatory feed additive (NutraGen; NG) in calves following exposure to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) on d -3 and Mannheimia haemolytica (MH) infection on d 0. For each experiment, steers [body weight (BW) = 251 ± 38.2 kg)] were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatments. Treatments included a placebo (CON; Exp 1 n = 5; Exp 2 n = 5), a placebo fed from d -18 to d -3 followed by NG fed from d -3 to d 28 (CHLG; Exp 1 n = 5; Exp 2 n = 6), and NG fed from d -18 to d 28 (PREC; Exp 1 n = 6; Exp 2 n = 5). Data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS Version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.). Animal served as the experimental unit and time served as a repeated measure. Treatment, time, and the treatment × time interaction served as fixed effects. Block was included as a random effect. Multiple treatment × time interactions and time effects occurred for serum glucose, lactate, blood urea nitrogen, and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations (P ≤ 0.003) in both experiments. There was a general trend for serum glucose to decrease over time post-challenge, suggesting increased cellular utilization of glucose in response to the challenge. In Exp 1, treatment effects occurred for serum glucose (P ≤ 0.001) and serum lactate (P ≤ 0.01), where calves assigned to the CHLG treatment displayed the greatest concentrations of the metabolites. Blood urea nitrogen concentrations peaked at h 48 in Exp 1 and h 6 in Exp 2. There were no treatment effects or treatment × time interactions for serum cortisol, hair cortisol, or fecal corticosterone concentrations in either experiment (P ≥ 0.17). There were, however, multiple time effects for serum cortisol, hair cortisol, and fecal corticosterone concentrations in both experiments (P ≤ 0.02), indicating that the challenge directly impacted cortisol and corticosterone production. Serum cortisol steadily increased from h 96 to h 168 in both experiments. Trends in cortisol and corticosterone production were similar in both experiments; however, peak concentration times for these variables occurred later in Exp 2. These data suggest that feeding NG to calves may alter glucose availability and nutrient utilization in response to infection resulting from a bovine respiratory disease challenge.

Handheld microfluidic multiple detection device for concurrent blood urea nitrogen and creatinine ratio determination using colorimetric approach

A novel microfluidic multiple detection (MMD) platform consisting of a microfluidic chip and a self-built detection system is proposed for determining the creatinine (CRE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations in whole blood samples. In the proposed approach, a drop of whole blood is injected into the inlet of the microfluidic chip and filtered through strips of hemofiltration paper. The plasma enters the BUN and CRE detection chambers and is absorbed by pre-placed test strips embedded with analyte-specific reagents. Secondary reagents are then introduced into the detection chambers using a finger pump, and the chip is heated to induce Berthelot and Jaffe reactions. An image of the reaction compounds is captured by a CMOS camera and transmitted to a smartphone, where the BUN and CRE concentrations are derived from predetermined calibration curves using RGB analysis software. The proposed MMD platform is demonstrated by comparing the results obtained for 43 whole blood samples collected from patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and health volunteers with the measurements obtained using a traditional benchtop system. The results confirm that the proposed MMD platform offers a cost-effective, convenient, and rapid technique for BUN/CRE ratio (BCR) determination in point-of-care (POC) contexts.

Effects of Short-Term Differences in Concentrate Feeding on the Recovery of In Vivo Embryos in Hanwoo Donor Cows through Superovulation Treatment.

Superovulation is a technique used to increase the number of oocytes released for fertilization. This study investigated the effects of short-term differences in concentrate feed intake on in vivo embryo production through superovulation in indigenous Korean (Hanwoo) cows. The cows were given fresh water and hay ad libitum and randomly divided into three groups (control (CON, n = 9): 2.0 kg/day (unchanged diet); low concentrate (LC, n = 10): 0 kg/day; and high concentrate (HC, n = 8): 4.0 kg/day) according to the amount of formula they were fed. This feeding treatment began seven days before the start of the hormonal treatment for superovulation. From the results, the LC group had the greatest weight change and the lowest body condition score at harvest, followed by the CON and HC groups (p < 0.05). The LC group had the highest number of harvesting embryos, followed by the HC and CON groups (p < 0.05). Estradiol, progesterone, glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, total protein, and blood urea nitrogen concentrations did not differ between the groups, except for a temporary increase in the HC group on day 0. These findings suggest that more embryos may be harvested when short-term changes in concentrate intake are made during superovulatory responses in Hanwoo cows.

