Significant Increase In Weight Research Articles

Impact of Vitamin C and Hydroxyurea on the Reproductive System Health in Male Rats

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a medication used to treat various diseases and is also being studied for its effects on spermatogenesis. Vitamin C (VC), an antioxidant, has been shown to protect sperm cells from oxidative stress, potentially improving fertility and sperm quality. In a study involving twenty-four adult male albino rats divided into four groups, Group 1 served as the control, Group 2 received 5 mg of vitamin C, Group 3 received 100 mg of hydroxyurea per body weight, and Group 4 received a combination of vitamin C and hydroxyurea to assess essential functions of the reproductive system, including hormone levels, antioxidant markers, oxidative stress indicators, histopathology, and identification of DNA damage. The study found that hydroxyurea significantly reduced testicular weight, SOD, CAT, and GSH while increasing FSH and MDA levels and causing abnormalities in sperm morphology. Hydroxyurea also caused apparent alterations in the histological structure of the testes and comet parameters. Rats treated with vitamin C showed a significant increase in absolute and relative epididymis weight compared to the control group. Moreover, vitamin C intervention reversed the adverse effects observed in rats fed hydroxyurea, indicating that low doses of vitamin C can protect against testicular damage.

Effect of Casing Mixtures along with Turmeric Powder on the Growth Parameters and Yield of White Button Mushroom [Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach

Protein is one of the nutrients that is included in balance diet for proper growth and development of humankind. The amount of food that is needed for human consumption is insufficient. Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach commonly known as white button mushroom, is the most widely accepted food globally with nutritional and medicinal properties. The present experiment was conducted during the Rabi season 2023 at Mushroom crop room, Department of Plant Pathology, SHUATS, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh to evaluate the effect of Turmeric powder at different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 2.5%) incorporated into three different casing mixture viz., FYM + Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1:1) with an objective to monitor the growth and yield aspects of white button mushroom. Turmeric at concentration 2% shows significant increase of weight of fruiting bodies, enhances stalk length, stalk diameter and pileus diameter. These results were also observed at 2.5% concentration but it also inhibited the growth of mold fungus as well as A. bisporus. Among all treatments used in the study, the results revealed that minimum average time taken for completion of spawn run (15.28 days) and pinhead initiation (17.29 days) as well as maximum pileus diameter (4.87 cm), stalk length (3.32 cm), stalk diameter (2.36 cm), yield (583.33 g) and biological efficiency (13.56) highest recorded in T4 [FYM + Cocopeat + Sawdust (1:1:1) + Turmeric powder @ 2%.

Response of Different Exogenous Phytohormones to Rice Yield Under Low-Temperature Stress at the Filling Stage

This paper aims to clarify the effects of different exogenous phytohormones on the physiological traits of rice (Oryza sativa L.) at the early stage of irrigation under low-temperature stress. In this study, two types of rice varieties with different temperature sensitivities screened out previously, namely, a cold-tolerant variety (Nan Jing 9108) and a low-temperature-sensitive variety (Hui Liang You 898), were used in pots to simulate the process of low-temperature stress in rice at the early stage of grouting (6–9 days after anthesis) with artificial low-temperature treatments. The experimental treatments were 450 mg L−1 Methyl jasmine acid (MJ), 46 mg L−1 Melatonin (MT), 69 mg L−1 Salicylate (SA), 40 mg L−1 Erythromycin (GA3), 25 mg L−1 Zeatin (Z), 145 mg L−1 Spermidine (SPD), and 5 mg L−1 Abscisic acid (ABA) sprayed on rice before low-temperature stress, while low-temperature treatment without spraying (DK) and conventional planting without spraying (CK) were added as the control. The results showed that compared with the room temperature control (CK, sprayed with deionized water), the low-temperature control (DK, low-temperature treatment, and sprayed with deionized water) all significantly reduced the rice grain yield. Different exogenous hormones sprayed before low-temperature stress could increase rice yield, among which, Z and SPD spraying treatments had a better effect on the yield of Hui Liang You 898, while different exogenous hormone treatments increased the yield of Nan Jing 9108 in an average manner. The Z and SPD treatments increased the yield of Hui Liang You 898 by 24.87% and 26.16% and that of Nan Jing 9108 by 15.87% and 17.80%, respectively. This was mainly attributed to the significant increase in thousand-grain weight and fruiting rate, while there was no significant difference in the number of spikes and number of grains. The different exogenous hormone treatments were able to delay leaf senescence, enhance the photosynthetic production capacity of plants by increasing leaf chlorophyll content, and thus increase the accumulation of photosynthetic assimilation products and population growth rate after flowering. Among them, both Z and SPD treatments resulted in a population growth rate of more than 30% from spike flushing to maturity, which led to a higher dry matter accumulation of the plant at maturity. In addition, in the dry matter distribution of the plant at maturity, the seeds occupied a higher accumulation amount and proportion compared with the respective DK; the SPD treatment resulted in the maximum distribution rate of seeds at maturity of Hui Liang You 898, with an increase of 8.27%, and the Z treatment resulted in the maximum distribution rate of seeds at maturity of Nan Jing 9108, with an increase of 7.34%. At the same time, the Z treatment significantly increased the activities of adenosine diphosphate glucose phosphorylated enzyme (AGP) and starch branching enzyme (SBE) in the grains of both varieties, which resulted in the accumulation of more starch and ultimately increased the rice grain yield. The results verified that different exogenous phytohormones could be used to regulate the insufficiency of grouting caused by low-temperature stress during the grouting and fruiting stages of rice and enriched their agronomic and physiological traits in response at the same time.

