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Background: In recent years, lactose-free infant formulas have been increasingly used. Digestible maltodextrins are commonly used as a substitute for lactose in these formulas, but the effects on energy metabolism are unknown.Objective: We aimed to evaluate the differences in energy metabolism and substrate oxidation in piglets fed milk replacers containing lactose compared with maltodextrin as the only source of carbohydrates.Methods: Piglets (Tempo × Topigs 20) from 8 litters were fed milk replacers containing lactose or maltodextrin (28% w/w, milk powder basis) from 1 to 9 wk of age (n =  4 litters/milk replacer). At 5 wk of age, 4 females and 4 entire males (mean ± SEM bodyweight, 10 ± 0.3 kg) were selected per litter, and housed in 16 groups of 4 littermates, with 2 females and 2 males per pen (n = 8 groups/milk replacer). Between 7 and 9 wk of age, groups were housed for 72 h in climate respiration chambers, and fed their experimental milk replacer in 2 meals per day, at 08:30 and 16:30. Heat production data were calculated from the continuous measurement of gaseous exchanges and analyzed using general linear models in SAS.Results: Resting metabolic rate was 6% less in maltodextrin- than in lactose-fed piglets, notably before the morning meal. The postprandial respiratory quotient was 13% greater in maltodextrin- than in lactose-fed piglets after both meals. Net rates of carbohydrate oxidation were on average 5% greater in maltodextrin- than in lactose-fed piglets, particularly after the afternoon meal, whereas net rates of fat oxidation were 9% less in maltodextrin- than in lactose-fed piglets, particularly after the morning meal.Conclusions: Compared with lactose, maltodextrin in milk replacers reduced resting metabolic rate in the fasting state, and induced a shift in postprandial substrate oxidation profiles in pigs. Further research is warranted to evaluate the consequences of these metabolic changes for body composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary calcium and phosphorus are required for bone and muscle development. Deficiencies of these macrominerals reduce bone mineral and muscle accretion potentially via alterations of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) and satellite cell (SC) activities.Objectives: With increasing interest in the role of early-life events on lifetime health outcomes, we aimed to elucidate the impact of dietary calcium and phosphorus, from deficiency through excess, on MSC and SC characteristics during neonatal development.Methods: Neonatal pigs [30 females, 1-d-old, 1.46 ± 0.04 kg body weight (BW)] were fed milk replacers for 16 d that were isonitrogenous and isocaloric with a consistent ratio of calcium to phosphorus, but either 25% deficient (calcium: 0.78%; phosphorus: 0.60%; CaPD), adequate (calcium: 1.08%; phosphorus: 0.84%; CaPA), or 25% in excess (calcium: 1.38%; phosphorus: 1.08%; CaPE) of calcium and phosphorus requirements based on sow-milk composition and extrapolation from NRC requirements for older pigs. BW and feed intake were recorded daily. Blood was collected for serum phosphorus, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) determination. Humeri were collected for MSC isolation and radii/ulnae bone were collected for analysis. Longissimus dorsi muscle was collected for SC isolation and analysis.Results: There was 4.6% increase in bone ash percentage in CaPE- versus CaPD-fed pigs (P < 0.05). In vivo proliferation indicated a 41.3% increase in MSCs in CaPA compared with CaPD and a 19% increase in SCs in CaPA compared with both CaPE and CaPD. MSCs from CaPD had 2- to 5-fold greater expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) but lower osteocalcin (BGLAP) and fibronectin (FN1) expression than CaPA (P < 0.05). SCs from CaPD-fed pigs had 19% lower in vivo proliferation than in CaPA-fed pigs.Conclusions: These findings demonstrated that feeding a diet marginally deficient in calcium and phosphorus to neonatal pigs had a great impact on bone development, MSC, and SC characteristics. These dietary deficiencies may program future bone health and muscle development by altering MSC and SC activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digestible indispensable amino acid score (DIAAS) has been recommended by the FAO for the evaluation of protein quality in human foods, but the application of DIAAS is currently limited because of a lack of published data on the true ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility of AAs in foods. The importance of DIAAS is highlighted. To calculate DIAAS, it is necessary to determine the true ileal AA digestibility of human foods using the growing pig as an animal model for the human based on previous FAO recommendations. A method is described in detail in Supplemental Methods to determine the true ileal AA digestibility of foods for humans using the pig as a model for the adult human. Adoption of the method will enable consistency in the development of databases on predicted true ileal AA digestibility in human foods for the calculation of DIAAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low-birth-weight (LBW) neonates are susceptible to intestinal dysfunction. Furthermore, the antioxidant capacity of LBW neonates is significantly lower compared with that of normal-birth-weight (NBW) neonates both at birth and at weaning. In LBW neonates, dietary supplementation with arginine has shown beneficial effects on intestinal function.Objective: The present study explored the potential mechanisms of arginine-induced protective effects against intestinal dysfunction in LBW piglets.Methods: Forty 4-d-old LBW piglets [body weight (BW): 1.05 ± 0.04 kg] (Large White × Landrace) were assigned to 4 treatments and artificially fed a whole-milk powder- and whey protein concentrate-based diet (containing 0.65% arginine) either not supplemented with arginine (LBWC) or supplemented with 0.5%, 1.0%, or 1.5% l-arginine for 21 d. In addition, 10 NBW siblings (BW: 1.96 ± 0.03 kg) were selected and fed the basal diet. Growth performance, intestinal morphology, mRNA expression of tight junction protein, redox-sensitive genes and nitric oxide (NO) synthase, cytokines, and redox indexes were determined. Data were subjected to 1-factor ANOVA.Results: LBW piglets exhibited poorer growth performance (29.9%), lower Claudin1 mRNA level (63.6%), lower antioxidant capacity (22.9 ∼ 24.3%), and higher jejunum interleukin 1 (IL-1) concentration (18.8%) compared with NBW piglets. Dietary supplementation with 0.5% and 1.0% l-arginine significantly enhanced daily BW gain of LBW piglets by 13.6% and 18.2%, respectively. Compared with LBWC, dietary supplementation with 1.0% l-arginine increased the serum insulin concentration (32.2%) and villus height in the jejunum (12.2%) and ileum (20.5%). In the jejunum, the mRNA levels for Claudin1 (105%) and glutathione peroxidase (36%) were higher, and the concentrations of IL-1 (31.7%) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) (30%) were lower in arginine-treated piglets than in the LBWC group. However, NO synthase activity and NO concentration in the jejunum of LBW piglets were not influenced by l-arginine supplementation.Conclusion: The results suggested that supplementation with 1.0% l-arginine not only promoted growth performance and improved intestinal functions in LBW piglets but also improved intestinal barrier functions and enhanced antioxidant capacity by an NO-independent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Actinidin, a cysteine protease in kiwifruit (KF), increases both the gastric digestion and gastric-emptying rate of beef muscle protein.Objective: This study aimed to determine the relation between the rate of digested nitrogen entering the small intestine (SI; a function of the extent of gastric digestion and gastric-emptying rate) and the disappearance of amino acids (AAs) in different parts of the SI at set times postfeeding.Methods: Male 9-wk-old pigs (n = 90; mean ± SD body weight: 28 ± 2.9 kg) were fed a diet containing 14% beef for 3 d. The beef-based diet was supplemented with green KF pulp (containing actinidin), gold KF pulp supplemented with actinidin, or gold KF pulp alone (no actinidin). The KF or actinidin amounts corresponded to the intake of 2 KFs/human meal. On day 3, pigs were killed at 0.5, 1, 3, 5, and 7 h postprandially. Stomach chyme was analyzed to determine the rate of digested nitrogen entering the SI. Apparent AA digestibility at set times was determined in the proximal, medial, and distal SI. Polynomial and correlation analyses were conducted.Results: The rate of digested nitrogen entering the SI was higher (P < 0.001) with actinidin (e.g., >44% at 5 h postprandially). Actinidin also increased the apparent AA digestibility at the proximal and medial SI (P ≤ 0.05) at set times (e.g., 42% and 15% greater for arginine, respectively), but not in general for the distal SI (P > 0.05). At the proximal SI, apparent AA digestibility was correlated more strongly with the digested nitrogen entering the SI (r = 0.73, P < 0.001; n = 57) than with gastric emptying (r = 0.64, P < 0.001) or gastric protein digestion (r = 0.57, P < 0.001). Similar trends were observed for the medial SI.Conclusion: The rate of digested nitrogen entering the SI is an accurate predictor of the rate of AA digestibility and the location of AA absorption in the pig SI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • From 2000, Korean CSFV changed from genotype 3 to 2 (subgenotypes 2.1b and 2.1d). • Subgenotype 2.1d(prevalent in Korea) was detected in wild boar and breeding pigs. • The mean substitution rate for circulating Korean CSFVs is 2.2114(×10−3 s/s/y). Abstract The 5′ UTR (n=102) and full-length E2 (n=37) genes of classical swine fever viruses (CSFVs) circulating in South Korea over the past 30 years (1987–2017) were examined to determine the evolutionary rate and estimated time of the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA). From 2000, the Korean classical swine fever (CSF) antigen changed from genotype 3 to 2, which comprises subgenotypes 2.1b (2002–2013) and 2.1d (2011–2017). There are genotypic variations in the full-length E2 gene of Korean CSFV genotypes 2.1b and 2.1d (seven separate amino acid substitutions); these are useful distinguishing markers. The mean substitution rate (×103 substitutions/site/year) for Korean CSFV was estimated to be 2.2088 (95% highest posterior density (HPD): lower, 1.7045; upper, 2.7574) and the mean tMRCA was estimated to be 1901 (95% HPD: lower, 1865; upper, 1933). The effective population size of Korean CSFV genotype 2 increased rapidly from 2002 to 2003, after which it remained constant. The occurrence of CSF in Korea is expected to decline in the future; however, it will likely be more prevalent in wild boar than in domestic pigs. Thus, there is a risk of transmission