Phenomenological study of the atypical heavy flavor production observed at the Fermilab Tevatron

We address known discrepancies between the heavy flavor properties of jets produced at the Tevatron collider and the prediction of conventional-QCD simulations. In this study, we entertain the possibility that these effects are real and due to new physics. We show that all anomalies can be simultaneously fitted by postulating the additional pair production of light bottom squarks with a 100% semileptonic branching fraction.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

In Vitro Digestion of Chestnut and Quebracho Tannin Extracts : Antimicrobial Effect, Antioxidant Capacity and Cytomodulatory Activity in Swine Intestinal IPEC-J2 Cells

Quebracho (Qu) and chestnut (Ch) are natural sources of tannins and they are currently used in animal nutrition as feed ingredients. However, to date the bio-accessibility, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and intestinal epithelial cell stimulatory doses of Qu and Ch have not been determined. Our study investigates the antioxidant and E. coli F4+ and F18+ growth inhibitory activity of Qu, Ch, and their combinations after solubilization in water (to evaluate the already bio-accessible molecules) and after simulated gastro-intestinal digestion in vitro. The effect of an in vitro digested Ch and Qu combination was also tested on intestinal epithelial IPEC-J2 cells experimentally stressed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and Dextran Sodium Sulfate (DSS). The results showed that undigested Qu and Ch alone, and in combination, exerted a valuable antioxidant capacity and E. coli F4+ and F18+ growth inhibitory activity. The concentration of 1200 \u3bcg/mL exhibited the highest E. coli growth inhibitory activity for all the samples tested. In addition, after in vitro digestion, Qu and Qu50%\u2013Ch50% maintained E. coli growth inhibitory activity and a modest antioxidant capacity. Three hours pre-treatment with in vitro digested Qu50%\u2013Ch50% counteracted the H2O2 and DSS experimentally-induced stress in the intestinal IPEC-J2 cells. Ch and Qu tannin extracts, particularly when combined, may exert E. coli F4+ and F18+ growth inhibitory activity and valuable antioxidant and cell viability modulation activities

Green tea and pomegranate extract administered during critical moments of the production cycle improves blood antiradical activity and alters cecal microbial ecology of broiler chickens

Phytobiotics are usually tested in feed and throughout the production cycle. However, it could be beneficial to evaluate their effects when administered only during critical moments, such as changes in feeding phases. The aim of the trial was to investigate the effect of a commercial plant extract (PE; IQV-10-P01, InQpharm Animal Health, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) on growth performance, blood antiradical activity and cecal microbiome when administered in drinking water to broiler chickens during the post-hatching phase and at each change of diet. In the experiment, 480 1-day-old male broiler chicks were assigned to two groups in a 50-day trial. Broilers received drinking water (C) or drinking water plus PE (T) at a rate of 2 mL/L on days 0 to 4, 10\u201311 and 20\u2013 21. PE did not affect performance and water intake, while total antiradical activity was improved (p < 0.05). A greater abundance of lactic acid bacteria (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05) was found in the T group and the result was confirmed at a lower taxonomic level with higher Lactobacillaceae abundance (FDR < 0.05). Our findings suggest that PE administration during critical moments of the production cycle of broiler chickens may exert beneficial effects at a systemic level and on gut microbial ecology

Cytotoxicity, DNA integrity and methylation in mammary and kidney epithelial cell lines exposed to Ochratoxin A

