Biomedical subjects

M Kirchgessner

Publications and source records attributed to M Kirchgessner.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

Influence of alimentary zinc deficiency on the concentration of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin in the serum of force-fed rats.

The study described here investigates the influence of a specific alimentary Zn deficiency on the concentration of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin in the serum of force-fed rats. For this purpose 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats with an average bodyweight of 108 g were divided into 2 groups of 12 animals each. The Zn-deficient group and the control group received for 12 days a semi-synthetic casein diet with a Zn content of 1.3 and 25 ppm respectively. In order to prevent the reduced feed intake which occurs in Zn deficiency and the associated energy and protein shortage from interfering with the experimental parameters, all animals were fed 4 times daily by gastric tube. This made it possible to supply all animals with adequate-nutrients and to synchronise the feed intake exactly. After 12 days the depleted rats were in a severe state of Zn deficiency, as demonstrated by the reduction of Zn in the serum and the femur by 62% and 44% respectively and the 70% lower serum activity of alkaline phosphatase. In the Zn-deficient rats the concentration of GH in the serum was significantly increased by 78%, while IGF-1 and insulin were significantly reduced by 28% and 25% respectively. It is thought that the growth depression observed in the Zn-deficient rats in this study despite their identical feed intake is probably due to a reduced concentration of IGF-I and insulin and that the biological activity or the binding of GH to receptors is impaired in specific alimentary Zn deficiency.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1994

Effect of dietary fish oil on serum lipids and lipoproteins of rats fed diets differing in cholesterol and fat.

The investigation was attempted to clarify the effects of fish oil on the concentration of lipids in serum and lipoproteins in rats fed diets differing in cholesterol and fat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on low-fat/high-fat diets without and with 1.5% cholesterol (base diets) for 28 days. Half of each group was then switched to a fish oil diet for 20 days with 5.6% fish oil for exchange of coconut oil and beef tallow. Total cholesterol in rat serum was increased following feeding high amounts of dietary cholesterol. This increase was due to raised VLDL and LDL cholesterol. Rats fed the high-cholesterol/high-fat diet had lower HDL cholesterol concentration than groups fed the other base diets. Dietary fish oil lowered serum and lipoprotein cholesterol, even in the presence of dietary cholesterol. In rats fed the high-fat/cholesterol-free diet triglyceride levels in total serum and VLDL were higher than in rats fed the other base diets. The hypertriglyceridemia in rats was diminished fed dietary cholesterol. Serum triglyceride concentration was markedly lowered by fish oil, whereas, this effect reached significance only using cholesterol-free diets. This was mainly associated with a reduction in VLDL triglycerides. Fish oil lowered HDL triglycerides only in rats fed the low-fat diet without cholesterol. Lipid components in the base diets did not influence serum and LDL phospholipids. Rats fed the high-fat/cholesterol-free diet had a higher VLDL phospholipid level than the other base groups. Irrespective of the base diet, phospholipid levels in serum and lipoproteins were markedly reduced by dietary fish oil. In conclusion, this study suggests that other dietary lipids should be considered when examining the hypolipemic effect of fish oil.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMed1994

[Concentration of different fatty acids in the liver and brain of rats after insufficient zinc supply].

36 male rats with a life mass of 48 +/- 2 g were distributed among a depletion, a pair fed and an ad libitum control group. The depletion animals were fed with a Zn-deficient diet having a Zn content of 1 mg/kg. For the control and pair fed animals the diet was substituted with 70 mg Zn/kg diet. The duration of the treatment was 20 days. As parameters the concentrations of different fatty acids in liver and brain was determined. The concentrations of the determined fatty acids in the liver were influenced markedly by the food consumption and in a smaller extent by the Zn supply. In the brain the concentrations of 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3, 20:0, 22:0, 22:4, 22:6, 24:0 and 24:1 were higher in Zn-depleted animals in comparison to the ad libitum control animals. The contents of these fatty acids were usually between the two groups. The concentration of the residual fatty acids were not different between the treatment groups.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1994

[The effect of avilamycin and tylosin on the apparent digestibility of iron, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium in the beginning and ending performance of swine].