from wild boar to breeding pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Being advertised and distributed as attractive substitutes of cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids (SC) are gaining increasing relevance in forensic and clinical toxicology. As no data from controlled human studies are available, SC are sold and consumed without the knowledge of their toxicokinetic (TK) and toxicodynamic properties. Hence, animal models coupled with mathematical approaches should be used to ascertain those properties. Therefore, a controlled pig TK study allowing for extrapolation to human data was performed. For this purpose, eleven pigs received a single pulmonary dose of 200 µg/kg body weight each of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 4-ethylnaphthalene-1-yl-(1-pentylindole-3-yl)methanone (JWH-210) as well as 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-(1-pentyl-indole-3-yl)methanone (RCS-4) via an ultrasonic nebulizer. Blood and urine samples were repeatedly drawn over 8 h. Serum-concentration-time profiles of the parent compounds were determined using LC-MS/MS. Urine specimens were analyzed by LC-HR-MS/MS in order to elucidate the main metabolites. Maximum serum concentrations were reached 10–15 min after beginning of nebulization and amounted to 66 ± 36 ng/mL for THC, 41 ± 11 ng/mL for JWH-210, and 34 ± 8.9 ng/mL for RCS-4. The serum-concentration-time profiles of THC, JWH-210, and RCS-4 were best described by three-compartment models with first order absorption and elimination processes. Absorption from the lungs to serum was modeled by first-order processes. The determination of the bioavailability yielded 23.0%, 24.2%, and 45.7% for THC, JWH-210, and RCS-4, respectively. Furthermore, the developed THC model was upscaled to humans using allometric scaling techniques. A successful prediction of human concentration-time profiles could be done. Also the metabolic patterns were in good agreement with human data. In conclusion, these findings are the first reported regarding the TK properties of SC after pulmonary administration to pigs. The presented method of TK serves as an appropriate predictor of human TK of cannabinoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of cathepsin B, a member of the lysosomal protease family, directly correlates with oocyte quality and subsequent embryonic development. However, its biological function during the progression of in vitro aging of oocytes in pigs has not been demonstrated. Here, we showed that cathepsin B activity was dramatically increased during in vitro aged oocytes. The inhibition of cathepsin B activity prevented the decline of the quality of aged oocytes and improved their subsequent developmental competence. Moreover, the inhibition of cathepsin B activity reduced aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and attenuated oxidative stress. The inhibition of cathepsin B activity also markedly decreased early apoptosis levels and the frequency of spindle anomalies during in vitro aging of oocytes. These results demonstrate that in vitro aging of oocytes induces cathepsin B activity, which is associated with a decline in oocyte quality. The inhibition of cathepsin B activity has a beneficial effect on oocytes during the process of in vitro aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic parameters for performance and body measurement traits were estimated from a new line of purebred Duroc pigs selected during nine generations for average daily gain (ADG), loin muscle area (LMA), and backfat thickness (BF). Two animal models, which included or excluded the litter common random effect, were used to estimate genetic parameters. Common litter effects on most body measurement traits as well as performance traits proved to be important. Heritability estimates for body measurement traits ranged from 0.13 to 0.44. The genetic correlations among body length, withers height, chest depth, and hip height were estimated to be positive (0.17–0.86). Those among fore width, chest width, and hind width were also estimated to be positive (0.23–0.83). There were negative genetic correlations between the former and the latter traits (–0.82 to –0.30). Numerous genetic correlations between performance and body measurement traits were found to be favorable from medium to high. Our results indicate that selection using body measurement traits which have favorable genetic correlations such as chest width for ADG (0.39), hind width for LMA (0.32), and chest girth for BF (0.60) may be useful for improving performance traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A better understanding of animal emotions is an important goal in disciplines ranging from neuroscience to animal welfare science, but few reliable tools exist for measuring these emotions. Play behaviour is generally recognized as a trigger of positive emotions in mammals, and previous studies have suggested that tail movement (a behaviour often seen during play) may indicate positive emotions in pigs, while ear movements may indicate negative emotions, or a decrease in positive emotions. This study investigated whether the provision of toys to solicit play behaviour in pigs was associated with tail and ear movement changes, with the goal of confirming the use of these movements as indicators of different emotions in pigs. Sixteen mini-pigs were divided into two identical rooms of 8 individuals. During 4 consecutive days, each animal participated in the study for a total of two days in two different situations: one Control session and one Play session. Each animal served as its own control. During Play sessions, pigs were placed in their own pens of two individuals, where two medium-sized dog toys were introduced. During Control sessions, animals were placed in their own pens, but no toy was provided. Behaviours were scored from video using continuous recording with an ethogram, which also allows to confirm that pigs play during Play sessions. Results showed a significant difference in tail movement duration between sessions (DF = 15; t = −3.40; p < 0.01; Student t -test for paired sample) with longer durations during the Play session than during the Control session. Tail movement frequency also varied significantly between Play and Control sessions (DF = 15; t = 2.96; p = .01; Student t -test for paired samples) with significantly higher frequencies during the Control session. A significant difference between sessions was also observed for ear movement frequency (DF = 15; t = 4.69; p < 0.01; Student t -test for paired samples), which was significantly higher during the Control session. In addition, 69% of the pigs (11 of 16) performed displacement behaviours during the Control session, while none of the pigs displayed this behaviour during the Play session. Finally, during the Play session, a negative correlation was found between tail movement duration and tail movement frequency (rho = −0.79; N = 16; p < 0.001). In conclusion, tail and ear movement changes are linked to play behaviour: in a play situation, tail movement duration increases, and ear movement frequency and displacement behaviours decrease, compared to a control situation (without enrichment). These results could be useful for improving the analysis of emotions in pigs and assessing animal welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Castration and tail docking are common management practices performed on commercial swine farms in the US and around the world to reduce adverse behaviors and the occurrence of boar taint. However, these practices themselves are a welfare concern for the piglet because they cause acute pain. The provisions of environmental enrichment (EE) may reduce anxiety, protect from stressors, influence pain sensitivity, and improve the overall welfare of animals. Our objective was to determine if EE can reduce the physiological and behavioral stress response caused by castration and tail docking in piglets over time. Sows were randomly assigned to control farrowing stalls (CON; n = 9) or stalls enriched (ENRICH; n = 9) with newspaper, soil, ball and rope, so that EE was available to piglets upon birth. At 5 days old, ENRICH and CON piglets (n = 54 per treatment) were allocated to one of six piglet husbandry treatments; four boar piglets were randomly allocated to one of four treatments: 1) control handled (SHAM B), 2) tail docked (TAIL B), 3) castrated (CAST), or 4) castrated and tail docked (BOTH); and two gilt piglets were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: 5) control handled (SHAM G), or 6) tail docked (TAIL G). Live weight tended ( P <  0.10) to be greater in all ENRICH pigs. Leukocytes and the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were decreased ( P <  0.05) among ENRICH compared with CON piglets. ENRICH piglets were more active ( P <  0.05) than CON piglets. Maintenance and play behaviors decreased ( P <  0.05) 120 min after, but returned to baseline at 24 h. Cortisol was greater ( P <  0.05) among CAST and BOTH piglets, but no differences were observed in cortisol concentrations between housing groups. Stress vocalizations were greater ( P <  0.05) in CAST and BOTH compared with SHAM piglets, while all pig processing treatments displayed more ( P <  0.05) pain behaviors than SHAM. The use of EE had no effect on reducing pain-induced stress of castration and tail docking. However, we found that pigs raised with EE were heavier and more active than pigs raised without enrichment. We also found that EE modulated the immune response in pigs. In conclusion, EE improved the overall welfare of pigs at an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Re-location and mixing after weaning increase the risk of aggression in weaned pigs. To quantify the effects of tail docking, teeth clipping and toy enrichment on the growth performances, behaviour, lesions, and physiological indicators of weaned pigs after re-location and mixing, a total of 262 weaned pigs from four pig processing treatments were selected and regrouped to two enrichment treatments within each processing treatment. The experimental newborn piglets from 24 litters were treated tail docking and teeth clipping at 3 d of age and weaned at 24 d of age. At 30 d of age, pigs in each treatment were weighed, re-located to a nursery room and mixed into 2 pens. Eight rubber toys were installed in one of two pens in each group. The behaviour of weaned pigs was recorded and observed at 1, 2 and 3 d after mixing. At 3 and 6 d before mixing and 1, 3 and 6 d after mixing, lesions on the body and tail, body surface temperature (BST), respiration rate (RR) and salivary cortisol concentrations were determined. At 85 d of age, all experimental pigs were weighed again. Mortality rate, average daily gain (ADG), and feed efficiency of pigs were recorded. Pigs with clipped teeth performed less negative social behaviour (aggressive attacks/fight) ( P < 0.05) and more positive social behaviour (non-aggressive social interactions) ( P  < 0.01) than pigs with intact teeth. Pigs with docked tails performed more positive social behaviour ( P  < 0.01) than pigs with intact tails. Toy enrichment decreased ( P  < 0.05) lesions on the ear and front body of pigs, and pigs with docked tail got fewer lesions on the tail ( P  < 0.01). Intact teeth increased ( P  < 0.01) RR, while toy enrichment decreased ( P  < 0.05) RR of pigs. Teeth clipping, tail docking and toys had no effects ( P > 0.05) on ADG, body weight and mortality rate of pigs from 30 to 85 d of age. These results indicate that toy enrichment and pig processing treatments have positive effects on weaned pigs after re-location and mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We tested cadmium (Cd2+) effects on porcine IPEC-J2 cells, which represent an in vitro model of the interaction between intestinal cells and both infectious and non-infectious stressors. Accordingly, we investigated the effects of low (2 μM) to moderate (20 μM) concentrations of Cd2+, in terms of pro-inflammatory gene expression and protein release, as well as of infectivity in a Salmonella typhimurium penetration model. Our data showed a significant (P < .001) increase of intracellular Cd2+ after 3, 6 and 24 h of exposure with respect to levels at 1 h. These data showed the ability of IPEC-J2 to absorb Cd2+ as a function of both time and concentration. Also, the absorption of this heavy metal was related to a significant modulation of important pro-inflammatory messengers. In particular, down-regulation of IL-8 was associated with a significant decrease of Salmonella typhimurium ability to penetrate into IPEC-J2 cells, in agreement with a previous study in which an anti-IL 8 antibody could significantly inhibit Salmonella penetration into the same cells ( Razzuoli et al., 2017 ). This finding demonstrates the ability of Cd2+ to affect the outcome of an important host-pathogen relationship. In conclusion, our study highlighted the ability of an environmental pollutant like Cd2+ to modulate innate immune responses in terms of chemokine release and gene expression, and susceptibility to microbial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful reproduction is strictly linked to metabolic cues. The orexins are a family of hypothalamic neurohormones, well known for their key role in the control of food intake and the involvement in several aspects of the reproductive process. The biological actions of both orexins are carried out through binding to the related Orexin 1 (OX1R) and Orexin 2 (OX2R) G-protein–coupled receptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of orexin system components in the porcine ovaries, to contribute to expand the knowledge about their pleiotropic role. First, we investigated the localization of orexin A (OXA) and its receptors by immunochemistry in different ovarian districts. Thereafter, we evaluated the expression of the prepro-orexin (PPO) gene and OXA effects on granulosa cell functions. Immunohistochemical study revealed the presence of orexinergic system components in porcine ovarian follicles. Moreover, our data show the expression of PPO messenger RNA in swine ovarian follicles >5 mm. In addition, OXA influences proliferation ( P < 0.05), steroidogenic activity ( P < 0.05), and redox status of granulosa cells ( P < 0.05). Therefore, we hypothesize that OXA could exert a local physiological role in swine ovarian follicles even if further studies are required to deeply define the function of this pleiotropic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During corpus luteum formation, impressive biological events take place to guarantee the transition from original follicular to luteal cells and to support required massive angiogenesis. It has been demonstrated that these phenomena resemble those essential for wound healing. After ovulation, blood vessels release their content in the antral cavity and coagulation takes place. Involvement of platelets in corpus luteum growth has been hypothesized both in human and in rat. On this basis, using platelet lysate (PL), a blood derivative with a higher platelet concentration, we aimed to assess a potential involvement of platelets in swine granulosa cell luteinization and on new blood vessel growth. Our results demonstrate, for the first time in the swine, that platelets could be directly involved in granulosa cell physiological luteinization, since the treatment with PL shifted steroid production from estradiol 17β to progesterone. Moreover, PL stimulated angiogenesis. Nitric oxide could be involved in these effects. These results are important to clarify complex intrafollicular molecular machinery. A better understanding of these mechanisms can be useful to develop more focused therapeutic strategies to contrast sow infertility. In addition, since the pig represents a model for translational studies, collected data could be of interest for human medicine because reproductive pathologies such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are often accompanied by platelet dysfunctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to investigate the dynamics of protein ubiquitination in pig gametes and their micro-environments, as well as to explore the action of deubiquitinases (DUBs) in sperm-oocyte binding. Protein ubiquitination states were evaluated by in the ejaculated sperm, seminal plasma, epididymal sperm, oocytes, zona pellucida (ZP) and follicular fluid (FF) by western blotting. Different concentrations of PR-619, a non-selective inhibitor of DUBs, were used to treat oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM), the maturation rate, amount of ubiquitinated ZP proteins, and ZP solubility were assessed. The PR-619 was also used to treat sperms during capacitation, then the ubiquitinated amounts of acrosin inhibitor (AI) proteins were evaluated. The number of sperm attached to the ZP of each oocyte was subsequently determined after gamete co-incubation. The study indicates the existence of ubiquitinated proteins (76 kDa) in sperm, seminal plasma, oocytes, and follicular fluid (FF). The amount of ubiquitinated ZP proteins changed as growth of follicles progressed. Treatment with PR-619 at 10 and 15 μM concentrations during IVM reduced the maturation rate of pig oocytes ( P < 0.05), while treatments with 10 μM of PR-619 extended the ZP dissolution time ( P < 0.05). Treatment with PR-619 enhanced AI ubiquitination and improved amounts of 30-kDa ubiquitinated proteins ( P < 0.05). Treatment with PR-619 at the 10 μM dose effectively reduced the number of sperm attached to per oocyte ( P < 0.05). Ubiquitinated proteins were present in gametes and their micro-environments. The DUBs were important in regulating pig gamete ubiquitination and sperm-oocyte binding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary starch types on early postmortem muscle energy metabolism in finishing pigs. Ninety barrows (68.0 ± 2.0 kg) were randomly allotted to three experimental diets with five replicates of six pigs, containing pure waxy maize starch (WMS), nonwaxy maize starch (NMS), and pea starch (PS) (amylose/amylopectin were 0.07, 0.19 and 0.28 respectively). Compared with the WMS diet, pigs fed the PS diet exhibited greater creatine kinase activity, higher adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate contents, lower phosphocreatine (PCr), adenosine monophosphate and glycogen contents, and lower glycolytic potential ( P < 0.05). Moreover, the PS diet led to reduced percentage of bound hexokinase activity, decreased level of phosphorylated AKT ( P < 0.05) and increased level of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, diet with high amylose content might promote PCr degradation and inhibit the rate of glycolysis, followed by attenuation of early postmortem glycolysis in finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea pigs are important zoo animals and have been recommended for animal-assisted activities or therapy, however there are problems concerning testosterone inducing aggressive or sexual behaviors in male guinea pigs. Testicular testosterone secretion is regulated by pulsatile gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinizing hormone (LH) release in mammals. The mechanism generating GnRH/LH pulses is thought to be governed by kisspeptin neurons, which coexpress neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin A (Dyn), in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Kisspeptin neurons in the ARC are frequently referred to as KNDy neurons. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the antagonization of NKB-neurokinin-3 receptor (NK3R) signaling can manipulate testosterone secretion in male guinea pigs. A single subcutaneous administration or 7 days of oral administration of an NK3R-selective antagonist, SB223412 (50 mg/body), significantly decreased plasma testosterone levels in male guinea pigs. In vitro binding assays confirmed that SB223412 has a high affinity to guinea pig NK3R. These results suggest that SB223412 could be used as an orally-available compound to suppress testosterone levels in male guinea pigs. Double labeling in situ hybridization of kisspeptin and either NKB or Dyn showed that kisspeptin-expressing neurons contained NKB (77.9%) or Dyn (62.3%) in the ARC, suggesting the presence of KNDy neurons in the ARC of guinea pigs. In conclusion, the present study shows that SB223412 could be a candidate compound to suppress testosterone secretion in male guinea pigs for controlling sexual and aggressive behaviors in the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main issues related to entire male pigs is the occurrence of boar taint, an off-odour, which compromises meat consumability. In this study, odour thresholds (indole: 24–65 µg kg −1 , skatole: 44–89 µg kg −1 , androstenone: 121–342 µg kg −1 ) for the boar taint compounds were estimated in minced meat, dry fermented sausage and dry-cured ham. Afterwards, sensory evaluation of these products containing 10% tainted meat (minced meat and dry fermented sausage) or moderate boar taint compound levels (dry-cured ham) occurred. The beneficial effect of diluting tainted meat was demonstrated, as no significant difference in consumability was observed between gilts and 10% tainted meat by experts as well as consumers. Also dry-curing proved a promising technique for masking boar taint and preventing consumer dissatisfaction. The obtained results demonstrate the applicability of the estimated thresholds in meat as a tool for identifying masking and reducing strategies on the perception of boar taint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigs reared in barren conditions are exposed to many different stressors, compromising their welfare and producing physiological and behavioural changes. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of environmental enrichment (EE) consisting of natural hemp ropes, sawdust, rubber balls, and a herbal compound (HC) of Valeriana officinalis and Passiflora incarnata on the behaviour and performance of growing pigs. Fifty-six pigs were used to assess four different treatments divided in two pens of seven animals per treatment (14 pigs/treatment). The treatments tested were: (a) pigs reared with EE, (b) pigs supplemented with HC, (c) pigs provided with both EE and HC, and (d) control group (CG, neither EE nor HC). Body weight and lesions were measured before starting the experiments (week 15) and at 18, 20, 22 and 24 weeks of age. Weekly instantaneous scan and continuous focal sampling were used to record behavioural patterns of activity, social interactions and abnormal behaviours. Three novel tests were carried out at 16, 19 and 23 weeks of age. Body weight at the end of the experiment was found to be significantly lower for the pigs reared in the control group compared to the other treatments (p = 0.0009). Furthermore, pigs reared with EE presented less stereotypies (p = 0.016) and redirected behaviour (0.0188), but more exploratory behaviour (p = 0.008). However, pigs supplemented with HC presented less social interactions (p = 0.048), a trend to present less negative social behaviour (p = 0.09) and less skin lesions (P = 0.0433) than pigs not supplemented. Finally, no remarkable differences were reported in any of the three novel tests. Thus, both EE and HC positively influenced some animal welfare indicators and performance of growing pigs in the present experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weaning stress accompanied by outburst of aggression is a critical point in pig production as it compromises piglets’ welfare and leads to poor growth rate and health problems. Therefore, a weaning methods to smoothen the lactation–weaning transition are of great importance. In the present study a simple practical approach based on the imprinting phenomenon to improve weaned piglets’ welfare and growth performance was implemented. From birth, piglets were continually exposed to the simple 2D shapes, either a white circle on a black background (WC) or a black cross on a white background (BC). At weaning, piglets were allotted to weaning groups consisting of one WC and one BC litter, whereby test weaning pens, but not the control pens, were virtually divided using WC and BC signage on respective halves of the pen. The approach was tested in low- and high-density weaning groups, i.e. 10 or 20 individuals per pen (120 animals in total). The results revealed better growth performance of the test group (12–17% higher daily gain). On the whole, the number of post-weaning fights was lower in the test group and the majority of fights (62–75%) occurred among WC and BC. As regards the territoriality, piglets post-weaning tendency to remain in the area marked with a familiar sign was in general significant − i.e. more distinct grouping in the test pens (p < 0.05), comparing to the control pen. It appears that virtual splitting of weaning pens using simple 2D symbols to which pigs were exposed during lactation may decrease weaning aggression, promote distinct grouping and territorial behaviour, and promote growth performance of weaned piglets under farm conditions, especially in groups with lower stock density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by fungus belonging to Aspergillus and Penicillium genra. The aim of the present paper was to investigate if a low concentration OTA has toxic effect in pigs. Twelve piglets were fed with a control or an OTA (0.05 mg/kg feed) contaminated diet. After 30 days, animals were slaughtered and samples of blood and kidney were used for further analyses. The mycotoxin analyses showed a significant higher (6.25 times) concentration of OTA in the kidney of OTA intoxicated piglets than in control ones. While OTA has no effect on the urea and creatinine concentration, the microarray analysis of the effect of OTA on genome wide expression in the kidney of intoxicated piglets, revealed that approximately 105 different transcripts were significantly altered. As shown by the microarray results, 0.05 mg/kg of OTA can principally interfere with: i) canonical pathways (CD28 Signaling in T Helper Cells, Role of NFAT in Regulation of the Immune Response, Relaxin Signaling, IL-1 Signaling) ii) molecular and cellular function (cellular movement cellular function and maintenance, cellular growth and proliferation cellular assembly and organization, cell death and survival) etc. However, alteration of renal and urological system development and function and renal necrosis predicted through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) were not supported by clinical pathological data. In conclusion, OTA toxicity was found even at low concentration of toxin, correlated with the activation of immune response pathways, oxidative stress response and early carcinogenic events. This effect need to be further investigated and analyzed in the context of human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The anatomy and physiology of the pig nervous system is more similar to humans compared to traditional rodent models. This makes the pig an attractive model to answer questions relating to human health and disease. Yet the technical and molecular tools available to pig researchers are limited compared to rodent researchers. New method We developed simple and rapid methods to isolate the trigeminal, nodose (distal vagal), and dorsal root ganglia from neonatal pigs. We selected these ganglia due to their broad applicability to basic science researchers and clinicians. Results Use of these methods resulted in reproducible isolation of all three types of ganglia as validated by histological examination. Comparison with existing method(s) There are currently no methods that describe a step-by-step protocol to isolate these porcine ganglia. Conclusions In conclusion, these methods for ganglia collection will facilitate and accelerate future neuroscience investigations in pig models of human disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of internal organs such as lungs, liver, and kidneys is a key step required to compute the lean meat percentage from Computed Tomography (CT) scans of live animals. In this paper, we propose two segmentation techniques to remove these organs focusing on pigs. The first method is semi-automatic, and it starts with the first CT slice and a manually defined mask with internal organs. Then, it applies a four-step iterative process that computes the masks of the next CT slices by using the information of the previous one. To find the best boundary it uses a Dynamic Programming-based approach. At each iteration the user can check the correctness of the new computed mask. The second method is fully automatic, and segments each slice individually by using distance maps and morphological operators, such as dilation. It is composed of three main steps which detect the pig’s torso, pre-classify the voxels in different tissues, and segment the internal organs using the information of such classification. Although it has some parameters, user interaction is not required to obtain the results. The proposed approaches have been tested on CT data sets from 9 pigs, and compared with a manual segmentation. To evaluate the results, the precision, recall, and F-score measures have been used. From our test, we can observe that the performance of both methods is very high according to their average F-score. We also analyse how the accuracy of the results in the semi-automatic approach increases when more user interaction is applied. For the automatic approach, we evaluate the dependence of the results on the algorithm’s parameters. If robustness is enough, and high accuracy is not required, the automatic algorithm can be used to segment a whole pig in less than 50 s. However, if the user wants to control the level of accuracy, the semi-automatic algorithm is preferred. Both methods are useful to reduce the time needed to segment the internal organs of a pig from hours (manual segmentation) to minutes or seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the genotypic diversity of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolated from pigs and retail foods from different geographical areas in China and further to study the routes and rates of transmission of this pathogen from animals to food. Methods Seventy-one MRSA isolates were obtained from pigs and retail foods and then characterized by multi-locus sequencing typing (MLST), spa typing, multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results All isolated MRSA exhibited multi-drug resistance (MDR). Greater diversity was found in food-associated MRSA (7 STs, 8 spa types, and 10 MLVA patterns) compared to pig-associated MRSA (3 STs, 1 spa type, and 6 MLVA patterns). PFGE patterns were more diverse for pig-associated MRSA than those of food-associated isolates (40 vs. 11 pulse types). Among the pig-associated isolates, CC9-ST9-t899-MC2236 was the most prevalent clone (96.4%), and CC9-ST9-t437-MC621 (20.0%) was the predominant clone among the food-associated isolates. The CC9-ST9 isolates showed significantly higher antimicrobial resistance than other clones. Interestingly, CC398-ST398-t034 clone was identified from both pig- and food-associated isolates. Of note, some community- and hospital-associated MRSA strains (t030, t172, t1244, and t4549) were also identified as food-associated isolates. Conclusion CC9-ST9-t899-MC2236-MDR was the most predominant clone in pigs, but significant genetic diversity was observed in food-associated MRSA. Our results demonstrate the great need for improved surveillance of MRSA in livestock and food and effective prevention strategies to limit MDR-MRSA infections in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME) content, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients in chili meal (CM), and to determine the effects of CM on the performance of growing pigs. In Exp. 1, 12 barrows (Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire) with an initial body weight (BW) of 50.9 ± 1.8 kg were allocated to one of two treatments, corn-soybean meal basal diet or diet containing 194.2 g/kg CM, which replaced corn and soybean meal in the basal diet. Pigs were placed in metabolism crates for a 7-d adaptation period followed by a 5-d total collection of feces and urine to detect DE, ME and ATTD of nutrients in CM. Exp. 2 was conducted for 4 wk. to evaluate the effect of CM on performance of growing pigs. 150 growing pigs (58.4 ± 1.2 kg BW) were allocated to 1 of 5 treatments. Treatment 1 was a corn-soybean meal basal diet met the DE requirement for growing pigs recommended by NRC (2012) . Treatment 2 or 3 were diets containing 50 g/kg or 100 g/kg CM respectively. Treatment: 4 or 5 were based on treatment 2 or 3, while soybean oil (SBO) was added to improve the DE content to that in treatment 1. In Exp. 1, the DE and ME content of CM were 9.08 and 8.48 MJ/kg. The ATTD of dry matter (DM), gross energy (GE), organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) were 0.60, 0.54, 0.66 and 0.38, respectively. In Exp. 2, addition of CM linearly decreased ( P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and the ATTD of DM, GE and OM while ATTD of crude protein (CP) had a quadratic ( P < 0.05) change. When SBO was supplemented in diets containing CM, greater values ( P < 0.05) of ATTD of most nutrients were observed. With the dietary inclusion of CM, the albumin/globulin ratio in serum had a quadratic change ( P < 0.05), and the level of low-density cholesterol linearly ( P < 0.05) increased. In treatments with 50 g/kg CM, a significant reduction ( P < 0.05) of total antioxidant capacity was found in diet formulated with SBO. In treatments with 100 g/kg CM, the level of total cholesterol was lower ( P < 0.05) in the diet with SBO. In conclusion, CM had moderate energy density and nutrients digestibility in pig diets. 