Effect of chromium supplementation on the glucose homeostasis and anthropometry of type 2 diabetic patients: Double blind,randomized clinical trial: Chromium,glucose homeostasis and anthropometry

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of chromium supplementation on the glucose homeostasis and anthropometry of type 2 diabetic patients.Material and methodsFifty-six individuals with type 2 Diabetes were randomized on a double blind clinical trial into three groups: placebo (NC₀), 50 μg (NC₅₀) and 200 μg (NC₂₀₀) of chromium nicotinate. Glucose homeostasis, anthropometry and physical activity intensity were evaluated at the beginning, at day 45 and at day 90. Energy intake was evaluated at the beginning, between the beginning and 45 days, and between days 45 and 90 of the study.ResultsThere were no differences within or between groups for HOMA-IR, waist circumference, body fat percentage, lean body mass percentage and total energy intake during the trial. There was an increase of the HOMA-β in group NC₀ (p = 0.0349) and a decrease of 1.08 kg in group NC₅₀ (p = 0.0048) at 90 days. The relation between body mass index, body fat percentage and insulin sensitivity did not change in the placebo and supplemented groups (p > 0.05). In the effect of the intervention, for each 1 cm increase in waist circumference there was an increase of 1.90 ± 0.63 in HOMA-IR (p = 0.0087) and 16.31 ± 5.27% in HOMA-β (p = 0.0073) in group NC₂₀₀. No difference was seen in the intensity of physical activity within the groups and in the comparison between the supplemented groups (NC₅₀ and NC₂₀₀) and placebo (NC₀) at 90 days. There was an increase in energy expenditure in physical activity at 90 days (p = 0.0371) of intervention in the group subjects NC₅₀. As for total energy intake, there were no differences within or between the groups during the study.Conclusion50 μg and 200 μg supplementation with chromium nicotinate for 90 days did not promote improvements in glucose homeostasis and anthropometry in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.     

Comparison of the archaeal community in the fermentative compartment and faeces of the cow and the rabbit

The archaeal community in the fermentative compartment and faeces of the cow and the rabbit were compared by analysis capillary electrophoresis single-stranded conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) profiles of 16S rRNA genes. Ruminal and faecal contents were sampled in five cows for three weeks. Hard and soft faeces were collected in 14 rabbits for three consecutive weeks and cæcal contents were sampled in the third week. The archaeal community differed according to the host species (ANOSIM-R = 0.53 and 0.72 respectively for the comparison of the fermentative compartments and faeces; P < 0.001) and to the location within the digestive tract of both species (ANOSIM-R = 0.37, 0.52 respectively for the cow and the rabbit; P < 0.001). In both species, the archaeal community of the digestive tract was stable over weeks and varied very little between individual animals. The structure (NS) and the richness index (9.9 ± 2.7, 10.1 ± 3.1 respectively, NS) of the archaeal community were similar for the cæcal content and the soft faeces which permitted to use the latter as a representative indicator.     

Bifidobacteria in the digestive tract of bumblebees

Bifidobacteria and other bacterial groups (lactobacilli, facultative anaerobes, anaerobes) from the digestive tract of three bumblebee species (Bombus lucorum (34 samples), Bombus pascuorum (18 samples) and Bombus lapidarius (9 samples)) were enumerated and characterised. Counts of facultative anaerobic bacteria and lactobacilli (5.41 ± 2.92 and 2.69 ± 3.02 log CFU/g of digestive tract content) were lower than those of anaerobes (7.66 ± 0.86 log CFU/g). Counts of bifidobacteria were determined using two selective media: MTPY (Modified Trypticase Phytone Yeast extract agar) and a new medium with pollen extract. There was no significant difference between the counts of bifidobacteria from both media, 5.00 ± 2.92 log CFU/g on MTPY and 5.00 ± 2.87 on the pollen medium. Subsequently, 187 bacterial strains of the family Bifidobacteriaceae (fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase-positive) were isolated from three different localities and from all three species of bumblebees. Bifidobacteria were found in 42 out of 61 specimens (69%). Twenty-three (38%) specimens had counts of bifidobacteria higher than 7.0 log CFU/g. Bifidobacteria represented the dominant group of anaerobes (>70% of total anaerobes), i.e., the principal group of bacteria in the bumblebee digestive tract, in only fourteen specimens (23% of total). For the first time, bifidobacteria were isolated from the digestive tract of bumblebees. In addition, we suggest, on the basis of biochemical tests (API 50 CHL and RAPID ID 32) and genetic methods (PCR and DGGE), that these bacteria may represent new species within the family of Bifidobacteriaceae.     

