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The providers of butyric acid, Clostridium butyricum (CB), sodium butyrate (SB), and tributyrin (TB), have been extensively studied as aquafeed additives in recent years. However, no comparative study has been reported on the probiotic effects of CB, SB, and TB as feed additives on sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus). A 63-day feeding trial was performed to assess the effects of dietary live cells of C. butyricum (CB group, the basal diet supplemented with 1% CB), sodium butyrate (SB group, the basal diet supplemented with 1% SB), and tributyrin (TB group, the basal diet supplemented with 1% TB) on the growth, non-specific immunity, and intestinal microbiota of A. japonicus with a basal diet group as the control. Results indicated that all three additives considerably increased A. japonicus growth, with dietary CB having the optimal growth-promoting effect. Of the seven non-specific enzyme parameters measured in coelomocytes of A. japonicus (i.e., the activities of phagocytosis, respiratory burst, superoxide dismutase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, catalase, and lysozyme), dietary CB, SB, and TB considerably increased the activities of six, five, and six of them, respectively. The immune genes (Aj-p105, Aj-p50, Aj-rel, and Aj-lys) expression in the mid-intestine tissues of A. japonicus was significantly increased by all three additives. The CB group had the highest expression of all four genes. Additionally, the relative expression of Aj-p105, Aj-p50, and Aj-lys genes was significantly up-regulated in the three additive groups after stimulation with inactivated Vibrio splendidus. Dietary CB enhanced the intestinal microbial diversity and richness in A. japonicus while dietary TB decreased them. Meanwhile, dietary CB, SB, and TB significantly enhanced the abundance of Firmicutes, unclassified_f_Rhodobacteraceae, and Proteobacteria, respectively, while dietary CB and SB reduced the abundance of Vibrio. Dietary CB and SB improved the stability of microbial ecosystem in the intestine of A. japonicus. In contrast, dietary TB appeared to have a negative effect on the stability of intestinal microbial ecosystem. All three additives improved the intestinal microbial functions associated with energy production and immunity regulation pathways, which may contribute directly to growth promotion and non-specific immunity enhancement in A. japonicus. Collectively, in terms of enhancing growth and non-specific immunity, as well as improving intestinal microbiota, dietary live cells of C. butyricum exhibited the most effective effects in A. japonicus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of herbicides has risen considerably in order to increase agricultural production, and Ronstar® is one of the popular organochlorine herbicides with oxadiazon as its active component. This herbicide has a wide range of effects on fish, including physiological, genetic, neurological, and hemato-immunological impacts. In the current study, p-Coumaric acid (P-CA) was used as a feed additive for its potential benefits in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to Ronstar using hematological, immunological, and biochemical analyses. The fish (16.02 ± 0.27 g) was divided into eight treatments as follows: C (negative control), P1, P2, and P3 (0.5, 1, and 1.5 g P-CA/kg, respectively, with no toxin), R1, P1R1, P2R1, and P3R1 (12.5% Ronstar toxin with 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g P-CA/kg, respectively), each with a replicate of three. According to the two-way ANOVA test (P < 0.05), the overall trend of changes were growth, antioxidant enzyme activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase), and malondialdehyde level, humoral immune system (total immunoglobulin levels (total Ig)), lysozyme, complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), ACH50, serum nitroblue tetrazolium, and myeloperoxid. The only parameters that were unaffected by P-CA were globulin, albumin, and cortisol; however, Ronstar had negative effects on all three of these measures as well. It was found that the positive effects of dietary P-CA may ameliorate the negative effects of Ronstar in rainbow trout in a dose-dependent manner, with the best performance for the treatment P-CA + Ronstar. However, it is crucial to evaluate the mitigating effects of dietary P-CA against Ronstar on some vital organs of rainbow trout, especially the liver, at histological levels in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, particularly in aerospace. This paper provides an overview of the advancements, state-of-the-art, challenges, and future of additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry. It begins by discussing the workflow of additive manufacturing and the comparison of software required for modeling and slicing the designed models. Various types of additive manufacturing processes used in the aerospace industry with their postprocessing challenges and solutions are also presented in detail. Besides, the challenges and limitations that come with the use of additive manufacturing in aerospace are also outlined. The paper investigated that the use of additive manufacturing in aerospace has given several advantages such as the ability to produce complex geometries, reduce material waste, and improve design flexibility. The future of additive manufacturing in aerospace looks promising, with the potential for even more cost-effective and efficient production. The paper concludes that additive manufacturing has proven to be a game-changer in aerospace presenting different advanced aerospace components in detail, with continued research and development shaping the future of manufacturing and production. With advancements in technology and processes, additive manufacturing for aerospace can overcome the challenges and become a reliable and cost-effective alternative to traditional manufacturing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The additive manufacturing (AM) of elastomeric parts based on high-viscosity reinforced rubbers has increasingly become a topic of scientific research in recent years. In addition to the viscosity, which is several decades higher during processing than the viscosities of thermoplastics, the flowability of the compound after the printing process and the necessary chemical crosslinking of the printed component play a decisive role in producing an elastic, high-quality, and geometrically stable part. After the first technological achievements using the so-called additive manufacturing of elastomers (AME) process, the knowledge gained has to be transferred first to concrete industrial parts. Therefore, in this study, the cure kinetics of a conventional rubber compound are tailored to match the specific requirements for scorch safety in the additive manufacturing of an industrial 2-component rod seal based on an acrylonitrile butadiene rubber O-ring in combination with a thermoplastic polyurethane as the base body. Experimental tests on a test rig for rod seals demonstrate the functionality of this additively manufactured 2-component rod seal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholesterol has been used as additive in fish feeds due to the reduced use of fish meal and fish oil. In order to evaluate the effects of dietary cholesterol supplementation (D-CHO-S) on fish physiology, a liver transcriptome analysis was performed following a feeding experiment on turbot and tiger puffer with different levels of dietary cholesterol. The control diet contained 30% fish meal (0% fish oil) without cholesterol supplementation, while the treatment diet was supplemented with 1.0% cholesterol (CHO-1.0). A total of 722 and 581 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between the dietary groups were observed in turbot and tiger puffer, respectively. These DEG were primarily enriched in signaling pathways related to steroid synthesis and lipid metabolism. In general, D-CHO-S downregulated the steroid synthesis in both turbot and tiger puffer. Msmo1, lss, dhcr24, and nsdhl might play key roles in the steroid synthesis in these two fish species. Gene expressions related to cholesterol transport (npc1l1, abca1, abcg1, abcg2, abcg5, abcg8, abcb11a, and abcb11b) in the liver and intestine were also extensively investigated by qRT-PCR. However, the results suggest that D-CHO-S rarely affected the cholesterol transport in both species. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network constructed on steroid biosynthesis-related DEG showed that in turbot, Msmo1, Lss, Nsdhl, Ebp, Hsd17b7, Fdft1, and Dhcr7 had high intermediary centrality in the dietary regulation of steroid synthesis. In conclusion, in both turbot and tiger puffer, the supplementation of dietary cholesterol inhibits the steroid metabolism but does not affect the cholesterol transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese yam (Dioscorea polystachya Turczaninow) by-product produced in the water extraction process is commonly directly discarded resulting in a waste of resources and environmental pollution. However, the value of Chinese yam by-product which still contains effective ingredients is far from being fully realized; hence, it has the potential to be a safe and effective feed additive in aquaculture. To investigate the impacts of Chinese yam by-product on growth performance, antioxidant ability, histomorphology, and intestinal microbiota of Micropterus salmoides, juvenile fish (initial weight 1 3.16 ± 0.05 g) were fed diets supplemented with 0% (control), 0.1% (S1), 0.4% (S2), and 1.6% (S3) of Chinese yam by-product for 60 days. The results showed that no significant difference was found in weight gain, specific growth rate, and survival among all the experimental groups (P > 0.05). Feed conversion ratios of the S1 and S3 groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). SOD activity of the S3 group and GSH contents of Chinese yam by-product groups were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). MDA levels of the S2 and S3 groups were significantly lower than those in the control group and the S1 group (P < 0.05). Besides, Chinese yam by-product could protect liver and intestine health, as well as increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria and decrease the abundance of potential pathogens. This