Adjusted versus Targeted Fortification in Extremely Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants: Fortin Study-A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Fortified human milk is the first choice for preterm infants. Although individualized fortification is recommended, the optimal method for this population remains uncertain. We conducted a comparative study assessing the growth effects of adjusted (AF) and targeted fortification (TF) in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants. This single-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted at a tertiary neonatal unit in Spain. Eligible participants were premature infants with a birthweight of <1000 g exclusively fed with human milk. A total of 38 patients were enrolled, 15 of them randomized to AF group and 23 to TF group. AF was based on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and TF on human milk analysis. The primary outcome was weight gain velocity (g/kg/day). No significant differences were found in weight gain velocity at 28 days, at 36 weeks of postmenstrual age, at discharge, nor during the intervention. Protein intake was significantly higher in the AF group (5.02 g/kg/day vs. 4.48 g/kg/day, p = 0.001). No differences were found in the lipid, carbohydrate, and energy intake; in the weight z score change between the different time points; nor in the length and head circumference growth. Both AF and TF are comparable methods of fortification and provide the appropriate growth rate in ELBW infants.

Dietary sanguinarine supplementation improves the growth performance and intestinal immunity of broilers

Dietary sanguinarine (SAN) can enhance the growth performance of poultry and livestock, but the regulatory mechanism of the SAN monomer on intestinal homeostasis and how it promotes growth performance has not yet been clarified. In this study, 200 chickens were divided into four groups and fed different doses of SAN (0, 0.225, 0.75, 2.25 mg/kg) for transcriptome and microbiota analysis. The data showed that different doses of SAN supplementation increased the feed conversion rate (FCR) of 22 to 42 d old and 1 to 42 d old broilers (P < 0.01), and 0.225 mg/kg SAN reduced the contents of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine (CREA) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum (P < 0.01). Dietary SAN increased the villus height and the villus height/crypt depth (V/C) ratio in the ileum (P < 0.01). The levels of tight junction proteins (zonula occludens-1, occludin and claudin-1) were up-regulated in the ileum and cecum (P < 0.01) and the levels of immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, IgG, interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and interferon (IFN)-γ were up-regulated in the serum and ileum (P < 0.01). RNA-seq analysis revealed 385 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (|log2 fold change| ≥ 1, FDR < 0.05) between the SAN group and CON group. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis showed 15 pathways mostly associated with the immune system. Additionally, the reverse transcription-PCR results showed that the relative mRNA expression of β-defensin and mucin 2 were up-regulated (P < 0.01) and Toll-like receptor (TLR2 and TLR4) mRNA expression were down-regulated by SAN (P < 0.01), which was consistent with the transcriptomic analysis. Western blot analysis also showed that SAN reduced the expression of inflammatory proteins such as TLR4, nuclear factor-kappa B and IL-1β in the ileum (P < 0.01). In addition, at the genus level, SAN significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria (Bacteroides, unclassified_f__Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus and Romboutsia) involved in acetate and butyrate production in the cecum, which are associated with enhanced intestinal immune function and maintaining intestinal health. In conclusion, SAN ameliorates the growth performance of broilers, enhances intestinal immune function, regulates the structure of microbiota and maintains intestinal health.

Performance and Metabolic Responses of Nellore Cows Subjected to Different Supplementation Plans during Prepartum.

This study assessed the effects of different prepartum supplementation plans on Nellore cows' performance, metabolic responses, and early offspring development. Thirty-nine pregnant Nellore cows (224 ± 2.67 days of pregnancy, 5.3 ± 0.29 years of age, body weight 520 ± 15.2 kg, initial body condition score 6.0 ± 0.07) were assigned to one of four treatments: a control group receiving only mineral mixture ad libitum, and three groups receiving daily protein-energy supplements of 2, 4, or 6 g/kg BW for 60 days prepartum. Weights and body condition scores were evaluated at the start of the experiment, 7 days before calving, and at 45 and 90 days postpartum. Cows supplemented with 4 and 6 g/kg BW showed improved body weight and body condition scores prepartum and postpartum and had a shorter service period (p < 0.05). The highest blood urea nitrogen concentrations were observed in cows receiving 6 g/kg BW (p = 0.0124). There was a reduction in blood urea nitrogen at calving for the 6 g/kg BW group, while the control group showed an increase (p < 0.001). Non-esterified fatty acids concentrations were lower 21 days before calving for the 4 and 6 g/kg BW groups compared to the control (p < 0.05) and decreased postpartum for all treatments (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in calf birth weight or performance. Supplementing with 4 g/kg BW of protein-energy is recommended to enhance metabolic health and overall performance.

Effect of electroacupuncture of "Zusanli" (ST36) combined with capeOX on apoptosis and ferroptosis in nude mice with colorectal cancer.

