Roughage Research Articles

A High-Fiber Diet or Dietary Supplementation of Acetate Attenuate Hyperoxia-Induced Acute Lung Injury.

A high fiber diet (HFD) and dietary supplementation with acetate have been reported to have beneficial effects in a variety of diseases. We investigated the effects of a HFD and acetate supplementation on the gut microbiota and hyperoxia-induced acute lung injury (HALI) in mice. Mice were fed a control diet, HFD, or acetate supplementation for three weeks, and their gut microbiome composition, lung tissues, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were examined after exposure to ambient air or hyperoxia. Both the HFD and acetate supplementation modified the gut microbiota community and increased the proportion of acetate-producing bacteria in mice exposed to hyperoxia. The HFD and acetate supplementation also increased the abundance of Bacteroides acidifaciens and reduced gut dysbiosis according to the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes. Compared with hyperoxia-exposed mice fed a control diet, both the HFD and acetate supplementation significantly increased the survival time while reducing the severity of pulmonary edema and the concentrations of protein and inflammatory mediators in BALF. Moreover, the HFD and acetate supplementation reduced the production of free radicals, attenuated NF-κB signaling activation, and decreased apoptosis in the lung tissues. Overall, this study indicates that a HFD or acetate supplementation reduces the severity of HALI through alterations in the gut microbiota to exert anti-inflammatory effects.

Effect of xylanase and β-glucanase on growth performance, activity of digestive enzymes, digestibility, and microbiome diversity of juvenile Nile tilapia fed soybean meal and/or sorghum distillers dried grains with solubles-based diets

Recent studies have identified the advantage of supplementing exogenous enzymes targeting non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) to surmount the problem caused by high-fiber plant-based diets containing distillers' dried grains with solubles (DDGS). This research investigated the effects of supplementing a blend of xylanase and β-glucanase (XB) in diets containing soybean meal (SBM) and/or sorghum distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth performance, blood biochemical parameters, activity of digestive enzymes, apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) and microbiome of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Fish (n = 192; 12.09 ± 0.43 g) were randomly assigned in a 2 × 2 factorial design, and fed diets comprised of two main protein sources [SBM or SBM plus DDGS (SBM/DDGS)] either not supplemented (−XB) or supplemented with XB (+XB; 0.2 g kg−1 diet) with four replicates in each group and 12 fish per replicate. Liquid XB blend was top-sprayed onto extruded diets containing 17.6 MJ kg−1 gross energy and 313.6 g kg − 1 crude protein to provide 1120 TXU kg−1 of endo-1,4-β-xylanase and 500 TGU kg−1 diet of endo-1,4-β-glucanase. Fish were stocked into 70-L aquaria in a recirculating aquaculture system with a water flow of 0.5 L s−1 and temperature set at 28 °C throughout the trial. Fish were hand-fed six times daily until apparent satiety for 56 days. There was no interaction between protein source and XB, and fish fed the SBM diets had higher body weight gain, feed efficiency ratio, energy retention efficiency and protein retention efficiency compared to those fed SBM/DDGS diets. XB promoted higher body weight gain (+12.5%), feed efficiency ratio (+3.4%) and energy retention efficiency (+8.6%) aligned with increased activity of amylase (+32.0%) and lipase (+15.1%) enzymes in the gut than those fed the −XB diets. An interaction effect identified higher digestible energy (DE; +2.1 MJ kg−1 diet) contents in the SBM/DDGS diet with XB compared to the other diets. Analysis of the “core microbiota” revealed that Fusobacteria (Cetobacterium) dominated gut microbiota, irrespective of dietary treatment. Additionally, XB supplementation increased the bacterial diversity by quantifying operational taxonomic units (OTUs) regardless of the main dietary protein. Notably, fish fed the SBM/DDGS diets revealed a higher abundance of beneficial bacteria Proteobacter (Plesiomonas) and Firmicutes (Lactobacillus) than those fed diets of only SBM, irrespective of XB supplementation. Fish offered diet containing SBM/DDGS with XB had a higher abundance of Actinobacteria (Bifidocterium) than those fed other diets. Overall, this study found SBM to have higher nutritive value than DDGS, and supplementation of XB could alleviate the adverse effects of antinutritional factors in sorghum DDGS. Additionally, sorghum DDGS stimulated the abundance of beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiota.

