High-throughput sequencing analysis of the regulation of intestinal flora in giant pandas with indigestion using a probiotic agent LyPB

This study aimed to investigate the eff ect of LyPB on the intestinal microfl ora of giant pandas with indigestion,using high-throughput sequencing(HTS)technology.The species distribution and microfl oral density and diversity before and after administration of the LyPB probiotic agent were analyzed.LyPB evidently has the ability to adjust the fl oral imbalance in the panda’s intestine.To test the eff ects of LyPB on the microfl ora of the panda gut,fecal samples were taken from a healthy giant panda(Anan)without administration of LyPB and from a dyspeptic giant panda Yangyang before and after LyPB administration.Compared with the sample obtained from healthy Anan(anan-c)and that obtained from dyspeptic Yangyang before LyPB administration(yangyang1),the sample taken from Yangyang(yangyang2)after LyPB administration displayed a signifi cant increase in the operational taxonomic unit index.An increase in the Chao index indicated an increase in the microfl oral richness,while an increase in the Shannon index indicated an increase in microfl oral diversity.At phylum and genus levels,a signifi cant increase was observed in the density of probiotic bacteria of phylum fi rmicutes,genus Streptococcus,while a drastic reduction in the density of Escherichia coli/Escherichia coli Shigella/bacteria of genus Shigella was observed.Data obtained in this study shows that LyPB preparations successfully improve the microbial structure within the panda’s intestinal canal by signifi cantly increasing the eff ective microbial community and decreasing the number of pathogenic microbes.

Digestion process and causes of indigestion based on Avicenna's view and modern medicine

The process of food digestion is one of the most important physiologic processes in human body. In this review, we are seeking the views of Avicenna, the most distinguished Persian medical scholar about digestion and indigestion. Avicenna’s view was based on the humoral theory. Avicenna has focused scrutiny on the process of digestion. He divided this process into four phases including gastric, hepatic, intravascular and intra-organ digestion. A defect in any of these phases can lead to disturbance in other stages. Avicenna approached the problem of indigestion through factors of diet, lifestyle and inherent structural characteristics of digestive organs. Modern medicine confirms Avicenna's opinion about the start of digestion from the mouth, the role of the stomach in digestion and the role of the liver in the metabolism of foods. Overeating or eating certain foods, snacking between meals, eating variety of different foods together, intense physical activity, sexual activity after a meal, stress and sleep insufficiency are among factors that may be linked to indigestion in modern medicine viewpoints and also have been mentioned in Avicenna's teachings. It seems rational to consider the medical approaches recommended by Avicenna for future studies in the field of digestive disorders.

THE EXPERIENCE OF FINGER PRESSURE METHOD IN THE TREATMENT OF INFANTILE INDIGESTION

In this article, effective finger pressure methods for the treatment of infantile indi-gestion were introduced, which include back finger knocking method, Jiaji points pressing methodand abdomen finger pressing method. 64 cases have been observed. Among them, cured: 43 cases,significantly improved: 12 cases. The total effective rate: 98. 4%. The results showed that fingerpressure method is an effective external treatment method which has the characteristics of simplicity,no damage. This method can be widely accepted by children.

Chemical, Starch Digestibility and Sensory Characteristics of Durum Wheat/Unripe Whole Banana Flour Blends for Spaghetti Formulation

Excess weight and obesity are serious public health problems, which should be addressed through encouraging the consumption of foods with high amount of low digestible carbohydrates. The objective of this study was to put together spaghetti that blends unripe banana whole flour (UBWF) and durum wheat of different levels and to evaluate their chemical composition, starch digestibility and sensory characteristics. Spaghetti with 15%, 30%, and 45% of UBWF and a control spaghetti (100% durum wheat flour) were put together. The protein content decreased (10.42% to 7.74%) as the UBWF level was increased in the composite, while the amount of ash (0.87% to 1.54%) and total starch (70.24% to 73.71%) increased. Spaghetti with 15% and 45% of UBWF had similar available starch content. The addition of UBWF increased the resistant starch content from 1.98% to 10.91%, and consequently the indigestible starch fraction (14.00% to 27.29%). Spaghetti with 30% of UBWF had good consumer acceptability and was ranked higher than the control sample.

Humans have intestinal bacteria that degrade the plant cell walls in herbivores

The cell walls of plants are mainly made of cellulose and contain a large number of calories.However,the main component,cellulose,is an indigestible plant fiber that is thought to be difficult for humans to use as energy.Herbivores acquire energy through the degradation of cell wall-derived dietary fiber by microorganisms in the digestive tract.Herbivores,especially horses,have a highly developed cecum and large intestine,and plants are fermented for their efficient use with the help of microorganisms.Humans also have an intestinal tract with a wide lumen on the proximal side of the large intestine,in which fermentation occurs.The digestive process of horses is similar to that of humans,and many of the intestinal bacteria found in horses that degrade plants are also found in humans.Therefore,it is thought that humans also obtain a certain amount of energy from cell wall-derived dietary fiber.However,the intake of dietary fiber by modern humans is low;thus,the amount of calories derived from indigestible plant fiber is considered to be very low.Cellulose in the plant cell wall is often accompanied by hemicellulose,pectin,lignin,suberin,and other materials.These materials are hard to degrade,and cellulose is therefore difficult for animals to utilize.If the cell wall can be degraded to some extent by cooking,it is thought that humans can obtain calories from cell wall-derived dietary fiber.If humans can use the calories from the cell wall for their diet,it may compensate for human food shortages.