Nutrient composition,digestion and rumen fermentation in sheep of wheat straw treated with calcium oxide,sodium hydroxide and alkaline hydrogen peroxide

This study tested the effect of calcium oxide (CaO), sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and NaOH plus hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; AHP) on cell wall composition, digestion and fermentation of wheat straw (straw) in sheep. Treated straws were prepared by mixing straw either with water followed by dusting with CaO at 160 g kg⁻¹ DM or with a NaOH solution alone at 3 l kg⁻¹ DM to supply 80 g NaOH kg⁻¹ DM (Na) or pre-soaked with Na exactly as in the previous treatment for 27 h followed by mixing with 130 g H₂O₂ kg⁻¹ DM (AHP) for 6 h. After 14 days of storage, the treated straws and an untreated straw (U) were fed automatically every 2 h to four individually housed sheep together with a supplement in a 4×4 latin square experiment. Each kilogram supplement DM contained 422 g CP and 10.8 MJ ME. NDF (p<0.001) and hemicellulose (p<0.01) contents were significantly reduced whereas cellulose was increased (p<0.001) in treated compared to untreated straw. ADL was reduced in Ca (p<0.05) but increased (p<0.05) in Na and AHP compared with U. The rumen and total tract digestibility were significantly (p<0.001) greater in sheep fed treated compared with untreated straw. Significant differences (p<0.05) between treatments for pH, NH₃ and VFA were also observed. All treatments improved the nutritive value of straws compared with untreated through modification of cell wall with a subsequent increase in digestibility by sheep. Although the digestibility for Ca was lower than that for Na despite reduction in cell wall, its use to treat straws may be more safe and cost effective than Na. AHP was the most effective and could also improve the energy value of other low quality forages for ruminants. However, the need of AHP for a large amount of NaOH to achieve highly alkaline pH limits its farm scale application. Therefore, further studies should either consider reducing the amount of NaOH or finding alternative alkalis that are cost effective and user-friendly.     

Nutrient digestibility in Atlantic salmon and broiler chickens related to viscosity and non-starch polysaccharide content in different soyabean products

Total tract digestibility in Atlantic salmon and ileal digestibility in chicken were assessed from diets with different soyabean products (hulled, toasted, extracted, SBM; reduced oligosaccharide content, ROM; ethanol-extracted protein concentrate, SPC; isolated protein, ISP). The concentration of dietary fibre was highest in SBM and ROM, while it was low in ISP. In vitro viscosity was also higher in SBM than in the other soyabean products. The diets for the salmon and chickens were based on the same feed ingredients, with the exception that fish meal provided half the crude protein in the salmon diets. For each species, the diets were isonitrogenous, contained similar amounts of fat (fish oil), and were balanced with dextrin, thus substituting soyabean non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and other non-proteinous components by dextrin.In the salmon, total tract digestibility of nitrogen and dry matter were lower (p < 0.05) with the SBM and ROM diets than with the ISP diet. In the chickens, ileal digestibility of dry matter differed among all treatments (p < 0.05). Digestibility of nitrogen, starch, phosphorus and calcium in the chickens was lower (p < 0.05) with the SBM diet than with the ISP and SPC diets, and fat digestibility was lower (p < 0.05) with the SBM and ROM diets than with the SPC diet. Also, the SBM diet gave lower (p < 0.05) digestibility of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium than the ROM diet, while the ROM diets gave lower (p < 0.05) digestibilities of nitrogen, fat and starch than the ISP and SPC diets. Intestinal viscosity was higher (p < 0.05) and cholesterol content in the blood was lower (p < 0.05) for the chickens fed the SBM-based diet than those fed the other diets. There was a similar response to the different soy products in salmon and chickens with regard to digestibility of nitrogen and fat (p < 0.05). The negative effects of soyabean meals with a low protein content could indicate antinutritive effects of NSP fractions in soyabean meal, as indicated by the elevated viscosity and the decrease in blood cholesterol content.     