Effects of Dietary Fiber on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Intestinal Health in Different Pig Breeds.

To explore the effect of dietary fiber on growth performance and intestinal health in different pig breeds, forty Taoyuan and Duroc pigs (pure breeds) of 60 days of age were randomly divided into a 2 (diet) × 2 (breed) factorial experiment (n = 10), and fed with a basal diet (BD) or high-fiber diet (HFD). The trial lasted for 28 d, and results showed that the Taoyuan pigs had a higher average daily feed intake (ADFI) than the Duroc pigs (p < 0.05). The average daily gain (ADG) and digestibilities of gross energy (GE) and crude protein (CP) were higher in Taoyuan pigs than in the Duroc pigs under HFD feeding (p < 0.05). The HFD increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity in Taoyuan pigs (p < 0.05). Interestingly, Taoyuan pigs had a higher jejunal villus height and ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V/C) than the Duroc pigs. The HFD significantly improved the villus height and V/C ratio in duodenum and jejunum (p < 0.05). The HFD also increased the jejunal maltase and ileal sucrase activities in Duroc and Taoyuan pigs, respectively (p < 0.05). Taoyuan pigs had a higher expression level of duodenal fatty acid transport protein-1 (FATP-1) than the Duroc pigs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the HFD acutely improved the expression levels of ileal SGLT-1 and GLUT-2, and the expression levels of jejunal occludin and claudin-1 in Taoyuan pigs (p < 0.05). Importantly, Taoyuan pigs had a higher colonic Bifidobacterium abundance than the Duroc pigs (p < 0.05). The HFD not only elevated the colonic Lactobacillus abundance and butyrate acid content in Taoyuan pigs, but also increased the acetic and propionic acid contents in both the pig breeds (p < 0.05). These results indicated a difference in dietary fiber (DF) utilization by the two pig breeds, and results may also suggest a beneficial character of DF in regulating intestinal health.

Factors affecting recurrence in sigmoid volvulus.

Recurrence is a relatively common outcome following endoscopic decompression in sigmoid volvulus (SV). This study aims to evaluate the factors affecting recurrence in SV. In 434 patients with SV treated between June 1986 and January 2022, probable recurrence-affecting factors including age, age of SV onset, gender, dietary habit, defecation habit, altitude of living area, and SV attack count were analyzed in prospectively collected data. Of 434 patients, 111 (25.6%) had recurrent SV with mean 1.6 ± 2.3 of volvulus episodes (range: 1-21 attacks). SV recurrence demonstrated a significant linear increase with age (14.3%, 17.1%, 21.5%, and 29.9%, respectively, in young, middle aged, mature, and elderly patients, p < 0.001). Recurrent SV was also significantly higher in male gender (28.5% vs 12.7%, p = 0.004), high-fiber diet habit (32.9% vs 17.7%, p < 0.001), and living at high altitude (26.9% vs 12.5%, p = 0.047). Although SV recurrence was higher in patients with chronic constipation, the difference was not significant (36.7% vs. 20.3%, p = 0.594). When compared with that of the patients with mature onset or elderly onset patients, SV attack count was significantly higher in young-onset cases (1.3 ± 0.9 and 1.1 ± 0.3 vs 4.6 ± 6.9, p < 0.001). Elderliness, early-onset, maleness, high-fiber diet habit, high altitude, and most likely chronic constipation may be the practical clinical parameters of recurrent SV. These parameters, as well as the presence of previous SV episode history, must be considered in the decision-making process in the elective treatment of SV.

Modifying the diets of captive proboscis monkeys in a temperate zoo to reduce weight loss and renal disease.

