Effect of inulin supplementation and age on growth performance and digestive physiological parameters in weaned rabbits

[EN] Three diets were formulated, a control diet (C, 40.7% NDF, 15.1% CP), the same diet but medicated (M, 500 mg/kg oxytetracycline and 50 mg/kg thiamulin), and a third diet obtained substituting 4% of barley with inulin (Frutafi t) in C diet (I). Pannon White does and their litters were randomly allocated into three groups (8/group) at 21 d of lactation and diets offered to the does and kids from 21 d of lactation onwards. After weaning (28 d), growing rabbits (30 cages/ treatment, 2 rabbits/cage) were fed the same diet as before weaning. At 28, 35 and 42 d of age, 6 healthy animals from each group (1 animal/cage) were slaughtered. Live body weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio increased and growth rate decreased with age (P<0.001). Feed intake decreased in rabbits fed I diet compared to those fed M diet (by 11%, P<0.05), with those fed C diet showing an intermediate value. Growth rate from 28 to 35 d of age was not affected by diets, but decreased from 36 to 42 d in rabbits fed I diet compared to those fed C and M diets (P<0.05), with no effect on feed conversion ratio. Inulin did not affect mortality, which was low (¿ 3.3%), but increased morbidity compared to C and M diets (11.7 vs. 2.5%, P<0.05). Diets did not affect caecal weight, pH, cellulase and pectinase activity or microbial counts. Inulin diet decreased caecal xylanase activity (P<0.05) compared to C and M diets, reduced propionic and butyric acid and increased acetic acid concentration compared to M diet, whereas C diet showed intermediate values. Caecal pH and counts of E. coli and total aerobic bacteria increased and pectinase activity decreased (P<0.05) at 35 d of age (compared to 28 and 42 d of age). The number of the strictly anaerobic bacteria decreased and cellulase and xylanase activity increased (P<0.05) at 42 d of age compared to 28 and 35 d. Propionic acid concentration decreased with age from 28 to 42 d (P<0.05) but VFA concentration and acetic and butyric acids proportions did not change. In conclusion, the inclusion of 4% of inulin in the diet of weanling rabbits showed no positive effect.The research was funded by the OTKA (project No. T046999) and the TéT foundation (project No. FR27/2007).The authors are grateful to Dr. L. Maertens (ILVO-Belgium) for his advice on diet formulation.Bónai, A.; Szendró, Z.; Matics, Z.; Fébel, H.; Kametler, L.; Tornyos, G.; Horn, P.... (2010). Effect of inulin supplementation and age on growth performance and digestive physiological parameters in weaned rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 18(3). https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2010.588318

Clinical outcomes in patients treated for coronary in-stent restenosis with drug-eluting balloons: Impact of high platelet reactivity.

BACKGROUND: The impact of high platelet reactivity (HPR) on clinical outcomes after elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with drug-eluting balloons (DEB) due to in-stent restenosis (ISR) is unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the prognostic importance of HPR together with conventional risk factors in patients treated with DEB. METHODS: Patients treated with DEB due to ISR were enrolled in a single-centre, prospective registry between October 2009 and March 2015. Only patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI) received prasugrel, others were treated with clopidogrel. HPR was defined as an ADP-test >46U with the Multiplate assay and no adjustments were done based on results. The primary endpoint of the study was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, MI, any revascularization or stroke during one-year follow-up. RESULTS: 194 stable angina patients were recruited of whom 90% were treated with clopidogrel. Clinical characteristics and procedural data were available for all patients; while platelet function testing was performed in 152 subjects of whom 32 (21%) had HPR. Patients with HPR had a higher risk for the primary endpoint (HR: 2.45; CI: 1.01-5.92; p = 0.03). The difference was primarily driven by a higher risk for revascularization and MI. According to the multivariate analysis, HPR remained a significant, independent predictor of the primary endpoint (HR: 2.88; CI: 1.02-8.14; p = 0.04), while total DEB length and statin treatment were other independent correlates of the primary outcome. CONCLUSION: HPR was found to be an independent predictor of repeat revascularization and MI among elective patients with ISR undergoing PCI with DEB

Effect of different weaning age (21, 28 or 35 days) on production, growth and certain parameters of the digestive tract in rabbits

