Abstract: The West African Lung fishes are fishes rich in protein and serve as an important source of food supply for man. The kind of food ingested by this group of fishes is dependent on the alimentary canal as well as the fish’s digestive processes which provide suitable modifications for maximum utilization of food taken. A study of the alimentary canal of P. annectens will expose the best information on the anatomy and histology of the fish. Samples of P. annectens were dissected to reveal the liver, pancreas and entire gut wall. Digital pictures of the mouth, jaws and the Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT) were taken. The entire gut was identified, sectioned and micro graphed. P. annectens was observed to possess a terminal mouth that opens up to 10% of its total body length, an adaptive feature to enable the fish to swallow the whole of its pry. Its dentition is made up of incisors- scissor-like teeth which also help to firmly grip, seize and tear through the skin of prey before swallowing. A short, straight and longitudinal GIT was observed in P. annectens which is known to be common feature in lungfishes, though it is thought to be a primitive characteristic similar to the lamprey. The oesophagus is short and distensible similar to other predatory and carnivorous species. Food is temporarily stored in the stomach before it is passed down into the intestine. A pyloric aperture is seen at the end of the double folded pyloric valve which leads into an intestine that makes up 75% of the whole GIT. The intestine begins at the posterior end of the pyloric aperture and winds down in six coils through the whole length intestine and ends at the cloaca. From this study it is concluded that P. annectens possess a composite GIT with organs similar to other lung fishes; it is a detritor with carnivorous abilities.
Abstract: The utilization of dietary crude fiber in different breed pigs is not the same. Su-shan pigs are a new breed formed by crossing Taihu pigs and Yorkshire pigs. In order to understand the resistance of Su-shan pigs to dietary crude fiber, 150 Su-shan pigs with 60 kg of average body weight and similar body conditions were allocated to three groups randomly, and there are 50 pigs in each group. The percentages of dietary crude fiber were 8.35%, 9.10%, and 11.39%, respectively. At the end of the experiment, 15 pigs randomly selected from each group were slaughtered. The results showed as follows: average daily gain of the 9.10% group was higher than that of the 8.35% group and the 11.39% group; there was a significant difference between the 9.10% group and the 8.35% group (p < 0.05. Levels of urea nitrogen, total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein in the 9.10% group were significantly higher than those in the 8.35% group and the 11.39% group (p < 0.05). Ratios of meat to fat in the 9.10% group and the 11.39% group were significantly higher than that in the 8.35% group (p < 0.05). Lean percentage of 9.10% group was higher than that of 8.35% group and 11.39% group, but there was no significant difference in three groups (p > 0.05). The weight of small intestine and large intestine in the 11.39% group was higher than that in the 8.35% group, and the 9.10% group and the difference reached a significant level (p < 0.05). In conclusion, increasing dietary crude fiber properly could reduce fat percentage, and improve the ratio of meat to fat of finishing Su-shan pigs. The digestion and metabolism of dietary crude fiber promoted the development of stomach and intestine of finishing Su-shan pig.
Abstract: This work aimed to examine Oreochromis niloticus fish from Lake Manzala in Port Said, Dakahlya and Damietta governorates, Egypt, as a bio-indicator for the lake water pollution through recording alterations in their hematological, physiological, and histopathological parameters. All fish samples showed a significant increase in levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine and glutathione-S-transferase (GST); only Dakahlya samples showed a significant increase (p
Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC) live yeast culture on microbial
protein supply to small intestine in Kivircik male yearlings when fed
with different ratio of forage and concentrate diets. Four Kivircik
male yearlings with permanent rumen canula were used in the
experiment. The treatments were allocated to a 4x4 Latin square
design. Diet I consisted of 70% alfalfa hay and 30% concentrate, Diet
II consisted of 30% alfalfa hay and 70% concentrate, Diet I and II
were supplemented with a SC. Daily urine was collected and stored at
-20°C until analysis. Calorimetric methods were used for the
determination of urinary allantoin and creatinine levels. The
estimated microbial N supply to small intestine for Diets I, I+SC, II
and II+SC were 2.51, 2.64, 2.95 and 3.43 g N/d respectively.