In animal husbandry, diets should help in maintaining a healthy body condition, support reproduction, and promote species-specific longevity. It is recommended to feed folivorous primates kept in zoos a high-fiber diet, i.e., leaves, although satisfying such a requirement is challenging in temperate regions because it is difficult to obtain fresh leaves, especially in autumn and winter. As equally important for their appropriate treatment, it is valuable to provide details of clinical reports of medical problems and pathological findings, although such clinical reports are rather limited. Therefore, in foregut-fermenting proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus), we (1) described the individual clinical reports of renal disease and weight loss at the Yokohama Zoological Gardens in Japan, (2) determined the nutritional profile of the diets supplied to these animals because other potential triggers for their renal disease and weight loss could be excluded, (3) modified the diet regimen to minimize weight loss and the development of hypercalcemia and hypophosphatemia, and (4) assessed the effects of such dietary modification by comparing the body weight and the Ca and P concentrations and the Ca/P ratios in the blood before and after diet modification with a comparison of these measurements between zoo and free-ranging individuals. Based on the nutritional profile of the diets, we concluded that the reported cases of renal failure might be caused by consumption of leaves with a Ca/P ratio far above the appropriate level in autumn and winter. Additionally, the dietary modification of minerals and metabolizable energy achieved certain beneficial effects on zoo-kept proboscis monkeys.

A prebiotic diet modulates microglial states and motor deficits in α-synuclein overexpressing mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a movement disorder characterized by neuroinflammation, α-synuclein pathology, and neurodegeneration. Most cases of PD are non-hereditary, suggesting a strong role for environmental factors, and it has been speculated that disease may originate in peripheral tissues such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract before affecting the brain. The gut microbiome is altered in PD and may impact motor and GI symptoms as indicated by animal studies, although mechanisms of gut-brain interactions remain incompletely defined. Intestinal bacteria ferment dietary fibers into short-chain fatty acids, with fecal levels of these molecules differing between PD and healthy controls and in mouse models. Among other effects, dietary microbial metabolites can modulate activation of microglia, brain-resident immune cells implicated in PD. We therefore investigated whether a fiber-rich diet influences microglial function in α-synuclein overexpressing (ASO) mice, a preclinical model with PD-like symptoms and pathology. Feeding a prebiotic high-fiber diet attenuates motor deficits and reduces α-synuclein aggregation in the substantia nigra of mice. Concomitantly, the gut microbiome of ASO mice adopts a profile correlated with health upon prebiotic treatment, which also reduces microglial activation. Single-cell RNA-seq analysis of microglia from the substantia nigra and striatum uncovers increased pro-inflammatory signaling and reduced homeostatic responses in ASO mice compared to wild-type counterparts on standard diets. However, prebiotic feeding reverses pathogenic microglial states in ASO mice and promotes expansion of protective disease-associated macrophage (DAM) subsets of microglia. Notably, depletion of microglia using a CSF1R inhibitor eliminates the beneficial effects of prebiotics by restoring motor deficits to ASO mice despite feeding a prebiotic diet. These studies uncover a novel microglia-dependent interaction between diet and motor symptoms in mice, findings that may have implications for neuroinflammation and PD.

A high-fiber diet synergizes with Prevotella copri and exacerbates rheumatoid arthritis.

Both preclinical and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients display alterations in the gut microbiome. Prevotella spp. are preferentially enriched in a subset of RA patients. Here, we isolated a Prevotella strain, P. copri RA, from the feces of RA patients and showed that colonization of P. copri RA exacerbated arthritis in a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. With the presence of P. copri RA colonization, a high-fiber diet exacerbated arthritis via microbial alterations and intestinal inflammation. Colonization of P. copri together with a high-fiber diet enabled the digestion of complex fiber, which led to the overproduction of organic acids, including fumarate, succinate and short-chain fatty acids. Succinate promoted proinflammatory responses in macrophages, and supplementation with succinate exacerbated arthritis in the CIA model. Our findings highlight the importance of dysbiosis when evaluating the effects of dietary interventions on RA pathogenesis and provide new insight into dietary interventions or microbiome modifications to improve RA management.

