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The purpose of this investigation was to study effects of using seleniumenriched yeast on productive performance, carcass composition, Se deposition in meat, some blood constituents and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens. One hundred fifty chicks of commercial broiler strain were divided into five groups, each group comprised five replicates (6 birds per replicate). The groups received a basal diet complemented with 0.2 (control), 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or 0.6 ppm selenium (Se)/ kg diet. The experiment continued from one-day-old to five weeks of age. Data obtained illustrated that dietary treatments had insignificant effect on growth performance. Selenium (Se) concentration in breast muscles was increased by increasing Se-enriched yeast level in the diet, where the highest content of Se was in birds fed diet supplemented with 0.6 ppm Se/ kg (being 0.48 ppm /kg). Also, supplementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast resulted in higher activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) than in control group. Conversely, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly declined by increasing dietary Se levels. Concerning total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels, groups received 0.3 and 0.4 ppm Se/ kg diet appeared significantly similar to control group. Levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) in plasma were decreased in all treated groups compared to control group. In conclusion, complementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast might be recommended to improve the antioxidant status and blood lipid profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: People with rheumatic diseases are particularly concerned with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Our work aimed to study the impact of pre‐existing autoimmune rheumatic disease (AIRD) and its immunosuppressive drugs on COVID‐19 severity and outcome. Patients and methods: This is a multicenter case‐control study performed between September 2020 and February 2021 on 130 adults with COVID‐19, including 66 patients with AIRD and 64 without AIRD, who served as a control group. Results: Regarding COVID‐19 clinical manifestations; diarrhea, fatigue, and headache were found with significantly higher frequency in the AIRD group while a higher frequency of cough was found in the control group. Comparing COVID‐19 complications, only septic shock was significantly higher in the AIRD group (P = 0.013). Both groups were treated with similar COVID‐19 drugs except for tocilizumab and anticoagulants, which were statistically significantly more frequently used in the control group (P < 0.001 for both). No statistically significant difference was found between the groups in the outcome or severity of COVID‐19. There was no impact of previous immunosuppressive drugs before COVID‐19 on the severity of the disease except for a longer duration of recovery in patients on steroids (P < 0.001). Patients with hypertension had severe COVID‐19 compared with those without (odds ratio 2.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2‐6.9; P = 0.020). Conclusion: AIRD may not affect COVID‐19 severity and outcome. Similarly, immunosuppressive medications had no effect; except that patients on systemic steroids had longer duration for recovery. Comorbid conditions, such as hypertension, may be associated with more severe COVID‐19 disease course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of season on growth performance traits, leptin hormone concentration and gene expression for innate immunity in response to vaccination against pasteurellosis. A Total of 384 weaned rabbits were used in this study. They were from females of APRI line, a local population. Rabbits weaned at 33-35 days and introduced in the experiment at weaning. Arbitrarily, weight at beginning was considered as the "5 weeks" weight. All rabbits were weighed every 7 days and the feed consumption measured at the same weekly interval until all rabbits were 12 weeks old. Leptin hormone level in serum was assayed. Vaccination with Pasteurella multocida was studied in a challenge experiment. Gene expressions for interleukin- 6 (IL-6) and toll-like receptor-4 (TR4) were assayed by Real Time-PCR. Parameters of the antioxidant status were included reactive oxygen species, (ROS) expressed as H2O2, Lipid Peroxide, expressed as malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase. Blood samples were taken at 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age, respectively. The body weights in winter at W5, W8and W12 of age were higher than those in others seasons. Season had a significant (P≤0.05) influence on daily gain and feed intake. Season had no significant influence on Leptin hormone level in growing rabbits. Vaccination with Pasteurellamultocida led to an increase in gene expression for IL-6 in autumn and winter. Expression for IL-6 in spring has the lowest values. Gene expression of TR4 in rabbits under different seasons was not significantly different. It is can cluded that vaccination by Pasteurellamultocida needs some additives to enhance immunity especially during summer and spring seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Surgical repair of inguinal hernia is one of the most common day case surgeries in the pediatric population. This study compared the postoperative analgesic effects of transversalis fascia plane block (TFB) versus quadratus lumborum block (QLB) in children scheduled for open unilateral inguinal herniotomy. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled non-inferiority study, 76 eligible patients were recruited. Patients were randomly allocated to either the TFB or QLB group. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients who needed rescue analgesia during the first postoperative 12 h. The secondary outcomes were, the time needed to perform the block, the postoperative FLACC score, intraoperative heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Results: The proportion of patients who required a rescue analgesic was comparable (p = 1.000) between the TFB group (7/34, 20.5%) and the QLB group (6/34, 17.6%). The median [Q1-Q3] time needed to perform the block (min) was significantly longer (p < 0.001) in the QLB group (5[5]) compared with the TFB group. The postoperative FLACC pain scale was comparable between the two groups at all-time points of assessment. There is no difference regarding the heart rate and mean arterial blood pressure values at the time points that the values were recorded. (P > 0.005). Conclusions: Both TFB and QLB similarly provide good postoperative analgesia by reducing the proportion of patients who required rescue analgesia, pain scores and analgesic consumption. Moreover, TFB is technically easier than QLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of bilharziasis with membranous nephropathy (MN) has long been debated. The relatively recent use of antibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) has been proposed as a valuable tool to discriminate the idiopathic from secondary MNs. Anti-PLA2R antibodies are found in sera from about 70% of iMN patients, in contrast to patients with secondary MN, in whom serum anti-PLA2R antibodies could not be detected. In the current case report, we detected anti-PLA2R antibodies both in serum and renal biopsy from a patient with MN associated with Schistosoma mansoni. This finding confirms the idiopathic nature of the MN and excludes schistosomiasis as the triggering agent of MN. After treating bilharziasis, Ponticelli regimen was initiated without a significant improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to use one thermochemical storage materials system as a heat source for poultry egg incubation. Three types of activated thermochemical storage materials (TCMs) were used as an energy storage medium. These materials are Silica gel self-indicating (blue/pink), commercial white Silica gel, and Natural Zeolite. An open thermochemical system was applied inside a poultry egg incubator. The TCMs were humidified by the vapor produced from the evaporation of the water by an ultra-sonic humidifier at atmospheric pressure. The thermal recovery process aims to release the stored energy in TCMs. Two types of poultry egg incubator used during this study. The first one was the traditional poultry incubator (electricity incubator). The traditional egg incubator dimensions were 57×66×59 cm with capacity of 125 hen egg-76 hatching. The second one was the prototype of a thermochemical poultry egg incubator. The thermochemical poultry egg incubator contained sensors to control and measure the temperature and humidity inside the incubator. The designed incubator egg dimensions were 56x39x28.5 cm, with a capacity of 25 eggs. The total heat losses by the wall and ventilation were 9.8 and 1.5W, respectively. The heat production by 25 eggs due to metabolic activities was 3.65 W. The total energy needed for the incubation process was 36.09W. The container of storage material with dimensions of 35x35x5 cm with 3.5 kg capacity allocated inside the incubator. The container's surface is covered with aluminum sheet with 0.5 mm thickness supplied with fins. The egg tray is placed on the aluminum sheet, and the eggs were placed horizontally in the tray. The energy consumption for traditional and thermochemical incubators for 21 days was 19.25 kWh and 11.2 kWh, respectively. The energysaving by thermochemical prototype incubator was 41.8%. The percentage of hatchability for traditional and prototype incubator was 80.9% and 71.4%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of in ovo injection of broiler eggs with different levels and forms of selenium on growth performance and some blood parameters of post hatched chicks. A total of 300 fertilized eggs obtained from a commercial Arbor Acres broiler breeder flock, were used in the present experiment. They were divided randomly into six treatment groups, 50 eggs each. The first one was kept as a control- non injected group, the second group (sham) injected with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), the 3rd and 4th groups were injected with selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) at 10 and 20 ug/egg, while the 5th and 6th groups were injected with organic selenium (Se-Methionine) at 50 and 100 ug/egg , respectively. All eggs were incubated in a forced draught incubator at the recommended temperature, relative humidity and turning patterns .The in ovo injection procedure was done at the 16th day of incubation. The criteria of response includes: live body weight, weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, total protein, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and glucose. The results showed that the supplementation of Se did not significantly affect growth performance traits. Supplementation of nano-Se increased plasma concentrations of total protein, albumin and HDL, and decrease glucose, however, no significant differences in globulin, A/G ratio, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It can be concluded that the use of 20 ug /egg of Nano-Se caused an improvement of growth performance and feed conversion ratio without negative effects on blood constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]