Determining the protocol requirements of in-home cat food digestibility testing.

In-home cat food digestibility testing has the potential to yield data that are highly representative of the pet population for which the food is intended. However, no standardized and validated in-home digestibility test protocols are currently available. Such protocols for in-home testing should address key factors that explain variation in cat food digestibility values and here we investigated the required period of adaptation, fecal collection and sample sizes. Thirty privately-owned indoor housed cats of various breeds (20♀ 10♂, 5.9 ± 3.9 yr, 4.5 ± 1.3 kg) received a relatively low and high digestible complete dry extruded food with the marker titanium (Ti) dioxide. Foods were given in a cross-over design of 2 periods of 8 consecutive days each. Owners collected feces daily for the determination of daily fecal Ti concentrations and digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, and gross energy. Data originating from 26 cats were analyzed as mixed models and broken line regressions to investigate the required adaptation and fecal collection period. Bootstrap sampling was used to assess the impact of increasing the number of fecal collection days and sample size on the precision of the digestibility estimates. Feces were collected on 347 out of 416 study days (16 days/cat; 26 cats), implying the necessity for multiple collection days to account for cats not defecating every day. Cats showed stable fecal marker concentrations from day 2 onwards when fed the low digestible food and from 3 onwards when fed the high digestible food. Digestibility values were stable from day 1, 2 or 3 onwards, depending on the test food and nutrient. Increasing the number of fecal collection days from 1 to 6 days did not result in more precise digestibility estimates, whereas increasing the number of animals from 5 to 25 cats did. For future in-home digestibility tests of cat food, the findings support a minimum of 2 adaptation days and 3 fecal collection days. Appropriate sample sizes depend on the test food, the nutrient of interest, and the acceptable margin of error. The findings of this study support the protocol development for future in-home digestibility testing of cat foods.

Quantification of stress exposure in very preterm infants: Development of the NeO-stress score.

BACKGROUND: Stress during treatment at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) has long-term negative consequences on preterm infants' development. AIMS: We developed an instrument suited to validly determine the cumulative stress exposure for preterm infants in a NICU. STUDY DESIGN: This survey study made use of two consecutive questionnaires. SUBJECTS: NICU nurses and physicians from the nine NICUs in the Netherlands. OUTCOME MEASURES: First, respondents rated the relevance of 77 items encompassing potentially stressful procedures, commented on their comprehensibility and the comprehensiveness of the list. We calculated the content validity per item (CVI-I) and included only the relevant items in a second questionnaire in which the participants rated the stressfulness from 0 (not stressful) to 10 (extremely stressful). A stressfulness index - representing the median score - was calculated for each included item. RESULTS: Based on the CVI-I of the 77 items, step 1 resulted in 38 items considered relevant to quantify stress in preterm infants during the first 28 days of life. This list of 38 items exists of 34 items with a CVI-I if 0.78 or higher, one of these items was split into two items, and three items were added to improve comprehensiveness. The stressfulness index ranged from five to nine. CONCLUSIONS: The NeO-stress score consists of stressful items including their severity index and was developed to determine cumulative stress exposure of preterm infants. Evaluating the cross-cultural validity, correlating it to behavioural and biological stress responses, and evaluating its ability to predict preterm infants at risk for the negative effects following stress might expand the possibilities for this instrument.

Are patients accurate forecasters of their emotional response to medical conditions? A scoping review on affective forecasting.

OBJECTIVE: In this paper, we challenge the premise that patients are capable of accurately predicting their emotional response or quality of life in anticipation of health changes. Our goal was to systematically review the published empirical evidence related to the reliability of affective forecasting in the context of medical conditions. DESIGN: Scoping review. SETTING: We conducted a search string using both simple search terms as well as MeSH terms and searched the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane up to April 2021. PARTICIPANTS: We initially selected 5726 articles. Empirical studies reporting on predicted and/or observed emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration, improvement in health or chronic illnesses were included. Furthermore, empirical studies of healthy individuals predicting emotional response or quality of life compared with patients reflecting on emotions or quality of life concerning deterioration or improvement in health or chronic illnesses were also included. Studies on healthy participants, psychiatric patients and non-English articles were excluded. RESULTS: 7 articles were included in this review. We found that patients generally tend to systematically exaggerate both anticipated happiness and sorrow/grief after health improvement and deterioration, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patients are less adept in predicting emotional response or quality of life regarding to health changes than we are inclined to assume. We discuss several biases which could explain this phenomenon. Our findings are relevant in the context of treatment decisions, advanced care planning and advanced care directives.

