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The objective of current experiment was to study the potential influence of hydrolysable tannin supplementation on slaughter performance, meat quality, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, antioxidant ability and barrier function in fattening lambs. In total, 36 male Hu sheep lambs with similar body weight (15.83 ± 0.48 kg) and days in age (55 ± 2 d) were randomly assigned to one of three groups of 12 animals each: control without tannin (CON) and tannin supplementation groups (TA1, 3 g/d per lamb; TA2, 6 g/d per lamb). All the lambs were reared in individual hutches, and the experiment lasted for 60 d. On d 61, 8 lambs from each group were randomly selected to slaughter. Results showed that the serum diamine oxidase and lipopolysaccharide contents of TA2 group were higher (p < 0.05) than those of CON group. Compared with CON group, the carcass weight and intramuscular fat content of lambs in TA1 group were increased (p < 0.05) and the meat shear force was decreased (p < 0.05). The trypsin activity in the jejunum and ileum of TA1 group was higher (p < 0.05) than that of CON and TA2 groups. Also, tannin supplementation significantly increased (p < 0.05) the level of jejunal and ileal total antioxidant capacity and reduced (p < 0.05) the jejunal malondialdehyde concentration in lambs. The jejunum and ileum of TA1 lambs showed reduced (p < 0.05) tumor necrosis factor-alpha and increased (p < 0.05) interleukin-10 mRNA levels compared with CON lambs. In the jejunum, the secretory immunoglobulin A content of TA1 group was higher (p < 0.05) than that of CON and TA2 groups. Lambs supplemented with tannin at the level of 3 g/d increased (p < 0.05) the gene expressions of claudin-1 , claudin-4 and zonula occludens-1 in the jejunum when compared to those of CON and TA2 groups. In summary, tannin supplementation at the level of 3 g/d per animal can improve the production performance and intestinal function of fattening lambs fed a high-concentrate diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 60-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary Anabaena blue-green algae (ABGA) meal on the growth performance, digestibility, and physio-metabolic responses of Catla catla fingerlings (initial average weight 9.45 ± 0.15 g). Six iso-nitrogenous (30% crude protein) and iso-caloric (378.09 Kcal. digestible energy/100 g) diets were formulated: a control diet (A0, 0% ABGA) and five experimental diets with varying ABGA inclusion levels (A3: 3%, A6: 6%, A9: 9%, A12: 12%, A15: 15%). The results demonstrated that there were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in percentage weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) among the experimental groups. Additionally, dietary ABGA did not significantly affect (P > 0.05) body carcass composition among different groups. However, amylase activity significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the A12 and A15 fed groups, whereas lipase and protease activities remained insignificant (P > 0.05) across all groups. Notably, oxidative stress responses (SOD; superoxide dismutase and CAT; catalase), carbohydrate metabolic enzymes (LDH; lactate dehydrogenase and MDH; malate dehydrogenase), and serum glucose levels increased significantly (P < 0.05) with higher ABGA inclusion. Conversely, serum albumin content significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the ABGA-fed groups. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) observed in serum total protein, albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities among the experimental groups. Hematological parameters revealed that RBC (red blood cell) count, hemoglobin (Hb) concentration, and packed cell volume (PCV) significantly decreased (P < 0.05), while WBC (white blood cell) count significantly (P < 0.05) increased with higher dietary ABGA inclusion. In conclusion, the inclusion of dietary ABGA up to 15% did not impair nutrient utilization and supported normal growth performance in C. catla fingerlings. However, higher inclusion levels may have a detrimental effect on their growth, nutrient utilization, and physio-metabolic responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder that can cause elevated blood glucose levels due to impaired insulin secretion or resistance. Different parts of Musa balbisiana have been used widely in traditional medicine to treat many disorders. The present study aims to evaluate the antidiabetic ability of the corm, pseudostem, inflorescence, fruit, peel, and seed of M. balbisiana via in vitro experiments by inhibiting α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase enzymes as well as in vivo models on diabetic alloxan‐induced mice. The results show that all investigated parts have performed potential inhibition on two investigated digestive enzymes. Seed poses the highest capacity among surveyed parts on α‐amylase (IC50:f μg/mL) and α‐glucosidase (IC50: 21.63 μg/mL) as well as effectively lowers the blood glucose index (IG) in alloxan‐induced mice. In addition, fruit, corm, and inflorescence are considered essential parts that have high hypoglycemic effects via in vivo experiments. These findings indicate that all M. balbisiana parts are possibly a potential source for hypoglycemic agents; further clinical studies are needed to evaluate the safety of human beings before applying them in functional food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in commercial Inland saline aquaculture has taken momentum across the globe due to the available technologies for aquaculture and the abundant resources of saline groundwater. However, the critical problems in inland saline ponds are degraded soil and imbalanced or deficient nutrients. To address these issues, a 75-day experiment was conducted to explore the effects of Paddy Straw Biochar (PSB) as a sediment amendment on sediment quality, water characteristics, growth parameters, and the well-being of Penaeus vannamei reared in inland saline environments. PSB was applied to the nursery ponds at 1 ton/hectare (Treatment, T1) and 2 ton/hectare (Treatment, T2). The findings of water quality parameters showed a significant increase in K+ and Mg++ with a decrease in ammonia-N levels in biochar-applied ponds. Similarly, the addition of biochar to ponds (T2) resulted in improved sediment characteristics with enhanced water holding capacity (24.75%), increased soil organic carbon content (77.94%), pH levels (0.37 units), cation exchange capacity (43.15%), available potassium (16.3%), and lower bulk density (12.61%) compared to ponds subjected to control conditions at the end of the experiment. Over the experiment, improvements in sediment and water quality parameters followed the T2 > T1 > control trend. Growth characteristics showed a significant rise in the percentage of weight gain (12.398 ± 0.12), SGR (11.80 ± 0.01% day−1) and PER (2.39 ± 0.01) with reduced FCR (1.19 ± 0.00) in biochar-treated ponds (T2), followed by T1 and control. The digestive enzyme activity (amylase) and metabolic enzymes like hepatopancreatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and muscle ALT activities were significantly higher in shrimps raised in the biochar-applied ponds. On the other hand, the oxidative stress enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) in gills, muscles, and hepatopancreas (HP) exhibited lower values, suggesting reduced oxidative stress due to the biochar amendment of the pond sediment. Overall, the study recommends incorporating PSB at a rate of 2 t/ha into nursery pond sediment to enhance water quality, physiological status, and the growth of P. vannamei juveniles. Moreover, this approach improves soil and water characteristics in saline soils, making it an effective culture practice in degraded environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) comprising of wheat bran, coconut husk, rice husk, cereals straw, and other hardwood and softwoods is a good source for the production of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) (prebiotic). XOS produced are nondigestible carbohydrates being stable under stomach pH and digestive enzymes so they can be easily delivered to the intestine in native form, thus stimulating the growth of probiotics. Here we review about the raw material, production, purification, and application of XOS with health benefits. Importance of XOS being valuable food ingredient is increasing as they perform a variety of functions, including reduction in cholesterol levels, gastrointestinal health maintenance, anticancer and antioxidant properties, and modulation of immune system. We also discuss the different characterization methods which are necessary to determine the degree of polymerization (DP) of XOS. Low DP (xylobiose and xylotriose) is usually preferred for the application of XOS in various sectors. This review emphasizes the growing significance of XOS as a prebiotic, serving as nourishment for probiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of feeding a microbial-derived antioxidant diet (MA) for 56 days on the growth performance of Eriocheir sinensis, as well as on digestive and metabolic enzyme activity and antioxidant capacity under ammonia stress (400 mg/L ammonia nitrogen for 48 h). The weight gain at 28d and the specific growth rate at 56ds for crabs in the MA group were significantly higher than those in the control diet (C) group (p < 0.05). Compared with the C group, the color of the hepatopancreas in the MA group was significantly improved (p < 0.05). A significant decrease in the level of Hemolymph ammonia was found in the microbial antioxidant ammonia-N (MA_A) group (p < 0.05), which may be related to the decrease of transaminase (AST, ALT, GDH) activities caused by MA diet (p < 0.05). There is a significant increase in the digestive enzyme activities (Trypsin and Lipase), which reduced the accumulation of triglycerides in the hepatopancreas in the (MA_A) group (p < 0.05). In addition, the antioxidant damage of crabs in hepatopancreas caused by ammonia nitrogen toxicity could also significantly be improved by MA fed in the (MA_A) group (p < 0.05). microbe-derived antioxidants (supplemented with 0.2% in feeds) can protect the health of hepatopancreas, promote growth, and improve the ability to resist ammonia nitrogen stress for E.sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperative foraging behavior can be advantageous when there is a common exploitable resource. By cooperating, members of the group can take advantage of the potential of increased efficiency of working together as well as equitable distribution of the product. An experimental signature of cooperative foraging is an Allee effect where at a certain number of individuals, there is a peak of fitness. What happens when there are intruders especially ones that do not contribute to any work required for foraging? Drosophila larvae secrete digestive enzymes and exodigest food. Under crowded conditions in liquid food these larvae form synchronized feeding clusters which provides a fitness benefit. A key for this synchronized feeding behavior is the visually guided alignment between adjacent larvae in a feeding cluster. Larvae who do not align their movements are excluded from the groups and subsequently lose the benefit. This may be a way of editing the group to include only known members. To test the model, the fitness benefit from cooperative behavior was further investigated to establish an Allee effect for a number of strains including those who cannot exodigest or cluster. In a standard lab vial, about 40 larvae is the optimal number for fitness. Combinations of these larvae were also examined. The expectation was that larvae who do not contribute to exodigestion are obligate cheaters and would be expelled. Indeed, obligate cheaters gain greatly from the hosts but paradoxically, so do the hosts. Clusters that include cheaters are more stable. Therefore, clustering and the benefits from it are dependent on more than just the contribution to exodigestion. This experimental system should provide a rich future model to understand the metrics of cooperative behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trail aimed to explore the effect of dietary supplementation of curcumin loaded olive oil nanoemulsion (CUR‐OLNE) on growth performance, feed utilization, blood biochemical, redox status, and immune response of Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp, considering the economic efficiency of supplementation. A total of 280 healthy shrimps (3.42 ± 0.02 g) were randomly distributed into five equal groups and were fed diets containing 0 (CUR‐OLNE0), 5(CUR‐OLNE5), 10(CUR‐OLNE10), 15(CUR‐OLNE15) and 20 (CUR‐OLNE20) mg CUR‐OLNE/kg diet, respectively for 16 weeks. Among CUR‐OLNE treated groups, CUR‐OLNE20 showed the highest growth performance and feed utilization traits, including final body weight, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio. Notably, the photomicrographs provided further compelling evidence regarding the potential effect of CUR‐OLNE supplementation on muscle structure and integrity. Compared to the control, the levels of blood protein significantly induced in CUR‐OLNE15 and CUR‐OLNE20 treated groups (p < 0.05). All CUR‐OLNE ‐supplemented groups possessed lower activities of liver enzymes as well as the levels of urea and creatinine compared to the control (p < 0.05). The addition of 20 mg CUR‐OLNE/kg diet decreased the concentrations of cortisol, glucose and triglycerides. The dietary treatment significantly improved the secretion of digestive enzymes, including amylase, lipase, and protease. The lowest levels of Malondialdehyde and the highest levels of total antioxidant capacity, super oxide dismutase, catalase, lysozyme and immunoglobulin M were detected in both of CUR‐OLNE15, and CUR‐OLNE20 treated groups compared to the control (p < 0.05). There were considerable significant effects of dietary supplementation of CUR‐OLNE on economic efficiency. In conclusion, the application of nanocarriers for the delivery of dietary immune stimulants such as CUR‐OLNE to Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp is a promising strategy for improving shrimp nutrition. The addition of 20 mg CUR‐OLNE/kg to the diets of can be recommended as an affective intervention to improve growth performance, feed utilization, and health status of shrimp. Implementing this intervention can maximize the economic efficiency of shrimp farming while promoting sustainable practices in the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The retardation of digestive enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase is an important approach targeted at reducing the post-prandial surge in blood glucose levels. • Syzygium cordatum is very rich in terpenoid and phenolic compounds. • The study suggests that the hypoglycaemic activity of S. cordatum may be due to the synergistic or individual action of its constituents. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic dysfunction characterized by hyperglycemia. T2DM is a growing global epidemic with diffuse complications, including a high mortality rate. High blood sugar can be lowered by impeding the activities of pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase enzymes. Although there are a number of orthodox medications used in the management of hyperglycemia, medicinal plants remain a veritable option in many cultures of the world owing to their overall efficacy and affordability. This study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic potential of Syzygium cordatum leaf extract fractions in the retardation of pancreatic α-amylase and intestinal α-glucosidase enzymes in vitro. The bioactive components of the active fractions were identified using the Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and their potential hypoglycemic properties were assessed using the molecular in silico modelling approach. The in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of S. cordatum revealed that the organic solvent fractions retarded the digestive enzymes considerably although the standard drug (acarbose) had the least half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50) value. Analytical and computational analysis identified the potential of cubenol, to interact with important residues of α-glucosidase and α-amylase emphasizing its hypoglycemic potential. The result of this study revealed that S. cordatum is a rich source of pharmacologically important bioactive compounds with a remarkable capacity to retard α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes. Cubenol was identified as an efficient and safe hypoglycemic agent of S. cordatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of dietary lipid levels on growth performance, lipid metabolism, antioxidant capacity, digestive enzyme activity, and metamorphosis rate of bullfrog (Aquarana catesbeianus) tadpoles. A total of six isonitrogenous diets were prepared, each containing 4.46% (L5), 6.95% (L7), 9.10% (L9), 10.90% (L11), 12.34% (L13), and 15.00% (L15) crude lipid content. The experimental diets were administered to triplicates of tadpoles (stage 25, 0.007 g) twice daily for 75 days with a daily feeding rate of 6.50% of their body weight. Weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), crude protein content of the whole body, apparent digestibility of dry matter and gross energy, intestinal lipase (LPS) capacity, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase‐I (CPT‐I) and contents of growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) in the liver, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) content in the serum, and metamorphosis rate at stages 40 and 41 increased as the dietary lipid level increased from 4.46% to 12.34% and then decreased. As the dietary lipid level increased from 4.46% to 10.90%, the protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein deposition rate (PDR), lipid deposition rate (LDR), crude lipid content and gross energy of the whole body, apparent digestibility of the crude lipid, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) activities in the liver, and the intestinal trypsin (TPS) activity all increased and then decreased. According to the second‐order polynomial regression analysis of the WG and metamorphosis rate at stage 41 to the dietary lipid level, the ideal dietary lipid content for tadpoles was 11.08% and 10.72%, respectively. Overall, the appropriate dietary lipid level for bullfrog tadpoles was found to be 10.72%–11.08% of the diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study focuses on encapsulation of sugarcane polyphenols (SPs) to assess its impact on their bioaccessibility and efficacy in inhibiting starch digestion, thereby contributing to glycaemic control strategies. The hypothesis posits that encapsulation enhances both the bioaccessibility and functional effectiveness of SPs. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and carrageenan (CAR) were employed as encapsulating agents. The methodology included an evaluation of α‐amylase inhibitory activity and the bioaccessibility of SPs across various encapsulation formulations in vitro digestion, highlighting a specific formulation that combines 0.5% CMC and 0.5% CAR to encapsulate 0.4% SPs. Findings reveal that this formulation significantly increases SPs' bioaccessibility and exhibits the highest α‐amylase inhibitory activity, suggesting its potential to support a low glycaemic index (GI) diet (GI = 54.7). It was observed that the GI is significantly inversely correlated with the bioaccessibility of total polyphenols and proanthocyanidins in SPs, while the bioaccessibility of total flavonoids in SPs showed no significant effect on pGI. Interestingly, SPs encapsulated with CMC were less effective in inhibiting starch digestibility than unencapsulated SPs, attributed to the tight binding of CMC with polyphenols, which limits their interaction with starch and α‐amylase. The study highlights the crucial influence of encapsulation materials on polyphenol functionality and emphasises the need for strategic encapsulation in modulating glycaemic responses. These findings advance the understanding of how processing technologies can optimise the health benefits of dietary bioactives, guiding future research towards functional applications and dietary interventions for glycaemic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Microbial therapies have promising applications in the treatment of a broad range of diseases. However, effective colonization of the target region by therapeutic microorganisms remains a significant challenge owing to the complexity of the intestinal system. Here, we developed surface nanocoating-based universal platform (SNUP), which enabled the manipulation of controlled release and targeted colonization of therapeutic microbes in the digestive tract without the utilization of any targeting molecules. The system controlled the decomposition time of SNUP in the gut by regulating different modification layers and modification sequences on the microorganism's surface, so that the microorganism was released at a predetermined time and space. With the SNUP nanomodification technology, we could effectively deliver therapeutic microorganisms to specific complex intestinal regions such as the small intestine and colon, and protect the bioactivity of therapeutic microorganisms from destruction by both strong acids and digestive enzymes. In this study, we found that two layers SNUP-encapsulated Liiliilactobacillus salivarius (LS@CCMC) could efficiently colonize the small intestine and significantly improve the symptoms of a mouse model of Parkinson's disease through sustained secretion of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This surface nanocoating-based universal platform system does not require the design of specific targeting molecules, providing a simple and universal method for colonized microbial therapy, target theranostics, precision medicine, and personalized medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the suspension cage culture procedure, a substantial quantity of attachments from the suspension cage will amass in the tidal flats, resulting in environmental pollution and resource wastage. The aim of the present study was to explore the feasibility of using attachments of suspension cage (ASC) as a raw feed material for sea cucumbers. Different ASC concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) were used in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) fed for 60 d. Replacing sea mud with 50% ASC significantly improved sea cucumber growth, reduced the feed coefficient, significantly increased the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes, improved the activities of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, improved the intestinal structure, and enriched intestinal microbiome diversity (P<0.05). Replacing sea mud with 75% and 100% ASC significantly improved sea cucumber total antioxidant capacity and total superoxide dismutase (P<0.05).Furthermore, expressions of c-myc gene, mapk-7 gene and fgfr-1 gene, which all three growth genes, significantly increased in the 50% ASC treatment compared to that in the control; whereas, that of gdf-8 gene, a negative growth regulator, was inhibited (P<0.05). Based on the quadratic regression analysis for the weight gain rate, the appropriate levels of ASC substitution were estimated as to be 44.28%. The results suggested the potential of ASC as a new raw feed material for sea cucumbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study explored the predictors of abemaciclib discontinuation, a cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitor, in patients with breast cancer. Material and Methods: Between November 2018 and March 2023, 147 patients with breast cancer treated with abemaciclib at Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University Hospital and Kindai University Nara Hospital were included. The exclusion criteria were as follows: lack of blood testing within 2 weeks prior to starting abemaciclib therapy, transfer to another facility after the commencement of abemaciclib therapy, and discontinuation of abemaciclib therapy due to the diagnosis of another cancer. The duration from the initiation of abemaciclib to discontinuation for any reason and to temporary suspension or dose reduction due to adverse events were analyzed as outcome variables using multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results: Baseline weight < 54 kg, bone metastases, and hemoglobin level ≤ 12.4 g/dL were independent predictors of abemaciclib discontinuation for any reason. The main adverse events leading to abemaciclib discontinuation were liver enzyme elevation and gastrointestinal symptoms. Additionally, focusing on the adverse event of abemaciclib, a baseline weight < 54 kg was an independent predictor of temporary suspension or dose reduction due to adverse events. The most common adverse events leading to temporary suspension or dose reduction were neutropenia and diarrhea. Conclusion: Patients with lower body weight are more susceptible to the adverse events of abemaciclib, increasing their risk of treatment discontinuation. In such patients, strict monitoring of adverse events and consideration of more frequent medical visits are necessary from the start of abemaciclib therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manganese (Mn) is a nutritional element required for fish growth and physiology functions. In this study, we examined the effect of Mn on the intestinal digestive function, antioxidant response, and muscle quality in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Nine hundred salmons with initial weight approximately 0.35 g were fed with six isoproteic and isoenergetic diets formulated to contain 2.4, 8.5, 14.8, 19.8, 24.6, and 33.7 mg/kg Mn for 84 days. The result showed that the activity of trypsin and lipase was elevated, whereas α‐amylase activity was not affected by various Mn diets in intestine. Dietary Mn elevated the activity of Mn‐superoxide dismutase (Mn‐SOD), total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐PX), and catalase (CAT), but had no influence on copper/zinc‐superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn‐SOD) in intestine. Dietary Mn at 8.5, 14.8, 19.8, 24.6, and 33.7 mg/kg enhanced the gene expression level of protein kinase B (Akt) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In addition, the accumulation of Mn in muscle was