• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1342-1349
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of β-mannanase on growth performance, carcass characteristics, excreta microflora, blood constituents, and nutrient digestibility in broiler chickens. Methods: A total of 680 one-d-old Ross 308 (as hatched) broiler chickens were used in a 35-d growth assay. Chicks were sorted into pens with 17 birds/pen and 10 pens/treatment. Treatment diets were contained either 44% or 48% crude protein (CP) soybean meal (SBM) with or without β-mannanase. Results: Using SBM containing 48% CP led to an improvement (p<0.05) in feed conversion ratio (FCR) from d 1 to 14. Addition of β-mannanase to the diets significantly improved body weight gain (BWG) and FCR from d 1 to 14. During overall experimental period, BWG was affected (p<0.05) by CP level of SBM and inclusion of β-mannanase, but FCR and feed intake were not affected. Carcass characteristics were not influenced by treatment diets. The results showed that digestibility of dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), and energy was not affected by CP level of SBM and/or inclusion of β-mannanase. Among essential amino acids (EAA) apparent digestibility of valine, methionine, and leucine improved (p<0.05) by the addition of β-mannanase to the diets. The results demonstrated that ileal digestibility of DM, N, and energy was not affected by treatment diets. Among EAA, the ileal digestibility of valine and arginine was higher (p<0.05) in the diets containing 48% CP SBM and/or β-mannanase. Excreta Lactobacillus count increased (p<0.05) by the addition of β-mannanase to the diets. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and total protein level were not affected by treatments. Conclusion: Feeding chickens with diets containing 44% CP SBM resulted in detrimental effects on growth performance and digestibility of nutrients, but addition of β-mannanase to the 44% CP diet improved the growth performance of chickens without any effects on carcass characteristics.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.520-528
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• 2022

Mast cells are an effector cell that plays a pivotal role in type I hypersensitive immune responses. Mast cells exist in connective tissues, such as skin and mucosal tissue, and contain granules which contain bioactive substances such as histamine and heparin in cells. The granules of mast cells are secreted by antigen stimulation to cause the type I allergic hypersensitivity. In addition, stimulated by antigen, mast cells synthesize and secrete various eicosanoids and cytokines. While AT9283 is known to have anticancer effects, the therapeutic effect of AT9283 on allergic disorders is completely unknown. In this study, it was found that AT9283 reversibly inhibited antigen-IgE binding-induced degranulation in mast cells (IC₅₀, approx. 0.58 μM) and suppressed the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines IL-4 (IC₅₀, approx. 0.09 μM) and TNF-α (IC₅₀, approx. 0.19 μM). For a mechanism of mast cell inhibition, while not inhibiting Syk phosphorylation, AT9283 suppressed the activation of LAT, a downstream substrate protein of Syk, in a dose-dependent manner. As expected, AT9283 also inhibited the activation of PLCγ1 and Akt, downstream signaling molecules of Syk/LAT, and MAP kinases such as JNK, Erk1/2, and P38. In an in vitro protein tyrosine kinase assay, AT9283 directly inhibited Syk activity. Next, AT9283 dose-dependently inhibited passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA), an IgE-mediated allergic acute response, in mice (ED50, approx. 34 mg/kg, p.o.). These findings suggest that AT9283 has potential to use as a new drug for alleviating the symptoms of IgE-mediated allergic disorders.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.63 no.6
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• pp.1286-1300
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• 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity of sodium long chain polyphosphate (SLCPP) and effect of dietary supplementation of SLCPP on growth performance, organ characteristics, blood metabolites, and intestinal microflora of broilers. Antimicrobial activities of SLCPP were observed against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica ser. Pullorum, Shigella sonnei, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in agar well diffusion assay. In addition, SLCPP demonstrated good anti-biofilm activity against K. pneumonia and P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, to investigate the dietary effect of SLCPP, a total of 480 1-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allotted to three dietary treatment groups (4 replicates per group, 40 birds in each replicate): an antibiotic-free corn-soybean meal basal diet (NC); basal diet + enramycin 0.01% (PC); and basal diet + 0.1% SLCPP (SPP). The experiment lasted for 35 days. Results showed that birds fed with SLCPP had higher body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG), and lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the grower phase (days 7 to 21) (p < 0.05). Except for blood urea nitrogen, all other blood biochemical parameters remained unaffected by the dietary supplementation of SLCPP. Compared to the control group, lengths of the duodenum and ileum in the SPP group were significantly shorter (p < 0.05). Moreover, counts of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), total aerobes, and Streptococcus spp. in jejunum as well as LAB in cecum were increased in the SPP group than in the PC group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that dietary supplementation of SLCPP might promote the growth of broilers in their early growth phase.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2004

