Assessing Bone Health Status and Eggshell Quality of Laying Hens at the End of a Production Cycle in Response to Inclusion of a Hybrid Rye to a Wheat-Corn Diet.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether there are negative effects of the partial replacement of white corn with rye along with xylanase supplementation on overall bone quality, eggshell mineralization, and mechanical strength in laying hens. From the 26th week of life, ISA Brown laying hens were fed either a wheat-corn diet or a diet containing 25% rye, with or without xylanase. The experimental period lasted for 25 weeks, until birds reached their 50th week of age, after which bone and eggshell quality indices were assessed. Eggshell thickness and eggshell Ca content of eggs from rye-fed hens were improved by xylanase supplementation. No differences in the mechanical properties of the eggshells were observed between treatments, except for the diet-dependent changes in egg deformation. Rye inclusion had no effect on the mechanical properties of bone. Xylanase supplementation, irrespective of the diet, had a positive effect on bone strength and increased tibia Ca content, as well as the content of several microelements. Hence, hybrid rye combined with wheat can replace 25% of corn in layer diets without compromising shell quality or bone mineral content. Xylanase supplementation in these diets is recommended since its inclusion improves both bone strength and quality.

The Concentration of Selected Heavy Metals in Muscles, Liver and Kidneys of Pigs Fed Standard Diets and Diets Containing 60% of New Rye Varieties.

The carry-over of heavy metals from feed to muscles is generally low if animals are fed with a standard diet containing amounts below the maximum permissible levels. However, prolonged exposure to heavy metals can lead to their accumulation in some organs like muscles, liver, and kidneys. This paves the way for human health risks related to the consumption of products of animal-origin. Thus, using feed mixtures with a low level of heavy metals in pig production will contribute to increasing public health and safety and is of environmental concern. The study aimed to assess the impact of the level of some heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) in standard (control) feed mixtures and in alternative feed mixtures based on maize or new rye varieties (population and hybrid) on the heavy metal concentration in muscles, liver and kidney of fattened pigs at slaughter. While some differences between heavy metals content in examined tissue samples from experimental groups were observed, all of them were in the range of allowable levels according to European Community rules. In conclusion, new rye varieties, especially the hybrid variety, could be an alternative source of cereal grains for pig nutrition.

The effect of cadmium exposition on the structure and mechanical properties of rat incisors.

Alterations in the structure and mechanical properties of teeth in adult Wistar rats exposed to cadmium were investigated. Analyses were conducted on two sets of incisors from female and male specimens, that were intoxicated with cadmium (n = 12) or belonged to the control (n = 12). The cadmium group was administered with CdCl2 dissolved in drinking water with a dose of 4mg/kgbw for 10 weeks. The oral intake of cadmium by adult rats led to the range of structural changes in enamel morphology and its mechanical features. A significant increase of cadmium levels in the teeth in comparison to the control, a slight shift in the colour and reduction of pigmented enamel length, higher surface irregularity, a decrease of hydroxyapatite crystals size in the c-axis and simultaneous increase in pigmented enamel hardness were observed. The extent of these changes was sex-dependent and was more pronounced in males.

Pancreatic-like enzymes of microbial origin restore growth and normalize lipid absorption in a pig model with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

INTRODUCTION: The standard therapy for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is porcine-derived pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT). In the present study we tested a new approach with a mixture of pancreatic-like enzymes of microbial origin (PLEM) in a 1-week efficacy study in EPI pigs. In addition to the conventionally used coefficient of fat and nitrogen absorption (CFA and CNA), parameters that more accurately reflect the nutritional and health status, such as changes in the lipemic index (LI), plasma triglyceride (TG) and non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels, and somatic growth, were determined. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A PLEM dose containing 120 000 active lipase units, 80 000 active protease units and 12 000 active amylase units (all from Sigma, St. Louis, MO) was given as a powder, twice daily with a meal (40 g fat/meal) to 8 EPI pigs for 7 days. Ten healthy pigs were used as a comparator. RESULTS: The PLEM enhanced fat and protein digestion, and reversed growth impairment in EPI pigs. With treatment, CFA and CNA increased by 59% and 43% (p < 0.05), respectively. Although fat and protein absorption were lower than in the comparator, the postprandial blood lipid profile was normal as in healthy pigs. The mucosal thickness significantly increased by 27%, 50% and 26%, in the proximal, middle, and distal jejunum (p < 0.05) with treatment and resembled that of healthy animals. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic-like enzymes of microbial origin supported somatic growth and normalized the postprandial lipid profile. As a measure of efficacy, postprandial LI, TG and NEFA are viable endpoints to be explored in human trials.

Intestinal microbiota - a key to understanding the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa? / Mikrobiota jelitowa ­ klucz do zrozumienia patofizjologii jadlowstretu psychicznego?

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder related to very serious consequences for physical and mental health of patients. Due to a complex clinical picture, which consists of anumber of somatic and mental symptoms, AN remains a serious problem of modern medicine and encourages the search for possible causes of the illness and new, more effective therapies. The recent reports emphasize the role of the intestinal microbiota in regulation of body weight. In this light, the hypothesis that in AN patients there is a significant imbalance of the intestinal microbiota, which contributes to the pathogenesis of the illness, seems interesting. The results of the latest research suggest that abnormal composition of the intestinal microbiota may be an important factor supporting cachexia of AN patients. Detailed analyzes of the composition of the microbiota characteristic for anorexia nervosa could be useful in developing new methods for monitoring and treatment of this illness. This paper aims to present the current state of the art about the role of the intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis, course and treatment of AN.

Immunolocalization of NOS, VIP, galanin and SP in the small intestine of suckling pigs treated with red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectin.

Lectins belong to a family of glycoproteins that can act both beneficially and detrimentally on the morphology of the small intestine. The aim of the study was to determine whether experimental treatment with red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) lectin influences the chemical code of the small intestine nervous system of suckling pigs. The immunolocalization sites of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), substance P (SP) and galanin were determined in control and lectin-treated animals. In all segments of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum), the subpopulations of VIP-, NOS-, SP- and galanin-immunoreactive (IR) myenteric neurons were unchanged. After lectin stimulation, increased proportions of NOS-IR and decreased numbers of VIP-IR submucous neurons/mucosa innervating nerve fibers were observed in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. In lectin-treated animals down-regulation of submucous neurons expressing SP and up-regulation of galanin-IR submucous neurons were seen in the duodenum and jejunum (but not in the ileum). The distribution patterns of NOS-IR, galanin-IR and SP-IR nerve fibers supplying the duodenum, jejunum and ileum of the lectin-treated animals showed no substantial differences in relation to control piglets. We conclude that exposure to red kidney bean (P. vulgaris) lectin substantially changes the chemical content of VIP, NOS, SP and galanin in submucous neurons of the small intestine. These results are in line with previous findings outlining the key role(s) of these substances in enteric neuroplasticity processes and may constitute the basis for further functional studies on maturation of the gut.