[Glucocorticoid treatment in pregnancy; is caution the mother of wisdom?] / Behandeling met glucocorticoïden in de zwangerschap.

Timely prenatal, maternally administered, corticosteroids improve the outcome of preterm newborns. The general aim should therefore be optimal identification of actual imminent preterm birth to provide protection of all preterm infants that are at risk of a substantial level of post-natal morbidity. Unnecessary use of maternal corticosteroids by inadequate estimate of imminent preterm birth, now seems associated with mental and behavioural problems in the offspring during the life course, which calls for a more restricted use. Opportunities to reduce futile use of maternal corticosteroids in case of preterm birth might be found in better timing of administration, improved selection of women at risk and by potential restraint re-use at later gestational ages. Timing and selection can be further improved by the development of better (non-invasive) predictors to pinpoint those women who actual will deliver within 48 hours. Future prospective studies should provide additional evidence to improve antenatal corticosteroid administration.

The nocturnal leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) uses UVb radiation for vitamin D3 synthesis.

Vitamin D is an important regulator of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis in animals. It can be acquired from the diet or synthesised de novo when skin is exposed to UVb. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a complex of diseases collectively called metabolic bone disease (MBD). Diurnal lizards without access to UVb are prone to develop vitamin D deficiency, even when dietary vitamin D3 is provided. A trial was conducted to determine whether juvenile nocturnal lizards require access to UVb to prevent vitamin D deficiency. All leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) were supplemented with dietary vitamin D3. One group was exposed to low level UVb radiation (33-51 µW/cm2) from hatching until 6 months of age and a second group remained unexposed. Animals were fed ad libitum and their growth and weight gain compared with non-exposed controls. At the end of the trial, blood samples were analysed for vitamin D3 metabolites. The concentration of the vitamin D3 metabolite, 25(OH)D3, was higher in UVb exposed animals (61 ± 20 vs. 38 ± 8 nmol/L), confirming cutaneous synthesis with UVb exposure. Growth and weight gain were similar in both groups, and this, together with the absence of clinical symptoms, suggests that dietary vitamin D3 alone can meet the vitamin D requirements for growth of this nocturnal gecko, during the first six months of life. It remains to be investigated whether the higher vitamin D metabolite levels holds other health benefits for this species, such as improved bone density or immune response.

Analgesics and Sedatives in Critically Ill Newborns and Infants: The Impact on Long-Term Neurodevelopment.

Inadequate pain and/or stress management in preterm- and term-born infants has been associated with increased morbidity and even mortality. However, exposure to analgosedatives during early infancy may also be one of the risk factors for subsequent neurodevelopmental impairment, at least in animal studies. Because infants admitted to neonatal or pediatric intensive care units may receive high amounts of these drugs for prolonged periods of time and the majority of these infants nowadays survive to discharge, this is of major concern. A balanced approach that incorporates the assessment and quantification of both wanted effects as well as unwanted side effects is therefore needed. In this article, the optimal dose determination of commonly used analgosedative drugs as well as their potential long-term effects on the developing human brain and neuropsychological functioning are reviewed.

Evidence of vitamin D synthesis in insects exposed to UVb light.

Vertebrates obtain the prohormone vitamin D primarily by endogenous cutaneous synthesis under ultraviolet b (UVb) exposure. To date, endogenous synthesis of vitamin D in insects has never been investigated. In an initial experiment, we exposed four insect species which differ in ecology and morphology (migratory locusts, house crickets, yellow mealworms and black soldier fly larvae (BSFL)) to a low irradiance UVb source. In a second experiment we exposed these species to a higher UV irradiance, and in a third we tested the effect of exposure duration on vitamin D concentrations in yellow mealworms. Low irradiance UVb tended to increase vitamin D3 levels in house crickets, vitamin D2 levels in BSFL and vitamin D2 and D3 in yellow mealworms. Higher UVb irradiance increased vitamin D3 levels in all species but BSFL. Both BSFL and migratory locusts had increased vitamin D2 levels. Longer UVb exposure of yellow mealworms increased vitamin D2 and increased vitamin D3 until a plateau was reached at 6400 IU/kg. This study shows that insects can synthesize vitamin D de novo and that the amounts depend on UVb irradiance and exposure duration.