enhanced with increasing levels of dietary Mn. Dietary Mn elevated the content of sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca), but the content of iron (Fe) and Zn was decreased by dietary Mn in the salmon muscle. The content of fatty acids and amino acids was enhanced by various levels of dietary Mn in muscle. Moreover, a significant quadratic effect was observed on the texture of salmon muscle. The dietary Mn requirement was 16.9–25.7 mg/kg Mn to acquire the highest value of muscle texture using the quadratic regression model. The diets at 14.8 and 19.8 mg/kg Mn had a higher score of sensory evaluation for raw muscle. Our result showed that dietary Mn affected the intestinal digestion function and antioxidant response, which may further result in the change of muscle quality in coho salmon. The result will provide reference for detecting the effect of dietary micronutrients on the muscle quality of salmons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most farmed fishes is the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Its production has increased by 20% annually on average during the last 20 years, but the occurrence of fish diseases, especially bacterial such as Aeromonas hydrophila infections, is hindering its activities. Also, the incorporation of plant‐derived substances in aquafeeds is limited since they frequently contain different antinutritional factors, like nonstarch polysaccharides (NSPs). However, supplementing fish diets with β‐mannanase could increase growth, antioxidants, and immunity. Despite the advantage of β‐mannanase, its effects on growth, digestive enzymes, antioxidants, and immunity in African catfish need to be elucidated. This study examined the effects of dietary β‐mannanase on the growth performance, liver enzymes, antioxidant profiles, immunity, and protection of African catfish, C. gariepinus, against A. hydrophila infection. Five isonitrogenous diets were prepared to have 400 g/kg crude protein and supplemented with β‐mannanase at 0, 1500, 3000, 4500, or 6000 thermostable endo, 1,4‐β‐mannanase units (TMUs)/kg diet and fed to 300 juveniles of the African catfish, C. gariepinus (mean weight 12.1 ± 0.1 g) for 12 weeks. Then, 10 fish from each tank received an intraperitoneal injection of 0.1 mL of A. hydrophila (5.0 × 105 CFU/mL) and observed for 14 days. Results showed dietary β‐mannanase levels considerably improved growth performance but did not affect fish survival. Also, amylase, protease, and lipase levels were significantly promoted in the fish fed with β‐mannanase‐fortified diets than the control group (p < 0.05). Enhanced gut villi and intestinal absorption areas, haematlogical profiles, and liver enzymes but reduced gut viscosity were observed in fish‐fed β‐mannanase‐fortified diets (p < 0.05). In a dose‐dependent order, including β‐mannanase in the meals of African catfish raised the levels of glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione‐S‐transferase (GST), and glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL) activities and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) values in African catfish (p < 0.05). Also, fish immunity was greatly (p < 0.05) enhanced due to supplementation of the diet with β‐mannanase. In addition, fish‐fed diets comprising 6000 TMU β‐mannanase/kg diet showed the lowest rates of fish mortality (7.5%) (p < 0.05). Therefore, feeding African catfish, Clarias gariepinus, β‐mannanase enhanced growth performance, increased activity of digestive enzymes, gut morphology, enhanced generation of short‐chain fatty acids, digesta potential of hydrogen (pH), and improved antioxidant profiles and immunity at the optimum dose of 5800 TMU/kg diet. Additionally, β‐mannanase protected African catfish against A. hydrophila infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The biofloc system (BFS) provides a sustainable aquaculture system through its efficient in situ water quality maintenance by the microbial biomass, besides continuous availability of these protein-rich microbes as feed to enhance growth and immunity of the reared organism. This study explores the gill architecture, growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal microbial composition, and histology of three freshwater fish species, Puntius gonionotus, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, and Heteropneustus fossilis reared in biofloc based polyculture system. Results: The three species in T2 showed significantly higher WG and SGR, followed by T1 and T3. The wet mount of gill architecture showed smaller inter-filament gaps in gill arches of silver barb followed by stinging catfish and stripped catfish, but showed no correlation with the weight gain. However, silver barb being an omnivore and filter-feeder, accumulated a more diverse microbial community, both in T1 and BFS (T2 and T3), while the bottom feeder H. fossilis exhibited unique gut bacterial adaptability. The presence of floc in T2 and T3 enhanced bacterial abundance in water and fish gut, but their microbial diversities significantly reduced compared to T1 receiving only feed. Next-generation sequencing revealed that the Pseudomonas dominated in gut of P. gonionotus and P. hypophthalmus in T1, Enterobacterales and Fusobacterium prevailed in those of T2 and T3, respectively. In contrast, gut of H. fossilis had the highest proportion of Clostridium in T1, while Rhizobiaceae dominated in T3. Similarly in floc samples, Enterococcus dominated in T1 while Micrococcales and Rhizobiaceae dominated in T2 and T3, respectively. A positive correlation of enterobacteria, with the digestive enzyme activities and growth patterns was observed in all treatments. Conclusion: The present study revealed feeding behaviour to play crucial role in distinguishing the gut microbial composition patterns in fishes reared in Biofloc System. Further it revealed the requirement of supplementary feed along with floc in these three species for higher growth in the biofloc system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes is marked by postprandial hyperglycemia (PHG), an abnormal rise in blood glucose after meals. A key therapeutic goal to reduce PHG is the inhibition of α‐amylase (αAM) and α‐glucosidase (αGL), enzymes that break down carbohydrates into sugars. Cucurbita moschata has been shown to inhibit both enzymes. However, its inhibition mechanism has not been explored. This study investigated the in vitro inhibition mechanisms of αAM and αGL and conducted a metabolomic analysis of C. moschata (edible part) water‐extract (CME), aiming to preliminarily identify its bioactive compounds (BCs). The inhibitory mechanisms were determined using Lineweaver–Burk plots. The BCs were identified and quantified using HPLC‐QTOF‐MS, employing both targeted and untargeted metabolomic approaches. CME had a significant higher effect (p < 0.05) on αAM activity than against αGL with IC50 of 28.99 and 698.42 mg/mL, respectively. The extract showed mixed and uncompetitive type inhibitions on αAM and αGL, respectively. The lowest inhibition constant (Ki) was 47.68 mg/mL on αAM activity at 20 mg/mL. Untargeted metabolic profiling by UPLC‐MS‐ESI‐QTOF putatively identified 30 compounds in CME, such as amino acids, vitamins, phytohormones, fatty acids, cucurbitacins and phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Functional analysis of CME identified significant pathways, including pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis and phenylpropanoids, among others. The targeted analysis by UPLC‐MS‐ESI‐QqQ allowed us to identify 12 compounds, with l‐phenylalanine, p‐hydroxybenzoic, and p‐coumaric acid as majors. This study demonstrated the inhibitory potential of CME on αAM and αGL activities, which may be attributed to its metabolites. Thus, this plant represents a valuable source of BC against PHG.Practical Application: The research highlights that Cucurbita moschata has significant potential in managing postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients by inhibiting enzymes like α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase. In addition, the identification of its compounds emphasizes its importance as a source of bioactive compounds. Therefore, C. moschata could be effectively utilized in the development of nutraceuticals or as an ingredient in functional foods specifically designed for postprandial hyperglycemia management. Thus, integrating C. moschata as part of the daily diet could offer patients with diabetes a natural alternative to control their blood glucose levels after eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As food transits the gastrointestinal tract, food structures are disrupted and nutrients are absorbed across the gut barrier. In the past decade, great efforts have focused on the creation of a consensus gastrointestinal digestion protocol (i.e., INFOGEST method) to mimic digestion in the upper gut. However, to better determine the fate of food components, it is also critical to mimic food absorption in vitro. This is usually performed by treating polarized epithelial cells (i.e., differentiated Caco-2 monolayers) with food digesta. This food digesta contains digestive enzymes and bile salts, and if following the INFOGEST protocol, at concentrations that although physiologically relevant are harmful to cells. The lack of a harmonized protocol on how to prepare the food digesta samples for downstream Caco-2 studies creates challenges in comparing inter laboratory results. This article aims to critically review the current detoxification practices, highlight potential routes and their limitations, and recommend common approaches to ensure food digesta is biocompatible with Caco-2 monolayers. Our ultimate aim is to agree a harmonized consensus protocol or framework for in vitro studies focused on the absorption of food components across the intestinal barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism that triggers the progressive dysregulation of cell functions, inflammation, and breakdown of tissues during aging is currently unknown. We propose here a previously unknown mechanism due to tissue autodigestion by the digestive enzymes. After synthesis in the pancreas, these powerful enzymes are activated and transported inside the lumen of the small intestine to which they are compartmentalized by the mucin/epithelial barrier. We hypothesize that this barrier leaks active digestive enzymes (e.g. during meals) and leads to their accumulation in tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract. Using immune-histochemistry we provide evidence in young (4 months) and old (24 months) rats for significant accumulation of pancreatic trypsin, elastase, lipase, and amylase in peripheral organs, including liver, lung, heart, kidney, brain, and skin. The mucin layer density on the small intestine barrier is attenuated in the old and trypsin leaks across the tip region of intestinal villi with depleted mucin. The accumulation of digestive enzymes is accompanied in the same tissues of the old by damage to collagen, as detected with collagen fragment hybridizing peptides. We provide evidence that the hyperglycemia in the old is accompanied by proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor. Blockade of pancreatic trypsin in the old by a two-week oral treatment with a serine protease inhibitor (tranexamic acid) serves to significantly reduce trypsin accumulation in organs outside the intestine, collagen damage, as well as hyperglycemia and insulin receptor cleavage. These results support the hypothesis that the breakdown of tissues in aging is due to autodigestion and a side-effect of the fundamental requirement for digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The wild population of Brachymystax tsinlingensis is a Grade II protected species in China. This population faces slow growth, harsh habitats, serious individual miniaturization, and a low survival rate of fry during its early developmental stage. To improve the aquaculture efficiency of this species, and thus increase the survival rate, protect species resources, and enrich species numbers, the present study was conducted to investigate the changes in intestinal tissue structure, digestive enzymes, malondialdehyde content, and antioxidant enzyme activities and their patterns during the early developmental stage of Brachymystax tsinlingensis. This information can be applied to increase the survival rate of fry, protect the species resources, and enrich the species' quantity. This work explores the digestive system characteristics of Brachymystax tsinlingensis during early developmental stages and aims to solve the problem of high lethality of fry during the transgression period, which is crucial for the artificial propagation and population conservation of endangered fishes. This study was carried out on intestinal tissue, digestive enzymes, and antioxidant enzyme activities in the early development stage of Brachymystax tsinlingensis. Ten random samples during endogenous nutrition (7, 10, and 11 days after hatching), mixed nutrition (13 and 19 DAH), and exogenous nutrition (31, 33, 39, 45, and 73 DAH) were collected by histological and biochemical analysis methods. The results showed that the intestine of Brachymystax tsinlingensis already has four layers initially at 7 DAH, and the intestinal gland tissue is evident at 73 DAH. The contents of total protein (TP) and the activities of lipase (LPS) and trypsin (TPS) were maximal at 39 DAH, and the activities were 3.20 ± 0.26 mg/mL, 2.52 ± 0.69 U/g, and 2717.45 ± 295.26 U/mg, respectively. Catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activities both showed the lowest values at 39 DAH, which were 0.57 ± 0.11 U/mg and 3.35 ± 0.94 U/mg, respectively. The activity of amylase (AMS) and the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) increased, and the highest values were reached at 45 DAH (1.32 ± 0.41 U/mg) and 73 DAH (1.29 ± 0.43 nmoL/mg), respectively. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and GSH-PX activities both showed a peak value at 7 DAH (126.58 ± 20.13 U/mg and 6.47 ± 1.86 U/mg). Overall, the changes in intestinal tissue, digestive enzymes, and antioxidant enzyme activities at 39 DAH of Brachymystax tsinlingensis are inseparable from different vegetative stages during the developmental period, and these results can provide a reference for the proliferation and cultivation of Brachymystax tsinlingensis resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This experiment was conducted in accordance with the prevailing trend of identifying alternative sources of nutrition to compensate for the economic shortcomings of fish meal in the aquaculture industry. The experiment employed soybean-based concentrated protein, which is approximately half the cost of fish meal, and focused on investigating its impact on growth and physiological processes. Three experimental diets were prepared: the control diet (Con) contained 60% FM, and the experimental diets contained 25% (SPC25) and 50% (SPC50) FM replaced by SPC. Following the 140-day feeding period, no significant differences in growth performance were observed. However, an increase in the replacement rate was associated with a reduction in stress and immune sensitivity, while the SPC25 treatment exhibited elevated levels of digestive enzyme-related genes. Therefore, substituting 25% FM with SPC was most effective for commercial fish farming. This study identified the effects of substituting fishmeal (FM) with soy protein concentrate (SPC) supplemented with lysine and methionine in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) diet on the expression of genes related to growth, stress, immunity, and digestion. Three experimental diets were prepared; the control diet (Con) contained 60% FM, and the experimental diets contained 25% (SPC25) and 50% (SPC50) FM replaced by SPC. After the 140-day feeding period, weight gain, specific growth rate, feed availability, biological indices, and chemical composition of the muscle were not significantly affected by the dietary treatments. The gene expression levels of growth-related genes (IGF, GFB-3), immune-related genes (IL-8 and caspase), and stress-related genes (SOD, GPX, PRX, TRX) were higher in Con fish than in those fed the SPC25 and SPC50 diets. Chymo-TRY2, TRY2, and TRY3 in the stomach of fish fed the SPC25 diet were higher than fish fed the Con or SPC50 diets. TRY2 and lipase of fish fed the SPC25 diet were higher than those of fish fed the other diets but TRY3 was not significantly affected by the treatments in the intestine. In conclusion, substituting 25% FM with SPC was the most effective diet for the expression of growth, immune, stress, and digestive enzyme genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Glycerol monolaurate, known for its strong antimicrobial properties, is a chemical compound formed by the combination of lauric acid and glycerol. This research focused on how glycerol monolaurate affects the growth, digestive enzyme activity, immune system, blood antioxidant level, and intestinal structure of black sea bream. This research could contribute to raising healthier aquatic animals, potentially reducing both the costs and environmental impact associated with aquaculture. These findings suggest that glycerol monolaurate may be the most suitable dietary supplement for fish; however, further research on its effect on the gut microbiota and gene expression is still required. An eight-week feeding trial was conducted to examine the impact of dietary supplementation with glycerol monolaurate (GML) on juvenile black sea bream. A basal diet was formulated containing 24% fish meal, while five additional diets were prepared, each supplemented with varying levels of GML: GML1 (0.01%), GML2 (0.02%), GML3 (0.04%), GML4 (0.08%), and GML5 (0.16%). Triplicate tanks were randomly allocated to each diet, each containing 20 fish with an initial weight of 1.55 ± 0.05 g. By the trial's end, the GML3 group displayed a notably higher final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), but the FCR was significantly higher in the control group. However, no significant differences were observed in the MFI, PPV, CF, HSI, IPF, VSI, or SR among the groups (p > 0.05). Regarding the proximate compositions of the dorsal muscle and whole body, no substantial differences were observed across the groups (p > 0.05). Additionally, there were no significant variations in digestive enzyme activity (p > 0.05), serum immune, or biochemical parameters in the midgut and hindgut among the treatment groups. But in the serum immune response IgM, C3 and C4 were significantly higher in the GML3 group as compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). However, the GML3 group exhibited significantly greater fore-intestinal villus height, crypt depth, villus height per crypt depth, and the number of goblet cells per villus compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Overall, GML supplementation, particularly GML3, significantly improved growth indicators like the final body weight and intestinal morphology. While certain parameters remained unaffected, these findings suggest GML's potential as a beneficial dietary supplement in fish diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Alanyl-glutamine dipeptide carries utmost importance for the poultry industry due to its potential for enhancing various aspects of health and performance in laying birds. Glutamine is an important energy source for highly prolific immune cells and intestinal epithelial cells, and it plays a role in protein degradation, cell defense, cell repair, and is a precursor of glutathione. By improving growth, nutrient digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, immunity and antioxidant status, it can lead to the development of more productive and stress tolerant laying birds which can ultimately benefit poultry producers and consumers by reducing feed costs, mortality rates and improving egg production. Alanyl-glutamine (Aln-Gln), a highly soluble and stable Glutamine-dipeptide, is known to improve the performance of poultry birds. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Aln-Gln during the rearing period on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, digestive enzyme activity, immunity, antioxidant status and relative gene expression of Hy-Line brown hens. A total of 480 healthy day-old Hy-line brown chicks with similar body weights were randomly divided into four dietary groups (8 replicates/group and 15 birds/replicate). Groups A, B, C and D were fed diets containing 0%, 0.1%, 0.2% and 0.3% Aln-Gln, respectively, for 6 weeks. The body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) were higher in hens fed test diets compared with the control (p < 0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was better in test groups as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The ADFI showed no significant difference between the groups. Dietary treatments had no effect on dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude fiber (CF) digestibility. The Aln-Gln also improved gross energy (GE) and crude protein (CP) digestibility (p < 0.05). It has also increased IgG levels in groups C and D. IgM levels were similar to the control in B, C and D. The Aln-Gln increased IL-1 in B and C, IL-2 in C and D, and IL-6 in all test groups (p < 0.05). The supplementation of Aln-Gln had no effect on serum antioxidant indices like CAT, MDA, GSH-PX, GSH, and SOD in 42-day-old growing hens. Aln-Gln supplementation had no significant effect (p > 0.05) on the activity of amylase and lipase, however, a significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the activities of trypsin and chymotrypsin was observed in the test groups. Supplemented Aln-Gln levels in the birds' diets led to an increase in the expression of genes related to growth factors (IGF-1, IGFBP-5), immune markers (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6) and antioxidant status (GSH-Px1), as compared to control group. Aln-Gln supplementation in Hy-Line brown hens during their growing period improved growth, nutrient digestibility, immunity and digestive enzymes activity. These findings suggest that Aln-Gln is a promising dietary additive for enhancing poultry performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to investigate the physicochemical properties of the natural eggshell membrane (NEM) and its protective effects against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in human chondrocytes (SW-1353). Bioactive components from NEM related to cartilage were profiled, consisting of 1.1 ± 0.07% hyaluronic acid, 1.2 ± 0.25% total sulfated glycosaminoglycans as chondroitin sulfate, 3.1 ± 0.33% collagen, and 54.4 ± 2.40% total protein. Protein was hydrolyzed up to 43.72 ± 0.76% using in vitro gastro–intestinal digestive enzymes. Peptides eluted at 9.58, 12.46, and 14.58 min using nano-LC-ESI-MS were identified as TEW, SWVE, and VYL peptides with an M/Z value of 435.1874, 520.2402, and 394.2336, respectively. Radical scavenging activity of NEM at 10 mg/mL using the ABTS assay was revealed to be 2.1 times higher than that of the positive control. NEM treatment significantly enhanced cellular SOD expression (p < 0.05). Pre-treatment with NEM (0.1, 1, and 10 mg/mL) dose-dependently reduced H2O2-induced ROS levels in SW-1353. Cell live imaging confirmed that NEM pre-treatment led to a significant reduction in apoptosis expression compared to control. Results from the present study suggest that NEM rich in cartilage protective components including hyaluronic acid, collagen, and chondroitin antioxidative peptides could be a potential therapeutic agent for osteoarthritis (OA) by scavenging oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to isolate, identify, and characterize bacterial probiotic strain from the gut of Ctenopharyngodon idella (Grass carp) and then to study its effect on growth, digestive enzymes and immunity of Labeo rohita fingerlings. A total of 6 gram‐positive bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus spp. (3), Bacillus spp. (2) and Staphylococcus spp. (1), were identified biochemically. Based on the biochemical results, the isolate GCLP4 was selected for molecular confirmation and BLAST analysis showed maximum homology with Lactobacillus plantarum (100% ident). Fish were fed for 60 days with diet containing 0 (T0), 105 (T1), 107 (T2), 109 (T3) cfu/g diet of L. plantarum GCLP4 and 105 (T4) of commercial probiotics. Results shows that supplementation of GCLP4 had significantly (p < 0.05) improve weight gain (%), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of L. rohita with better values in T3 group. The immunological parameters (white blood cell, red blood cell, haemoglobin, total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly higher (p < 0.05) with 107 and 109 Lactobacillus GCLP4 cfu/g diet. The digestive enzyme activities (protease, amylase and lipase) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher, particularly, with 109 Lactobacillus GCLP4 cfu/g of diet. All the groups supplemented with GCLP4 including the commercial probiotics have lower (p < 0.05) activities of serum transaminase enzymes along with lower (p < 0.005) level of glucose as compared to the control group. The results of the study collectively suggest that dietary L. plantarum GCLP4 at 109 cfu/g is an effective probiotic obtained from grass carp having potency to promote growth, digestive enzymes and immune‐biochemical indices of L. rohita fingerlings in present culture condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of diabetes mellitus, a pressing global health concern that is rapidly increasing, has prompted the exploration of medicinal plants for potential remedies, particularly those within the Rubus genus. This comprehensive review aims to connect traditional knowledge with scientific insights, shedding light on the antidiabetic properties of various Rubus species. An exhaustive exploration of the literature revealed that Rubus chingii Hu, Rubus idaeus, Rubus ulmifolius, Rubus fruticosus, Rubus amabilis, and some other Rubus species exhibited noteworthy antidiabetic effects, each operating via distinct mechanisms. Furthermore, Rubus species serve as abundant reservoirs of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, antioxidants, triterpenoids, and sterols. As indicated by various in vivo and in vitro studies, these compounds notably improve insulin secretion, increase hepatic glycogen synthesis, inhibit key digestive enzymes, enhance the