study suggests that Chinese yam by-product has the potential to be used as a functional feed additive in aquaculture, providing a reference for efficient recovery and utilization of by-products from plant sources during processing and culturing high-quality aquatic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria develop resistance against antimicrobial drugs, and new remediations are constantly being introduced in the market. Silver and its compounds have strong resistance against different bacteria. The vegetable waste extract-synthesized silver nanoparticles (VWE-AgNPs) have distinct properties and potential applications because of their unique size and morphology. The fundamental purpose of this study was to develop an environment-friendly method for the synthesis of VWE-AgNPs to avoid the use of hazardous chemicals that cause danger to the environment as well as recycling vegetable waste material. The VWE-AgNPs were synthesized by mixing 1 mM AgNO3 solution and VWE at room temperature. The VWE-AgNPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR, SEM, and EDX. The synthesized particles showed good antibacterial properties against poultry bacteria Salmonella gallinarum and Salmonella enteritidis (growth reduction of 31 mm and 18 mm at 80 mg/mL AgNPs, respectively). The results demonstrated that VWE-AgNPs inhibited the growth of tested bacterial strains. The fabricated VWE-AgNPs also had the potential to act as a green photocatalyst for degradation of 87.7% of methylene blue (MB) and 90.76% of methyl orange (MO) nearly at 3.25 h and 1 h sunlight exposure time, respectively. The highest antifungal activity, which was determined to be 36.5 mm and 31.8 mm against Alternata sp. and C. albican, was discovered to be in VWE-AgNPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used pineapple waste crude extract (PWCE) to increase the potential of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production for food sustainability and stability. The objective was to investigate the appropriate technique to increase the yield production and quality of shrimp and decrease waste from shrimp culture. Pacific white shrimp (average body size: 0.51 g) were fed with commercial feed supplemented with PWCE at various concentrations of 0 (control), 90, 170, and 250 ppt. Shrimp were fed five times per day for 80 days. At the end of the trial, the results showed that shrimp fed with the PWCE 250 ppt supplementation provided the highest growth rate and the best feed utilisation and yield (P < 0.05). The protein content of whole shrimp in all shrimp fed with the PWCE supplementation diet was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). On the contrary, the variation of endogenous digestive enzymes, including protease, trypsin, and the T/C ratio, was significantly lower in shrimp fed a diet supplemented with PWCE 250 ppt (P < 0.05). While in this group, the number of microorganisms on thiosulfate-citrate-bile salt-sucrose (TCBS), blood agar, and trypticase soy agar (TSA) was lowest (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the dietary PWCE at 250 ppt increased the volume of microvilli in the hindgut of shrimp, but the supplementation at 170 ppt improved the number of F-cells in the epithelial cells of the hepatopancreas. Nevertheless, the supplementation of PWCE in the diet did not affect the water quality (P > 0.05). Therefore, pineapple waste crude extract supplementation improves both quantitative and qualitative yields and tends to reduce waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquaculture will become an important food production sector for humans in the coming decades. However, disease outbreaks can be considered a significant obstacle to continually developing aquaculture. Plant powders and extracts are natural feed additives that, due to their bioactive compounds, including phenolic compounds, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, have antistress, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal effects on fish. One of these herbs is nettle (Urtica dioica), which has a long history of being used in traditional medicine. While it has been widely investigated in mammalian medicine, few studies have been done on aquaculture species. The positive effect of this herb on the growth performance, hematology, blood biochemistry, and immune system of fish species has been observed. When fish were exposed to pathogens, nettle-fed fish showed a higher survival rate and less stress than controls. Therefore, this literature review is aimed at reviewing the use of this herb in fish diets and its impacts on growth performance, hematology, blood biochemistry, liver enzymes, immune system stimulation, and challenges with pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenoprotein is a feed additive that can overcome oxidative stress in intensive Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture. This study evaluated the effects of selenoprotein supplementation at various doses on Pacific white shrimp's digestibility, growth, and health performance. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design consisting of four feed treatments, namely, control and treatments with selenoprotein supplementation of 2.5, 5, and 7.5 g kg feed-1 with four replications. Shrimps (1.5 g) were reared for 70 days and challenged for 14 days by the bacteria Vibrio parahaemolyticus (107 CFU mL-1). Shrimps used in the digestibility performance evaluation (6.1 g) were reared until sufficient quantities of feces were collected for analysis. Shrimp supplemented with selenoprotein exhibited superior digestibility, growth, and health performance compared to the control (P < 0.05). The use of selenoprotein at a dose of 7.5 g kg of feed-1 (2.72 mg Se kg of feed-1) was considered the most effective for increasing productivity and preventing disease attacks in intensive shrimp culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the influence of four concentrations of dietary Bacillus subtilis on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, immunity and antioxidants activities, mortality rate and chemical composition of Litopenaeus vannamei. Three hundred and sixty L. vannamei (4.00 g ± 0.03) were raised in 12 hapas (1 m3 each, placed in 4 ponds) equally distributed on apparently 38.5% protein and 10.5% lipid containing three concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5) g/kg of dietary B. subtilis and a non‐supplemented control in triplicates. After 56 days of feeding trial, the growth performance, feed utilization, survival rate and immune parameters were significantly (p < 0.05) better in shrimp fed with dietary B.subtilis compared to the control. The higher dose of dietary B.subtilis showed the good performance of the parameters studied, but in some instances (specific growth rate, feed conversion rate, lysosomal enzyme activity, phenoloxidase activity etc.) were not significant (p < 0.05) difference. This study indicates that dietary B. subtilis based diets have a more positive influence on the growth performance, feed utilization, survival rate and immune response of L. vannamei fingerlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the effects of the inclusion of commercial feed additive (Sanacore® GM; SAN) in diets on growth and productive performance, digestive enzymes, intestinal microbiota, intestinal histomorphometry and blood profile of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). For this purpose, four diets containing 0.0% (the control), 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4% SAN were formulated and offered to triplicate groups of fish (20–23 g) reared in cages (30 × 10 × 3 m) for ten weeks. Water quality parameters were regularly monitored during the experimental period. No marked variations (p > 0.05) were observed in water temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH values; meanwhile, substantially decreases in unionized ammonia and nitrite levels were specifically detected at the treatment of 0.4% SAN. Feeding the fish on SAN‐supplemented diets confirmed significant modulations in fish growth and production, haemato‐biochemical profile, intestinal microbiota and intestinal histomorphometry. Fish growth, production and feed utilization indices extensively multiplied alongside with the increase in dietary SAN levels achieving their optimum values at the treatment of 0.4% SAN in contrast to the control group (0% SAN). Intestinal α‐amylase, lipase and proteases activities were notably greater in fish fed with SAN‐supplemented diets in particular at the 0.4% SAN diet. Feeding gilthead seabream on SAN‐containing diets markedly increased red blood cell counts, haemoglobin level and haematocrit per cent mainly at the diet of 0.4% SAN. Compared with the control group, highest values of serum total protein, albumin and globulin accompanied with lowest values of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly recorded in fish fed on the 0.4% SAN diet. Intestinal microbiota were additionally modulated due to SAN administration to gilthead seabream. However, marked reductions in counts of Vibrio sp. and Escherchia coli alongside with high Bacillus sp. counts were obtained in fish mid‐intestine mainly at the 0.4% diet. Feeding gilthead seabream on SAN‐enriched diets confirmed higher villi length/width, absorption area and crypt depth than the control group with optimal values at the 0.4% SAN diet. According to the outcomes observed in this study, the SAN administration to gilthead seabream, especially at the 0.4% level led to considerable enhancements in overall growth and production performance via improving the secretion of digestive enzymes and prompting the intestinal morphometry and beneficial microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade, indiscriminate antibiotic use has increased with intensive aquaculture practice for disease management leading to the emergence. Hence, there is a need to devise sustainable feed additives with nutraceutical value. Marine macroalgae containing natural polysaccharides have drawn attention because of their significant bioactivities. Sulphated polysaccharide is a polysaccharide containing sulphate group in sugar unit, characterized as a potential bioactive component in fish feed. These are non‐digestible feed constituents and facilitate the host in multiple ways by rousing the growth and immune