Cerebellar Growth Impairment Characterizes School-Aged Children Born Preterm without Perinatal Brain Lesions.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Infants born preterm are commonly diagnosed with structural brain lesions known to affect long-term neurodevelopment negatively. Yet, the effects of preterm birth on brain development in the absence of intracranial lesions remain to be studied in detail. In this study, we aim to quantify long term consequences of preterm birth on brain development in this specific group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Neonatal cranial sonography and follow-up T1-weighted MR imaging and DTI were performed to evaluate whether the anatomic characteristics of the cerebrum and cerebellum in a cohort of school-aged children (6-12 years of age) were related to gestational age at birth in children free of brain lesions in the perinatal period. RESULTS: In the cohort consisting of 36 preterm (28-37 weeks' gestational age) and 66 term-born infants, T1-weighted MR imaging and DTI at 6-12 years revealed a reduction of cerebellar white matter volume (ß = 0.387, P < .001), altered fractional anisotropy of cerebellar white matter (ß = -0.236, P = .02), and a reduction of cerebellar gray and white matter surface area (ß = 0.337, P < .001; ß = 0.375, P < .001, respectively) in relation to birth age. Such relations were not observed for the cerebral cortex or white matter volume, surface area, or diffusion quantities. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that perinatal influences that are not primarily neurologic are still able to disturb long-term neurodevelopment, particularly of the developing cerebellum. Including the cerebellum in future neuroprotective strategies seems therefore essential.

Reduced efficacy of fluazinam against Phytophthora infestans in the Netherlands.

Phytophthora infestans is the causal organism of potato late blight, the most important disease in potato, the second most important arable crop in Europe. The P. infestans population in Europe is well known for its sudden changes in composition. Currently it is composed of a wide variety of genotypes, some of which are dominant clonal lines while others are rare or even unique to a year or location. Fungicides play a crucial role in the integrated control of late blight. Since its introduction in the Netherlands in 1992, fluazinam has been used in late blight control strategies in ware and starch potatoes. It has a broad spectrum of activity and is effective against a range of diseases including potato late blight. Fluazinam interrupts the pathogen cell's energy production process by an uncoupling effect on oxidative phosphorylation. It is considered to have a low resistance risk. Until recently, reduced efficacy against fluazinam was not detected in P. infestans surveys in Europe. In this paper we present the finding of a new clonal lineage (EU_33_A2) of P. infestans in the Netherlands and the reduced efficacy of fluazinam to control one of the EU_33_A2 isolates in field experiments carried out in 2011 and 2015 under high disease pressure. The potential effects of this finding on practical late blight control strategies are discussed.

The effect of changing the moisture levels of dry extruded and wet canned diets on physical activity in cats.

Obesity levels in cats are increasing and the main causative factor is higher energy intake v. energy expenditure over time. Therefore, altering energy expenditure by enhancing physical activity of the cat could be a strategy to reduce obesity. Hydrating commercial dry diets with water increased activity in cats; however, no study has compared this approach with feeding high-moisture canned diets. Eight healthy male neutered domestic shorthair cats were fed four different dietary treatments in a Latin square design. Treatments were a canned diet 'as is' (82 % moisture) and freeze-dried (4 %), a dry diet 'as is' (3 %) and with added water (70 %). Cat activity was measured continuously using Actical® accelerometers. Cats were group housed during the first 14 d of each period and then moved to individual cages for 7 d with faecal and urine production measured over the final 4 d. Intake was similar for each diet. The average activity over 24 h was not different between treatments (P > 0·05). However, the ratio between average activity during the day v. at night was higher when cats were fed the dry diet (P = 0·030). Total water intake and urine volume increased when the canned diet was fed (P < 0·001). The similarity in total activity of the cats on the treatments indicates that dietary moisture or diet type did not have a major effect on these cats. However, the stronger diurnal activity patterns observed in the cats when they were fed the dry diet are intriguing and require further study.

Effect of sterilization and of dietary fat and carbohydrate content on food intake, activity level, and blood satiety-related hormones in female dogs.