Supplementation of Diets I and II with SC significantly affected the
allantoin levels in μmol/W0.75 (p
Abstract: In the immunologic sense, clinical infection is a state
of failure of the immune system to combat the pathogenic weapon of
the bacteria invading the host. A motile gram negative vibroid
organism associated with marked mono and poly nuclear cell
responses was traced during the examination of a clinical material
from an infected common carp Cyprinus carpio. On primary plate
culture, growth was shown to be pure, dense population of an
Aeromonas-like colony morphotype. The pure isolate was found to
be; Aerobic, facultatively anaerobic, non-halophilic, grew at 0C, and
37C, oxidase positive utilizes glucose through fermentative pathway,
resist 0/129 and novobiocin, produces alanine and lysine
decarboxylases but non-producing ornithine dehydrolases. Tests for
the in vitro determinants of pathogenicity has shown to be; Betahaemolytic
onto blood agar, gelatinase, casienase and amylase
producer. Three in vivo determinants of pathogenicity were tested as,
the lethal dose fifty, the pathogenesis and pathogenicity. It was
evident that 0.1 milliliter of the causal bacterial cell suspension of a
density 1 x 107 CFU/ml injected intramuscularly into an average of
100gms fish toke five days incubation period, then at the day six
morbidity and mortality were initiated. LD50 was recorded at the day
12 post-infection. Use of an LD50 doses to study the pathogenicity,
reveals mononuclear and polynuclear cell responses, on examining
the stained direct films of the clinical materials from the
experimentally infected fish. Re-isolation tests confirm that the reisolant
is same. The course of the infection in natural case was shown
manifestation of; skin ulceration, haemorrhage and descaling. On
evisceration, the internal organs were shown; congestion in the
intestines, spleen and, air sacs. The induced infection showed a
milder form of these manifestations. The grading of the virulence of
this organism was virulent causing chronic course of infections as
indicated from the pathogenesis and pathogenicity studies. Thus the
infectious bacteria were consistent with Aeromonas hydrophila, and
the infection was chronic.
Abstract: Enterococci are important inhabitants of the animal
intestine and are widely used in probiotic products. A probiotic strain
is expected to possess several desirable properties in order to exert
beneficial effects. Therefore, the objective of this study was to
isolate, characterize and identify Enterococcus sp. from chicken cecal
and fecal samples to determine potential probiotic properties.
Enterococci were isolated from chicken ceca and feces of thirty three
clinically healthy chickens from a local farm. In vitro studies were
performed to assess antibacterial activity of the isolated LAB (using
agar well diffusion and cell free supernatant broth technique against
Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis), survival in acidic
conditions, resistance to bile salts, and their survival during simulated
gastric juice conditions at pH 2.5. Isolates were identified by
biochemical carbohydrate fermentation patterns using an API 50
CHL kit and API ZYM kits and by sequenced 16S rDNA. An isolate
belonging to E. faecium species exhibited inhibitory effect against S.
enteritidis. This isolate producing a clear zone as large as 10.30 mm
or greater and was able to grow in the coculture medium and at the
same time, inhibited the growth S. enteritidis. In addition, E. faecium
exhibited significant resistance under highly acidic conditions at pH
2.5 for 8 h and survived well in bile salt at 0.2% for 24 h and showing
ability to survive in the presence of simulated gastric juice at pH 2.5.
Based on these results, E. faecium isolate fulfills some of the criteria
to be considered as a probiotic strain and therefore, could be used as a
feed additive with good potential for controlling S. Enteritidis in
chickens. However, in vivo studies are needed to determine the safety
of the strain.
Abstract: Enzyme activity was evaluated in the intestine of
juvenile dourado (Salminus brasiliensis) fed with diets containing 0,
10 or 20% of lyophilized bovine colostrum (LBC) inclusion for either
30 or 60 days. The intestinal enzymes acid and alkaline phosphatase
(ACP and ALP, respectively), non-specific esterase (NSE), lipase
(LIP), dipeptidyl aminopeptidase IV (DAP IV) and leucine
aminopeptidase (LAP) were studied using histochemistry in four
intestinal segments (S1, S2, S3 and posterior intestine). Weak
proteolitic activity was observed in all intestinal segments for DAP
IV and LAP. The activity of NSE and LIP was also weak in all
intestines, except for the moderate activity of NSE in the S2 of 20%
LBC group after 30 days and in the S1 of 0% LBC group after 60
days. The ACP was detected only in the S2 and S3 of the 10% LBC
group after 30 days. Moderate and strong staining was observed in
the first three intestinal segments for ALP and weak activity in the
posterior intestine. The activity of DAP IV, LAP and ALP were also
present in the cytoplasm of the enterocytes. In the present results,
bovine colostrum feeding did not cause alterations in activity of
intestinal enzymes.