functions of β-cells in the pancreas, and effectively reduce blood glucose levels. This review, which describes the antidiabetic potential of Rubus species in terms of both pharmacological effects and traditional uses, offers valuable insights for future scientific initiatives in the development of innovative antidiabetic therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of Ethiopian coffee (Coffea arabica) on carbohydrate digestive enzymes and its protective effect against glucose-induced testicular dysfunction using in vitro and in silico study models. Testicular oxidative stress was initiated by co-incubating testocular tissue collected from male Sprague-Dawley rats in glucose solution with different concentrations of Ethiopian coffee aqueous extracts (hot and cold) for 2 h at 37ºC. Glucose-mediated oxidative stress significantly (p < 0.05) depleted reduced glutathione and total glycogen levels while it lowered catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the testicular tissue. Concomitantly, this led to elevated malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels while it also increased glycogen phosphorylase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, ATPase, and acetylcholinesterase activities. Treatment with different concentrations of coffee aqueous extracts restored the enzymes' and markers' levels and activities. Although both the cold and hot coffee extracts strongly inhibited α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes, the former showed better activities. The subjection of the coffee extracts to LC-MS analysis indicated the presence of several compounds, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, cafestol, kahweol, caffeine, quinic acid, ferulic acid, and catechol which were further docked with the carbohydrate digestive enzymes. The in silico results displayed that among the various metabolites, chlorogenic acid strongly interacted and had the best binding affinity with α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Our findings implied that Ethiopian coffee may have a preventive effect against glucose-induced testicular damage. These are evidenced by the capacity of the plant product to decrease oxidative stress and protect against testicular dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgroud: The present experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of in situ jaggery based biofloc on bio growth performance, physiological immune response, digestive enzyme activity, nutrient composition and disease resistance of Etroplus suratensis. Methods: The fingerlings of pearlspot, E. suratensis with an average body weight of 5.67±0.08 g was stocked at the rate of 150/m3 in treatment and control system. The insitu biofloc was produced in 2.4-ton capacity outdoor tanks using jaggery as carbon source at two different C:N ratio viz, 10: 1 (B1) and 20:1 (B2), where clear brackishwater system and without carbon sources as control. Result: The levels of ammonia nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and nitrate-nitrogen were reduced in the in situ biofloc compared to control while TSS and TS were increased significantly in all in situ biofloc compared to control. The physiological immune responses such as respiratory burst test, myeloperoxidase, serum lysozyme and antioxidant enzymes activity, superoxide dismutase and catalase were found to be significantly higher in B2 at end of the trial. Stress parameters glucose and cortisol were significantly lower in jaggery based biofloc system especially in (B2) C: N 20:1 compared to control. The fishes from the jaggery based biofloc groups possessed significantly (P<0.05) higher immune status as compared to control. The digestive enzymes activity such as amylase protease and lipase, of fish was higher in biofloc treatment and lower in control. Compared to control the nutrient composition of E. suratensis was significantly higher in the treatment groups. Moreover, jaggery based in situ fishes showed lower cumulative mortality rate and enhanced relative levels of protection after experimental challenge with A. hydrophila compared to control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of dietary garlic powder and fermented garlic powder supplementation at 1% and 2% levels on growth performance, digestive tract efficacy, blood biochemistry, immunity, and antioxidant status of Liza ramada (n = 225 fish; 86.00 ± 0.42 g) over a 60-day period. Fish fed diets supplemented with both forms of garlic at both levels exhibited significantly improved final body weight, weight gain, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio compared to the control group. Digestive enzyme activities (amylase, lipase, and protease) were significantly enhanced in all supplemented groups. Blood biochemical analysis revealed reduced glucose levels and increased total protein in garlic-supplemented groups, with no adverse effects on liver or kidney function markers. Immune parameters, including lysozyme activity, bactericidal activity against Streptococcus agalactiae, alternative complement pathway (ACP), and respiratory burst (NBT), were significantly enhanced in garlic-supplemented groups, with fermented garlic showing more pronounced effects. Antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, and GPx) were also significantly increased in all supplemented groups, particularly in those fed fermented garlic. No significant differences in survival rates were observed among treatments. The results suggest that both garlic powder and fermented garlic powder supplementation, especially at the 2% level, can effectively improve growth, feed utilization, immune function, and antioxidant status in L. ramada. Fermented garlic generally demonstrated superior effects, indicating its potential as a beneficial feed additive in aquaculture. Based on these findings, it is recommended to incorporate fermented garlic powder at a 2% level in L. ramada diets to optimize growth performance and health status. Further research is warranted to investigate the long-term effects and cost-effectiveness of this supplementation strategy in commercial aquaculture settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are essentially unaffected by the digestive enzymes of the nursling and are known for their ability to enrich certain microbial species in the infant gut microbiota, in particular bifidobacteria. HMO metabolism has been studied in various bifidobacterial species such as B. breve, B. bifidum, and B. longum subsp. infantis. In the current study, we describe different ial growth abilities elicited by twenty-three newly isolated Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum strains on particular HMOs, such as 2'-fucosyllactose (2'FL), 3-fucosyllactose (3FL), lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), and lacto-N-neotetraose (LNnT). Through gene-trait matching and comparative genome analysis, we identified genes involved in the degradation of fucosylated HMOs in this strain set, while we employed a transcriptomic approach to facilitate the identification and characterization of genes and associated enzymes involved in LNT metabolism by strain B. pseudocatenulatum MM0196. A total of 252 publicly available genomes of the B. pseudocatenulatum taxon were screened for homologs of the glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) identified here as being required for selected HMO metabolism. From this analysis, it is clear that all members of this species possess homologs of the genes involved in LNT degradation, while genes required for degradation of fucosylated HMOs are variably present. IMPORTANCE Our findings allow a better understanding of the complex interaction between Bifidobacterium and its host and provide a roadmap toward future applications of B. pseudocatenulatum as a probiotic with a focus on infant health. Furthermore, our investigations have generated information on the role of HMOs in shaping the infant gut microbiota, thus also facilitating applications of HMOs in infant nutrition, with potential extension into the mature or adult gut microbiota. Supplementation of HMOs is known to result in the modulation of bacterial communities toward a higher relative abundance of bifidobacteria, which in turn enforces their ability to modulate particular immune functions and strengthen the intestinal barrier. This work may therefore inspire future studies to improve the formulation of neonatal nutritional products, aimed at facilitating the development of a healthy digestive and immune system and reducing the differences in gut microbiota composition observed between breastfed and formula-fed babies or full-term and preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB, Oryctes rhinoceros) is a palm tree pest capable of rapidly expanding its population in new territories. Previous studies identified a digestive symbiosis between CRB and its gut microbes. However, no research compared the genetic variation of CRBs with their hindgut microbiota on a global scale. This study aims to investigate the genetic divergence of CRB and the compositional variation of CRB's microbiota across different geographical locations, and explore the association between them and their predicted functional profiles and environmental data. The research reveals a distinct and consistent microbial community within local populations, but it varies across different geographical populations. The microbial functional profiles linked to the production of digestive enzymes, including cellulases and ligninases, are nonetheless globally conserved. This suggests that CRBs employ specific mechanisms to select and maintain microbes with functional benefits, contributing to host adaptability, stress tolerance, and fitness. The CRB microbial communities did not appear to recapitulate the genetic variation of their hosts. Rather than depend on obligate symbionts, CRBs seem to establish similar digestive associations with whatever environmentally acquired microbes are available wherever they are, aiding them in successfully establishing after invading a new location. IMPORTANCE Coconut rhinoceros beetles (CRBs) are notorious pests on Arecaceae plants, posing destructive threats to countries highly reliant on coconut, oil palm, and date palm as economic crops. In the last century, CRBs have rapidly expanded their presence to territories that were once free of these beetles. The United States, for instance, has officially designated CRBs as invasive and alien pests. Given their remarkable ability to swiftly adapt to new environments, their gut microbes may play a crucial role in this process. While the microbiota of CRBs vary depending on geographical location, these beetles consistently exhibit a functionally identical digestive association with locally acquired microbes. This underscores the significance of CRB-microbe association in shaping the adaptive strategies of this agricultural pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current research evaluated the effects of dietary hesperidin (HSP) on growth parameters, digestive enzyme activities, innate immune markers, and antioxidant responses in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss after the 30- and 60-day feeding trial. Then, specimens were subjected to Yersinia ruckeri infection for 14 days. For this, six hundred rainbow trout juveniles (initial weight; 25.49±0.40 g) were fed with different levels of HSP including 0 (HSP0; control), 50 (HSP50), 100 (HSP100), 150 (HSP150), and 200 (HSP200) mg/kg feed. After 60 days, dietary HSP100 supplementation significantly improved growth and feed efficiency indices. The optimal dose of HSP based on the regression test for WG and FCR detected 122 and 131 mg/kg, respectively. At the end of the 30th day, dietary HSP150 supplementation markedly boosted serum lysozyme (LYZ), myeloperoxidase (MPO), complement component C3, and immunoglobulin (Ig) levels, but decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content. In the same period, dietary administration of HSP at the different concentrations markedly increased complement component C4 (HSP150 and HSP200), superoxide dismutase (SOD), skin mucus alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (HSP100–HSP200), skin mucus LYZ and catalase (CAT) (HSP100 and HSP 150), and skin mucus Ig level (HSP50–HSP200). After 60 days, all dietary HSP supplementation significantly improved lipase, serum C3, glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and skin mucus ALP, LYZ, and Ig levels, but decreased MDA, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values. After 60 days, dietary administration of HSP150 induced a significant discrepancy in the activity of serum LYZ, MPO, respiratory burst (RB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) compared to the control group. In the same period, dietary HSP supplementation at different levels induced a remarkable increase in digestive protease activity (HSP100), serum ACH50 and CAT activities (HSP100 and HSP150), skin mucus peroxidase and serum SOD levels (HSP100–HSP200), and serum C4 value (HSP50, HSP150, and HSP200), but markedly decreased ALP activity (HSP150 and HSP200). In addition, dietary HSP supplementation, especially HSP150, markedly boosted disease resistance against Y. ruckeri