Significant Increase In Weight Research Articles

Investigation on the Effect of Sacoglottis gabonensis on Blood Glucose, Body Weight and Behavioural Changes of Mice Exposed to Non-nutritive Sweeteners during Gestation Period

Aim: Aim of this research was to investigate the role of Sacoglotts gabonensis on blood sugar, body weight and behavioural changes of mice exposed to artificial sweeteners. Study Design: A total of 16 female mice (mean weight 18.6±2.32g) divided into four groups were used in this study. Methodology: Group A received no sweeteners or S. gabonensis, B received 50mg of sweeteners only, C received 50mg of sweeteners and 250mg/kg/bw of S. gabonensis, D received 250mg/kg/bw of S. gabonensis only for 8weeks. Results: show that group A and D had significant (p<0.05) decrease in blood glucose concentration with 7.27±3.53 mmol/L and 8.22±1.87 mmol/L respectively compared to group B and C with 9.12±1.03 mmol/L and 8.22±1.87 mmol/L. There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in body weight in groups A 32.60±7.34g and B 31.38±4.53g compared to groups C, 22.45±15.49g and D, 24.00±14.71g. Gestation length was between 19 and 20 days for the different groups and behavioural changes such as climbing, running, nesting and restlessness were observed in all the groups. Conclusion: The administration of S. gabonensis did not alter gestation length and behavioural changes during gravid period in experimental animals but altered the blood glucose concentrations However, administration of S. gabonensis is recommended for individuals who are at risk of developing high blood glucose concentration and increased body weight as it has shown modulatory effect on blood glucose and body weight gain.

Noninvasive Monitoring of Steatotic Liver Disease in Western Diet-Fed Obese Mice Using Automated Ultrasound and Shear Wave Elastography.

Ultrasound imaging and shear wave elastography (SWE) can be used to noninvasively stage hepatopathologies and are widespread in clinical practice. These techniques have recently been adapted for small animal use in a novel 3D invivo imaging system capable of high-throughput automated scanning. Our goal was to evaluate the feasibility of using this imaging tool in the murine Western diet (WD) model, a highly translatable preclinical model of obesity, metabolic disease and liver fibrosis. Female C57BL/6 mice (N = 48) were placed on WD or chow diet and imaged longitudinally for a period of 48 weeks. Imaging consisted of 3D B-mode and targeted SWE captures. Liver volume, liver echogenicity and liver stiffness were quantified from invivo imaging data. A subset of mice was sacrificed at various timepoints (0, 12, 24 and 48 weeks) for histological workup. Correlation analysis was performed between invivo imaging and histological measurements to determine level of agreement. Noninvasive imaging showed statistically significant increases in liver volume and echogenicity, but non-significant increase in liver stiffness in the WD-fed cohort, suggesting development of hepatomegaly and steatosis, but negligible fibrosis. Exvivo analysis confirmed significant increases in liver weight, liver triglycerides and ALT, but limited increases in fibrosis corroborating noninvasive imaging results. Correlation analysis between imaging and histology demonstrated good agreement between liver volume/liver weight (R2 = 0.85) and echogenicity/triglycerides (R2 = 0.76). This study demonstrated that noninvasive ultrasound liver assessments are feasible in the WD mouse model and closely reflect the underlying pathological state of the animal. Automated ultrasound can serve as a high-throughput noninvasive screening method for preclinical liver disease research and drug development.

Growth performance and enzymatic activities in monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) supplemented with Najas indica along with the compound identification of the extracts.

