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With the increase in consumers’ concern for safe food, it is highly imperative for livestock farmers to adopt feeding practices that enhance good health and high-quality products. A 49-day trial was conducted to ascertain effect of vitamin E and selenium (VE + Se) on performance, haematological indices and oxidative stability of chicken meat. A total of 150 Ross 7-day-old chicks were weighed and allotted to five treatments comprising dietary levels of 0 mg VE + 0 mg SE (Control), 100 mg VE + 0.05 mg Se, 200 mg VE + 0.1 mg Se, 300 mg VE + 0.15 mg Se and 400 mg VE + 0.2 mg Se per kg of feed in a completely randomised design. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. The data collected on performance, haematological indices and oxidative stability of meat were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance in a completely randomised design. Performance indices were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by VE + Se supplementation. Mean daily live-weight gain (48.68 g /bird /day) was highest (p < 0.05) in the 400 mg VE + 0.2 mg group. The mean daily feed intake (g /bird / day) was highest in birds fed the diet containing 200 mg VE + 0.1 mg. The least or best feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the group fed 400 mg VE + 0.2 mg SE. Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) increased as the level of VE + Se increased with the highest activity in 400 mg VE + 0.2 mg Se group. The highest packed cell volume, haemoglobin and red blood cell values were observed in birds fed the diet containing 400 mg VE + 0.20 mg Se. In conclusion, to ensure good performance of the chickens and improved oxidative stability of chicken meat in hot climate, feeding broilers VE + SE at 400 mg VE + 0.2 mg Se is recommended.

Owing to the scarcity of feed during the dry season in most tropical regions of Africa, attention has been shifted to the use of aquatic plants which were regarded as waste and take a lot of effort to eradicate. This study therefore aimed to explore the potential of water hyacinth as alternative feed source for ruminants. Twenty-four (24) West African Dwarf (WAD) goats with average body mass of 6.5 ± 0.22 kg were used in a 84-day feeding trial to determine the influence of whole Water Hyacinth (WH; Eichhornia crassipes) plant as alternative livestock feed resource. The goats were divided into four (4) groups of six (6) animals per group. Each group was randomly allotted to the four experimental diets containing 0 %, 5 %, 10 % and 15 % of WH, respectively, in a Completely Randomised Design. Results showed that supplemented E. crassipes plant influenced (p < 0.05) the growth performance characteristics of West African dwarf (WAD) goats. Five (5 %) percent inclusion of WH gave the highest (p < 0.05) weight gain, metabolic weight and dry matter intake whereas 10 % inclusion of WH gave similar (p > 0.05) weight gain as the control. In addition, 5 % percent inclusion of WH reduced (p < 0.05) the cost of production with high returns. On the other hand, with 10 % inclusion we observed the highest (p < 0.05) packed cell volume, red blood cell count and haemoglobin concentration. The 15 % WH inclusion resulted in an elevated (p < 0.05) serum albumin and cost per kilogram weight gain. It can be concluded that feeding WAD goats with WH up to 10 % in their diets had favourable effects on growth performance, health and possibly immune response as well as profitability.

