Diet digestibility in growing rabbits: effect of origin and oxidation level of dietary fat and vitamin e supplementation

[EN] The effects of the dietary inclusion of fats with different origin (lard or vegetal oil), fatty acid profile (linseed or sunflower), oxidation level (fresh, peroxidised: 11 d at 55ºC or oxidised: 31 h at 140ºC) and vitamin E supplementation (0 or 100 ppm) on the rabbit diet apparent digestibility were studied. Digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract and gross energy were determined in eight diets using 58 rabbits aged 49 d. Contrast analysis between groups of diets showed that lard, characterised by a greater saturated fatty acid content, compared with vegetal oils, rich in unsaturated fatty acid, reduced the apparent digestibility of ether extract (62.3 vs. 68.4%; P=0.0329). However, there were no significant differences in the nutrient digestibility when linseed or sunflower oils (rich in [omega]-3 or in [omega]-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, respectively) were compared. The oxidation degree of the sunflower oil and the supplementation with 100 ppm of vitamin E to the diets did not modify the apparent digestibility values of any dietary fraction.This work was financed by the Ministry of Science and Technology (AGL2003-06559-C02-02)Casado, C.; Moya, V.; Fernández, C.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Blas, E.; Cervera, C. (2010). Diet digestibility in growing rabbits: effect of origin and oxidation level of dietary fat and vitamin e supplementation. World Rabbit Science. 18(2). https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2010.18.0818

Effect of Dietary Level of Beet Pulp, with or without Molasses, on Health Status, Growth Performance, and Carcass and Digestive Tract Traits of Rabbits

[EN] Beet pulp is a raw material widely used in feed for growing rabbits, because it is a good source of soluble fiber, and its inclusion is frequently associated with a reduction in the incidence of digestive disorders. Beet pulp may or may not be accompanied by the molasses that is also obtained in the beet sugar extraction process, but no information is available on the effect of molasses presence on the response of the rabbits. This work evaluates the effect of the inclusion of beet pulp, with or without molasses, on the growth performance, carcass, digestive tract, and fermentative profile of the cecum in growing rabbits. The results of the present work have shown that beet pulp linearly reduced the growth performance and carcass yield of growing rabbits and, although the inclusion of beet pulp could contribute to reducing the risk of digestive disorders, when beet pulp included molasses, even higher incidence was observed. To evaluate the effect of dietary level of beet pulp, with or without molasses, on growth performance, a total of 470 28-day-old rabbits were used (614 +/- 6 g). Animals were randomly allocated into five dietary treatment groups: Control, without beet pulp; BP20, and BP40 with 20 and 40% of beet pulp without molasses, respectively; and BPM20 and BPM40, with 20 and 40% of beet pulp with molasses, respectively. Daily feed intake (DFI) and average daily gain (ADG) were controlled at 28, 49, and 59 days of age. Carcass and digestive tract traits were also determined at 59 days of age. Mortality and morbidity were controlled daily. Mortality during the growing period was higher in BPM than in BP groups (+9.2%; p < 0.05). The higher the inclusion of beet pulp, the lower the DFI and ADG of animals (5.5 and 4.6% for every 20% inclusion, respectively; p < 0.001), as well as the dressing out percentage, the liver proportion, and the dissectible fat percentage of their carcasses. However, the best feed efficiency during the last 10 days was obtained with the BPM40 group. The higher the inclusion of beet pulp, the higher the weight of the empty gastrointestinal tract and cecum (+2.4 and +3.0 percentage points for every 20% inclusion, respectively; p < 0.001). In fact, a higher inclusion of beet pulp decreased the pH and dry matter and decreased the total volatile fatty acids content of cecum richer in acetic acid but poorer in propionic, isobutiric, isovaleric, and valeric acids. Stomach weight was lower, and the capric acid content in the cecum was higher in the BPM than in the BP group. The inclusion of beet pulp in the feed reduced the growth performance and carcass yield of growing rabbits, and an even higher incidence of digestive disorders was observed when beet pulp included molasses.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (grant no. AGL2014-53405-C2-1-P).Arce, O.; Alagón, G.; Ródenas Martínez, L.; Martinez-Paredes, E.; Moya, V.; Cervera, C.; Pascual Amorós, JJ. (2022). Effect of Dietary Level of Beet Pulp, with or without Molasses, on Health Status, Growth Performance, and Carcass and Digestive Tract Traits of Rabbits. Animals. 12(23):1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233441112122

