Depressed Body Weight Gain Research Articles

The Effect Of Replacing Maize With Cassava Peel Meal On The Performance Of Weaned Rabbits

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the optimal replacement level(s) of dried cassava peel meal (DCPM) for maize in diets for weaner rabbits. Four experimental diets were formulated such that dried cassava peel meal replaced maize at 0, 50%, 75% and 100% levels, respectively. Each diet was fed to five replicates of 3 weaner rabbits of mongrel type (Newzealand White and Flemish Giant). Fecal collections were done as from the 10th day of the feeding trial for determination of dry matter digestibility. Dried cassava peel meal significantly (P<0.05) depressed feed intake of the rabbits at 100% replacement level. At both 75% and 100% replacement levels, DCPM also significantly (P<0.05) depressed body weight gain of the rabbits. Feed conversion ratio was not affected by the treatments but dry matter digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) depressed by DCPM at the three levels. Feed cost savings in percent were 8.25, 18.65 and 32.72, respectively for the three levels of replacement.

Determination of the optimum dietary levels of cracked and cooked jackbean meal for finisher broilers

A 35-day feeding trial was conducted to determine the optimal dietary level(s) of cracked and cooked (CAC) jackbean meal for finisher broilers. Five diets were formulated such that they contained cracked and cooked jackbean meal ai 0%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% levels respectively. Each diet was fed to a group of 45 finisher broiler birds beginning at 5 weeks of age. Average daily feed intake of the groups were 99.00g, 95.00g, 89.00g, 89.00g and 90.00g for the control, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% respectively. Body weight gains were 34.00g, 33.00g, 30.00g, 27.00g and 23.00g respectively and feed conversion ratio for the groups were 2.95, 2.88, 2.91, 3.25 and 3.83 respectively. There were no significant (P >0.05) differences among the control (0%), 15% and 20% groups in feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The 25% und 30% groups however, showed significantly (P < 0.05) depressed body weight gain and poor feed conversion ratio. Organ weights of the birds relative to body weight did not indicate any significant differences among the five experimental groups. The results of this trial suggest that the optimal dietary inclusion of cracked and cooked jackbean meal for finisher broiler is 20%

Dietary Encapsulated Essential Oils Improve Production Performance of Coccidiosis-Vaccine-Challenged Broiler Chickens.

Simple SummaryThe in-feed antibiotics have been banned worldwide, and anticoccidial drugs are also expected to be removed from the formulated, complete feeds. Thus, looking for alternatives to anticoccidials has been on the increase. Essential oils are naturally derived substances containing the aromatic components of herbs and spices and exhibit antibacterial/anticoccidial, antioxidant, and immune modulating-effects, the properties in poultry. These beneficial biological properties of essential oils make them be considered potential anticoccidial agents. Forthermore, encapsulating essential oils is known to be an effective and efficient strategy to slowly release their active components upon passing the gastrointestinal tract. This study was conducted to examine the effects of encapsulated thymol- and carvacrol-based essential oils on productivity and gut health of chickens challenged with high dose of coccidiosis vaccine.The present study was conducted to evaluate the encapsulated essential oils (EEO) as an alternative to anticoccidials using a coccidiosis vaccine challenged model in broiler chickens. A total of 600 one-day-old male broiler chicks were provided with no added corn/soybean-meal-based control diet or diets that contained either salinomycin (SAL) or thymol- and carvacrol-based EEO at 60 and 120 mg per kg of diet. Before challenge at 21 days, each treatment had 10 replicates except for the no-added control group, which had 20 replicates. On day 21, half of the control groups were orally challenged with a coccidiosis vaccine at 25 times higher than the recommended vaccine dose. During 22 to 28 days (i.e., one-week post coccidiosis vaccine challenge), the challenged chickens had a decrease (P < 0.05) in body weight gain and feed intake but an increase in feed conversion ratio compared with the non-challenged, naïve control chickens. However, dietary EEO significantly counteracted (P < 0.05) coccidiosis-vaccine-induced depression in body weight gain and feed intake. Inclusion of dietary EEO linearly decreased (P < 0.05) the concentrations of the volatile fatty acids. Dietary SAL and EEO affected gut morphology in chickens at 20 days post-hatch. Dietary EEO linearly (P = 0.073) increased serum catalase activity as the inclusion level increased. Collectively, our study shows that dietary EEO increased coccidiosis-vaccine-induced growth depression and altered gut physiology in broiler chickens. Our study adds to the accumulating evidence that dietary EEO is proven to be an effective alternative to anticoccidials for broiler chickens.