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of continuous feeding of probiotics on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and immune responses in pigs. Treatments were 1) Control(basal diet), 2) P-O.l(basal diet + 0.1% probiotics) and 3) P-0.2(basal diet + 0.2% probiotics). In growth trial, a total of sixty pigs(6.17 $\pm$ 0.45 kg average body weight) weaned at 21 days of age were used. All pigs were assigned according to sex and body weight, and each treatment had 5 replicates of 4 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block(RCB) design. During 0${\sim}$8 weeks, there was no significant difference in average daily gain(ADG), average daily feed intake(ADFI) and gain:feed ratio(GfF) among treatments. During 9 - 20 weeks, ADG was improved significantly in pigs fed P-O.I or P-0.2 diets when compared to the pig fed control diet(P <0.05), but there was no significant difference in ADFI and GfF ratio. During overall period, ADG, ADFI and GfF ratio were not significantly different among treatments. In the first metabolic trial(17.93 $\pm$1.45kg average body weight), apparent digestibility of OM, protein, fat in pigs fed P-O.l and P-0.2 diets were greater than in pigs fed control diet(P <0.05) and ash digestibility in pigs fed P-0.2 diet was significantly higher than in pigs fed control diet(P <0.05). Calcium digestibility in pigs fed P-0.2 diet was significantly higher than in pigs fed control and P-O.I diets(P <0.05). Fecal-N excretion was lower in pigs fed P-O.! and P-0.2 diets than in pigs fed control(P <0.05). In the second metabolic trial(41.80 $\pm$ 2.68kg average body weight), there was no significant difference among treatments in apparent digestibility of nutrients and N-retention. In blood assay for the BUN and immune responses investigations, there was no significant difference among treatments during overall period of experiment. Therefore, this experiment suggested that probiotics supplementation could improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility of pigs.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.247-265
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• 2008

Objectives: Many types of liver diseases can damage regenerative potential of mature hepatocytes, hepatic progenitor cells or oval cells. In such cases, a stem cell-based therapy can be an alternative therapeutic option. We examined whether human amnion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HAM) and human umbilical cord-derived stem cells (HUC) could differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells as therapeutic cells for the liver diseases. Methods: HAM and HUC were isolated from the amnion and umbilical cord of the volunteers after a caesarean section with informed consent. In order to differentiate these cells into hepatocyte-like cells, cells were cultivated in hepatogenic medium using culture plates coated with fibronectin. Effects of hepatocyte growth factor, L-ascorbic acid 2-phosphate, insulin premixture fibroblast growth gactor 4, dimethylsulfoxide, oncostatin M and/or dexamethasone were examined on the hepatic differentiation. After differentiation, the cells were analyzed by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, immunoblotting, albumin ELISA, urea assay and periodic acid-schiffs staining. Results: Initial fibroblast-like appearance of HAM and HUC changed to a round shape during culture in the hepatogenic medium. However, in all hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC secreted more amounts of albumin or urea into medium than HAM. Expression of some of hepatocyte-specific genes increased and expression of new genes were observed in HUC following cultivation in hepatogenic medium. Results of immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting analyses demonstrated that HUC secreted albumin into the culture medium. PAS staining further demonstrated that HUC could store glycogen inside of the cells. Conclusions: Both HUC and HAM could differentiate into albumin-secreting, hepatocyte-like cells. Under the same hepatogenic conditions examined, HUC more efficiently differentiated into hepatocyte-like cells compared with the HAM. The results suggest that HUC and HAM could be used as sources of stem cells for the cell-based therapeutics such as in liver diseases.

• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.125-138
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• 2016

To assess the industrial possibility of mixed-extracts containing Hovenia dulcis Thunberg and 12 different botanical ingredients, a protective effect was confirmed in the chronic ethanol-induced the liver, brain, and blood injury in mouse. Blood glucose levels of the normal control group(NG) and ethanol administration group(EG) were respectively 119.43mg/dL and 305.25mg/dL, and the mixed-extracts administration group(100, 200mg/kg body weight + 25% ethanol 5g/kg body weight respectively; ME100 & ME200) were decreased to 272.76mg/dL and 234.60mg/dL. Blood ethanol contents were decreased in ME100 and ME200(3.85mg/dL, 3.08mg/dL) compared to EG(4.08mg/dL), and blood acetaldehyde contents were also decreased in ME(15.76mg/dL, 15.16mg/dL) compared to EG(18.72mg/dL). The contents of hepatotoxic indicators such as glutamine pyruvic transaminase(GPT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), nephrotoxic indicators such as blood urea nitrogen(BUN), and creatine(CRE), and total cholestero(TCHO), and triglyceride(TG) in mouse blood serum were significantly decreased in the ME compared to EG. The acetylcholinesterase(AChE) activity of ME(109.00% and 108.47%, respectively) in mouse brain tissues was decreased in ME compared to EG(116.10%). Finally, ME was remarkable in vivo antioxidant activities in the mouse liver and brain tissues by superoxide dismutase(SOD), oxidized glutathione(GSH)/total GSH ratio and the malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. Therefore, the mixed-extracts was considered to be effective a high value food with protective effect against chronic ethanol traetment-induced cytotoxicity in liver and brain tissues.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 2017

A key virulence factor for urinary tract pathogens is the enzyme urease, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into ammonium ions and carbonic acid. Urease activity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infection. In this study, the inhibitory effect of zerumbone against six urease-producing bacteria (Klebsiella oxytoca, K. pneumoniae, Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis, P. vulgaris, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus) and their urease activities were evaluated. The results of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) tests showed that zerumbone had antibacterial effect against these six urease-producing bacteria. The MIC and MBC of zerumbone ranged from 0.5 to 2 mM and 1 to 4 mM, respectively. In the urease inhibitory assay, zerumbone showed better urease inhibition ($56.28{\pm}2.45-37.83{\pm}3.47%$) than the standard urease inhibitor, acetohydroxamic acid ($40.46{\pm}1.94-22.99{\pm}3.53%$). However, zerumbone did not affect the levels of the urease subunit. These results clearly indicated that zerumbone has antibacterial potential against urease-producing bacteria and possesses excellent bacterial urease inhibition properties.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.1299-1303
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• 2001