Abstract: The MyD88 is an evolutionarily conserved host-expressed adaptor protein that is essential for proper TLR/ IL1R immune-response signaling. A previously identified complete cDNA (1626 bp) of OfMyD88 comprised an ORF of 867 bp encoding a protein of 288 amino acids (32.9 kDa). The gDNA (3761 bp) of OfMyD88 revealed a quinquepartite genome organization composed of 5 exons (with the sizes of 310, 132, 178, 92 and 155 bp) separated by 4 introns. All the introns displayed splice signals consistent with the consensus GT/AG rule. A bipartite domain structure with two domains namely death domain (24-103) coded by 1st exon, and TIR domain (151-288) coded by last 3 exons were identified through in silico analysis. Moreover, homology modeling of these two domains revealed a similar quaternary folding nature between human and rock bream homologs. A comprehensive comparison of vertebrate MyD88 genes showed that they possess a 5-exonic structure.In this structure, the last three exons were strongly conserved, and this suggests that a rigid structure has been maintained during vertebrate evolution.A cluster of TATA box-like sequences were found 0.25 kb upstream of cDNA starting position. In addition, putative 5'-flanking region of OfMyD88 was predicted to have TFBS implicated with TLR signaling, including copies of NFkB1, APRF/ STAT3, Sp1, IRF1 and 2 and Stat1/2. Using qPCR technique, a ubiquitous mRNA expression was detected in liver and blood. Furthermore, a significantly up-regulated transcriptional expression of OfMyD88 was detected in head kidney (12-24 h; >2-fold), spleen (6 h; 1.5-fold), liver (3 h; 1.9-fold) and intestine (24 h; ~2-fold) post-Fla challenge. These data suggest a crucial role for MyD88 in antibacterial immunity of teleosts.
Abstract: The objectives of the present study were to estimate the microbial-N flow to the small intestine and to predict the digestible organic matter intake (DOMI) in grazing Karayaka sheep based on urinary excretion of purine derivatives (xanthine, hypoxanthine, uric acid, and allantoin) by the use of spot urine sampling under field conditions. In the trial, 10 Karayaka sheep from 2 to 3 years of age were used. The animals were grazed in a pasture for ten months and fed with concentrate and vetch plus oat hay for the other two months (January and February) indoors. Highly significant linear and cubic relationships (P
Abstract: A total of 60 male mule ducks and 60 male Muscovy ducks were allotted into three groups (n = 20) to estimate the effects of overfeeding (two and four meals) versus ad libitum feeding on productive performance traits, foie gras production, internal organs, and blood parameters.
The results show that force-feeding four meals significantly increased (P < 0.01) body weight, weight gain, and gain percentage compared to force-feeding two meals. Both force-feeding regimes (two or four meals) induced significantly higher body weight, weight gain, gain percentage, and absolute carcass weight than ad libitum feeding; however, carcass percentage was significantly higher in ad libitum feeding. Mule ducks had significantly higher weight gain and weight gain percentages than Muscovy ducks.
Feed consumption per kilogram of foie gras and per kilogram weight gain was lower for the four-meal than for the two-meal forced feeding regime. Force-feeding four meals induced significantly higher liver weight and percentage (488.96 ± 25.78g, 7.82 ± 0.40%) than force-feeding two meals (381.98 ± 13.60g, 6.42 ± 0.21%). Moreover, feed conversion was significantly higher under forced feeding than under ad libitum feeding (77.65 ± 3.41g, 1.72 ± 0.05%; P < 0.01).
Forced feeding (two or four meals) increased all organ weights (intestine, proventriculus, heart, spleen, and pancreas) over ad libitum feeding weights, except for the gizzard; however intestinal and abdominal fat values were higher for four-meal forced feeding than for two-meal forced feeding.
Overfeeding did not change blood parameters significantly compared to ad libitum feeding; however, four-meal forced feeding improved the quality of foie gras since it significantly increased the percentage of grade A foie gras (62.5%) at the expense of grades B (33.33%) and C (4.17%) compared with the two-meal forced feeding.