Responses of broiler chickens to Eimeria challenge when fed a nucleotide-rich yeast extract

ABSTRACTNucleotide-rich yeast extract (YN) was investigated for effects on growth performance, jejunal physiology, and cecal microbial activity in Eimeria-challenged broiler chickens. A total of 360-day-old male chicks (Ross × Ross 708) were placed on floor pens and provided a corn–soybean meal-based diet without or with YN (500 g/MT; n = 12). On d 10, 6 replicates per diet were orally administered with 1 mL of E. acervulina and E. maxima sporulated oocysts and the rest (non-challenged control) were administered with 1 mL of distilled water. On d 15, 5 birds/pen were then necropsied for intestinal lesion scores, histomorphology and cecal digesta pH, short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and microbial community using Illumina Miseq platform. Supplemental YN improved (P = 0.01) Feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the prechallenge phase (d 0 to 10). In the postchallenge period (d 11 to 15), Eimeria depressed (P < 0.05) Body weight gain (BWG) relative to non-challenged birds, whereas YN-fed birds had a higher (P = 0.05) BWG compared to that of non-YN-fed birds. There was an interaction between YN and Eimeria on jejunal villi height (VH) (P = 0.001) and expression of cationic amino acid transporter 1(CAT1) (P = 0.04). Specifically, in the absence of Eimeria, YN-fed birds had a shorter VH (892 vs. 1,020 μm) relative to that of control but longer VH (533 vs. 447 μm) in the presence of Eimeria. With respect to CAT1, YN-fed birds had a higher (1.65 vs. 0.78) expression when subjected to Eimeria than when not challenged. Independently, Eimeria decreased (P < 0.01) the jejunal expression of maltase, Na glucose transporter 1 and occludin genes, ceca digesta abundance of genus Clostridium cluster XlVa and Oscillibacter but increased (P < 0.01) jejunal proliferating cell nuclear antigen and interleukin 10. Interaction between YN and Eimeria was observed for ceca digesta pH (P = 0.04) and total SCFA (P = 0.01) such that YN increased SCFA in the absence of Eimeria but reduced SCFA and increased pH in the presence of Eimeria. In summary, Eimeria impaired performance and gut function and shifted gut microbiome; YN improved performance independently, attenuated Eimeria damage on indices of gut function, and modulated cecal microbiome.

Effects of Dietary Nano-Selenium Supplementation on Growth Performance, Antioxidative Status, and Immunity in Broiler Chickens under Thermoneutral and High Ambient Temperature Conditions.

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of nano-selenium on growth performance, antioxidative status, and immune function in broiler chickens reared under thermoneutral (22±1°C) or high ambient temperature (35±1°C) conditions. Thirty-six broiler chicks at 15d old were randomly divided into 6 treatments in a 3×2 factorial design. The main factors included the dietary supplementation (basal diet without Se supplementation [control], basal diet with 0.3 mg of nano-elemental Se per kilogram of diet [nano-Se], and basal diet with 0.3 mg of sodium selenite per kilogram of diet [SSe]) and the ambient temperature challenge (22±1°C or 35±1°C). The birds were given the experimental diets from 15 to 30 d of age. High ambient temperature significantly depressed body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, breast muscle weight, and abdominal fat weight, while feeding nano-Se clearly alleviated these negative effects of high ambient temperature. In addition, feeding nano-Se increased glutathione peroxidase mRNA expression in liver and alleviated the negative effects of high ambient temperature via reducing the malondialdehyde content in liver and breast muscle. Furthermore, feeding nano-Se increased mRNA expression of cytokine genes (interleukins 2 and 6) under both thermoneutral and high ambient temperature conditions. Under both thermoneutral and high-temperature conditions, broiler chickens fed nano-Se had higher Se and vitamin E concentrations in breast muscle than broiler chickens fed the control diet. In contrast, feeding SSe at the same dose as nano-Se did not alleviate the negative effects of high ambient temperature on broiler chickens. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with nano-Se at 0.3 mg/kg diet might enhance growth performance by improving antioxidative or immune properties in broilers reared under high ambient temperature.