The effect of different weaning ages, that is, 21 (G21), 28 (G28) or 35 (G35) days, on growth and certain parameters of the digestive tract was examined in rabbits to assess the risk of early weaning attributable to the less-developed digestive system. On days 35 and 42, G35 rabbits had 10% to 14% and 10% higher BW, respectively ( P,0.05), than those weaned at days 21 and 28. In the 4th week of life, early weaned animals had 75% higher feed intake than G28 and G35 rabbits ( P,0.05). The relative weight of the liver increased by 62% between 21 and 28 days of age, and thereafter it decreased by 76% between 35 and 42 days of age ( P,0.05), with G21 rabbits having 29% higher weight compared with G35 animals on day 35 ( P,0.05). The relative weight of the whole gastrointestinal (GI) tract increased by 49% and 22% after weaning in G21 and G28 rabbits, respectively ( P,0.05). On day 28, the relative weight of the GI tract was 19% higher in G21 than in G28 rabbits, whereas on day 35 G21 and G28 animals had a 12% heavier GI tract compared with G35 rabbits ( P,0.05). Age influenced the ratio of stomach, small intestine and caecum within the GI tract; however, no effect of different weaning age was demonstrated. The pH value of the stomach and caecum decreased from 5.7 to 1.6 and from 7.1 to 6.3, respectively, whereas that of the small intestine increased from 6.8 to 8.4 ( P,0.05); the differences between groups were not statistically significant. Strictly anaerobic culturable bacteria were present in the caecum in high amounts (108), already at 14 days of age; no significant difference attributable to weaning age was demonstrable. The concentration of total volatile fatty acids (tVFA) was higher in G21 than in G28 and G35 throughout the experimental period ( P,0.05). The proportion of acetic and butyric acid within tVFA increased, whereas that of propionic acid decreased, resulting in a C3 : C4 ratio decreasing with age. Early weaning (G21) resulted in higher butyric acid and lower propionic acid proportions on day 28 ( P,0.05). No interaction between age and treatment was found, except in relative weight of the GI tract and caecal content. In conclusion, early weaning did not cause considerable changes in the digestive physiological parameters measured, but it resulted in 10% lower growth in rabbits

Effect of dietary fumonisin B1 on certain immune parameters of weaned pigs

Only few data are available on the effect of fumonisins on the immune response. The aim of the present study was to examine whether dietary fumonisin B1 (FB1) has any effect on the humoral and cellular immune response in weaned pigs, depending on the dose and the time of toxin exposure. Fusarium moniliforme fungal culture was added to the experimental animals' diet to ensure an FB1 intake of 1, 5 and 10 ppm (first experiment) or 100 mg per animal per day (second experiment). The control animals were fed a toxin-free diet. In order to determine the immune response, the animals were vaccinated against Aujeszky's disease with inactivated vaccine (Aujespig K, Phylaxia-Sanofi, Budapest, Hungary). Specific and nonspecific in vitro cellular immune response was measured by the lymphocyte stimulation test (LST) induced by PHA-P, Con A, LPS and inactivated suspension of the Aujeszky's disease virus. Humoral immune response, e.g. specific antibody titre, was measured by the virus neutralisation (VN) test. None of the immunological parameters examined showed significant differences between groups. It could be concluded that fumonisin B1 had no significant effect on the humoral and cellular specific and nonspecific immune response when fed in a high dose (100 mg/animal/day for 8 days) or in a low concentration even for a longer period (1, 5 and 10 ppm for 3-4 months)

Baseline characteristics of the patient population.

<p>Baseline characteristics of the patient population.</p

Results of the platelet function test, frequency of high platelet reactivity and its relation to clinical endpoints.

<p><b>A:</b> A scatter plot of platelet reactivity with the Multiplate device in all patients. Values are presented as median {25% percentile, 75% percentile}, ADP reactivity presents as U. <b>B:</b> Percent of the platelet function tested cases with percent of HPR and no HPR patients in the total cohort based on the platelet reactivity values. <b>C:</b> Impact of platelet reactivity on MACE. <b>D:</b> Impact of platelet reactivity on MI. Values are presented as HR [95% CI]. *: asterisk marks hazard ratios from multivariate Cox regression analyses. ADP = adenosine diphosphate; AUC = area under the curve; HPR = high platelet reactivity; MACE = major adverse cardiovascular event; MI = myocardial infarction; HR = hazard ratio; CI = confidence interval.</p

Event free survival of the patients based on the platelet reactivity during the follow up period.

<p><b>A:</b> Event free survival of the patients with and without HPR based on the consensus cut-off value. <b>B, C:</b> Event free survival of the patients based on the ROC curve analysis identified two potential cut-off values. Event rates at one year are shown for each group as Kaplan-Meier estimates. HPR = high platelet reactivity; ADP = adenosine diphosphate.</p

Clinical and procedural predictors of MACE at one year.

<p>Clinical and procedural predictors of MACE at one year.</p

Clinical outcomes in the patient population and stratified according to the platelet reactivity.

<p>Clinical outcomes in the patient population and stratified according to the platelet reactivity.</p