Urinary and plasma metabolome of farm mink () after an intervention with raw or cooked poultry offal: a H NMR investigation.

The introduction of high amounts of cooked poultry offal in mink feed has been associated with health problems in growing mink. Cooking mink feed is a convenient way of reducing microbiological activity, but it may have a negative effect on raw material quality and animal welfare. This study investigates growth and health of mink fed raw or cooked poultry offal and describes urinary and blood plasma metabolic changes related to the feeding.

Zinc deficiency leads to reduced interleukin-2 production by active gene silencing due to enhanced CREMα expression in T cells.

Background & Aims: The micronutrient zinc is essential for proper immune function. Consequently, zinc deficiency leads to impaired immune function, as seen in decreased secretion of interleukin (IL)-2 by T cells. Although this association has been known since the late 1980s, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still unknown.

Influence of zinc supplementation on immune parameters in weaned pigs.

Zinc is an essential trace element, highly important for a well functioning immune system. In case of zinc deficiency, proper immune functions are not ensured thus leading to various diseases. Weaning of pigs from the sow causes stress, increasing susceptibility to infections.

Transport of valine across the small intestinal epithelium in pigs fed different valine levels and Bacillus subtilis.

Mutants of Bacillus subtilis overproducing valine (B. subtilis VAL) could be an approach to supply pigs dietary valine (Val). In the study, 18 gilts were fed: (i) negative diet with a standardized ileal digestible (SID) Val:Lys of 0.

Constitutive expression and activity of cytochrome P450 in conventional pigs.

Pigs have often been suggested to be a useful model for humans, when investigating CYP dependent events, like drug metabolism. However, comprehensive knowledge about the constitutive expression of the major CYP and corresponding transcription factors is limited. We compared the constitutive mRNA expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, constitutive androstane receptor and pregnane X receptor and CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2A, CYP2E1 and CYP3A in liver, adipose tissue, muscle and small intestine in pigs, as well as the expression along the length of the small intestine and colon.