Investigation Of Technological Properties Of Powder Of Eggplants

The aim of the article is to study and to generalize technological properties of eggplant powder, produced by infrared drying at temperatures 50-60 ºС. The results of the conducted complex of studies reflect main technological and consumption properties of the received puree that plays an important role at creating new culinary products.So, for studying technological properties of food eggplant powder, there was considered the complex of base functional-technological properties of powder, produced by infrared drying.For finding optimal conditions of rehydration of eggplant powders, there was studied the influence of such technological factors as: swelling ability; liquid; powder ratio; influence of the solvent temperature on renovation; renovation duration; degree of comminution of powders.Main parameters that influence the renovation ability of dried eggplants are investigated and studied in the article. The results of the studies of technological properties of eggplant powders prove their high rehydration properties. It gives a possibility to use powders at producing different culinary products not only for enriching them with functional ingredients, but also for giving them new technological properties.Based on the obtained results, there was elaborated and presented the new technological scheme of using renewed powders in food compositions

Examination of the expression of immunity genes and bacterial profiles in the caecum of growing chickens infected with Salmonella Enteritidis and fed a phytobiotic

This study was performed to investigate the differential expression of eight immunity genes and the bacterial profiles in the caecum of growing chickens challenged with Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE) at 1 and 23 days post inoculation (dpi) in response to SE infection at 19 days of age and administration of the phytobiotic Intebio. Following infection, the genes CASP6 and IRF7 were upregulated by greater than twofold. Chicks fed Intebio showed at 1 dpi upregulation of AvBD10, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7. At 23 dpi, expression of AvBD11, IL6, IL8L2, CASP6 and IRF7 lowered in the experiment subgroups as compared with the control. Examination of the caecal contents at 1 dpi demonstrated a significant decrease in the microbial biodiversity in the infected subgroup fed normal diet. Bacterial content of Lactobacillus and Bacillus declined, while that of Enterobacteriaceae rose. In the infected subgroup fed Intebio, a pronounced change in composition of the microflora was not observed. In the early infection stages, the phytobiotic seemed to promote response to infection. Subsequently, an earlier suppression of the inflammatory reaction took place in chickens fed Intebio. Thus, use of Intebio as a drug with phytobiotic activity in chickens, including those infected with Salmonella, proved to be promising

Effects of essential oils-based supplement and Salmonella infection on gene expression, blood parameters, cecal microbiome and egg production in laying hens

Simple Summary Salmonellosis is one of the most severe zoonotic diseases transmitted to humans through animal products (especially poultry meat and eggs). Essential oils (EOs)-based feed additives in poultry nutrition are a possible alternative replacement of antimicrobials to fight this infection. In the present study on laying hens, we tested a phytobiotic, Intebio®, and elucidated formation of immune response and changes in cecal microbiocenosis and biochemical/immunological variables in blood caused by Salmonella. Changes in differential gene expression were observed at both one and seven days post-inoculation in the hens’ intestines, revealing similarities with known mammalian/human tissue-specific expression. The results of this study suggest that the challenge of birds with Salmonella had a negative effect, while phytobiotic intake had a positive effect on the status of their gastrointestinal microbiome, their level of metabolism, and their performance. Abstract One of the main roles in poultry resistance to infections caused by Salmonella is attributed to host immunity and intestinal microbiota. We conducted an experiment that involved challenging Lohmann White laying hens with Salmonella Enteritidis (SE), feeding them a diet supplemented with an EOs-based phytobiotic Intebio®. At 1 and 7 days post-inoculation, the expression profiles of eight genes related to immunity, transport of nutrients in the intestine, and metabolism were examined. Cecal microbiome composition and blood biochemical/immunological indices were also explored and egg production traits recorded. As a result, the SE challenge of laying hens and Intebio® administration had either a suppressive or activating effect on the expression level of the studied genes (e.g., IL6 and BPIFB3), the latter echoing mammalian/human tissue-specific expression. There were also effects of the pathogen challenge and phytobiotic intake on the cecal microbiome profiles and blood biochemical/immunological parameters, including those reflecting the activity of the birds’ immune systems (e.g., serum bactericidal activity, β-lysine content, and immunoglobulin levels). Significant differences between control and experimental subgroups in egg performance traits (i.e., egg weight/number/mass) were also found. The phytobiotic administration suggested a positive effect on the welfare and productivity of poultry

Safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma for COVID-19: the preliminary results of a clinical trial

Background. The lack of effective etiotropic therapy for COVID-19 has prompted researchers around the globe to seekr various methods of SARS-CoV-2 elimination, including the use of convalescent plasma. Aim. The aim of this work was to study the safety and efficacy of the convalescence plasma treatment of severe COVID-19 using the plasma containing specific antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 S protein in a titer of at least 1:1000. Methods. A single-center, randomized, prospective clinical study was performed at the FRCC FMBA of Russia with the participation of 86 patients who were stratified in two groups. The first group included 20 critically ill patients who were on mechanical ventilation the second group included 66 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 and with spontaneous respiration. The patients in the second group were randomized into two cohorts in a ratio of 2:1. In the first cohort (46 patients), pathogen-reduced convalescent plasma was transfused (twice, 320 ml each), in the second cohort (20 patients) a similar amount of non-immune freshly frozen plasma was transfused to the patients. Results. The use of plasma of convalescents in patients with severe COVID-19 being on mechanical ventilation does not affect the disease outcome in these patients. The mortality rate in this group was 60%, which corresponds to the average mortality of COVID patients on mechanical ventilation in our hospital. In the second group, clinical improvement was detected in 75% and 51%, for convalescent and non-immune plasma, respectively. Of the 46 people who received convalescent plasma, three patients (6.5%) were transferred to mechanical ventilation, two of them died. In the group receiving non-immune plasma, the need for mechanical ventilation also arose in three patients (15%), of which two died. The hospital mortality in the group of convalescent plasma was 4.3%, which is significantly lower than the average COVID-19 hospital mortality at our Center (6.73%) and more than two times lower than the hospital mortality in the control group (n=150), matched by age and by the disease severity. Conclusions. Thus, we demonstrated a relative safety of convalescent plasma transfusion and the effectiveness of such therapy for COVID-19 at least in terms of the survival of hospitalized patients with severe respiratory failure without mechanical ventilation. In the absence of bioengineered neutralizing antibodies and effective etiotropic therapy, the use of hyperimmune convalescent plasma is the simplest and most effective method of specific etiopathogenetic therapy of severe forms of COVID-19

[Development of modern biotechnologies for evaluating gene expression in connection with disease resistance and productivity in poultry] Разработка современных биотехнологий для оценки экспрессии генов в связи с устойчивостью к болезням и продуктивностью у домашней птицы