50 g/kg CM with SBO in diets could be fed to growing pigs with no significant negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apelin was thought to be an adipocyte-specific hormone, but recent studies indicate a link between apelin and female reproductive function. Using real-time PCR, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry and ELISA, we demonstrated expression of apelin and its receptor (APJ) in ovarian follicles of different sizes from mature pigs. Apelin concentration in the follicular fluid, and expression of both apelin and APJ, increased with follicular growth; greatest values were found in large follicles. Immunohistochemistry revealed the positive staining for apelin and APJ in membranes of granulosa, than theca cells. Furthermore, we observed strong expression of apelin in oocytes and APJ in the zona pellucida. The effect of apelin (0.02, 0.2, 2 and 20 ng/ml) on basal and IGF1- and FSH-induced steroid hormone (progesterone [P4], and estradiol [E2]) secretion, steroidogenic enzyme (3βHSD and CYP19A1) expression and cell proliferation (Alamar blue) was determined. Apelin was found to increase basal steroid secretion, but decrease IGF1- and FSH-induced steroid secretion, and 3βHSD and CYP19 expression. Apelin also increased cell proliferation and the phosphorylation level of 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphatidyl inositol 3′ kinase/Akt (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2). AMPKα was involved in the action of apelin in P4 production, and MAPK/ERK and Akt/PI3 mediated the proliferative effect of apelin. However, these effects on steroid secretion and cell proliferation were abolished when cultured in the presence of ML221, an APJ antagonist. In conclusion, apelin appears to regulate ovarian follicular functions such as steroidogenesis and proliferation via APJ activation and different signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enniatins (ENNs) are hexadepsipeptidic mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species. They occur in mg/kg levels in grain from Northern climate areas. Major ENNs such as ENN B and B1 have shown considerable cytotoxicity in different in vitro test systems. To adequately assess exposure and in vivo toxicity the toxicokinetic properties need to be investigated. The present study describes the metabolism of ENN B1 both in vitro and in vivo in pigs, comparing metabolites found in vitro in experiments with liver microsomes from different pig strains to those found in the plasma of pigs after single oral or intravenous application of ENN B1. Metabolites of hepatic biotransformation were tentatively identified and characterised by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap and high-resolution mass spectrometry, as well as chemical derivatisations. Kinetic parameters of metabolite formation and elimination were determined. Metabolite formation was higher when ENN B1 was absorbed from the gut compared to intravenous administration indicating pre-systemic metabolism of ENN B1 after oral uptake. The in vitro approach resulted in the detection of ten ENN B1 metabolites, while six were detected in in vivo samples. The putative ENN B1 metabolites were products of hydroxylation, carbonylation, carboxylation and oxidative demethylation reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The evaluation of alfaxalone as a premedication agent and intravenous anaesthetic in pigs. Study design Prospective, clinical trial. Animals Nine healthy, 6-8-week-old female Landrace pigs weighing 22.2 ± 1.0 kg, undergoing epidural catheter placement. Methods All pigs were premedicated with 4 mg kg-1 alfaxalone, 40 µg kg-1 medetomidine and 0.4 mg kg-1 butorphanol administered in the cervical musculature. Sedation was subjectively scored by the same observer from 1 (no sedation) to 10 (profound sedation) prior to induction of anaesthesia with alfaxalone intravenously to effect. All pigs were maintained on alfaxalone infusions with the rate of administration adjusted to maintain appropriate anaesthetic depth. Quality of induction was scored from 1 (poor) to 3 (smooth) and basic cardiorespiratory variables were recorded every 5 minutes during anaesthesia. Results are reported as mean ± standard deviation or median (range) as appropriate. Results Sedation scores were 9 (7-10). Inductions were smooth in all pigs and cardiovascular variables remained within normal limits for the duration of anaesthesia. The induction dose of alfaxalone was 0.9 (0.0-2.3) mg kg-1. Three pigs did not require additional alfaxalone after premedication to facilitate intubation. Conclusions and clinical relevance Intramuscular alfaxalone in combination with medetomidine and butorphanol produced moderate to deep sedation in pigs. Alfaxalone produced satisfactory induction and maintenance of anaesthesia with minimal cardiovascular side effects. Appropriate monitoring of pigs premedicated with this protocol is required as some pigs may become anaesthetized after intramuscular administration of this combination of drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are highly associated with antipathogenic activity, without generating drug resistance in targeted bacteria. In this study, the existence of AMPs in the Tibetan swine, a China-native, cold-resistant and seldom-sick breed of pig, was investigated. A peptide secreted by a Tibetan swine intestinal tract-derived Bacillus strain was isolated using reversed-phase chromatography (RPC), ultrafiltration and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The peptide was identified by mass spectrometry and was characterised for activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The 16-amino acid peptide (ASVVNKLTGGVAGLLK), named TP, had a molecular mass of 1568.919 Da and exhibited inhibitory activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria [minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 2.5–5 µM and 10–20 µM for E. coli and S. aureus , respectively] as well as human MKN-45 and NB4 tumour cell lines [50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) = 4.686 µM and 11.479 µM, respectively]. TP also exhibited weak haemolytic activity. Furthermore, TP enhanced cell membrane permeability and K + outflow, bound with E. coli genomic DNA in vitro and inhibited E. coli growth. Thus, TP represents a strong candidate as an antibacterial peptide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Active gluconeogenesis is essential to maintain blood glucose concentrations in neonatal piglets because of the high glucose requirements after birth. In several adult mammals, the liver, kidney, and possibly the gut may exhibit gluconeogenesis during fasting and insulinopenic conditions. During the postnatal period, the intestine expresses all of the gluconeogenic enzymes, suggesting the potential for gluconeogenesis. Galactose in milk is a potential gluconeogenic precursor for newborns.Objective: Our aim was to quantify the rate of intestinal glucose production from galactose in piglets compared with the overall rate of glucose production.Methods: A single bolus of [U-14C]-galactose was injected into 2-d-old piglets (females and males; mean ± SEM weight: 1.64 ± 0.07 kg) through a gastric catheter. Galactosemia, glycemia, and glucose turnover rate (assessed by monitoring d-[6-3H]-glucose) were monitored. Intestinal glucose production from [U-14C]-galactose was calculated from [U-14C]-glucose appearance in the blood and isotopic dilution. Galactose metabolism was also investigated in vitro in enterocytes isolated from 2-d-old piglets that were incubated with increasing concentrations of galactose.Results: In piglet enterocytes, galactose metabolism was active (mean ± SEM maximum rate of reaction: 2.26 ± 0.45 nmol · min-1 · 106 cells-1) and predominantly oriented toward lactate and pyruvate production (74.0% ± 14.5%) rather than glucose production (26.0% ± 14.5%). In conscious piglets, gastric galactose administration led to an increase in arterial galactosemia (from 0 to 1.0 ± 0.8 mmol/L) and glycemia (35% ± 12%). The initial increase in arterial glycemia after galactose administration was linked to an increase in glucose production rate (33% ± 15%) rather than to a decrease in glucose utilization rate (3% ± 6%). The contribution of intestinal glucose production from galactose was <10% of total glucose production in 2-d-old piglets.Conclusion: Our results indicate that there is a low contribution to glucose homeostasis from intestinal gluconeogenesis in 2-d-old piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lean meat percentage (LMP) and fat and muscle thickness are important carcass quality parameters for both industry and pig farmers. The objectives of this experiment were as follows: (1) to study the relationship between ultrasounds (US) and computed tomography (CT) linear measurements of fat and muscle thickness in live pigs and measurements taken in carcasses at the slaughter plant with reflectance equipment (Fat-O-Meat’er-FOM); (2) to find an equation to estimate the LMP on a farm using the US device in live animals (between 70 and 120 kg); and (3) to compare this LMP with those obtained in carcasses with CT, FOM and manual dissection. For this purpose, 155 live pigs from different commercial crosses and sexes were evaluated with the US device (Piglog) and CT, and subsequently, their carcasses were evaluated with FOM and CT and subsample was dissected according to the European Reference Method. Correlations among fat thickness, muscle depth and LMP were high among all devices (between 0.565 and 0.965), and the biases were the lowest between devices in terms of LMP. The prediction of LMP in vivo using Piglog is possible with a prediction error of 2.01%. Thus, it can be concluded that these