Effects of dietary baker’s yeast extract on the growth, blood indices and histology of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus L.) fingerlings

Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (average initial weight, 5.91 ± 0.04 g), were fed four isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets for 84 days. The diets contained four levels of yeast extract (CW‐I) rich in nucleotides and β‐glucan: 0 (control), 5, 10 and 15 g/kg diet. Weight gain increased linearly, whereas the feed conversion ratio decreased linearly with increasing levels of yeast extract. The diet containing 15 g/kg yeast extract resulted in significantly better (p 0.05) differences were found in dry matter, protein, lipid or ash contents or in haematocrit, haemoglobin or total protein contents among the treatment groups. Blood sample profiles showed an increase in white and red blood cells in fish fed 15 g/kg yeast extract in comparison with the other treatment groups. The fish fed the diets with 10 and 15 g/kg yeast extract had significantly higher albumin and globulin levels than the control group, whereas decreased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were noted in fish fed the diet with 15 g/kg yeast extract. Histological analysis of the liver and intestine in fish fed the control diet showed a slightly abnormal structure in these organs. Only in fish fed diets supplemented with the highest amount of yeast extract was the structure of the hepatocytes and villi almost unchanged, which indicated that the yeast nucleotides could improve hepatic function and promote liver and gut restoration

Partial dietary fish meal replacement with cotton seed meal and supplementation with exogenous protease alters growth, feed performance, hematological indices and associated gene expression markers (GH, IGF-I) for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of different ratios of fish meal (FM): cotton seed meal (CSM) without or with inclusion of exogenous protease in diets on growth performance, hematology, digestibility and selected gene expression markers (GH and I (IGF-I) of juvenile Nile tilapia. The experimental diets were categorized into three groups; the first group CSM1 which contained fish meal protein: cotton seed meal protein (FM: CSM = 2:1), the second group CSM2 which contained FM: CSM = 1:1 and the third one CSM3 contained FM: CSM = 1:2 on protein content based. All groups were supplemented with exogenous protease at 0 and 2500 U kg−1 diet, respectively. All diets were fed to fish (initial body weight 11.62 ± 0.03 g fish−1) in triplicate aquaria twice daily. The higher weight gain (WG), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and best feed conversion ratio (FCR) were recorded by fish fed CSM1 and CSM2 and supplemented with 2500 U protease/kg diet. The highest apparent digestibility coefficient of crude protein, crude lipid and digestible energy, and apparent availability coefficient of essential amino acids were obtained by fish receiving CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease (2500 U protease kg−1 diet). The highest mean values of Hb, Htc and RBCs were recorded in fish fed CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease enzyme (2500 U protease kg−1 diet). Serum of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase activities were improved due to dietary protease (2500 U protease kg−1 diet) supplementation, also, fish received the diets supplemented with protease 2500 U kg−1 diet generally had higher total protein, albumin, calcium and phosphorus than those fed diets without supplement. The highest growth hormone (GH) gene expression in brain and liver of tilapia were obtained in the group fed CSM3 and un-supplemented with protease enzyme followed by CSM2 (un-supplemented). On the other hand, tilapia fed CSM1 and CSM2 supplemented with protease enzyme showed the highest values of gene expression of insulin like growth factor I (IGF-I) in brain and liver of tilapia compared to other groups. Results above showed that supplementation of protease can improve growth, nutrient assimilation, and hematology and alter gene expression of GH and IGF-I of Nile tilapia

Impact of nitroglycerin infusion on weaning off hypertensive mechanically ventilated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Introduction: Mechanical ventilation (MV) weaning trial can be compared to a cardiac stress test where spontaneous ventilation is a form of an exercise and therefore hemodynamic compromise can occur during the weaning process in critically ill patients. The combined increase in arterial pressure and heart rate during unsuccessful weaning is quite suggestive of weaning failure of cardiac origin. Assessment and prediction of weaning failure from cardiac origin remain complicated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Recent data showed that COPD itself is a powerful independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, suggesting that occult cardiac dysfunction could be frequent in patients with COPD. The immediate transition from positive pressure mechanical ventilation to spontaneous ventilation may generate significant cardiopulmonary alterations that are complex and mainly include the inspiratory fall in intrathoracic pressure, the increase in work of breathing, and the catecholamine discharge that occur during abrupt transfer from mechanical ventilation to spontaneous breathing. Therefore, it could be suggested that a treatment targeting the cardiovascular system decreasing the preload might help the heart to tolerate the critical period of weaning more effectively. Methods: This study was carried on 60 adult male and female patients admitted to the Critical Care Medicine Departments in the Alexandria Main University Hospital and who fulfilled the diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD according to the Global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease (GOLD) [1], and considered eligible for weaning after at least 24 h of invasive mechanical ventilation exhibiting systemic arterial hypertension during the start of spontaneous breathing trial. 30 of them were adult patients and served as the study group (Group I), and the other 30 were age-matched adults who served as the control group (Group II). Each group was subjected to spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) using a T-piece receiving FiO2 the same as during mechanical ventilation. Control group underwent SBT alone while the nitroglycerin group underwent continuous nitroglycerin infusion started at the beginning of the SBT and titrated to maintain normal arterial systolic blood pressure that is; 120–139 mmHg). Hemodynamic, oxygenation and respiratory measurements were performed on the start of SBT, and after a 2-h T-piece SBT. Results: Compared to the start of SBT, systolic arterial blood pressure and mean arterial blood pressure decreased [from (Mean ± SD) 150.33 ± 14.26, 112.56 ± 9.37 mmHg to 134.33 ± 11.04, 92.78 ± 5.81 mmHg, respectively] in the nitroglycerin group, while the opposite occurred in the control group as systolic arterial blood pressure and mean arterial blood pressure increased [from (Mean ± SD) 144.67 ± 13.58, 109.78 ± 10.09 mmHg to 158.0 ± 19.43, 114.73 ± 10.82 mmHg, respectively]. Mixed central venous saturation (ScvO2) decreased significantly in the control group at the end of SBT [from (Mean ± SD) 71.90 ± 1.84 to 69.25 ± 2.20%], while in the nitroglycerin group, ScvO2 did not change at the end in comparison to the start of SBT [from (Mean ± SD) 71.63 ± 1.75 to 71.12 ± 1.65%]. Nitroglycerin infusion at the start of SBT enabled a successful weaning from mechanical ventilation in 90% of patients in comparison to a successful weaning from mechanical ventilation of only 63.3% in the control group. Conclusions: Nitroglycerin infusion might facilitate the weaning off hypertensive COPD patients by alleviating the cardiovascular compromise occurring during liberation from MV