Animal sterilization is suggested to promote food overconsumption, although it is unknown whether this effect is mediated by variations in satiety-related hormones, which are released in response to food intake. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sterilization and of the main energy-delivery nutrients, fat and nonstructural carbohydrates, on food intake, blood concentration of satiety-related hormones, and activity level in dogs. In a 2-phase experiment (phase I [Ph.I], 74 d, and Ph.II, 84 d), 12 female Beagle dogs were assigned to a control group (intact in both phases) and a sterilization group (spayed 20 d before Ph.II). In each phase, dogs received a high-carbohydrate (HC) diet (313 and 105 g/kg DM starch and fat, respectively) and a high-fat (HF) diet (191 and 213 g/kg DM starch and fat, respectively), both high in total dietary fiber (>200 g/kg DM) and providing 27% ME as protein, in 2 consecutive periods following a crossover arrangement. During each period, dogs' voluntary DMI and activity level were recorded during 5 d. Then, energy allowance was restricted to 0.7 maintenance and the level of intake of a common challenge food offered 4 h after feeding the experimental diets (challenge food intake [ChFI]) was used as an index of the satiety state of dogs. Blood concentration of active ghrelin, cholecystokinin (CCK), total peptide YY (PYY), and insulin were determined before and 15, 60, 120, 240, and 360 min after feeding. Voluntary DMI was greater ( < 0.05) in HF-fed dogs, but ChFI did not differ between diets ( > 0.10). Dogs fed the HF diet showed a lower increase of CCK at 120 ( < 0.01) and 240 min ( < 0.05), resulting in a lower ( < 0.001) total area under the curve from 0 to 240 min (tAUC). A lower PYY elevation ( < 0.05) was also found in HF-fed dogs at 120 min. Only active ghrelin concentration at 240 min and insulin tAUC correlated ( < 0.05) with ChFI (r = 0.357 and r = -0.364, respectively), suggesting a role of these hormones in appetite. Dog sterilization did not affect voluntary DMI, ChFI, or blood hormones ( > 0.10) but led to a reduced activity level compared with control dogs ( < 0.05). In summary, dog sterilization was not associated with an impaired appetite control. Feeding dogs the HF diet led to energy overconsumption and to a lower blood elevation of CCK and PYY but was not associated with a weaker satiating effect 4 h later compared with the HC diet.

Urinary excretion of dietary Maillard reaction products in healthy adult female cats.

During processing of foods, the Maillard reaction occurs, resulting in the formation of advanced Maillard reaction products (MRP). Varying amounts of MRP have been found in commercially processed pet foods. Dietary MRP can be absorbed and contribute to the endogenous pool of MRP and possibly the etiology of age-related diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine urinary excretion of dietary MRP in cats fed commercial moist and dry foods. A pilot study with 10 cats, conducted to determine the adaptation time required for stable urinary excretion of MRP when changing to a diet with contrasting MRP content, showed an adaptation time of 1 d for all components. In the main study, 6 commercially processed dry and 6 moist diets were fed to 12 adult female cats in 2 parallel randomized, 36-d Latin square designs. The 24-h urine was collected quantitatively using modified litter boxes, and fructoselysine (FL), carboxymethyllysine (CML), and lysinoalanine (LAL) were analyzed using ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) - mass spectrometer. Daily urinary excretion of FL and CML showed a positive relationship with daily intake in the dry ( = 0.03 and < 0.01, respectively) and moist ( < 0.01) foods. For LAL, no significant relationship was observed. Urinary recovery (% ingested) showed a negative relationship with daily intake for FL, CML, and LAL in the dry foods ( < 0.01, < 0.01, and = 0.08, respectively) and for CML and LAL in the moist foods ( < 0.01). The observed increase in urinary excretion with increasing dietary intake indicates that dietary MRP were absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract of cats and excreted in the urine. The adaptation time with change in diet indicates a likely effective excretion of MRP. Minimum apparent absorption of FL, CML, and LAL was found to range between 8% and 23%, 25% and 73%, and 6% and 19%, respectively. The observed decrease in urinary recovery suggests a limiting factor in digestion, absorption, metabolism, or urinary excretion. This study shows that dietary MRP in commercial diets are absorbed and excreted via the kidneys in cats.

Protein and amino acid bioavailability estimates for canine foods.