Recent research has looked at various macroalgae species as dietary components or feed additives for a variety of fish species due to their nutritional value. The objective of this study was to examine the impact of Najas indica, a macroalgae extract, on the growth performance, proximate composition, and metabolic activities of monosex tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), while also isolating the compounds present. Three distinct solvents (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol) were used to extract bioactive compounds from a coarse powder of macroalgae after drying and grinding, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to detect bioactive compounds. The extracts were combined with commercial feed (0.4%) and applied to the treatment with three replications and a control containing 50 fingerlings per tank for 5 weeks. The findings indicated a significant increase in the final weight, weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate among the treated fish, whereas the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed to decrease in comparison to the control group. Significantly higher levels of protein and lipids were found in treated fish, whereas moisture and ash levels were significantly lower compared to control fish. In treated fish, the digestive enzyme amylase was significantly higher, but the protease enzyme reduced significantly. The antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) was significantly higher in the treatment group, whereas the catalase (CAT) enzyme did not differ significantly. A total of 47 bioactive compounds were identified in N. indica, among which the prominent compounds included n-hexadecanoic acid, neophytadiene, phytyl palmitate, d-mannitol, and heptanoic acid. The results obtained from this study indicate that the utilization of N. indica macroalgae extract has the potential to serve as an additional dietary component, therefore, enhancing the growth performance and metabolic functions of fish.

Effect of Feeding Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Powder on Body Weight of Konkan Kanyal Kids

An experimental trial was carried out to assess the impact of feeding ginger (Zingiber officinale) powder on the body weight of Konkan Kanyal kids. Twenty kids were selected and divided into five treatment groups using a Randomized Block Design (RBD), with each treatment further subdivided into four replications. All animals received a complete feed consisting of mulato grass, jowar kadabi, and a concentrate mixture. Treatment T1 served as the control with no ginger powder supplementation, while treatments T2, T3, T4, and T5 were supplemented with 3.0 g, 6.0 g, 9.0 g, and 12.0 g of ginger powder, respectively. The trial lasted for 90 days. There was significant (P<0.05) increase in body weight in treatment T5 which was supplemented with 12 g ginger powder than T4 T3, T2 and T1, after 90 days of ginger powder feeding. From present study it showed that feeding of ginger powder @ 12 gm improved about 18% body weight of Konkan Kanyal kids than control.

Inhibitory Effect of Aqueous Extract of Sacoglottis gabonensis on Weight Gain in Swiss Mice Exposed to Aspartame

Aim: To evaluate the Inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts of Sacoglottis gabonensis on weight gain in Swiss mice exposed to aspartame. Study Design: The study was a completely randomized design employing relevant statistical tools for analysis and interpretation. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, Rivers State University. The experiment lasted for 90 days between April and June 2022. Methodology: A total of 30 adult male Swiss mice (mean weight 23.07±0.12g) were divided into six groups of five animals each. Group A was the negative control which received neither Sacoglottis gabonensis nor Aspartame, group B was the positive control which received 50mg/kg/bw/day of Aspartame only, group C received 50mg/kg/bw/day of Aspartame with 250mg/kg/bw/day of aqueous bark extract of S. gabonensis, group D received 50mg/kg/bw/day of Aspartame with 250mg/kg/bw/day of aqueous leaf extract of S. gabonensis, while groups E and F received 50mg/kg/bw/day of Aspartame with a combination of 250mg/kg/bw/day and 500mg/kg/bw/day of extracts of S. gabonensis bark and leaf extracts respectively. The experimental animals were weighed twice weekly for 30, 60 and 90 days duration and recorded to the nearest 0.01g. Mean weight from each duration was taken and subjected to statistical analysis using Statistical Analyses System SAS 9.4 Results: There was significant increase (p<0.05) in weight in the 30, 60 and 90-days exposure periods in group B. The groups that received the combination of aspartame and S. gabonensis particularly at higher doses showed a significant decrease in weight across the exposure periods when compared to the group that received aspartame only and the control group. Conclusion: This result suggests that S. gabonensis reduced aspartame-induced weight gain, indicating its potential benefits for weight management. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and health implications.

