Drinking Water Supplemented with Acidifiers Improves the Growth Performance of Weaned Pigs and Potentially Regulates Antioxidant Capacity, Immunity, and Gastrointestinal Microbiota Diversity.

This study evaluated the potential effects of adding acidifiers to the drinking water on the growth performance, complete blood count, antioxidant indicators, and diversity of gastrointestinal microbiota for weaned pigs. A total of 400 weaned pigs were randomly divided into four treatments. Pigs were fed the same basal diet and given either water (no acidifier was added, control) or water plus blends of different formulas of acidifiers (acidifier A1, A2, or A3) for 35 days. On d 18 and 35 of the experimental period, 64 pigs (four pigs per pen) were randomly selected to collect blood for a CBC test (n = 128) and an antioxidant indicators test (n = 128); 24 pigs (six pigs per group) were randomly selected to collect fresh feces (n = 48) from the rectum for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Compared to the control, supplementing the drinking water with acidifiers improved the growth performance and survival rate of weaned pigs. Acidifier groups also increased serum catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activities, while also displaying a decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration compared to the control. The relative abundance of Firmicutes in the acidifier A1 group was greater than that in the control group (p < 0.05) on d 35; the relative abundance of Lactobacillus in the acidifier A1 group was greater than that in the control group (p < 0.05) on d 18 and 35. The microbial species Subdoligranulum or Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 had significantly positive correlations with ADG and ADFI or with serum antioxidant indicators, respectively. These findings suggest that supplementing the drinking water with an acidifier has a potential as an antioxidant, which was reflected in the improvement of growth performance, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal flora.

[Surgical treatment of calcaneus fracture involving posterior subtalar articular facet].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the methods of reduction and stable fixation for the treatment of calcaneus fracture involving posterior subtalar articular facet. METHODS: From September 2004 to September 2008, 31 cases(38 feet) of calcaneus fracture involving posterior subtalar articular facet were treated with open reduction and plate fixation through L incision. There were 24 males and 7 females, with an average age of 39.6 years ranging from 20 to 65 years. All patients underwent systematic CT-scan with coronal and horizontal images and sagittal reconstruction. The classification of the fractures by the Sanders scale showed that there were 22 of type II,14 of type III, 2 of type IV. RESULTS: All cases were followed up for from 12 to 36 months with an average of 25 months, and all the fractures healed without skin flap necrosis. According to the Maryland foot scoring, the total score was (96.2 +/- 8.8) on average, the results were excellent in 32 feet, good in 4 feet, fair in 2 feet. CONCLUSION: The replacement of the posterior articular facet by X-ray control of Broden and open reduction and internal fixation with calcaneus plate and Schanz-Screw during the operation can keep stable of articular facet, and promote early rehabilitation of calcaneus fracture affected with subtalar joint.