responses and developing a defence against harmful microorganisms and physical stressors. In aquaculture practice, marine macroalgae‐derived sulphated polysaccharides are considered prebiotic substances that regulate host organisms' growth and health status. This study overviews marine macroalgae‐derived sulphated polysaccharides' sources, structure, and modes of action in aquatic animals. Furthermore, the present review underscores the potential applications of marine macroalgae‐derived sulphated polysaccharides in aquaculture to improve the knowledge for additional headway in this field of research. Although the effects of sulphated polysaccharides in aquatic animals have been investigated, further exploration of the mechanisms of sulphated polysaccharides on the health status of aquatic animals is required, which may open a new window during sustainable disease and growth management in the aquaculture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application potential of spirulina meal in aquaculture feeds has been well summarized in several descriptive reviews. Nevertheless, they converged on compiling results from all possible relevant studies. Little available quantitative analysis regarding the pertinent topics has been reported. This quantitative meta-analysis was performed to investigate the influences of dietary spirulina meal (SPM) addition on responsive variables in aquaculture animals, including final body weight (FBW), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), condition factor (CF), and hepatosomatic index (HSI). The pooled standardized mean difference (Hedges' g) and 95% confidence limit were computed to quantify the primary outcomes based on random-effects model. The sensitivity and subgroup analyses were carried out to evaluate the validity of the pooled effect size. The meta-regression analysis was conducted to investigate the optimal inclusion of SPM as a feed supplement and the upper threshold of SPM usage for substituting fishmeal in aquaculture animals. The results indicated that on the whole, dietary SPM addition significantly improved FBW, SGR, and PER; statistically decreased FCR of animals; had no significant influence on CF and HSI. The growth-enhancing effect of SPM inclusion in the form of feed additive was significant; however, the effect was indistinctive in the form of feedstuff. Furthermore, the meta-regression analysis displayed that the optimal levels of SPM as a feed supplement in fish and shrimp diets were 1.46%-2.26% and 1.67%, respectively. Additionally, up to 22.03%-24.53% and 14.95%-24.85% of SPM as fishmeal substitute did not have a negative effect on growth and feed utilization in fish and shrimp, respectively. Therefore, SPM is a promising fishmeal substitute and a growth-promoting feed additive for sustainable aquaculture of fish and shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive farming of red hybrid tilapia Oreochromis sp. significantly increases the emergence of infectious diseases. Recently, dietary administration of functional feed additives is gaining popularity as an alternative to antibiotics and chemotherapeutics. Mushroom stalk waste (MSW), which possesses the same therapeutic effects as the fruiting body, has immense potential as a cost‐effective feed additive in aquaculture. In the present study, 10 g/kg of the ethanol‐pretreated hot water extract (E‐HWE) of Pleurotus pulmonarius stalk waste was supplemented in the feed of red hybrid tilapia for a 30‐day period to determine the effects on growth performance and immune activation after challenging the fish with pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Results showed that E‐HWE supplementation significantly improved (p < 0.05) the feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and hepatosomatic index in red hybrid tilapia but had no apparent effect on the growth. Upon PAMPs challenge, the phagocytic activity and respiratory burst activity of blood leukocytes were significantly enhanced (p < 0.05) in E‐HWE‐supplemented group. E‐HWE supplementation also resulted in significantly higher (p < 0.05) serum haemolytic activity and bactericidal activity. All immune‐related genes investigated were upregulated in E‐HWE‐supplemented group; il1b, tnfa and tlr3 revealed higher expression levels at day 1 post‐PAMPs challenge, while ighm and tcrb genes expression levels were elevated after 3 days PAMPs challenge. This study revealed that E‐HWE could be a promising and cost‐effective feed additive in red hybrid tilapia farming which may also provide a solution for MSW disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aimed to investigate the effects of probiotic bacteria isolated from fish intestines of Khuzestan, Bushehr and Hormozgan provinces on growth performance, microbial flora, digestive enzymes activity, serum biochemical and non‐specific immune indices of Asian sea bass (Lates calcarifer). Four experimental groups were tested: control group (without probiotic), Diet 1 (probiotic bacteria isolated from Asian sea bass intestines in Khuzestan province), Diet 2 (probiotic bacteria isolated from Asian sea bass intestines in Hormozgan province) and Diet 3 (probiotic bacteria isolated from Asian sea bass intestines in Bushehr province). Fish sampling was performed on days 30 and 60 of the experiment. Results revealed that the use of the different dietary administration of probiotic bacteria significantly improved growth indices and increased the ɑ‐amylase, protease, lipase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities of the L. calcarifer. Serum alternative complement, lysozyme, respiratory burst activities and glucose levels of those fish received diet included with probiotic bacteria significantly increased. At the end of the trial, fish fed diet containing probiotic bacteria had a significant increase in the total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria and Lactobacillus spp counts compared to the control group. The findings of this research suggest that the dietary administration of probiotic bacteria, particularly in the Diet 2 group (Hormozgan Province), could modulate the growth performance, non‐specific immune response, microbial flora and digestive enzymes activity of L. calcarifer during 60 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune progressive disease, associated with many pathophysiological consequences. Owing to the adverse effects and higher costs of pharmaceuticals, people are now looking for complementary and alternative remedies. In this milieu, the present study was designed to explore the therapeutic potential of walnuts against FCA‐induced arthritis in rat models. Purposely, 50 Sprague Dawley rats were housed in a well‐ventilated animal room and separated into 5 groups of 10 rats each. The rats were categorized as G0 (negative control), G1 (positive control, i.e., FCA induced untreated arthritic rats), G2 (arthritic rats treated with MTX), G3 (arthritic rats treated with walnut feed), and G4 (arthritic rats treated with walnut extract), with an efficacy trial lasting for 42 days. The physical analysis explicated that paw swelling was significantly improved by 10%–12.8% in treatment groups after the intervention when compared with positive control. Moreover, biochemical analyses revealed significantly lower levels of ESR, CRP, and RF in rats treated with walnut‐based interventions when compared to positive control. ESR values were decreased by 62.4% and 69.92% in G3 and G4, whereas CRP levels were improved by 56.20% and 77.78% in G3 and G4 when compared with G1. Likewise, RF values decreased in G2, G3, and G4 by 64.71%, 55.88%, and 69.24%, respectively when compared to G1. The histological examination demonstrated the potential role of walnut‐based interventions in reducing the severity of disease by decreasing cell infiltration, bone erosion, and paw inflammation. Meanwhile, the gene expression analysis revealed that walnut‐based interventions protected the paw joints from damage by downregulating the RANKL‐OPG pathway. Conclusively, walnut feed and extract may serve as potent anti‐arthritic interventions with no side effects. Practical applications: Plant‐based therapeutics are effective in the prevention and management of various chronic diseases. The current research explored the anti‐arthritic potential of walnuts. Walnut feed and extract effectively reduced the serum arthritic biomarkers as well as downregulated the genes involved in bone destruction. Thus, the inclusion of dietary ingredients having therapeutic potential such as walnuts may be synchronized in clinical practices to ameliorate arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food production and processing in developing countries produce a huge amount of fruit waste by‐products, which is costly and pose detrimental effects on the environment. Proteins, lipids, starch, micronutrients, bioactive compounds and dietary fibres are found in many of these fruit wastes. Among fruit wastes, citrus fruits play an important role in generating a wide range of health benefits. Citrus L. of the Rutaceae family are common fruits cultivated and consumed globally both as fresh fruits and as a juice. Citrus peel wastes (CPW) are considered the main by‐products, with an average of 60% of processed fruits; hence, CPW have a promising role in the food production industry. CPW contain high concentrations of polyphenol and essential oils, which have nutritional importance and pharmaceutical usage. There is a concern on the increasing prevalence and incidence of different fish infections and a growing interest in shifting from synthetic to natural antimicrobial agents, leading to the use of citrus peel wastes for identification of novel compounds for use as fish feed additives. Although the antimicrobial properties of EOs have been reviewed extensively, the antimicrobial properties of citrus peels oil have not been extensively discussed. In fish farming, feeding strategies that employ phytochemicals as modulators of immunological and physiological responses such as growth, antioxidant activity and gene expression have received attention. In the past years, several studies have reported positive results of using citrus peel extracts as a nutritional additive in aquafeeds. Recently, these dietary functional feed additives have been evaluated and reported to increase disease resistance and improve fish growth, animal