Estimates of nutrient bioavailability are required for establishing dietary nutrient requirements and to evaluate the nutritional value of food ingredients or foods that are exposed to processing or extended storage. This study aimed to generate estimates for the bioavailability of dietary CP and AA for adult dogs using existing literature data and to evaluate the accuracy of estimates currently used in 3 authoritative publications. A regression equation was derived relating apparent fecal N outflow to standardized ileal N outflow from a data set containing information on 158 individual diets and their N digestibility when fed to adult dogs. Standardized ileal digestibility (sID) of N (sID) was shown to be nearly perfectly correlated to the sID of the sum of N of AA in 24 diets for which AA digestibility data were available. Regression equations between sID of individual AA and sID were calculated. Bioavailability estimates were subsequently derived from simulated sID values of N and essential and nonessential AA for 10 diets varying in CP content (18 to 42%) and apparent fecal N digestibility (70 and 80%) for an adult dog of 20 kg BW. Calculated bioavailability estimates of the NRC for maintenance dog foods do not lead to realistic nutrient allowance estimates for CP and AA. Estimates used by the Association of American Feed Control Officials and the European Pet Food Industry Federation were closer to calculated values, although the majority were too low, with the exception of CP, Arg, and Lys. Bioavailability estimates for Lys, Met, and Cys as calculated here require further veracity as the chemical form in which these AA are present in commercial pet foods may significantly reduce their bioavailability.

Adaptation of faecal microbiota in sows after diet changes and consequences for in vitro fermentation capacity.

In vitro gas production studies are routinely used to assess the metabolic capacity of intestinal microbiota to ferment dietary fibre sources. The faecal inocula used during the in vitro gas production procedure are most often obtained from animals adapted to a certain diet. The present study was designed to assess whether 19 days of adaptation to a diet are sufficient for faecal inocula of pigs to reach a stable microbial composition and activity as determined by in vitro gas production. Eighteen multiparous sows were allotted to one of two treatments for three weeks: a diet high in fibre (H) or a diet low in fibre (L). After this 3-week period, the H group was transferred to the low fibre diet (HL-treatment) while the L group was transferred to the diet high in fibre (LH-treatment). Faecal samples were collected from each sow at 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 days after the diet change and prepared as inoculum used for incubation with three contrasting fermentable substrates: oligofructose, soya pectin and cellulose. In addition, inocula were characterised using a phylogenetic microarray targeting the pig gastrointestinal tract microbiota. Time after diet change had an effect (P<0.05) on total gas production for the medium-fast fermentable substrates; soya pectin and oligofructose. For the more slowly fermentable cellulose, all measured fermentation parameters were consistently higher (P<0.05) for animals in the HL-treatment. Diet changes led to significant changes in relative abundance of specific bacteria, especially for members of the Bacteroidetes and Bacilli, which, respectively, increased or decreased for the LH-treatment, while changes were opposite for the HL-treatment. Changing the diet of sows led to changes in fermentation activity of the faecal microbiota and in composition of the microbiota over time. Adaptation of the microbiota as assessed by gas production occurred faster for LH-animals for fast fermentable substrates compared with HL-animals. Overall, adaptation of the large intestinal microbiota of sows as a result of ingestion of low and high fibre diets seems to take longer than 19 days, especially for the ability to ferment slowly fermentable substrates.

Equine autologous platelet concentrates: A comparative study between different available systems.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Autologous platelet concentrates (APCs) are being used increasingly in horses to enhance regeneration in tissues that have poor natural healing capabilities. Numerous APC systems, which are based on different preparation techniques and were originally developed for human patients, are now routinely used in equine cases. However, preliminary process validation and adequate in vitro biochemical characterisation of most of these systems do not exist for horses. OBJECTIVES: To compare haematological findings and growth factor concentrations of equine APCs obtained with 4 commercially available systems and a noncommercial double-centrifugation technique. STUDY DESIGN: Nonrandomised in vitro experiment. METHODS: Blood samples from 6 horses were processed to produce APCs using one equine-specific filtration-based and 4 different centrifugation-based techniques. Platelet, leucocyte, platelet-derived growth factor-BB and transforming growth factor-ß1 concentrations were measured in all APCs, and their respective enrichment factors were compared. RESULTS: Mean platelet concentration increased in all systems in comparison to baseline; however, the mean enrichment factor, which ranged from 130% to 527% depending on the APC, was statistically significant in only 2 products. One method reduced total leucocyte counts to 9% of the baseline value, while the others had a mean fold increase varying from 116 to 663% of the baseline. Differential leucocyte count also differed between the products. Moreover, the various systems had significantly different mean growth factor enrichments (184-1255% for platelet-derived growth factor-BB and 93-560% for transforming growth factor-ß1 ). CONCLUSIONS: Haematological and biochemical characteristics varied markedly among 5 techniques used in the field to produce APCs in horses. These discrepancies could have an impact on clinical outcomes, and further studies are needed to determine their influence on the quality of tissue regeneration. Clinicians should not rely on the manufacturers' data relating to human patients to select the most appropriate method for horses.

