Wheat starch digestion rate in broiler chickens is affected by cultivar but not by wheat crop nitrogen fertilisation.

1. A study was set up to investigate the influence of wheat cultivar and wheat crop nitrogen (N) fertilisation on starch (ST) digestion rate in broiler chickens. A total of 288 broiler chickens were used in a 3 x 2 factorial design with diets based on three varieties of wheat (Apache, Caphorn and Charger), each grown at two N application rates (40 and 170 kg of N/ha). 2. Starch digestion rate was determined by measuring the remaining starch and the mean retention time (MRT) in 4 segments of the small intestine (proximal and distal jejunum and proximal and distal ileum) and in excreta, using chromic oxide as a marker. 3. Varietal differences in starch content (714-746 g starch/kg DM) were smaller than differences caused by crop N fertilisation (705-755 g starch/kg DM). Nitrogen application increased wheat crude protein (CP) content from 94 to 130 g/kg DM. 4. The majority of the ST in all diets was digested by the time the digesta reached the distal ileum (average 0.84 in the distal jejunum and 0.96 in the proximal ileum). 5. Starch digestion differed among wheat cultivars in the proximal jejunum (from 0.43 to 0.57, P < 0.001). Afterwards no differences due to wheat cultivar or N fertilisation were found. 6. Starch digestion rate varied among wheat cultivars (from 2.45 to 3.28 h(-1), P < 0.001), but did not vary with N fertilisation, whereas dietary CP digestion rate was not affected by wheat cultivar or N fertilisation level. The digestion rate of ST was faster than that of CP (average 2.78 vs. 1.53 h(-1)). 7. The current study suggests that wheat cultivars can be classified on their rate of ST digestion independently of the N fertilisation applied to the crop during growth.

Wheat starch digestion rate affects broiler performance.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the differences in starch digestion rate (KDS) among wheats from different cultivars and origins and to verify if chickens would benefit from a certain digestion rate of starch. In the first experiment, 192 chickens (21 d) were assigned to 4 diets containing 55% of each wheat sample (3 cultivars, one of them from 2 origins). Starch and protein digestion were calculated from the remaining starch and protein in 4 segments of the small intestine and in excreta, using chromic oxide as a marker. Mean retention time was measured in each segment, which enabled calculations of digestion rates. In the second experiment, 2,600 chickens were assigned to 5 isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets (with KDS from 1.80 to 2.56 h(-1)) and growth performance was determined (1 to 34 d). In 3 treatments, dietary starch was provided each by the wheat cultivars (same origin), whereas in the other 2 treatments, 25 and 50% of the wheat starch with the highest KDS was substituted by pea starch. Clostridium perfringens and Lactobacillus in the cecal chyme and glucose in the blood (glycemic index) were measured in broilers at d 19 and 25, respectively. Starch was gradually digested along the small intestine, mainly in the jejunum (48.5 and 80.4% at proximal and distal jejunum) where the largest differences among wheat samples were found. Starch digestion rate varied with origin (from 1.96 to 2.56 h(-1)) and cultivar (from 2.17 to 2.56 h(-1)). Crude protein digestion rate (average 2.21 h(-1)) was not affected by either cultivar or origin. Broiler growth and feed conversion ratio improved in a quadratic way with KDS. The maximum broiler performance was observed with KDS around 2.2 h(-1). Blood glucose response (glycemic index) was not affected by KDS; therefore, it cannot be used to predict broiler performance. In conclusion, the rate of starch digestion varies among wheats, depending on both genetic and environmental conditions of the grain, and affects broiler performance.

Effect of wheat cultivar and enzyme addition to broiler chicken diets on nutrient digestibility, performance, and apparent metabolizable energy content.

A total of 5,000 one-day-old male broiler chickens were assigned to 8 different treatments in a 4 x 2 factorial design. Four wheat cultivars (Amiro, Guadalupe, Isengrain, and Horzal) and 2 levels (0 or 1 kg/t of feed) of an enzyme cocktail (Avizyme 1300, xylanase, 2,500 U/kg and protease, 800 U/kg) were used. Nutritionally complete mash diets contained 65 and 70% of the test wheat for the starter and grower period, respectively. Test wheats were used in diets for broilers, and growth performance and AME contents were measured. Broiler performance was measured in 4,800 broilers allocated to floor pens with 75 birds each and fed from 1 to 42 d of age. Digestibilities and AME contents of diets were measured in 200 broilers from 6 to 27 d of age individually allocated to battery cages. Chromic oxide (Cr(2)O(3)) at an inclusion rate of 0.5% in the diet was used as an indigestible marker. Apparent metabolizable energy was corrected by zero N balance to obtain AME(n). Wheat cultivar strongly influenced animal performance during the starter period (1 to 21 d of age). During the grower period (21 to 42 d of age), only BW and daily feed intake were influenced by wheat cultivar. Differences in daily feed intake were associated with differences in AME(n) intake during the starter period, but not during the grower period. Nutrient digestibility was higher with the use of enzyme. Animal performance was not affected (i.e., wheat cultivar differences were not eliminated by using enzymes). During the grower period, significant interactions were detected with regard to nutrient digestibility and AME(n). Differences in AME(n) content of wheat could not be explained by digestible starch.