Effect of elemental nano-selenium on feed digestibility,rumen fermentation,and purine derivatives in sheep

The objective of this experiment was to study the effect of elemental nano-selenium (NS) on feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and urinary purine derivatives in sheep. Eight male ruminally cannulated sheep (42.5 ± 3.2 kg of body weight, BW) were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square experiment in four 20 day periods. Depending on treatment designation, sheep were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 0.3, 3 and 6 g of nano-Se/kg dry matter (DM). Ruminal pH (range of 6.68–6.80) and ammonia N concentration (range of 9.95–12.49 mg/100 mL) was decreased (P<0.01), and total VFA concentration (range of 73.63–77.72 mM) was increased linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) with increasing nano-Se supplementation. The ratio of acetate to propionate was linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) decreased due to the increasing of propionate concentration. In situ ruminal neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) degradation of Leymus chinensis and crude protein (CP) of soybean meal were linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) improved by feeding nano-Se. Similarly, nutrients digestibility in the total tract and urinary excretion of purine derivatives were also quadratically (P<0.01) changed by increasing nano-Se supplementation. The present results indicated that nano-Se supplementation in basal diet improved rumen fermentation and feed utilization. Nano-Se could also stimulate rumen microbial activity, digestive microorganisms or enzyme activity. The optimum dose of nano-Se was about 3.0 g/kg dietary DM in sheep.     

The effect of inclusion of a high lactose supplement in finishing diets on nutrient digestibility,nitrogen excretion,volatile fatty acid concentrations and ammonia emission from boars

An experiment (complete randomised design) was conducted to investigate the use of lactose in finishing pig diets on nitrogen excretion patterns and ammonia emissions. Diets were formulated to have similar digestible energy (13.8 MJ/kg) and total lysine (11.0 g/kg) contents. Thirty boars (58 kg) were assigned to one of the five dietary treatments (six per treatment) as follows: (T1) 0 g Lactofeed/kg (860 g whey permeate/kg, 140 g soya bean meal/kg, Volac International, UK) (LF70); (T2) 40 g LF70/kg; (T3) 80 g LF70/kg; (T4) 120 g LF70/kg; and (T5) 160 g LF70/kg. After a 14-day adaptation period, pigs were housed in metabolism crates and faeces and urine were collected for nitrogen balance and ammonia emission. NH₃–N emission was measured over 10 days using a laboratory scale procedure. Coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) for dry matter and gross energy digestibility were affected by dietary LF70 inclusion (quadratic, P<0.05). T1 had a higher urinary N and total N excretion (P<0.1), a lower N retention (as a proportion of intake) (P<0.05) than the LF70 supplemented diets. T1 had a higher NH₃–N per gram of N intake from days 0 to 4 (P<0.05) than the LF70 supplemented diets. In the faeces isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid were affected by dietary LF70 level (quadratic, P<0.01). There was a linear decrease in the ratio of acetic acid: propionic acid with increasing LF70 levels (P<0.05). In the caecum and colon lactobacilli concentrations were affected by dietary LF70 inclusion (quadratic, P<0.05). In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that the incorporation of lactofeed in finisher pig diets increases CTTAD for gross energy and the concentration of lactobacilli in the hind-gut and decreases total nitrogen excretion. The inclusion of lactofeed also reduces the quantity of ammonia emitted from fresh manure in the first 4 days of storage.     

Effect of rare earth elements on in vitro rumen microbial fermentation and feed digestion