Effect of Water Regimes on Dietary Fiber, Polyphenols and Antioxidant Capacity of Black and Pinto Beans

Beans are rich in dietary fiber and polyphenols;however, growing conditions may affect the occurrence of these components. The effect of irrigation and rain fed conditions on dietary fiber, indigestible fraction, polyphenols and antioxidant capacity of Black 8025 and Pinto Durango bean cultivars grown in Mexico have been determined. Total dietary fiber decreased in beans grown under rain fed conditions compared to those grown under irrigation. The water regimes had an effect on the total indigestible fraction for Black 8025 bean. The extractable polyphenols were affected by the water regimes, while the antioxidant capacity of extractable and non-extractable polyphenols was dependent on the bean variety. Cooking the beans altered the extractable and non-extractable polyphenols and the antioxidant capacity. Also, the antioxidant properties and some extend, the digestibility of non-digestible carbohydrates of beans were affected by water regimes. This information could be taken into account for dry bean breeding programs to improve the nutritional quality of beans.

<i>In-Vitro</i>Metabolite Colonic Production from Otili (<i>Sphenostylis stenocarpa</i>) as Influenced by Selected Gastrointestinal Microbes

In human nutrition, dietary fibers are un-degradable by mammalian enzymes, and are therefore potentially available for fermentation by micro-organisms living in the gastrointestinal tract. It is thought that these fermentable carbohydrates affect fermentation by stimulating the growth or metabolism of specific bacterial species, which are potentially beneficial for health. Hence in this study three gut associated microbes—Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Lactobacillus acidophilus were made to ferment the non-digestible fraction of Otili—Sphenostylis stenocarpa, a well-established underutilized wild bean with high economic importance. After 18 hours’ fermentation period short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) were detected and evaluated by GC-MS analysis. Metabolic products were relatively dependent on the fermenter. This present study affirmed butyric acid as the main SCFAs after 18 hours’ fermentation. The clinical significance of thirteen other MCFAs detected and quantified was also explored thus conferring a valuable prebiotic on Otili.

Disappearance and appearance of an indigestible marker in feces from growing pigs as affected by previous-and currentdiet composition

Background： Indigestible markers are commonly utilized in digestion studies, but the complete disappearance or maximum appearance of a marker in feces can be affected by diet composition, feed intake, or an animal＇s BW.The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of previous（Phase 1, P1） and current-（Phase 2, P2）diet composition on marker disappearance（Cr） and appearance（Ti） in pigs fed 3 diets differing in NDF content.Results： When pigs were maintained on the 25.1, 72.5, and 125.0 g/kg NDF diets, it took 5.1, 4.1, and 2.5 d, respectively,for Cr levels to decrease below the limit of quantitation; or 4.6, 3.7, or 2.8 d, respectively, for Ti to be maximized. These effects were not, however, independent of the previous diet as indicated by the interaction between P1 and P2 diets on fecal marker concentrations（P 〈 0.01）. When dietary NDF increased from P1 to P2, it took less time for fecal Cr to decrease or fecal Ti to be maximized（an average of 2.5 d）, than if NDF decreased from P1 to P2 where it took longer for fecal Cr to decrease or fecal Ti to be maximized（an average of 3.4 d）.Conclusions： Because of the wide range in excretion times reported in the literature and improved laboratory methods for elemental detection, the data suggests that caution must be taken in considering dietary fiber concentrations of the past and currently fed diets so that no previous dietary marker addition remains in the digestive tract or feces such that a smal amount of maker is present to confound subsequent experimental results, and that marker concentration have stabilized when these samples are col ected.

Over-processed meat and bone meal and phytase effects on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis:Part 1.Performance,intestinal lesions and pH,bacterial counts and apparent ileal digestibility

