Performance, intestinal histomorphology and bone composition of broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with genistein

The effect of dietary genistein on performance, intestinal morphology, caecal Lactobacillus spp. count, and tibia composition in broiler chickens after 21 and 37 days of feeding was investigated. A total of 360 Cobb 500 broiler chickens (21 days old) were randomly allocated to five treatments with six replicates of 12 birds each. They were fed a basal diet (C) or a basal diet supplemented with 200 (T1), 400 (T2), 600 (T3) and 800 (T4) mg genistein/kg of feed. Genistein supplementation did not affect feed intake, but improved bodyweight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio (FCR) after 21 days, while 600 mg/kg led to a significant increase in FCR after 37 days of feeding. Plasma triglyceride level decreased with dietary genistein after 21 days, while increases were found in T3 and T4 groups after prolonged supplementation. Significantly improved duodenal and jejunal villus length and width, crypt depth and villus/crypt ratio were observed after the first and the second finishing periods, respectively, while adverse effects were found in the ileum for both periods. At 42 days old, greater spleen and heart weights were measured in broilers fed diets with 800 mg/kg than in other broiler groups. The shorter genistein supplementation period (21 days) of 200 and 400 mg/kg had a positive effect on tibia wet weight, ash and calcium (Ca) content, while 37 days of the higher genistein doses administered to the T2, T3 and T4 birds significantly increased caecal lactic acid bacteria (LAB) counts. Thus, recommended doses should not exceed 400 mg/kg. Keywords: broiler performance, blood triglyceride, Lactobacillus, prolonged fattening, small intestinal morpholog

Outcomes from elective colorectal cancer surgery during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

This study aimed to describe the change in surgical practice and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mortality after surgical resection of colorectal cancer during the initial phases of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)