In two metabolism trials with growing and finishing pigs the effect of the antibiotic feed additives Avilamycin and Tylosin on the apparent digestibility of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se was investigated. The feed additives were supplied to the diet in levels of 40 ppm (growing pigs) and 20 ppm (finishing pigs) each. Dietary contents of Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and Se covered the requirements of all treatment groups. Avilamycin and Tylosin increased the apparent digestibility by 4 (Fe), 4 (Zn), 5 (Cu), 2 (Mn) and 2 (Se) percentage units on an average.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1994

[Age and sex dependent variation in the content of Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn in different body parts and their retention in fattening pigs].

The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn were determined in meat, inner organs, blood and residual carcass in a total of 24 barrows and gilts of 60 kg and 100 kg of live weight, respectively. the finisher diet contained 192 ppm Fe, 113 ppm Zn, 18 ppm Cu and 65 ppm Mn with, as calculated, a great proportion originating from the mineral supplement. During growth, the contents of Fe, Cu and Mn were significantly reduced. No sex differences occurred. In the lean meat of the 100 kg pigs, common values accounting for 1.1 mg Fe, 2.8 mg Zn and 0.05 mg Cu per 100 g were analyzed. The manganese concentration of 0.01 mg per 100 g, however, was considerably lower as the corresponding figure from nutrient tables. In the finishing period, the animals retained per animal and day about 18 mg Fe, 15 mg Zn and 0.2 mg Cu. Mn retention was not significantly different from zero. The low utilization rates calculated from these data can be partly explained by the moderately excessive supply in this fattening period. In order to reduce the trace element load of the soils, a considerably lower tolerance of excessive trace element contents in finisher diets has to be developed.

Aging↗

PubMed1994

[Marginal copper and iron requirements of pigs. 1. Effect on hematological parameters, enzyme and copper and iron concentrations in various tissues].

The objective of the present study was to investigate physiological effects of a marginal copper and iron supply on pigs. Therefore an experiment was conducted with 4 x 12 growing pigs of the crossbreed Pietrain x Deutsche Landrasse. The animals were fed for a period of 119 days with a diet poor of copper (1.5 mg Cu/kg diet) and/or poor of iron (35 mg Fe/kg diet). Control animals were supplied adequately with copper (4.8 mg Cu/kg diet) and iron (85 mg Fe/kg diet). The diet was given according to weight. After reaching an average weight of 102.6 +/- 3.5 kg the animals were slaughtered. Due to the activity of the coerulplasmin and katalase enzyme and the haematological parameters, the supply of copper and iron could be classified as marginal. There was no interaction between copper deficiency and iron metabolism. The protein metabolism was unchanged. Low copper intake reduced the copper concentrations in serum, liver, muscle and backfat, and low iron intake reduced the iron concentration in serum, liver and muscle. Marginal copper and iron supply had no relevant effect on either food intake and growth performance or carcass characteristics and meat quality.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed1994

Dietary fat influences the effect of zinc deficiency on liver lipids and fatty acids in rats force-fed equal quantities of diet.

Previous studies showed that zinc deficiency influences the fatty acid composition of rat tissues, but the influence of dietary fat on the effects of zinc deficiency was not considered at that time. The present study was therefore conducted to investigate the effect of zinc deficiency on lipid concentrations in the liver and on fatty acid composition of liver phospholipids in rats fed diets containing coconut oil or fish oil, using a bifactorial experimental design. To ensure an adequate food intake all rats were force-fed. The zinc-deficient rats fed the coconut oil diet developed fatty livers, whereas zinc-deficient animals fed the fish oil diet did not. The zinc-deficient rats in both dietary fat groups had lower levels of linoleic acid, arachidonic acid and total (n-6) fatty acids in the liver phospholipids, especially in the phosphatidylcholine, but greater concentrations of (n-3) fatty acids compared with zinc-adequate controls. We conjecture that zinc deficiency influences incorporation of polyunsaturated fatty acids into phosphatidylcholine. The lower levels of arachidonic acid are replaced in the zinc-deficient animals fed a coconut oil diet by docosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids and in the zinc-deficient animals fed a fish oil diet by eicosapentaenoic acid. The replacement of arachidonic acid by other fatty acids in the phospholipids is likely to have implications for prostaglandin synthesis. The study shows that the type of dietary fat influences the effects of zinc deficiency on fatty acid composition and especially on lipid concentrations in the liver.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Interactions of cobalt and iron in absorption and retention.