technologies are suitable for the carcass evaluation of live pigs and carcasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neonatal gastrointestinal tract extracts the majority of dietary threonine on the first pass to maintain synthesis of threonine-rich mucins in mucus. As dietary threonine becomes limiting, this extraction must limit protein synthesis in extraintestinal tissues at the expense of maintaining protein synthesis in mucin-producing tissues.Objective: The objective was to determine the dietary threonine concentration at which protein synthesis is reduced in various tissues.Methods: Twenty Yucatan miniature piglets (10 females; mean ± SD age, 15 ± 1 d; mean ± SD weight, 3.14 ± 0.30 kg) were fed 20 test diets with different threonine concentrations, from 0.5 to 6.0 g/100 g total amino acids (AAs; i.e., 20-220% of requirement), and various tissues were analyzed for protein synthesis by administering a flooding dose of [3H]phenylalanine. The whole-body requirement was determined by [1-14C]phenylalanine oxidation and plasma threonine concentrations.Results: Breakpoint analysis indicated a whole-body requirement of 2.8-3.0 g threonine/100 g total AAs. For all of the non-mucin-producing tissues as well as lung and colon, breakpoint analyses indicated decreasing protein synthesis rates below the following concentrations (expressed in g threonine/100 g total AAs; mean ± SE): gastrocnemius muscle, 1.76 ± 0.23; longissimus dorsi muscle, 2.99 ± 0.50; liver, 2.45 ± 0.60; kidney, 3.81 ± 0.97; lung, 1.95 ± 0.14; and colon, 1.36 ± 0.29. Protein synthesis in the other mucin-producing tissues (i.e., stomach, proximal jejunum, midjejunum, and ileum) did not change with decreasing threonine concentrations, but mucin synthesis in the ileum and colon decreased over threonine concentrations <4.54 ± 1.50 and <3.20 ± 4.70 g/100 g total AAs, respectively.Conclusions: The results of this study illustrate that dietary threonine is preferentially used for protein synthesis in gastrointestinal tissues in piglets. If dietary threonine intake is deficient, then muscle growth and the functions of other tissues are likely compromised at the expense of maintenance of the mucus layer in mucin-producing tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been assumed that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the colon originate mainly from dietary fiber fermentation. However, SCFAs in the colon are also produced from the fermentation of nondietary material.Objectives: We aimed to predict the relative contributions of dietary and nondietary substrates in the production of SCFAs with the use of a human fecal inoculum for diets containing kiwifruit as a model fiber.Methods: Terminal ileal digesta were collected from ileal-cannulated male pigs [n = 7; mean ± SD: 41.4 ± 2.98 kg body weight] adapted (44-d feeding) to diets containing either 25 g/kg dry matter (DM) of kiwifruit fiber (KFf) (25 KFf) or 50 g/kg DM of KFf (50 KFf) and then again after receiving a fiber-free diet (n = 14) for a further 7 d. Pigs were used as a model for adult humans for digestion in the upper digestive tract (mouth to the terminal ileum). The ileal digesta (either unfractionated or fractionated into crude mucin and microbial fractions) were fermented in vitro for 24 h with the use of a fresh human fecal inoculum to predict SCFA production in the human hindgut.Results: SCFAs of nondietary origin were the main source (65%) of total SCFAs predicted to be produced in the human hindgut. The contribution of SCFAs from KFf was only 26% of the total SCFAs, and that from total dietary material was 35%. The higher contribution of nondietary material to total predicted SCFA production was observed at both dietary fiber concentrations. Predicted SCFA intake from dietary fiber was 76 and 105 mmol/kg diet DM intake for the diets containing 25 KFf and 50 KFf, respectively, and from the nondietary substrates it was 178 and 280 mmol/kg diet DM intake, respectively.Conclusion: A considerable proportion of the SCFAs produced in the human hindgut seems to be derived from the fermentation of nondietary substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pig husbandry is known as an intensive breeding system, piglets being submitted to multiple stressful events such as early weaning, successive mixing, crowding and shipping. These stressors are thought to impair immune defences and might contribute, at least partly, to the prophylactic use of antibiotics. Robustness was recently defined as the ability of an individual to express a high-production potential in a wide variety of environmental conditions. Increasing robustness thus appears as a valuable option to improve resilience to stressors and could be obtained by selecting piglets upon their adrenocortical activity. In this study, we aimed at depicting the consequences of an acute social stress on the immune capacity of piglets genetically selected upon divergent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis activity. For this purpose, we monitored neuroendocrine and immune parameters, in high- (HPA hi ) and low- (HPA lo ) responders to ACTH, just before and immediately after a one-hour mixing with unfamiliar conspecifics. As expected, stressed piglets displayed higher levels of circulating cortisol and norepinephrine. Blood cell count analysis combined to flow cytometry revealed a stress-induced leukocyte mobilization in the bloodstream with a specific recruitment of CD8α + lymphocytes. Besides, one-hour mixing decreased LPS-induced IL-8 and TNFα secretions in whole-blood assays (WBA) and reduced mononuclear cell phagocytosis. Altogether, our data demonstrate that acute social stress alters immune competence of piglets from both groups, and bring new insights in favour of good farming practices. While for most parameters high- and low-responders to ACTH behaved similarly, HPA hi piglets displayed higher number of CD4 + CD8α − T cells, as well as increased cytokine production in WBA (LPS-induced TNFα and PIL-induced IL-8), which could confer them increased resistance to pathogens. Finally, a principal component analysis including all parameters highlighted that overall stress effects were less pronounced on piglets with a strong HPA axis. Thus, selection upon adrenocortical axis activity seems to reduce the magnitude of response to stress and appears as a good tool to increase piglet robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to characterize the immediate phenotypic and adaptive regulatory responses of fetuses to different in utero conditions reflecting inadequate maternal protein supply during gestation. The gilts fed high- (250% above control) or low- (50% under control) protein diets isoenergetically adjusted at the expense of carbohydrates from the day of insemination until the fetuses were collected at day 64 or 94 of gestation. We analyzed body composition, histomorphology, biochemistry, and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of fetal skeletal muscle. Both diets had only marginal effects on body composition and muscular cellularity of fetuses including an unchanged total number of myofibers. However, mRNA expression of myogenic regulatory factors ( MYOG , MRF4 , P ≤ 0.1), IGF system ( IGF1 , IGF1R , P ≤ 0.05) and myostatin antagonist FST ( P = 0.6, in males only) was reduced in the fetal muscle exposed to a maternal low-protein diet. As a result of excess protein, MYOD , MYOG , IGF1R , and IGFBP5 mRNA expression ( P ≤ 0.05) was upregulated in fetal muscle. Differences in muscular mRNA expression indicate in utero regulatory adaptive responses to maternal diet. Modulation of gene expression immediately contributes to the maintenance of an appropriate fetal phenotype that would be similar to that observed in the control fetuses. Moreover, we suggest that the modified gene expression in fetal skeletal muscle can be viewed as the origin of developmental muscular plasticity involved in the concept of fetal programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The porcine corpus luteum (CL) displays delayed sensitivity to PGF-2α (luteolytic sensitivity, [LS]) until days 12 to 13 of cycle. The control of LS is unknown, but it is temporally associated with macrophage (which secrete tumor necrosis factor-α; TNF-α) infiltration into the CL. Other studies showed that TNF-α induces LS in vitro and that prostaglandins (PGs) may be involved in this mechanism. In experiment 1, PGF-2α and PGE secretion by luteal cells (LCs) was measured on days 4 to 14 of the estrous cycle, and the expression of PTGFS/AKR1B1 and PTGES/mPGES-1, determined by Western blot, before (day 7) vs after (day 13) the onset of LS. Results showed that the PGF-2α:PGE ratio increased significantly ( P < 0.05) from day 4 to 13–14, and PTGFS/AKR1B1 and PTGES/mPGES-1 were significantly increased ( P < 0.05) on day 13 (vs day 7). In experiment 2, LCs were collected from porcine CL at early (∼days 4–6) or mid (∼days 7–12) stages of the estrous cycle and cultured with 0, 0.1, 1, or 10 ng/mL TNF-α. Results showed that TNF-α significantly increased ( P < 0.05) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and mPGES-1 but not AKR1B1. TNF-α had no significant effects on AKR1B1 or mPGES protein abundance. TNF-α significantly increased ( P < 0.05) PGE-2 but had no effect on PGF-2α secretion or on the PGF-2α:PGE2 ratio. In conclusion, although TNF-α increased COX2 and mPGES-1 mRNA, and PGE-2 secretion in vitro, it did not increase the PGF-2α:PGE2 ratio. Studies are currently directed toward exploring other pathways (eg, FP receptor signaling) by which TNF-α induces LS in the porcine CL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variant chemical composition and physical structure of whole grains may change the site of energy digestion from the small to the large intestine.Objective: We determined the site of nutrient digestion, standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AAs), and net energy (NE) value of barley cultivars that vary in nutrient composition compared with wheat.Methods: Ileal-cannulated barrows (27.7 kg initial body weight) were fed diets containing 800 g whole grains/kg alongside a basal and nitrogen-free diet for calculations in a 6 (period) × 7 (diet) Youden square. Diets included 1 of 5 whole grains-1) high-fermentable, high-β-glucan, hull-less barley (HFB); 2) high-fermentable, high-amylose, hull-less barley (HFA); 3) moderate-fermentable, hull-less barley (MFB); 4) low-fermentable, hulled barley (LFB); and 5) low-fermentable, hard red spring wheat (LFW). Intestine nutrient flow and whole-body energy utilization were tested and explained by using whole-grain and digesta confocal laser scanning.Results: Starch apparent ileal digestibility was 14-29% lower (P < 0.05) in HFB and HFA than in MFB, LFB, and LFW due to the unique embedding of starch within the protein-fiber matrix of HFB and the high amylose content in HFA. Starch hindgut fermentation was 50-130% higher (P < 0.05) in HFB and HFA than in MFB, LFB, and LFW. The SID of indispensable AAs was lower (P < 0.05) in HFB and HFA than in MFB, LFB, and LFW. NE value was 18% higher (P < 0.05) for HFB than for HFA and was not different from MFB, LFB, and LFW.Conclusions: Whole grains high in fermentable carbohydrates shifted digestion from the small intestine to the hindgut. NE value depended on the concentration of fermentable fiber and starch and digestible protein, ranging from 2.12-1.76 Mcal/kg in barley to 1.94 Mcal/kg in wheat. High-fiber whole grains may be used as energy substrates for pigs; however, the reduced SID of AAs requires titration of indispensable AAs to maintain growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine strains of a novel Fusobacterium sp. were isolated from the stomach of 6–8 months old and adult pigs. The isolates were obligately anaerobic, although they endured 2 h exposure to air. