Comparison of the Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum, and Fermented and Non-Fermented Artemisia Annua on the Performance, Egg Quality, Serum Cholesterol, and Eggyolk-Oxidative Stability During Storage in Laying Hens

Artemisia annua L. is a widely distributed medicinal plant and well-known for treating malaria due to the artemisinin content. We previously found enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented A. annua dried leaves in vitro. The present study compared the effects of the dietary supplementation of L. plantarum, fermented (FA) or non-fermented (NFA) A. annua on laying performance, egg quality, serum cholesterol, and egg yolk oxidative stability during storage in 40-weeks-old Hy-Line Brown layers. In total, 180 layers were randomly allocated into four treatments for 6 weeks: basal diet (CON), basal diet + 0.5% L. plantarum only (LO), basal diet + 0.5% NFA, and basal diet + 0.5% FA. Each treatment comprised five replicates with nine birds each. Egg weight of NFA and FA groups were significantly higher as compared with the CON and LO groups (p 0.01). The FA group displayed higher Haugh unit (HU) compared with the NFA group (p 0.05). Eggshell color of the FA group was significantly increased compared with the other groups (p 0.01). There was no significant difference in triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and VLDL+LDL cholesterol among the different groups. During egg storage, the HU of FA groups was significantly increased as compared with the CON group after 3 weeks storage (p 0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the stored eggs was significantly lowered by feeding of FA as compared with the CON and LO groups (p 0.05). Altogether, the fermented A. annua displayed positive effects in promoting egg quality of layers.

Comparison of the Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum, and Fermented and Non-Fermented Artemisia Annua on the Performance, Egg Quality, Serum Cholesterol, and Eggyolk-Oxidative Stability During Storage in Laying Hens

Artemisia annua L. is a widely distributed medicinal plant and well-known for treating malaria due to the artemisinin content. We previously found enhanced antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented A. annua dried leaves in vitro. The present study compared the effects of the dietary supplementation of L. plantarum, fermented (FA) or non-fermented (NFA) A. annua on laying performance, egg quality, serum cholesterol, and egg yolk oxidative stability during storage in 40-weeks-old Hy-Line Brown layers. In total, 180 layers were randomly allocated into four treatments for 6 weeks: basal diet (CON), basal diet + 0.5% L. plantarum only (LO), basal diet + 0.5% NFA, and basal diet + 0.5% FA. Each treatment comprised five replicates with nine birds each. Egg weight of NFA and FA groups were significantly higher as compared with the CON and LO groups (p 0.01). The FA group displayed higher Haugh unit (HU) compared with the NFA group (p 0.05). Eggshell color of the FA group was significantly increased compared with the other groups (p 0.01). There was no significant difference in triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and VLDL+LDL cholesterol among the different groups. During egg storage, the HU of FA groups was significantly increased as compared with the CON group after 3 weeks storage (p 0.05). The malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the stored eggs was significantly lowered by feeding of FA as compared with the CON and LO groups (p 0.05). Altogether, the fermented A. annua displayed positive effects in promoting egg quality of layers.(AU)

Continued EGFR-TKI with concurrent radiotherapy to improve time to progression (TTP) in patients with locally progressive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after front-line EGFR-TKI treatment.

BACKGROUND: Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is the optimal treatment for EGFR-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, most patients developed systemic or local progression due to acquired EGFR-TKI resistance. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of continued EGFR-TKI with concurrent radiotherapy (CTCRT) in patients with local progression after front-line EGFR-TKI treatment. METHODS: Advanced NSCLC patients with active EGFR mutation who received EGFR-TKI were treated with CTCRT after local progression. Medical data were analyzed for time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), tumor response rate, overall survival (OS) and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 50 irradiated lesions from 44 patients were included. Median TTP and PFS of measurable lesions (n = 31) were both significantly prolonged after local radiotherapy (TTP1 + TTP2 vs. TTP1: 21.7 vs. 16.0 months, P = 0.010; PFS1 + PFS2 vs. PFS1: 21.3 vs. 16.0 months, P = 0.027). For all lesions (n = 50), objective response rate (ORR) and local tumor control rate (LCR) were 54.0 and 84.0%, respectively. Median OS was 26.6 months. There were no serious adverse events before or after radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment modality of CTCRT is considerable and effective for EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients even with local failure from front-line EGFR-TKI treatment.

Protective effects of tumor necrosis factor-α blockade by adalimumab on articular cartilage and subchondral bone in a rat model of osteoarthritis.

We aimed to investigate the effects of an anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antibody (ATNF) on cartilage and subchondral bone in a rat model of osteoarthritis. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated group (n=8); anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)+normal saline (NS) group (n=8); and ACLT+ATNF group (n=8). The rats in the ACLT+ATNF group received subcutaneous injections of ATNF (20 µg/kg) for 12 weeks, while those in the ACLT+NS group received NS at the same dose for 12 weeks. All rats were euthanized at 12 weeks after surgery and specimens from the affected knees were harvested. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and Mankin score assessment were carried out to evaluate the cartilage status and cartilage matrix degradation. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the cartilage molecular metabolism. Bone histomorphometry was used to observe the subchondral trabecular microstructure. Compared with the rats in the ACLT+NS group, histological and Mankin score analyses showed that ATNF treatment reduced the severity of the cartilage lesions and led to a lower Mankin score. Immunohistochemical and histomorphometric analyses revealed that ATNF treatment reduced the ACLT-induced destruction of the subchondral trabecular microstructure, and decreased MMP-13 expression. ATNF treatment may delay degradation of the extracellular matrix via a decrease in MMP-13 expression. ATNF treatment probably protects articular cartilage by improving the structure of the subchondral bone and reducing the degradation of the cartilage matrix.

Protective effects of tumor necrosis factor-α blockade by adalimumab on articular cartilage and subchondral bone in a rat model of osteoarthritis

We aimed to investigate the effects of an anti-tumor necrosis factor-α antibody (ATNF) on cartilage and subchondral bone in a rat model of osteoarthritis. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into three groups: sham-operated group (n=8); anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)+normal saline (NS) group (n=8); and ACLT+ATNF group (n=8). The rats in the ACLT+ATNF group received subcutaneous injections of ATNF (20 μg/kg) for 12 weeks, while those in the ACLT+NS group received NS at the same dose for 12 weeks. All rats were euthanized at 12 weeks after surgery and specimens from the affected knees were harvested. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and Mankin score assessment were carried out to evaluate the cartilage status and cartilage matrix degradation. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the cartilage molecular metabolism. Bone histomorphometry was used to observe the subchondral trabecular microstructure. Compared with the rats in the ACLT+NS group, histological and Mankin score analyses showed that ATNF treatment reduced the severity of the cartilage lesions and led to a lower Mankin score. Immunohistochemical and histomorphometric analyses revealed that ATNF treatment reduced the ACLT-induced destruction of the subchondral trabecular microstructure, and decreased MMP-13 expression. ATNF treatment may delay degradation of the extracellular matrix via a decrease in MMP-13 expression. ATNF treatment probably protects articular cartilage by improving the structure of the subchondral bone and reducing the degradation of the cartilage matrix.