This study investigated the physiological and stress indices of scavenging chickens in LAFARGE and Dangote cement factories located at Ewekoro and Ibese, respectively and respective adjourning communities of Ogun State, Nigeria. One hundred adult scavenging chickens comprising of 25 from each location were used. The birds were caught at night on their perch and kept in furnished cages till the next morning. Data were collected on their rectal temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate. Also 5 mL blood was collected through the wing vein of each chicken. Highest (p < 0.05) pulse rate (215.64 beat/minute) and respiratory rate (19.90 breath/minute) were recorded among the chickens at LAFARGE area. Highest (p < 0.05) packed cell volume (28.06%), hemoglobin (4.01 g/dL), monocyte (4.28%) and glucose (256.53 g/dL) were recorded among ones at Ibese (Dangote). White blood cell (6488.89 × 103µL) was highest (p < 0.05) in chickens at Ewekoro (LAFARGE). The study concluded that cement factories infringe on health status of scavenging chickens in the domains. Effective environmental mitigation programme should be put in place for enhanced welfare of the birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albendazolum (ABZ) is a BCS class II drug. It has challenging biopharmaceutical properties, which include poor solubility and dissolution rate. These properties have laid the ground for developing a supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS) to form oil-in-water nanoemulsion in situ to improve the oral bioavailability of ABZ. Based on the ABZ solubility, emulsifying ability, and stability after dispersion in an aqueous phase, an optimal self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) consisting of oleic acid, TweenVR 20, and PEG 600 (X:Y:Z, w/w) was identified, having 10% (w/w) hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) E15 lv as its precipitation inhibitor. The optimized system possessed a small mean globule size value (89.2 nm), good dispersion properties (polydispersity index (PDI): 0.278), and preserved the supersaturated state of ABZ. S-SNEDDS was transformed into solid supersaturated self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SS-SNEDDS) using microcrystalline cellulose as a solid material. The developed S-SNEDDS were characterized for globule size, pH, turbidity, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and flow properties. The data obtained from the results suggest that this S-SNEDDS formulation can enhance the solubility and oral bioavailability of ABZ for appropriate clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 42-day trial was conducted with 144 (arbor acre) day-old broiler chicks to evaluate the growth response and carcass yield of broiler chickens to dietary supplementation of copper sulphate and nano copper and consequently copper retention. Birds were divided into four groups and assigned to the dietary treatments; 250 ppm CuSO4, 225 ppm Cu-NP, 275 ppm Cu-NP supplementation and control (antibiotics). Data collected were subjected to one - way Analysis of Variance. Results indicated that birds fed dietary nano copper had similar (P < 0.05) growth and dress yield [%] compared to other groups. Supplemented birds at higher dosages (250 mg/kg and 275 mg/kg of CuSO4 and Cu-NP, respectively) exhibit high faecal copper excretion and retention in liver compared to the control group. The study therefore concludes that copper residue in faeces and liver increased with dietary copper supplementation, however, nano copper is better available to the birds than CuSO4. Hence, supplementation of 225 ppm of nano copper is recommended for less liver copper load and excretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we carried out a comparative study on two cost and time effective methods of encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNP) in dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl choline (DPPC)/cholesterol-based liposome to enhance nanoparticle cytotoxicity, and evaluated the effect of this on a blood cell line (THP1 monocytes) often involved in uptake of nanoparticles during human exposure. DLS and Zeta potential analyses over a 6-months period showed the extruded Lipo-AgNP (Ex-Lipo-AgNP) exhibited more stable characteristics when compared with the probe-sonicated Lipo-AgNP (PB-Lipo-AgNP). SEM microscopy indicated agglomeration of the PB-Lipo-AgNP which was not observed in Ex-Lipo-AgNP. Ex-Lipo-AgNP also exhibited higher temperature-dependent stability with 35.3% reduction in size from 20 °C to 37 °C while PB-Lipo-AgNP was less stable exhibiting 55% size reduction over same temperature range and 6 h period. Load release study over 24 h showed controlled release from Ex-Lipo-AgNP while the PB-Lipo-AgNP exhibited burst release at pH 4 and 6.5. Interestingly, it was found that Ex-Lipo-AgNP induced significantly higher cytotoxicity on THP1 cell line after 24 h exposure compared with control unexposed cells, uncoated AgNP and PB-Lipo-AgNP exposed cells at the same concentration. Thus, we report here that liposomal encapsulation of AgNP by extrusion produces a stable nanocapsule with enhanced cytotoxicity, thus preventing overreliance on high AgNP concentration to achieve desired toxicity for in vitro and possible in vivo applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) is the canonical serine protease inhibitor of neutrophil-derived proteases and can modulate innate immune mechanisms through its anti-inflammatory activities mediated by a broad spectrum of protein, cytokine, and cell surface interactions. AAT contains a reactive methionine residue that is critical for its protease-specific binding capacity, whereby AAT entraps the protease on cleavage of its reactive centre loop, neutralises its activity by key changes in its tertiary structure, and permits removal of the AAT-protease complex from the circulation. Recently, however, the immunomodulatory role of AAT has come increasingly to the fore with several prominent studies focused on lipid or protein-protein interactions that are predominantly mediated through electrostatic, glycan, or hydrophobic potential binding sites. The aim of this review was to investigate the spectrum of AAT molecular interactions, with newer studies supporting a potential therapeutic paradigm for AAT augmentation therapy in disorders in which a chronic immune response is strongly linked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]