Functional state and protein-synthesizing function of the liver of laying hens under conditions of cadmium loading

The toxicity of cadmium in the bird's body depends on the penetration method, the total dose, and the duration of poisoning. That is why the work aimed to study the effect of Cadmium on liver function disorders. To achieve the set goal in experiments on chickens under cadmium load, it was necessary to solve the following tasks: to study the effect of cadmium on the protein synthesis function of the liver of laying hens; to study the effect of cadmium on the functional state of the liver of laying hens. 24 laying hens aged 78 weeks were selected for research. These chickens were divided into three groups: control and two experimental, taking into account their age and weight. Chickens from the control group received compound feed and clean water without adding cadmium sulfate. In the chickens of the experimental groups, cadmium sulfate was added to the drinking water in different concentrations for 30 days: the first group (R1) – 2 mg per kilogram of body weight, the second group (R2) – 4 mg per kilogram of body weight. According to the conducted studies, it was found that in laying hens under conditions of cadmium load, the functional state of the liver is disturbed, as evidenced by the increased activity of aminotransferases in their blood serum. It is worth noting that the highest activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases was in the blood serum of laying hens of the second experimental group on the 21st day of the experiment. The results indicate an increase in destructive processes in the body of laying hens due to cadmium loading. In laying hens under cadmium load, the liver's protein synthesis function is suppressed, manifested by a decrease in the level of total protein and albumins, with a simultaneous increase in the level of globulins. Drinking cadmium sulfate with water in a larger dose (4 mg/kg of body weight) was accompanied by a more probable decrease in total protein and albumin level than drinking cadmium sulfate in a smaller dose (2 mg/kg of body weight). Under cadmium load, an albumin-globulin disproportion occurs, which is indicated by the value of the A/G ratio. In the chickens of the first experimental group, it was found that the value of the A/G ratio on the 21st day of the experiment was 0.42, while in the second experimental group, it was lower and was 0.39, respectively, against the control 0.52

Вплив кормової добавки “Метісевіт плюс” на морфологічні та біохімічні показники крові бугайців за умов свинцево-кадмієвого навантаження

In the conditions of modern man-caused pollution of the environment, environmental problems, as well as improving the quality of livestock products and their food safety, are important and relevant issues today. The study aimed to investigate the effect of the “Metisevit Plus” feed additive on bull blood's morphological and biochemical parameters under lead-cadmium loading conditions. The research was conducted based on the agricultural private enterprise “Ukraine” of Dubrovytsia district of Rivne region on 12 bulls of six months of age, Ukrainian black-and-white dairy breed, which was formed into two groups of 6 animals each. The bulls of the control group were on a standard diet. The bulls of the experimental group were fed the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” at a dose of 0.5 g/kg of feed. This farm has a high content of lead and cadmium in feed. According to the results of experimental studies, it was found that the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” is effective under lead-cadmium load in bulls. Administration of this feed additive to experimental animals helps restore their suppressed hematopoietic function; the number of erythrocytes and hemoglobin in their blood increased by 25.3 and 19.4 %, and the number of leukocytes decreased by 12.4 %, respectively. Metisevit Plus feed additive also enhanced the functional state and protein-synthesizing function of the liver of bulls under artificial conditions. When feeding the feed additive “Metisevit Plus”, a decrease in the activity of both alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in the serum of bulls of the experimental group was found. On day 40 of the experiment, it was found that the activity of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase in the serum of bulls of the experimental group fluctuated within physiological values. When a “Metisevit-Plus” feed additive is added to the diet, there is a tendency to increase the total protein level in bulls of the experimental group. In the study of the albumin level in the blood of bulls of the experimental group, its probable increase was found starting from the 10th day of the experiment. On the 30th and 40th day of the experiment, the albumin level in the blood of bulls in the experimental group was the highest, whereas compared to the control group, it increased by 15.4 and 17.0 %, respectively. Our studies confirm the feasibility of using the feed additive “Metisevit Plus” to prevent lead-cadmium toxicosis.В умовах сучасного техногенного забруднення навколишнього середовища екологічні проблеми, як і підвищення якості тваринницької продукції та її харчової безпеки, є важливими й актуальними питаннями сьогодення. Метою роботи було дослідити вплив кормової добавки “Метісевіт плюс” на морфологічні та біохімічні показники крові бугайців за умов свинцево-кадмієвого навантаження. Дослідження проводились на базі сільськогосподарського приватного підприємства “Україна” Дубровицького району Рівненської області на 12 бугайцях шестимісячного віку, української чорно-рябої молочної породи, які були сформовані у 2 групи по 6 тварин у кожній. Бугайці контрольної групи перебували на стандартному раціоні. Бугайцям дослідної групи згодовували кормову добавку “Метісевіт плюс” у дозі 0,5 г/кг комбікорму. У даному господарстві було встановлено високий вміст Свинцю і Кадмію в кормах. За результатами експериментальних досліджень встановлено, що кормова добавка “Метісевіт плюс” є ефективною за свинцево-кадмієвого навантаження у бугайців. Уведення піддослідним тваринам цієї кормової добавки сприяє відновленню в них пригніченої гемопоетичної функції, а саме число еритроцитів і вміст гемоглобіну в їхній крові зростало на 25,3 і 19,4 %, кількість лейкоцитів знижувалася на 12,4 % відповідно. Кормова добавка “Метісевіт плюс” також сприяла посиленню функціонального стану та протеїнсинтезувальної функції печінки бугайців за умов техногенного навантаження. При згодовуванні кормової добавки “Метісевіт плюс” встановлено зниження активності як аланін-амінотрансферази, так і аспартат-амінотрансферази у сироватці крові бугайців дослідної групи. На 40 добу досліду встановлено, що активність аланін- та аспартат-амінотрасферази у сироватці крові бугайців дослідної групи коливалася у межах фізіологічних величин. При додаванні до раціону кормової добавки “Метісевіт-плюс” спостерігається тенденція до зростання рівня загального протеїну у бугайців дослідної групи. При дослідженні рівня альбумінів у крові бугайців дослідної групи встановлено його вірогідне підвищення вже починаючи з 10 доби досліду. На 30 і 40 добу досліду рівень альбумінів у крові бугайців дослідної групи був найвищим, де порівняно з показниками контрольної групи він зріс на 15,4 і 17,0 % відповідно. Проведені нами дослідження підтверджують доцільність застосування кормової добавки “Метісевіт плюс” для профілактики свинцево-кадмієвого токсикозу