QTL detection for coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) resistance in a Fayoumi × Leghorn F2 cross, using a medium-density SNP panel

BackgroundCoccidiosis is a major parasitic disease that causes huge economic losses to the poultry industry. Its pathogenicity leads to depression of body weight gain, lesions and, in the most serious cases, death in affected animals. Genetic variability for resistance to coccidiosis in the chicken has been demonstrated and if this natural resistance could be exploited, it would reduce the costs of the disease. Previously, a design to characterize the genetic regulation of Eimeria tenella resistance was set up in a Fayoumi × Leghorn F2 cross. The 860 F2 animals of this design were phenotyped for weight gain, plasma coloration, hematocrit level, intestinal lesion score and body temperature. In the work reported here, the 860 animals were genotyped for a panel of 1393 (157 microsatellites and 1236 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that cover the sequenced genome (i.e. the 28 first autosomes and the Z chromosome). In addition, with the aim of finding an index capable of explaining a large amount of the variance associated with resistance to coccidiosis, a composite factor was derived by combining the variables of all these traits in a single variable. QTL detection was performed by linkage analysis using GridQTL and QTLMap. Single and multi-QTL models were applied.ResultsThirty-one QTL were identified i.e. 27 with the single-QTL model and four with the multi-QTL model and the average confidence interval was 5.9 cM. Only a few QTL were common with the previous study that used the same design but focused on the 260 more extreme animals that were genotyped with the 157 microsatellites only. Major differences were also found between results obtained with QTLMap and GridQTL.ConclusionsThe medium-density SNP panel made it possible to genotype new regions of the chicken genome (including micro-chromosomes) that were involved in the genetic control of the traits investigated. This study also highlights the strong variations in QTL detection between different models and marker densities.

Reproductive and developmental toxicity studies of T-3761 in rats

We carried out reproductive and developmental toxicity studies (i.e. fertility study, teratological study, and perinatal and postnatal study) of T-3761, a new quinolone derivative, in S.D. rats. T-3761 was administered orally at the dose of 60, 300 and 1,500 mg/kg/day as suspension in 5% acacia solution. 1. Fertility study T-3761 was administered to male rats for 9 weeks prior to mating and to female rats for 2 weeks prior to mating and until day 7 of gestation. In parent rats, soft stools, slight depression of body weight gain and increase in water intake were observed at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg. Cecum weight was increased at the dose of 300 mg/kg and more in male and at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg in female. No effects on reproductive performance were discernible in the T-3761 treated groups. In fetuses, external, skeletal and visceral examinations revealed no teratological abnormalities. Slightly retarded ossification, however, was observed at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg. From these findings, the no-effect dose of T-3761 in fertility study was considered to be 300 mg/kg/day for parent rats and fetuses. 2. Teratological study T-3761 was administered from day 7 to day 17 of gestation. In dams, soft stools, transient decrease in food intake, increase in water intake, depression of body weight gain and increase in cecum weight were observed at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg. In fetuses, slight increase in incidence of ventricular septal defect and slightly retarded ossification were observed at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg. In the postnatal examination, there were no effects in the T-3761 treated groups. From these findings, the no-effect dose of T-3761 in teratological study was considered to be 300 mg/kg/day for dams and next generations. 3. Perinatal and postnatal study T-3761 was administered from day 17 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. In dams, cecum weight was increased at the dose of 300 mg/kg and more. And soft stools, transient decrease in food intake, increase in water intake, transient depression of body weight gain and slight extension of gestation period were observed at the dose of 1,500 mg/kg. In the postnatal examination, there were no effects in the T-3761 treated groups. From these findings, the no-effect dose of T-3761 in perinatal and postnatal study was considered to be 300 mg/kg/day for dams and more than 1,500 mg/kg/day for next generations.