The aim of this study was to examine the expression of immunity genes as well as the cecal bacterial profiles of chicks when infected with a strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). The effectiveness of the phytobiotic Intebio based on essential oils was also investigated. In general, Salmonella infection led to an increase in the expression level of most of the studied immunity genes. The addition of Intebio into the feed contributed to an increase in the expression of interleukin genes as compared with the control in birds both challenged with SE and non-challenged. In 3 weeks after infection, a decrease in the expression level of these genes or the same expression level as compared with the control was shown. A study of the cecal microbiological profiles of birds using T-RFLP in one day after infection revealed that infection of birds with SE led to a significant reduction in the biodiversity of microorganisms in the group without additives. At the same time, the content of bacteria of the genera Lactobacillus and Bacillus fell sharply, while the microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family increased. In the group fed the phytobiotic and challenged with SE, a pronounced change in the composition of the microflora was not observed. The study of microbiocenosis in the cecum of birds in three weeks after infection revealed a general tendency to increase bacterial diversity with age, regardless of the treatments. The data obtained indicate that infection with SE leads to activation of the expression of certain immunity genes, and also causes dysbiotic disturbances in the composition of the intestinal microflora. In the early stages of infection, the introduction of the phytobiotic into the diet contributed to the enhancement of the immune response in birds due to SE. Subsequently, in birds fed Intebio, an earlier suppression of the inflammatory reaction occurred. Thus, the experiment of using the Intebio feed additive as an immunomodulator and a drug with phytobiotic activity, when artificially challenging birds with a dangerous pathogen, was successful. Одна из наиболее распространённых инфекционных болезней в птицеводстве в Российской Федерации — это сальмонеллез, вызываемый Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (SE). Патологический процесс, вызванный сальмонеллой, инициирует у птиц экспрессию генов, в том числе интерлейкинов (цитокинов) и β-дефензинов (галлинацинов). Еще одна группа защитных факторов макроорганизма включает симбиотические микроорганизмы кишечника. Целью данного исследования было изучение экспрессии генов иммунитета, а также бактериальных профилей слепых отростков кишечника цыплят при инфицировании штаммом бактерии SE. Исследовали также эффективность действия фитобиотика Интебио на основе эфирных масел. Эксперимент проводили на цыплятах с 1-суточного до 43-суточного возраста. Как показали результаты исследования методом количественной ПЦР, в целом заражение сальмонеллой привело к увеличению уровня экспрессии большинства исследованных генов иммунитета в 2 и более раз. Введение в корм Интебио способствовало увеличению экспрессии генов интерлейкинов по сравнению с контролем как на фоне заражения сальмонеллой (экспрессия выросла в 4–6 раз), так и без него (экспрессия выросла в 3,5–5 раз). Через 3 недели после заражения показано снижение уровня экспрессии данных генов или тот же уровень экспрессии по сравнению с контролем. Изучение микробиологического профиля слепых отростков кишечника птиц методом T-RFLP через сутки после инфицирования выявило, что заражение птиц SE привело к значительному снижению биоразнообразия микроорганизмов в варианте без добавок. При этом содержание бактерий родов Lactobacillus и Bacillus резко падало, а микроорганизмов семейства Enterobacteriaceae увеличивалось. В группе с введением фитобиотика на фоне заражения выраженного изменения состава микрофлоры не наблюдалось. Исследование микробиоценоза в слепых отростках кишечника птиц через три недели после инфицирования выявило общую тенденцию увеличения бактериального разнообразия с возрастом вне зависимости от вариантов. Полученные данные свидетельствуют о том, что инфицирование SE приводит к активации экспрессии некоторых генов иммунитета, а также вызывает дисбиотические нарушения состава микрофлоры кишечника. На ранних стадиях заражения введение в рацион фитобиотика способствовало усилению иммунного ответа у птиц в ответ на заражение сальмонеллой. Впоследствии в вариантах с применением Интебио происходило более раннее подавление воспалительной реакции. Таким образом, опыт применения кормовой добавки Интебио в качестве иммуномодулятора и препарата с фитобиотической активностью, в том числе на фоне искусственного заражения птицы опасным патогеном, оказался весьма успешным

Coordinated Loss and Acquisition of NK Cell Surface Markers Accompanied by Generalized Cytokine Dysregulation in COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is accompanied by a dysregulated immune response. In particular, NK cells, involved in the antiviral response, are affected by the infection. This study aimed to investigate circulating NK cells with a focus on their activation, depletion, changes in the surface expression of key receptors, and functional activity during COVID-19, among intensive care unit (ICU) patients, moderately ill patients, and convalescents (CCP). Our data confirmed that NK cell activation in patients with COVID-19 is accompanied by changes in circulating cytokines. The progression of COVID-19 was associated with a coordinated decrease in the proportion of NKG2D+ and CD16+ NK cells, and an increase in PD-1, which indicated their exhaustion. A higher content of NKG2D+ NK cells distinguished surviving patients from non-survivors in the ICU group. NK cell exhaustion in ICU patients was additionally confirmed by a strong negative correlation of PD-1 and natural cytotoxicity levels. In moderately ill patients and convalescents, correlations were found between the levels of CD57, NKG2C, and NKp30, which may indicate the formation of adaptive NK cells. A reduced NKp30 level was observed in patients with a lethal outcome. Altogether, the phenotypic changes in circulating NK cells of COVID-19 patients suggest that the intense activation of NK cells during SARS-CoV-2 infection, most likely induced by cytokines, is accompanied by NK cell exhaustion, the extent of which may be critical for the disease outcome