Chinese herb feed additives improved the growth performance, meat quality, and nutrient digestibility parameters of pigs

Background:Since the use of antibiotics in animal feed has become a critical concern worldwide due to severe threats to human health and environment,we are in need of finding alternatives to antibiotics in pig breeding,maintaining the health of pigs,and getting high-quality pork.As traditional Chinese herbs(TCH)are rich natural resources in China and show great benefits to human health we propose to transfer this abundant resource into animal production industry as additives.Methods:Three groups of Chinese herbs(groups A,B,and C)were used as feed additives in the diet for pigs.In total 32 pigs were arranged in four groups(groups A,B,C,and control group,NC),fed in the same facility,eight pigs(one group)in each colony,free drinking,for 120 days.The feed:gain ratio(F/G),meat quality,total protein,and amino acid concentration of muscle were checked in the experiments.Results:After 120 days of feeding,the feed:gain ratio(F/G)of pigs in groups A,B,and C was decreased 17.56%,9.31%,and 13.86%compared with NC treatment,respectively.The diets supplemented with Chinese herbs improved meat quality,increased loin eye area(especially group A and C showed significant difference,P<.001),the total protein(increased ratio vs NC was A=4.54%,B=0.38%and C=3.53%),amino acid concentration of muscle,increased the villus height:crypt depth ratio,and induced positive effects on serum biochemical parameters and immune function(serum TC and TG concentrations were significantly lower than those in the NC group,P<.05.).Conclusions:The use of Chinese herbal feed additives can reduce the cost of pig breeding and produce high-quality pock.The combination of these effects would contribute to better absorption ability of the intestinal tract and yield a better growth performance.

Subculturing cells have no effect on CRISPR/Cas9-mediated cleavage of UL30 gene in pseudorabies virus

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing can inhibit virus infection by targeting the conserved regions of the viral genomic DNA. Unexpectedly, we found previously that pseudorabies virus(PRV) could escape from CRISPR/Cas9-mediated inhibition.In order to elucidate whether the escape of PRV from Cas9-mediated inhibition was due to cell deficiencies, such as genetic instability of sgRNA or Cas9 protein, the positive cells were passaged ten times, and PRV infection in the sgRNA-expressing cells was evaluated in the present study. The results showed that subculturing cells has no effect on Cas9-mediated cleavage of PRV. Different passages of PX459-PRV cells can stably express sgRNA to facilitate Cas9/sgRNA cleavage on the UL30 gene of PRV, resulting in a pronounced inhibition of PRV infection. Studies to elucidate the mechanism of PRV escape are currently in progress.

Clinical effect and antiviral mechanism of T-705 in treating severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)virus(SFTSV)is an emerging tick-borne virus with high fatality and an expanding endemic.Currently,effective anti-SFTSV intervention remains unavailable.Favipiravir(T-705)was recently reported to show in vitro and in animal model antiviral efficacy against SFTSV.Here,we conducted a single-blind,randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of T-705 in treating SFTS(Chinese Clinical Trial Registry website,number ChiCTR1900023350).From May to August 2018,laboratory-confirmed SFTS patients were recruited from a designated hospital and randomly assigned to receive oral T-705 in combination with supportive care or supportive care only.Fatal outcome occurred in 9.5%(7/74)of T-705 treated patients and 18.3%(13/71)of controls(odds ratio,0.466,95%Cl,0.174-1.247).Cox regression showed a significant reduction in case fatality rate(CFR)with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.366(95%Cl,0.142-0.944).Among the low-viral load subgroup(RT-PCR cycle threshold>26),T-705 treatment significantly reduced CFR from 11.5 to 1.6%(P=0.029),while no between-arm difference was observed in the high-viral load subgroup(RT-PCR cycle threshold<26).The T-705-treated group showed shorter viral clearance,lower incidence of hemorrhagic signs,and faster recovery of laboratory abnormities compared with the controls.The in vitro and animal experiments demonstrated that the antiviral efficacies of T-705 were proportionally induced by SFTSV mutation rates,particularly from two transition mutation types.The mutation analyses on T-705-treated serum samples disclosed a partially consistent mutagenesis pattern as those of the in vitro or animal experiments in reducing the SFTSV viral loads,further supporting the anti-SFTSV effect of T-705,especially for the low-viral loads.