[Quality of life, psychological and social aspects in patients with advanced HIV disease]. / Calidad de vida, aspectos psicológicos y sociales en pacientes con infección VIH avanzada.

OBJECTIVE: The advanced HIV infection carries an important physical, psychological and quality of life deterioration for patients. The introduction of new treatment strategies probably implies a global benefit for HIV patients. We carried out this study in order to know in HIV advanced patients; the clinical situation, the prevalence of psychological alterations (anxiety and depression), the quality of life and the impact of the introduction of new antiretroviral drugs about these variables. METHODS: This is a prospective observational study carried out between January of 1996 and June of 1997 with 52 advanced HIV patients (CD4 cells less than 200/microliter). We carried out 2 clinical interviews with an interval of 12 months being introduced after the first one a change of strategy of antiretroviral treatment. For evaluating the quality of life, the MOS SF-36 was used. The valuation of the anxiety and depression were carried out with the instruments STAI and Beck respectively. RESULTS: An important physical deterioration was found at the beginning of the study with 84.6% of polisymptomatic patients. We found a high prevalence of anxiety (76.9%) and depression (86.6%) that reaches criteria of graveness respectively in 75% and 25% of the cases. The quality of life was severely affected involving most of the dimensions of the SF-36 scale preserving the social function. The introduction of the change of therapeutic strategy produces a reduction of polisymptomtics patients to 54.8% (p = 0.05), of the graveness of the anxiety (p = 0.009) and depression (p = 0.05) and improving in the perception of general health (p = 0.03) and alterations of physical role (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The advanced HIV infection carries a high symptomatic load with a high prevalence of psychological dysfunctions and deterioration of the quality of life. The new strategies of HIV treatment induce a global improvement to the patients, but it makes necessary a better management of the psychological dysfunctions.

Calidad de vida, aspectos psicológicos y sociales en pacientes con infección VIH avanzada / Quality of life, psychological and social aspects in patients with advanced HIV disease

Fundamento: La infección VIH avanzada conlleva un importante deterioro físico, psíquico y de calidad de vida para el paciente. La introducción de nuevas estrategias de tratamiento probablemente impliquen un beneficio global para los pacientes. Se realiza este estudio con el objetivo de estudiar en pacientes VIH avanzados; la situación clínica, la prevalencia de alteraciones psicológicas(ansiedad y depresión), la calidad de vida y el impacto sobre estas variables de la introducción de nuevos fármacos antirretrovirales. Métodos: Estudio observacional prospectivo realizado entre enero de 1996 y junio de 1997 con 52 pacientes VIH avanzados (recuentos CD4 menores de 200 cel/µl). Se realiza 2 entrevistas clínicas con un intervalo de 12 meses introduciéndose tras la primera un cambio de estrategia de tratamiento antirretroviral. Para la valoración la calidad de vida se utiliza el MOS SF-36. Para la valoración de la ansiedad y depresión se utilizaron el STAI y la escala de Beck respectivamente. Resultados: Existe una importante deterioro físico al inicio del estudio con un 84,6 por ciento de pacientes polisintomáticos. Encontramos una elevada prevalencia de ansiedad (76,9 por ciento) y depresión (86,6 por ciento) que alcanza criterios de gravedad en el 75 por ciento y 25 por ciento de los casos respectivamente. La calidad de vida se ve comprometida severamente con afectación de la mayoría de las dimensiones del SF-36 conservándose la función social. La introducción del cambio de estrategia terapéutica produce una reducción de polisintomáticos a 54,8 por ciento (p=0,05), de la gravedad de la ansiedad (p=0,009) y depresión (p=0,05) y mejoría en la percepción de salud general (p=0,03) y alteraciones de rol físico (p=0,02).Conclusiones: La infección VIH avanzada conlleva una alta carga sintomática con una elevada prevalencia de trastornos de la esfera psicológica y deterioro de la calidad de vida. Las nuevas estrategias de tratamiento antirretroviral inducen una mejoría global a los pacientes, pero hace necesario un abordaje de los trastornos psicológicos (AU)