Effect of synbiotics between Bacillus licheniformis and yeast extract on growth, hematological and biochemical indices of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Twelve practical diets were formulated to contain four levels of Bacillus licheniformis (0.0, 0.24 × 106, 0.48 × 106 and 0.96 × 106 CFU g−1), respectively, with three yeast extract levels (0%, 0.5% and 1%), respectively. Each diet was randomly assigned to duplicate groups of 50 Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (5.99 ± 0.03 g) in 24 concrete ponds (0.5 m3 and 1.25 m depth) for 12 weeks. Increasing dietary B. licheniformis levels in O. niloticus and yeast extract levels significantly (P < 0.01) improved growth performance and nutrient utilization. Supplementation of the experimental diets with, 0.48 × 106 CFU/g−1 and 1.0% yeast extract showed the best nutrient utilization compared to other treatments. All probiotic levels significantly (P < 0.01) increased chemical composition (P < 0.05) compared to the control group, while increasing yeast extract did not significantly alter chemical composition. Hematological indices, total protein and albumin of O. niloticus significantly increased while aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase significantly (P < 0.01) decreased with an increase in B. licheniformis level up to 0.48 × 106 CFU g−1. Increasing levels of yeast extract had no effect on hematological parameters and the diets supplemented with 0.48 × 106 CFU g−1 and 0.5% yeast extract showed the highest hematological values

A Solid-State Fermentation (SSF) supplement improved performance, digestive function and gut ultrastructure of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed plant protein diets containing yellow lupin meal

A nutritional investigation was conducted to determine whether growth performance, feed efficiency and midgut morphology of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) is affected by United Kingdom cultivars of Yellow Lupin (Control, Y) (LC) compared to the addition of a commercial solid-state fermentation product (SSF) in separate dietary treatments 0.1 and 0.5% (LS0.1 and LS0.5, respectively). At the end of feeding trial, LC- and LS0.1-fed fish did not differ from one another, whilst significant improvement was observed in LS0.5 fed fish (P 0.05). Fish fed 0.5% SSF displayed a higher microvillar percentage coverage (MVCV) compared to fish fed LC and LS0.1. Total alkaline protease (TAP), trypsin and chymotrypsin activities in the digesta of fish were unaffected by dietary treatment (P > 0.05). Activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in digesta was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in SSF treatments than LC. Activity of L-leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) in digesta was marginally significantly (P = 0.045) higher in LS0.1 SSF fed fish than LC fed fish. Activity of LAP was also significantly higher in LS0.5 fed fish than LC fed fish

Preliminary evaluation of Superworm ( Zophobas morio ) larval meal as a partial protein source in experimental diets for juvenile Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer

A 12-week feeding trial with Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer juveniles was conducted to evaluate the response of feeding defatted Superworm (Zophobas morio) larval meal on growth performance, feed utilization, apparent digestibility coefficient of nutrients and haemato-biochemical status for Asian sea bass. Five isonitrogenous (450 g/kg) and isolipidic (125 g/kg) experimental diets were formulated. A basal diet that contained no insect meal from defatted Superworm (DFSM) served as the control. Four diets were formulated where DFSM was included at 30 g/kg; 11.11% (DFSM-3), 60 g/kg; 22.22% (DFSM-6), 90 g/kg; 33.33% (DFSM-9) and 120 g/kg; 44.44% (DFSM-12), respectively, on a dry matter basis. All essential amino acids (EAA) except methionine, phenylalanine and threonine in DFSM compared favourably with fishmeal (FM) and arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, tryptophan and valine were higher than that of FM. No significant (p > .05) differences in weight gain, specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio, hepato-somatic and viscera-somatic index were apparent among fish fed different levels of DFSM. Furthermore, no significant (p < .05) differences were found for apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) and crude fat in response to dietary DFSM with different levels. A significant decreased linear relationship in the ADC of protein (p = .042) was noted as the level of DFSM incorporation increased in the experimental diet. No significant differences in haematocrit, MCHC and creatinine values were found among the experimental diets. However, a significant quadratic increase in haematocrit (p = .039) was detected as the level of DFSM increased in the diet. Serum cholesterol, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) were linearly reduced with the increasing of dietary DFSM (linear, p = .043; p = .023; p = .018; p = .028). The findings of the present study indicated that growth, feed efficiency and haemato-biochemical indices were not adversely affected by partial substitution of FM up to 120 g/kg dietary inclusion of Superworm meal. We discuss this in the context of aquafeed applications for marine fish production in Asia for more sustainable production using novel protein ingredients and wider implications