Effects of pyperonyl butoxide on the female reproductive tract in rats

This study was investigated the effects of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on the female reproductive tract. Female Crj:Donryu rats were fed a basal diet containing 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 ppm PBO for 28 days, and compared with food-restricted rats of comparable body weights to those in the PBO 10,000 or 20,000 ppm groups. Although treatment with 20,000 ppm PBO for 28 days depressed body weight gain, the abnormal estrous cyclicity, mainly prolonged diestrus, was also induced by the PBO treatment which was not correlated with body weight change. 20,000 ppm PBO treatment markedly decreased uterine weights and slightly decreased ovarian weights. 10,000 and 20,000 ppm PBO treatment increased liver weights. These cycle and organ weight changes were linked to atrophic uterus and increased atretic follicles in the ovary. In hormone assays, PBO at both doses reduced serum E2 levels, but did not affect corticosterone levels. An anti-uterotrophic assay showed a slight but significant decrease in absolute uterine weight and a reduction of endometrial epithelium height in the 20,000 ppm group. PBO was positive in an ER α antagonist reporter gene assay, although the activity was much weaker than that of 4-hydroxytamoxifen. These results indicate that high-dose PBO treatment directly induces atrophic changes in the female reproductive tract in rats, and these effects are likely the result of a hypoestrogenic state and the anti-estrogenic activity of PBO.

Effects of xylanase supplementation on performance, total volatile fatty acids and selected bacterial population in caeca, metabolic indices and peptide YY concentrations in serum of broiler chickens fed energy restricted maize–soybean based diets

The effects of xylanase supplementation on production performance, carcass traits, caecal volatile fatty acid and peptide YY concentration in serum of broiler chickens fed maize–soybean based diets were tested in a 42d experiment. Dietary metabolizable energy (AME, N uncorrected) was decreased in the experimental diets by 0 (E1), 230 (E2) and 420kJ/kg (E3). Each of these diets was supplemented with 0 (X1) or 16,000units/kg (X2) of a commercial xylanase. The objective was to ascertain if the xylanase could spare dietary energy for growth through its effects on peptide YY concentration in blood. Reduction of dietary AME depressed body weight gain (P=0.014), deteriorated feed conversion ratio (P=0.018) and decreased carcass yield (P=0.0001) over 42d. Irrespective of the level of supplemental xylanase, breast meat yield was the poorest in the E2 groups (P=0.003). Supplementation of xylanase had no effect on body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio (feed consumption: body weight gain) and carcass traits (P>0.05). Low energy diets increased total volatile fatty acids (VFA) in caeca (P=0.0001). Xylanase supplementation tended to decrease caecal VFA irrespective of dietary AME (P=0.07). Increasing dietary AME reduced Salmonella (P=0.018) and Escherichia coli (P=0.019) and increased Enterobacteriaceae (P=0.012) populations in caeca. Reduction in dietary AME decreased glucose (P=0.0001) and cholesterol (P=0.012) in serum, particularly in the E3 groups. Serum glucose increased due to xylanase supplementation in the E1 and E3 groups but not in the E2 group (energy×xylanase P=0.0001). Supplementation of xylanase to the E2 groups decreased serum cholesterol as compared with the E1 and E3 groups (energy×xylanase P=0.002). On the other hand, xylanase supplementation decreased serum concentrations of protein in the E1 and E2 groups (energy×xylanase P=0.0001) and uric acid in the E2 and E3 groups (energy×xylanase P=0.006). Serum insulin reached a maximum (P=0.0001) in the E2 group irrespective of xylanase supplementation and added xylanase increased serum insulin (P=0.0001) at all dietary AME levels. There was an interaction between dietary AME and supplemental xylanase on serum peptide YY concentration (P=0.0001) which suggested that the xylanase induced increase in the serum peptide YY concentration was dependent on dietary energy density. It was concluded from the present investigation that supplementation of xylanase to a maize–soybean based diet of broiler chickens may consistently increase serum peptide YY concentration and improve metabolic indices like serum insulin levels. However, the results also indicated that with maize–soybean based diet, such positive effects on metabolic indices may not translate into performance if the diet is compromised with energy by 230kJ/kg or more.

