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As food transits the gastrointestinal tract, food structures are disrupted and nutrients are absorbed across the gut barrier. In the past decade, great efforts have focused on the creation of a consensus gastrointestinal digestion protocol (i.e., INFOGEST method) to mimic digestion in the upper gut. However, to better determine the fate of food components, it is also critical to mimic food absorption in vitro. This is usually performed by treating polarized epithelial cells (i.e., differentiated Caco-2 monolayers) with food digesta. This food digesta contains digestive enzymes and bile salts, and if following the INFOGEST protocol, at concentrations that although physiologically relevant are harmful to cells. The lack of a harmonized protocol on how to prepare the food digesta samples for downstream Caco-2 studies creates challenges in comparing inter laboratory results. This article aims to critically review the current detoxification practices, highlight potential routes and their limitations, and recommend common approaches to ensure food digesta is biocompatible with Caco-2 monolayers. Our ultimate aim is to agree a harmonized consensus protocol or framework for in vitro studies focused on the absorption of food components across the intestinal barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism that triggers the progressive dysregulation of cell functions, inflammation, and breakdown of tissues during aging is currently unknown. We propose here a previously unknown mechanism due to tissue autodigestion by the digestive enzymes. After synthesis in the pancreas, these powerful enzymes are activated and transported inside the lumen of the small intestine to which they are compartmentalized by the mucin/epithelial barrier. We hypothesize that this barrier leaks active digestive enzymes (e.g. during meals) and leads to their accumulation in tissues outside the gastrointestinal tract. Using immune-histochemistry we provide evidence in young (4 months) and old (24 months) rats for significant accumulation of pancreatic trypsin, elastase, lipase, and amylase in peripheral organs, including liver, lung, heart, kidney, brain, and skin. The mucin layer density on the small intestine barrier is attenuated in the old and trypsin leaks across the tip region of intestinal villi with depleted mucin. The accumulation of digestive enzymes is accompanied in the same tissues of the old by damage to collagen, as detected with collagen fragment hybridizing peptides. We provide evidence that the hyperglycemia in the old is accompanied by proteolytic cleavage of the extracellular domain of the insulin receptor. Blockade of pancreatic trypsin in the old by a two-week oral treatment with a serine protease inhibitor (tranexamic acid) serves to significantly reduce trypsin accumulation in organs outside the intestine, collagen damage, as well as hyperglycemia and insulin receptor cleavage. These results support the hypothesis that the breakdown of tissues in aging is due to autodigestion and a side-effect of the fundamental requirement for digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the suspension cage culture procedure, a substantial quantity of attachments from the suspension cage will amass in the tidal flats, resulting in environmental pollution and resource wastage. The aim of the present study was to explore the feasibility of using attachments of suspension cage (ASC) as a raw feed material for sea cucumbers. Different ASC concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) were used in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) fed for 60 d. Replacing sea mud with 50% ASC significantly improved sea cucumber growth, reduced the feed coefficient, significantly increased the activity of intestinal digestive enzymes, improved the activities of acid phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase, improved the intestinal structure, and enriched intestinal microbiome diversity (P<0.05). Replacing sea mud with 75% and 100% ASC significantly improved sea cucumber total antioxidant capacity and total superoxide dismutase (P<0.05). Furthermore, expressions of c-myc gene, mapk-7 gene and fgfr-1 gene, which all three growth genes, significantly increased in the 50% ASC treatment compared to that in the control; whereas, that of gdf-8 gene, a negative growth regulator, was inhibited (P<0.05). Based on the quadratic regression analysis for the weight gain rate, the appropriate levels of ASC substitution were estimated as to be 44.28%. The results suggested the potential of ASC as a new raw feed material for sea cucumbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The present study was carried out to isolate, identify, and characterize bacterial probiotic strain from the gut of Ctenopharyngodon idella (Grass carp) and then to study its effect on growth, digestive enzymes and immunity of Labeo rohita fingerlings. A total of 6 gram‐positive bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus spp. (3), Bacillus spp. (2) and Staphylococcus spp. (1), were identified biochemically. Based on the biochemical results, the isolate GCLP4 was selected for molecular confirmation and BLAST analysis showed maximum homology with Lactobacillus plantarum (100% ident). Fish were fed for 60 days with diet containing 0 (T0), 105 (T1), 107 (T2), 109 (T3) cfu/g diet of L. plantarum GCLP4 and 105 (T4) of commercial probiotics. Results shows that supplementation of GCLP4 had significantly (p < 0.05) improve weight gain (%), specific growth rate (SGR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of L. rohita with better values in T3 group. The immunological parameters (white blood cell, red blood cell, haemoglobin, total protein, albumin and globulin were significantly higher (p < 0.05) with 107 and 109 Lactobacillus GCLP4 cfu/g diet. The digestive enzyme activities (protease, amylase and lipase) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher, particularly, with 109 Lactobacillus GCLP4 cfu/g of diet. All the groups supplemented with GCLP4 including the commercial probiotics have lower (p < 0.05) activities of serum transaminase enzymes along with lower (p < 0.005) level of glucose as compared to the control group. The results of the study collectively suggest that dietary L. plantarum GCLP4 at 109 cfu/g is an effective probiotic obtained from grass carp having potency to promote growth, digestive enzymes and immune‐biochemical indices of L. rohita fingerlings in present culture condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of diabetes mellitus, a pressing global health concern that is rapidly increasing, has prompted the exploration of medicinal plants for potential remedies, particularly those within the Rubus genus. This comprehensive review aims to connect traditional knowledge with scientific insights, shedding light on the antidiabetic properties of various Rubus species. An exhaustive exploration of the literature revealed that Rubus chingii Hu, Rubus idaeus, Rubus ulmifolius, Rubus fruticosus, Rubus amabilis, and some other Rubus species exhibited noteworthy antidiabetic effects, each operating via distinct mechanisms. Furthermore, Rubus species serve as abundant reservoirs of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, antioxidants, triterpenoids, and sterols. As indicated by various in vivo and in vitro studies, these compounds notably improve insulin secretion, increase hepatic glycogen synthesis, inhibit key digestive enzymes, enhance the functions of β-cells in the pancreas, and effectively reduce blood glucose levels. This review, which describes the antidiabetic potential of Rubus species in terms of both pharmacological effects and traditional uses, offers valuable insights for future scientific initiatives in the development of innovative antidiabetic therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of Ethiopian coffee (Coffea arabica) on carbohydrate digestive enzymes and its protective effect against glucose-induced testicular dysfunction using in vitro and in silico study models. Testicular oxidative stress was initiated by co-incubating testocular tissue collected from male Sprague-Dawley rats in glucose solution with different concentrations of Ethiopian coffee aqueous extracts (hot and cold) for 2 h at 37ºC. Glucose-mediated oxidative stress significantly (p < 0.05) depleted reduced glutathione and total glycogen levels while it lowered catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in the testicular tissue. Concomitantly, this led to elevated malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels while it also increased glycogen phosphorylase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase, ATPase, and acetylcholinesterase activities. Treatment with different concentrations of coffee aqueous extracts restored the enzymes' and markers' levels and activities. Although both the cold and hot coffee extracts strongly inhibited α-glucosidase and α-amylase enzymes, the former showed better activities. The subjection of the coffee extracts to LC-MS analysis indicated the presence of several compounds, including chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, cafestol, kahweol, caffeine, quinic acid, ferulic acid, and catechol which were further docked with the carbohydrate digestive enzymes. The in silico results displayed that among the various metabolites, chlorogenic acid strongly interacted and had the best binding affinity with α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Our findings implied that Ethiopian coffee may have a preventive effect against glucose-induced testicular damage. These are evidenced by the capacity of the plant product to decrease oxidative stress and protect against testicular dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Channa striatus (striped murrel) is a valuable freshwater fish known for its taste and medicinal properties. Despite the advances in breeding technology, larval rearing remains a major challenge for producing high-quality seeds for commercial production. A key issue is the lack of a scientifically validated weaning protocol, resulting in high mortality during early developmental stages. After feeding different early weaning diets over 29 days, we have found that larvae fed with Artemia nauplii increased the overall larval performance during the initial exogenous feeding phase. However, constraints due to feeding solely with Artemia nauplii necessitate weaning with an artificial micro diet. By 12 dph, the performance of larvae fed with Artemia nauplii and co-feed diet (Artemia nauplii and formulated diet) showed comparable results, and by 20 dph, the larvae fed with protease supplemented formulated micro diet showed better performance compared to other treatments. Therefore, this study gives an insight for standardizing weaning protocol for C. striatus larvae based on the effects of different early weaning diets, which positively enhances survival and growth of the Channa striatus larvae. The present study was carried out to evaluate the survival, growth, and digestive ontogeny of C. striatus larvae fed with different experimental diets from 4 days post-hatch (dph) to 32 dph at three-day intervals. A total of 24,000 larvae, with 1600 larvae per tank in triplicate and an initial mean weight of 0.64 ± 0.01 mg at 4 days post hatch (dph) were subjected to five different early weaning diets, namely Artemia nauplii (T1), co-feed diet comprising Artemia nauplii and formulated micro diet (T2), formulated micro diet (T3), formulated micro diet with protease supplementation (T4), and a commercial diet (T5). All the early weaning diets significantly affected the survival, growth, and ontogeny of the digestive system. Initially at 8 dph, C. striatus fed with T1 showed better survival and growth performance compared to other treatments. By 12 dph, the larvae fed with T1 and T2 showed similar results in