Metabolomic, Lipidomic, Transcriptomic, and Metagenomic Analyses in Mice Exposed to PFOS and Fed Soluble and Insoluble Dietary Fibers.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent environmental pollutant that has become a significant concern around the world. Exposure to PFOS may alter gut microbiota and liver metabolic homeostasis in mammals, thereby increasing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases. Diets high in soluble fibers can ameliorate metabolic disease risks. We aimed to test the hypothesis that soluble fibers (inulin or pectin) could modulate the adverse metabolic effects of PFOS by affecting microbe-liver metabolism and interactions. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed an isocaloric diet containing different fibers: a) inulin (soluble), b) pectin (soluble), or c) cellulose (control, insoluble). The mice were exposed to PFOS in drinking water () for 7 wk. Multi-omics was used to analyze mouse liver and cecum contents. In PFOS-exposed mice, the number of differentially expressed genes associated with atherogenesis and hepatic hyperlipidemia were lower in those that were fed soluble fiber than those fed insoluble fiber. Shotgun metagenomics showed that inulin and pectin protected against differences in microbiome community in PFOS-exposed vs. control mice. It was found that the plasma PFOS levels were lower in inulin-fed mice, and there was a trend of lower liver accumulation of PFOS in soluble fiber-fed mice compared with the control group. Soluble fiber intake ameliorated the effects of PFOS on host hepatic metabolism gene expression and cecal content microbiome structure. Results from metabolomic, lipidomic, and transcriptomic studies suggest that inulin- and pectin-fed mice were less susceptible to PFOS-induced liver metabolic disturbance, hepatic lipid accumulation, and transcriptional changes compared with control diet-fed mice. Our study advances the understanding of interaction between microbes and host under the influences of environmental pollutants and nutrients. The results provide new insights into the microbe-liver metabolic network and the protection against environmental pollutant-induced metabolic diseases by high-fiber diets. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11360.

Interaction of sodium acetate supplementation and dietary fiber level on feeding behavior, digestibility, milk synthesis, and plasma metabolites.

Acetate supplementation has been shown to increase milk fat yield in diets with low risk of biohydrogenation-induced milk fat depression. The interaction of acetate supplementation with specific dietary factors that modify rumen fermentation and short-chain fatty acid (FA) synthesis has not been investigated. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of acetate supplemented as sodium acetate at 2 dietary fiber levels. Our hypothesis was that acetate would increase milk fat production more in animals fed the low-fiber diet. Twelve lactating multiparous Holstein cows were arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design balanced for carryover effects with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of dietary fiber level and acetate supplementation with 21-d experimental periods. The high-fiber diet had 32% neutral detergent fiber and 21.8% starch, and the low-fiber diet had 29.5% neutral detergent fiber and 28.7% starch created by substitution of forages predominantly for ground corn grain. Acetate was supplemented in the diet at an average 2.8% of dry matter (DM) to provide approximately 10 mol/d of acetate as anhydrous sodium acetate. Acetate supplementation increased DM intake by 6%, with no effect on meal frequency or size. Furthermore, acetate supplementation slightly increased total-tract apparent DM digestibility and tended to increase organic matter digestibility. Acetate supplementation increased milk fat concentration and yield by 8.6 and 10.5%, respectively, but there was no interaction with dietary fiber. The increase in milk fat synthesis was associated with 46 and 85 g/d increases in the yield of de novo (<16C) and mixed source (16C) FA, respectively, with no changes in yield of preformed FA (>16C). There was a 9% increase in the concentration of milk mixed-source FA and a 7% decrease in milk preformed FA with acetate supplementation, regardless of dietary fiber level. Acetate supplementation also increased the concentrations of plasma acetate and β-hydroxybutyrate, major metabolic substrates for mammary lipogenesis. Overall, acetate supplementation increased milk fat yield regardless of dietary fiber level through an increase mostly caused by an increase in longer-chain de novo FA, suggesting stimulation of mammary lipogenesis. The heightened mammary de novo lipogenesis was supported by an increase in the concentration of metabolic substrates in plasma.