The effect of particle size of full-fat rapeseed and of multi-carbohydrase enzyme supplementation on nutrient digestibility and performance in broilers

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of the particle size of full-fat rapeseed and of multi-carbohydrase enzyme supplementation on chicken performance. The experiment was conducted with 480 male broiler chickens, divided into four dietary treatments, 15 replications with 8 birds each. Two basal diets were prepared containing fine-ground (FG) or coarse-ground (CG) rapeseed. Diets were unsupplemented or supplemented with a multi-carbohydrase enzyme preparation. The CG rapeseed depressed (P<0.05) body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (P<0.05) in comparison with FG. Birds consuming diets supplemented with multi-carbohydrase enzymes had a higher feed intake and body weight gain and a better feed conversion ratio during the first 2 weeks of life (P<0.05). During the first 14 days of life, fine grinding of rapeseed had positive effects on nitrogen retention (55.7 vs 50.8%), total tract digestibility of crude fat (70.4 vs 38.9%), and AME N value (P<0.05). It can be concluded that fine grinding may be used to improve the nutritional value of full-fat rapeseed in broilers.

Evaluation of Soybean Hulls in Grower Turkey Diets

A 42 day study was carried out to evaluate the effect of soybean hulls (SBH) in diets of grower turkeys. Four experimental turkey grower diets were formulated such that soybean hulls made up of 0.0 (control diet), 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0% of the diets respectively replacing maize and soybean meal. These diets were offered randomly to ninety six (96), six week old black coloured local turkeys divided into four groups of 24 birds each replicated 3 times with 8 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design experiment. Results indicated that grower turkeys on the diet (0.0% SBH) produced significantly (p 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) than those fed 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0% SBH diets. Feed intake increased significantly (p 0.05) for turkeys fed diets containing 0.0 and 10.0% SBH and those on 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0% SBH diets. It appears that Soybean hulls at 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0% dietary levels depressed body weight gain and increased feed intake of grower turkeys significantly. Nevertheless, 0.0 and 10.0% dietary SBH produced similar (p>0.05) feed cost per kg weight gain.

Effect of cooking and methionine supplementation on nutritional value of bitter vetch seed as a feed ingredient for broilers

The present study was conducted to evaluate the adequacy of applying heat treatment and methionine (Met) supplementation to improve the use of bitter vetch (BV) as a feed ingredient in the growth diet of broilers. A total of 540 Ross-308 chicks were fed various BV-supplemented diets between the ages of 35 and 49days. The chicks were assigned randomly to one of nine experimental treatments, including raw and cooked bitter vetch seeds at two levels (100 and 200g/kg) with or without Met (210mg/kg) supplement and a corn-soybean-based diet as control. Results showed that feeding the 200-g/kg raw BV decreased feed intake by 52% in relation to the control diet (P < 0.05). Cooking the BV did not improve the feed intake. Met supplementation of 100g/kg raw or cooked BV and 200g/kg cooked BV resulted to a similar feed intake in the control group. Chicks fed with the 200g/kg raw BV had an average depressed body weight gain of 90% in comparison to the birds fed with the control diet. The combination of cooking and Met supplementation of this diet resulted to a similar body weight gain to the control diet. Feeding 100g/kg of raw or cooked BV also reduced (P < 0.05) body weight gain, and Met supplementation of these diets resulted in a body weight gain similar to the control group. Chicks fed with 100g/kg of raw or cooked BV supplemented with Met or 200g/kg of cooked BV plus Met has similar feed conversion ratio to the control group. In conclusion, heating BV seeds is not sufficient to overcome the limiting effects of BV seeds on feed intake and weight gain, and that Met supplementation does provide some improvement. The combination of cooking and Met supplementation was more efficient.