Ameliorative Effects of Phyto-estrogen ‘Genistein’, Homeopathic Combination ‘R-85’and Captopril on Body Weight, Organ Weight, Feed and Water Intake in L-NAME Induced Hypertensive Wistar Rats

Hypertension is associated with the development and progression of severe damage to organs. Meager studied has been found on the effect of Phyto-estrogen ‘genistein’ and homeopathic combination ‘R-85’ as antihypertensive action which may aid in main therapy of hypertension. Thus, present study aims to evaluate the effect of ‘genistein’, ‘R-85’ and ‘captopril’ on body weight, organ weight feed and water intake in Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) induced hypertensive male wistar rats. After acclimatization, the male wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of 5 rats in each group. The rats except control group (group-I) were treated with L-NAME (@50mg/kg, in drinking water, group-II), L-NAME + Genistein (@50mg/kg, per os, group-III), L-NAME + R-85 (@ 5 drops, twice daily, group-IV) and L-NAME + Captopril (@50 mg/kg, per os, group-V) daily for 42 days. The study was conducted for a period of 42 days. During the experimental period, weight of rats, feed intake and water intake was measured weekly. At the end of the experimental period, rats were sacrificed andheart, kidneys and liver were weighed. After treatment with genistein, R-85 and captopril an increase in body weight was found as compared to L-NAME group. On similar treatment there was an increase in feed intake per 100 g of rat was found compared to L-NAME hypertensive group per week. Unlike feed intake, treatments decrease the water intake per 100 g of rat compared to L-NAME group per week. A significant increase in the relative weights of the liver and kidney was found in L-NAME group compared to control. Whereas, treatment with R-85 and captopril significantly decreased the relative weight of liver and kidney as compared to L-NAME group. Thus finding of the present study discloses ameliorative effect of genistein, R-85 and captopril on hypertensive rats.

Investigating the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and its effect on enteric fermentation

This study aims to evaluate the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and to investigate its effect on enteric fermentation. Methane gas emissions from Naeemi ewes' ruminants were measured, with animals divided into two groups, each containing 14 ewes. The treatment group was fed a combination of biochar and a basal ration, while the control group received the basal ration alone. The results demonstrate that the initial gas emission for both animal groups at day 0 was 1082 ppm, and the inclusion of biochar in the diet significantly (P < 0.05) reduced CH4 gas emissions by 65.58 %–78.39%. Furthermore, feeding Naeemi sheep with biochar and the basal ration led to a significant (P < 0.05) increase in body weight (63.66 kg) and growth rate (length: 79.3 cm, waist: 81.75 cm, and height: 99.76 cm) compared to the control group. Additionally, it raised the average body condition score (BCS) to 3.56, in contrast to the control group's score of 2.83, primarily due to the positive impact of biochar on fat gain. The study revealed that biochar enhances nutrient utilization, improves feed efficiency, and significantly reduces methane gas emissions in livestock. When incorporated into the sheep's diet, biochar can modify digestive processes and promote better nutrient absorption.