Reduction in Predator Defense in the Presence of Neighbors in a Colonial Fish

Predation pressure has long been considered a leading explanation of colonies, where close neighbors may reduce predation via dilution, alarming or group predator attacks. Attacking predators may be costly in terms of energy and survival, leading to the question of how neighbors contribute to predator deterrence in relationship to each other. Two hypotheses explaining the relative efforts made by neighbors are byproduct-mutualism, which occurs when breeders inadvertently attack predators by defending their nests, and reciprocity, which occurs when breeders deliberately exchange predator defense efforts with neighbors. Most studies investigating group nest defense have been performed with birds. However, colonial fish may constitute a more practical model system for an experimental approach because of the greater ability of researchers to manipulate their environment. We investigated in the colonial fish, Neolamprologus caudopunctatus, whether prospecting pairs preferred to breed near conspecifics or solitarily, and how breeders invested in anti-predator defense in relation to neighbors. In a simple choice test, prospecting pairs selected breeding sites close to neighbors versus a solitary site. Predators were then sequentially presented to the newly established test pairs, the previously established stimulus pairs or in between the two pairs. Test pairs attacked the predator eight times more frequently when they were presented on their non-neighbor side compared to between the two breeding sites, where stimulus pairs maintained high attack rates. Thus, by joining an established pair, test pairs were able to reduce their anti-predator efforts near neighbors, at no apparent cost to the stimulus pairs. These findings are unlikely to be explained by reciprocity or byproduct-mutualism. Our results instead suggest a commensal relationship in which new pairs exploit the high anti-predator efforts of established pairs, which invest similarly with or without neighbors. Further studies are needed to determine the scope of commensalism as an anti-predator strategy in colonial animals

STRUCTURE AND LOCAL ORDERON THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE SMECTIC PHASE TYPES B, E AND G

The miscibility relations between the liquid crystalline (1. c.) phases of Terephthylidene-bis-[4-n-butylaniline] (TBBA) and N-[4-n-Butyloxy-benzylidene]-4-ethyl-aniline (BBEA) with the 1. c. phases of other substances have been investigated and yielded the following variants of liquid crystalline polymorphism : TBBA : smectic 5, G, B, C, A, N ; BBEA : G, N. The newest stand of the system of the 1. c. phase types is discussed together with the relations to the 1. c. structure types