infection. The current data demonstrated that the oral administration of 100–150 mg/kg HSP has a high potential to promote growth performance, disease resistance, and faster induction of immune and antioxidant responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was carried out to explore the effects of lactofeed (LA) as a multi-strain probiotic and succinic acid (SA) on growth variables, gut lactic acid bacteria count, digestive enzymes, innate immune responses, antioxidant capacity, and resistance against yersinia ruckeri in rainbow trout juveniles (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Three hundred sixty healthy rainbow trout juveniles (13.21±0.41 g) were randomly divided into twelve tanks (300 L) as four experimental groups. They were fed with basal diet (Control; BD), FT1: BD + 1 g/kg LA, FT2: BD + 5 g/kg SA, and FT3: BD + 1 g/kg LA + 5 g/kg SA for eight weeks. According to the results, final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), protein efficiency rate (PER), and feed conversion rate (FCR) revealed a remarkable discrepancy compared to the control group. In addition, dietary inclusion of LA (FT1 and FT3) significantly increased the specific growth rate (SGR). Dietary supplementation of LA+SA (FT3) remarkably improved total bacteria count (TBC) and amylase activity compared to the unsupplemented group. Gut lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count and digestive protease activity in all supplemented fish were remarkably higher than in unsupplemented group. Blood immunological factors including white blood cell (WBC) count, total immunoglobulin content (Ig), and the activity of lysozyme (LYZ), alternative complement pathway (ACH50), and acid phosphatase (ACP) were significantly enhanced in the supplemented groups. Neutrophil (NEU) count, skin mucus Ig and hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GPX) increased in SA (FT2 and FT3) treatments. In addition, monocyte (MON) count and skin mucus LYZ activity were significantly elevated following feeding with the FT3 diet. Other immunological parameters of skin mucus including protease activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and ACH50 activity, as well as hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities increased in fish fed with diets containing LA and/or SA. Malondialdehyde (MDA) value was remarkably decreased in all supplemented rainbow trout compared to the fish fed with BD. Disease resistance against Y. ruckeri in fish fed with supplemented diets significantly improved with respect to the results obtained in the control specimens. Overall, dietary LA+SA supplementation was beneficial to improve growth performance, gut LAB count, digestive enzyme activities, innate immune responses, antioxidant capacity, and disease resistance in rainbow trout. According to these findings, 1 g/kg LA + 5 g/kg SA is suggested for adding to rainbow trout diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the impact of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on growth performance, carcass traits, liver and kidney functions, immunity and antioxidant indicators, digestive enzymes, and cecum bacteriology of growing rabbits. One hundred 5-week-old New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits were randomly divided into 5 equal groups and fed for 8 weeks on the basal diet only or on the basal diet supplemented with different levels of Ag-NPs (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, or 1.00 mg/kg diet). Animals in each group were randomly distributed in 10 cages (replicates), with two rabbits each. Different dietary concentrations of Ag-NPs significantly increased live body weight (LBW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Also, body weight gain (BWG) increased dramatically during all experimental periods except 11–13 weeks of age. Levels of 0.25 and 1 mg of Ag-NPs/kg diet showed the highest increase in LBW, BWG, and FCR. All studied carcass traits, except liver %, were not affected by Ag-NPs levels. Rabbits fed diet supplemented with 1 mg Ag-NPs had the highest liver %. Serum total protein, albumin, and globulin levels were increased (P<0.05) in groups treated with 0.25 and 0.75 mg Ag-NPs. In contrast, serum values of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT), urea and creatinine were significantly reduced with the supplementation of Ag-NPs up to 0.75 mg/kg diet. The immunoglobulins M, G, and A (IgM, IgG, and IgA), complement 3 (C3) and lysozyme activity were improved with the inclusion of nano-silver in the rabbit feeds, particularly at the level of 0.25 mg Ag-NPs/kg feed. The inclusion of Ag-NPs in rabbit diets at different concentrations increased the total antioxidant capacity and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Growing rabbits fed on diets supplemented with Ag-NPs had higher levels of digestive enzymes than the control group. The addition of Ag-NPs reduced the load of E. coli, Salmonella spp. and coliform in the rabbit cecum. Overall, the inclusion of 0.25–1 mg Ag-NPs/kg to NZW rabbit diets has shown beneficial effects on health and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus salivarius (LS) ATCC 11741 and lutein (LU) on immunological, antioxidant, and growth responses, and resistance against Yersinia ruckeri infection in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). There were seven experimental diets containing un-supplemented diet (CTL), L. salivarius at 1 × 106 (LS6) and 1 × 108 (LS8) CFU/g, lutein at 50 (LU50) and 150 (LU150) mg/kg, L. salivarius at 1 × 106 CFU/g plus lutein at 50 g/kg (LS6+LU50), and L. salivarius at 1 × 108 CFU/g plus lutein at 150 g/kg (LS8+LU150). These diets were provided to the fish (N= 735; 14.0±0.38 g). After 60 days of feeding, all experimental treatments exhibited significantly higher growth performance, compared to the CTL treatment. The intestinal protease activity and the intestinal lactic acid bacteria population in the probiotic-treated fish were significantly higher than in the CTL fish. The intestinal lipase activity was only higher in the LS6+LU50 treatment, compared to the CTL treatment. Compared to the CTL treatment, the intestinal total bacterial count, and serum superoxide dismutase significantly increased in the LS6+LU50 and LS8+LU150 treatments. The serum catalase significantly increased in LU150, LS6+LU50, and LS8+LU150 treatments, and serum glutathione peroxidase significantly increased in the lutein-treated fish. All experimental treatments, particularly LS6+LU50 and LS8+LU150, had significantly lower serum malondialdehyde levels, compared to the CTL treatment. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and lactate dehydrogenase in LU50, LS6+LU50, and LS8+LU150 treatments were significantly lower than the CTL. All experimental treatments showed significantly higher serum lysozyme (LYZ), complement, blood respiratory burst activity (RB), and skin mucus alkaline phosphatase (ALP), compared to the CTL treatment. The highest serum LYZ, C4, total immunoglobulin (Ig), blood RB activity, and skin mucus peroxidase, ALP, and Ig were observed in the LS6+LU50 and LS8+LU150 treatments. All the experimental treatments, especially LS6+LU50, exhibited significantly lower mortality after the bacterial challenge compared to the CTL. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 1 × 106 CFU/g L. salivarius and 50 mg/kg lutein can maximally improve growth performance, digestive enzymes, antioxidant parameters, immune responses, intestinal lactic acid bacteria, and resistance against yersiniosis in rainbow trout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean meal (SBM) is a significant source of protein for poultry due to its high concentration of protein and amino acids profile. The primary objective of SBM processing is the reduction and deactivation of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) to enhance nutrient digestibility. However, eliminating ANFs does not necessarily correlate with increased protein and amino acid content. Several processing methods, such as soaking, cooking, and commercial techniques, improve SBM protein digestibility. To sustain feeding qualities, soybeans must undergo heating to remove inherent chemicals that interfere with poultry digestion. However, both under and over-processing can impair meal digestibility. Extrusion heating significantly contributes to protein and starch digestibility while reducing certain ANFs. Thermomechanical and enzyme-assisted procedures reduce heat-resistant proteins more efficiently than extraction methods, producing soy protein concentrate (SPC) and fermentation. These techniques reduce ANFs in SBM, activating digestive enzymes and alleviating digestive tract pressure, leading to decreased endogenous protein deficits. Exogenous enzyme supplementation is a biotechnological approach for enhancing the nutritional content of SBM and certain other protein-rich products. However, different processing methods not only affect protein digestibility but also impact poultry production, gastrointestinal health, and the environment due to higher nitrogen excrement. Ammonia (NH3) emissions are a significant environmental concern in chicken farming, resulting from uric acid production during protein consumption. It has a negative impact on the environment and the health of birds/humans. This review investigates the impact of several processing techniques on the digestibility of SBM protein and the reduction of N2 regarding one health concept. Future research should focus on identifying optimal processing methods maximizing protein digestibility while minimizing environmental nitrogen impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary fibres consist of a heterogeneous group of carbohydrate polymers which resist digestion by human gastrointestinal enzymes. Consumption of dietary fibre has been linked with innumerable health benefits encompassing the foundational pillars of metabolic health from obesity to hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), with many of these benefits linked with metabolites produced by the fermentation of fibre by gut microbes [1]. The potential of dietary fibre to provide a safe and effective nonpharmacologic complementary tool with which to combat the evolving consequences of the obesity epidemic has recently garnered tremendous attention in both medical literature and lay media alike. Highlights: Consumption of dietary fibre has been linked with innumerable health benefits encompassing the foundational pillars of metabolic health with many of these benefits linked with metabolites produced by the fermentation of fibre by gut microbesAt the present time clinicians are faced with an impossible task in which there is rapidly mounting evidence for dietary fibres advancing metabolic health, but little practical options for healthcare providers other than to simply recommend patients consume more fibre.Benefits of fibre intake may perhaps be maximised in an individual by matching specific fibre consumption with existing microbial functional characteristicsIf dietary fibres could be demonstrated to act as successful adjuncts to sustain or improve standard of care therapies or even alleviate common gastrointestinal side effects associated with current treatments, they would be an invaluable tool in our metabolic health armamentarium. Neither Dr. Madsen or I have any financial conflicts of interest pertinent to the contents of this manuscript. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Channa striatus (striped murrel) is a valuable freshwater fish known for its taste and medicinal properties. Despite the advances in breeding technology, larval rearing remains a major challenge for producing high-quality seeds for commercial production. A key issue is the lack of a scientifically validated weaning protocol, resulting in high mortality during early developmental stages. After feeding different early weaning diets over 29 days, we have found that larvae fed with Artemia nauplii increased the overall larval performance during the initial exogenous feeding phase. However, constraints due to feeding solely with Artemia nauplii necessitate weaning with an artificial micro diet. By 12 dph, the performance of larvae fed with Artemia nauplii and co-feed diet (Artemia nauplii and formulated diet) showed comparable results, and by 20 dph, the larvae fed with protease supplemented formulated micro diet showed better performance compared to other treatments. Therefore, this study gives an insight for standardizing weaning protocol for C. striatus larvae based on the effects of different early weaning diets, which positively enhances survival and growth of the Channa striatus larvae. The present study was carried out to evaluate the survival, growth, and digestive ontogeny of C. striatus larvae fed with different experimental diets from 4 days post-hatch (dph) to 32 dph at three-day intervals. A total of 24,000 larvae, with 1600 larvae per tank in triplicate and an initial mean weight of 0.64 ± 0.01 mg at 4 days post hatch (dph) were subjected to five different early weaning diets, namely Artemia nauplii (T1), co-feed diet comprising Artemia nauplii and formulated micro diet (T2), formulated micro diet (T3), formulated micro diet with protease supplementation (T4), and a commercial diet (T5). All the early weaning diets significantly affected the survival, growth, and ontogeny of the digestive system. Initially at 8 dph, C. striatus fed with T1 showed better survival and growth performance compared to other treatments. By 12 dph, the larvae fed with T1 and T2 showed similar results in terms of survival and growth performance, outperforming other treatments. However, the larvae fed with T2 and T4 outperformed T1 in survival and growth performance at 16 dph. By 24–32 dph, the larvae fed with all treatments met the basic nutritional needs for survival, with T4 fed larvae showing better growth compared to other treatments. At the end of the trial, cumulative mortality was lowest in larvae fed with T1 and highest in the larvae fed with T3 and T5. Similarly, the larvae fed with T4 showed significantly higher weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), and average daily growth (ADG), while T1 fed larvae exhibited better feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). The enzyme activity fluctuated throughout the experimental duration. Lavae fed with T1 and T2 showed higher enzyme activities initially. However, T4 fed larvae showed higher trypsin and chymotrypsin specific activity at 16 dph along with well-developed intestinal folds with dense microvilli, higher pepsin-specific activity at 20 dph onwards with fully developed gastric glands and thicker gastric mucosal epithelium, and higher amylase and lipase activity at 16 dph with large and prominent zymogen granules in the exocrine pancreas. Peaking at 4 dph, the activity of protein metabolic enzymes (AST and ALT) sharply declined at 8 dph and increased until 32 dph. Larvae fed with T1 showed higher AST and ALT activity along with increased lipid deposits, followed by those fed with T2 and the larvae fed with T4 showing higher activity without fat accumulation but significantly lower than those fed T1 and T2. From the present research findings, it is recommended to initiate weaning for Channa striatus larvae with Artemia nauplii (from 4 dph to 8 dph) followed by a co-feeding regime (Artemia nauplii and formulated diet) between 9 and 16 dph and transition to protease-supplemented micro diet (T4) from 17 dph onwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) is a wild fish species that is both commercially and ecologically valuable and is found in the Adriatic Sea. To better understand its distribution and physiology, this study examined the digestive enzymes in various parts of the barracuda's gastrointestinal system using histochemical analyses. This is the first known study to evaluate the activity of aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and non-specific esterase in the pyloric caeca and the anterior, middle, and posterior segments of the European barracuda's gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we examined the gastrointestinal tract of the European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) living in the Adriatic Sea near Dubrovnik, Croatia. The study aimed to identify the presence and distribution of four digestive enzymes: alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase, acid phosphatase, and non-specific esterase. We found that alkaline phosphatase activity was present in the brush border of the enterocytes in all the investigated intestinal segments. The activity of the alkaline phosphatase was the strongest in the pyloric caeca but strong only in the basal part of the intestinal villi in the anterior and middle intestinal segments. In the posterior intestinal segment, alkaline phosphatase had strong activity along the entire villi. The activity of acid phosphatase was weak in all the investigated parts of the intestine, except in the posterior part, where it was moderate. Aminopeptidase was detected in the brush border of the intestinal epithelium, with stronger activity in the pyloric caeca and anterior part of the intestine and weaker activity posteriorly. The activity of the non-specific esterase was moderate in the pyloric caeca and anterior part of the intestine, while it was weak in the posterior segment and the lamina propria in all parts of the digestive tract. Weak acid phosphatase activity was observed only in the lamina propria of the posterior part of the intestine. This study is the first to evaluate the activity of digestive enzymes in the European barracuda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study examines the impact of replacing 50% of soybean meal (SBM) with untreated cottonseed meal (CSM), fermented CSM (FCSM), or electron beam-irradiated CSM (ICSM) on the growth performance and physiological characteristics of broiler chickens. The findings revealed that broilers fed ICSM achieved higher body weight than those fed CSM. Furthermore, substituting 50% of SBM with FCSM significantly improved growth performance and nutrient digestibility compared to CSM and ICSM diets. In addition, including FCSM in the diet enhanced digestive enzyme activity, balanced the microbiota population, and reduced ammonia emissions compared to other experimental diets. Overall, FCSM provided superior nutritional benefits compared to both untreated and irradiated CSM in broiler diets. Therefore, FCSM can be used as a suitable alternative to SBM in broiler chicken diets. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the effects of substituting soybean meal (SBM) with untreated cottonseed meal (CSM), fermented CSM (FCSM), or electron beam-irradiated CSM (ICSM) on the growth performance, cecal microbiota, digestive enzyme activity, apparent ileal digestibility (AID), and excreta gas emission of broiler chickens. A total of 384 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four experimental diets, with eight replicates per diet and 12 birds per replicate, for six weeks. The experimental diets consisted of a control diet based on corn–SBM and three other diets in which 50% of the SBM (control) was substituted with CSM in its raw, irradiated, and fermented forms. The results showed that throughout the entire rearing period, feeding broiler chickens with ICSM significantly increased average daily gain (ADG) and body weight (BW) compared to the CSM diet (p < 0.05). Replacing 50% of SBM with FCSM led to a significant improvement in BW, ADG, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the CSM and ICSM diets (p < 0.05). Interestingly, no significant differences in BW, ADG, or FCR were observed between birds fed FCSM and those on the control diet (p > 0.05). Birds fed FCSM diets exhibited the lowest pH value in the crop, ileum, and ceca. Substituting SBM with FCSM significantly reduced Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp. counts in the ceca, while enhancing the presence of Lactobacillus spp. (p < 0.05). The AID of protein and ether extract was higher in the FCSM group than in the CSM and ICSM groups (p < 0.05). Compared to the CSM diet, ICSM feeding improved protein digestibility (p < 0.05). Broiler chickens on the FCSM diet exhibited higher intestinal amylase and protease activity than those on the other diets (p < 0.05). Furthermore, feeding diets containing FCSM significantly reduced ammonia emissions compared to the other diets (p < 0.05). Overall, our results indicated that microbial fermentation of CSM is a more effective approach than irradiation for enhancing the nutritional value of CSM. Therefore, FCSM is recommended as a viable alternative protein source that can safely replace up to 50% of SBM in broiler chicken diets, particularly during times of fluctuating SBM prices and availability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of quality and sufficient shrimp fry for production is largely determined by the management of maintenance during larval stadia. This study aims to obtain the best treatment of natural feed in the form of Spirulina sp. and Artemia sp. as feed supplements to improve the growth performance and survival rate of patin fish larvae. The experiment used a Complete Randomized Design consisting of 4 feed treatments and 3 replicates: A (Artemia sp. 100%), B (Artemia sp. 100% and Spirulina sp. 100%), C (Artemia sp. 50% and Spirulina sp. 50%), and D (Spirulina sp. 100%). The larvae with a density of 50 heads/L were kept in the aquarium and fed according to the treatment. The density of Spirulina sp. administered was 104–105 cells/mL maintained until day 7 according to the treatment. The parameters measured included growth performance, which included specific growth rate (SGR), survival (SR), absolute length growth (PPM), and analysis of larval digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, and protease). The data were analyzed using one way-analysis of variance and continued with Duncan's Multiple Range Test with a 95% confidence interval using SPSS version 22.0. The results showed that the administration of Spirulina sp. produced better SGR, SR, PPM, amylase enzyme, lipase, and protease activities compared to the control (100% administration of Artemia sp.). The best treatment was given by 100% Spirulina sp. treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gastrointestinal illnesses have been reported in relation to low disaccharidase activity, yet both the prevalence of disaccharidase deficiency and its association with gastrointestinal symptoms and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are largely unknown. We aimed to determine the association between low activity of disaccharidase enzymes on gastrointestinal symptoms and presence of IBS. Methods: Patients referred for gastroscopic examination due to gastrointestinal complaints were consecutively included. A pinch biopsy was taken from the distal part of duodenum, and disaccharidase activity was measured using the Dahlqvist method. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was measured using IBS-Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS). Results: A total of 40 patients were included. Disaccharidase deficiency was detected in 24 patients (60%). Half of the patients (n = 21) had IBS according to Rome IV criteria. A majority (75%) of all patients reported moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms were reported by 16 patients (67%) with disaccharidase deficiency and in 14 patients (88%) with normal disaccharidase activity. Lactase deficiency was detected in 22 patients (55%), maltase deficiency in 11 patients (28%), sucrase deficiency in 9 patients (23%), isomaltase deficiency in 13 patients (33%) and glucoamylase deficiency in 12 patients (30%). The activity of all enzymes was reduced in 8 patients (20%). Degree of disaccharidase deficiency was not associated with either the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms or the diagnosis of IBS. Enzymes levels were not associated with gastrointestinal symptom scores. Conclusion: Our findings did not reveal any association between biochemically measured disaccharidase deficiency and gastrointestinal symptoms or the presence of IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal inflammation is one of the main health challenges affecting the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Accumulating evidence introduces several flavonoids with multifaceted therapeutic properties in inflammatory diseases including intestinal inflammation. Herein, we examined potential anti-inflammatory properties of 5,4'-dihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxy7-O-rhamnosylflavone (DDR) flavone derived from Indigofera aspalathoides Vahl (I. aspalathoides Vahl) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal inflammation and injury in mice. Oral DDR treatment decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. It reduced oxidative stress through augmenting the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reducing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the duodenum and colon tissues. Moreover, DDR enhanced the activities of digestive enzymes including trypsin, pancreatic lipase, and amylase, and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by colon microbiota. Histopathological investigation of duodenum and colon revealed that DDR inhibited inflammatory infiltration and largely restored mucosal architecture and protected lining integrity. Importantly, DDR suppressed activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway through reduced expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and expression and phosphorylation of P65. The current study identified DDR as anti-inflammatory flavonoid capable of ameliorating LPS-induced intestinal inflammation through suppression of NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florfenicol (FF) is a new antibiotic commonly used in sericulture. This study aimed to examine the effects of low (LC: 0.06 g/L), medium (MC: 0.12 g/L), and high (HC: 1.2 g/L) concentrations of FF on the midgut physiological functions of the silkworm, Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). The results showed that the body weight and the whole cocoon weight of silkworms decreased and the development duration of the fifth instar was prolonged in the HC group. The structure of intestinal microbiota of silkworm larvae was changed by high FF exposure. Specifically, the abundance of conditional pathogens (Curtobacterium, Sanguibater, etc.) was significantly increased, whereas the abundance of Pseudomonas and Pedobacter was decreased significantly. Additionally, the intestinal reactive oxygen species level at 72 h was significantly elevated, and the muscle layer had become loose, together with the appearance of gut goblet cell atrophy. We observed that the increase in Lactobacillus abundance led to a reduction in intestinal fluid pH, resulting in decreased α‐amylase and protease activities, whereas lipase activity exhibited an elevation. The results demonstrated that the accumulation of peroxides induced by exposure to 1.2 g/L FF caused intestinal damage, and the decrease in pH resulting from alterations in microbial composition and structure affected digestive enzyme activity, collectively leading to physiological impairment of the silkworm midgut. These findings provide a valuable reference for the safe use of FF in sericulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 7500 Anabas testudineus (climbing perch) larvae were fed different diets, including vitamin E-enriched Moina micrura and egg custard-based inert diet, to study their growth, survival and physio-metabolic responses over a 30-day rearing period. The study comprised two control groups: C1, which received 100% vitamin E-enriched Moina for 30 days, and C2, which received a 100% egg custard-based inert diet for 30 days. Additionally, three treatment groups were included, which were fed with varying levels of enriched Moina and egg custard in different ratios and for different durations through co-feeding regimens. The egg custard-based inert diet had 40.98% crude protein and 6.69% ether extract. The results of the present study indicated that final body weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher in T3 group, in which larvae fed with 75% enriched Moina + 25% egg custard for first 15 days, 50% enriched Moina + 50% egg custard for next 5 days, 25% enriched Moina + 75% egg custard for next 5 days; 0% enriched Moina + 100% egg custard for next 5 days. In addition, significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher survival was obtained in C1 followed by T3 group. The appropriate co-feeding strategy based on digestive enzyme activity was observed in T3 and T2 groups. In terms of glucose, cortisol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels, no significant difference (p ˃ 0.05) was observed between C1 and T3 groups. Moreover, significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were observed in C1 and T3 groups. The activity of metabolic enzymes was also significantly affected by the co-feeding strategy. Overall, the T3 group showed improved growth and enzyme activity compared to other treatments. Thus, the present study establishes a co-feeding strategy by using vitamin E-enriched M. micrura and egg custard-based inert diet at levels as followed for the T3 group to boost the growth performance and physio-metabolic activity in A. testudineus larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of dietary supplements of either aqueous (AE) or ethanolic (EE) (Juniperus communis) leaf extracts on growth performance, intestinal health, hemato-biochemical indices, antioxidant, inflammation cytokine responses, and resistances against infection in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Fish groups were controlled with no extract (J1) and fed diets (J2, J3, J4, and J5) containing 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg aqueous and ethanolic extract for 60 days. Fish were given an intraperitoneal injection (IP) of Aeromonas hydrophila for 10 days after the feeding trial; then, the fish mortality was recorded. Growth, feed efficiency, and activity of endogenous enzymes (lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and amylase) were significantly improved in all dietary J. communis groups, especially in J5, compared to other groups. Also, J5 showed the highest absorption area, muscularis, goblet cells, villi width, and fewer gut bacterial counts than the other groups. In addition, the J4 and J5 groups of tilapia fish exhibited a significant increase in the levels of total protein, serum albumin, globulin, hemoglobin, white blood cells, and hematocrit (P < 0.05), as well as a significant decrease in the levels of serum alanine, aspartate aminotransferases, glucose, and cholesterol compared to the J1 groups. Moreover, the J4 and J5 fish showed a significant decline in the levels of MDA with improvements in antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GPX) and immunological (lysozyme, immunoglobulin M, and complement C3) indices compared to the J1 group. Fish in J4 and J5 exhibited downregulated levels of il-8, il-10, il-1β, tnf-α, ifn-γ, and hsp70 genes compared to other groups. In contrast, hepatic catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod), and interleukin (il-10) gene expressions were upregulated. The lowest fish mortality after the bacterial challenge was recorded in the J5 group. These findings suggest that 2.0 g/kg feed ethanolic extract of J. communis-fed Tilapia fish fingerlings improved their growth and intestinal health, boosted their immune systems and antioxidant responses, and increased their resistance to A. hydrophila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effects of the dietary addition of lavender essential oil (LEO) on mitigating the adverse effects of high stocking densities (HSD) in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. We used 216 fingerlings and randomly distributed them according to a 2 × 3 factorial design, comprising two stocking densities: a low stocking density (LSD, 2.92 kg/m3) and a high stocking density (5.85 kg/m3) and three levels of LEO, 0, 0.5%, and 1%, for 70 days. We evaluated their growth, digestive enzyme activity, blood biochemical parameters, immune/antioxidant indices, and intestinal morphology. All fish were intraperitoneally inoculated with Aeromonas veronii for a bacterial challenge test at the end of the feeding trial and monitored for 14 days. After 14 days, head kidney samples were collected from all fish to assess the level of expression of immune-related and apoptosis-related genes. Additionally, tissue samples were collected from the liver, kidney, and intestine to investigate the immunohistochemistry and histopathological alterations. The results showed that the final body weight and weight gain were lower and the feed conversion ratio was higher in fish cultured under HSD compared to those cultured under LSD. The fish cultured under LSD and HSD had higher final body weight when administered dietary LEO compared to the fish that were fed the non-supplemented diet. Adding 1% LEO increased the intestinal villus height and muscular coat thickness (MT). The MT was lower in fish cultured under HSD compared to those cultured under LSD. The amylase and lipase activities were lower in the fish cultured under HSD than in those cultured under LSD. However, LEO addition increased the lipase activity in fish cultured under LSD and HSD. Fish cultured under HSD showed lower immune/antioxidant indices (lysozymes, nitric oxide, complement 3, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione-S transferase) than those cultured under LSD. However, LEO addition significantly increased the immune response and antioxidant activity in fish cultured under LSD and HSD (P < 0.01). The level of expression of the IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, NF-kB, and TLR-4 B genes was upregulated in the LSD + LEO1, LSD + LEO0.5, and HSD + LEO1 groups. The expression of TGF-β and IL-10 was upregulated in fish that received 1% and 0.5% LEO, irrespective of whether they were cultured under LSD or HSD. The level of expression of apoptosis-related genes (caspase 3 and BAX) was upregulated in the HSD + LEO0 group and modified by the addition of LEO in their diet. The immunoexpression of NF-kB and IL-1β after bacterial challenge increased in the tissues of fish cultured under LSD and HSD after LEO was administered. These results indicated that the dietary addition of 1% LEO mitigated the harmful effects of HSD on the growth, immunity, antioxidant activity, and disease resistance of the Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestine is the principal digestive organ which is generally divided into three segments as the proximal intestine (PI), the mid intestine (MI), and the distal intestine (DI) in fish. In this study, the role of dietary vitamin D3 (VD3) in regulating the function and health of different intestinal segments was evaluated in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fingerlings through the supplementation with the increasing levels of dietary VD3 (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 IU/kg). The results showed that VD3 supplementation (1000–2000 IU/kg) significantly enhanced the fish growth performance, and the correlation analysis suggested that this effect was positively correlated with intestinal somatic index (ISI) and intestinal length index (ILI) of MI and DI except PI. In support of this finding, dietary VD3 enhanced the activities of digestive and brush border enzymes in the fish mainly in MI and DI rather than PI. Furthermore, the intestinal microbiota analysis revealed that VD3 increased the abundance of intestinal flora at the genus level rather than the phylum level. Meanwhile, hematoxylin and eosin staining presented that VD3 supplementation reduced epithelial goblet cell hyperplasia and lamina propria edema compared with the VD3 deficiency group in the MI and DI. Further studies showed that feeding VD3 decreased malondialdehyde levels but increased total antioxidant capacity, glutathione levels, and total superoxidase activity in MI or DI but not PI, suggesting the antioxidant potential of VD3 in two intestinal segments. Moreover, in MI and DI but not PI, dietary VD3 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine (il1 β and tnf α ) but enhanced antimicrobial peptide (hepcidin and βdefensin) mRNA levels and increased the activities of immune-related enzymes (lysozyme and acid phosphatase), highlighting the ability to improve fish immunity. Corresponding to these effects, dietary VD3 was able to mediate NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NF-κB pathways in MI and DI. Finally, quadratic regression models based on weight gain (PWG), feed efficiency (PE), ISI, and ILI suggested that the appropriate VD3 requirements for grass carp fingerlings were 1233.70–1387.11 IU/kg. Taken together, our findings strengthened the potential of dietary VD3 in managing the functions and health of particular intestinal segments and provided valuable reference data for VD3 requirements of fingerling fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The use of plant‐derived products in aquaculture has garnered considerable attention due to their potential benefits. This study investigated the impact of supplementing Withania coagulans root powder (WCRP) in the diet of Common Carp Cyprinus carpio on various parameters, including growth performance, digestive enzymes, hematology, antioxidant activity, and immunological aspects. Methods: Common Carp (mean weight ± standard deviation = 11.69 ± 0.48 g) were divided into four groups in triplicate, receiving different WCRP concentrations (0.0, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0%; labeled as WCRP0, WCRP1.0, WCRP1.5, and WCRP2.0, respectively) over a 60‐day period, followed by an experimental challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila to assess the relative percentage survival (RPS) over 14 days. Result: Results showed that Common Carp receiving WCRP1.5 and WCRP2.0 demonstrated significantly improved growth performance, with reduced feed conversion ratios (FCRs) being particularly evident in WCRP1.5. Polynomial contrasts indicated significant linear and quadratic effects on weight gain and FCR. Additionally, WCRP1.5 and WCRP2.0 supplementation led to significantly higher activity of digestive enzymes (lipase and protease). Hematological parameters, including white blood cells, red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, were significantly elevated in fish that were fed WCRP1.5 and WCRP2.0 compared to the control group. Moreover, serum parameters, such as total protein, albumin, globulin, lysozyme, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and total immunoglobulins, were significantly enhanced in WCRP1.5‐ and WCRP2.0‐treated fish. Notably, the WCRP1.5 group showed the lowest serum cortisol levels. The RPS was highest in WCRP1.5 (73.77%), followed by WCRP2.0 (70.43%), compared to the other groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, supplementation with WCRP1.5 and WCRP2.0 effectively improved both growth and health parameters in Common Carp. Impact StatementThe addition of Withania coagulans root powder (WCRP) to Common Carp diets significantly boosted growth, health, and disease resistance. Fish that were fed medium and high doses of WCRP showed better growth, improved blood health, and enhanced immune responses, leading to higher survival rates after a bacterial challenge. This natural supplement offers a cost‐effective way for farmers to improve fish productivity and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]