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and gyrase B genes demonstrated that the isolates showed high sequence similarity with Fusobacterium mortiferum , Fusobacterium ulcerans , Fusobacterium varium , Fusobacterium russii and Fusobacterium necrogenes , but formed a distinct lineage in the genus Fusobacterium. Comparative analysis of the genome of the type strain of this novel Fusobacterium sp. confirmed that it is different from other recognized Fusobacterium spp. DNA-DNA hybridization, fingerprinting and genomic %GC determination further supported the conclusion that the isolates belong to a new, distinct species. The isolates were also distinguishable from these and other Fusobacterium spp. by phenotypical characterization. The strains produced indole and exhibited proline arylamidase and glutamic acid decarboxylase activity. They did not hydrolyse esculin, did not exhibit pyroglutamic acid arylamidase, valine arylamidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, β-galactosidase-6-phosphate or α-glucosidase activity nor produced acid from cellobiose, glucose, lactose, mannitol, mannose, maltose, raffinose, saccharose, salicin or trehalose. The major fatty acids were C16:0 and C18:1ω9c. The name Fusobacterium gastrosuis sp. nov. is proposed for the novel isolates with the type strain CDW1(T) (=DSM 101753(T) = LMG 29236(T)). We also demonstrated that Clostridium rectum and mortiferum Fusobacterium represent the same species, with nomenclatural priority for the latter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation of synchronization between myoelectric signals can give new insights into the functioning of the complex system of porcine myometrium. We propose a model of uterine contractions according to the hypothesis of action potentials similarity which is possible to detect during propagation in the uterine wall. We introduce similarity measures based on the concept of synchronization as used in matching linear signals such as electromyographic (EMG) time series data. The aim was to present linear measures to assess synchronization between contractions in different topographic regions of the uterus. We use the cross-correlation function (ƒ x,y [l], ƒ y,z [l]) and the cross-coherence function (C xy [ƒ], C yz [ƒ]) to assess synchronization between three data series of a diestral uterine EMG bundles in porcine reproductive tract. Spontaneous uterine activity was recorded using telemetry method directly by three-channel transmitter and three silver bipolar needle electrodes sutured on different topographic regions of the reproductive tract in the sow. The results show the usefulness of the cross-coherence function in that synchronization between uterine horn and corpus uteri for multiple action potentials (bundles) could be observed. The EMG bundles synchronization may be used to investigate the direction and velocity of EMG signals propagation in porcine reproductive tract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 160 pigs were used during the fattening period to evaluate the efficacy of a probiotic, a mannan-oligosaccharide, an organic acid and their mixture on growth performance, intestinal microbiota composition, intestinal morphology and immune response. Pigs were randomly distributed into five treatments with four replicates of eight pigs per pen: control group was fed with a basal finishing ration, whereas the other groups received the same basal diet further supplemented either the probiotic Cylactin ® at 35 mg/kg (containing 2 × 10 10 CFU/gr Enterococcus faecium ), or the mannan-oligosaccharide Biomos ® at 1 g/kg, or the organic acid Vevovital ® at 5 g/kg (containing 100% benzoic acid) or a mixture of the examined substances (35 mg/kg Cylactin ® , 1 g/kg Biomos ® and 5 g/kg benzoic acid). At the end of the trial all pigs were weighed and slaughtered, and samples were taken for blood, histologic and microbiologic analyses. Total counts of aerobes and anaerobes, Lactobacilli, Bifidobacteria, Enterococci , Enterobacteriaceae and Coliforms, were enumerated by conventional microbiological techniques at both jejunum and cecum. Intestinal morphology was carried out in the jejunum, for villus height, crypt depth and goblet cells evaluation. Blood samples were evaluated by flow cytometry to assess the immune response of lymphocyte subpopulations. The results showed that dietary inclusion of a mixture of probiotic, prebiotic and organic acid improved growth performance of fattening pigs despite that each additive alone did not have a significant effect. Jejunal villus height was also increased in the group received the mixture of the feed additives compared to the mannoligosaccharide group, although no differences were noted on the goblet cell numbers among the different groups. The inclusion of the E. faecium increased the enterococci counts in both group receiving the probiotic in digesta samples of both jejunum and cecum; however no differences were noted in the total B- and T-helper cytotoxic cell populations in the presence or absence of the nutritional factors studied, although their ratio (CD4/CD8) was decreased in the group that received the mixture of the feed additives. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with a combination of probiotic, mannan-oligosaccharide and organic acid could promote growth in fattening pigs and improve their intestinal microbiota and functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diosmectite- Lactobacillus acidophilus composite (DS- L. acidophilus ) was prepared by immobilization of L. acidophilus onto DS. The surival rate of L. acidophilus in DS- L. acidophilus were determined after simulated gastric juice and intestinal fluid. A total of 180 piglets, weaned at 21 ± 1 d age, were used to investigate the effects of DS- L. acidophilus in intestinal function. The vivo trial included five groups: (1) control; (2) L. acidophilus ; (3) DS; (4) DS- L. acidophilus ; (5) The mixture of diosmectite and L. acidophilus (DS + L. acidophilus ). The amount of DS or L. acidophilu s in each group was equivalent. The results in vitro showed that DS- L. acidophilus increased ( P < 0.05) the survival rate of L. acidophilus in simulated gastric juice for 80 min and intestinal fluid for 240 min, as compared with the free L. acidophilus . The results in vivo showed that, as compared with control, DS- L. acidophilus increased ( P < 0.05) average daily gain, intestinal Lactobacillus , the ratio of villus height and crypt depth, the jejunal and colonic transepithelial electrical resistance. The DS- L. acidophilus addition decreased ( P < 0.05) the paracellular permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran 4 kDa in jejunum and colon. However, DS, L. acidophilus or DS + L. acidophilus had no ( P > 0.05) effect. The results indicated that DS- L. acidophilus was more effective in improving growth performance and intestinal function of weaned pigs than DS, L. acidophilus or DS + L. acidophilus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZON) on the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AA in growing pigs. Twelve pigs (initial mean body weight = 20.6 ± 2.1 kg) cannulated at the distal ileum were assigned to 3 dietary treatments in a quadruplicated 3 × 2 incomplete Latin square design with 3 diets and 2 periods. Three experimental diets consisted of a corn-soybean meal-based control diet, a DON-supplemented diet at 10 mg/kg and a ZON-supplemented diet at 10 mg/kg. All diets contained 5 g/kg chromic oxide as an indigestible index. Each experimental period was comprised of a 5-d adaptation period and a 3-d ileal digesta collection period. The concentration of DON or ZON in the mycotoxin-supplemented diet was analyzed to be 11.2 mg/kg or 11.6 mg/kg, respectively. Pigs fed the DON-supplemented diet had less AID of Lys (0.799 vs. 0.839, P = 0.08), Thr (0.695 vs. 0.751, P = 0.08), Trp (0.766 vs. 0.840, P = 0.02), and Val (0.687 vs. 0.749, P = 0.08) than those fed the control diet, but the AID of other AA were not affected by DON supplementation. With the exception of Trp (0.771 vs. 0.840, P = 0.04), the supplementation of ZON to the control diet did not affect the AID of AA. In conclusion, dietary DON, but not ZON, may reduce the AID of some indispensable AA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus supplementation in different energy and nutrient density diets on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood characteristics (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine), fecal microbiota shedding, and fecal noxious gas emission in weaning pigs. A total of 140 crossed [(Landrace × Yorkshire) × Duroc] weaning pigs with an initial body weight (BW) of 7.51 ± 0.79 kg were used in a 42-day trial. Pigs were randomly allocated into one of four treatment groups in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two levels of energy and nutrient density (Phase1: 3750 and 3900 kcal/kg; Phase2: 3550 and 3700 kcal/kg) and L. acidophilus (0 and 0.1%) according to sex and BW (7 replicates each with 2 gilts and 3 barrows). Pigs fed high energy and nutrient density diets increased ( P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG), gain:feed (G:F) ratio, as well as H 2 S and acetic acid emission than those fed low energy and nutrient density diets. Pigs fed L. acidophilus supplementation diets increased ADG and G:F ( P < 0.05) compared with pigs fed diets without L. acidophilus supplementation. Moreover, L. acidophilus supplementation led to a significant ( P < 0.05) increase in DM digestibility on day 14 and shift microbiota by increasing fecal Lactobacillus , while decreasing E.coli counts, as well as a significant ( P < 0.05) decrease in serum BUN concentration and fecal noxious gas emission. The interactive effects ( P < 0.05) of dietary energy and nutrient density and L. acidophilus supplementation were observed on the fecal H 2 S and acetic acid gases emission. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of L. acidophilus improved growth performance, ATTD of DM, shifted microbiota by increasing fecal Lactobacillus and decreased E. coli counts, decreased BUN concentration and fecal noxious gas emission in weaning pigs. No interactive effects of L. acidophilus supplementation and dietary energy and nutrient density on growth performance, nutrient digestibility (DM, N, and GE), blood characteristics (BUN and creatinine) and microbiota ( Lactobacillus and E. coli ). While the beneficial effects of L. acidophilus supplementation on H 2 S and acetic acid gases emission are more dramatic with high energy and nutrient density diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing use of pigs as surrogates for humans in inhalation studies, measurements of particle deposition in the lungs of pigs are lacking. No comprehensive models are available for deposition of inhaled particles in the lungs of pigs to bridge the gap between exposure and biological response. In this study, a mathematical model was developed for the deposition of particles in the respiratory tract of pigs. Semi-empirical equations were developed to relate particle deposition efficiency in the pig nasal passages to non-dimensional parameters for diffusion and impaction deposition. The conducting airway tree of pigs was reconstructed from scanned images and other morphometric data in the literature. The pulmonary airway region was reconstructed assuming geometric similarities between humans and pigs due to a lack of information available on the pulmonary airways of pigs. The tracheobronchial and alveolar trees were combined to obtain a limited-monopodial lung geometry for pigs. A lung ventilation model was developed in this geometry based on lung compliance, airway resistance, and airflow inertance using breathing parameters from the literature. The lung deposition model was constructed based on models for lung ventilation, particle transport, and deposition in the asymmetric (monopodial) lung structure to predict particle deposition in the lungs of pigs. Model predictions indicated that the largest airflow and particle deposition occurred in the basal (diaphragmatic) lobes, which possessed the largest airway dimensions and volumes. The predicted site of deposition was related to particle size with larger particles depositing proximally and smaller particles depositing distally. There was limited penetration of coarse particles into the alveolar region because most of these particles were removed from inhaled air in the nasal and tracheobronchial regions. The deposition model developed in this study is a powerful tool to relate exposure environment to biological response and assess the dose of the delivered particles to the lungs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of treatment with the cAMP modulators cilostamide and/or forskolin during pre-IVM culture on meiotic progression, gap junction communication, intraoocyte cAMP level and glutathione content, embryonic development after parthenogenesis, and somatic cell nuclear transfer in pigs. Cumulus–oocyte complexes were cultured for 24 hours in unsupplemented medium or media containing 20 μM cilostamide and/or 50 μM forskolin. After pre-IVM, oocytes were cultured for 41 to 44 hours in a standard IVM medium to induce oocyte maturation. When the nuclear status of oocytes was examined after pre-IVM for 24 hours, a higher (P < 0.01) proportion of oocytes treated with forskolin (85.5%) and cilostamide + forskolin (92.6%) remained at the germinal vesicle stage compared with untreated (20.6%) and cilostamide-treated oocytes (54.7%). cAMP level in pre-IVM oocytes was significantly increased by combined treatment with cilostamide + forskolin (21.38 fmol/oocyte) relative to the no pre-IVM control, no treatment, cilostamide, and forskolin groups (2.85, 1.88, 1.74, and 8.95 fmol/oocyte, respectively). Forskolin with or without cilostamide significantly maintained open-gap junction communication relative to no treatment. Blastocyst formation in parthenogenesis was significantly (P < 0.01) improved by forskolin (65.3%) relative to other treatments (28.3% to 48.1%). Supplementation of pre-IVM with dibutyryl cAMP showed similar blastocyst formation as forskolin treatment (61.1% and 61.0%, respectively). In somatic cell nuclear transfer, simultaneous treatment with cilostamide + forskolin significantly (P < 0.05) increased embryonic development to the blastocyst stage (42.9%) relative to the no pre-IVM, control, and cilostamide groups (32.3, 28.6, and 32.8%, respectively). The glutathione contents in pre-IVM oocytes were increased by no treatment, forskolin, and cilostamide + forskolin (1.38, 1.39, and 1.27 pixels/oocyte, respectively) compared with no pre-IVM and cilostamide (1.00 and 0.99 pixels/oocyte, respectively; P < 0.05). Our results reported that the meiotic progression of immature pig oocytes could be reversibly attenuated by cAMP, whereas treatment with cilostamide and forskolin during pre-IVM had positive effects on developmental competence of oocytes in pigs, probably by improving cytoplasmic maturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO) demonstrated to improve the wound healing properties of materials intended for bone replacement. The main objective of this study was the setting up of a simple and effective procedure for the production of GO-coated porcine bone (PB) granules and the characterization of the obtained material in order to improve its properties by exploiting chemical, physical, biological and mechanical features that the GO coating could confer to pre-formed PB granules. The obtained coating was homogeneously distributed on PB granule surface and demonstrated to confer PB an increased resistance to fracture load. Biological analyses evidenced no toxic effects of GO-coated PB samples on primary human gingival fibroblasts, and no inflammatory response around the grafted particles when implanted in vivo on a sheep model although GO-coated PB samples did not appear to improve new bone formation efficacy compared with the control within the investigated time. A small loss of GO was however detected, indicating the opportunity to investigate less GO concentrated samples. In conclusion, this study presents a novel and low cost approach to the development of functionalized biomimetic hybrid materials which can be applied to other bone substitute materials in order to improve their performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of increasing dietary levels of peroxidized maize oil on growth performance and antioxidant status of nursery pigs. Weanling barrows (n = 128; initial body weight (BW) = 6.3 ± 1.4 kg) were blocked by initial BW and assigned randomly to 1 of 32 pens. Within block, pens were assigned randomly to 1 of 4 dietary treatments: 90 g/kg unheated maize oil, 60 g/kg unheated maize oil +30 g/kg rapidly peroxidized (RO) maize oil, 30 g/kg unheated maize oil +60 g/kg RO maize oil, or 90 g/kg RO maize oil. Diets were formulated to contain identical levels of total maize oil and standardized ileal digestible Lys to metabolizable energy (ME) ratios. Maize oil was heated for 12 h at 185 °C (air flow rate = 12 L/min) to yield RO (PV = 5.7 meq O 2 /kg; thiobarbituric acid reactive substances = 26.7 mg malondialdehyde eq/kg) maize oil. A 3-phase feeding program (phase 1 = d 0–4, phase 2 = d 4–14, and phase 3 = d 14–35) was used, and average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), gain to feed ratio (G:F), and energetic efficiency (g ADG/MJ of ME intake) were determined. Serum was collected on d 0, 14, and 35 from 1 pig per pen that was subsequently harvested to obtain liver and heart tissue. Final BW (19.5 vs 18.5 ± 0.6 kg for 0 vs 90 g/kg RO maize oil; P < 0.15) and ADG (377.5 vs 347.0 ± 13.6 g for 0 vs 90 g/kg RO maize oil; P ≤ 0.10) tended to decline linearly with increasing dietary RO, but ADFI was not affected. Consequently, G:F (P < 0.05) declined linearly by 1.4–4% with increasing dietary concentrations of RO maize oil. The α-tocopherol content of serum declined with increasing dietary concentrations of RO maize oil (linear and cubic; P < 0.01). These data suggest that RO maize oil negatively affects growth performance and the efficiency of energy utilization of nursery pigs linearly and reduces serum α-tocopherol content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, effects were studied of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4 and IL-10 on the mRNA and protein expression of 5-lipooxygenase (5-LO), leukotriene (LT)A 4 hydrolase (LTAH) and LTC 4 synthase (LTCS), and secretion of LTB 4 and LTC 4 from endometrial epithelial cells of pigs, as well as on viability of these cells. Cells were incubated for 24 h with LPS (10 or 100 ng/ml of medium), TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-4 or IL-10 (each cytokine: 1 or 10 ng/ml of medium). Larger doses of TNF-α and IL-10 and both doses of IL-1β increased the relative abundance of mRNA/protein of 5-LO in the cells. A similar effect was exerted by the smaller dose of LPS on 5-LO mRNA content. Smaller doses of LPS and IL-4, and the larger dose of IL-10 increased the relative abundance of mRNA/protein LTAH, while both doses of TNF-α and the larger dose of IL-1β increased the protein content of this enzyme. Relative abundance of the mRNA/protein of LTCS was greater with the smaller dose of LPS, both doses of TNF-α and greater doses of IL-1β and IL-10, while relative abundance of LTCS mRNA was greater in response to the larger dose of LPS and both doses of IL-4. The LTB 4 and LTC 4 release was increased by the smaller dose of LPS, both doses of TNF-α and larger doses of IL-1β and IL-10. The IL-4 at the smaller dose exerted a stimulatory effect on LTB 4 release. Larger doses of TNF-α and IL-4 enhanced cell viability. Interactions with LPS and cytokines revealed in this study may represent mechanisms important for the regulation of endometrium functions of pigs under physiological or pathological conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effect of myostatin on adipogenesis by porcine intramuscular preadipocytes. Intramuscular preadipocytes were isolated from the longissimus dorsi muscle of newborn pigs. Myostatin inhibited intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. Myostatin treatment during preadipocyte differentiation significantly ( P < 0.05) inhibited the expression of the adipogenic marker genes CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, sterol regulatory element–binding protein-1c, fatty acid–binding protein, and adiponectin. Myostatin also significantly ( P < 0.05) reduced the release of glycerol and decreased both adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase expression in intramuscular adipocytes. Our study suggests that myostatin acts as an extrinsic regulatory factor in regulating intramuscular adipogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]