For the Exp. 1, a total of fifty four crossbred [(Duroc Yorkshire)${\times}$Landrace] pigs ($77.67{\pm}1.42kg$ average initial BW) were used in a 41-d growth assay to determine the effects of yucca extract supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility and serum characteristics of finishing pigs. Dietary treatments included 1) Control (basal diet), 2) YE60 (basal diet+60 ppm yucca extract), 3) YE120 (basal diet+120 ppm yucca extract). Average daily gain was not improved by yucca extract supplementation during the whole experimental perid (d 0 to 41). Pigs fed control diet showed the best average daily gain. Pigs fed control and YE120 diets tended to increase average daily feed intake compared with pigs fed YE60 diet (quadratic effect, p<0.0001). Gain/feed with control treatment was significantly better than the YE groups (linear effect, p<0.071). However, there was no significant difference among levels of yucca extract (p>0.10). Apparent digestibility of dry matter in pigs fed yucca extract were greater than for pigs fed control diets (linear effect, p<0.017). Pigs fed YE120 tended to have higher digestibility of nitrogen than pigs fed the control diets (linear effect, p<0.019). There were no significant differences in Total-, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol concentrations of serum, and the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations in serum was not influenced by the yucca extract supplementation (p>0.10). For the Exp. 2, fifteen [(Duroc${\times}$Yorkshire)${\times}$Landrace] pigs ($25.00{\pm}0.50kg$ average initial BW) were used in a 30-d metabolism experiment to determine the effects of yucca extract supplementation on fecal ammonia gas production. Treatments were : 1) Control (basal diet); 2) YE (basal diet+150 ppm yucca extract); 3) BD (basal diet+100 ppm Bio-Dr; yucca extract+far infrared emitted materials). Fecal ammonia gas production differences between d 0 and d 30 were significantly reduced (p<0.05) by feeding BD compared to control and YE. Also, when pigs were fed the diet with YE tended to be decreased ammonia gas production compared to pigs fed the control diet without significant differences (p>0.05). There were no differences for DM and N digestibility among pigs fed the treatment diets. In conclusion, yucca and (or) far infrared radiological materials can be used to make environment-friendly diets for growing-finishing pigs without negative effects on growth performance and nutrient digestibility.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome resulting in kidney damage and malfunction within a few days or even a few hours. The diagnosis of AKI depends on routine biochemical tests, including serum creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and electrolytes. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a biomarker that shows correlation with the severity of acute infections and kidney injuries. The predictive value in other conventional assays for kidney functions has been reported to cause distraction for AKI syndrome. The aim of this study is to verify the predictive value of plasma NGAL in patients with established AKI. The NGAL kit for checkup demonstrates sensitivity of ${\geq}300$ (92.2%), ${\geq}200$ (95.6%), ${\geq}100$ (99.6%), specificity of ${\geq}300$ (95.1%), ${\geq}200$ (97.3%), ${\geq}100$ (99.4%), positive predictability of ${\geq}300$ (93.3%), ${\geq}200$ (93.4%), ${\geq}100$ (99.2%), and negative predictability of ${\geq}300$ (96.7%), ${\geq}200$ (97.7%), ${\geq}100$ (98.1%), respectively. The plasma NGAL compared with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been shown to be an early predictive biomarker of AKI. The NGAL kit, recently developed for point-of-care of plasma specimens, is thought to be a useful and reliable biomarker for the early diagnosis of decreased kidney functions.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2007

The purpose of the clinically reportable range (CRR) in clinical chemistry is to estimate linearity in working range. The reportable range includes all results that may be reliably reported, and embraces two types of ranges: the analytical measurement range (AMR) is the range of analyte values that a method can directly measure on the specimen without any dilution, concentration, or other pretreatment not part of the usual assay process. CAP and JCAHO require linearity on analyzers every six months. The clinically reportable range is the range of analyte values that a method can measure, allowing for specimen dilution, concentration, or other pretreatment used to extend the direct analytical measurement range. The AMR cannot exceed the manufacturer's limits. Establishing AMR is easily accomplished with Calibration Verification Assessment and experimental Linearity. For example: The manufacturer states that the limits of the AST on their instrument are 0-1100. The lowest level that could be verified is 2. The upper level is 1241. The verified AMR of the instrument is 2-1241. The lower limit of the range is 2, because that is the lowest level that could be verified by the laboratory. The laboratory could not use the manufacturer's lower limit of 2 because they have not proven that the instrument values below 2 are valid. The upper limit of the range is 1241, because although the lab has shown that the instrument is linear to 1241, the manufacturer does not make that claim. The laboratory needs to demonstrate the accuracy and precision of the analyzer, as well the validation of the patient AMR. Linearity requirements have been eliminated from the CLIA regulations and from the CAP inspection criteria, however, many inspectors continue to feel that linearity studies are a part of good lab practice and should be encouraged. If a lab chooses to continue linearity studies, these studies must fully comply with the calibration/calibration verification requirements of CLIA and/or CAP. The results of lower limit and upper limit of clinically reportable range were total protein (2.1 - 79.9), albumin (1.3 - 39), total bilirubin (0.2 - 106.2), alkaline phosphatase (13 - 6928.2), aspartate aminotransferase (24 - 7446), alanine aminotransferase (13 - 6724.2), gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (16.64 - 9904.2), creatine kinase (15.26 - 4723.8), lactate dehydrogenase (127.66 - 13231.8), creatinine (0.4 - 129.6), blood urea nitrogen (8.67 - 925.8), uric acid (1.6 - 151.2), total cholesterol (48.52 - 3162), triglycerides (36.91 - 3367.8), glucose (31 - 4218), amylase (21 - 6694.2), calcium (3.1 - 118.2), inorganic phosphorus (1.11 - 108), HDL (11.74 - 666), NA (58.3 - 1800), K (1.0 - 69.6), CL (38 - 1230).