Effect of Using Baker＇s Yeast and Exogenous Digestive Enzymes as Growth Promoters on Growth, Feed Utilization and Hematological Indices of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus Fingerlings

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of baker yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae （SC） and exogenous digestive enzymes （pepsin, papain and a-amylase, EDE） dietary supplementation on growth performance, feed utilization and hematological indices of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings. A total of 630 Nile tilapia fingerlings with an average body weight of 26.4 ± 0.2 g were divided in the seven experimental net-pen treatments （three replicates each）. The experiment was conducted for 119 days. Seven isonitrogenous （26.50%） digestible protein and isocaloric （13.40 MJ kgl） digestible energy experimental diets were formulated. The control diet had no SC and EDE added. Diets 2-3 each contained SC at levels of 2 and 4 g 100 g diet-t, respectively, while diets 4-5 each contained EDE at levels of （0.64, 1.28, 0.16） and （1.28, 2.56, 0.32） g 100 gdiefI of pepsin, papain and a-amylase, respectively. Diet 6 contained mixture of SC and EDE at levels of 1 g yeast and 0.32, 0.64, 0.08 g of pepsin, papain and a-amylase, respectively 100 gdiet1 and diet D7 contained 2 g yeast and 0.64, 1.28, 0.16 g of pepsin, papain and a-amylase, respectively 100 g dietl. Growth performance and feed utilization efficiency of Nile tilapia were significantly （P 〈 0.05） higher in all treatments receiving SC and/or EDE supplemented-diets than the control diet which suggests that the addition of SC and EDE enhanced the growth performance. Red blood cells counts, hematocrit and hemoglobin were significantly （P 〈 0.05） highest in all treatments receiving mixture of SC and EDE supplemented-diets （D6 ＋ D7）. The same trend was observed for total plasma protein and total plasma globulin levels. The results of present study suggested that Nile tilapia fingerlings fed diets containing the mixture of I g yeast, SC and 0.32, 0.64, 0.08 g of pepsin, papain and a-amylase, respectively 100 gdiet^-1, for 119 days had enhanced growth performance, diet utilization efficiency and hematological indices.

Red blood cell distribution width derivatives in alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease

BACKGROUND Looking for undiscovered blood markers of liver fibrosis and steatosis still remains an issue worth exploring.There are still plenty of unresolved issues related to the actual role of hematological indices as potential markers of liver function.AIM To study red blood cell distribution width(RDW),RDW-to-platelet ratio(RPR)and RDW-to-lymphocyte ratio(RLR) in alcohol-related liver cirrhosis(ALC) and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD).METHODS The study group was composed of 302 people:142 patients with ALC and 92 with MAFLD;68 persons were included as controls.RDW,RPR and RLR were measured in each person.Indirect and direct parameters of liver fibrosis were also assessed [aspartate transaminase to alkaline transaminase ratio,aspartate transaminase to platelet ratio index(APRI),fibrosis-4(FIB-4),gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio(GPR),procollagen I carboxyterminal propeptide,procollagen Ⅲ aminoterminal propeptide,transforming growth factor-α,plateletderived growth factor AB,laminin].MELD score in ALC patients and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) fibrosis score together with BARD score were obtained in the MAFLD group.The achieved results were compared to controls.Then a correlation between assessed markers was done.Diagnostic value of each investigated parameter and its suggested cut-off in the research group RESULTS RDW,RPR and RLR values turned out to be significantly higher in ALC and MAFLD groups compared to controls(ALC:P<0.0001;NAFLD:P<0.05,P<0.0001 and P<0.0001,respectively).RPR correlated positively with MELD score(P<0.01) and indirect indices of liver fibrosis(FIB-4 and GPR;P<0.0001) in ALC patients;negative correlations were found between PDGF-AB and both:RDW and RPR(P<0.01 and P<0.0001,respectively).RPR correlated positively with NAFLD fibrosis score and APRI(P<0.0001) in the MAFLD group;a positive relationship was observed between RDW and FIB-4,too(P<0.05).AUC values and suggested cut-offs for RDW,RPR and RLR in ALC patients were:0.912(>14.2%),0.965(>0.075) and 0.914(>8.684),respectively.AUC values and suggested cut-offs for RDW,RPR and RLR in MAFLD patients were:0.606(>12.8%),0.724(>0.047) and 0.691(>6.25),respectively.CONCLUSION RDW with its derivatives appear to be valuable diagnostic markers in patients with ALC.They can also be associated with a deterioration of liver function in this group.

Does melanin-based plumage coloration reflect health status of free-living birds in urban environments?

Background:Ecological functions and processes in urban ecosystems are governed by various human activities.City-adapted and city-exploiting animal species are expected to present certain specific behavioral and physiological traits in comparison to city-avoiders or conspecific individual frequenting less urbanized or rural environments.A trait of high importance,the plumage color polymorphism has been selected as the main study model and was correlated with different morphological and physiological parameters to highlight its importance in determining the possible health status of urban Feral Pigeons(Columba livia)in North African urban habitats.Methods:Different body morphometrics,hematological and hemoparasitic parameters were quantified on freeliving Feral Pigeons in urban environments of northern Algeria.Moreover,plumage melanin-based coloration(MBC)was measured and the data collected at the individual scale was correlated with the previous parameters using linear and non-linear modeling approaches.Results:Plumage MBC scores of the sampled Feral Pigeons ranged between 0.3%and 74.8%.Among the 12 morphological traits measured,body weight,tail length and total length were deemed to be positively correlated with MBC.Darker morphs appeared to have more hemoparasites compared to lighter pigeons.Quite the same observation goes with the immunity but with non-linear trends.The number of monocytes and granulocytes increased with the increase in MBC levels in lighter morphs,while pigeons with high MBC scores exhibited negative relationships between MBC levels and the number of white blood cells.Conclusions:Despite the existence of a number of studies demonstrating phenotypic directional selection,further studies are undoubtedly necessary to understand in detail the underlying mechanisms in species life-history strategies between differently colored individuals.Findings of this correlative study open exciting perspectives revealing that MBC can be considered a good indicator of and health status and adaptation strategies to changes in urban environments.