Effects of alginate and resistant starch on feeding patterns, behaviour and performance in ad libitum-fed growing pigs.

This study assessed the long-term effects of feeding diets containing either a gelling fibre (alginate (ALG)), or a fermentable fibre (resistant starch (RS)), or both, on feeding patterns, behaviour and growth performance of growing pigs fed ad libitum for 12 weeks. The experiment was set up as a 2×2 factorial arrangement: inclusion of ALG (yes or no) and inclusion of RS (yes or no) in the control diet, resulting in four dietary treatments, that is, ALG-RS- (control), ALG+RS-, ALG-RS+, and ALG+RS+. Both ALG and RS were exchanged for pregelatinized potato starch. A total of 240 pigs in 40 pens were used. From all visits to an electronic feeding station, feed intake and detailed feeding patterns were calculated. Apparent total tract digestibility of energy, dry matter (DM), and CP was determined in week 6. Pigs' postures and behaviours were scored from live observations in weeks 7 and 12. Dietary treatments did not affect final BW and average daily gain (ADG). ALG reduced energy and DM digestibility (P<0.01). Moreover, ALG increased average daily DM intake, and reduced backfat thickness and carcass gain : digestible energy (DE) intake (P<0.05). RS increased feed intake per meal, meal duration (P<0.05) and inter-meal intervals (P=0.05), and reduced the number of meals per day (P<0.01), but did not affect daily DM intake. Moreover, RS reduced energy, DM and CP digestibility (P<0.01). Average daily DE intake was reduced (P<0.05), and gain : DE intake tended to be increased (P=0.07), whereas carcass gain : DE intake was not affected by RS. In week 12, ALG+RS- increased standing and walking, aggressive, feeder-directed, and drinking behaviours compared with ALG+RS+ (ALG×RS interaction, P<0.05), with ALG-RS- and ALG-RS+ in between. No other ALG×RS interactions were found. In conclusion, pigs fed ALG compensated for the reduced dietary DE content by increasing their feed intake, achieving similar DE intake and ADG as control pigs. Backfat thickness and carcass efficiency were reduced in pigs fed ALG, which also showed increased physical activity. Pigs fed RS changed feeding patterns, but did not increase their feed intake. Despite a lower DE intake, pigs fed RS achieved similar ADG as control pigs by increasing efficiency in DE use. This indicates that the energy utilization of RS in pigs with ad libitum access to feed is close to that of enzymatically digestible starch.

Effects of resistant starch on behaviour, satiety-related hormones and metabolites in growing pigs.

Resistant starch (RS) has been suggested to prolong satiety in adult pigs. The present study investigated RS-induced changes in behaviour, satiety-related hormones and metabolites in catheterized growing pigs to explore possible underlying mechanisms for RS-induced satiety. In a cross-over design with two 14-day periods, 10 pigs (initial BW: 58 kg) were assigned to two treatments comprising diets containing either 35% pregelatinized starch (PS) or 34% retrograded starch (RS). Diets were isoenergetic on gross energy. Pigs were fed at 2.8× maintenance. Postprandial plasma response of satiety-related hormones and metabolites was measured at the end of each period using frequent blood sampling. Faecal and urinary energy losses were measured at the end of each period. Behaviour was scored 24 h from video recordings using scan sampling. Energy digestibility and metabolizability were ~6% lower in RS compared with PS diet (P<0.001), and metabolizable energy (ME) intake was ~3% lower in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs (P<0.001). RS-fed pigs showed less feeder-directed (P=0.001) and drinking (P=0.10) behaviours than PS-fed pigs throughout the day. Postprandial peripheral short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were higher in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs (P<0.001). Postprandial glucose and insulin responses were lower in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs (P<0.001). Triglyceride levels were higher in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs (P<0.01), and non-esterified fatty acid levels did not differ between diets (P=0.90). Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) levels were lower in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs (P<0.001), and peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) levels did not differ between diets (P=0.90). Blood serotonin levels were lower (P<0.001), whereas monoamine oxidase activity (P<0.05) and tryptophan (P<0.01) levels were higher in RS-fed than in PS-fed pigs. Despite a lower ME intake, RS seemed to prolong satiety, based on behavioural observations. Possible underlying mechanisms for RS-induced satiety include increased 24 h plasma SCFA levels, and decreased postprandial glucose and insulin responses. GLP-1 and PYY seemed not to play a role in RS-induced satiety. Low blood serotonin levels in RS-fed pigs suggested a difference in intestinal serotonin release between treatments. Increased postprandial plasma triglyceride levels corresponded with increased SCFA levels, but it is unclear whether triglycerides may have signalled satiety in RS-fed pigs.

