The variability and morphometry of the brachiocephalic trunk in human foetuses

In prenatal and pediatric cardiovascular surgery knowledge of the various arrangements of the aortic arch and its branches as well as the normative data are essential. The variability and morphometric features of the brachiocephalic trunk in 131 human foetuses (65 male, 66 female) ranging from 15 to 34 weeks of gestation were studied by means of anatomical, digital and statistical methods. In all the foetuses examined the left aortic arches were found to have three different arrangements. In 74.05% of cases the usual pattern of the aortic arch with its three main branches were observed. A common origin of the brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery occurred in 20.61% of individuals. In 5.34% of cases the left vertebral artery was an additional vessel and arose from the aortic arch between the left common carotid and subclavian arteries. No significant gender differences were found with respect to the brachiocephalic trunk (p ≥ 0.05). The developmental increase in length (r1 = 0.78) and diameter (r2 = 0.83) correlated with a linear function but the increase in volume in relation to age corresponded to a quadratic function (r3 = 0.73). Our results show the largest increases in the brachiocephalic trunk according to the following parameters: the length - between the 4th and 5th, and 7th and 8th months, diameter - between the 8th and 9th months and volume - between the 4th and 5th, and 7th and 9th months of gestation (p ≤ 0.01). The present study constructs a normal range for the morphometric features of the foetal brachiocephalic trunk

Nutritional and sensorial meat quality of different selected Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

AbstractDescendents of S18 generation of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica), selected for low (line 11, n=15) or high (line 12, n=6) yolk cholesterol content, egg type (line 13, n=15), and meat type (line 8, n=15) chosen as unselected control, were used for this experiment to study performance as well as nutritional and sensorial meat quality. The lowering of yolk cholesterol content in the line 11 was 313 mg/100 g yolk, and the increasing of yolk cholesterol content in the line 12 was 116 mg/100 g yolk, i.e. -17.25 %, and +6.39% in comparison to parental line 13, respectively. Quail-chicks were grown in a deep litter floor up to 35 days of age, under continuous lighting, with water and feed (a commercial diet) ad libitum until 12h before slaughtering, when feed was withdrawn. The body weight of the quails was controlled every week (from week 1 to 5). At the end of the experiment, all the birds were slaughtered (at avg. weight of 209.3a vs 104.0b, 107.7b and 110.6b g for lines 8, 11, 12 and 13, ..

Influence of in ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration on meat quality of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotic and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle (PS) of broiler chickens. On d 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different bioactives, in ovo injected: C, control with physiological saline; T1 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides; T2 and T3 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides enriched with different probiotic bacteria, specifically 1,000 cfu of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis SL1 and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris IBB SC1, respectively; T4 with commercially available synbiotic Duolac, containing 500 cfu of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium with the addition of lactose (0.001 mg/embryo). Among the hatched chickens, 60 males were randomly chosen (12 birds for each group) and were grown to 42 d in collective cages (n = 3 birds in each 4 cages: replications for experimental groups). Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age. In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a low effect on investigated traits, but depend on the kind of bioactives administered. Commercial synbiotic treatment (T4) reduced carcass yield percentage, and the feed conversion ratio was higher in T3 and T4 groups compared with other groups. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol of the PS were not affected by treatment. Broiler chickens of the treated groups with both slightly greater PS and fiber diameter had a significantly lower amount of collagen. The greater thickness of muscle fibers (not significant) and the lower fiber density (statistically significant), observed in treated birds in comparison with those of the C group, are not associated with histopathological changes in the PS of broilers. The incidence of histopathological changes in broiler chickens from examined groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds

The impact of synbiotic administration through in ovo technology on the microstructure of a broiler chicken small intestine tissue on the 1st and 42nd day of rearing

Abstract Background Application the innovative method which is in ovo technology provides a means of modulating the immune system at early embryonic stages. The aim of study was to determine influence of the in ovo stimulation, on d 12 of incubation, with synbiotics (synbiotic 1- L. salivarius IBB3154 + Bi2tos, Clasado Ltd. and the synbiotic 2 - L. plantarum IBB3036 + lupin RFOs) on the microstructure of duodenum, jejunum and ileum in the 1st and 42nd day of rearing. Results On the 1st day of chickens life, in the duodenum of both experimental groups (SYN1 and SYN2), a significantly higher and wider intestinal villi as well as a significantly larger absorbent surface of these villi were found in comparison with the Control group (P ≤ 0.01). On the 42nd day of rearing the beneficial effect of synbiotic 1 was reflected by the numerically higher villi (no statistical differences) with a larger surface (P ≤ 0.01) in the duodenum in the SYN1 group compare to the Control group. In the jejunum on the 1st day of life, in the SYN1 group, significantly higher villi than in the Control group, with a simultaneous decrease in the depth of crypts (P ≤ 0.01), and also the largest width of villi and their absorbent area (P ≤ 0.01) in comparison to the other groups were found. On the 42nd day of life, in the jejunum, an increase in the height of the villi whilst reducing the crypt depth in the SYN2 group was found (P ≤ 0.01). In turn, in the SYN1 group, there were significantly more neutral goblet cells observed compared with the control group (P ≤ 0.05). In the ileum of 1-day-old chickens, the widest villi (P ≤ 0.05) and the deepest crypts (P ≤ 0.01) were found in the SYN2 group. In the same group, there was also the least amount of neutral goblet cells in comparison to the other groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions We observed that synbiotic 1 and 2 beneficially affected the examined characteristics on the 1st and 42nd day of life. The obtained results allow us to conclude that the use of synbiotics significantly affect gut structure which should contribute to improvement in nutrient absorption by the gut

Influence of in ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration on meat quality of broiler chickens

ABSTRACT A trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of prebiotic and synbiotics on growth performance, meat quality traits (cholesterol content, intramuscular collagen properties, fiber measurements), and the presence of histopathological changes in the pectoral muscle (PS) of broiler chickens. On d 12 of incubation, 480 eggs were randomly divided into 5 experimental groups treated with different bioactives, in ovo injected: C, control with physiological saline; T1 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides; T2 and T3 with 1.9 mg of raffinose family oligosaccharides enriched with different probiotic bacteria, specifically 1,000 cfu of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis SL1 and Lactococcus lactis ssp. cremoris IBB SC1, respectively; T4 with commercially available synbiotic Duolac, containing 500 cfu of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus faecium with the addition of lactose (0.001 mg/embryo). Among the hatched chickens, 60 males were randomly chosen (12 birds for each group) and were grown to 42 d in collective cages (n = 3 birds in each 4 cages: replications for experimental groups). Broilers were fed ad libitum commercial diets according to age. In ovo prebiotic and synbiotic administration had a low effect on investigated traits, but depend on the kind of bioactives administered. Commercial synbiotic treatment (T4) reduced carcass yield percentage, and the feed conversion ratio was higher in T3 and T4 groups compared with other groups. The abdominal fat, the ultimate pH, and cholesterol of the PS were not affected by treatment. Broiler chickens of the treated groups with both slightly greater PS and fiber diameter had a significantly lower amount of collagen. The greater thickness of muscle fibers (not significant) and the lower fiber density (statistically significant), observed in treated birds in comparison with those of the C group, are not associated with histopathological changes in the PS of broilers. The incidence of histopathological changes in broiler chickens from examined groups was low, which did not affect the deterioration of meat quality obtained from these birds