terms of survival and growth performance, outperforming other treatments. However, the larvae fed with T2 and T4 outperformed T1 in survival and growth performance at 16 dph. By 24–32 dph, the larvae fed with all treatments met the basic nutritional needs for survival, with T4 fed larvae showing better growth compared to other treatments. At the end of the trial, cumulative mortality was lowest in larvae fed with T1 and highest in the larvae fed with T3 and T5. Similarly, the larvae fed with T4 showed significantly higher weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), and average daily growth (ADG), while T1 fed larvae exhibited better feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). The enzyme activity fluctuated throughout the experimental duration. Lavae fed with T1 and T2 showed higher enzyme activities initially. However, T4 fed larvae showed higher trypsin and chymotrypsin specific activity at 16 dph along with well-developed intestinal folds with dense microvilli, higher pepsin-specific activity at 20 dph onwards with fully developed gastric glands and thicker gastric mucosal epithelium, and higher amylase and lipase activity at 16 dph with large and prominent zymogen granules in the exocrine pancreas. Peaking at 4 dph, the activity of protein metabolic enzymes (AST and ALT) sharply declined at 8 dph and increased until 32 dph. Larvae fed with T1 showed higher AST and ALT activity along with increased lipid deposits, followed by those fed with T2 and the larvae fed with T4 showing higher activity without fat accumulation but significantly lower than those fed T1 and T2. From the present research findings, it is recommended to initiate weaning for Channa striatus larvae with Artemia nauplii (from 4 dph to 8 dph) followed by a co-feeding regime (Artemia nauplii and formulated diet) between 9 and 16 dph and transition to protease-supplemented micro diet (T4) from 17 dph onwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) is a wild fish species that is both commercially and ecologically valuable and is found in the Adriatic Sea. To better understand its distribution and physiology, this study examined the digestive enzymes in various parts of the barracuda's gastrointestinal system using histochemical analyses. This is the first known study to evaluate the activity of aminopeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and non-specific esterase in the pyloric caeca and the anterior, middle, and posterior segments of the European barracuda's gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we examined the gastrointestinal tract of the European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena) living in the Adriatic Sea near Dubrovnik, Croatia. The study aimed to identify the presence and distribution of four digestive enzymes: alkaline phosphatase, aminopeptidase, acid phosphatase, and non-specific esterase. We found that alkaline phosphatase activity was present in the brush border of the enterocytes in all the investigated intestinal segments. The activity of the alkaline phosphatase was the strongest in the pyloric caeca but strong only in the basal part of the intestinal villi in the anterior and middle intestinal segments. In the posterior intestinal segment, alkaline phosphatase had strong activity along the entire villi. The activity of acid phosphatase was weak in all the investigated parts of the intestine, except in the posterior part, where it was moderate. Aminopeptidase was detected in the brush border of the intestinal epithelium, with stronger activity in the pyloric caeca and anterior part of the intestine and weaker activity posteriorly. The activity of the non-specific esterase was moderate in the pyloric caeca and anterior part of the intestine, while it was weak in the posterior segment and the lamina propria in all parts of the digestive tract. Weak acid phosphatase activity was observed only in the lamina propria of the posterior part of the intestine. This study is the first to evaluate the activity of digestive enzymes in the European barracuda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study examines the impact of replacing 50% of soybean meal (SBM) with untreated cottonseed meal (CSM), fermented CSM (FCSM), or electron beam-irradiated CSM (ICSM) on the growth performance and physiological characteristics of broiler chickens. The findings revealed that broilers fed ICSM achieved higher body weight than those fed CSM. Furthermore, substituting 50% of SBM with FCSM significantly improved growth performance and nutrient digestibility compared to CSM and ICSM diets. In addition, including FCSM in the diet enhanced digestive enzyme activity, balanced the microbiota population, and reduced ammonia emissions compared to other experimental diets. Overall, FCSM provided superior nutritional benefits compared to both untreated and irradiated CSM in broiler diets. Therefore, FCSM can be used as a suitable alternative to SBM in broiler chicken diets. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the effects of substituting soybean meal (SBM) with untreated cottonseed meal (CSM), fermented CSM (FCSM), or electron beam-irradiated CSM (ICSM) on the growth performance, cecal microbiota, digestive enzyme activity, apparent ileal digestibility (AID), and excreta gas emission of broiler chickens. A total of 384 one-day-old male broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four experimental diets, with eight replicates per diet and 12 birds per replicate, for six weeks. The experimental diets consisted of a control diet based on corn–SBM and three other diets in which 50% of the SBM (control) was substituted with CSM in its raw, irradiated, and fermented forms. The results showed that throughout the entire rearing period, feeding broiler chickens with ICSM significantly increased average daily gain (ADG) and body weight (BW) compared to the CSM diet (p < 0.05). Replacing 50% of SBM with FCSM led to a significant improvement in BW, ADG, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the CSM and ICSM diets (p < 0.05). Interestingly, no significant differences in BW, ADG, or FCR were observed between birds fed FCSM and those on the control diet (p > 0.05). Birds fed FCSM diets exhibited the lowest pH value in the crop, ileum, and ceca. Substituting SBM with FCSM significantly reduced Escherichia coli and Clostridium spp. counts in the ceca, while enhancing the presence of Lactobacillus spp. (p < 0.05). The AID of protein and ether extract was higher in the FCSM group than in the CSM and ICSM groups (p < 0.05). Compared to the CSM diet, ICSM feeding improved protein digestibility (p < 0.05). Broiler chickens on the FCSM diet exhibited higher intestinal amylase and protease activity than those on the other diets (p < 0.05). Furthermore, feeding diets containing FCSM significantly reduced ammonia emissions compared to the other diets (p < 0.05). Overall, our results indicated that microbial fermentation of CSM is a more effective approach than irradiation for enhancing the nutritional value of CSM. Therefore, FCSM is recommended as a viable alternative protein source that can safely replace up to 50% of SBM in broiler chicken diets, particularly during times of fluctuating SBM prices and availability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The provision of quality and sufficient shrimp fry for production is largely determined by the management of maintenance during larval stadia. This study aims to obtain the best treatment of natural feed in the form of Spirulina sp. and Artemia sp. as feed supplements to improve the growth performance and survival rate of patin fish larvae. The experiment used a Complete Randomized Design consisting of 4 feed treatments and 3 replicates: A (Artemia sp. 100%), B (Artemia sp. 100% and Spirulina sp. 100%), C (Artemia sp. 50% and Spirulina sp. 50%), and D (Spirulina sp. 100%). The larvae with a density of 50 heads/L were kept in the aquarium and fed according to the treatment. The density of Spirulina sp. administered was 104–105 cells/mL maintained until day 7 according to the treatment. The parameters measured included growth performance, which included specific growth rate (SGR), survival (SR), absolute length growth (PPM), and analysis of larval digestive enzymes (amylase, lipase, and protease). The data were analyzed using one way-analysis of variance and continued with Duncan's Multiple Range Test with a 95% confidence interval using SPSS version 22.0. The results showed that the administration of Spirulina sp. produced better SGR, SR, PPM, amylase enzyme, lipase, and protease activities compared to the control (100% administration of Artemia sp.). The best treatment was given by 100% Spirulina sp. treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Gastrointestinal illnesses have been reported in relation to low disaccharidase activity, yet both the prevalence of disaccharidase deficiency and its association with gastrointestinal symptoms and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are largely unknown. We aimed to determine the association between low activity of disaccharidase enzymes on gastrointestinal symptoms and presence of IBS. Methods: Patients referred for gastroscopic examination due to gastrointestinal complaints were consecutively included. A pinch biopsy was taken from the distal part of duodenum, and disaccharidase activity was measured using the Dahlqvist method. Gastrointestinal symptom severity was measured using IBS-Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS). Results: A total of 40 patients were included. Disaccharidase deficiency was detected in 24 patients (60%). Half of the patients (n = 21) had IBS according to Rome IV criteria. A majority (75%) of all patients reported moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms. Moderate to severe gastrointestinal symptoms were reported by 16 patients (67%) with disaccharidase deficiency and in 14 patients (88%) with normal disaccharidase activity. Lactase deficiency was detected in 22 patients (55%), maltase deficiency in 11 patients (28%), sucrase deficiency in 9 patients (23%), isomaltase deficiency in 13 patients (33%) and glucoamylase deficiency in 12 patients (30%). The activity of all enzymes was reduced in 8 patients (20%). Degree of disaccharidase deficiency was not associated with either the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms or the diagnosis of IBS. Enzymes levels were not associated with gastrointestinal symptom scores. Conclusion: Our findings did not reveal any association between biochemically measured disaccharidase deficiency and gastrointestinal symptoms or the presence of IBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intestinal inflammation is one of the main health challenges affecting the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. Accumulating evidence introduces several flavonoids with multifaceted therapeutic properties in inflammatory diseases including intestinal inflammation. Herein, we examined potential anti-inflammatory properties of 5,4'-dihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxy7-O-rhamnosylflavone (DDR) flavone derived from Indigofera aspalathoides Vahl (I. aspalathoides Vahl) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal inflammation and injury in mice. Oral DDR treatment decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β. It reduced oxidative stress through augmenting the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reducing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the duodenum and colon tissues. Moreover, DDR enhanced the activities of digestive enzymes including trypsin, pancreatic lipase, and amylase, and increased the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by colon microbiota. Histopathological investigation of duodenum and colon revealed that DDR inhibited inflammatory infiltration and largely restored mucosal architecture and