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Simple Summary: There is a disadvantage in determining the amino acid digestibility of swine feed ingredients using commercial cannulated pigs due to their relatively fast growth rate. Using mini-pig breeds to determine the amino acid digestibility can complement this disadvantage of commercial pigs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare the ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids between commercial crossbred pigs and Jeju Island native pigs. The digestibility of most amino acids was comparable between the two breeds regardless of the test ingredient. These findings indicate that amino acid digestibility data from Jeju Island native pigs can be used to estimate the amino acid digestibility in feedstuffs for commercial crossbred pigs. The objectives of this study were to determine the apparent ileal digestibility and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of crude protein (CP) and amino acids (AA) in feed ingredients, compare the ileal digestibility of CP and AA between commercial crossbred pigs and mini-Jeju Island native pigs (JINP), and develop models for estimating SID of CP and AA for commercial pigs using mini-JINP data. The study involved five crossbred commercial pigs (31.5 ± 1.6 kg of body weight and 11 weeks of age; Landrace × Yorkshire) and five mini-JINP (31.0 ± 3.2 kg body weight and 20 weeks of age). The pigs were surgically equipped with a T-cannula at the end of ileum. Each pig breed was assigned to 5 dietary treatments in a 5 × 10 incomplete Latin square design with 10 periods. Four experimental diets were formulated to contain each of soybean meal, corn gluten feed, copra meal, and sesame expellers as the sole source of nitrogen. A nitrogen-free diet was also prepared to determine basal endogenous losses of CP and AA. No interaction between breed and feed ingredient was observed for the digestibility of CP and all indispensable AA. The SID of CP and all indispensable AA, except Arg, His, and Lys, did not differ between the two breeds of pigs. Prediction equations were developed for SID of CP and AA of commercial pigs using the SID values of mini-JINP: SID of CP (%) = (1.02 × SID of CP in mini-JINP) − 5.20 with r2 = 0.97 and p < 0.05; SID of Lys (%) = (1.12 × SID of Lys in mini-JINP) − 9.10 with r2 = 0.98 and p < 0.05; and SID of Met (%) = (1.08 × SID of Met in mini-JINP) − 4.27 with r2 = 0.96 and p < 0.05. The digestibility for most AA in feedstuffs for commercial pigs can be estimated using data from mini-JINP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural limitations of regeneration in the CNS are major problems for the treatment of neurological disorders, including ischaemic brain strokes. Among the approaches being actively developed to inhibit post-ischaemic negative consequences is the delivery of therapeutic genes encoding neuroprotective molecules to the brain. Unfortunately, there are currently no proven and available medicines that contain recombinant human genes for the treatment of ischaemic cerebral stroke. Of particular interest is the development of treatments for patients at risk of ischaemic stroke. In the present study, we propose a proof of concept for the use of an autologous, genetically enriched leucoconcentrate temporally secreting recombinant vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) for the treatment of stroke. In a mini-pig ischaemic stroke model, genetically enriched leucoconcentrate was infused 4 h after surgery (gene therapy in acute phase) or 2 days before stroke modelling (preventive gene therapy). On day 21, after the stroke modelling, the post-ischaemic brain recovery was examined by morphologic and immunofluorescence analysis. The benefits of treating a stroke with genetically enriched leucoconcentrate both for preventive purposes and in the acute phase were confirmed by an improved performance in behavioural tests, higher preservation of brain tissue and positive post-ischaemic brain remodelling in the peri-infarct area. These results suggest that the employment of autologous leucocytes enabling the temporary production of the recombinant therapeutic molecules to correct the pathological process in the CNS may be one of the breakthrough approaches in gene therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]