8729 Role of PARP1 in Macrophage-dependent Regulation of Adipose Tissue Inflammation, Adipogenesis, and Diet-induced Obesity

Abstract Disclosure: J. Zhu: None. R. Gupte: None. T.S. Nandu: None. W.L. Kraus: None. D. Huang: None. Adipose tissue macrophages play a significant role in maintaining adipose tissue homeostasis, as well as promoting chronic low-grade inflammation during the development of obesity and metabolic dysfunction. However, the crosstalk between macrophages and adipocytes, especially how macrophages affect adipogenesis in obese adipose tissue, are still poorly understood. We have investigated the function of PARP1 in the control of adipogenesis by using an adipocyte precursor-specific Parp1 knockout mouse model. Here, to investigate the role of macrophage PARP1 in regulating adipogenesis, we deleted Parp1 in the myeloid lineage by crossing Parp1loxp/loxp mice with LysMCre mice (Parp1 cKOLysMCre). Macrophages-specific knockout of Parp1 dramatically reduced LPS-induced pro-inflammatory gene expression in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). To explore whether macrophage-specific Parp1 knockout affects adipocyte differentiation, we treated the primary preadipocytes from stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of white adipose tissue with the conditioned medium from LPS-stimulated control or Parp1 cKOLysMCre BMDMs throughout a 6-day period of differentiation. We observed that exposure of preadipocytes to the conditioned medium of Parp1 cKOLysMCre macrophages promoted adipogenesis by Oil Red O staining, as well as by monitoring the expression of key proadipogenic marker genes (e.g., Adipoq and Fabp4) by RT-qPCR. To further investigate the role of macrophage-specific deletion of Parp1 in metabolic outcomes, we fed the Parp1 cKOLysMCre mice with a high fat diet for 12 weeks. The knockout mice exhibited a significant increase in body weight compared to the control mice. Interestingly, we observed a reduction of the total number of macrophages resident in the adipose tissue from macrophage-specific Parp1 knockout mice. To explore the underlying mechanism, we performed single cell RNA-seq for adipose tissue macrophages using sorted SVF cells collected from HFD-fed mice. The results demonstrated dramatic reductions in macrophage M1 marker genes and pro-inflammatory transcription factors in Parp1 cKOLysMCre mice. Taken together, our study suggests that Parp1 knockout in macrophages selectively affects the recruitment and pro-inflammatory activation of macrophages, as well as adipocyte differentiation in adipose tissue. Importantly, despite the decreased adipose tissue inflammation, macrophage-specific Parp1 knockout enhanced adipogenesis, which leads to obesity in mice.This work was supported by a grant from the NIH/NIDDK (R01 DK069710) and funds from the Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences Endowment, to W.L.K., and a grant from NSFC (82270929) to D.H. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Response of broilers to supplementation of Salvia officinalis L. essential oil in hot ambient conditions.

Heat stress has various detrimental effects on poultry production. The aim of the study was to alleviate the effects of heat stress in broiler production. For this purpose, 288 one-day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were obtained from a commercial hatchery and randomly allocated to one of three treatment groups; CON: corn-soybean meal based commercial diet, SEO100: CON with 100mg/kg Sage essential oil (SEO) and SEO200: CON with 200mg/kg SEO with 96 birds in each group (4 replicates each) in a completely randomized design under hot ambient temperatures for 42 days. No differences were observed in the body weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio at 42 days of age among groups. However, there was a significant increase in 21-day body weight in SEO200 chicks compared to CON. Furthermore, the addition of SEO significantly decreased the mortality rate under heat stress conditions. The total oxidant status value was lower in broiler chickens in which SEO was added to their diets. While the total antioxidant status value was higher in SEO100 chicks, it did not show a linear increase. Additionally, the results demonstrated that the addition of SEO to broiler diets under heat stress did not have a significant effect on inspected meat quality traits, with the exception of the b*(yellowness) value of breast muscle. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that 200mg/kg SEO can be added to diets for the welfare of broiler chickens under heat stress conditions for struggling with oxidants and increasing viability. Further research is needed to investigate the antioxidant activity and meat quality of different levels of SEO in hot ambient conditions.