Objective: The advanced HIV infection carries an important physical, psychological and quality of life deterioration for patients. The introduction of new treatment strategies probably implies a global benefit for HIV patients. We carried out this study in order to know in HIV advanced patients; the clinical situation, the prevalence of psychological alterations (anxiety and depression), the quality of life and the impact of the introduction of new antiretroviral drugs about these variables. Methods: This is a prospective observational study carried out between January of 1996 and June of 1997 with 52 advanced HIV patients (CD4 cells less than 200 /µl). We carried out 2 clinical interviews with an interval of 12 months being introduced after the first one a change of strategy of antiretroviral treatment. For evaluating the quality of life, the MOS SF-36 was used. The valuation of the anxiety and depression were carried out with the instruments STAI and Beck respectively. Results: An important physical deterioration was found at the beginning of the study with 84.6% of polisymptomatic patients. We found a high prevalence of anxiety (76.9%) and depression (86.6%) that reaches criteria of graveness respectively in 75% and 25% of the cases. The quality of life was severely affected involving most of the dimensions of the SF-36 scale preserving the social function. The introduction of the change of therapeutic strategy produces a reduction of polisymptomtics patients to 54.8% (p=0.05), of the graveness of the anxiety (p=0.009) and depression (p=0.05) and improving in the perception of general health (p=0.03) and alterations of physical role (p=0.02). Conclusions: The advanced HIV infection carries a high symptomatic load with a high prevalence of psychological dysfunctions (AU)

Higher lipid accumulation in broilers fed on saturated fats than in those fed on unsaturated fats.

1. Two experiments were conducted to assess the effect of fat sources differing in degree of saturation on the performance of and fat deposition in broiler chickens fed on isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets. 2. There were no differences in initial body weight between sexes but female broilers had lower daily gains (P<0.0001), final weights (P<0.0001) and food intakes (P<0.0001) than males. Abdominal fat pad weight was lower in male broilers than in female (P<0.001). 3. There were no significant differences in intake, weight gain, final body weight or food-to-gain ratios between birds fed on diets differing solely in the degree of fat saturation. Broilers fed on diets containing an animal fat blend or tallow had higher abdominal fat pad weight (P<0.001) and intramuscular lipid content (P=0.0085) than those fed on diets containing sunflower oil. 4. It was concluded that dietary fat saturation affects fat accumulation in broiler chickens.

Effect of storage time and dietary enzyme on the metabolizable energy and digesta viscosity of barley-based diets for poultry.

The effect of barley storage time and dietary enzyme addition on the energy value of barley-based broiler diets was studied in two experiments. A two-rowed winter barley (Beka cultivar) was stored at room temperature for 0, 3, 6, 16, and 32 wk after harvesting. At these dates, diets were formulated using 50% barley with and without the addition of a commercial beta-glucanase-based enzyme product. In Experiment 1, 320 Arbor Acres chickens (eight replicates of three 10-d-old birds and eight replicates of one 30-d-old bird, per treatment) were fed the experimental diets to determine the AMEn following a 2 x 2 x 5 (age by enzyme by barley storage time) factorial design. At the end of the metabolism trial, viscosity of the intestinal contents was determined in 30-d-old broilers. Total beta-glucan, nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), in vitro viscosity, and endogenous enzyme activity of barley grain decreased with increasing storage time. Dietary AMEn increased with barley storage time (from 2,755 to 2,939 kcal/kg DM, P < 0.001, for 0 and 32 wk of storage, respectively), with enzyme addition (2,861 vs 2,919 kcal/kg DM, P < 0.003), and with the age of animals (2,826 and 2,958 kcal/kg DM for 10- and 30-d-old chickens, respectively, P < 0.001). Interactions of enzyme and age by barley storage time (P < 0.02 and P < 0.001, respectively) were also detected. These data indicate that the minimum time of barley storage before its inclusion in broiler feed depends on the animals' age (more than 6 wk for 10-d-old chickens and 3 wk for 30-d-old chickens), and that the use of enzymes allowed a reduction in the time of barley storage. Digesta viscosity decreased with barley storage time (P < 0.001), and with enzyme addition (P < 0.001), an interaction of storage time by enzyme addition was shown (P < 0.007). Digesta viscosity was also negatively related to the dietary AMEn content (r = -0.68, P < 0.01). In vitro barley viscosity explained 53 and 90% of the variation in gut viscosity produced by unsupplemented and enzyme supplemented diets, respectively. In Experiment 2, the same diets as Experiment 1 and the barley grain were intubated into 120 adult roosters (Hy-Line) to determine TMEn. Dietary and barley TMEn values were not affected by barley storage time or enzyme addition (3,237 and 3,037 kcal TMEn/kg DM for diets and barley, respectively).