Effect of Fermentation of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) Fruit Peel on its Phytonutrients and the Performance of Broiler Starter

A 5-week feeding trial to determine the effect of fermentation of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) fruit peel on its maize replacement value in broiler starter diet was conducted. Sweet orange fruit peels were collected from peeled orange sellers and divided into three portions. The first portion was not fermented (SP0), while the second and third portions were fermented for 24hrs (SP24) and 48hrs (SP48), respectively. They were separately sun-dried, milled and samples screened and analyzed for phytonutrients. Four different diets namely the control (CD) and three test diets SP0D, SP24D and SP48D in which SP0, SP24D and SP48 replaced maize in the control diet (CD) at 30% level in that order were compounded. Seven-day old one hundred and twenty Anak 2000 broiler chicks were randomly assigned to these diet groups to evaluate their performance. There was a decrease in the concentration of each of oxalate, flavonoid, tannin, saponin and phytate detected in the peels as the duration of fermentation increased from 0 to 48hrs. Thirty percent replacement of maize by the fermented sweet orange fruit peel meal depressed body weight gain (p<0.01), feed intake (p<0.05) and live weight (p<0.01) of broiler starter. The fermentation technique used in this study did not improve the nutritive value of the sweet orange fruit peels to enhance its suitability as a feed resource in broiler starter production.

Effect of Seasonal Temperatures and Ascorbic Acid Supplementation on Performance of Broiler Chickens Maintained in Closed and Open-Sided Houses

The efficacy of ascorbic acid in drinking water on performance of broiler chickens under closed and open-sided houses during hot (ambient temperature 36 C) and cool (ambient temperature 23 C) seasons o o were studied. The temperatures inside the poultry houses were 26 C (closed), 29 C (open-sided), 32 C o o o housed in each closed and open-sided environment for each season. Birds were maintained under 23 hrs light and 1 hr dark cycle and offered ad libitum access water and feed. Broilers in both houses were randomly subjected to four drinking water treatments (9 birds in each 6 replicates/treatment): 0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm ascorbic acid. Feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and rectal temperatures were recorded weekly. Ascorbic acid supplementation at 200-300 ppm was associated with a reduction in rectal temperatures during the hot season. Open-sided house depressed body weight gain and feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) during hot season. Compared to the control group, ascorbic acid improved feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio by 6%, 9% and 3% (cool season) and 8%, 11% and 5% (hot season). Birds supplemented with 200 ppm ascorbic acid had (P < 0.05) higher feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio than the control group during the cool season, while 300 ppm (P < 0.05) improved broiler performance including feed intake, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the hot season. Bird's rectal temperature was higher (P < 0.05) during hot season in open-sided house and (P < 0.05) reduced by supplementing 200-300 ppm ascorbic acid. This study demonstrated that seasonal temperatures had a significant effect on broiler performance in open-sided house. Supplementation of drinking water with 200-300 ppm ascorbic acid ameliorated broiler performance in open-sided housing at high ambient temperatures.

Chronic pharmacologic inhibition of EGFR leads to cardiac dysfunction in C57BL/6J mice

Molecule-targeted therapies like those against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) are becoming widely used in the oncology clinic. With improvements in treatment efficacy, many cancers are being treated as chronic diseases, with patients having prolonged exposure to several therapies that were previously only given acutely. The consequence of chronic suppression of EGFR activity may lead to unexpected toxicities like altered cardiac physiology, a common organ site for adverse drug effects. To explore this possibility, we treated C57BL/6J (B6) mice with two EGFR small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), irreversible EKB-569 and reversible AG-1478, orally for 3 months. In B6 female mice, chronic exposure to both TKIs depressed body weight gain and caused significant changes in left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and cardiac function. No significant differences were observed in heart weight or cardiomyocyte size but histological analysis revealed an increase in fibrosis and in the numbers of TUNEL-positive cells in the hearts from treated female mice. Consistent with histological results, LV apoptotic gene expression was altered, with significant downregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl2l1. Although there were no significant differences in any of these endpoints in treated male mice, suggesting sex may influence susceptibility to TKI mediated toxicity, the LVs of treated male mice had significant upregulation of Egf, Erbb2 and Nppb over controls. Taken together, these data suggest that chronic dietary exposure to TKIs may result in pathological and physiological changes in the heart.

