Physicochemical, Nutritional Properties and Metabolomics Analysis Fat Deposition Mechanism of Chahua Chicken No. 2 and Yao Chicken

Poultry is an important dietary source of animal protein, accounting for approximately 30% of global meat consumption. Because of its low price, low fat and cholesterol content, and no religious restrictions, chicken is considered a widely available healthy meat. Chahua chicken No. 2 is a synthetic breed of Chahua chicken derived from five generations of specialized strain breeding. In this study, Chahua chicken No. 2 (CH) and Yao chicken (Y) were used as the research objects to compare the differences in physicochemical and nutritional indicators of meat quality between the two chicken breeds, and metabolomics was used to analyze the differences in metabolites and lipid metabolism pathways and to explore the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis. The physical index and nutritional value of CH are better than that of Y, and the chemical index of Y is better than that of CH. However, the chemical index results of CH are also within the normal theoretical value range. Comprehensive comparison shows that the meat quality of CH is relatively good. Metabolomics analysis showed that CH and Y had 85 different metabolites, and the differential metabolites were mainly classified into eight categories. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis revealed 13 different metabolic pathways. The screened PPARG, FABP3, ACSL5, FASN, UCP3 and SC5D were negatively correlated with muscle fat deposition, while PPARα, ACACA and ACOX1 were positively correlated with muscle fat deposition. The meat quality of CH was better than Y. The metabolites and metabolic pathways obtained by metabonomics analysis mainly involved the metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids, which were consistent with the differences in meat quality between the two breeds and the contents of precursors affecting flavor. The screened genes were associated with fatty deposition in poultry

Influence of Chinese Herbal Formula on Bone Characteristics of Cobb Broiler Chickens

To evaluate the prevention and treatment effect of a Chinese herbal formula (CHF) on the bone disease of Cobb broiler chickens, compare its efficacy with Bisphosphonates (BPs), and provide a theoretical basis for studying the nutritional regulation technology of CHF to improve the bone characteristics of broiler chickens. In this study, 560 one-day-old Cobb broiler chickens were examined for the influence of Chinese herbal formula (CHF) and Bisphosphonates (BPs). Different doses of CHF and BPs were added to the diet, and the 30- and 60-day-old live weight, tibial bone strength, the microstructure of the distal femur cancellous bone, blood biochemical indexes related to bone metabolism, and genes related to bone metabolism were determined and analyzed. The results showed that the live weight of Cobb broilers fed with CHF and BPs in the diet was as follows: The live weight of the CHF group was higher than that of the normal control (NC) group, while the live weight of the BPs group was lower than that of the NC group; the CHF and BPs improved the bone strength of Cobb broilers and increased the elastic modulus, yield strength, and maximum stress of the tibia. CHF and BPs increased the cancellous bone mineral density (BMD), bone tissue ratio (BV/TV), bone surface area tissue volume ratio (BS/TV), bone trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), and bone trabecular number (Tb.N) in the distal femur, and decreased the bone surface area bone volume ratio (BS/BV) and bone trabecular separation (Tb.Sp). Thus, the microstructure of the bone tissue of the distal femur was improved to a certain extent. Both the CHF and the BPs also increased the serum levels of the vitamin D receptor (VDR), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and decreased the content of osteocalcin (OT). Meanwhile, CHF and BPs upregulated the expression of osteogenic genes (BMP-2, OPG, Runx-2) to promote bone formation and downregulated the expression of osteoclastic genes (RANK, RANKL, TNF-α) to inhibit bone resorption, thus affecting bone metabolism. Conclusion: The CHF could improve the skeletal characteristics of Cobb broilers by upregulating the expression of bone-forming-related genes and downregulating the expression of bone-breaking-related genes, thus preventing and controlling skeletal diseases in Cobb broilers. Its effect was comparable to that of BPs. Meanwhile, the CHF-H group achieved the best results in promoting the growth and improvement of the skeletal characteristics of Cobb broilers based on the live weight and skeletal-characteristics-related indexes

Immunological non-inferiority and safety of a quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine versus two trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines in China: Results from two studies

A quadrivalent, split-virion influenza vaccine (Shz QIV), containing two influenza A strains, and both B lineages strains, has been developed in China. We report the safety and immunogenicity of Shz QIV in two studies: a single-center, phase I, open-label, safety trial (n = 101) and a multicenter, phase III, observer-blind, randomized, safety and immunogenicity trial (n = 7,106) comparing Shz QIV with two trivalent influenza vaccines (Shz TIVs; one containing a B/Victoria-like strain and the other a B/Yamagata-like strain). Participants received one dose of Shz QIV (0.5 mL), except children aged 6 months to 8 years who received one or two doses (0.25 mL or 0.5 mL) depending on previous influenza vaccination. The Shz TIV groups received one or two (0.25 mL) doses depending on previous influenza vaccination (ages 6–35 months) or a single (0.5 mL) dose (ages ≥3 years). Immunogenicity was assessed at baseline and 28 days after the last dose, with safety assessed through to 6 months. The primary objective was to demonstrate the non-inferiority of antibody responses to Shz QIV (0.25 mL and 0.5 mL) versus Shz TIVs for each strain in ages 6–35 months and ≥3 years. Overall, Shz QIV was well tolerated, and showed similar safety to the Shz TIVs. Shz QIV (0.5 mL) induced non-inferior antibody responses to all antigens versus Shz TIV, with superiority demonstrated to the non-corresponding B strain in each TIV. Shz QIV (0.25 mL) non-inferiority in those aged 6–35 months was demonstrated for both A strains and the B/Yamagata-like strain, but not the B/Victoria-like strain. In summary, Shz QIV (0.5 mL) is immunogenic and has a good safety profile. WHO Universal Trial Numbers (UTNs) U1111-1174-4615 and U1111-1174-4698 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04210349 and NCT0343008