Impact of different dietary fibre levels on the roughage resistance of the Dahe black pig

To investigate the effects and molecular mechanism of different levels of dietary fibre (Chinese milk vetch) on Dahe black and Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) (DLY) pigs, 54 of each type of pig were selected and fed diets that contained 3.5%, 5.5% and 7.5% levels of fibre in the growing (30–60 kg) and fattening stages (60–120 kg). The production performance, serum physicochemical indices, nutrient digestibility, the amylase activity in the small intestine, contents of the muscle crude protein and ether extract, and the levels of transcription of the PRKAG3 and Fsp27 genes were determined. The production performance of the Dahe black pigs with a 5.5% level of dietary fibre was significantly higher than those with dietary fibre levels of 3.5% and 7.5%. A diet high in fibre also significantly affected the production performance of the DLY pigs. The apparent digestibility of the nutrients decreased with an increase in the dietary fibre level, and the Dahe black pigs appeared to more effectively digest the dietary fibre than the DLY pigs. The serum physicochemical indices, amylase activity, and the expression levels of the PRKAG3 and Fsp27 genes from the Dahe black pigs were significantly higher than those of the DLY pigs, and the intramuscular fat content of the Dahe black pigs fed a high fibre diet was significantly higher than that of the DLY pigs. The dietary fibre levels of 5.5% and 7.5% did not affect the production performance of the Dahe black pigs during the 30–120 kg period, but they significantly reduced the production performance of the DLY pigs. The Dahe black pigs were evidently tolerant to high amounts of fibre when fed a high fibre diet.

The effect of moderate energy and protein restriction during gilt development on changes in body weight and backfat depth and subsequent lactation performance.

Eighty-eight gilts [initial body weight (BW) 49.8 ± 0.8 kg] were recruited to determine the effects of moderate energy and protein restriction during the development period on changes in BW and backfat depth (BF) and subsequent lactation performance. Gilts were randomly assigned to one of four feeding programs: 1) standard commercial diet fed ad libitum (CON), 2) standard commercial diet fed 10% or 3) 20% below ad libitum, or 4) a high-fiber diet fed ad libitum [2.5 times more fiber (neutral detergent fiber) than the commercial diet to dilute net energy and crude protein by approximately 20% and 13%, respectively; FIB]. The gilts were housed individually and received the feeding programs between 90 and 190 (breeding) d of age and standard gestation and lactation diets thereafter. Litters were standardized to 12 ± 1 pigs within 48 h of farrowing; weaning occurred at 20.0 ± 0.4 d of age. Gilts that received the 20% restricted program had lower overall average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the development period (2.64 ± 0.04 kg; P < 0.05) versus all other feeding programs and gilts that received the 10% restricted program had lower ADFI than FIB and CON, which were not different (2.96 vs. 3.44 and 3.47 ± 0.04 kg for 10%, FIB and CON, respectively; P < 0.05). Plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations on day 180 of age were lower for gilts that received the 10% and 20% restricted programs compared to gilts that received the FIB and CON programs, which were not different (97 and 86 vs. 220 and 149 ± 29 µEq/L, respectively; P < 0.05). Plasma concentrations of glucose, urea, prolactin, and IGF-1 were not different among feeding programs on day 180 of age. At breeding, gilts that received the FIB and 10% programs had lower BW and BF versus CON (145.7 and 144.8 vs. 155.2 ± 0.9 kg and 14.4 and 14.8 vs. 16.5 ± 0.2 mm for BW and BF, respectively; P < 0.05) but greater BW than gilts that received the 20% restricted program (137.9 kg; P < 0.05). The BW and BF of gilts did not differ at the end of gestation or at weaning. The ADFI of sows during lactation and offspring birth weight and growth rate during lactation and the 5-wk nursery period were not influenced by gilt development feeding program. Therefore, a high-fiber feeding program could be used in group-housing gilt-development scenarios, where feed is offered ad libitum, to control BW and BF prior to breeding without influencing milk production in the subsequent lactation period.