Toxins Secreted by Bacillus Isolated from Lung Adenocarcinomas Favor the Penetration of Toxic Substances

The aim was to explore the eventual role of bacteria in the induction of lung cancer by smoking habits. Viable bacteria closely related to the genus Bacillus were detected at high frequencies in lung-cancer biopsies. Similar, if not identical, microbes were isolated from cigarettes and in smog. Bacteria present in cigarettes could be transferred to a physiological solution via a "smoker" device that mimicked their potential transfer during smoking those bacteria produce exotoxins able to open transmembrane pores. These channels can be used as a way to penetrate cells of benzopyrenes and other toxic substances present in tobacco products. We hypothesize that Bacillaceae present in tobacco play a key role in the development of lung cancer

Effect of increasing lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits

[EN] To assess the effect of increasing dietary lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre (SF) levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits, four diets were formulated according a 2 x 2 factorial design: low SF-low lignin (LSF/LL), low SF-high lignin (LSF/HL), high SF-low lignin (HSF/LL) and high SF-high lignin (HSF/HL). On average, in HSF diets SF was increased by 49 g/kg DM, mainly replacing starch ( - 53 g/kg DM), and in HL diets lignin was increased by 40 g/kg, mainly reducing starch (-78 g/kg DM), with increasing EE ( + 31 g/kg DM). Two hundred and sixty crossbred weaned rabbits (35 days old) were assigned to the experimental diets, individually housed and fed ad libitum until 63 days of age. Digestibility (from 49 to 53 days old), growth performance (from 35 to 63 days old), carcass quality (at 63 days old) and caecal environment (at 63 days old) were studied in 12, 65, 45 and 16 rabbits per diet, respectively. High SF diets showed higher CTTAD of fibrous fractions ( + 0.206 +/- 0.011, + 0.207 +/- 0.015, + 0.214 +/- 0.011 and + 0.167 +/- 0.015 for aNDFom, ADFom, hemicelluloses and cellulose, respectively, P < 0.001), OM ( + 0.042 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( + 0.055 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001), resulting in high DE content (10.6 vs. 9.30 MJ/kg DM). In contrast, CTTAD of CP was lower ( - 0.023 +/- 0.009, P = 0.013), as well as the DP content (96.9 vs. 103 g/kg DM). This dietary variation reduced the DM content of caecal digesta ( - 28 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), besides increasing its VFA concentration ( + 18.0 +/- 4.0 mmol/L, P < 0.001) and reducing its pH ( - 0.28 +/- 0.05, P < 0.001). Feed intake and LW gain decreased, with an improvement of feed to gain ratio ( -13.8 %, - 4.7 %, - 9.4 %, respectively; P < 0.001). The proportion of gastrointestinal tract was increased, with a subsequent reduction in dressing out ( + 19 +/- 2 g/kg LW and -15 +/- 2 g chilled carcass weight/kg LW, respectively, P < 0.001). High lignin diets showed lower CTTAD of OM (-0.055 +/- 0.004, P < 0.001) and GE ( - 0.034 +/- 0.005, P < 0.001) without affecting DE and DP contents. This dietary variation increased DM content of caecal digesta ( +21 +/- 3 g/kg, P < 0.001), but did not affect the other caecal digesta traits. Feed intake was higher ( + 4.9 %, P < 0.001), although differences were dependent on the growth phase and the SF level (maximum difference at 35-49 days with low SF diets, + 11.0 %, P < 0.001; minimum difference at 49-63 days with high SF diets, + 1.0 %, P = 0.689), but did not affect LW gain and consequently impaired the feed to gain ratio ( + 5.1 %, P < 0.001). No effect was observed on dressing out, but the dissectible fat proportion increased ( + 6.7 +/- 1.1 g/kg reference carcass weight, P < 0.001).Financial support was provided by the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2006-07596).Caisin, L.; Martinez-Paredes, E.; Ródenas Martínez, L.; Moya, V.; Pascual Amorós, JJ.; Cervera Fras, MC.; Blas Ferrer, E.... (2020). Effect of increasing lignin in isoenergetic diets at two soluble fibre levels on digestion, performance and carcass quality of growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 262:1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114396S19262Batey, I. L. (1982). Starch Analysis Using Thermostable alpha-Amylases. Starch - Stärke, 34(4), 125-128. doi:10.1002/star.19820340407Delgado, R., Nicodemus, N., Abad-Guamán, R., Sastre, J., Menoyo, D., Carabaño, R., & García, J. (2018). Effect of dietary soluble fibre and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on growth performance and nitrogen and energy retention efficiency in growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 239, 44-54. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2018.03.006Delgado, R., Menoyo, D., Abad-Guamán, R., Nicodemus, N., Carabaño, R., & García, J. (2019). Effect of dietary soluble fibre level and n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio on digestion and health in growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 255, 114222. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2019.114222Fernández, C., & Fraga, M. J. (1996). The effect of dietary fat inclusion on growth, carcass characteristics, and chemical composition of rabbits. Journal of Animal Science, 74(9), 2088. doi:10.2527/1996.7492088xGarcía, J., Gidenne, T., Luisa Falcao-e-Cunha, & de Blas, C. (2002). Identification of the main factors that influence caecal fermentation traits in growing rabbits. Animal Research, 51(2), 165-173. doi:10.1051/animres:2002011Gidenne, T. (2015). Dietary fibres in the nutrition of the growing rabbit and recommendations to preserve digestive health: a review. Animal, 9(2), 227-242. doi:10.1017/s1751731114002729Gidenne, T., Perez, J., Lapanouse, A., & Ségura, M. (1994). Apports de lignines et alimentation du lapin en croissance. I. Conséquences sur la digestion et le transit. Annales de Zootechnie, 43(4), 313-322. doi:10.1051/animres:19940401Gidenne, T., Arveux, P., & Madec, O. (2001). The effect of the quality of dietary lignocellulose on digestion, zootechnical performance and health of the growing rabbit. Animal Science, 73(1), 97-104. doi:10.1017/s1357729800058094Grueso, I., De Blas, J. C., Cachaldora, P., Mendez, J., Losada, B., & García-Rebollar, P. (2013). Combined effects of supplementation of diets with hops and of a substitution of starch with soluble fiber on feed efficiency and prevention of digestive disorders in rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 180(1-4), 92-100. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.01.009Martínez-Vallespín, B., Martínez-Paredes, E., Ródenas, L., Cervera, C., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2011). Combined feeding of rabbit female and young: Partial replacement of starch with acid detergent fibre or/and neutral detergent soluble fibre at two protein levels. Livestock Science, 141(2-3), 155-165. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2011.05.014Martínez-Vallespín, B., Martínez-Paredes, E., Ródenas, L., Moya, V. J., Cervera, C., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2013). Partial replacement of starch with acid detergent fibre and/or neutral detergent soluble fibre at two protein levels: Effects on ileal apparent digestibility and caecal environment of growing rabbits. Livestock Science, 154(1-3), 123-130. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2013.02.012Nicodemus, N., Carabaño, R., Garcı́a, J., Méndez, J., & de Blas, C. (1999). Performance response of lactating and growing rabbits to dietary lignin content. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 80(1), 43-54. doi:10.1016/s0377-8401(99)00042-5Ocasio-Vega, C., Delgado, R., Abad-Guamán, R., Carabaño, R., Carro, M. D., Menoyo, D., & García, J. (2018). The effect of cellobiose on the health status of growing rabbits depends on the dietary level of soluble fiber. Journal of Animal Science, 96(5), 1806-1817. doi:10.1093/jas/sky106Pascual, M., Soler, M. D., Cervera, C., Pla, M., Pascual, J. J., & Blas, E. (2014). Feeding programmes based on highly-digestible fibre weaning diets: Effects on health, growth performance and carcass and meat quality in rabbits. Livestock Science, 169, 88-95. doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2014.07.007Trocino, A., García Alonso, J., Carabaño, R., & Xiccato, G. (2013). A meta-analysis on the role of soluble fibre in diets for growing rabbits. World Rabbit Science, 21(1). doi:10.4995/wrs.2013.1285Trocino, A., Fragkiadakis, M., Majolini, D., Tazzoli, M., Radaelli, G., & Xiccato, G. (2013). Soluble fibre, starch and protein level in diets for growing rabbits: Effects on digestive efficiency and productive traits. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 180(1-4), 73-82. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2013.01.007Van Soest, P. J., Robertson, J. B., & Lewis, B. A. (1991). Methods for Dietary Fiber, Neutral Detergent Fiber, and Nonstarch Polysaccharides in Relation to Animal Nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science, 74(10), 3583-3597. doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(91)78551-2Xiccato, G., Trocino, A., Majolini, D., Fragkiadakis, M., & Tazzoli, M. (2011). Effect of decreasing dietary protein level and replacing starch with soluble fibre on digestive physiology and performance of growing rabbits. Animal, 5(8), 1179-1187. doi:10.1017/s175173111100024

