Effects of dietary thyme and rosemary essential oils on biochemical parameters, anti-oxidant metabolism, small intestinal morphology and myofiber structure of superficial pectoral and biceps femoris muscles in broilers.

This study was aimed at determining the effects of dietary supplementation with thyme essential oil (TEO) and rosemary essential oil (REO) on blood parameters, the anti-oxidant metabolism in the liver, breast and drumstick muscle tissues, the morphology of the small intestine, and the myofibril structure of the superficial pectoral and biceps femoris muscles. For this purpose, 400 three-day-old male Ross 308 chicks were used. Five groups, each comprising 80 broilers, were established. The control group was fed on a basal diet alone and groups thyme-1, thyme-2, rosemary-1 and rosemary-2 received basal diets supplemented with 0.15 g kg-1 of TEO, 0.30 g kg-1 of TEO, 0.10 g kg-1 of REO and 0.20 g kg-1 of REO, respectively. The serum total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels were decreased significantly in group thyme-1. Dietary TEO and REO significantly increased glutathione levels in all tissues. Drumstick catalase activity was significantly increased in groups thyme-1, thyme-2 and rosemary-2. Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly increased in the breast muscle of all groups that received dietary TEO and REO. Histomorphometrical analyses demonstrated that dietary supplementation with TEO and REO increased both crypt depth and villus height in the small intestine. In result, the tested doses of dietary TEO and REO were ascertained to improve the intestinal morphology and to increase the anti-oxidant metabolism mainly in the breast muscle, the drumstick muscle and liver.

Effects of dietary thyme and rosemary essential oils on performance parameters with lipid oxidation, water activity, pH, colour and microbial quality of breast and drumstick meats in broiler chickens.

This study was aimed at determining the effects of different doses of thyme essential oil (TEO) and rosemary essential oil (REO) incorporated into broiler rations on performance parameters, including body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate, as well as on the quality criteria of breast and drumstick meat. The study material comprised of 400 three-day-old male Ross 308 chicks, which were assigned to five groups, each of 80 broilers. Each group was divided into four sub-groups of 20 animals. In this study, the feed rations provided to the control group and groups TEO-150, TEO-300, REO-100 and REO-200 were supplemented with 0, 150 mg kg - 1 TEO, 300 mg kg - 1 TEO, 100 mg kg - 1 REO and 200 mg kg - 1 REO, respectively. Fattening performance parameters were statistically similar in the control group and all trial groups ( P > 0.05 ). It was determined that, while dietary supplementation with TEO and REO significantly reduced total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB) counts throughout storage in drumstick meat and on days 0 and 8 of storage in breast meat ( P < 0.01 ), it showed variable effects on other microbial counts and during other time points in both breast meat and drumstick meat. Dietary supplementation with TEO and REO was ascertained not to affect the pH value of breast and drumstick meat and to show limited and variable effects on colour parameters and water activity throughout the storage period of breast and drumstick meat. In all groups supplemented with TEO and REO, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) levels of drumstick meat were observed to have significantly decreased on days 0, 2 and 4 of storage ( P < 0.01 ). As a result, dietary supplementation with TEO and REO was determined to have a limited effect on performance parameters, but to improve the microbial quality of meat.

Fatty acid compositions and quality of egg and performance in laying quails fed diet with hesperidin.

This study investigates the effects of hesperidin on eggs' internal and external quality parameters, the fatty acid in egg yolk, and the nutrient content adding different amounts of hesperidin to the quail diets. A total of 150 Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were divided into three groups (0% hesperidin group (n = 5 × 10) (control group; HES0), 0.1% hesperidin group (HES1), and 0.2% hesperidin group (HES2)) with five replicates. It has been found in the analysis that hesperidin did not affect the weight and thickness of the shell from the external quality parameters of the egg (P > 0.05), but in terms of the HES1 and HES2 groups, the weight of the egg increased compared to the HES0 group, while the fracture resistance of the shell decreased (P < 0.05). Eggs' internal quality parameters have shown that the egg white width (P < 0.05) and the yolk diameter (P < 0.01) increased in the HES1 and HES2 groups, and the length of white decreased (P < 0.05). It has been found that n-6 (linoleic acid) and n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid) fatty acid values increased significantly according to hesperidin dosage (P < 0.05) from the parameters of the composition of fatty acids of the eggs. As a result, it is believed that hesperidin added to the diet has a generally positive effect on the fatty acid composition and internal and external quality parameters of the eggs and would be appropriate to use it as a feed additive.

The effects of different dietary protein sources on live weight, sperm quality and the histology of the testes and accessory glands in male rats.

This study was aimed at determining the effects of corn and wheat gluten, used as dietary protein sources, on live weight gain, sperm quality and the histology of the testes and accessory glands in male rats. For this purpose, 20-day-old 24 male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to three groups. Group 1 (Control), Group 2 and Group 3 were fed on a basal ration supplemented with high levels of soybean meal, corn gluten and wheat gluten, respectively, as a protein source. At the end of the study, when compared to Group 1, live weight values were determined to have increased in Group 3 and to have decreased in Group 2 (p < .05). Furthermore, sperm density, sperm motility, the dead/ live sperm ratio and testes weight were determined to have significantly decreased in Group 2, in comparison to Groups 1 and 3 (p < .05). The percentages of abnormal spermatozoon, and head, acrosome, mid-piece and tail abnormalities were high in Group 2 (p < .05). Histological examination demonstrated that, in Group 2, the diameter of the Tubulus Seminiferous Contortus (TSC) and the size of the Tubular Epithelial Cells (TE) were small, and the tubular and anatomical structure of the testes were shrunken and altered. Group 2 also presented with connective tissue increase and alveolar lumen enlargement in the prostate gland, and with connective tissue thickening, muscle tissue increase and secretory capacity decrease in the seminal vesicle (p < .05). Moreover, in Group 2, the Gl. Bulbourethral (Cowper's gland) presented with a decreased size and dilatations in the mucous structures. In a result, based on the findings obtained in this study, it is suggested that high levels of dietary corn gluten adversely affect live weight, sperm quality, and the testes and accessory glands.

The effect of in vivo created vascularized neurotube on peripheric nerve regeneration.

INTRODUCTION: Creating vascularized nerve conduits for treatment of nerve gaps have been researched, however, these methods need microsurgical anastomosis thereby complicating the nerve repair process. Thus, the concept of vascularized nerve conduits has not popularized up till now. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of vascularized and non-vascularized biological conduits on peripheral nerve regeneration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Following ethical board approval, 15 Sprague-Dawley rats were used in the study. The rats were equally divided into three groups. In group I, a silicon rod was inserted next to the sciatic nerve of the rat and connective tissue generated around this rod was used as a vascularized biological conduit. In group II, a silicon rod was inserted into the dorsum of the rat and connective tissue generated around this rod was used as a non-vascularized biological conduit. In group III, autogenic nerve graft was used to repair the nerve gap. The contralateral sciatic nerve is used as a control in all rats. Macroscopic, electrophysiological and histomorphometric evaluations were performed to determine the nerve regeneration. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between groups, in terms of latency. However, the mean amplitude of group I was found to be higher than other groups. The difference between group I and II was statistically significant. Myelinated axonal counts in group I was significantly higher than groups II and III. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that vascularized biological conduits provided better nerve regeneration when compared to autografts and non-vascularized biological conduits. Creation and application of vascularized conduits by using the technique described here is easy. Although this method is not an alternative to autogenic nerve grafts, our results are promising and encouraging for further studies.