welfare and feed utilization. This review elucidates the global production, bioactive compounds, natural sources, chemical structures, physical properties, practical applications of citrus peel wastes and extracts as a desirable and sustainable route in fish nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the Amphora coffeaeformis diatom was applied in different concentrations to the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to investigate its potential effects in improving growth performance, as well as enhancing immune and antioxidant responses to control Aeromonas hydrophila infection. The tilapia fingerlings were divided into 4 groups, and for 4 weeks were fed A. coffeaeformis at various concentrations (0, 1, 2 and 3%). Growth‐stimulating activity from dietary A. coffeaeformis was observed, particularly in the 2% and 3% treatment groups. Furthermore, serum immunoglobulin M (IgM), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), total‐superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were evaluated at the 2nd and 4th weeks from the onset of feeding and showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the 2 and 3% groups. At the end of the feeding trial, the tilapia were challenged via an intraperitoneal (IP) injection of virulent Aeromonas hydrophila. Fish survival, serum IgM, nitric oxide, MDA, T‐SOD, CAT, GPx, and liver, kidney, spleen, and gill histopathology were all evaluated post challenge. Significant improvements in both immunological and antioxidant parameters continued until the post‐challenge measurements. Overall survival was significantly increased in the 2 and 3% groups, compared to the control and 1% groups. Histopathological examination revealed a decrease in the degenerative and destructive effects of A. hydrophila infection on the liver, kidneys, spleen, and gill tissues, indicating that dietary A. coffeaeformis administered at concentrations of 2 and 3% could be recommended as a feed additive for the control of A. hydrophila infection in Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the outcomes of a survey on the use of additives in 120 Egyptian grow-out farms carried out between 2018 and 2019. The survey focused on farms rearing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the biggest tilapia farming region in Egypt (Kafr El-Sheikh). Results were analysed to explore whether any type of additive was used, whether they were feed-or water-based and the frequency of use. A range of farm characteristics and farm management practices were used as independent variables to explain observed additive use patterns reported by farmers. The survey also gathered production data to explore a potential relationship between the use of additives and total marketable yield or mortality. The results of this survey display very low use of any sort of additive in this tilapia farming region (<33% of respondents) which is likely representative of practices in other production regions throughout the country. The most commonly reported additive classes were antibiotics, disinfectants and probiotics with the former two primarily used for treating disease after detecting mortalities in the ponds. Feed-based additives were used more frequently than water-based ones amongst which antibiotics were the most prevalent. There was no association between the use of additives and reported fish survival or total farm production. However, this is likely constrained by the small number of farms found to be using additives relative to the overall number of surveyed farms. Given the increasing trend in the use of additives in small-scale aquaculture, further efforts are needed to establish their cost-benefit and to promote their correct use where appropriate. Moreover, clear regulations are needed to prevent misuse of antimicrobials and minimise potential food safety concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics have been successfully used in dietary supplements to achieve aquatic animal health and therefore increase the quality and sustainability of fish production. In the present study, four hundred and twenty common carps, Cyprinus carpio (25.37 ± 0.22 g ; mean ± SE) were randomly attributed to seven treatments, fed with diets containing PrimaLac (probiotic), inulin (prebiotic), and Biomin Imbo (synbiotic), 1 and 2 g/kg for each supplement. After 60 days of feeding, an increase in final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and survival rate (SR) was recorded in the treatment groups compared to that of the control (P < 0.05). The food conversion ratio (FCR) in the treatment groups significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The treated groups showed significant improvements in serum immune parameters: lysozyme (LYZ), alternative complement (ACH50), total immunoglobulin (total Ig), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) (P < 0.05). Feeding fish with supplemented diets significantly showed enhanced antioxidant status: catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Malondialdehyde (MDA) activity was significantly lower in fish fed dietary additives (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, enzyme parameters revealed that supplementation could significantly decrease alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and aspartate transaminase (AST) (P < 0.05). The biochemical parameters including triglyceride (TRIG), cholesterol (CHO), glucose (GLU), and cortisol (CORT) decreased with dietary supplementation (P < 0.05). Total protein (TP) increased in fish fed experimental diets (P < 0.05). Fish fed pro, pre, and synbiotic exhibited significantly higher digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, and protease) (P < 0.05). Skin mucus parameters (total Ig, ACH50, LYZ, protease, and ALP) were significantly enhanced in groups fed dietary additives (P < 0.05). Thus, the best recommended inclusion level of supplementation is 2 g/kg for inulin and 2 g/kg for PrimaLac and doses of 1 or 2 g/kg for Biomin Imbo. Dietary PrimaLac, inulin, and Biomin Imbo could be recommended as beneficial feed additives to enhance growth performance, innate immune and antioxidant systems, and promoted biochemical parameters and digestion of common carp; also, the effect of dietary synbiotic was superior to that of prebiotic and probiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supplementation of functional feed in aquafeed can enhance immunity, growth performance and survival rate of fish. Triphala is one of the most popular herbal formulations in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. It is rich in gallic, chebulagic and chebulinic acids. Triphala is composed of equal ratios of Terminalia chebula, Terminalia belerica and Phyllanthus emblica. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of each of the three herbal compounds of triphala, as well as triphala itself, on the growth, immunity and plasma biochemistry of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). We conducted a 60‐day growth trial on Nile tilapia using five different dietary groups: control, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica, Phyllanthus emblica and triphala. The results showed a negative effect of Terminalia chebula on growth of tilapia, whereas Terminalia chebula and Terminalia bellirica caused signs of abnormal liver health (swollen hepatocytes and absent nuclei), so these two plants appear to have negative effects on fish health when used individually, whereas Phyllanthus emblica and triphala improved growth performance and health of Nile tilapia. Triphala had a positive impact on several plasma biochemical parameters: reduced tChol, triglycerides, LDL, ALT and AST. These results suggest that triphala can improve fish health and boost immunity, without any notable negative side effects, and as such has the potential to be used as a functional feed additive in fish diets. Our results do not support the use of the individual components. The exact mechanisms through which triphala compounds modulate the disease resistance, molecular effects and metabolic responses remain unknown and require further investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serotonin was used for the first time in this study as a feed additive in juvenile freshwater crayfish Pontastacus leptodactylus, (stage II‐V) to investigate its effects on growth performance, survival and immune response based on total haemocyte count (THC). Serotonin was included in diets at levels of 0 (control), 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg kg−1. When the results were examined, a significant quadratic increase was observed in the values of final total length: FTL and final body weight: FBW, weight gain (WG), length gain (LG) and specific growth rate (SGR) with dietary serotonin amounts (Plinear and Pquadratic <0.05). The survival rates of crayfish showed a significant linear increase with doses of serotonin (Plinear = 0.001). THC values, on the other hand, were not affected by serotonin amounts in experimental diets. The broken line models estimated optimum dietary serotonin inclusions based on FBW and FTL as 20.03 and 20.44 mg kg−1, respectively. In conclusion, dietary serotonin can be used in growing juvenile P. leptodactylus during the developmental stages of II‐V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed management practices significantly impact the production performance of tilapia (Oreochromis species) culture economically; hence, adopting appropriate feed management strategies is vital to maximize returns. The advancement in aquaculture has also allowed an advancement in the development formulated feeds to supplement or replace natural feeds. Farmers are now able to prepare their own fish feeds from locally available ingredients. Hence, feed ingredient evaluation is crucial for better development of appropriate diets for different aquaculture species as well as nutritional research. Therefore, this review used secondary data to evaluate the different strategies employed for better utilization of nutrients in feed by providing a discussion of functional feed additives used in aquafeeds such as the addition of enzymes, pre/probiotics, feeding stimulants, and use of hormones. Supplementation of diet with xynalase and phytase enzymes (P < 0.001) and probiotics (P < 0.05) improved growth (g/d) and FCR when applied individually. The