protected lining integrity. Importantly, DDR suppressed activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway through reduced expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and expression and phosphorylation of P65. The current study identified DDR as anti-inflammatory flavonoid capable of ameliorating LPS-induced intestinal inflammation through suppression of NF-κB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florfenicol (FF) is a new antibiotic commonly used in sericulture. This study aimed to examine the effects of low (LC: 0.06 g/L), medium (MC: 0.12 g/L), and high (HC: 1.2 g/L) concentrations of FF on the midgut physiological functions of the silkworm, Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). The results showed that the body weight and the whole cocoon weight of silkworms decreased and the development duration of the fifth instar was prolonged in the HC group. The structure of intestinal microbiota of silkworm larvae was changed by high FF exposure. Specifically, the abundance of conditional pathogens (Curtobacterium, Sanguibater, etc.) was significantly increased, whereas the abundance of Pseudomonas and Pedobacter was decreased significantly. Additionally, the intestinal reactive oxygen species level at 72 h was significantly elevated, and the muscle layer had become loose, together with the appearance of gut goblet cell atrophy. We observed that the increase in Lactobacillus abundance led to a reduction in intestinal fluid pH, resulting in decreased α‐amylase and protease activities, whereas lipase activity exhibited an elevation. The results demonstrated that the accumulation of peroxides induced by exposure to 1.2 g/L FF caused intestinal damage, and the decrease in pH resulting from alterations in microbial composition and structure affected digestive enzyme activity, collectively leading to physiological impairment of the silkworm midgut. These findings provide a valuable reference for the safe use of FF in sericulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 7500 Anabas testudineus (climbing perch) larvae were fed different diets, including vitamin E-enriched Moina micrura and egg custard-based inert diet, to study their growth, survival and physio-metabolic responses over a 30-day rearing period. The study comprised two control groups: C1, which received 100% vitamin E-enriched Moina for 30 days, and C2, which received a 100% egg custard-based inert diet for 30 days. Additionally, three treatment groups were included, which were fed with varying levels of enriched Moina and egg custard in different ratios and for different durations through co-feeding regimens. The egg custard-based inert diet had 40.98% crude protein and 6.69% ether extract. The results of the present study indicated that final body weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher in T3 group, in which larvae fed with 75% enriched Moina + 25% egg custard for first 15 days, 50% enriched Moina + 50% egg custard for next 5 days, 25% enriched Moina + 75% egg custard for next 5 days; 0% enriched Moina + 100% egg custard for next 5 days. In addition, significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher survival was obtained in C1 followed by T3 group. The appropriate co-feeding strategy based on digestive enzyme activity was observed in T3 and T2 groups. In terms of glucose, cortisol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) levels, no significant difference (p ˃ 0.05) was observed between C1 and T3 groups. Moreover, significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were observed in C1 and T3 groups. The activity of metabolic enzymes was also significantly affected by the co-feeding strategy. Overall, the T3 group showed improved growth and enzyme activity compared to other treatments. Thus, the present study establishes a co-feeding strategy by using vitamin E-enriched M. micrura and egg custard-based inert diet at levels as followed for the T3 group to boost the growth performance and physio-metabolic activity in A. testudineus larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of dietary supplements of either aqueous (AE) or ethanolic (EE) (Juniperus communis) leaf extracts on growth performance, intestinal health, hemato-biochemical indices, antioxidant, inflammation cytokine responses, and resistances against infection in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Fish groups were controlled with no extract (J1) and fed diets (J2, J3, J4, and J5) containing 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg aqueous and ethanolic extract for 60 days. Fish were given an intraperitoneal injection (IP) of Aeromonas hydrophila for 10 days after the feeding trial; then, the fish mortality was recorded. Growth, feed efficiency, and activity of endogenous enzymes (lipase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and amylase) were significantly improved in all dietary J. communis groups, especially in J5, compared to other groups. Also, J5 showed the highest absorption area, muscularis, goblet cells, villi width, and fewer gut bacterial counts than the other groups. In addition, the J4 and J5 groups of tilapia fish exhibited a significant increase in the levels of total protein, serum albumin, globulin, hemoglobin, white blood cells, and hematocrit (P < 0.05), as well as a significant decrease in the levels of serum alanine, aspartate aminotransferases, glucose, and cholesterol compared to the J1 groups. Moreover, the J4 and J5 fish showed a significant decline in the levels of MDA with improvements in antioxidant (SOD, CAT, and GPX) and immunological (lysozyme, immunoglobulin M, and complement C3) indices compared to the J1 group. Fish in J4 and J5 exhibited downregulated levels of il-8, il-10, il-1β, tnf-α, ifn-γ, and hsp70 genes compared to other groups. In contrast, hepatic catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod), and interleukin (il-10) gene expressions were upregulated. The lowest fish mortality after the bacterial challenge was recorded in the J5 group. These findings suggest that 2.0 g/kg feed ethanolic extract of J. communis-fed Tilapia fish fingerlings improved their growth and intestinal health, boosted their immune systems and antioxidant responses, and increased their resistance to A. hydrophila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated the effects of the dietary addition of lavender essential oil (LEO) on mitigating the adverse effects of high stocking densities (HSD) in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. We used 216 fingerlings and randomly distributed them according to a 2 × 3 factorial design, comprising two stocking densities: a low stocking density (LSD, 2.92 kg/m3) and a high stocking density (5.85 kg/m3) and three levels of LEO, 0, 0.5%, and 1%, for 70 days. We evaluated their growth, digestive enzyme activity, blood biochemical parameters, immune/antioxidant indices, and intestinal morphology. All fish were intraperitoneally inoculated with Aeromonas veronii for a bacterial challenge test at the end of the feeding trial and monitored for 14 days. After 14 days, head kidney samples were collected from all fish to assess the level of expression of immune-related and apoptosis-related genes. Additionally, tissue samples were collected from the liver, kidney, and intestine to investigate the immunohistochemistry and histopathological alterations. The results showed that the final body weight and weight gain were lower and the feed conversion ratio was higher in fish cultured under HSD compared to those cultured under LSD. The fish cultured under LSD and HSD had higher final body weight when administered dietary LEO compared to the fish that were fed the non-supplemented diet. Adding 1% LEO increased the intestinal villus height and muscular coat thickness (MT). The MT was lower in fish cultured under HSD compared to those cultured under LSD. The amylase and lipase activities were lower in the fish cultured under HSD than in those cultured under LSD. However, LEO addition increased the lipase activity in fish cultured under LSD and HSD. Fish cultured under HSD showed lower immune/antioxidant indices (lysozymes, nitric oxide, complement 3, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione-S transferase) than those cultured under LSD. However, LEO addition significantly increased the immune response and antioxidant activity in fish cultured under LSD and HSD (P < 0.01). The level of expression of the IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, NF-kB, and TLR-4 B genes was upregulated in the LSD + LEO1, LSD + LEO0.5, and HSD + LEO1 groups. The expression of TGF-β and IL-10 was upregulated in fish that received 1% and 0.5% LEO, irrespective of whether they were cultured under LSD or HSD. The level of expression of apoptosis-related genes (caspase 3 and BAX) was upregulated in the HSD + LEO0 group and modified by the addition of LEO in their diet. The immunoexpression of NF-kB and IL-1β after bacterial challenge increased in the tissues of fish cultured under LSD and HSD after LEO was administered. These results indicated that the dietary addition of 1% LEO mitigated the harmful effects of HSD on the growth, immunity, antioxidant activity, and disease resistance of the Nile tilapia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intestine is the principal digestive organ which is generally divided into three segments as the proximal intestine (PI), the mid intestine (MI), and the distal intestine (DI) in fish. In this study, the role of dietary vitamin D3 (VD3) in regulating the function and health of different intestinal segments was evaluated in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fingerlings through the supplementation with the increasing levels of dietary VD3 (0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500 IU/kg). The results showed that VD3 supplementation (1000–2000 IU/kg) significantly enhanced the fish growth performance, and the correlation analysis suggested that this effect was positively correlated with intestinal somatic index (ISI) and intestinal length index (ILI) of MI and DI except PI. In support of this finding, dietary VD3 enhanced the activities of digestive and brush border enzymes in the fish mainly in MI and DI rather than PI. Furthermore, the intestinal microbiota analysis revealed that VD3 increased the abundance of intestinal flora at the genus level rather than the phylum level. Meanwhile, hematoxylin and eosin staining presented that VD3 supplementation reduced epithelial goblet cell hyperplasia and lamina propria edema compared with the VD3 deficiency group in the MI and DI. Further studies showed that feeding VD3 decreased malondialdehyde levels but increased total antioxidant capacity, glutathione levels, and total superoxidase activity in MI or DI but not PI, suggesting the antioxidant potential of VD3 in two intestinal segments. Moreover, in MI and DI but not PI, dietary VD3 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine (il1 β and tnf α ) but enhanced antimicrobial peptide (hepcidin and βdefensin) mRNA levels and increased the activities of immune-related enzymes (lysozyme and acid phosphatase), highlighting the ability to improve fish immunity. Corresponding to these effects, dietary VD3 was able to mediate NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NF-κB pathways in MI and DI. Finally, quadratic regression models based on weight gain (PWG), feed efficiency (PE), ISI, and ILI suggested that the appropriate VD3 requirements for grass carp fingerlings were 1233.70–1387.11 IU/kg. Taken together, our findings strengthened the potential of dietary VD3 in managing the functions and health of particular intestinal segments and provided valuable reference data for VD3 requirements of fingerling fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemin, a heme-like compound with significant biological activity, shows promise as an iron supplement