Adipocyte lipolysis, hormonal and metabolic changes in ethanol-drinking rats.

The effect of ethanol drinking on some hormonal and metabolic changes in the rat and on lipolysis in isolated adipocytes was tested. Male growing Wistar rats divided into two groups were used in the experiment. Ten percent ethanol solution as the only drinking fluid for 2 weeks depressed body weight gain. The diminution of blood insulin with simultaneous increase in leptin concentration found in these rats suggest that the physiological regulation of leptin secretion is disturbed by ethanol. Liver triglycerides content was substantially augmented due to ethanol ingestion. Adipocytes were isolated from both groups of rats by collagenase digestion and the lipolytic activity of these cells was compared. Isolated cells (10(6)/ml) were incubated for 90 min in Krebs-Ringer buffer (pH 7.4, 37 degrees C) containing 3 mm glucose and different lipolytic modulators: adrenaline (1 microm), insulin (1 nm), dibutyryl-cAMP (1 mm) and DPCPX (a selective antagonist of adenosine A1 receptor, 1 microM). To determine basal lipolysis cells were incubated without lipolytic agents. Lipolysis was determined by the amount of glycerol released from cells to the incubation medium. Basal and adrenaline-induced lipolysis was depressed in adipocytes of ethanol-drinking rats. The antilipolytic activity of insulin was the same in both groups of isolated cells. Lipolysis induced by dibutyryl-cAMP was only slightly reduced due to ethanol consumption, whereas triglycerides breakdown evoked by adenosine A1 receptor antagonism was unchanged. Results obtained in vitro indicate that subchronic ethanol drinking attenuates basal and stimulated lipolysis in adipocytes, however, the antilipolytic effect of insulin and the adenosine pathway are unchanged.

Growth Response and Crop Emptying in Chicks Force-Fed Diets Containing Various Saponins

Some kinds of saponins are considered to depress body weight gain in chicks by reducing feed intake. Although the mechanism by which saponins exert such effects is unclear, tea saponin (TS) is known to delay the crop emptying. The purpose of the present experiment was to compare effects of TS, Quillaja saponin (QS) and Yucca saponin (YS) on growth rate and crop emptying using force-fed chicks. Chicks fed ad libitum a diet containing 0.5% TS, 0.5% QS or 2% YS depressed body weight gain and feed intake in a 7-d experiment. These adverse effects were alleviated by the concomitant addition of cholesterol. The growth retardation did not occur when feed intake of the diet containing 0.5% QS or 2% YS for 10d was equalized to that of the basal diet by force-feeding. On the other hand, it was difficult to continue the force-feeding of the diet containing 1% TS more than 3d because of the severe crop distention due to the ingesta. YS at the 2% in the diet also delayed the crop emptying, extent of which was milder than 1% TS. The concomitant addition of cholesterol alleviated the delayed crop emptying due to TS or YS. Force-feeding the diet containing 1% QS had little effect on the crop emptying, although the adverse effect of QS on feed intake was similar to that of TS or greater than that of YS. On the other hand, half of chicks force-fed the diet containing 1% QS died within 24-36h after feeding. These results indicate that the decreased feed intake plays an important role in the growth retardation due to saponins, and they also suggest that the delayed crop emptying is associated with the decrease in feed intake due to some saponins but not to all saponins.

Higher susceptibility of newborn than young rats to 3-methylphenol.

