👤 Niloufar Taherpour

Optimizing the use of dietary emulsifiers and prebiotics in relation to fat source may enhance nutrient-utilization efficiency in broiler production. This 42-d study evaluated the effects of an emulsifier (lysophospholipid; LPL) and inulin supplementation in diets with two fat sources on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, muscle fatty acid composition, digestive enzyme activity, and intestinal histomorphology. Eight hundred 1-d-old male broiler chickens were assigned to eight treatments in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with two fat sources (soybean oil or beef tallow), two LPL levels (0 or 1 g/kg), and two inulin levels (0 or 1 g/kg). Interactive effects were detected for fat source × inulin on average daily gain (ADG), mortality, and the European Production Index (EPI), with inulin addition to soybean-oil-based diets yielding superior growth and survival rates (P < 0.05). The LPL × inulin interaction increased feed intake and improved gain-to-feed ratio (P < 0.05). The fat source × LPL interaction significantly influenced lipid-metabolism-related traits (P < 0.05); in tallow-based diets, LPL supplementation increased fat digestibility and AMEn, reduced breast fat deposition, and improved the fatty acid profile of thigh muscle by elevating n-3 PUFA and lowering the n-6/n-3 ratio, whereas no significant effects occurred in soybean-oil-based diets. When interaction terms were not significant, LPL increased protease and lipase activities and improved duodenal villus height and surface area, whereas inulin increased protease activity, improved protein digestibility, and enhanced jejunal villus architecture (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LPL is particularly beneficial in tallow-based diets by enhancing lipid digestibility, energy utilization, and the thigh-muscle fatty acid profile, while inulin improves growth performance, especially in soybean-oil-based diets-offering a practical strategy to optimize broiler production. Show less

This study aimed to investigate the effects of GAA supplementation in diets differing in ME levels on productive performance, egg quality, blood parameters, yolk fatty acid profiles, hepatic expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, gut morphology, and nutrient digestibility in laying hens during their post-peak production phase. Over a 12-week period (52-64 weeks of age), 288 laying hens were randomly assigned to 6 treatments. Each treatment consisted of 8 replicates, with 6 hens per replicate. The experimental treatments were assigned in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, comprising 2 levels of dietary ME (a recommended level and a low level, the latter characterized by a 100 kcal/kg reduction in ME) and 3 levels of GAA supplementation (0, 0.6, and 1.2 g/kg). The results showed significant interaction effects (P < 0.05) between GAA supplementation and dietary ME levels on laying rate, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, crude protein digestibility, and AMEn. In hens fed the low-ME diet, GAA supplementation, particularly at 1.2 g/kg, significantly improved laying performance. Moreover, at both 0.6 and 1.2 g/kg under low-ME conditions, GAA significantly enhanced crude protein digestibility and AMEn. The low-ME diet was associated with decreased expression of key lipogenic genes, including sterol regulatory element-binding transcription factor 1 (SREBF1), acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), and fatty acid synthase (FAS), alongside increased expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1). Regardless of ME content, GAA supplementation linearly improved eggshell strength, enhanced the polyunsaturated-to-saturated fatty acid ratio in the yolk, elevated serum levels of creatine and total antioxidant capacity, improved intestinal morphology, and increased radical scavenging activity in the yolk (P < 0.05). Furthermore, GAA supplementation linearly increased the relative mRNA expression of several metabolic genes, including SREBF1, ACC, PPARα, and ApoB (P < 0.05). In conclusion, GAA supplementation enhanced productive performance in low-ME diets and exerted positive effects on egg characteristics and lipid metabolism, regardless of dietary ME content. Show less

Apolipoproteins are proposed to predict the status of CAD and its occurrence. The aim of this study was to assess the association between serum levels of apolipoproteins A-I, b100 and the ratio of Apo A-I/Apo b100 with the development and severity of premature coronary artery disease (PCAD). In this registry-based case-control study, patients under the age of 50 years with at least one coronary artery disease with stenosis ≥ 50% (PCAD group) were assessed and compared with patients without coronary artery involvement (normal group). The Gensini score considered to assess the CAD severity. The mean Apo A-I and Apo A-I/Apo b100 levels were higher in the control group, but Apo b100 was higher in the patient group (p < 0.05). Apo A-I and Apo A-I/Apo b100 ratio had a negative correlations (rho = -0.57, rho = -0.71, respectively) with the severity of PCAD based on the Gensini score. Apo b100 also had a positive correlation (rho = 0.67) with the severity of PCAD (p < 0.05). Apo A-I and Apo b100 were significantly associated with the occurrence of PCAD. Based on the results of multivariable analysis, with a 1 mg/dL increase in Apo A-I levels and Apo b100, the odds of PCAD decreased by 13% and increased by 31%, respectively. With a 1 mg/dL increase in apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein b100 levels, the odds of high Gensini score decreased by 7% and increased by 8%, respectively (p = 0.001). The use of serum apolipoproteins in patients with suspected PCAD can predict the occurrence of CAD and its severity. Show less