Duration of efficacy and effect of implant location in adult queens treated with a 9.4 mg deslorelin subcutaneous implant

Deslorelin is a GnRH-agonist used off-label for contraception in female cats. Little is known about duration and safety of the 9.4 mg subcutaneous implant in the queen as well as its efficacy when placed periumbilically. Fourteen female cats were administered the 9.4 mg deslorelin implant (during interestrus or anestrus) either in interscapular (N=8) or periumbilical (N=6) sites, following general and reproductive examination, vaginal cytology, hematology, biochemistry and progesterone assay to ensure health status. All above procedures (except for progesterone assay) were repeated weekly during the first month, then every 2 months until 6 months and then every 6 months until treated cats regained full reproductive function. No side effects were observed in any treated queen. Post implantation estrus occurred in 40% of the subjects. A significant increase in body weight was observed during treatment (12/14 queens gained weight), particularly at the end of the study. At the end of the study some queens mated, conceived and kittened, proving reversibility of the treatment. The average duration of action of the 9.4 mg deslorelin implant was 790 +/- 155 days (range 525-1140 days) with no significant difference in duration or efficacy depending on implantation sites. The 9.4 mg deslorelin implant causes pharmacological sterilization for about 2 years in female cats, is fully reversible and caused no clinically relevant side effects when administered at both interscapular and periumbilical sites.

Cadmium (Cd) detoxification and activation of plant defense enzymes activation in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) through the use of endophytic Bacillus thuringiensis and Salix alba root powder

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and a threat to the ecosystem therefore the current investigation was designed to use endophytic bacteria from the Salix alba roots and to investigate its plant growth promoting and Cd detoxification ability with and without Salix alba root powder. In a complete randomized design (CRD), the cadmium sulfate was applied at the rate of 20mg/kg and 40mg/kg soil. The Bacillus thuringiensis (Accession # MW979616) was identified from Salix alba roots. The combination of Bacillus thuringiensis inoculated seeds +0.5gm root powder showed significant increase in wheat shoot dry weight, root fresh weight, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidases by 457%, 223%, 105% and 74%, respectively. The application of Bacillus thuringiensis with Salix alba root powder boosted the plant growth and defense at higher concentrations of Cd. In another treatment with Bacillus thuringiensis inoculated seeds + CdSO4 40mg/kg + 0.5gm root powder significantly increased the shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, proline, sugar, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase by 456%, 650%, 115%, 91%, 80%, 350%, and 250%, respectively with 80% reduction in plant Cd accumulation and increased bacterial population. Bacillus thuringiensis and Salix alba root powder can be useful for plant growth, Cd toxicity mitigation, accelerating bacterial activity in Cd-contaminated soil and uplifting the plant defense under heavy metal stress.

Free-Weight Resistance Training Enhances Core Muscle Strength but Does Not Translate to Improved Athletic Performance in Adolescent Canoe/Kayak Athletes.

While previous evidence has shown that using free weights for resistance training is a more practical approach to enhancing strength, there is a relatively low prevalence of free-weight resistance training among adolescent kayak/canoe athletes. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impact of free-weight resistance training on body composition and various performance factors among adolescent canoe/kayak athletes. Twenty-seven young sprint kayakers and canoeists (14 ± 1 years; 164 ± 7 cm; 56 ± 8 kg) completed this study. Following baseline assessments, athletes were randomly divided into two training groups: the free-weight resistance training group (FW) or the control group (C). The FW group underwent free-weight resistance training sessions twice weekly for 24 weeks. The C group maintained their regular bodyweight training sessions during the same timeframe. All participants performed both the pre- and post-training assessments for the following dependent variables: body composition, upper-body power, upper-body isometric muscle strength, isometric mid-thigh pull, core strength, countermovement jump, balance, anaerobic ability, and aerobic performance. After 24 weeks of training, the free-weight resistance training group exhibited a significant increase in body weight (from 56 ± 5 kg to 58 ± 4 kg, p < 0.05) and improvements in the number of straight leg raise repetitions (from 23 ± 6 to 26 ± 4, p < 0.05) compared to the control group. However, the two groups observed no significant differences between upper-body isometric muscle strength, power, balance, and anaerobic/aerobic performance. A 24-week training duration might be insufficient for novice participants in resistance training. Future research should consider incorporating an adaptation period or a learning phase for movements before training, thereby enhancing the efficacy of free-weight resistance training in increasing strength.

Hesperidin &amp; Apigenin Attenuates Diabetes &amp; Lipid Levels in Experimentally Induced Diabetes Mellitus in Wistar Rats.