Exogenous enzymes, meal size, and meal frequency: effect on ileal and total tract digestibility of carbohydrates, and energy and fiber degradation in growing pigs fed a wheat-barley grain-based high-fiber diet.

When conducting a digestibility trial, pigs are usually fed only twice a day with a restricted feed intake which is not representative of the feeding conditions in a commercial farm. This study aimed to determine the effects of meal size and frequency, and exogenous enzymes (xylanase and phytase) on the digestibility of a high-fiber diet using porcine in vivo and in vitro approaches. Pigs (n = 6) were fitted with a T cannula, and each received all treatments using a 6 × 6 Latin square experimental design. The diets were supplemented (Enz) or not with a combination of xylanase and phytase and distributed into three feeding programs: one received two meals per day that met three times the maintenance energy requirement (2M), one received the same quantity of feed in eight meals (8M), and another received an amount that met five times the maintenance energy requirements in eight meals (8M+). For in vitro experiment, the degradability of fiber with or without xylanase supplementation only was determined. Enzyme supplementation increased apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of dry matter, starch, and degradation of insoluble non-starch polysaccharides (I-NSP) in all in vivo treatments (P < 0.05). The 2M compared with 8M increased the AID of starch and total tract digestibility of organic matter and I-NSP (P < 0.05). Enzyme supplementation decreased the content of insoluble arabinoxylan (P < 0.05) and increased arabinoxylan oligosaccharides (P < 0.05) in the in vivo ileal digesta and in vitro incubation. The results of this study confirm degradation by xylanase of the fiber fraction at the ileal level, which resulted in less fermentation of fiber in the large intestine. However, number and size of meals had little influence on feed digestibility. The consequences of shifting fiber fermentation more towards the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract need further investigation. The in vitro model provided a confirmation of the action of xylanase on the degradation of non-starch polysaccharides.

Short-Term Effect of Additional Daily Dietary Fibre Intake on Appetite, Satiety, Gastrointestinal Comfort, Acceptability, and Feasibility.

Background: There is evidence that high-fibre diets have significant health benefits, although the effect of increasing fibre on individuals’ appetite, satiety, and gastrointestinal comfort is not well established, nor is its acceptability and feasibility. Methods: This mixed-methods feasibility randomised control trial included 38 participants allocated to one of three conditions: FibreMAX (two daily servings of 25 g of BARLEYmax®), FibreGRAD (two daily servings with the amount of fibre gradually increased), and Control (two daily servings totalling 25 g of placebo product). Participants completed a food diary at baseline. The Hunger and Fullness Questionnaire and questions regarding gastrointestinal response were completed at baseline and at the end of each week. Participants completed the acceptability of intervention measure and engaged in a semi-structured interview, following trial completion. Results: The qualitative data suggested that increased fibre influenced appetite and fullness perceptions. Baseline fibre consumption and the method of increased fibre increase did not influence our findings. The qualitative results also indicated that the fibre intake was perceived as beneficial to well-being; it influenced feelings of hunger and caused some minor acute gastrointestinal symptoms that dissipated after a short adaption period. Conclusion: This study suggests that increasing fibre intake through BARLEYmax® is a safe intervention that is acceptable to participants.

Rumen effects of monensin in dry cow diets varying in energy density.