for humans. Nonetheless, its poor solubility in water greatly impedes its absorption and utilization. To surmount this obstacle, researchers have chosen various cyclodextrins with distinct cavity sizes and derivative groups to act as hosts, forming inclusion complexes with hemin chloride. Among these, γ-cyclodextrin has been identified as the optimal carrier, based on a thorough evaluation of its encapsulation efficiency, solubility, and molecular docking. Multiple characterization techniques further confirmed the formation of these inclusion complexes. Results from IEC-6 cell experiments indicated that the cytotoxicity of the inclusion complexes was lower than that of FeSO4. Static and dynamic gastrointestinal simulation digestion systems were established, and the results showed that the bioavailability of the inclusion complex was significantly higher than that of raw hemin. Additionally, only about 0.29% of hemin chloride is digested by gastric enzymes, whereas 9.52% is digested by pancreatic enzymes in the static gastrointestinal simulation digestion system, with similar outcomes observed in the dynamic system. These findings suggest that targeted digestion in the intestine significantly enhances the bioavailability of hemin chloride by forming inclusion complexes in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 90 days experimental trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of urea treated sugarcane bagasse on the growth, gut microflora and digestive enzymes of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish were fed to 3% wet body weight per day with experimental diets having 0% (CTRL), 0.7% (T1), 1.4% (T2) and 2.1% (T3) urea, with each group having two replicate tanks. Fish fed on 2.1% urea treated sugarcane bagasse (T3) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher growth as compared to T2, T1 and CTRL. The feed conversion ratio and specific growth rate were also significantly higher in T3 fish group, followed by the T2, T1 and CTRL groups. Proximate analysis of fish showed that the level of crude protein was higher significantly in T2 fish than other groups and crude fat level was significantly higher in T1 fish, followed the T2, CTRL and T3 fish groups. The percentage level of dry matter was significantly higher in T3 fish and ash percentage was significantly higher in T2 fish relative to T3, T1 and CTRL groups. Amylase and Lipase concentration was significantly higher in T2 fish compared with T3, T1 and CTRL groups. Protease concentration was significantly higher in T3 fish, followed by the T1, T2 and CTRL fish groups. Lastly, the presence of Lactobacillus fermentum was confirmed in the T1, T2 and T3 fish groups. Overall, the results showed that urea treated sugarcane bagasse can be used as a feed ingredient for C. idella and has no adverse effect on the nutritional value of fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of dietary mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) supplementation in a biofloc system on growth performance, whole‐body proximate composition, whole‐body fatty acids, nonspecific immune parameters, antioxidant enzyme activities, digestive enzyme activity, and gut microbiota of brown shrimp, Farfantepenaeus aztecus, were investigated. Shrimp were fed five diets containing different levels of MOS doses (MOS0: basal diet, MOS1: 0.1%, MOS2: 0.2%, MOS3: 0.3%, and MOS4: 0.4%) during the 90‐day trial. The results indicated that all MOS‐supplemented shrimp showed significantly higher growth rates and better feed utilization than shrimp fed the control diet. Experimental diets had varying effects on the nonspecific immune parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities, indicating that MOS supplementation resulted in significant differences in the parameters except for respiratory burst activity. Significantly higher protease activity was observed in shrimp fed MOS1 and MOS2 diets compared with MOS0, MOS3, and MOS4 diets. Shrimps fed MOS2 and MOS3 diets had the highest lipase and amylase activities among all groups. Proteobacteria were the most abundant phylum in all groups and were higher at increasing MOS doses. In conclusion, these results suggest that supplementing the diet of brown shrimp in the biofloc system with 3 g kg−1 of MOS may improve production parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate the effects of Bacillus cereus YB1 on the growth, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, liver antioxidant enzyme activity, and intestinal tissue structure of juvenile black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii). A 50‐day feeding experiment was conducted. Feeding was conducted in four diet groups: control group with no YB1 supplement in diet and three treatment groups E‐L, E‐M, and E‐H containing 105, 106, and 107 CFU/g YB1, respectively. The results revealed that the weight gain and specific growth rate of juvenile fish significantly increased, while the feed coefficient was reduced in all three diet treatment groups. This indicated that the growth of black rockfish was significantly and positively affected by YB1 feeding. Enzyme activity in the intestinal tract was not significantly affected by YB1. However, the activity of protease, amylase, and lipase increased because of YB1 treatment, except for the proteases in the E‐M diet group. Meanwhile, no significant differences were recorded in the activities of the antioxidant enzymes in liver, but the level of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and malondialdehyde activities in treatments shows a better performance compared with the control in overall perspective. Furthermore, the structural features of the intestine (i.e., number of intestinal villi, length of gut villi, and thickness of muscularis) was significantly elevated with the inclusion of B. cereus YB1 in the diet. These results reveal that dietary supplementation of B. cereus YB1 is beneficial to the boosting of enzymatic activities and structure of intestinal tissue as well as the antioxidative ability of liver tissue. Such findings suggest that fish growth would be improved under YB1 feeding conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of replacing dietary fish meal (FM) with defatted yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal (DYM) on growth performance, intestinal health, serum immune, and antioxidant indexes of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). Four hundred juvenile Chinese mitten crabs (4.94 ± 0.08 g) were randomly distributed into five groups in quadruplicate (20 crabs per tank), and each group was fed with diets that replaced FM with DYM at 0% (CON, containing 200 g/kg FM), 25% (DYM25), 50% (DYM50), 75% (DYM75), and 100% (DYM100) for 8 weeks, respectively. The results showed that the growth, serum immune and antioxidant indexes, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal histology, and microbiota composition of DYM25, DYM50, and DYM75 groups all reached the similar level as the CON group. While when 100% fishmeal was replaced, significantly decreased the final body weight (FBW), weight gain (WG), serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP), acid phosphatase (ACP), lysozyme (LZM), glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px), total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC), and total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) activities, hepatopancreas protease activity, mid‐intestine folds height and number (P < 0.05), significantly increased the feed conversion ratio (FCR), serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and the abundance of intestinal harmful bacteria Shewanella (P < 0.05). Overall, these results suggest that 75% dietary FM (150 g/kg) can be effectively replaced by DYM without negative impact on the growth performance, intestinal health, serum immune, and antioxidant indexes of juvenile E. sinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMicrobial infections and lifestyle-based diseases are the leading cause of mortality in today’s world. One primary reason is the rapid and continuous mutations in microorganisms leading to drug resistance, which is a challenge necessitating a constant reworking of antimicrobial drugs. A vast number of heterocyclic compounds are reported in the literature for demonstrating excellent therapeutic properties. Among them, the 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole (HBt), a heterocycle containing sulphur and three nitrogen atoms, and its derivatives, especially the Schiff base and Schiff-base metal complexes, have shown appreciable bio-activity in various medical applications. In this review, we primarily focus on the medicinal applications of Schiff-base metal complexes of HBt for its antimicrobial, anticancer and antioxidant activities. In addition, other biological uses of HBt and its derivatives for their interaction with biomolecules, inhibition of digestive enzymes and utilization in in vitro/in vivo metal imaging are covered. We have attempted to systematically analyze the Schiff-base metal complexes of HBt in its synthetic approach, the spectrum of structural modifications and versatility in diverse biological activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal the effects of yeast culture replacing fish meal (FM) or chicken meal (CM) on the growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, intestinal digestive enzyme activities, hepatic antioxidant, and hepatic and intestinal histology of bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus). The basal diet contained 100 g/kg FM and 100 g/kg CM, and then yeast culture was used to decrease FM or CM level to 75 and 50 g/kg with yeast culture inclusion of 32 and 64 g/kg, respectively, resulting in five groups of isonitrogenous diets (control, FM75, FM50, CM75, and CM50). A total of 450 bullfrogs (45.5 ± 0.4 g initial weight) were fed the five diets for 50 days. (1) The FM50 group presented significantly lower weight gain, condition factor, hind leg index, and higher feed conversion ratio than the control group, while the other three groups of FM75, CM75, and CM50 showed no significant difference in growth performance when compared to the control group. (2) The serum triglyceride content of FM50 group was significantly lower, while the alkaline phosphatase activity was significantly higher than those of the control group. The serum total cholesterol levels were significantly lower in the CM50 group compared to the control group. (3) In intestinal digestive enzyme activities, the trypsin and α‐amylase activities in the CM75 and CM50 groups, the trypsin activity in the FM75 group, and lipase activity in the CM50 group were all significantly higher than those in the other groups. (4) The replacement of 50% FM with yeast culture (FM50 and CM50 groups) promoted the total antioxidant capacity in the liver, but compared to the control group, the intestinal villi height and muscularis propria thickness in the FM50 group were significantly lower. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in liver histology among all the groups. In conclusion, in a basal diet containing 100 g/kg FM and 100 g/kg CM, 32.0 and 64.0 g/kg yeast cultures could successfully replace 25% of dietary FM and 50% of dietary CM without negative effects on the growth performance, serum biochemical indexes, and hepatic and intestinal health of bullfrogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Microorganisms isolated from the intestinal microbiota of fish have demonstrated probiotic effects. Considering their beneficial impact on aquaculture, it is essential to develop feeding strategies that ensure the growth and health of aquaculture animals using isolated strains from fish. This study evaluated the effects of the administration of Lactococcus lactis PH3-05, a probiotic bacterium isolated from tropical gar adults (Atractosteus tropicus), on the growth, survival, digestion, intestinal morphology, gene expression, and intestinal microbiota of larvae of the same species. The results showed that supplementation with L. lactis PH3-05 significantly improved growth, survival, and digestive enzyme activity. In addition, this supplementation stimulated the expression of genes associated with the mucosal barrier and the anti-inflammatory response. Although no significant changes were observed in the overall composition of the intestinal microbiota, an increase in the abundance of Lactobacillus was recorded in the group treated with L. lactis. These findings suggest that L. lactis has potential as an indigenous probiotic to improve the health and growth of tropical gar larvae and could be implemented for native species of the region. Probiotics in aquaculture hold promise for enhancing fish health and growth. Due to their increased specificity and affinity for their host, indigenous probiotics may offer isolated and potentially amplified benefits. This study investigated the effects of Lactococcus lactis PH3-05, previously isolated from adults of tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus), on the growth, survival, digestive enzyme activity, intestinal morphology, expression of barrier and immune genes, and intestinal microbiota composition in the larvae of tropical gar. Larvae were fed with live L. lactis PH3-05 concentrations of 104, 106, and 108 CFU/g for 15 days alongside a control diet without probiotics. Higher concentrations of L. lactis PH3-05 (106 and 108 CFU/g) positively influenced larval growth, increasing hepatocyte area and enterocyte height. The 106 CFU/g dose significantly enhanced survival (46%) and digestive enzyme activity. Notably, the 108 CFU/g dose stimulated increased expression of muc-2 and il-10 genes, suggesting enhanced mucosal barrier function and anti-inflammatory response. Although L. lactis PH3-05 did not significantly change the diversity, structure, or Phylum level composition of intestinal microbiota, which was constituted by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes, an increase in Lactobacillus abundance was observed in fish fed with 106 CFU/g, suggesting enhanced probiotic colonization. These results demonstrate that administering L. lactis PH3-05 at 106 CFU/g promotes growth, survival, and digestive health in A. tropicus larvae, establishing it as a promising indigenous probiotic candidate for aquaculture applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent review proposed a role for multi-functional food or supplement products in priming the gut to support both digestive and systemic health. Accordingly, we designed and eva-luated the effect of a multi-functional gastrointestinal (GI) primer supplement on participant-reported measures for digestive health, quality-of-life (e.g., energy/vitality and general health), and reasons for satiation (e.g., attitudes towards food and eating). In this single-arm clinical trial, 68 participants with mild digestive symptoms consumed the GI primer supplement daily for 14 days. Digestive symptoms were evaluated daily from baseline (Day 0) through Day 14. At baseline and Day 14, participants reported their stool consistency, reasons for satiation, and quality-of-life measures using validated questionnaires. At Day 14, participants reported significant improvements in all (13/13) digestive symptom parameters (p-values < 0.05) and an increase in % of stools with normal consistencies. There were significant improvements (p-values < 0.05) in energy/vitality and general health, and in specific attitudes towards food and eating (e.g., physical satisfaction, planned amount, decreased eating priority, decreased food appeal, and self-consciousness). Results suggest the GI primer supplement promotes digestive health, improves quality of life, and impacts attitudes towards food/eating. This study provides preliminary support for the gut priming hypothesis through which multi-functional digestive products may improve GI health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of the Mexican madroño (Arbutus arizonica) has been consumed since pre-Columbian times by North American tribes and native groups in Mexico. Despite this, reports on its chemical composition and biological activity are limited. This work aims to determine the antioxidant, antiproliferative, and digestive enzyme inhibition activities of the methanol amberlite-retained extract of Mexican madroño. Results showed that madroño fruit is rich in antioxidants: DPPH (EC50 = 0.89 ± 0.03 mg/mL), TEAC (1078 ± 4.9 μM/g), and hemolysis inhibition (IC50 = 358.07 μg/mL), with high phenolic and flavonoid content at 15.92 ± 3.2 mg GAE/g and 4.33 ± 0.3 mg CA/g, respectively. Using analytical chromatography, gallic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, and rutin were quantified. The extract also showed α-glucosidase inhibition (IC50 = 3.1 ± 0.17 mg/mL), but no inhibition against α-amylase and lipase (>5 mg/mL), while showing antiproliferative activity against HeLa, HT-29, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. These results point towards an interesting potential for the fruit of the A. arizonica as chemopreventive and hold potential for elaborating functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The quest for candidate probiotics and prebiotics to develop novel synbiotics for sustainable and profitable fish farming remains a major focus for various stakeholders. In this study, we examined the effects of combining two fungal probiotics, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger with extracts of Jerusalem artichoke and white button mushroom to develop a synbiotic formulation to improve the growth and health status of zebrafish (Danio rerio). An initial in vitro study determined the most effective synbiotic combination, which was then tested in a 60-day in vivo nutritional trial using zebrafish (80 ± 1.0 mg) as a model animal. Four experimental diets were prepared: a control diet (basal diet), a prebiotic diet with 100% selected mushroom extract, a probiotic diet with 107 CFU of S. cerevisiae/g of diet, and a synbiotic diet with 107 CFU of S. cerevisiae/g of diet and 100% mushroom extract. As readouts, growth performance, survival, digestive enzyme activity and innate immune responses were evaluated. Results: In vitro results showed that the S. cerevisiae cultured in a medium containing 100% mushroom extract exhibited the maximum specific growth rate and shortest doubling time. In the in vivo test with zebrafish, feeding them with a synbiotic diet, developed with S. cerevisiae and mushroom extract, led to a significant improvement in the growth performance of zebrafish (P < 0.05). The group of zebrafish fed with the synbiotic diet showed significantly higher levels of digestive enzyme activity and immune responses compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Taken together, these results indicated that the combination of S. cerevisiae and mushroom extract forms an effective synbiotic, capable of enhancing growth performance and immune response in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect's resilience to adverse conditions poses a significant challenge for integrated pest control. This has resulted in huge economic losses to agriculture and forestry production as well as a range of severe ecological issues. As a physiological mechanism of insects, digestive physiology plays an important role in the process of adaptation to stress factors. However, there has been no systematic review of what stresses insects can adapt to through digestive physiology and how digestive physiology is involved in insect adaptation to stresses. In this review, the potential link between digestive physiology and adaptation of insects to biotic and abiotic stresses, including plant defense mechanisms, chemical insecticides, and entomopathogenic microorganisms, is analyzed. We point to that digestive physiology composed of digestive enzymes and gut microbial communities is an important strategy for insects to resist plant physical defense (e.g., hemicellulose, pectin, and microfibers), chemical defense (e.g., azadirachtin, diterpenoid acids, and phenolic glycosides), chemical insecticide stress, and entomopathogenic microorganism infection. In addition, the primary function of the digestive physiology in insects is to ensure energy supply during biotic and abiotic stress, assist in the metabolism of exogenous toxins (e.g., anti-insect proteins, primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, and insecticides), and improve their innate immunity against entomopathogenic microorganisms. This review is helpful to elucidate the mechanism of pest adaptation to adversity, and provide a breakthrough point for analyzing the causes of pest outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polychaeta Neanthes japonica is a common by-product in mariculture ponds. It is rich in essential nutrients, but has not been well-explored. Therefore, this 56-day experiment investigated the effects of substituting N. japonica meal for dietary fishmeal on juvenile tiger puffer (15.49 ± 0.02 g, n = 450 fish). The control diet (CON) contained 40% fishmeal. Freeze-dried N. japonica meal (FNM) was supplemented into CON at the levels of 3% (FNM3), 6% (FNM6), and 9% (FNM9), replacing fishmeal. The fifth diet contained 6% oven-dried N. japonica meal (ONM6), replacing fishmeal. The results indicated that no significant difference was observed in growth, feed efficiency, and somatic index among all the treatment groups. The feed intake of the FNM6 group was significantly higher compared to CON. No significant difference was detected in fish proximate composition, as well as the fatty acid composition, amino acid composition, and muscle texture. The supplementation of N. japonica meal decreased the activities of intestinal lipase and α-amylase. The addition of freeze-dried N. japonica meal significantly up-regulated the expression of the intestinal amino-glycine transporter pat1. It was concluded that adding 9% N. japonica meal to the feed had no significant effect on the growth performance and body composition of juvenile tiger puffer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mystus macropterus, a commercially significant Mystus fish species found in the Yangtze River and Pearl River, is currently experiencing a rapid decline attributed to the construction of hydraulic engineering projects, water pollution, and overfishing. Consequently, extensive artificial breeding efforts are being undertaken for large-scale commercial aquaculture purposes as well as for reintroducing this fish back into its natural habitat. Our aim was the evaluation of the effect of different opening diets on the growth, the structure of the digestive tract, and digestive enzyme activity of larval and juvenile M. macropterus. It is recommended to include Tubifex in the diet of M. macropterus larvae during the standardized farming process. One of the crucial factors influencing the growth and viability of larvae and juveniles is their opening diets. The objective of this study was to identify suitable initial feed options for M. macropterus larvae and juveniles. A total of 1200 newly hatched M. macropterus with an average weight of 18.3 mg and an average length of 11.58 mm were selected and randomly divided into four groups. The fish were fed with different opening diets, including rotifer, Artemia nauplii, Tubifex, and micro-diet from six days after hatching (dahs), respectively. Growth indices and activities of digestive enzymes were assessed at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 dahs. Histological examination of the structure of the digestive tract was performed at 40 dahs, while survival rates were also documented. The results demonstrated that different diets had no effect on the survival rate of larvae and juveniles of M. macropterus. The growth performance indices were ranked as follows: Tubifex group > Artemia nauplii group > micro-diet group > rotifer group. Remarkably, the Tubifex group exhibited superior growth performance, which was also reflected in the structure of the digestive tract and digestive enzyme activity. Therefore, it is recommended to include Tubifex in the diet of M. macropterus larvae and juvenile during the standardized farming process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Due to the underdeveloped digestive tracts of larval fish, predigested fish protein has been included in feeds to help increase dietary protein utilization. The predigested protein has been produced from various protein sources and broken down using different methods. This has ultimately led to variable results when included in larval diets, and there is still a lack of an optimal dry diet for larval fish. This study tested the use of adult Walleye muscle as a protein source to provide the optimal dietary amino acid composition for same-species larvae. The muscle was also broken down with enzymes from the adult Walleye gut to predigest protein in a way that mimics the digestion of live Walleye. This protein source was tested against protein produced from muscle and/or enzymes from Nile Tilapia, as a non-species-specific source. The dietary inclusion of predigested protein produced from same-species muscle and digestive enzymes led to increased growth and amino acid absorption in larval Walleye. However, reduced survival in fish fed with the predigested protein suggests that further research is required to improve the pellet stability of the larval diets and reduce the loss of nutrients to the water. Fish protein hydrolysates used in larval diets have been prepared from a variety of fish species, with different enzymes used to hydrolyze the protein. This study's objectives were to determine the effect of the dietary inclusion of fish muscle hydrolysates obtained from species-specific muscle/enzymes—versus hydrolysates produced from muscle/enzymes of a different species—on the growth performance, survival, skeletal development, intestinal peptide uptake, and muscle-free amino acid (FAA) composition of larval Walleye (Sander vitreus). Eight protein products were obtained for this study, comprising an unhydrolyzed and hydrolyzed product from each combination of muscle/enzymes from Walleye and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Four diets were produced, and the dietary protein was provided in a 50/50 ratio of unhydrolyzed and hydrolyzed protein from the respective muscle/enzyme combination. Four groups were fed one of the corresponding formulated diets, and two groups of larvae, fed a commercial starter diet and Artemia, respectively, served as reference groups. Larval Walleye fed the diet containing protein produced with the species-specific muscle and enzymes had a significantly higher weight after the study—30% higher than any other group. A significant interaction effect between muscle and enzyme sources on the growth of Walleye larvae was observed. The species-specific combination also led to a significant increase in postprandial FAA and indispensable amino acid concentrations in muscle. No significant differences were observed between the hydrolysate-fed groups in survival, deformity occurrence, or peptide uptake. Each hydrolysate-based diet significantly reduced skeletal deformities and survival compared to the commercial diet. The results of this study suggest that species-specific muscles and enzymes produce a more optimal dietary protein source for larval fish than non-species-specific products. Further research should focus on improving the physical properties of the formulated diets to reduce possible leaching of hydrolyzed protein and improve the survival of fish larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study assessed the growth and fish performance of juvenile red sea bream fed four isonitrogenous (46–48%) and isolipidic (15%) diets containing 45% fishmeal (control) and 15%, 30%, and 45% defatted black soldier fly (BSF) Hermetia illucens meal for 67 days. Subsequent analyses showed that there were no significant differences in the growth parameters, nutrient digestibility, and body composition of fish among all treatments. Although no significant difference was observed in fish growth, low growth was observed when the fish meal was totally replaced with the BSF meal. Higher alpha diversity of intestinal microbiota was observed in fish fed the BSF meal-based diet compared to that of the control. In the treatment groups fed the BSF meal, elevations in the presence of microbial genera that produce digestive enzymes, such as chitinase (Nocardia, Vibrio, Paenibacillus, Photobacterium), lipase (Paenibacillus, Photobacterium), and trypsin-like serine protease (Bacillus, Paenibacillus) and vitamin B group [biotin (Vibrio, Paenibacillus, Bacillus), cobalamin (Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Propionibacterium), and pyridoxin (Photobacterium)], were observed. We also found an increasing trend of bacteria producing antioxidative enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase and catalase (Nocardia, Pseudomonas, Photobacterium) in the BSF groups. These results suggested that the BSF meal could replace 67% of fishmeal without causing a negative impact on growth and lead to beneficial effects on the intestinal microbiota of the red sea bream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological impacts of polysaccharides and lipids in seaweed on human health are becoming clearer, but the behavior of the protein components, especially lectins, after ingestion remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the resistance of edible red algae-derived lectins to digestive enzymes. We found that a lectin extracted from Meristotheca papulosa (MPL-1), belonging to the Jacalin-related lectin family, was relatively stable when subjected to both peptic and tryptic digestion and retained its hemagglutination activity after 24 h of digestion. The activity of MPL-1 was also maintained without a large change for 24 h following exposure to enzymes such as papain, Actinase E, and proteinase K, suggesting that MPL-1 possesses a strong resistant property against proteolytic digestion. We examined the anti-proliferation activity of the MPL fraction from the algal body against HT-29, a human colon cancer-derived cell line, and found that it showed a strong inhibitory activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 4.5 μg/mL. This activity was nullified in the presence of yeast mannan, an inhibitory sugar compound of lectin, demonstrating that MPL expressed its activity through binding to the glycan moieties on HT-29. This study indicates that this proteinase-resistant lectin could play a vital role after ingestion and is expected to have an inhibitory effect against colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of digestive enzymes presents in fish and their potential biotechnological uses is a welldeveloped and studied field. However, there has not been a systematic review that analyzes the state of knowledge of these enzymes at a global level. Therefore, a systematic literature search on three platforms was carried out to review and analyze existing knowledge about digestive enzymes of marine fishes from fisheries and aquaculture and their potential application in industrial processes. Using the PRISMA method for selecting journal manuscripts, we found 112 scientific articles published between 1984 and 2020 studying different digestive enzymes from 87 fish species. Most studies were carried out in Tunisia and Mexico and only 6 articles were published in South American countries. The most studied digestive enzymes were alkaline proteases, mainly trypsin, and the proposed uses for these enzymes were mainly as additives in commercial detergents. There is a vacancy in the characterization of other digestive enzymes as pepsins, lipases and amylases and the study of species that are distributed in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean. It is necessary to expand the knowledge about other digestive enzymes and to carry out new studies in regions with an important fishery development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digestive properties of starch are crucial in determining postprandial glycaemic excursions. Genistein, an active phytoestrogen, has the potential to influence starch digestion rates. We investigated the way genistein affected the digestive properties of starch in vitro. We performed enzyme kinetics, fluorescence spectroscopy, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for analysing the inhibitory properties of genistein on starch digestive enzymes as well as clarifying relevant mechanism of action. Our findings demonstrated that, following the addition of 10% genistein, the contents of slowly digestible and resistant starches increased by 30.34% and 7.18%, respectively. Genistein inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase, with half maximal inhibitory concentrations of 0.69 ± 0.06 and 0.11 ± 0.04 mg/mL, respectively. Genistein exhibits a reversible and non-competitive inhibiting effect on α-amylase, while its inhibition on α-glucosidase is a reversible mixed manner type. Fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the presence of genistein caused declining fluorescence intensity of the two digestive enzymes. Molecular docking and MD simulations showed that genistein binds spontaneously to α-amylase via hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, and π-stacking, whereas it binds with α-glucosidase via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. These findings suggest the potential for developing genistein as a pharmacologic agent for regulating glycaemic excursions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the impact of dietary supplementation with Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, meat quality, and cecum microbiota of Ningdu yellow chickens. A total of 300 78-day-old Ningdu yellow chickens with similar initial body weights were randomly distributed into five treatments consisting of six replicates of 10 birds. The control group (M0) was fed a basal diet, and the experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with 0.5% (M0.5), 1% (M1), 2% (M2), and 4% (M4) of MOLP, respectively. Our results showed that dietary supplementation with 2% MOLP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the feed to gain (F/G) and showed a quadratic (p < 0.05) decrease with the level of MOLP. Dietary supplementation with 1~4% MOLP resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC). Furthermore, both serum T-SOD and T-AOC exhibited linear and quadratic increases (p < 0.01) in response to the supplementation with MOLP in the diets. Dietary supplementation with 1~4% MOLP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased serum uric acid (UA) level. Additionally, 4% MOLP significantly (p < 0.05) decreased triglycerides (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and showed linear and quadratic effects. The activity of lipase in the duodenum showed a linear decreasing trend (p < 0.05) with the level of MOLP, while the activities of α-amylase (both in duodenum and jejunum) showed a linear and quadratic increasing trend (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a linear decrease response in abdominal fat (p < 0.05) to MOLP supplementation levels in the diets. In terms of meat quality, dietary supplementation with 4% MOLP significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the L*45 min and L*24 h values of the breast muscle, and drip loss had a linear decreasing trend (p < 0.05). In terms of cecum microbiota, dietary supplementation with 1~4% MOLP significantly increased the Bacteroidota abundance but decreased the Firmicutes abundance (p < 0.05). Overall, dietary supplementation with MOLP improved the growth performance and meat quality of