The aim of the present investigation is to study the antidiabetic potential of Hesperidin and Apigenin in Diabetic rats. Wistar Albino rats of either sex (150 to 200 g) were purchased from the CPCSEA approved vendor New Delhi. A total of three animals were used, which received a single oral dose in 500 mg/kg, body weight of different flavonoids. Doses equivalent to 25 mg and 50 mg per kilogram body weight were calculated, and suspended in 1% w/v Tween 80 solutions for the experiment. For OGTT, Different doses of both flavonoids i.e. Hesperidin &amp; Apigenin were administered 60 min prior to oral glucose load (2.0 g/kg). Diabetes was induced in overnight fasted rats by Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg), 15 min. after the i.p. administration of Nicotinamide (120mg/kg). Streptozotocin was dissolved in citrate buffer (0.1 M, pH 4.5) &amp; nicotinamide was dissolved in normal saline. During the study period of 21 days, animals was weighed at 0, 7, 14 and 21 day and effect of vehicle, standard drug and all solvent fractions on body weight was determined. Blood samples was collected by cardiac puncture and retroorbital plexus method into EDTA sprinkled tubes and centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 20 min. Serum was separated as supernatant and stored at -20°C until analysis performed. The biochemical parameters, namely hemoglobin, urea, creatinine, total protein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL determined. The other biochemical tests were performed using kits from Erba Diagnostics. Hesperidin and Apigenin significantly prevented the increase in blood glucose levels after 60 min. of glucose administration at the doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg. After 21 days blood samples were collected by retro-orbital plexus under mild anesthesia. Diabetic control group with no drug treatment showed no significant difference in the fasting serum glucose level after 21 days treatment as compared to the initial day treatment. Hesperidin &amp; Apigenin (25 mg/kg &amp; 50 mg/kg) treated diabetic rat showed a significant (p &lt; 0.05) increase in body weight. The diabetic rat treated with glibenclaimide (10mg/kg) showed gradual and consistent increase in body weight. Treated diabetic rat with Hesperidin &amp; Apigenin showed significant fall in total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL-C level at dose of 25 and 50 mg/kg. The Hesperidin and Apigenin had the antidiabetic activity with effects on lipids and other kidney markers..

Anti-implantation and uterotonic properties of Mentha pulegium L. in female Sprague-Dawley rats

Background: Some traditional herbs disrupt endocrine-endometrial synchrony, affecting embryo-endometrium communication during fertility. Hormonal imbalances cause non-receptive conditions, leading to anti-implantation or abortion. Historically, Mentha pulegium has served for contraceptive and abortive purposes. Its effects on the post-coital contraceptive and hormonal activities were evaluated. Methods: Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley female rats were selected based on the presence of copulation plugs and received 200, 500, and 1000 mg/kg of Hydroethanolic leaf extract of Mentha pulegium L. (MPE) for seven days. Reproductive organ weights and serum estrogen and progesterone levels were measured. The resorption index, anti-implantation activity, and pre-implantation loss were also calculated using the number of implantation sites and resorptions in all treatments. Data were presented as mean±standard error mean (SEM), and significance was defined as p&lt;0.05 using one-way ANOVA. Results: Post-coital administration of MPE resulted in resorptive, pre-implantation loss, and anti-implantation activity. A dose of 200 mg/kg reduced the number of implantations and exhibited a high resorption index, percentage pre-implantation loss, and anti-implantation activity. A marked decline in serum progesterone levels and a significant reduction in serum estrogen and progesterone ratio was observed at 200 mg/kg MPE. A significant increase in uterine weight was observed in the 500 mg/kg treatment. Doses of 500 and 1000 mg/kg resulted in a significant reduction in anti-implantation activity. Conclusions: The observed anti-implantation activity and pre-implantation loss suggest the abortifacient properties of MPE. However, its effects were seen to be dose-dependent.