Controversy has existed as to whether monensin will provide equal or differential benefits in a higher-energy, lower-roughage close-up diet versus a higher-roughage, lower-energy diet. Our objective was to determine the rumen effects of a controlled-energy, high-fiber diet balanced to meet but not greatly exceed energy requirements during the dry period or a traditional 2-group approach of higher-energy close-up diet. The effects of added monensin in each diet type were determined. Multiparous Holstein cows (n = 17) were fitted surgically with ruminal cannulas. During the first 4 wk of the dry period, all cows were fed a controlled-energy, high-fiber diet (CE) as a total mixed ration for ad libitum intake. During the last 3 wk before calving, half of the cows were switched to a higher-energy, close-up diet until calving (CU), whereas the other half continued to receive the CE diet. Within each dietary group, half of the cows received monensin (MON) supplementation in the diet (24.2 g/t of total dry matter) and half did not (CON). After calving, all cows received the same lactation diet containing monensin (15.4 g/t of dietary dry matter). At 14 d prepartum, dry matter intake was not different across treatments. The weight of rumen contents was greater for cows fed CE. Rumen liquid dilution rate, solids passage rate, pH, total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, molar proportions of acetate and propionate, and papillae length did not differ among diets. Butyrate percentage tended to be greater for cows fed CE. Postpartum, dry matter intake, mass of rumen contents, solids passage rate, pH, total VFA concentration, molar percentages of propionate and butyrate, and papillae length did not differ among treatments. Liquid dilution rate (16.6, 10.7, 16.0, and 18.2%/h for CE + CON, CE + MON, CU + CON, and CU + MON, respectively) was affected by a diet × monensin interaction. Cows on the CE + CON diet had a greater ruminal proportion of acetate than did cows fed CU + CON, whereas cows fed monensin on either diet were intermediate (diet × monensin interaction). Addition of MON to the CU diet decreased the proportion of propionate (diet × monensin interaction). Cows fed CE had greater mass of rumen contents before parturtition but the high inclusion of wheat straw in the CE diet did not negatively affect rumen papillae length. Monensin inclusion differentially affected liquid passage rate and VFA concentrations.

S3689 Unforeseen Postoperative Complication in a Bariatric Patient: The Rare Case of a Large Phytobezoar Causing Gastric Outlet Obstruction

Introduction: Bariatric surgery has become increasingly popular in the treatment of obesity to achieve sustainable weight loss. Despite its numerous benefits, complications can arise due to postoperative gastric hypoacidity and motility disorders. Phytobezoars is an infrequent complication of bariatric surgery that arise from impacted aggregates of indigestible fruit and vegetables. Rarely, bezoars can cause gastric outlet obstruction and/or perforation. The following case highlights the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of phytobezoars and the importance of diet compliance in bariatric patients. Case Description/Methods: A 60-year-old woman with hyperlipidemia was admitted due to progressive epigastric fullness and postprandial emesis of 2 weeks’ duration. Moreover, nausea was constant associated with abdominal bloating and 7-pound weight loss. Pepcid did not alleviate symptoms. She denied fever, chills, chest pain, shortness of breath, diarrhea, constipation, hematochezia nor hematemesis. Her past surgical history was pertinent for sleeve gastrectomy in 2017. She denied toxic habits. Labs were unremarkable except for isolated thrombocytopenia. Physical exam was pertinent for mild epigastric tenderness; no abdominal rigidity nor guarding present. Despite abdominopelvic CT revealing a gastric fundus dilation, an upper GI series was the study that diagnosed a large lobular filling defect compatible with a 7.2 cm phytobezoar.1 Upon questioning, the patient reported that she arrived from a cruise vacation before onset of symptoms. She recalled consuming large amounts of vegetables, nuts and fruits. Initial intervention consisted of papain meat tenderizer to help dissolve bezoar. Nevertheless, symptoms persisted due to oral medication intolerance. Upper endoscopy was performed and phytobezoar was removed with Roth Net retriever. After procedure, patient was able to progressively tolerate diet and was discharge home with resolution of symptoms. Avoidance of excessive high fiber diet was recommended to prevent future bezoar formations (Figure 1). Discussion: The incidence of large phytobezoars has been reported as low as 0.3% in the general population, and therefore, its identification is a diagnostic challenge. Even though most of the patients remain asymptomatic, large bezoars can cause gastric outlet obstruction that could end in perforation if not treated promptly. This case emphasizes the importance of considering phytobezoars as a cause of GI symptoms and the importance of diet education in bariatric patients.Figure 1.: 1. Upper GI series X-ray showing a 7.2 cm phytobezoar causing a large lobular filling defect in the stomach fundus.