The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of rare earth elements (REEs) on in vitro rumen fermentation, gas production, microbial protein synthesis and nutrient digestion using in vitro batch culture and continuous culture technique. A mixture of REE containing (g/kg) 380 g of LaCI₃·6H₂O, 521 g of CeCI₃·6H₂O, 30 g of PrCI₃·6H₂O and 69 g chlorides of other light REEs. The experimental diet consisted of 885 g/kg barley grain, 84 g/kg barley silage and 31 g/kg supplement (dry matter (DM) basis). Diet supplemented with different dosages of REE (control, no additional REE; low, 400 mg/kg REE; and high, 800 mg/kg REE, DM basis) were incubated for 4, 8, 14 and 24 h in diluted rumen fluid. At the end of 24 h of incubation, gas production and concentration of volatile fatty acid (VFA) linearly increased with increasing REE supplementation; whereas, influence of REE supplementation on VFA profile was marginal. Dry matter disappearance was not affected (P>0.10). Six dual-flow continuous culture fermenters were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with same treatments and same diet used in the batch culture. Mean ruminal pH (5.71) and total VFA (93.6 mM) concentration were not affected by supplementation of REE. The molar proportion (mol/100 mol) of acetate (39.1) and propionate (50.5) was similar among the treatments. However, the proportion (mol/100 mol) of butyrate was higher with the high REE (6.6) than with low REE (5.3) or the control (5.8). Ruminal true digestibilities of organic matter (OM) (0.785, 0.811 and 0.828), acid detergent fibre (0.360, 0.431 and 0.432) and crude protein (0.496, 0.590 and 0.589) for control, low and high REE, respectively, linearly increased with increasing REE supplementation, whereas, the increase in ruminal digestibility from low to high dosage of REE was minimal. Microbial nitrogen (N) production (g/day) and microbial efficiency (g N/kg of truly fermented OM) were not affected by treatments. Improvement of ruminal digestibility of OM due to REE supplementation was attributed to the increase in digestibility of fibre and degradability of protein. The results suggest that REE supplementation improved ruminal fibrolytic and proteolytic activities.     

Activation of nylon net and its application to a biosensor for determination of glucose in human serum

A glucose biosensor using a glucose oxidase (GO_x)-immobilized nylon net with glutaraldehyde as cross-linking reagent and an oxygen (O₂) electrode for the determination of glucose has been fabricated. The detection scheme was based on the utilization of dissolved O₂ in oxidation of glucose by the membrane bound GO_x. Crucial factors including O-alkylation temperature, reaction times of nylon net with dimethyl sulfate, l-lysine, and glutaraldehyde, and enzyme loading were examined to determine the optimal enzyme immobilization conditions for the best sensitivity of the developed glucose biosensor. In addition, the effects of pH and concentration of phosphate buffer on the response of the biosensor were studied. The glucose biosensor had a linear range of 18 μM to 1.10 mM with the detection limit of 9.0 μM (S/N = 3) and response time of 80 s. The biosensor exhibited both good operational stability with over 200 measurements and long-term storage stability. The results from this biosensor compared well with those of a commercial glucose assay kit in analyzing human serum glucose samples.     

A comparison of total collection and marker technique for the measurement of apparent digestibility of diets for growing pigs

Use of markers for the measurement of digestibility is a less labour intensive method than total faecal collection. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to evaluate chromic oxide (Cr₂O₃), titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and acid-insoluble ash (AIA) markers for the calculation of digestibility and (2) to examine the reliability of grab sampling as a technique for measuring digestibility in group-housed animals. For marker comparison, eight entire males were housed in individual metabolism crates and offered a cereal-based diet. Pigs were randomly allotted to treatments for total collection period one, four to the diet with 1 g chromic oxide and 1 g titanium dioxide added per kilogram (Treatment A) and four to the same the diet without marker (Treatment B). During total collection period two, the treatments were reversed. AIA was measured for all animals in crates. For grab sampling study, grouped-housed animals (13–14 per pen) were fed the same cereal-based diet as for marker comparison above and AIA marker was used. Faecal samples were taken from a representative number of animals (minimum eight) in a pen while held in a weighing scales. All feed and faeces samples were analysed for marker content and digestibility. Feed analysis showed 0.93 g/kg of Cr₂O₃ and 1.02 g/kg of TiO₂ added to the diet. Faecal marker recovery was 96, 92.3 and 99.9% (S.E. 2.27) for Cr₂O₃, TiO₂ and AIA, respectively. Mean energy digestibility values were 0.858, 0.848, 0.844 and 0.855 (S.E. 0.003, P<0.01) for total collection, Cr₂O₃, TiO₂, AIA, respectively. Energy digestibility coefficients were 0.852 and 0.861 (S.E. 0.004, P>0.10) for total collection (as measured in marker comparison) and grab sampled animals, respectively. In conclusion, acid-insoluble is a reliable marker for the measurement of digestibility and grab sampling offers a rapid and reliable alternative to the labour intensive metabolism crate method.     

