TYPLEX® Chelate, a novel feed additive, inhibits Campylobacter jejuni biofilm formation and cecal colonization in broiler chickens

Reducing Campylobacter spp. carriage in poultry is challenging, but essential to control this major cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Although much is known about the mechanisms and route of Campylobacter spp. colonization in poultry the literature is scarce on antibiotic-free solutions to combat Campylobacter spp. colonization in poultry. In vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to investigate the role of TYPLEX® Chelate, a novel feed additive, in inhibiting Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) biofilm formation and reducing C. jejuni and Escherichia coli (E. coli) colonization in broiler chickens at market age. In an in vitro study, the inhibitory effect on C. jejuni biofilm formation using a plastic bead assay was investigated. The results demonstrated that TYPLEX® Chelate significantly reduces biofilm formation. For in vivo study, 800 broilers (one-day old) were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a randomised block design, each having 10 replicate pens with 20 birds per pen. At day 21, all birds were challenged with C. jejuni via seeded litter. At day 42, caecal samples were collected and tested for volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations, C. jejuni and E. coli counts. The results showed that TYPLEX® Chelate reduced the carriage of C. jejuni and E. coli in poultry by 2 and 1 log₁₀ per gram caecal sample, respectively, and increased caecal VFA concentrations. These findings support TYPLEX® Chelate as a novel non-antibiotic feed additive that may help produce poultry with a lower public health risk of Campylobacteriosis

Incorporation of Y2O3 Particles into 410L Stainless Steel by a Powder Metallurgy Route

Addition of yttria to steels has been proposed for the fabrication of oxide-dispersion-strengthened materials for nuclear power applications. We have investigated materials prepared from 12 Cr martensitic stainless steel, AISI 410L, produced by powder metallurgy. Materials were produced with and without yttria addition, and two different sizes of yttria were used, 0.9 µm and 50 nm. Tensile and mini-creep tests were performed to determine mechanical properties. Optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, and EDX analysis were used to investigate the microstructures and deformation mechanisms and to obtain information about non-metallic inclusion particles. SiO2, MnS, and Y2Si2O7 inclusion particles were observed. An SiO2 and Y2O3 interaction was seen to have occurred during the ball milling, which impaired the final mechanical properties. Small-angle neutron scattering experiments showed that the matrix chemistry prevented effective dissolution of the yttria. © The Author(s) 201

Fumonisins affect the intestinal microbial homeostasis in broiler chickens, predisposing to necrotic enteritis

Fumonisins (FBs) are mycotoxins produced by Fusarium fungi. This study aimed to investigate the effect of these feed contaminants on the intestinal morphology and microbiota composition, and to evaluate whether FBs predispose broilers to necrotic enteritis. One-day-old broiler chicks were divided into a group fed a control diet, and a group fed a FBs contaminated diet (18.6 mg FB1+ FB2/kg feed). A significant increase in the plasma sphinganine/sphingosine ratio in the FBs-treated group (0.21 +/- 0.016) compared to the control (0.14 +/- 0.014) indicated disturbance of the sphingolipid biosynthesis. Furthermore, villus height and crypt depth of the ileum was significantly reduced by FBs. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed a shift in the microbiota composition in the ileum in the FBs group compared to the control. A reduced presence of low-GC containing operational taxonomic units in ileal digesta of birds exposed to FBs was demonstrated, and identified as a reduced abundance of Candidatus Savagella and Lactobaccilus spp. Quantification of total Clostridium perfringens in these ileal samples, previous to experimental infection, using cpa gene (alpha toxin) quantification by qPCR showed an increase in C. perfringens in chickens fed a FBs contaminated diet compared to control (7.5 +/- 0.30 versus 6.3 +/- 0.24 log10 copies/g intestinal content). After C. perfringens challenge, a higher percentage of birds developed subclinical necrotic enteritis in the group fed a FBs contaminated diet as compared to the control (44.9 +/- 2.22% versus 29.8 +/- 5.46%)