The Influence of Macronutrient Intake towards Intestinal Mucus Production

Intestinal mucus layer plays a crucial role in protecting the epithelium layer and acts as a barrier to separate the epithelium layer from pathogenic microorganisms. The mucus is synthesized by the goblet cells located in the epithelium layer. The production of mucus inside the goblet cells is regulated by the expression of mucin gene family, such as MUC2 for the mucus production in jejunum, ileum, and colon. Recent studies had suggested the influence of macronutrient intake, such as carbohydrate and fat, in mucus production. High fiber diet and resistant starch consumption were found to positively affect mucus production through upregulating mucin gene expression. Meanwhile, high saturated fat diet was found to negatively affect mucus production by promoting ER stress and downregulating epithelial differentiation transcription factor (KLF4). Nonetheless, a low saturated fat diet was found to upregulate mucin expression. Unsaturated fat diet (oleic acid, linoleic acid, EPA, and DHA), on the other hand, decreased mucin expression by disrupting epithelial differentiation transcription factors (HATH1 and TLR4). Studies on the effect of dietary intake on mucus production are still limited, especially in the underlying molecular pathway. Therefore, further research on the molecular pathway on the effect of dietary intake on mucus production needs to be performed.

Postinfective bowel dysfunction following Campylobacter enteritis is characterised by reduced microbiota diversity and impaired microbiota recovery

ObjectivesPersistent bowel dysfunction following gastroenteritis (postinfectious (PI)-BD) is well recognised, but the associated changes in microbiota remain unclear. Our aim was to define these changes after gastroenteritis caused by a...

STUDY OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE COMPOSITION OF RUMINAL MICROBIOTA WHEN USING HIGH-FIBER DIETS

Fiber is necessary for ruminants to stimulate the activity of the rumen, keep healthy and maintain a certain level of milk fat content. Its deficiency or, on the contrary, its excess content has a negative effect on ruminants, therefore, when organizing feeding it is necessary to consider not only the level of nutrition of the animal itself, but also the microflora of its proventriculi. The article presents the results of studies on the qualitative and quantitative composition of the ruminal microbiota when using&#x0D; high-fiber diets in the winter. It was found that the average daily milk yield was lower when high-fiber diets (23.0-26.11%) were used compared to that of the preliminary period. There is also some quantitative increase in bacteria of such genera as Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Escherichia and a decrease in the number of bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, which are important enough to maintain an optimal level of feeding.

A Young Man With Epigastric Abdominal Pain

A Young Man With Epigastric Abdominal Pain

248 U.S. Challenges with E. Coli and Road map for the Future

Abstract In recent years U.S pork producers have been faced with what seems to be a never-ending uphill battle, with Enterotoxigenic E. coli which causes severe post weaning diarrhea and mortality. Numerous hypotheses ranging from pig genetics to changes in bacterial resistance have all been discussed as potential causes, but no clear answer has been provided to date. Over the past two years, many nutritional strategies (low crude protein, higher fiber diets, etc.) aimed at mitigating the deleterious effects of ETEC have been tried in both field and research nurseries with varying success. There is a concerted effort across the industry to better understand E. coli and possible mitigation and prevention strategies. However, to be successful we need to understand that controlling E. coli is a multidisciplinary issue that requires understanding how each piece of the puzzle impacts E. coli. Production practices, veterinarian protocols, stress events (weaning, transportation), temperature, and clear plans for a world post pharmacological levels of zinc and feed grade medications all contribute to the success of mitigating/eliminating ETEC. While the pig demands we find solutions quickly, the sustainability of healthy swine production and lower production cost require us to find the root source. This requires starting at the beginning of the process and piecing the puzzle together. We need research at all levels of production to understand key triggers–actions and reactions. What things are we doing in the farrowing crate today that impacts this? When pigs are placed in the nursery, what is the required temperature for newly weaned pigs? Are there possibly production practices that have benefits in one place and harsh impacts in another? These are examples of questions needing answered. To fix an issue of this magnitude, you must understand it simply – and we simply do not understand this issue well enough today.