Effect of Arabic Gum on Gentamicin Nephrotoxicity in Mice: A Pathological Study

<p><strong>Aim</strong> To investigate the effect of Arabic gum on gentamycin nephrotoxicity in mice kidney.<br /><strong>Methods</strong> Forty (40) mice were divided into five groups, eight mice in each. Group one (G1) stands for the negative control group. The second one (G2) was injected with gentamycin only, while the third one (G3) was given an Arabic gum orally 10g/kg. The 4th group (G4) was injected with gentamycin for 8 days, and then followed by Arabic gum orally for 8 days. The fifth group (G5) was injected with gentamycin plus oral administration of Arabic gum at the same time. A scoring system (+1-+4) was used to grade the histological features in the kidneys.<br /><strong>Results</strong> The results revealed a significant increase in body weight in G3 group only; this group presented a significant decrease in the level of both urea and creatinine. Group G2 showed a marked elevation in both serum urea and creatinine. Acute tubular necrosis (+4), in both G2 and G5. In G3, kidney sections presented mild cell swelling of the tubular epithelium in addition to the normal architectures (score +1), while G4 sections revealed tubular hyalin cast, expansion of glomerular tufts.<br /><strong>Conclusion</strong> The research indicates that gentamycin leads to kidney damage in mice. Arabic gum could be a treatment option although additional studies are required to determine the best dosing and timing, for optimal effectiveness.</p>

Histochemical and gene expression changes in Cannabis sativa hypocotyls exposed to increasing concentrations of cadmium and zinc

Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a versatile crop that produces cellulosic bast fibres used in textiles and biocomposites. Is also finds use in phytoremediation, being a good candidate for the cultivation on marginal lands, such as those contaminated by heavy metals (HMs). HMs like cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) are known to affect plant growth and impair the biosynthesis of cellulose and lignin at the cell wall level. Since cellulose is the major component in the gelatinous layer of bast fibres, HMs can impact the structure of hemp fibres and, consequently, their mechanical properties. This study investigates how varying concentrations of Cd and Zn in the soil affect the bast fibres of hemp plantlets. The chosen model is the hypocotyl, as it is ideal for studying bast fibre development: it exhibits a temporal separation between the elongation and thickening phases within a short period of approximately three weeks. C. sativa plantlets were grown for 20 days, and the hypocotyls sampled to perform histochemical observations, gene expression analysis, as well as to quantify biomass yield and Cd/Zn accumulation. Hemp plantlets grown in soils with the three highest Zn concentrations were smaller than the control group, whereas no decrease in size was observed under elevated Cd concentrations. However, at the highest Cd concentration, the root system exhibited enhanced development, accompanied by a significant increase in dry weight across all the concentrations tested. The quantification of Cd and Zn showed that the roots were the main organs accumulating HMs. Cd at the two highest concentrations decreased significantly the lumen area of bast fibres and increased their cell wall thickness. Zn decreased significantly the lumen area, but it did not impact the thickness of the cell wall at the highest concentration. Cd also increased the number of secondary fibres. Immunohistochemistry highlighted a different pattern of crystalline cellulose distribution with a signal that was less homogeneous in the presence of Cd and Zn. Gene expression analysis revealed changes in transcripts encoding cellulose synthases, fasciclin-like arabinogalactan proteins, class III peroxidases. The results obtained shed light on the molecular response and bast fibre histological changes occurring in young hemp plants exposed to Cd and Zn.

The OsMAPK5-OsWRKY72 module negatively regulates grain length and grain weight in rice.