Impact of dielectric barrier discharge plasma and plasma-activated water on cotton seed germination and seedling growth

Unfavorable environmental conditions during planting can reduce seed germination and hinder seedling growth. To address this issue, manufacturers are exploring innovative and cost-effective methods, such as cold plasma discharge. This simple, low-cost, and efficient physical technique induces significant biological responses in seeds and plants without the use of traditional, environmentally hazardous chemicals. This study investigated the impact of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and plasma-activated water (PAW), produced by gliding arc plasma, on the germination and seedling growth of My344 cotton seeds. The seeds were pre-treated with 80 W of DBD plasma for 0, 1, 2, and 3 min, and subsequently soaked for 90 min in PAW with varying pH levels of 5.82, 3.88, 3.63, and 3.38. The results showed that plasma treatment positively influenced seed germination and seedling growth. The highest germination percentage (98.89 %) was observed with 1 min of DBD treatment, followed by PAW priming at pH levels of 3.63 and 3.38. Additionally, a 3-min DBD treatment followed by soaking in PAW with a pH of 3.63 led to significant increases in stem length (76.76 %), root length (48.77 %), and wet weight (76.44 %). Furthermore, it was observed that the electrical conductivity of the seeds in all groups decreased significantly with increased PAW acidity. The physical and chemical effects of cold DBD plasma on the seed surface, as well as changes in hydrophilicity, were further examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and water contact angle imaging.

Beneficial effects of Haematococcus pluvialis on growth and hepatopancreas health status in crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) via remodeling the gut microbial metabolic functions

Plant proteins fulfill roles in low-fishmeal diets for crustaceans, but their overuse could have negative effects. Haematococcus pluvialis has the potential to be used as a functional additive due to its high astaxanthin. As such, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary H. pluvialis supplementation on growth, hepatopancreas health, and gut metabolic functions in crayfish. 720 crayfish with average weight around 9.20 g were randomized into six treatments (HP0, HP0.3, HP0.6, HP0.9, HP1.2, and HP1.5) in three replications each, and fed six different dosages of H. pluvialis over sixty days. Crayfish exposed to H. pluvialis at concentrations of 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 % showed significant increases in final average weight, weight gain rate, and specific growth rate (P < 0.05) compared to the HP0 group, together with the highest contents of muscle and shell astaxanthin in the HP0.9 group. Furthermore, increasing H. pluvialis supplementation exhibited the potential to repair hepatopancreas, as demonstrated by the decrease in hemolymph malondialdehyde (MDA) content and activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, as well as the increase in the total protein content, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities. Moreover, high H. pluvialis diets improved microbial dysbiosis by increasing specific microbes, the alpha diversity index, and shifting prominent phyla such as Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Specifically, dietary H. pluvialis inclusion significantly decreased Vibrio (Proteobacteria) compared to the HP0 group (P < 0.05), but Tyzzerella (Firmicutes) showed the opposite regulatory pattern. A further statistical check revealed that 20 differential OTUs were shared by all H. pluvialis groups compared to the HP0 group, with OTU1439 and OTU2941 identified as the main growth-liver health contributors. Accordingly, high H. pluvialis diets contributed to more complex and stable microbial networks, and down-regulated alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, as well as lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Taken above, the optimal dietary H. pluvialis inclusion level was recommended to be 0.78–0.86 % according to the growth and astaxanthin contents. High H. pluvialis feeding reversed gut microbial dysfunction and improved hepatopancreas antioxidant capacity.

Postnatally overfed mice display cardiac function alteration following myocardial infarction

BackgroundCardiovascular (CV) pathologies remain a leading cause of death worldwide, often associated with common comorbidities such as overweight, obesity, type 2 diabetes or hypertension. An innovative mouse model of metabolic syndrome induced by postnatal overfeeding (PNOF) through litter size reduction after birth was developed experimentally. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of PNOF on cardiac remodelling and the development of heart failure following myocardial infarction. MethodsC57BL/6 male mice were raised in litter adjusted to 9 or 3 pups for normally-fed (NF) control and PNOF group respectively. After weaning, all mice had free access to standard diet and water. At 4 months, mice were subjected to myocardial infarction (MI). Echocardiographic follows-up were performed up to 6-months post-surgery and biomolecular analyses were carried-out after heart collection. FindingsAt 4 months, PNOF mice exhibited a significant increase in body weight, along with a basal reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and an increase in left ventricular end-systolic area (LVESA), compared to NF mice. Following MI, PNOF mice demonstrated a significant decrease in stroke volume and an increased heart rate compared to their respective initial values, as well as a notable reduction in cardiac output 4-months after MI. After 6-months, left ventricle and lung masses, fibrosis staining, and mRNA expression were all similar in the NF-MI and PNOF-MI groups. InterpretationAfter MI, PNOF mice display signs of cardiac function worsening as evidenced by a decrease in cardiac output, which could indicate an early sign of heart failure decompensation.