combination of enzymes and probiotics showed an interaction effect (P < 0.05) on growth and FCR. A detailed discussion of feed ingredient processing strategies like fermentation, heat treatment, germination, and other biological methods meant to improve the nutritional quality of the feed and minimize antinutritional factors is provided. Furthermore, information on how genetic selection is being used to enhance feed utilization in tilapia fish is provided. The food conversion efficiency was found to be significantly higher (P < 0.05) in transgenic tilapia compared to the nontransgenic red tilapia fish with average weight ± SD of 384 ± 158 g and 314 ± 101 for transgenic fish and red tilapia, respectively, after 275 days of culture. The review further outlines the feed formulation challenges, and research gaps in tilapia nutrition. It was noted that proper feeding management strategies are very critical for the sustainability of tilapia aquaculture. In conclusion, dietary sources for tilapia are slowly shifting to plant-based products. However, these come with a lot of antinutritional factors and digestibility problems; hence, the right feeding strategies have to be employed to enable efficient nutrient utilization. The review discovered that there are a lot of strategies which employed research gaps in tilapia nutrition, especially on nutrient utilization of feed and feed formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oyster shells are considered as a byproduct or solid waste in mariculture or related food processing areas that face a major disposal problem at the landfill in coastal regions for sustainable development. Oyster shell is composed mostly of CaCO3, and it is also considered as a secondary source of calcium for various applications. In this paper, we extracted the calcium carbonate from oyster shell and used it as the source of calcium for the preparation of feed-grade monocalcium phosphate (MCP). The investigation shows that the heavy metal contents in oyster shells as well as in the synthesized MCP are extremely low, and the synthesized product meets the requirements for the European Union (EU) maximum limits applied for feed additives. The XRD, TG, and IR data analyses confirmed that the synthesized product is monocalcium phosphate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no published reports indicating that the African swine fever virus (ASFV) has been detected in feed ingredients or complete feed. This is primarily because there are only a few laboratories in the world that have the biosecurity and analytical capabilities of detecting ASFV in feed. Several in vitro studies have been conducted to evaluate ASFV concentration, viability and inactivation when ASFV was added to various feed ingredients and complete feed. These inoculation studies have shown that some feed matrices support virus survival longer than others and the reasons for this are unknown. Current analytical methodologies have significant limitations in sensitivity, repeatability, ability to detect viable virus particles and association with infectivity. As a result, interpretation of findings using various measures may lead to misleading conclusions. Because of analytical and technical challenges, as well as the lack of ASFV contamination data in feed supply chains, quantitative risk assessments have not been conducted. A few qualitative risk assessments have been conducted, but they have not considered differences in potential scenarios for ASFV contamination between various types of feed ingredient supply chains. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide a more holistic understanding of the relative potential risks of ASFV contamination in various global feed ingredient supply chains and provide recommendations for addressing the challenges identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purslane (Portulaca sp.) is a widely available succulent which could be used as an additive in fish feed owing to its nutritious nature and rich pigment content. In the present study, the effects of inclusion of purslane extract in fish feed was investigated on growth and pigmentation of blue streak hap (Labidochromis caeruleus Fryer, 1956). Fish were fed on diets containing 0 (control/T0), 3 (T3), 6 (T6) and 9 g kg−1 (T9) of purslane extract for 60 days. Positive results in terms of weight gain (0.51 g), specific growth rate (1.23%.day−1) and survival rate (83.33%) were observed in the group fed with 9 g kg−1 of purslane extract for 60 days. Furthermore, it was determined that the purslane extract had positive effects on pigmentation of blue streak hap, a prominent ornamental fish. The best coloration was achieved in blue streak hap of group T6, whose Hue (Hab°) angle values varied between 83.61 ± 1.15 and 78.10 ± 1.35. This study is the first to include purslane extract into blue streak hap diets for its effect on growth and pigmentation. Findings from this study clearly demonstrate that using purslane extracts in diet has a positive effect on growth (T9), survival rate (T6, T9) and pigmentation (T6) of blue streak hap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study determined the combined effect of dietary l‐carnitine (non‐essential organic nutrient) and ractopamine (feed additive) on growth performance and nutritional composition of Labeo calbasu. To ascertain this, a 60‐day feeding trial was carried out under a controlled condition where two hundred and twenty‐five healthy L. calbasu fingerlings (avg. wt. 3.47 ± 0.1 g) were divided into four treatments group and one control group in triplicate. Therefore, the respective combination of l‐carnitine and ractopamine diet was fed to L. calbasu fingerlings as C: control or basal feed without l‐carnitine and ractopamine; T1:1 g kg−1l‐carnitine and 10 mg kg−1 ractopamine; T2: 2 g kg−1l‐carnitine and 20 mg kg−1 ractopamine; T3: 3 g kg−1l‐carnitine and 30 mg kg−1 ractopamine and T4: 4 g kg−1l‐carnitine and 40 mg kg−1 ractopamine, respectively. Upon completion of the 60‐day feeding experiment, eight fish were randomly collected from each tank and subjected to a series of laboratory analyses. The study determines that T2 group fish significantly (p <.05) improved the WGP (244.66 ± 20.59%), SGR (0.89 ± 0.04), PER (2.20 ± 0.14) and increased crude protein content in fish muscle. In addition, many essential amino acids were recorded significantly high (p <.05) in the fish fed with diet T2 compared with others. Hence, dietary supplementation of l‐carnitine and ractopamine at 2 g kg−1 and 20 mg kg−1 in combination is beneficial for growth and nutritional composition of L. calbasu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of antibiotics is creating a public health crisis and leads to the emergence of drug‐resistant bacteria. Short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the ferment products of gut microbiota with carbohydrate and play a pivotal role in host health. To date, there is very limited research on the potential anti‐infection effect of SCFAs. In this study, the effects of butyrate on the pathogenicity of Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila) were investigated. Butyrate at sub‐MIC concentrations could reduce the population growth rate of A. hydrophila but did not significantly affect its population at the stationary phase. Butyrate could decrease the production of virulence factors of A. hydrophila in a concentration‐dependent manner. Sub‐MIC butyrate could inhibit the activity of protease and haemolysin by 62.41% and 56.02% at 1.00 mg ml−1, respectively, and decrease the biofilm formation of A. hydrophila at 34.71%. In vivo study showed that the sub‐MIC butyrate could increase the survival of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) against A. hydrophila. Furthermore, after challenging with A. hydrophila, the survival rate of zebrafish in butyrate‐supplemented group was significantly higher than that of control (p <.05). These results suggested that butyrate could be used as a promising feed additive to protect the host against A. hydrophila infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral nerve damage is a debilitating condition that can result in partial or complete functional loss as a result of axonal degeneration, as well as lifelong dependence. Many therapies have been imbued with a plethora of positive features while posing little risks. It is worth noting that these biomolecules work by activating several intrinsic pathways that are known to be important in peripheral nerve regeneration. Although the underlying mechanism is used for accurate and speedy functional recovery, none of them are without side effects. As a result, it is believed that effective therapy is currently lacking. The dietary biomolecules‐based intervention, among other ways, is appealing, safe, and effective. Upregulation of transcription factors, neurotrophic factors, and growth factors such as NGF, GDNF, BDNF, and CTNF may occur as a result of these substances' dietary intake. Upregulation of the signaling pathways ERK, JNK, p38, and PKA has also been seen, which aids in axonal regeneration. Although several mechanistic approaches to understanding their involvement have been suggested, more work is needed to reveal the amazing properties of these biomolecules. We have discussed in this article that how different dietary biomolecules can help with functional recovery and regeneration after an injury. Practical applications: Based on the information known to date, we may conclude that treatment techniques for peripheral nerve injury have downsides, such as complications, donor shortages, adverse effects, unaffordability, and a lack of precision in efficacy. These difficulties cast doubt on their efficacy and raise severe concerns about the prescription. In this situation, the need for safe and effective therapeutic techniques is unavoidable, and dietary biomolecules appear to be a safe, cost‐efficient, and effective way to promote nerve regeneration following an injury. The information on these biomolecules has been summarized here. Upregulation of transcription factors, neurotrophic factors, and growth factors, such as NGF, GDNF, BDNF, and CTNF, as well as the ERK, JNK, p38, and PKA, signaling pathways, may stimulate axonal regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for natural immunotherapeutic agents has become increasingly important for fish