Biodegradability and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone composites encapsulating phosphate-solubilizing bacterium Bacillus sp. PG01

This study examined the feasibility of using polycaprolactone (PCL) and its composites (with starch and/or clay) in encapsulating cells of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) for the development of biodegradable and “controlled-release” bacterial fertilizer. The PSB used in this work was an indigenous Bacillus sp. PG01 isolate. The results show that the PG01 strain was able to degrade all the cell-loaded capsules made of PCL and PCL composites, resulting in a continual cell release. Morphology observation indicates that severe disruption of the capsule structure occurred after incubation for 15–20 days. The biodegradability of the capsules decreased in the order of PCL/starch (20 wt%) > PCL/starch (20 wt%)/cay (7 wt%) > PCL alone > PCL/clay (7 wt%). Similar trends were also observed for the decrease in tensile strength and elongation at break, suggesting strong connections between biodegradability and the mechanical properties. Addition of starch appeared to enhance the biodegradability of the capsules, whereas the clay-blended composites were less biodegradable. The amount and rate of cell release from cell-encapsulated PCL-based capsules were positively dependent on the biodegradability and on the decrease in the mechanical strength. Nevertheless, the pattern of cell release was quite similar for all types of capsules. The outcome of this work seems to suggest that by proper manipulation of composite compositions, the controlled release of the bacterial fertilizer (i.e., Bacillus sp. PG01 cells) might be achievable.     

Intake,digestibility and nitrogen utilization of Robinia pseudoacacia foliage fed to growing goat wethers

Black locust (BL; Robinia pseudoacacia L.), a native tree of southeastern USA known to contain substantial levels of condensed tannins (CT), was fed to 32, 4 month old (20.4 kg BW) Boer cross wether goats in two randomized complete block design trials. The objectives were to examine the effects of feeding hay diets containing several levels of fresh BL foliage on intake, digestibility, and N metabolism. First year (1999) diets were H_E (100% Eastern gamagrass [EGH; Tripsacum dactyloides L.] hay), H_EG (70% EGH and a 30% mixture of 59% ground corn [GC; Zea mays L.], 36% soybean meal [SBM; Glycine max L.], and 5% minerals), 25BL99 (75% EGH and 25% BL leaves), and 50BL99 (50% EGH and 50% BL leaves). Second year (2000) diets were H_O (100% orchardgrass [OGH; Dactylis glomerata L.] hay), H_OG (70% OGH and a 30% mixture of 63% GC, 37% SBM, and 5% minerals), 50BL00 (50% OGH and 50% BL leaves), and 75BL00 (25% OGH and 75% BL leaves). In 1999, apparent digestibilities of the diets in the order listed above were 62.4, 68.2, 58.0, and 60.6% (P = 0.001) for DM and 62.8, 72.5, 56.0, and 59.1% (P = 0.001) for crude protein (CP). Acid detergent lignin digestibilities were negative for diets 25BL99 (−56.7%) and 50BL99 (−49.3%), apparently due to the formation of insoluble tannin and lignin complexes during passage through the digestive tract. Intakes of DM were similar across diets. In 2000, apparent digestibilities of diet DM (64.4, 71.7, 64.8 and 65.4%) and CP (70.0, 76.0, 66.6, and 66.5%) did not differ. Lignin digestibilities were positive for diets 50BL00 (9.4%) and 75BL00 (29.6%) unlike those for year 1999. Overall, BL contained 10% CT and 18–34% hydrolyzable tannins. In 1999, N intake, urinary N (UN) excretion and N retained were higher for diet H_EG (P = 0.01) than diet H_E whereas fecal N excretion (FN) was similar for diets H_EG, 25BL99 and 50BL99. In 1999, FN excretion as a percentage of N intake was higher (P < 0.02) in the BL diets, although UN as a percentage of N intake did not differ among diets. In 2000, N intake and FN output were higher for BL diets compared to diets H_O (P = 0.01) and H_OG (P = 0.02). Fecal N as a percentage of N intake was lower (P = 0.01) for diet H_OG (24.0%) than for diets 50BL00 (33.4%) and 75BL00 (33.5%). Conversely, urinary N as a percentage of N intake was higher for diets H_O and H_OG compared to the BL diets (P = 0.02). Increased levels of dietary BL increased FN, suggesting that tannins formed insoluble protein complexes thus hindering digestibility.     

