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Background: Polysaccharide metal chelate exhibit both immunoregulatory activity and metal element supplementation effects. Methods: In this study, Ruoqiang jujube polysaccharide copper chelate (RJP-Cu) was prepared and the preparation conditions were optimized using the response surface method. Subsequently, RJP-Cu was administered to lambs to evaluate its impact on growth performance, copper ion (Cu2+) supplementation, immune enhancement, and intestinal flora was evaluated. Results: The results indicated that optimal RJP-Cu chelation conditions included a sodium citrate content of 0.5 g, a reaction temperature of 50°C, and a solution pH of 8.0, resulting in a Cu2+ concentration of 583°mg/kg in RJP-Cu. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed significant structural changes in RJP before and after chelation. RJP-Cu displaying characteristic peaks of both polysaccharides and Cu2+ chelates. Blood routine indexes showed no significant differences among the RJP-Cu-High dose group (RJP-Cu-H), RJPCu-Medium dose group (RJP-Cu-M), RJP-Cu-low dose group (RJP-Cu-L) and the control group (p > 0.05). However, compared with the control group, the RJP-Cu-H, M, and L dose groups significantly enhanced lamb production performance (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RJP-Cu-H, M, and L dose groups significantly increased serum Cu2+ concentration, total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) contents compared with control group (p < 0.05). The RJP-Cu-H group exhibited significant increases in serum IgA and IgG antibodies, as well as the secretion of cytokines IL-2, IL-4, and TNF-α compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, RJP-Cu-H group increased the species abundance of lamb intestinal microbiota, abundance and quantity of beneficial bacteria, and decrease the abundance and quantity of harmful bacteria. The RJP-Cu-H led to the promotion of the synthesis of various Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), improvements in atrazine degradation and clavulanic acid biosynthesis in lambs, while reducing cell apoptosis and lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis. Conclusion: Thus, these findings demonstrate that RJP-Cu, as a metal chelate, could effectively promote lamb growth performance, increase Cu2+ content and potentially induce positive immunomodulatory effects by regulating antioxidant enzymes, antibodies, cytokines, intestinal flora, and related metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camel milk (CM) is the key component of human diet specially for the population belongs to the arid and semi-arid regions of the world. CM possess unique composition as compare to the cow milk with abundant amount of medium chain fatty acids in fat low lactose and higher concentration of whey protein and vitamin C. Besides the nutritional significance of CM, it also contains higher concentration of bioactive compounds including bioactive peptides, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), lactoferrin (LF), lactoperoxidase, lysozyme casein and immunoglobulin. Recently, CM and their bioactive compounds gaining more attention toward scientific community owing to their multiple health benefits, especially in the current era of emerging drug resistance and untold side effects of synthetic medicines. Consumption of fresh or fermented CM and its products presumed exceptional nutraceutical and medicinal properties, including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, nephroprotective, anticancer and immunomodulatory activities. Moreover, CM isolated LAB exhibit antioxidant and probiotic effects leading to enhance the innate and adaptive immune response against both gram-negative and gram-positive pathogenic bacteria. The main objective of this review is to highlight the nutritional significance, pharmaceutical potential, medicinal value and salient beneficial health aspect of CM for human and animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key objective of poultry husbandry is to provide safe and nutritious food for the growing population. The technique of delivering various nutrients, nutraceuticals, vaccines, immunostimulants, phytochemicals and medicinal herbs via the in ovo route is gaining wide attention among scientists worldwide for improving poultry productivity, boosting immune response and safeguarding the health. Embryonic growth in poultry has been manipulated through direct administration of biological compounds into embryonated eggs during the mid and late phase of incubation. This shows potential to enhance hatchability, superior nutritional status, higher chick quality, improve post-hatch performance and ultimately reduce the challenges associated with infections and oxidative stress, as well as minimize the use of synthetic antibiotic growth promoters in poultry production. In the last two decades, several studies have demonstrated that the in ovo supplementation of herbs and their derivatives, such as chicoric acid, rosmarinic acid, astragalus polysaccharides boost immunity, upregulates antioxidant defense, and improves the health status and production output of poultry birds, making herbal compounds an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters. In ovo injection of herbs and their phytochemicals has shown diverse advantages, including improvements in weight gain, feed efficiency, growth rate, decreased morbidity and mortality of embryos, boosted immunity, and improved health status of poultry birds. Furthermore, in ovo injection of herbal compounds has shown better protection against a number of infectious pathogens than post-hatch supplementation. The current review aimed to provide a promising insight for the promotion of in ovo technology in order to supply natural biological compounds/phytochemicals directly into the developing embryo to achieve an improvement in post-hatch growth, immune responses, antioxidant defense and highlights