To determine susceptibility of infants to 3-methylphenol, a repeated dose toxicity study was conducted with oral administration to newborn and young rats. In an 18-day newborn study from postnatal days 4 to 21 at doses of 30, 100 and 300 mg/kg/day, various clinical signs including deep respiration, hypersensitivity on handling and tremors under contact stimulus, and depressed body weight gain were observed at 300 mg/kg. At 100 mg/kg, hypersensitivity and tremors were also noted in a small number of males only on single days during the dosing period. No adverse effects were observed in the 30 mg/kg group. There were no abnormalities of physical development, sexual maturation and reflex ontogeny. The no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) for newborn rats was considered to be 30 mg/kg/day and the unequivocally toxic level 300 mg/kg/day. In a 28-day study starting at 5 weeks of age, clinical signs and depression of body weight gain, as observed in the newborn rats, appeared in both sexes at 1000 mg/kg but not 300 mg/kg. The NOAEL and the unequivocally toxic level were 300 mg/kg/day and 1,000 mg/kg/day, respectively. From these results, newborn rats were concluded to be 3 to 10 times more susceptible to 3-methylphenol than young rats. However, the realistic no adverse effect dose for the newborn must be slightly lower than 100 mg/kg/day, at which the toxicity incidence was very low, rather than 30 mg/kg/day. Based on this speculation and the equal toxicity at unequivocally toxic levels, the differences in the susceptibility to 3-methylphenol could be concluded to be 3 to 4 times. This is consistent with the results of our previous comparative studies on 4-nitrophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol and 3-aminophenol, which showed 2 to 4 times differences in the susceptibility between newborn and young rats.

Promoting Effects of Ethinylestradiol but not Atrazine on &lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt;-ethyl-&lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt;-nitrosourea-induced Uterine Carcinogenesis in ICR Mice

In order to assess the modifying effects of atrazine (ATR) on uterine endometrial carcinogenesis, female ICR mice received an intra-uterine injection via the vagina of 50 mg/kg body weight of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), followed by no further treatment, by a diet containing 5, 50 or 500 ppm ATR or by a diet containing 2.5 ppm ethinylestradiol (EE) for 26 weeks. In the ENU + EE (positive control) group, depression of body weight gain was seen throughout the treatment period, and the incidence of uterine endometrial proliferative lesions such as adenocarcinomas and atypical hyperplasias, and PCNA positive indices were significantly increased as compared to the ENU alone group. On the other hand, although only slight depression of body weight was seen throughout the study in the ENU + 500 ppm ATR group, but no significant differences in uterine weights, incidence of uterine proliferative lesions with their PCNA positive indices and the immunohistochemical expression of ERα were found in all of the ENU + ATR groups as compared with those of the ENU alone group. The results in the present study indicate that ATR up to 500 ppm in diet has no modifying effects on uterine carcinogenesis in ICR mice initiated with ENU.

Uso de Fosfato Bicálcico Granulado Sobre o Desempenho e Mineralização Óssea de Frangos de Corte

O objetivo do experimento foi avaliar os efeitos do tamanho da partícula do fosfato bicálcico (fina ou granulada) e dos níveis de fósforo total sobre o desempenho de frangos de corte e sobre os teores de cálcio, fósforo e magnésio dos ossos. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3x2 com 3 níveis de fósforo total (0,5%; 0,6% e 0,7%) e duas granulometrias de fosfato bicálcico (fina e granulada). Foram utilizados 300 pintos de corte com um dia de idade, machos, da linhagem Cobb, alojados em baterias metálicas em 6 tratamentos com 5 repetições de 10 aves, totalizando 30 gaiolas dispostas em 6 baterias de 5 andares cada. Os resultados demonstraram que o uso do fosfato granulado resultou em melhor desempenho dos animais. Aves alimentadas com o nível de 0,5% de fósforo total apresentaram o pior desempenho, sendo que o nível de 0,6% proporcionou melhor desempenho das aves. As diferentes granulometrias do fosfato, não diferiram estatisticamente quanto a percentagem de matéria mineral, cálcio, fósforo e magnésio nos ossos.