Fecal nitrogen to estimate intake and digestibility in grazing ruminants

This study aimed at evaluating forage intake and digestibility in ruminants using fecal nitrogen content, as well as validating a non-linear model to estimate digestibility in ruminants. A total of 58 conventional metabolism trials, carried out with sheep fed 27 forages (offered pure or in mixture) used in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) during the period 1969–1989 was analyzed. OM intake and OM digestibility (OMD) results were regressed linearly against fecal N, and OMD was also estimated from fecal crude protein (N × 6.25) content by a non-linear regression model. Fecal nitrogen excretion estimated forage intake in sheep with an R² = 0.73, whereas a low R² value of 0.36 was observed for OMD estimates. The equation obtained using the non-linear model was OMD = 0.7326 ? 0.3598 exp [(?0.9052 CP (g/kg OM))/100]. The parameters a (0.7326) and b (0.3598) estimated by the equation for all forages were significant (P<0.00001) and there was no effect of type of forage (P=0.38). The mean prediction error (MSPE), was 0.2379, indicating that the equation fit well to the data. The difference between estimated and observed organic matter digestibility was mainly caused by random variation (0.9765). The results indicated that the equation using the non-linear model developed with all forages can be used with enough precision to estimate the OM digestibility of forage consumed by sheep in Rio Grande do Sul.     

Effect of dietary cobalt supplementation on plasma and rumen metabolites in Mehraban lambs

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of different levels of dietary cobalt on performance, plasma and rumen metabolites and nutrient digestibility in Mehraban male lambs. Experiment 1: 28, 8–9-month-old lambs were randomly divided into four groups. Animals were fed a basal diet containing 0.088 mg Co/kg DM and were supplied with 0 (control), 0.25, 0.50, or 1.00 mg Co/kg DM as reagent grade CoSO₄·7H₂O. The experiment lasted for 70 days. Experiment 2: four lambs from each group in Experiment 1 were randomly allocated to the individual metabolic crates to measure the effects of dietary Co on nutrient digestibility. Final body weight, average daily gain and gain efficiency were higher (p < 0.05) in the group supplemented with 0.50 mg Co/kg DM compared to other groups. Plasma glucose and vitamin B₁₂ concentrations increased (p < 0.05) at all levels of Co supplementation on day 68 of the experiment and for vitamin B₁₂ were higher (p < 0.05) at 0.50 and 1.00 mg Co/kg DM compared to 0.25 mg Co/kg DM. There was no significant difference among treatments for TVFA and ruminal fluid pH. Digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber increased (p < 0.05) by Co supplementation, but did not differ among Co supplied treatments. The obtained results showed that lambs fed the control diet containing 0.088 mg Co/kg DM had a reduced appetite and gained less than the supplemented animals, suggesting that the level of 0.088 mg Co/kg DM was inadequate for normal growth of Mehraban male lambs, and a total level of 0.58 mg Co/kg DM might be optimum level for enhancing performance.     

Effects of sodium bicarbonate and yeast on nutrient intake,digestibility, and ruminal fermentation of light-weight lambs fed finishing diets

This study was conducted to determine the effects of adding yeast culture and sodium bicarbonate to the finishing diets for lambs on intake, digestibility, rumina1 parameters and nitrogen retention. Twenty Pelibuey male lambs, weighing an average of 23 kg, were assigned to one of four treatment groups according to a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments were: (1) no additive (NA); (2) 0.12% yeast culture (YC); (3) 0.5% sodium bicarbonate (SB); and (4) 0.12% YC and 0.5% SB. During the 7-day collection period, SB increased DM intake (P < 0.05), while YC had no effect (P > 0.05) on intake. Intake of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) was increased (P < 0.05) with SB in the ration, but not by supplementing YC (P > 0.05). The YC had no effect (P > 0.05) on dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) or non-fibrous carbohydrates digestibility. A higher intake of NFC with the SB treatments was associated with a lower (P < 0.05) digestibility. SB increased excretion of NDF (P < 0.05), which reduced its digestibility (P < 0.05) by more than 9 percentage units. Lambs consuming diets with SB had 27% more N retained, in contrast with those fed the basal diet without additives. Rumen pH was greater than the minimum considered to cause acidosis (≤pH 5.5). The SB reduced (P < 0.05) percent molar acetate and increased (P < 0.05) percent molar propionate, which is in contrast to what has been normally observed with dairy cattle research. A lower acetate to propionate ratio with the SB rations may be a result of a lower digestibility and a higher intake of NDF, which may have increased the rate of passage of fiber particles through the gastrointestinal tract.     