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite of moulds that may contaminate food and feedstuffs. OTA is recognized as a nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic and teratogenic substance in different animal species. The kidney is the target organ of OTA, whereas lower OTA concentrations could be detected in other tissues, such as adipose tissue, liver and muscles. In addition, OTA transfer to milk has been demonstrated in several species, such as humans, rabbits, rats and ruminants, identifying the mammary gland as one of the potential target of this mycotoxin. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro damage induced by OTA using two well established epithelial cell lines. MDCK cells have been used as a model of the kidney epithelium, while BME-UV1 have been employed as a model of the mammary gland epithelium. The effect of OTA on cultured cell lines, with subsequent evaluation of cell viability (MTT test) and membrane stability (LDH test), was assessed. In all experiments performed, control consisted of MDCK and BME-UV1 cells exposed to basal medium alone. After 24h of OTA treatment (concentration range 0.15 up to 10\ub5g/mL), MDCK and BME-UV1 cell viability was strongly reduced in a dose-dependent way and LC50 has been calculated. LC50 for MDCK cells was 1 \u3bcg/mL while, for BME-UV1 cells, LC50 was 0.8 \u3bcg/mL. In light of LC50, the range of concentrations for further experiments was determined (0.3 up to 1.25\ub5g/mL). The percentage of LDH released by MDCK and BME-UV1 cells increased in a dose-dependent way. In particular, 1.25 \u3bcg/mL of OTA determined a 35% of LDH released in MDCK cells and a 46% of LDH released in BME-UV1 cell line. Subsequently, the effect of the addition of OTA to MDCK and BME-UV1 cells has been evaluated on DNA integrity, which was detected by gel electrophoresis, by the analysis of DNA oxidation biomarker 8-OHdG (8-OHdG adduct) and the global DNA methylation status (5-mC). The level of 8-OHdG adduct was significantly (P<0.05) increased in BME-UV1 cells treated with 1.25 \u3bcg/ml of OTA. The analysis of 5-mC revealed that in MDCK and BME-UV1 cells, OTA has not induced alterations in the global DNA methylation status. The results obtained herein could represent the basis for the development of future studies investigating the in vitro relationship between DNA damage and the global DNA methylation status, promoting new strategies to control OTA cytotoxicity at different tissue level

Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-1 inhibitory activity of milk proteins evaluated after in vitro digestion and peptidomic analysis

Milk proteins are relevant sources of bioactive peptides. However, many hurdles still exist regarding the widespread utilization of milk protein-derived bioactive peptides as they may be degraded during gastrointestinal digestion. A crucial issue in this field is the demonstration of a cause-effect relationship, from the ingested intact form to the bioactive form. The aim of this study was to study in vitro digestion, digestibility (IVD, using two different hydrolysis methods) and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-1 inhibitory activity (ACE-1i) of milk and plant proteins (used as control). Based on ACE-1i effect, a peptidomic and proteomic profile analysis was performed on permeate and retentate samples. In particular, milk and plant protein samples were in vitro digested and the total digest was filtered using a 3KDa membrane. A permeate fraction (<3KDa) and retentate fraction (>3KDa) were obtained. ACE-1i activity was measured as the ability of protein fractions (pre-digested, permeate and retentate) to decrease the hydrolysis of furanacroloyl-Phe-Glu-Glu (FAPGG) synthetic substrate for ACE enzyme. Furthermore, permeate were characterized by LC-nano ESI MS/MS using a shotgun-peptidomic approach, whereas retentate was further trypsin-digested prior the analysis with mass spectrometry using a shotgun-proteomic approach. We found a positive correlation among the IVD methods tested (P<0.05; r=0,85). Milk proteins exhibiting higher values of IVD (>82.5%) with both methods used, compared with plant proteins. Milk proteins after in vitro digestion exhibited a significant increase in ACE-1i (P<0.05) (> 23.91 \ub1 0.64%) compared with plant protein tested (10.40 \ub1 1.07 %). Based on proteomic and peptidomic analysis performed, specific peptides associated with anti-hypertensive and ACE-1i effect have been identified in permeate and retentate of milk proteins. Our results demonstrated that milk and plant proteins are highly digestible and, in particular milk proteins may represent valuable sources of ACE-1i and anti-hypertensive peptides which may confers the ability to decrease blood pressure in vivo

Evaluation of polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity in agri-food wastes and by-products using chemical and physiological extraction