disease treatment and prophylaxis. The present research explored the effects of macro- and microalgal extracts on zebrafish juvenile growth and immune status. A plant-based diet was used as a control (diet C), and seven other diets were prepared similar to diet C, supplemented with 10 g Kg-1 of each algal extract (Fucus vesiculosus, F; Nannochloropsis gaditana, N; and Ulva rigida, U), or a combination of extracts (diets FN, FU, NU and FNU). A fishmeal-based diet was included as a positive control (diet C+). Diet C+ outperformed the remaining dietary treatments, growth-wise. None of the extracts improved diet C negative effects. However, the inclusion of U. rigida and N. gaditana extracts promoted an immunomodulatory action after 1 week of trial, by upregulating cytokine expression. This effect subsided after 30 days, suggesting tolerance may be developed over time. In contrast, effects on growth-related genes were still observed after 5 weeks of feeding F, N, U and FN diets. Algal extract dietary inclusion did not compromise intestinal integrity. These findings support the potential of algal extracts as functional feed additives during short periods (<30 days) to enhance immunomodulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary supplementation with tea polyphenols (TPs) is associated with reduced diet‐induced obesity and/or metabolic syndrome in mammal studies. However, TPs have rarely been related to fish metabolic syndrome caused by intensive aquaculture. In this study, TPs were supplemented to three diets with different protein to carbohydrate ratios (P38C30, P32C26, P26C42) to grass carp for 8 weeks. After the feeding trial, contrast to the anti‐obesity effect in mammals, TPs improved the growth performance and spared protein of grass carp in the case of high protein and low carbohydrate diet intake. Dietary TPs supplementation reduced hepatic g6pc and pck expressions to suppress gluconeogenesis without altered glycolysis (unchanged glk and pk expression), resulted in lower plasma glucose levels compared with no supplemented diets. The hepatic glycogen was induced by dietary TPs supplementation through increasing gys expression or decreasing pyg expression. In addition, dietary TPs supplementation provided health benefits in our fish through enhancing the activities of plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione content, meanwhile, reducing the content of malondialdehyde. Therefore, TPs could be used as a natural antihyperglycemic feed additive candidate for sparing dietary protein and improving feed efficiency in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we evaluated the growth performance, body composition and feed efficiency, muscle and gut histology, blood haematology and plasma biochemical parameters and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the liver of Nile tilapia fed diets supplemented with betaine. Increasing doses (0.00, 0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 g kg−1) were added to a basal diet and randomly assigned to three groups, composed of 12 fish (27.76 ± 1.31 g) in each experimental units. The fish were fed to satiation four times a day during 100 days. Dietary inclusion of 0.50 g kg−1 of betaine resulted in greater results in weight gain, daily weight gain, specific growth rate, as well as energy retention rate. Dietary inclusion of betaine resulted in less height, width and thickness of the tunic of the gut folds. Fish fed 0.50 and 1.00 g kg−1 of dietary betaine showed higher plasma glucose. The concentration of substances reactive to thiobarbituric acid was lower in fish fed with 0.50 g kg−1 of dietary betaine, while those fed with 1.00 g kg−1 dietary betaine show greater activity of the catalase enzyme. The dietary inclusion of 0.50 g kg−1 of betaine improves growth performance probably by reducing lipid peroxidation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinoptilolite, a natural zeolite, has been added to animal diets to enhance various production parameters. We conducted a feeding experiment, with subsequent stress treatment (lowered oxygen levels), to assess its effect on haematological and biochemical parameters in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Our results indicated no significant effect of up to 6% clinoptilolite addition to the diet. Stress induction lowered MCHC, Fe and TAG values, but resulted in higher concentrations of ALP, GLUC and Mg. Cl and Na ions showed a divergent trend, with Cl ions decreasing with increasing clinoptilolite concentration before stress, but increasing continuously after stress, whilst Na concentrations decreased after stress at high clinoptilolite concentrations. Though many factors influence the stress response, we showed that lowering oxygen levels can significantly affect both haematological and biochemical parameters in rainbow trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of essential oils (EO's) as feed additive has been explored as tool to improve fish growth and health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the oregano essential oil (OEO) (Origanum vulgare) dietary supplementation for the catfish Lophiosilurus alexandri. Four diets supplemented with different OEO levels (0.0, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g kg−1) were evaluated in a feed trial conducted with fish of 15.7 ± 1.8 g and 9.5 ± 0.45 cm for 13 weeks. Were evaluated growth performance, biochemical parameters, intestinal histomorphometry, whole‐body composition and muscle growth. Polynomial analysis showed that weight gain, length gain and specific growth rate were improved in fish fed with OEO supplemented diets, being 2.37, 2.56 and 2.33 g kg−1 the respective levels that maximize these variables. Plasma glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and HDL increased with OEO levels between 1.80–2.47 g kg−1. Intestinal histomorphometry was not affected by OEO. Body protein content and hyperplasic muscle fibres were maximized with 2.10 and 2.25 g kg−1 OEO, respectively. Body moisture, total lipids, ash and hypertrophic muscle fibres were not affected by OEO. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 2.10–2.56 g kg−1 OEO improves growth performance, body protein retention and muscle growth of L. alexandri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several eco‐friendly natural substances can enhance the shrimp immune defence system therby acting as a prophylactic agent in feed additives. Agents such as (1, 3)‐(1, 6)‐D β‐glucan and complex mannan‐oligosaccharides located in yeast cell walls present such immunomodulatory and potential prebiotic properties. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of a commercial yeast cell wall extract (YCW) on shrimp performance and health status, and influence on gut microbiota. Juvenile Penaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) were raised at an intensive shrimp farm and fed with two different diet inclusions levels of YCW, that is, 0.5% and 1.0%, in addition to a yeast free control group. After 102 days, animals were sampled, and standard nutrition performance parameters were measured. Additionally, the phylogenetic profile and composition of shrimp gut microbiota were evaluated. Animal performance, including growth and survival, was significantly better on animals fed with YCW than the control group. Furthermore, beneficial bacteria phylotypes were stimulated by the presence of YCW, positively modulating the gut microbiota, with emphasis on 1.0% YCW treatment. Therefore, YCW can be regarded as a prophylactic functional agent in the intensive rearing of juvenile P. vannamei thus improving animal performance and contributing to a healthy intestinal microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supplemental effect of marine algae (Ulva spp. and Solieria spp.) extracts with/without organic acids was evaluated in olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) diet. A diet containing 55% fish meal was considered as the control diet. Three other diets were prepared by supplementing 0.5% of algae extract from Ulva spp. mixed with a blend of organic acids and 0.3% or 0.5% algae extracts from Ulva spp. and Solieria spp. into the control diet (CON, AS5, AL3 and AL5). Total 640 fish (initial mean body weight: 26.5 ± 0.02 g) were randomly distributed into 16 tanks as 40 fish per tank. Quadruplicate groups of fish were hand‐fed one of the experimental diets twice a day for 12 weeks. Growth performance of fish was not significantly affected by experimental diets although feed utilization of fish fed AS5 diet was significantly higher than that of the CON group. The innate immune responses and activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly increased by dietary supplementation of the additives. When fish were challenged with Edwardsiella tarda, survival was higher in fish fed the additive supplemented diets than the CON group. Catalase, lysozyme and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly higher in surviving fish fed the additive supplemented diets than the CON group after the challenge test. Goblet cell counts in fish intestine were significantly higher in AS5 group. Amylase and lipase activities and lipid digestibility were increased by the diets containing additives. The findings in this study indicate that algal extract and/or organic acid supplementation in diets increase innate immunity, disease resistance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activity, diet digestibility and feed utilization of olive flounder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to investigate the ameliorating effect of dietary curcumin Curcuma longa (CUR) against the subacute toxicity of fipronil (FIP) on Oreochromis niloticus. One hundred and eighty fish were divided into six groups and kept for 30 days; the first group was kept as a control group fed on commercial diet, while the second and third groups were fed on commercial diets supplemented with 1% (CUR1) and 3% (CUR3) curcumin powder/kg diet respectively. The fourth (FIP), fifth (FIP1) and sixth (FIP3) experimental groups were intoxicated with FIP (1/10 96 h LC50), where (FIP1) and (FIP3) groups were fed on a commercial diet supplemented with 1% and 3% of curcumin powder respectively. Hepatorenal damage markers, immunological, tissue antioxidant parameters and anterior kidney expression of IL‐8, IL‐1β and TGF‐β1 genes were