Energy evaluation of eight barley cultivars for poultry: effect of dietary enzyme addition.

Three experiments were conducted to study eight barley cultivars and the effect of enzyme addition on their energy value for poultry. In Experiment 1, the AMEn of a reference barley (Beka cultivar) was calculated by increasing barley concentrations (30, 40, 50, and 60%) that replaced a high protein basal diet. In Experiment 2, eight barley cultivars (four spring and four winter cultivars) replaced the reference barley in the diet with 50% barley inclusion. Two of the winter cultivars were two-rowed and two were six-rowed cultivars. A commercial enzyme was added to these diets to study the effect of enzyme addition. Diets were consumed ad libitum by 27 and 145 21-d-old Arbor Acres broiler chicks, in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In Experiment 3, 66 adult roosters were used to determine the TMEn of the eight cultivars used in Experiment 2. Dietary AMEn decreased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing barley (Beka cultivar) inclusion. Beka barley AMEn was calculated by extrapolation of the linear regression equation be equal to 2,980 kcal/kg DM. Barley energy value was influenced by cultivar (P < 0.001); the spring cultivars showed greater energy value than the winter cultivars (2,963 vs 2,852 kcal AMEn/kg DM; 3,192 vs 2,929 kcal TMEn/kg DM). Two-rowed cultivars showed higher TMEn than six-rowed winter cultivars, although no differences were found for AMEn. The correlation between AMEn and TMEn values of barley was relatively low (r = 0.69); therefore, barley TMEn cannot be extrapolated to AMEn for young chicks. Enzyme addition produced an average increase of 220 kcal/kg DM in barley AMEn (P < 0.001); there was a significant (P < 0.10) interaction between barley cultivar and enzyme supplementation. The increment of barley AMEn caused by enzyme addition was partly explained (47%) by an increase in barley viscosity. This relationship implies that enzyme supplementation significantly improves the feeding value of high as compared to low viscosity barley samples, which involved a decrease in AMEn variation among cultivars for enzyme-supplemented barley. No relationship was found between AMEn of unsupplemented barley cultivars and their chemical composition. Instead, a relationship was detected for enzyme-supplemented barley; therefore two equations were proposed for predicting the AMEn of enzyme-supplemented barley to be used directly in diet formulation.

[Hypertensive colopathy: its endoscopic evaluation and evolution following a liver transplant]. / Colopatía hipertensiva: valoraciíon endoscópica y evolución tras trasplante hepático.

In the last decade the association between intestinal vasculopathy and Portal Hypertension (PH) has been established on the basis of endoscopic, histological and histomorphometric examinations. We report the case of a patient with cirrhosis secondary to hepatitis C virus, in whom colonoscopy demonstrated the presence of colonic vascular lesions with cherry spots appearance in the rectum and left colon that vanished two weeks after liver transplantation. The disappearance of mucosal lesions after liver grafting suggest a relation ship among them and portal hypertension.

Effect of type of fiber on the rate of passage and on the contribution of soft feces to nutrient intake of finishing rabbits.

One hundred thirty New Zealand White x California rabbits were used to study the influence of the source of dietary fiber on several digestive criteria. Five diets were formulated to provide 10% crude fiber (CF) on a DM basis. Sixty percent of this dietary fiber was supplied by alfalfa hay, citrus pulp, beet pulp, grape marc, or rice hulls in the diets. Weights of cecal contents, cecal ammonia concentration, and molar proportion of acetic acid in diets including pulps were higher and cecal levels of DM, CP, and molar proportion of butyric acid were lower than those of the alfalfa diet. Cecal ammonia, VFA, and CF concentrations of the grape marc diet were the lowest of all the diets studied; cecal CF level and molar proportion of acetic acid were significantly higher and CP level and molar proportion of butyric acid were lower in rice hull than in alfalfa diets. Diet had no influence on daily soft feces excretion (10 g DM/d), but N contribution of soft feces to N intake was higher in the diet with citrus pulp (18.7%) than in the other diets (12%). Mean retention time (R) was measured using fuchsin-stained feed and was found to be higher (21.3 h) in the rice hull diet and lower (9.3 h) in the grape marc diet than in the other diets. When coprophagy was prevented, R decreased by 0 to 7 h. In conclusion, the use of byproducts to substitute for traditional sources of fiber in rabbit diets influenced the retention time of the digesta in some segments of the gut and thus altered several digestive criteria.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)