Ningdu yellow chickens through improving the antioxidant function, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, and the cecal microbial structure. The optimum level of MOLP in the diet of Nindu yellow chicken is recommended to be 2.59%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) are released into the natural waters in different ways and cause toxicity to aquatic life. Although various studies have reported the toxicity of nanoparticles for aquatic animals, there is limited information regarding the effects of environmental factors, especially salinity, on their toxicity. Simultaneous effects of TiNPs and water salinity were studied in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas. Oysters were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of TiNPs (low concentration: 50 µg/l, middle concentration: 500 µg/l, high concentration: 5000 µg/l) at different water salinities (Extremely low salinity: 5 g/l, low salinity: 15 g/l, middle salinity: 25 g/l, high salinity (normal salinity): 35 g/l) for 96 h. After nano-TiO2 exposure, the immune components in hemolymph (total hemocyte concentration [THC], phagocytosis), antioxidant enzyme activities in digestive gland (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase), oxidation stress index (malondialdehyde) in gills and the expression of immune-related genes (Vav-3 protein, cofilin, Galectin 4, pro-Cathepsin L, Rho protein, Ficolin, LPS/-1,3-glucan protein, Lysozyme, Defensin) in hemocytes were measured. The THC, phagocytosis, antioxidant enzyme activities, and immune-related gene expressions mostly decreased at salinities of 5 and 15 g/l in response to 500–5000 µg/l nano-TiO2 compared to non-exposed oysters and 50 µg/l nano-TiO2 group. An increase in water salinity up to 35 g/l mitigated the depressing effects of the nano-TiO2 on the immune and antioxidant components of the oysters. Exposure of oysters to 500–5000 µg/l nano-TiO2-induced oxidative stress at salinities of 5 and 15, since malondialdehyde levels were higher in these treatments compared to control and those in 50 µg/l nano-TiO2 group. The increase of salinity up to 35 g/l ameliorated the TiO2-induced oxidative stress. The results of the present study showed that the toxic impacts of nano-TiO2 can be ameliorated in the Pacific oyster with increase in water salinity, as the immune components, antioxidant enzyme activities recovered and oxidative stress mitigated when the salinity increased up to 35 g/l. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of leaf protein concentrate with gastrointestinal enzymes have shown good techno-functional properties and high antioxidant capacity. However, molecular weight, antiproliferative activity, cytotoxicity and the ability to reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) are still unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of jackfruit leaf protein hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis with pepsin and pancreatin at different hydrolysis times (30–240 min) on molecular weights, cytotoxicity, antiproliferation of cancer cells, and the reduction of reactive oxygen species in H2O2-induced HaCaT cells. The electrophoretic profile indicated that H-Pep contains peptides with molecular weights between 25 − 20 kDa. Meanwhile, H-Pan is composed of molecular weight products between 25 − 20 kDa and < 20 kDa. H-Pan and H-Pep (125–500 µg/mL) did not show significant cytotoxicity on HaCaT (human keratinocytes) and J774A.1 (murine macrophage cells). Antiproliferative activity was achieved in human cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer cells. H-Pan-240 min (1000 µg/mL) reduced the cell viability of cervical cancer cells by 23% while H-Pan-60 min significantly reduced cell viability of ovarian and liver cancer cells by 14.5 (500 µg/mL) and 17% (1000 µg/mL), respectively (P < 0.05). The protective effect against oxidative stress on H2O2-stressed HaCaT cells was obtained with H-Pep-60 min, which reduced 25% of ROS at 250 µg/mL (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrate the safe use of green biomass as a source of plant protein hydrolysates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the adaptive strategies and compensatory growth mechanisms of juvenile Epinephelus coioides under starvation stress. The fish with an initial body weight of 8.88 ± 0.06 g were starved for 0 day (F0, control), 3 days (F3), 6 days (F6), 9 days (F9), 12 days (F12), and 15 days (F15), followed by feeding periods of 30 days, 27 days, 24 days, 21 days, 18 days, and 15 days, respectively. The results are shown as follows: (1) E. coioides could achieve complete or partial compensatory growth by improving both feeding rate and feed conversion efficiency. (2) The viscerosomatic index and the hepatosomatic index of the test fish decreased linearly with the duration of starvation (P < 0.05), while the condition factor did not significantly decrease (P > 0.05). At the end of feeding, all the physical body indicators of the test fish recovered or exceeded the control levels. (3) The lipid and glycogen contents of the test fish decreased continuously throughout the entire starvation process, with noticeable protein consumption occurring in the later stages of starvation (P < 0.05). At the end of the feeding period, apart from a significant reduction in crude lipid contents in the F12 and F15 groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05), the biochemical composition of the test fish was restored or even surpassed that of the control group. (4) The activity of digestive enzymes could be stimulated by starvation, enabling the efficient utilization of energy storage substances. In conclusion, it is advisable to limit the period of starvation for juvenile E. coioides to 12 days, which means that the ratio of starvation period to feeding period should not exceed two‐thirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A variety of therapeutic possibilities have emerged for skillfully regulating protein function or conformation through intermolecular interaction modulation to rectify abnormal biochemical reactions in diseases. Herein, a devised strategy of enzyme coordinators has been employed to alleviate postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), which is characterized by the leakage of digestive enzymes including trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase. The development of a dextrorotary (D)-peptide supramolecular gel (CP-CNDS) under this notion showcases its propensity for forming gels driven by intermolecular interaction. Upon POPF, CP-CNDS not only captures enzymes from solution into hydrogel, but also effectively entraps them within the internal gel, preventing their exchange with counterparts in the external milieu. As a result, CP-CNDS completely suppresses the activity of digestive enzymes, effectively alleviating POPF. Remarkably, rats with POPF treated with CP-CNDS not only survived but also made a recovery within a mere 3-day period, while mock-treated POPF rats had a survival rate of less than 5 days when experiencing postoperative pancreatic fistula, leak or abscess. Collectively, the reported CP-CNDS provides promising avenues for preventing and treating POPF, while exemplifying precision medicine-guided regulation of protein activity that effectively targets specific pathogenic molecules across multiple diseases. Therapeutic possibilities have emerged for rectifying abnormal biochemical reactions by modulating intermolecular interactions. Here, the authors present a regulatory strategy for capturing biomolecules and preventing enzyme leakage using a chiral-engineered peptide supramolecular gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium could induce various degrees of harm to aquatic organisms. A 30-day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of cadmium on growth, muscle composition, digestive enzyme activity, gene expression of antioxidants and lipid metabolism in juvenile genetic improvement of farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus, Initial weight: 21.36 ± 0.24 g). Four cadmium concentrations of aquaculture water were designed: 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 mg/L Cd2+. The main results are as follows: Compared with the control group (0 mg/L Cd2+), the weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), daily growth index (DGI), and spleen index (SI) of juvenile GIFT under cadmium stress were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The contents of crude protein and crude lipid in muscle were significantly decreased (p< 0.05), and the ash was significantly increased (p< 0.05). The activities of trypsin, lipase, and -amylase in the intestinal were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The relative expression levels of carnitine palmityl transferase 1 (cpt-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (ppar ), ppar, hormone-sensitive lipase (hsl), lipoprotein lipase (lpl), malate dehydrogenase (mdh), leptin (lep), fatty acid synthetase (fas), cholesterol response element binding protein 1 (srebp1), squalene cyclooxygenase (sqle), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase (scd) genes in liver were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). The relative expression levels of catalase (cat), superoxide dismutase (sod), glutathione S-transferase (gst), and glutathione peroxidase (gsh-px) genes in the liver were significantly decreased (p< 0.05). In conclusion, exposure to cadmium stress could impact growth,muscle composition, digestive enzyme activity, gene expression of antioxidant and lipid metabolism in juvenile GIFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Calcein was used to develop a shell marking method for Potamocorbula laevis. Methods: The suitable conditions for markingwere investigated, includingmarking concentration, immersion time, and water temperature. The impacts and feasibility of the marking method were assessed based on the survival rate of P. laevis, the success rate of fluorescence marking, marking quality, and alterations in activities of antioxidant enzymes in the digestive gland of the experimental bivalves. Two concentrations of calcein (20 and 50 mg/L) were used and the immersion time included 1 and 2 h, respectively. The experimentwas performed in two rounds, with water temperatures of 12.84 ± 0.09 and 24.18 ± 0.04 °C, respectively. Results and discussion: The results indicated that calcein did not significantly impact the survival of P. laevis after 7 d of recovery. The catalase activity and malondialdehyde content in low temperature-marked P. laevis showed significant decreases, and the relative abundances of certain fatty acids also exhibited significant changes within 2 h post exposure to 20 mg/L of calcein. However, these indicators returned to normal levels within 7 d. The marking impact of calcein was proportional to the calcein concentration and immersion time. Higher temperature generated a negative impact on the marking effect of 20 mg/L of calcein, while no obvious impacts were observed for 50 mg/L of calcein. The marking success rates and the recapture rates of P. laevis for in situ tests in the two experimental groups were both 100% and 4.44 ± 1.29% after one month. Also, the recapture marking rates and the marking good rates of the recaptured individuals were both 100%. There were no significant differences between these parameters for 50 and 75 mg/L of calcein. Given the cost and safety of labeling, a strategy in terms of an immersion in 50 mg/L of calcein for 2 h could be considered as an effective in situ labeling scheme for P. laevis. In conclusion, calcein can be employed as a marking method for P. laevis. These findings could be potentially beneficial for development of in situ labeling technology, proliferation as well as release of shellfish in tidal flats and resource conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anastomotic leakage (AL) is the leaking of non‐sterile gastrointestinal contents into a patient's abdominal cavity. AL is one of the most dreaded complications following gastrointestinal surgery, with mortality rates reaching up to 27%. The current diagnostic methods for anastomotic leaks are limited in sensitivity and specificity. Since the timing of detection directly impacts patient outcomes, developing new, fast, and simple methods for early leak detection is crucial. Here, a naked eye‐readable, electronic‐free macromolecular network drain fluid sensor is introduced for continuous monitoring and early detection of AL at the patient's bedside. The sensor array comprises three different macromolecular network sensing elements, each tailored for selectivity toward the three major digestive enzymes found in the drainage fluid during a developing AL. Upon digestion of the macromolecular network structure by the respective digestive enzymes, the sensor produces an optical shift discernible to the naked eye. The diagnostic efficacy and clinical applicability of these sensors are demonstrated using clinical samples from 32 patients, yielding a Receiver Operating Characteristic Area Under the Curve (ROC AUC) of 1.0. This work has the potential to significantly contribute to improved patient outcomes through continuous monitoring and early, low‐cost, and reliable AL detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-mouth bass originally lived in rivers and lakes and now is often raised in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). However, the shortcoming of RAS is that there is very limited space for swimming fish in a high-density culture environment, thus leading to a lack of exercise. To investigate the effects of exercise training on growth performance, digestive enzymes, stress, and antioxidant capacity of large-mouth bass in a RAS, three training water flow velocities with three replicates were used in the present study: low water velocity: 0.5 body length per second (bl/s) (LV); medium water velocity: 1 bl/s (MV); and high water velocity: 1.5 bl/s (HV). 270 large-mouth bass (average initial body weight 47.51 ± 1.44 g, initial body length 12.71 ± 0.06 cm) were randomly divided into nine tanks (30 fish per tank). After 27 days experiment, the results showed that the growth performance of large-mouth bass, including feed intake, weight gain rate, and specific growth rate, in the HV group was significantly higher compared to the other groups. On the physiological level, the lipase and amylase activities were significantly increased in the HV group compared to the other groups. For the stress response parameters, the cortisol, glucose and lactate concentrations in the HV group were significantly increased, which may indicate higher stress in the HV group. Regarding the antioxidant enzyme activities, the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) in the LV group were significantly higher than those in the HV group, which indicated that fish suffered higher oxidative stress in the LV group. Regarding the immune-related parameters, LZM and ACP activities had no significant differences among the groups, while AKP activities in the MV and HV groups were significantly higher than that in the LV group. Overall, the results demonstrated that exercise training had significant effects on the growth, digestion, stress, and immune response of large-mouth bass. It is suggested that exercise training with 1.5 bl/s can enhance fish growth, however, it also presents a potential risk of inducing stress in fish. Therefore, in rearing largemouth bass in RAS, the setting of water flow velocity should not only focus on the growth of large-mouth bass but also consider its welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary complex plant essential oil supplementation on the growth performance, immune function, and intestinal digestive enzyme activity of Wujin pigs. A total of 120 Wujin pigs with similar body weight were divided into four groups with three replicates per group and 10 Wujin pigs per replicate. The control group was fed a basic diet of corn-soybean meal, while the experimental groups were fed diets supplemented with 250, 500, and 1 000 mg/kg of a complex plant essential oil. The preliminary period lasted for one week, and the formal experimental period lasted for 30 days. The results showed that compared with the control group, feeding 500 mg/kg and 1,000 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil could increase the final body weight and average daily weight gain, and reduce the feed-to-weight ratio and diarrhea rate (P<0.05). Feeding 500 mg/kg and 1 000 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil could increase the levels of interleukin-4 and interleukin-1β (P<0.05), and decrease the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 (P<0.05), and increase the level of serum immunoglobulin A (P<0.05), feeding 250, 500, and 1 000 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil could increase the levels of serum interleukin-10 and immunoglobulin G (P<0.05). Feeding 500 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil could enhance the activity of intestinal trypsin, ileal trypsin, and lipase, and duodenal trypsin (P<0.05), and feeding 250, 500, and 1 000 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil could enhance the activity of duodenal amylase and lipase (P<0.05). The study suggests that the complex plant essential oil can improve the growth performance, reduce the diarrhea rate, enhance immune function, and intestinal digestive enzyme activity of Wujin pigs, and a comprehensive analysis indicates that the addition of 500 mg/kg of the complex plant essential oil is more appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mussel Mytilus californianus is an ecosystem engineer forming beds along the coastlines of Northeastern Pacific shores. As sessile organisms, they modulate their energy balance through valve movements, feeding, and digestive functionality. A recent study observed that activity of the digestive enzyme cellulase was higher than predicted in mussels high on the shore, where temperatures are characteristically high and food availability is limited compared to low-shore habitats. In the current study, we predicted that this scavenging behavior is induced to mitigate energy losses related to heat-shock responses—that cellulase and amylase will display hyperactivity for limited recourses in the face of aerial heating. In the laboratory, we acclimated mussels to three complex diets that differed in starch and cellulose composition, followed by two acute heat shocks (+8°C) in the laboratory. Results showed no hyperactivity of amylase and cellulase in heated mussels. These results differ from previous studies that showed lowered amylase activity following heat acclimation. This difference in amylase activity across heat-stress exposure time is important when analyzing mussel bed disturbances following heat waves that compromise energy balance or cause death within adult populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) is considered as a major stored product pest. Conventional insecticides induce adverse effects on the environment. Plant derivative products constitute a promising alternative for pest control. The purpose of our research was to identify the chemical profile of essential oil (EO) extracted from Schinus molle L. (Anacardiaceae) and to evaluate the fumigant and the contact toxicity, and the repellent activity of this oil on adults of Rhyzopertha dominica F. (Coleoptera), a major pest in products that are stored around the world. The effects of this oil were examined on biochemical profile (energy reserves and Proteins), selective biomarkers like acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferases (GST) and glutathione (GSH), and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Digestive enzymes were also investigated. The major chemical compounds identified by the GC-MS were α-phellandrene (16.613%), ß-phellandrene (12.104%), elemol (9.028%) and β-eudesmol (5.872%). Then, we evaluated the repellent activity, and also the effects in nutritional reserves and some biomarkers. This EO exhibited an insecticidal and repellent activity as a function of the exposure time and concentrations. Contact (LC50 at 24 h: 19.99 μL/mL) is the most effective mode of application compared to fumigation (LC50 at 24h: 174.30 μL/L air). S. molle EO was also investigated in digestive enzymes' activities (α-amylase, lipase, chitinase and protease). Our results revealed a decrease in both α-amylase, lipase, protease and chitinase activities in treated adults compared to controls. In addition, we noticed a neurotoxic activity of S. molle EO traduced by a decrease of AChE. An induction of the detoxification system was observed via a decrease in GSH rate and an increase in GST activity. Moreover, the treatment induces an alteration of biochemical profile of R. dominica adults. Lastly, essential oil was examined on nucleic acids. Results showed an increase in DNA and RNA amount in treated adults when compared with control. Due to their effective source of bioactive compounds, the EO from the studied plant could be used as an alternative strategy for the management of stored product pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characteristics of the digestive enzymes of the fifth instar larvae of the beet moth were determined to achieve a superior understanding of the digestive physiology of the pest. After dissecting the larval digestive tube, optimum acidity for the activity of α-amylase and α-glucosidase was obtained 8–9, and 8 for β-glucosidase, respectively. The optimum temperatures were 35 °C and 35–40 °C for α-amylase activity and for α- and β-glucosidase, respectively. The zymogram displayed the existence of three α-amylase isoforms in the digestive tract of this insect. The maximum activity of general protease was determined in the digestive tract of this pest using azocasein substrate in the pH range of 10–11. Furthermore, the optimum temperature was 35 °C for general protease. The metal ions including iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and copper at 5 and 10mM concentrations had a significant influence on the activity of α-amylase, α- and β-glucosidase, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase enzymes. Zymogram confirmed the significant inhibitory effect of PMSF and TLCK on the activity of serine proteases, especially trypsin. The results of this research have determined to some extent the digestive system physiology and the digestive enzymes activity range in S. ocellatella. Certainly, Study on the characteristics of digestive enzymes of beet moth can be the starting point for further studies on the use of enzyme inhibitors and the possibility of preparing new methods to control this key sugar beet pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digestive midgut protease activity in fifth instar larvae (L5) of Helicoverpa armigera was investigated under controlled conditions, where, an artificial diet containing different concentrations (0.005 µg/g - 0.3 µg/g) of Cry1Ac (Crystalline ä-endotoxin from class A, subclass c) toxin was fed. Here, the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton seeds were used as Cry1Ac toxin source that was determined using Envirologix ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) kit. The results showed an increase in the general midgut proteases as well as specific proteases activity linked to enzymes such as trypsin-, chymotrypsin-, elastase-, and leucine aminopeptidase-like with the increasing toxin content of the diet. However, carboxypeptidase-A and carboxypeptidase-B protease activity remained unaltered as a consequence of the incorporation of Cry1Ac toxin in the diet, which is also reported to be absent in midgut of H. armigera as evident in the control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]