EU-28 produces about 100 Mtonnes/year of food waste, of which 40% is generated from agri-food industries. Agri-food waste (AFW) and by-products may contain components that could be valorised for their bioactivity. However, the bioaccessibility of these products is highly variable and dependent on a wide range of factors, including food matrix characteristics. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of some by-products and AFW using two different extraction methods. Twelve samples of by products (grape marc, Camelina sativa cake, olive pomace and whey) and 12 samples of AFW (fruits and vegetables waste FVW, citrus pulp, strawberry and orange dried) were processed using: methanol extraction (chemical procedure) and in vitro physiological extraction simulating pig gastro-intestinal tract adapted from Regmi et al., 2009. Soy and wheat were included as controls. Afterwards, the polyphenolic content was assessed by Folin\u2013Ciocalteu assay while antioxidant capacity was determined by 2,2-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic Acid (ABTS) assay. Results obtained showed that the chemical extracts of by-products and AFW contain different amount of polyphenols; in particular, as expected, the grape marc showed the highest significant (4.5% w/w; p<.05) polyphenolic content compared to all samples considered. Of note, Camilina sativa cake, olive pomace, FVW, orange and strawberry dried showed a polyphenolic content of 1.3, 0.7, 1.3, 1.6 and 1.3% w/w, respectively. The antioxidant capacity of grape marc exhibited a higher (p<.05) value of 573.6 mmol Trolox equivalent (TE)/g compared to the other samples considered. Camilina sativa cake, olive pomace, FVW, orange and strawberry dried showed an antioxidant capacity of 29.2, 11.0, 28.4, 16.3 and 31.0mmol TE/g. The physiological extraction of grape marcs, Camilina sativa cake, olive pomace, FVW, orange, strawberry dried yielded a polyphenolic content of 3.6, 1.8, 3.2, 3.6 and 2.3% w/w, respectively. The antioxidant capacity showed a similar trend to polyphenolic content after physiological extraction. The results obtained in this study indicate that AFW and by-products could be considered a promising bioaccessible source of antioxidants and phenolic compounds with industrial applications for the production of ingredients to functionalize feedstuffs for monogastric animal

Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of agri-food waste and by-products

Agri-food waste (AFW) and by-products represent sources of phytochemicals, such as phenols and antioxidant compounds that can be used as functional ingredients in animal feed. In this study, a selection of AFW and by-products were collected and analysed for their nutrient composition. After chemical (with methanol) and physiological (in vitro digestion) extraction, total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (AOC) were determined in AFW and by-product samples using Folin\u2013Ciocalteu and 2,2\u2032-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid)-ABTS methods, respectively. Sample digestibility was also assessed using a multi-step enzymatic technique. After chemical extraction, grape marc showed the highest total phenolic content (4480.5 \ub1 886.58 mg TAE/100g; p <.05). Fruit and vegetable waste (FVW), orange peel, strawberry, citrus pulp and Camelina sativa cake showed a total phenolic content ranging from 238.0 \ub1 4.24 to 1583.0 \ub1 154.35 mg TAE/100g. Grape marc also showed the highest AOC (15440.7 \ub1 2671.85 mg TE/100g). In all other samples, AOC ranged from 43.3 \ub1 3.17 to 1703.9 \ub1 391.07 mg TE/100g. After physiological extraction, total phenolic content values higher than 3000 mg TAE/100g were observed in FVW, grape marc and orange peel. Grape marc, C. sativa cake and orange peel had AOC values of over 5000 mg TE/100g. The digestibility of AFW and by-products ranged from 44.20 to 97.16%. The lowest digestibility value was observed in grape marc (44.2 \ub1 2.31%). In conclusion, the results obtained in this study indicate that AFW and by-products could be a source of bioaccessible phenols and antioxidant molecules as ingredients for monogastric compound feeds.Highlights Agri-food waste and by-products can be reused in feed industry. Agri-food waste and by-products are a source of valuable compounds as phenols and antioxidant molecules

Effect of zinc oxide and zinc chloride on human and swine intestinal epithelial cell lines

Zinc (Zn) salts are often used as nutritional additives in order to promote gut health. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of two widely used additives in feedstuff, on the intestinal epithelium. In particular, the effect of zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2) was investigated in human (INT-407) and porcine (IPI-2I) cell line models. The effect of Zn sources on IPI-21 and INT-407 cell lines was evaluated by a colorimetric viability test using an incubation period of 3 and 24 hours under serum-free conditions. INT407 and IPI-2I showed to be a suitable model of the intestine and a simple tool to investigate the role of Zn supplements. INT407 showed to be the most sensible model to Zn supplements considered, whereas IPI-2I were more resistant. The results of this study contribute to determine the role of zinc in human and swine intestinal epithelium. However, further in vivo experiments may be done to clarify the contribution of Zn supplements in gut health and to improve Zn supplementation in animal feed and in human formulations