This feeding study investigated the hypothesis that over-processing of meat and bone meal(MBM)would impair the performance,gut health and ileal digestibility of nutrients in birds challenged with necrotic enteritis(NE).The effect of phytase(500 vs.5,000 FTU/kg)was also examined using manufacturers recommended matrix values for 500 FTU for both levels.Ross 308 male broilers(n=768)were assigned to 8 diets,with 6 replicate pens per diet and 16 birds per replicate pen using a randomized design with a factorial arrangement of treatments.Factors were NE challenge(no or yes),MBM(as received or overprocessed),and phytase level(500 or 5,000 FTU/kg).Half of the birds were challenged with 5,000 oocysts of field strains of Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria brunetti,and 2,500 oocysts of Eimeria maxima on d 9 and 10^8 CFU/mL of Clostridium perfringens strain EHE-NE18 on d 14 and 15 post-hatch.Challenge×MBM interactions were detected for weight gain(WG),feed conversion ratio(FCR)and feed intake(FI)at d 14,21 and 28,showing that challenged birds fed over-processed MBM had decreased WG(P<0.05)and FI(P<0.05)at d 14,increased FCR(P<0.05)at d 21 and decreased WG(P<0.05)and FI(P>0.05)at d 28.Birds fed low phytase had increased livability(P<0.05)at d 42.The challenge increased the prevalence and severity of NE induced lesions in the jejunum(P<0.05)and ileum(P<0.05).The birds fed over-processed MBM had decreased pH in the jejunum(P<0.05)and ileum(P<0.05)at d 16.High phytase increased apparent ileal digestibility(AID)of Ca(P<0.05)and P(P<0.05),and over-processed MBM increased AID of carbon(C;P<0.05)and Ca(P<0.05)at d 29.The challenge increased the caecal counts of Lactobacillus spp.(P<0.05)and C.perfringens(P<0.05)at d 16.The results indicated that supplementation of diets with high phytase reduces the negative impact on performance from over-processed MBM during NE as a result of increased nutrient digestibility.

Over-processed meat and bone meal and phytase effects on broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis: Part 2. Inositol phosphate esters hydrolysis, intestinal permeability, hematology,jejunal gene expression and intestinal morphology

This study investigated the hypothesis that feeding broilers over-processed meat and bone meal(MBM)would impair gut health in the absence of phytase and in turn,affect inositol phosphate(inositol xphosphate,IPx:IP3,IP4,IP5 and IP6)ester hydrolysis,intestinal permeability,hematology,jejunal gene expression and intestinal morphology during necrotic enteritis(NE).Ross 308 male broilers(n=768)were assigned to one of 8 dietary treatments in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement,with 6 replicate pens per diet and 16 birds per pen in a completely randomized design.Factors were:NE challenge(no or yes),phytase level(500 or 5,000 FTU/kg)and MBM processing(as-received or over-processed).For the NE challenge,half of the birds were challenged with field strains of Eimeria spp.on d 9 and 108 CFU/mL of Clostridium perfringens strain EHE-NE18 on d 14 and 15.A 3-way challenge,phytase and MBM processing interaction was detected for IP5(P<0.05)and IP6(P<0.05)levels in the ileum.Birds fed low phytase had increased IP5 and IP6 in unchallenged birds only when diets contained over-processed MBM.Challenge with NE increased intestinal permeability as measured by serum fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran(FITC-d;P<0.001),increased white blood cells(WBC;P<0.001),decreased mean corpuscular volume(MCV;P<0.001)and mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH;P<0.05),and decreased crypt-tovilli ratio(P<0.05).The over-processed MBM reduced the villi-to-crypt ratio(P<0.05).A 3-way challenge x phytase x MBM processing interaction was detected for mucin 2(MUC-2)expression(P<0.05)where only in unchallenged birds fed over-processed MBM did high phytase reduce MUC-2 expression.A lower expression of aminopeptidase N(APN;P<0.001)and vitamin D receptor(VDR;P<0.001)were recorded in NE challenged birds.In conclusion,NE has a negative impact on the gut and hematology of broilers,but its effect on phytate hydrolysis is minimal.

Indigestible fraction of guava fruit:Phenolic profile,colonic fermentation and effect on HT-29 cells

Guava fruit is rich in phenolic compounds(PCs),whose metabolic fate has not been explored.Non-digestible carbohydrates and PCs in whole guava(WG)and seedless guava(SG)were submitted to an in vitro colonic fermentation,followed by evaluation of the anti-proliferative activity of the fermentation extracts in HT-29 cancer cell lines.The main PCs in both samples were(+)-gallocatechin and gallic acid,while procyanidin B was the most abundant one associated with soluble indigestible fraction and quercetin predominated in the insoluble indigestible fraction.The fermentability index at 24 h was 78.84%in WG and 84.74%for SG,near to the value for raffinose used as reference,with butyric acid as the main short chain fatty acids(SCFA)produced.The greatest antiproliferative effects were observed in the SG at 12 h of fermentation and WG at 24 h of fermentation.These results allow to suggest consumption of guava fruit,either with or without seeds,as a feasible way to maintain colonic health.

Indigestible cowpea proteins reduced plasma cholesterol after long-term oral administration to Sprague-Dawley rats

Cowpea protein isolate(CPI)was subjected to various dry and wet heat pretreatments followed by sequential digestion with pepsin and pancreatin;the undigested residues were isolated as the indigestible cowpea proteins(ICPs).All the ICPs exhibited in vitro bile acid-binding capacity but ICP from the slow cooling-induced gelation had the highest yield(68%)and was used for rat feeding experiments to determine effect on plasma total cholesterol(TC).Groups consisting of 3 male and 3 female Sprague-Dawley rats each were fed hypercholesterolemic diets that contained casein only or casein that was partially substituted with ICP of CPI for 6 weeks.Results showed diet that contained 5%(w/w)ICP was more effective in preventing TC increase(1.8 mmol/L)when compared to increases of 9.34 and 4.15 mmol/L for CPI and casein only diets,respectively.