determined. Curcumin alleviated the deteriorative effects of FIP intoxication through decreasing hepatic and renal damage markers, improving serum respiratory burst and lysozyme activities. Curcumin provoked a marked decrease in hepatic and renal malondialdehyde and nitric oxide concentration with a significant improvement in tissues' antioxidant status in FIP‐intoxicated fish. Gene expression analysis revealed a significant down‐expression of pro‐inflammatory markers genes after supplementation of curcumin in FIP‐intoxicated fish. In conclusion, the use of 3% curcumin as a feed additive could be implemented to protect fish against the toxic effects of agrochemical wastes via restoring antioxidant and immunological parameters of intoxicated fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of olive leaf extract on growth, haematological parameters, immune system and carcass composition in common carp were examined. In this research, 180 common carp (32.26 ± 1.01 g) were randomly distributed to nine fibreglass tanks. The fish were fed a diet with 200 mg/kg olive leaf extract (group 1), 400 mg/kg olive leaf extract (group 2), and basal food (control group) for 75 days. At the end of the experiment, WG, SGR and PER values were significantly higher in the groups fed the diet containing 200 mg/kg of olive leaf extract compared with the control group. Furthermore, FCR and FER values were improved in the groups fed by diets with various levels of olive leaf extract than the control group. The contents of WBCs, lysozyme and NBT activity were significantly increased in the groups fed diets containing olive leaf extract. Cholesterol content was significantly lower in the group fed diet containing olive leaf extract compared with the control group. Also, serum triglyceride and carcass lipid contents were significantly lower in the group fed diet containing 200 mg/kg of olive leaf extract compared with the control group. Total protein, albumin, globulin and calcium contents were significantly higher in the group fed the diet containing 200 mg/kg of olive leaf extract compared with the control group. Our results demonstrated that diet containing 200 mg/kg olive leaf extract were efficient feed additives and has the potential for use in improving the growth performance and health status for this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of artificial feeds for Tachypleus tridentatus is important given the requirement of Tachypleus amebocyte lysate and the temporary rearing and industrial aquaculture. The effects of Spirulina platensis powder on growth performance, haemolymph biochemical parameter and non‐specific immune enzymes were investigated. Addition of S. platensis powder improved artificial feed quality for growth performance. Haemocyanin concentration, total protein and total cholesterol (TCH) did not differ among the groups after 4 weeks of feeding natural feeds. TCH in Treatment 1 decreased significantly after 2 weeks, but this phenomenon was resolved by the addition of S. platensis powder. Total antioxidant, superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased with varying degrees in the groups of semi‐artificial feed within the first 2 weeks, but the parameters converged after 4 weeks. Malonaldehyde increased after 4 weeks with the addition of S. platensis powder to semi‐artificial feed. Groups with semi‐artificial feed had similar contents of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase to those of the group with natural feed. Thus, no differences were found among groups during the 4 weeks. S. platensis powder not only had physiological stimulative effects but also increased the growth of the adult Chinese horseshoe crab T. tridentatus when the crabs were fed with semi‐artificial feed. The powder also stabilized the haemolymph biochemical parameters and non‐specific immune enzymes. Therefore, the effects of S. platensis powder as feed additive on the adult T. tridentatus were evaluated. This study provides first‐hand data for the development of artificial feeds and generates positive results for T. tridentatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial sweeteners are posing a new threat to the environment. The water ecosystem is the primary recipient of these emerging contaminants. Once ingested, sufficient amount of these artificial sweeteners escape unchanged from the human body and are added to the environment. However, some are added in the form of their breakdown products through excretion. Artificial sweeteners are resistant to wastewater treatment processes and are therefore continuously introduced into the water environments. However, the environmental behavior, fate, and long-term ecotoxicological contributions of artificial sweeteners in our water resources still remain largely unknown. Some artificial sweeteners like saccharin are used as a food additive in animal feeds. It also forms the degradation product of the sulfonylurea herbicides. All artificial sweeteners enter into the wastewater treatment plants from the industries and households. From the effluents, they finally reside into the receiving environmental bodies including wastewaters, groundwaters, and surface waters. The global production of these sweeteners is several hundred tons annually and is continuously being added into the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of a probiotic additive on reproductive variables of the silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen). Three hundred juveniles (initial mean weight 17.35 ± 0.97 g) were fed for 90 days with diets containing increasing levels of a probiotic additive (0.15, 0.30, 0.45 and 0.60 g/kg of feed), which consisted of a blend between Bacillus subtilis and B. cereus, both at a concentration of 4 × 1011 CFU/g, and a control diet without the additive. In males, the presence of the probiotic had an effect on relative seminal volume, sperm cells' survival, gonadosomatic, hepatosomatic and viscerosomatic indexes, as well as transpose beat frequency, displacement velocity, motility rate and straightness of sperm cells. In females, the probiotic inclusion resulted in presented better in spawning and fertilization rates, viscerosomatic fat accumulation and development of germ cells. Additionally, the hepatic integrity and hepatocyte developmental characteristics were preserved by the presence of the probiotic additive. Thus, the inclusion of 0.60 g/kg of the probiotic could be recommended for the improvement of the reproductive performance of R. quelen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of animal feed as a vehicle for the transport and transmission of viral diseases was first identified during the porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus (PEDV) epidemic in North America. Since that time, various feed additives have been evaluated at the laboratory level to measure their effect on viral viability and infectivity in contaminated feed using bioassay piglet models. While a valid first step, the conditions of these studies were not representative of commercial swine production. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of feed additives to mitigate the risk of virus‐contaminated feed using a model based on real‐world conditions. This new model used an 'ice‐block' challenge, containing equal concentrations of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), Senecavirus A (SVA) and PEDV, larger populations of pigs, representative commercial facilities and environments, along with realistic volumes of complete feed supplemented with selected additives. Following supplementation, the ice block was manually dropped into designated feed bins and pigs consumed feed by natural feeding behaviour. After challenge, samples were collected at the pen level (feed troughs, oral fluids) and at the animal level (clinical signs, viral infection, growth rate, and mortality) across five independent experiments involving 15 additives. In 14 of the additives tested, pigs on supplemented diets had significantly greater average daily gain (ADG), significantly lower clinical signs and infection levels, and numerically lower mortality rates compared to non‐supplemented controls. In conclusion, the majority of the additives evaluated mitigated the effects of PRRSV 174, PEDV and SVA in contaminated feed, resulting in improved health and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF) is currently considered the most significant global threat to pork production worldwide. Disease caused by the ASF virus (ASFV) results in high case fatality of pigs. Importantly, ASF is a trade‐limiting disease with substantial implications on both global pork and agricultural feed commodities. ASFV is transmissible through natural consumption of contaminated swine feed and is broadly stable across a wide range of commonly imported feed ingredients and conditions. The objective of the current study was to investigate the efficacy of medium‐chain fatty acid and formaldehyde‐based feed additives in inactivating ASFV. Feed additives were tested in cell culture and in feed ingredients under a transoceanic shipment model. Both chemical additives reduced ASFV infectivity in a dose‐dependent manner. This study provides evidence that chemical feed additives may potentially serve as mitigants for reducing the risk of ASFV introduction and transmission through feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful management of the dairy industry is closely related to rearing healthy calves. The proper development of the gastrointestinal canal is crucial to reach this goal. One of the strategies to promote this development is the addition of feed additives to the diet. This research aimed to determine the impact of prebiotic inulin and a new, not commercially available synbiotic (mix of prebiotic inulin and probiotic S. cerevisiae strain 1026) on the development of the gastrointestinal canal of calves by comparing the weight of the stomach, its relative ratio to body weight and evaluating pH, and histological changes in different parts of the gastrointestinal canal and assess whether or not the addition of inulin to the yeast S. cerevisiae improves the abovementioned parameters. We used prebiotic inulin (6 g) and a synbiotic (prebiotic inulin 6 g and probiotic Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain 1026, 5 g). The 56-day long research was conducted with fifteen