Elicitation with abiotic stresses improves pro-health constituents,antioxidant potential and nutritional quality of lentil sprouts

Phenolic content and antioxidant potential of lentil sprouts may be enhanced by treatment of seedlings in abiotic stress conditions without any negative influence on nutritional quality.The health-relevant and nutritional quality of sprouts was improved by elicitation of 2-day-old sprouts with oxidative, osmotic, ion-osmotic and temperature stresses. Among the sprouts studied, those obtained by elicitation with osmotic (600 mM mannitol) and ion-osmotic (300 mM NaCl) shocks had the highest total phenolic content levels: 6.52 and 6.56 mg/g flour, respectively. Oxidative stress significantly enhanced the levels of (+)-catechin and p-coumaric acid. A marked elevation of the chlorogenic and gallic acid contents was also determined for sprouts induced at 4 °C and 40 °C. The elevated phenolic content was translated into the antioxidant potential of sprouts, especially the ability to reduce lipid oxidation. A marked elevation of this ability was determined for seedlings treated with 20 mM, 200 mM H₂O₂ (oxidative stress) and 600 mM mannitol (osmotic stress); about a 12-fold, 8-fold and 9.5-fold increase in respect to control sprouts. The highest ability to quench free radicals was observed in sprouts induced by osmotic stress (IC₅₀- 4.91 and 5.12 mg/ml for 200 mM and 600 mM mannitol, respectively). The highest total antioxidant activity indexes were determined for sprouts elicited with 20 mM H₂O₂ and 600 mM mannitol: 4.0 and 3.4, respectively. All studied growth conditions, except induction at 40 °C, caused a significant elevation of resistant starch levels which was also affected in a subsequent reduction of starch digestibility.Improvement of sprout quality by elicitation with abiotic stresses is a cheap and easy biotechnology and it seems to be an alternative to conventional techniques applied to improve the health promoting phytochemical levels and bioactivity of low-processed food.     

Nutritional value of Chlorella vulgaris: Effects of ultrasonication and electroporation on digestibility in rats

Three processed products derived from the green algae C. vulgaris were investigated: (1) spray-dried only (S-DA); (2) spray-dried and electroporated (ES-DA); (3) spray-dried; ultrasonicated treated (US-DA). A nitrogen-balance study was performed. Male growing Wistar rats, housed separately in metabolism cages, were fed the three algal products as the sole protein source at 150 mg N per 100 g of body weight. A control group of rats was fed with casein at a level to give the same protein nitrogen intake. The coefficients of total intestinal tract apparent crude protein digestibility for the different C. vulgaris products were: S-DA = 0.47 ± 0.127% (mean ± S.D.), ES-DA = 0.44 ± 0.075%, US-DA = 0.57 ± 0.137%. Protein efficiency ratio was 1.4 ± 0.3, 1.0 ± 0.5 and 2.1 ± 0.3, respectively. N-balance was 41.86 ± 32.8 mg, 31.3 ± 17.3 mg and 66.7 ± 30.1 mg, respectively. The biological value was 93 ± 9.5%, 93.6 ± 10%, and 101 ± 5%, respectively. The coefficient of total intestinal tract apparent crude protein digestibility and biological value of C. vulgaris was enhanced by ultrasonic treatment and reduced by electroporating, thus ultrasonication may be a helpful technological process in practical processing of green algae in food industry.     

Effects of sun-drying and exogenous enzymes on nutrients intake,digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep fed Atriplex halimus foliages