Nutritive value of distillers dried grains with solubles from barley, corn and wheat for growing rabbits

The authors acknowledge Juan Carlos Moreno for his technical support and the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (Project AGL2014-53405-C2-1-P) for the economic support to conduct this study.Alagon, G.; Arce-Cabrera, ON.; Martinez-Paredes, E.; Ródenas Martínez, L.; Moya, V.; Blas Ferrer, E.; Cervera Fras, MC.... (2016). Nutritive value of distillers dried grains with solubles from barley, corn and wheat for growing rabbits. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 222:217-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2016.10.024S21722622

Diet and exercise modulate gh-igfs axis, proteolytic markers and myogenic regulatory factors in juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

© 2021 by the authors.The physiological and endocrine benefits of sustained exercise in fish were largely demonstrated, and this work examines how the swimming activity can modify the effects of two diets (high-protein, HP: 54% proteins, 15% lipids; high-energy, HE: 50% proteins, 20% lipids) on different growth performance markers in gilthead sea bream juveniles. After 6 weeks of experimentation, fish under voluntary swimming and fed with HP showed significantly higher circulating growth hormone (GH) levels and plasma GH/insulin-like growth-1 (IGF-1) ratio than fish fed with HE, but under exercise, differences disappeared. The transcriptional profile of the GH-IGFs axis molecules and myogenic regulatory factors in liver and muscle was barely affected by diet and swimming conditions. Under voluntary swimming, fish fed with HE showed significantly increased mRNA levels of capn1, capn2, capn3, capns1a, n3, and ub, decreased gene and protein expression of Ctsl and Mafbx and lower muscle texture than fish fed with HP. When fish were exposed to sustained exercise, diet-induced differences in proteases’ expression and muscle texture almost disappeared. Overall, these results suggest that exercise might be a useful tool to minimize nutrient imbalances and that proteolytic genes could be good markers of the culture conditions and dietary treatments in fish.This study was supported by the projects from the “Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad” (MINECO) AGL2015-70679-R and RTI2018-100757-B-I00 to J.G. and J.B., and the “Xarxa de Refèrencia d’R+D+I en Aqüicultura” and the 2017SGR1574 from the “Generalitat de Catalunya”. M.P.- A., I.G.-P. and E.J.V. were supported by predoctoral fellowships from the MINECO, BES-2016-078697, PRE2019-089578 and BES-2013-062949, respectively

Mitochondrial Adaptation to Diet and Swimming Activity in Gilthead Seabream: Improved Nutritional Efficiency

Sustained exercise promotes growth in different fish species, and in gilthead seabream we have demonstrated that it improves nutrient use efficiency. This study assesses for differences in growth rate, tissue composition and energy metabolism in gilthead seabream juveniles fed two diets: high-protein (HP; 54% protein, 15% lipid) or high energy (HE; 50% protein, 20% lipid), under voluntary swimming (VS) or moderate-to-low-intensity sustained swimming (SS) for 6 weeks. HE fed fish under VS conditions showed lower body weight and higher muscle lipid content than HP fed fish, but no differences between the two groups were observed under SS conditions. Irrespective of the swimming regime, the white muscle stable isotopes profile of the HE group revealed increased nitrogen and carbon turnovers. Nitrogen fractionation increased in the HP fed fish under SS, indicating enhanced dietary protein oxidation. Hepatic gene expression markers of energy metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis showed clear differences between the two diets under VS: a significant shift in the COX/CS ratio, modifications in UCPs, and downregulation of PGC1a in the HE-fed fish. Swimming induced mitochondrial remodeling through upregulation of fusion and fission markers, and removing almost all the differences observed under VS. In the HE-fed fish, white skeletal muscle benefited from the increased energy demand, amending the oxidative uncoupling produced under the VS condition by an excess of lipids and the pro-fission state observed in mitochondria. Contrarily, red muscle revealed more tolerant to the energy content of the HE diet, even under VS conditions, with higher expression of oxidative enzymes (COX and CS) without any sign of mitochondrial stress or mitochondrial biogenesis induction. Furthermore, this tissue had enough plasticity to shift its metabolism under higher energy demand (SS), again equalizing the differences observed between diets under VS condition. Globally, the balance between dietary nutrients affects mitochondrial regulation due to their use as energy fuels, but exercise corrects imbalances allowing practical diets with lower protein and higher lipid content without detrimental effects

Regulatory mechanisms involved in muscle and bone remodeling during refeeding in gilthead sea bream