Doublecortin-immunoreactive neurons in the piriform cortex are sensitive to the long lasting effects of early life stress.

The olfactory system is a niche of continuous structural plasticity, holding postnatal proliferative neurogenesis in the olfactory bulbs and a population of immature neurons in the piriform cortex. These neurons in the piriform cortex are generated during embryonic development, retain the expression of immaturity markers such as doublecortin, and slowly mature and integrate into the olfactory circuit as the animal ages. To study how early life experiences affect this population of cortical immature neurons, we submitted mice of the C57/Bl6J strain to a protocol of maternal separation for 3 h per day from postnatal day 3 to postnatal day 21. Control mice were continuously with their mothers. After weaning, mice were undisturbed until 6 weeks of age, when they were weighted and tested in the elevated plus-maze, a standard test for anxiety-like behavior, to check for phenotypical effects. Mice were then perfused, and their brains processed for the immunofluorescent detection of doublecortin and the endogenous proliferation marker Ki67. We found that maternal separation induced a significant increase in the body weight of males, but not females. Further, maternally separated mice displayed increased exploratory-like behavior (i.e., head dipping, velocity and total distance traveled in the elevated plus maze), but no significant differences in anxiety-like behavior or corticosterone levels after behavioral testing. Finally, we observed a significant increase in the number of complex doublecortin neurons in the piriform cortex, but not in the olfactory bulbs, of mice submitted to maternal separation. Interestingly, most doublecortin neurons in the piriform cortex, but not the olfactory bulb, express the epigenetic reader MeCP2. In summary, mild early life stress results, during adolescence, in a male-specific increase in body weight, alteration of the exploratory behaviors, and an increase in doublecortin neurons in the piriform cortex, suggesting an alteration in their maturation process.

Mild condition lignin modification enabled high-performance anticorrosive polyurethane coating

The diverse active hydroxyl groups of lignin pose challenges in the preparation of lignin-based polyurethane coatings with exceptional long-term anticorrosive properties. Here, the dense and defect-free lignin-based polyurethane coating with a thickness of 25 ± 5 μm was successfully synthesized using a mild hydroxypropyl lignin modification approach, exhibiting outstanding barrier properties (|Z| > 109 Ω cm2) and long-term anti-corrosion performance exceeding 120 d. Under ambient conditions (i.e., 25 °C and atmospheric pressure), propylene oxide was directly blended with the alkali solution of lignin to effectively convert phenolic hydroxyl groups into more reactive aliphatic hydroxyl groups, while also minimizing the significant increase in molecular weight caused by lignin condensation. As a result, the high crosslinking density of lignin polyurethane coatings effectively prevented the penetration of corrosive media and enhanced the long-term corrosion resistance of the coatings. Overall, the results demonstrate that a mild hydroxypropyl modification process is an effective and facile strategy to prepare highly reactive lignin-based polyols, which is crucial for the development of high-performance bio-based polyurethane anticorrosive coatings.

PSI-21 Limited impact of hypothyroidism on porcine fetal growth during mid to late gestation