The mortality percentage among Muscovy ducks during the forced feeding period was 22.5%, compared to 0% in mule ducks. Liver weight was highly significantly correlated with life weight after overfeeding and certain blood plasma traits.
Abstract: The sequential morphologic changes of rabbit duodenal mucosa-submucosa were studied from primodial stage to birth in 15 fetuses and during the early days of life in 21 rabbit newborns till maturity using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Fetal rabbit duodenum develops from a simple tube of stratified epithelium to a tube containing villus and intervillus regions of simple columnar epithelium. By day 21 of gestation, the first rudimentary villi were appeared and by day 24 the first true villi were appeared. The Crypts of Lieberkuhn did not appear until birth. By the first day of postnatal life the duodenal glands appeared. The histological maturity of the rabbit small intestine occurred one month after birth. In conclusion, at all stages, the sequential morphologic changes of the rabbit small intestine developed to meet the structural and physiological demands during the fetal stage to be prepared to extra uterine life.
Abstract: An experiment was conducted to study the effects of different types of probiotic on Sucrase enzyme activity of the small intestine mucosa in male broilers. The experimental design was arranged as randomized completely blocks in 4 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatment. 180 male broilers of Ross 308 commercial hybrid were designated into 4 groups. Three replicates of 15 birds were assigned to each treatment. Control treatments (diet contained no probiotic) were fed according to the NRC as base diet and three treatment groups were fed from the same diet plus three different types of probiotics. Birds were slaughtered after 21 and 42 days and different segments of small intestine (at 1,10,30,50,70 and 90% of total length the small intestine) were taken from each replicates (N=2) Sucrase enzyme activities were measured and recorded. Obtained data were analyzed by Spss (P
Abstract: The zinc and iron environments in different growth
stages have been studied with EXAFS and XANES with Brookhaven
Synchrotron Light Source. Tissue samples included meat, organ,
vegetable, leaf, and yeast. The project studied the EXAFS and
XANES of tissue samples using Zn and Fe K-edges. Duck embryo
samples show that brain and intestine would contain shorter EXFAS
determined Zn-N/O bond; as with the cases of fresh yeast versus
reconstituted live yeast and green leaf versus yellow leaf. The
XANES Fourier transform characteristic-length would be useful as a
functionality index for selected types of tissue samples in various
physical states. The extension to the development of functional
synchrotron imaging for tissue engineering application based on
spectroscopic technique is discussed.
Abstract: Wireless capsule Endoscopy (WCE) has rapidly
shown its wide applications in medical domain last ten years
thanks to its noninvasiveness for patients and support for thorough
inspection through a patient-s entire digestive system including
small intestine. However, one of the main barriers to efficient
clinical inspection procedure is that it requires large amount of
effort for clinicians to inspect huge data collected during the
examination, i.e., over 55,000 frames in video. In this paper, we
propose a method to compute meaningful motion changes of
WCE by analyzing the obtained video frames based on regional
optical flow estimations. The computed motion vectors are used to
remove duplicate video frames caused by WCE-s imaging nature,
such as repetitive forward-backward motions from peristaltic
movements. The motion vectors are derived by calculating
directional component vectors in four local regions. Our
experiments are performed on small intestine area, which is of
main interest to clinical experts when using WCEs, and our
experimental results show significant frame reductions comparing
with a simple frame-to-frame similarity-based image reduction
method.
Abstract: Ultrastructure of duodenum mucosa of irradiated rat
was studied versus dose rate of irradiation following exposure to
gamma rays from 60-Cobalt source. The animals were whole body
irradiated at two dose rates (1 Gy.mn-1 and 1 Gy.h-1) and three total
doses (1, 2 or 4 Gy) for each dose rate. 24 or 48 h after irradiation,
their small intestine was removed and samples of duodenum were
processed for observations under a transmission electron microscopy.
Samples of duodenum mucosa of control rats were processed in the
same way. For the lower dose rate of 1 Gy.h-1, main lesions
characteristic of apoptosis were detected within irradiated enterocytes
at a total dose of 2 Gy and 24 h after exposure. Necrosis was noted in
the samples, 48 h after exposition. For the higher dose rate of 1
Gy.mn-1, fewer changes were detected at all total doses 24 or 48 h
irradiation. Thus, it was shown that the appearance of radiationinduced
alterations varies not only with increasing total dose and
post-irradiation time but especially with decreasing dose rate.