To investigate the impact of combined treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) with electroacupuncture (EA) and capeOX (combined administration of fluorouracil, oxaliplatin and capecitabine) on the tumor volume, weight, spleen coefficient, apoptosis and ferroptosis of tumor tissue, and liver and kidney functions in nude mice with CRC, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying inhibiting CRC and alleviating toxic reactions of capeOX. Female Balb/c nude mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups：model, capeOX, and EA+capeOX, with 8 nude mice in each group. The CRC model was established by subcutaneous injection of colon cancer cells at the right inguinal region. Nude mice of the capeOX group received intraperitoneal injection of oxaliplatin for 1 day and gavage of capecitabine from day 2 to day 7. EA (1 mA, 2 Hz/100 Hz) was applied to bilateral "Zusanli" (ST36) for 20 min, once daily for 7 days. During the interven-tion, the tumor volume and weight were measured every day, and at the end of intervention, the weight of the tumor tissue and spleen were measured, with tumor volume difference and spleen coefficient calculated. The proportion of apoptotic cells was measured by flow cytometry, and the contents of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), alanine aninotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine (Cr) were detected using ELISA. The expression level of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4, a key regulator for ferroptosis) protein of the tumor tissue was determined using Western blot. Compared to the model group, both the capeOX group and EA+capeOX group showed a decrease in the tumor volume (on day 3 and 4 in the capeOX group, and from day 2 to 7 in the EA+capeOX group) and body weight (P<0.05, on day 3 to 7 in the EA+capeOX group and on day 2 to 7 in the capeOX group), being evidently lower in the tumor volume on day 7 in the EA+capeOX than in the capeOX group (P<0.05), and evidently higher in the body weight on day 6 and 7 in the EA+capeOX group than in the capeOX group (P<0.05). In comparison with the model group, the tumor volume difference, tumor weight and spleen coefficient in both capeOX and EA+capeOX groups were significantly decreased (P<0.05), and MDA content in EA+capeOX group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the contents of ALT, BUN and Cr in the capeOX group, the proportion of apoptotic cells in both capeOX and EA+capeOX groups, and the GPX4 expression level in the EA+capeOX group were all significantly increased (P<0.05). The tumor volume difference, tumor weight, and contents of MDA, ALT, AST, BUN and Cr in the EA+capeOX group were markedly lower than in the capeOX group (P<0.05), while the spleen coefficient, proportion of apoptotic cells and GPX4 expression level in the EA+capeOX group were markedly higher than those in the capeOX group (P<0.05). EA of ST36 can enhance the effect of capeOX in inhibiting colorectal cancer growth in nude mice with CRC, which may be related with its functions in promoting tumor cell apoptosis, inhibiting ferroptosis, and modulating immune tolerance. In addition, EA can lower the side effects of capeOX in hematopoietic and immune, liver, and kidney functions.

Effects of rumen-bypass protein supplement on growth performance, hepatic mitochondrial protein complexes, and hepatic immune gene expression of beef steers with divergent residual feed intake.

We investigated the impact of a rumen-bypass protein (RBP) supplement on growth performance, plasma and urinary N (UN) concentration, hepatic mitochondrial protein complexes, and hepatic mRNA expression of immune genes of beef steers with negative or positive residual feed intake (RFI) phenotype. Forty crossbred beef steers with an average body weight (BW) of 492 ± 36 kg were subjected to a generalized randomized block design over a 42-day experimental period. This study followed a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The factors evaluated were: 1) RFI classification (low-RFI (-2.12 kg/d) vs. high-RFI (2.02 kg/d), and 2) rumen-bypass protein supplement: RBP supplement (RBP; 227 g/steer/d) vs. control diet (CON; 0 g/d), resulting in four distinct treatments: LRFI-CON (n = 10), LRFI-RBP (n = 10), HRFI-CON (n = 10), and HRFI-RBP (n = 10). The RBP supplement (84% crude protein) is a mixture of hydrolyzed feather meal, porcine blood meal, and DL-methionine hydroxy analogue. The beef steers were stratified by BW, randomly assigned to treatments, and housed in four pens (1 treatment/pen) equipped with two GrowSafe feed bunks each to measure individual dry mater intake (DMI). Body weight was measured every 7 d. Liver tissue samples were collected on d 42 from all the beef steers. These samples were used for mRNA expression analysis of 16 immune-related genes and for evaluating the mitochondrial protein complexes I - V. No significant effects due to RBP supplementation or RFI × RBP interactions (P > 0.05) were observed for average daily gain (ADG) and DMI. However, compared to high-RFI steers, low-RFI steers showed a trend towards reduced DMI (12.9 vs. 13.6 kg/d; P = 0.07) but ADG was similar for the two RFI groups. Regardless of RFI status, supplemental RBP increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (P = 0.01), with a lower BUN concentration in low-RFI steers compared to high-RFI ones. A tendency for interaction (P = 0.07) between RFI and RBP was detected for the UN concentrations; feeding the dietary RBP increased the UN concentration in high-RFI beef steers (209 vs. 124 mM), whereas the concentration was lower than that of the CON group for low-RFI beef steers (86 vs. 131 mM). Interactions of RBP and RFI were observed (P ≤ 0.05) for mitochondrial activities of complexes IV, V, and mRNA expressions of some immune genes such as TLR2, TLR3, and IL23A. In conclusion, while RBP supplementation did not alter growth performance, its observed effects on hepatic immune gene expression, mitochondrial protein complexes, BUN, and UN depended on the beef steers' RFI phenotype. Therefore, the RFI status of beef steers should be considered in future studies evaluating the effects of dietary protein supplements.