The tolerance of fish to fasting offers a model to study the regulatory mechanisms and changes produced when feeding is restored. Gilthead sea bream juveniles were exposed to a 21-days fasting period followed by 2h to 7-days refeeding. Fasting provoked a decrease in body weight, somatic indexes, and muscle gene expression of members of the Gh/Igf system, signaling molecules (akt, tor and downstream effectors), proliferation marker pcna, myogenic regulatory factors, myostatin, and proteolytic molecules such as cathepsins or calpains, while most ubiquitin-proteasome system members increased or remained stable. In bone, downregulated expression of Gh/Igf members and osteogenic factors was observed, whereas expression of the osteoclastic marker ctsk was increased. Refeeding recovered the expression of Gh/Igf system, myogenic and osteogenic factors in a sequence similar to that of development. Akt and Tor phosphorylation raised at 2 and 5h post-refeeding, much faster than its gene expression increased, which occurred at day 7. The expression in bone and muscle of the inhibitor myostatin (mstn2) showed an inverse profile suggesting an inter-organ coordination that needs to be further explored in fish. Overall, this study provides new information on the molecules involved in the musculoskeletal system remodeling during the early stages of refeeding in fish

Atypical carcinoid tumours of the lung: prognostic factors and patterns of recurrence

Background: Atypical carcinoids (AC) of the lung are rare intermediate-grade neuroendocrine neoplasms. Prognostic factors for these tumours are undefined. Methods: Our cooperative group retrieved data on 127 patients operated between 1980 and 2009 because of an AC. Several clinical and pathological features were studied. Results: In a univariable analysis, T-status (p=0.005), N-status (p=0.021), preoperative M-status (previously treated) (p=0.04), and distant recurrence developed during the outcome (p<0.001) presented statistically significant differences related to survival of these patients. In a multivariable analysis, only distant recurrence was demonstrated to be an independent risk factor for survival (p<0.001; HR: 13.1). During the monitoring, 25.2% of the patients presented some kind of recurrence. When we studied recurrence factors in a univariable manner, sublobar resections presented significant relationship with locoregional recurrence (p<0.001). In the case of distant recurrence, T and N status presented significant differences. Patients with preoperative M1 status presented higher frequencies of locoregional and distant recurrence (p=0.004 and p<0.001, respectively). In a multivariable analysis, sublobar resection was an independent prognostic factor to predict locoregional recurrence (p=0.002; HR: 18.1). Conclusions: Complete standard surgical resection with radical lymphadenectomy is essential for AC. Sublobar resections are related to locoregional recurrence, so they should be avoided except for carefully selected patients. Nodal status is an important prognostic factor to predict survival and recurrence. Distant recurrence is related to poor outcome

Muscle regeneration in gilthead sea bream: Implications of endocrine and local regulatory factors and the crosstalk with bone.

Fish muscle regeneration is still a poorly known process. In the present study, an injury was done into the left anterior epaxial skeletal muscle of seventy 15 g gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) juveniles to evaluate at days 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 30 post-wound, the expression of several muscle genes. Moreover, transcripts' expression in the bone (uninjured tissue) was also analyzed. Histology of the muscle showed the presence of dead tissue the first day after injury and how the damaged fibers were removed and replaced by new muscle fibers by day 16 that kept growing up to day 30. Gene expression results showed in muscle an early upregulation of igf-2 and a downregulation of ghr-1 and igf-1. Proteolytic systems expression increased with capn2 and ctsl peaking at 1 and 2 days post-injury, respectively and mafbx at day 8. A pattern of expression that fitted well with active myogenesis progression 16 days after the injury was then observed, with the recovery of igf-1, pax7, cmet, and cav1 expression; and later on, that of cav3 as well. Furthermore, the first days post-injury, the cytokines il-6 and il-15 were also upregulated confirming the tissue inflammation, while tnfα was only upregulated at days 16 and 30 to induce satellite cells recruitment; overall suggesting a possible role for these molecules as myokines. The results of the bone transcripts showed an upregulation first, of bmp2 and ctsk at days 1 and 2, respectively; then, ogn1 and ocn peaked at day 4 in parallel to mstn2 downregulation, and runx2 and ogn2 increased after 8 days of muscle injury, suggesting a possible tissue crosstalk during the regenerative process. Overall, the present model allows studying the sequential involvement of different regulatory molecules during muscle regeneration, as well as the potential relationship between muscle and other tissues such as bone to control musculoskeletal development and growth, pointing out an interesting new line of research in this group of vertebrates