the future of in ovo technology as a strategy to minimize the use of AGPs and improve the health status and production performance of poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotin lipoyl attachment and 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase acyltransferase (BLAODA), as an essential excretion of Haemonchus contortus (HcESPs), was identified to have antigenic functions. T helper-9 (Th9) cells secrete interleukin (IL)-9, a signature cytokine associated with tumour immunology, allergy and autoimmunity. Nonetheless, the understanding of modulatory functions of BLAODA on Th9 and other immune cells is limited. In this study, the BLAODA gene was cloned, and the recombinant (r) protein of BLAODA (rHcBLAODA) was expressed and immunoblotting was performed. The results revealed that HcBLAODA gene was successfully cloned and rHcBLAODA protein was expressed. The localization of rHcBLAODA was confirmed on the surface of gut sections from adult H. contortus. The rHcBLAODA protein capability to react precisely with anti- H. contortus antibodies were confirmed by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Further functional analysis showed that interaction of rHcBLAODA with host cells significantly enhanced Th9 cells generation, IL-9 expression, nitric oxide production and cell apoptosis while suppressing the cells proliferation and cells migration depending on the concentration. Overall, these findings suggest that rHcBLAODA protein could modulate the host immune response by inducing Th9 cells to secrete IL-9 cytokine in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of present study was to estimate gestational age of teddy goat by B-mode ultrasound measurement of embryonic or fetal parts and uterine diameter throughout pregnancy by transrectal approach. Three parameters crown rump length (CRL), trunk diameter (TD), and uterine diameter (UD) were selected for measurement of gestational age with the weekly interval from 3rd week to 15 weeks of gestation of 12 pregnant teddy goats, all three parameters were significantly (P<0.01) corelated with gestational age. The CRL was strongly positively correlated with gestational age (r2=0.98) followed by the TD (r2=0.98) and the UD (r2=0.97). The fetal numbers were estimated 19 (five single and seven twines) by transrectal approach in twelve pregnant teddy goats. The earliest day of pregnancy diagnosis was 19 day after mating, while trunk was best parameter for determination of gestational age throughout gestational period and fetal sexing can be diagnosed at 7th week of gestation period in teddy goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An investigation on the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in randomly selected cattle (n= 160) was carried out in Hyderabad and Tando Allahyar districts. The animals were first screened through single intradermal tuberculin test (SITT) and both positive and negative reactors of SITT were further investigated through rapid test. Attempts were also made to isolate the Mycobacterium bovis organism from the milk and nasal secretions of cattle using the Lowenstein-Jensen media. An overall prevalence of 34.38% was recorded by rapid test that was higher (P< 0.001) than SITT (3.13%) and culture test (2.50%). A somewhat higher prevalence was recorded in Hyderabad district (SITT 3.75%, Rapid 36%, culture 3.75%) as compared to Tando Allahyar district (SITT 2.5%, Rapid 32%, culture 1.25%). In Hyderabad district, rapid test showed a significantly higher (P< 0.05) prevalence in male than females. Similarly, a higher (P< 0.05) prevalence was observed for 5-8 years age than > 8 years, in non-pregnant animals than pregnant and in 2-4 and >4 parities than 1 parity. However, in Tando Allahyar district, rapid test declared a significantly higher prevalence (P< 0.05) in female than male cattle, in 5-8 years age than > 8 years, in non-pregnant than pregnant, having 2-4 liters/d milk production than more than 4 liters/d, and in late stage of lactation than early or mid-stage. The prevalence in Tando Allahyar district revealed by culture technique showed a significantly (P< 0.05) higher percentage in >4 parity than 1 parity or 2-4 parity, having 4-8 liters/d milk production than those having 2-4 or >8 liters/d, and in late stage of lactation than early or mid-stage. In brief, BTB is prevailing in both Hyderabad and Tando Allahyar districts; however it is relatively higher in Hyderabad district than Tando Allahyar district. Infected animals shed more M. bovis in nasal secretions (3/4; 75%) as compared to milk (1/4; 25%). Rapid test showed the highest prevalence as compared to other techniques hence could be regarded as the most sensitive technique for BTB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early diagnosis of mammary gland tumors is a challenging task in animals, especially in unspayed dogs. Hence, this study investigated the role of microsatellite instability (MSI), MMR gene mRNA transcript levels and SNPs of MMR genes in canine mammary gland tumors (CMT). A total of 77 microsatellite (MS) markers in 23 primary CMT were selected from four breeds of dogs. The results revealed that 11 out of 77 MS markers were unstable and showed MSI in all the tumors (at least at one locus), while the other markers were stable. Compared to the other markers, the ABC9TETRA, MEPIA, 9A5, SCNA11 and FJL25 markers showed higher frequencies of instability. All CMT demonstrated MSI, with eight tumors presenting MSI-H. The RT-qPCR results revealed significant upregulation of the mRNA levels of cMSH3, cMLH1, and cPMSI, but downregulation of cMSH2 compared to the levels in the control group. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were observed in the cMSH2 gene in four exons, i.e., 2, 6, 15, and 16. In conclusion, MSI, overexpression of MMR genes and SNPs in the MMR gene are associated with CMT and could be served as diagnostic biomarkers for CMT in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]