Abstract In the fetal pig, both circulating thyroid hormone and growth rate are known to increase throughout gestation; however, the functional association between these coincident factors has not been established. Thus, the objective of this project was to investigate this cause-and-effect relationship by evaluating the impact of induced fetal hypothyroidism on fetal growth during mid to late gestation. To induce fetal hypothyroidism, n = 12 pregnant gilts were orally treated with the goitrogen methimazole (MMI) at a dose of 5 mg/kg/d for 21 d, with n = 3 gilts starting treatment on gestation d 34, 45, 55 and 65. An equivalent group n = 12 of gilts were sham treated for the same periods to produce gestationally age-matched euthyroid control litters (CON). Upon completion of the treatment period, gilts were humanely euthanized, and the resulting populations of n = 174 MMI and n = 166 CON fetuses deeply phenotyped. No meconium-stained fetuses were observed at any time point, and only 5 mummified fetuses were observed (3 CON, 2 MMI), indicating treatment has no effect on fetal viability. Fetal body weight (BW) and the weights of individual organs including thyroid, liver, heart, lung, kidney, spleen, and brain were collected. In addition, fetuses were imaged in both left and right lateral recumbency for subsequent morphometric assessment using a custom analysis pipeline in ImageJ. Image analysis yielded parameters including crown-rump length, girth, brow length, depth at the snout/skull junction, depth at the snout/nose junction, and area under the skull curvature (AUC). Left and right measurements for all morphometric parameters were found to be highly correlated (r2 &amp;gt; 0.9) indicating a repeatable measure using this approach. Statistical analysis of all phenotypic differences was carried out using a linear mixed effect model including gestational age and treatment as fixed effects and gilt as a random effect. A significant increase in both absolute and relative thyroid weights indicated the development of goiter and thus, successful induction of hypothyroidism within the MMI litters. In addition, a significant treatment by time interaction was observed, with 0.014 g and 0.21 g increase at d 55 and 66, respectively, indicating reduced compensatory action within the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis during this earliest period. Liver weight as a percentage of BW decreased from 6.06% to 2.56% between d 55 and 86 in the CON group but was significantly increased at all time points in response to MMI induced hypothyroidism (P &amp;lt; 0.01). A corresponding increase in brain to liver weight ratio over time was suppressed in MMI fetuses (P &amp;lt; 0.05). While all other phenotypic parameters were significantly altered by gestational age, there was no significant impact of fetal hypothyroidism. Collectively, the results indicate that fetal growth during mid to late gestation is not driven by fetal thyroid hormone.

Postoperative Feeding in Cleft Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Postoperative feeding is crucial for the recovery of children after cleft surgery. The literature outlines diverse feeding methods with varying recommendations on the duration of non-nipple feeding postsurgery. This study aims to explore reported postoperative feeding modalities for infants undergoing primary cleft lip/palate repair, concentrating on their influence on feeding improvement and complication reduction. PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were queried for original English articles without any date restrictions. This review was conducted in accordance with the 2020 PRISMA. The MINORS criteria was used to assess quality of studies. Of 696 abstracts, 9 full-text articles were included, consisting of 459 children with cleft lip (n = 221) & cleft lip/palate (n = 238). Feeding modalities included bottle, breastfeeding, spoon, syringe, and nasogastric tube. Two studies found a significant increase in weight with breastfeeding compared to spoon or cup. Two studies found partial wound dehiscence using spoons, and two studies reported dehiscence using bottles. Post-palatoplasty, two studies showed a decrease in hospital stay in infants breastfed (2.1 & 5.8 days) vs spoon-fed (6 days). Analgesia was reduced in the breastfed group vs spoon/nasogastric tube. This review highlights the importance of postoperative feeding in the recovery of infants with cleft lip/palate. Evidence suggests that breastfeeding may offer advantages in terms of weight gain and reduced hospital stay, while potentially minimizing the need for postoperative analgesia. The limited number of studies and variability in their outcomes underscore the need for further research to establish evidence-based guidelines for postoperative feeding.

Enhancing Soybean Growth with Phytohormone-enriched PGPR Bioinoculants and Biofertilizers in Plant Stress Physiology

Background: The present investigation aimed to evaluate the effects of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) bioinoculants and their carrier-based biofertilizers on the physiology of soybean. Methods: Seeds of two soybean varieties (cv. NARC-1 and cv. William-82) were either soaked in broth cultures of two PGPR strains, Planomicrobium chinense (MF616408) and Pseudomonas putida (KX574857), containing 106 cells/mL, or coated with biofertilizers. Three biofertilizers, namely biostimulant, biozote and biofert, were used. Result: Significant increases in root and shoot weight were observed with both liquid bioinoculants and carrier-based biofertilizers compared to the control. The consortium of P. chinense and P. putida resulted in the highest proline content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Biostimulant-treated plants exhibited higher catalase (CAT) activity and phenolics content. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA) levels were enhanced in plants treated with PGPR and biofertilizers. Specifically, P. chinense and the biostimulant significantly promoted IAA content in cv. William-82, while biozote and P. chinense treatments increased GA content in both varieties. The consortium of P. chinense and P. putida showed the lowest ABA levels. The highest IAA/ABA and GA/ABA ratios were observed in plants treated with P. chinense. Liquid bioinoculants had a more pronounced effect on plant growth than carrier-based biofertilizers, though biofertilizers had stronger residual effects on rhizosphere soil organic matter. The combined effects of phytohormones, sugar, protein and proline production and antioxidant enzyme activity influenced plant growth and development.