Grain size and grain weight are important determinants for grain yield. In this study, we identify a novel OsMAPK5-OsWRKY72 module that negatively regulates grain length and grain weight in rice. We found that loss-of-function of OsMAPK5 leads to larger cell size of the rice spikelet hulls and a significant increase in both grain length and grain weight in an indica variety Minghui 86 (MH86). OsMAPK5 interacts with OsMAPKK3/4/5 and OsWRKY72 and phosphorylates OsWRKY72 at T86 and S88. Similar to the osmapk5 MH86 mutants, the oswrky72 knockout MH86 mutants exhibited larger size of spikelet hull cells and increased grain length and grain weight, whereas the OsWRKY72-overexpression MH86 plants showed opposite phenotypes. OsWRKY72 targets the W-box motifs in the promoter of OsARF6, an auxin response factor involved in auxin signaling. Dual-luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that OsWRKY72 activates OsARF6 expression. The activation effect of the phosphorylation-mimicking OsWRKY72T86D/S88D on OsARF6 expression was significantly enhanced, whereas the effects of the OsWRKY72 phosphorylation-null mutants were significantly reduced. In addition, auxin levels in young panicles of the osmapk5 and oswrky72 mutants were significantly higher than that in the wild-type MH86. Collectively, our study uncovered novel connections of the OsMAPKK3/4/5-OsMAPK5-mediated MAPK signaling, OsWRKY72-mediated transcription regulation, and OsARF6-mediated auxin signaling pathways in regulating grain length and grain weight in an indica-type rice, providing promising targets for molecular breeding of rice varieties with high yield and quality.

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%.

Rifaximin prophylaxis in MASLD‑hepatocellular carcinoma: Lessons from a negative animal model.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been rising, particularly among individuals diagnosed with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. In the present study, the prophylactic effects of rifaximin (RIF) on HCC, inflammatory markers and cardiovascular risk (CVR) were investigated in an animal model. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated into three groups (n=10, each): Control [standard diet/water plus gavage with vehicle (Veh)], HCC [high-fat choline deficient diet (HFCD)/diethylnitrosamine (DEN) in drinking water/Veh gavage] and RIF [HFCD/DEN/RIF (50 mg/kg/day) gavage] groups. After euthanasia at week 16, biochemical/inflammatory markers and the liver histology were assessed. The results demonstrated that the HCC and RIF animals had a significant increase in fresh liver weight, liver weight/body weight ratio, serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic concentration of triglycerides and TC, relative to the controls (P<0.001, for all). Additionally, the HCC and RIF animals had higher plasminogen activator inhibitor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin and CVR scores than the controls (P<0.001, for all). The HCC animals had higher interleukin (IL)-1β (P=0.011), IL-10 (P<0.001), toll-like receptor-2 (P=0.012), lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (P=0.018) and metalloproteinase-2 (P=0.003) levels than the RIF animals. Furthermore, liver steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, along with increased collagen fiber deposition occurred in the HCC and RIF groups. However, HCC occurred only in 2 RIF rats. In conclusion, although most animals did not develop HCC in the present study, RIF positively affected liver inflammation markers involved in steatohepatitis pathogenesis.

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.

Effects of Hydroxychloroquine on Maternal and Fetal Outcomes in Pregnant Patients with Lupus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: The effects of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnant patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have not been fully elucidated in recent research. This study aimed to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of HCQ in pregnant patients with SLE. Methods: A systematic search of relevant articles was conducted using Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from inception to October 4th, 2023. The risk of bias in the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale or Cochrane's Quality Assessment Form. Data on maternal and fetal outcomes of the HCQ treatment groups (HCQ+) and control groups (HCQ–) were extracted, analyzed and evaluated. Pooled odds ratios (ORs), pooled relative risks (RRs), and weighted mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for the meta-analysis using Stata/MP V.18. Results: This meta-analysis included 17 studies, involving a total of 2238 pregnant patients with SLE. Compared to the HCQ– groups, the HCQ+ groups exhibited a significant reduction in the incidence of preeclampsia (RR = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.37–0.71), high lupus activity (RR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.64–0.92), gestational hypertension (OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.18–0.91), premature delivery (RR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.60–0.84), and fetal growth restriction (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.43–0.85). Additionally, the HCQ+ groups exhibited a significant increase in fetal birth weight of 0.21 kg (95% CI: 0.09–0.33). No significant differences were revealed in the other 15 pregnancy outcomes between the two groups. Conclusions: Despite the presence of a certain heterogeneity among the included studies, this study provides a more comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of HCQ in pregnant patients with SLE.

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.