This study was conducted to assess effects of sun-drying and/or addition of an exogenous enzyme (ENZ) preparation on intake, digestibility of nutrients and recovery values of secondary metabolites (SM) in the gastrointestinal tract of sheep fed Atriplex halimus (AH) foliages. A randomized block design for 28 d was used for four experimental treatments based on either fresh (AH-F) or sun-dried (AH-S) A. halimus foliages in the absence (?ENZ) or presence (+ENZ) of 10 g/sheep/d of the exogenous of ZADO^® enzyme preparation. Three adult sheep weighing 51 ± 2.7 kg were fed for each experimental treatment. The ENZ was added daily with a small amount of concentrate to help balance the dietary metabolizable energy concentration. Nutrient intake and digestibility, N balance and recovery of SM (i.e., total phenolics (TP), saponins (SP), alkaloids (AK), aqueous fraction (AF)) in the gastrointestinal tract were determined. Levels of most nutrients did not differ between AH-F and AH-S foliages, but the AH-S contained less than half of the SM in AH-F. Drying of A. halimus and ENZ addition increased (P=0.001) intake as well as OM and NDFom digestibility (P=0.02). Feed intake and digestibility were higher (P=0.01) in AH-S with ENZ addition. Intake of N by sheep fed the treatment diets depended on DM intake as the dietary concentration of N in the diets was similar. Thus AH-S sheep supplemented with ENZ had higher (P=0.001) N intake. Digestibility of N was similar to DM and OM digestibility, and was higher (P=0.03) in AH-S sheep supplemented with ENZ. Drying and ENZ addition to the diet increased (P=0.004) recovery of all SM. The fate of these compounds in the rumen needs to be evaluated considering that SM have been implicated in fiber and protein degradation in the rumen. The study showed that there are beneficial impacts of sun-drying and/or dietary exogenous enzyme addition for sheep fed A. halimus.     

Influences of flavomycin,ropadiar, and saponin on nutrient digestibility,rumen fermentation,and methane emission from sheep

This study focused on the effects of three additives given together with a hay/concentrate-based diet on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and methane emission from sheep. The basal diet consisted of 1.29 kg mixed hay and 0.43 kg concentrate mixture based on dry matter (DM). Treatments consisted of control (no additive), flavomycin⁴⁰ (250 mg/d), ropadiar from an oregano extract (250 mg/d), and saponin in the form of a yucca schidigera extract (170 mg/d). Results indicated that intake and digestibility were unaffected by treatments (P>0.05). The NH₃-N concentration of rumen liquor was lower (P<0.05) for additive treatments versus the control treatment. Higher concentrations of volatile fatty acid (VFA) were observed in the saponin (75.8 mmol/L) and ropadiar (73.1 mmol/L) treatments. The proportion of individual fatty acid of rumen liquor was unchanged, whereas lower ratio of acetate to propionate in the saponin treatment was observed (P<0.05). The average methane production expressed on digested organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fiber (aNDFom) basis were decreased by approximately 3.3 and 12.0 g/kg, respectively in saponin, and 4.2 and 11.9 g/kg in ropadiar treatment compared to the control. Methane production was positively correlated with the concentrations of NH₃-N, and negatively correlated with total VFA and the proportion of propionate of rumen liquor (P<0.05). The study found that saponin and ropadiar could have the potential to reduce rumen methanogenesis in sheep.     

Apparent digestibility of differently processed grain legumes,cow pea and mung bean in black tiger shrimp,Penaeus monodon Fabricius and associated histological anomalies in hepatopancreas and midgut

Experiments were conducted to test the effect different treatment process like dehulling, soaking, autoclaving, germination and germination in combination with autoclaving on proximate composition and antinutritional factors (ANFs) of legume seeds, cow pea and mung bean. An in vivo digestibility trial was conducted in black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon to determine the coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of differently processed legume seeds. The CTTADs were determined by comparing the concentrations of digestibility marker (Cr₂O₃) in the feed and faeces of the juvenile shrimp (4 ± 0.5 g). Seeds processed by germination in combination with autoclaving were low in ANFs and higher in proximate composition with increased protein contents of 18.3 and 15.6% in cow pea and mung bean, respectively. Though trypsin inhibitor activity was significantly (P<0.05) high in germinated seeds, there was a significant reduction by 83.3 and 81.21% on germination followed by autoclaving. Due to unexpected mortality of shrimp, dietary treatments containing raw, soaked, and germinated cow pea and mung bean were removed from the trial. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) in the CTTAD values between the feedstuffs and various treatment processes made. Higher CTTAD dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) were obtained with seeds processed with germination in combination with autoclaving and the trend is similar in both the seeds tested. CTTAD for DM, CP and crude lipid of the grain legumes ranged between 0.683–0.885, 0.684–0.834 and 0.704–1.302, respectively. Histological examinations on hepatopancreas and midgut of shrimp sampled at slaughter revealed some common anomalies. With the exception of the shrimp fed dehulled cowpea, histology was normal in all the shrimps sampled at the end of the digestibility trial.