Felinine excretion in domestic cat breeds: a preliminary investigation.

The aim of this study was to determine possible differences in felinine excretion between domesticated cat breeds. For this purpose, urine was collected from a total of 83 privately owned entire male cats from eight different breeds in the Netherlands during the period of November 2010 till November 2011. In the collected samples, free felinine and creatinine concentrations were measured. Free felinine concentrations were expressed relative to the urinary creatinine concentration to compensate for possible variations in renal output. The mean (±SD) felinine:creatinine (Fel:Cr) ratio as measured over all cats was 0.702 (±0.265). Both the Abyssinian and Sphynx breeds showed the highest Fel:Cr ratio (0.878 ± 0.162 and 0.878 ± 0.341 respectively) which significantly differed from the ratios of the British Shorthairs (0.584 ± 0.220), Birmans (0.614 ± 0.266), Norwegian Forest cats (0.566 ± 0.296) and Siberian cats (0.627 ± 0.124). The Fel:Cr ratios of the Persians (0.792 ± 0.284) and Ragdolls (0.673 ± 0.256) showed no statistical difference with either of the other breeds. A significant proportion of the observed variation between the different feline breeds could be explained by hair growth, as both hair growth and felinine production compete for available cysteine. Shorthaired and hairless cat breeds generally showed a higher Fel:Cr ratio compared to longhaired cat breeds, with the exception of Persian cats. Further research is warranted to more closely study the effect of hair growth on felinine production.

Comparison of ileal and total tract nutrient digestibility of dry dog foods.

The apparent total tract and ileal digestibility assays to measure AA absorption in commercial canine diets were compared in the present study. Five ileal cannulated dogs were fed 5 commercial dry canine foods selected to contain 19 to 30% CP in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Ileal and total tract digestibility (apparent and standardized) of DM, OM, CP, crude fat (CF), carbohydrate, and AA (including reactive Lys) were calculated using Cr2O3 as an indigestible marker. Greater apparent total tract digestibility values were found for DM, OM, and CP (P ≤ 0.034) compared with ileal digestibility values; however, CF (P = 0.058) had a greater ileal apparent digestibility. Apparent and standardized CP digestibility values were, respectively, 5.7 and 7.4 percentage units greater when measured over the total digestive tract compared with measurement at the ileum (P = 0.034 and 0.011, respectively). Ileal apparent digestibility for N of AA (P = 0.009) and most AA (P < 0.05), except for Met, Ile, Lys, Phe, and Ala, was decreased if measured at the ileum. However, correction for endogenous losses showed only Met digestibility did not differ between measurement sites. Differences between sites in excess of 15 percentage units were recorded for AA. Apparent and standardized ileal reactive Lys digestibility was 3.1 to 15.3 percentage units greater than corresponding total tract digestibility values. For several indispensable AA, the bioavailability estimates currently used by the 2006 NRC and the 2011 Association of American Feed Control Officials to derive allowance estimates for canine adult maintenance were greater than the digestibility values of these AA in the commercial dog foods evaluated. Although the canine large intestine is relatively short, the total tract digestibility assay in dogs can overestimate the digestibility of dietary AA and CP and may not be an accurate method for the measurement of absorption. In this study, bioavailability estimates of AA appeared to be less than those used to derive allowance estimates for commercial dog foods. Further work is required if current recommendations warrant adjustment.