crossbreed calves (32 ± 6 days old) organized in the control group (CoG), the prebiotic group (PreG), and the synbiotic group (SynG). We determined pH, morphological parameters of different parts of the digestive canal, and morphometric parameters of the stomach. The addition of prebiotic inulin to calves' diet causes the increase of pH in rumen, abomasum, and intestines but when inulin was added to S. cerevisiae, pH decreased and was even lower than in the control group. Prebiotic inulin and its synbiotic with yeast S. cerevisiae positively impact the development of almost all morphological structures of rumen saccus dorsalis, rumen saccus ventralis, and intestine; moreover, calves from the synbiotic group showed better results in virtually all parameters. However, both inulin and synbiotic did not affect the weight and relative weight of different parts of the stomach. Tested synbiotic has the potential to promote the development of the rumen and other parts of the digestive canal of calves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Maillard reaction is of great significance in food, herb medicines, and life processes. It is usually occurring during the process of food and herb medicines processing and storage. The formed Maillard reaction productions (MRPs) in food and herb medicines not only generate a large number of efficacy components but also generate a small amount of harmful substance that cannot be ignored. Some of the MRPs, especially the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are concerning humans, based on the possibility to induce cancer and mutations in laboratory animals. Numerous studies have been reported on the formation, analysis, and control of the potentially harmful MRPs (PHMRPs). Therefore, the investigation into the formation, analysis, and control of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines is very important for improving the quality and safety of food and herb medicines. This article provides a brief review of the formation, analysis (major content), and control of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines, which will provide a base and reference for safe processing and storage of food and herb medicines. Practical Applications. The formed Maillard reaction productions in food and herb medicines not only generate a large number of functional components but also generate a small amount of harmful substance that cannot be ignored. This contribution provides a brief review on the formation (including the correlative studies between MRs and the PHMRPs, mechanisms, and the main pathways); analysis (major content, pretreatment for analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis, and structural identification analysis); and control (strategies and mechanisms) of PHMRPs in food and herb medicines, which will provide a solid theoretical foundation and a valuable reference for safe processing and storage for food and herb medicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium butyrate is one of the most popular feed additives in animal husbandry. In recent years, sodium butyrate has been increasingly used as supplement in aquaculture. The present study is to investigate the intestinal mRNA and microRNA response to diet with sodium butyrate in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella), an important aquaculture species in China. mRNA and microRNA profiles of intestine of grass carp fed with diet contained 0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 g/kg sodium butyrate were obtained by RNA‐seq using Illumina Hiseq 2,500 platform. The feeding trial was performed using 18 individuals of 1‐year‐old grass carp (n = 3 for each group) and lasted for 40 days in tanks in laboratory. A total of 349,860,852 sequence reads were generated from six intestinal libraries. Functional analysis of differentially expressed genes showed that genes participated in immune pathways tend to be activated by sodium butyrate supplementation. A total of 700 microRNAs were obtained, including 275 conserved microRNAs and 425 novel microRNAs which are potentially involved in regulating 14,300 genes. Spearman's correlation analysis identified 18 pairs of microRNA‐mRNA associated with immune pathways (p <.01 and R<−0.5). The potential genes targeted by microRNAs include CXCL12, AKT1S1, Cab39 and MHCII which are important genes associated with intestinal immune pathways. To our knowledge, this is the first integrated profiling of both mRNA and microRNA in intestine with supplementation of sodium butyrate in grass carp. The present results suggest that sodium butyrate affects intestinal immune system by regulating microRNA‐mRNA interaction in fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the winter of south China, low water temperatures resulted in a large‐scale mortality of tilapia, which is a tropical fish and sensitive to cold. How can we solute the problem? The growth performance, antioxidation and gene expression of genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles in cold freshwater were investigated by feeding various dietary vitamin E (VE) or/and alanyl‐glutamine dipeptide (AGD) supplementation. Seven groups of the juveniles in triplicate were reared in tanks, with 120 L volume and 38 fish each tank, using exposed, filtered and aerated tap‐water. One group of the juveniles was reared in 28°C (normal water temperature control and marked as D0′) and another six groups of the juveniles in 18°C (cold water, one marked as cold water control, D0, and five marked as D1–D5). The GIFT tilapia juveniles were fed twice daily using one of six specific diets: control diet (D0′, D0) without additive; diets 1 to 5 were added different doses of VE or/and AGD based on per kg of dried feed. Diet 1 (D1) was added VE 100 IU alone; diet 2 (D2) AGD 10 g only; diet 3 (D3) VE 100 IU and AGD 10 g; diet 4 (D4) VE 50 IU and AGD 5 g; diet 5 (D5) VE 25 IU and AGD 2.5 g. The GIFT tilapia juveniles were reared for 12 weeks and sampled randomly for analysis in week 0 and 12. The following parameters in the serum, muscle and liver of the juveniles were determined: the expression of heat shock proteins 70 (HSP70), peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) genes, survival rate (SR), relative weight gain (RWG), specific growth rate (SGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), GPX, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), glutathione/glutathione oxidized (GSH/GSSG) and total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC). The above‐mentioned parameters in the serum, muscle and liver of the D0 juveniles (18°C control) were lower significantly (p <.05) than those of the D0′ juveniles (28°C control). However, the above‐mentioned parameters were considerably promoted by feeding various additional dietary VE or/and AGD, in which the highest HSP70, PPARα and GPX gene expression, SR, RWG, SGR, PER, antioxidases, GSH/GSSG and T‐AOC were found in the liver, muscle and serum of the juveniles fed D3 and differed significantly from those of the juveniles fed other diets, respectively. In concluded, D3, with additional VE 100 IU and AGD 10 g per kg of dried feed, was the optimum diet for juvenile GIFT tilapia in 18°C freshwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean‐label foods are increasing in popularity, and clean‐label breads are needed since bread formulations often contain several dough/bread improvers that are not considered clean‐label by consumers. This research investigated the use of hard red spring (HRS) wheat as an alternative ingredient to improve whole wheat bread quality, while maintaining a clean‐label. Hard red winter (HRW) whole wheat flour was blended with three levels of three different HRS whole wheat flours or with eight different dough conditioners. Each treatment was evaluated for dough, and baking qualities by AACC International Approved Methods. Increasing the percentage of HRS flour significantly (p <.05) increased the Farinograph water absorption and stability. Bread‐specific volume significantly (p <.05) increased with increasing percentages of HRS flour. Bread firmness decreased with increasing percentages of HRS flour. Overall, the HRS blends produced dough and bread quality parameters that were equal to or better than the additives. Practical applications: The main application of this research is to provide an alternative to common bread additives to develop clean‐label whole wheat bread products. This research shows that many bread additives that are no longer accepted by consumers can be replaced by adding wholemeal hard red spring wheat with good protein quality to whole wheat bread. The quality of clean‐label whole wheat breads can be brought to the same level, or better, as traditional whole wheat breads containing dough improver ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four hundred and fifty Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), each weighing ca. 4 g, were randomly allocated into five equal groups in triplicate. The first group acts as control (A0). A1, A2, A3 and A4 groups were fed on rations supplemented with diatom, Amphora coffeaeformis, at 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%, respectively, for 63 days. Assessment of fish growth, biochemical composition, erythrocyte alterations, gonadal maturation, serum biomarkers, and liver and intestinal pathogens was carried out to identify fish welfare. Fish were challenged by Aeromonas hydrophila injection for an additional 14 days; then, mortality rate and some blood parameters were monitored. Results demonstrated that Amphora sp. insignificantly impacted fish growth, but it induced significant depletion in lipid content. Blood smear investigation indicated erythrocyte alterations in A4 group compared with A0 group. Male gonadosomatic index and relative fecundity demonstrated an increment in A3 and A4 groups respectively. A boost in fish immunity of A3 group was demonstrated through serum biomarkers and pathogenic bacterial identification in liver and intestine compared with other groups. Cumulative mortality of stressed fish was 90% in the A0 group and decreased to 30% in the A3 group. Blood analysis of stressed fish indicated higher tolerance in the A3 group. In conclusion, Amphora sp. can be used as an immunostimulant for increasing disease resistance under stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]