The effects of supplementary oral cobalt and iron, as well as the interaction between both at the absorption site, fecal and urinary excretion as well as the retention of these trace elements were determined by using four diets containing either 9 or 63 micrograms/kg of Co and 48 or 446 mg/kg of Fe over a period of 19 days in a total of 24 rats. Retention was calculated by the balance technique and by the comparative slaughter technique. After one day, fecal as well as urinary excretion of both elements had already responded to the dietary treatments, with constant values being reached after approximately three days. Cobalt excretion was enhanced by supplementary cobalt; fecal excretion, too, was increased by supplementary iron; whereas urinary excretion was decreased in both cases. Additional iron significantly inhibited the absorption of cobalt in both dietary cobalt treatments. The lower rate of absorption in the groups receiving 446 mg Fe instead of 48 mg of Fe per kg diet resulted in a decreased renal excretion of cobalt. Consequently, the effect of iron on the retention of cobalt was lower than on absorption. This suggests that interactions between the two elements only take place at the site of absorption. Because of the low dietary cobalt concentration as compared to the iron contents of the diets, no effect of cobalt on iron absorption and excretion occurred. Differences in iron balance were only observed between both dietary concentrations, showing a higher absolute but a lower relative absorption as well as retention in the groups fed further Fe.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1994

The effect of zinc deficiency on erythrocyte membrane lipids of force-fed rats receiving a diet containing coconut oil or fish oil.

In the present study, the effect of zinc deficiency on erythrocyte membrane lipids of force-fed rats that received either a diet with coconut oil and safflower oil (86:14, w/w) or a diet with fish oil and safflower oil (91:9, w/w) was investigated. Zinc deficiency caused in the rats fed both types of dietary fat an increase in the amounts of total phospholipids and individual phospholipid classes in erythrocyte membranes. In the rats fed the coconut oil diet, zinc deficiency caused an increase in the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) in phosphatidylcholine (PC), diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), and in total erythrocyte membrane fatty acids. In contrast, in the rats fed the fish oil diet, zinc deficiency caused an increase in the proportion of docosahexaenoic acid only in PC, but not in the other phospholipids. However, in these rats, changes in the ratio between eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5) and the n-3 fatty acids with 20 and 22 carbon atoms were observed in PC, diacyl PE and plasmalogen PE. The most pronounced changes in fatty acid composition due to zinc deficiency in the rats fed both types of fat occurred in PC. There was a relationship between the changes in the composition of plasma total fatty acids and the changes in fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane PC caused by zinc deficiency in the rats fed both types of dietary fat. The amount of cholesterol was similar in all treatment groups. However, zinc-deficient rats fed the coconut oil diet-but not those fed the fish oil diet-had an increased ratio between total phospholipids and cholesterol. Thus, the study shows that the effect of zinc deficiency on erythrocyte membrane lipids is to some degree similar for rats fed a coconut oil diet and rats fed a fish oil diet, and to some degree different.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Studies on the extraction of phospholipids from erythrocyte membranes in the rat.

The effects of choice of solvent and period of extraction on recovery of phospholipid classes extracted from rat erythrocyte membranes were investigated. For extraction of phosphatidylserine (PS) the best recovery was achieved using chloroform-methanol (2:1, v/v), for diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) acetone-isopropanol (3:2, v/v), and for extraction of plasmalogen PE, phosphatidylcholine (PC) and sphingomyelin (SM) using hexane-isopropanol (3:2, v/v). Using hexane-isopropanol (3:2, v/v), boiling during the extraction increased the recovery of some of the individual phospholipid classes whereas mechanical treatment of the sample had only a slight effect. Furthermore, the fatty acid composition of PS and PE varied most with different extraction conditions and the phospholipid classes PC and SM were extracted more readily from rat erythrocyte membranes than PS, diacyl and plasmalogen PE.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

[The effect of unsaturated dietary fatty acids on the distribution of cholesterol in individual lipoprotein fractions and on serum lipids of rats].

In six groups of nine young Sprague-Dawley rats each, the coconut fat used in the basal diet (group I) was replaced to 60% by pure oleic acid (group II) or linoleic acid (group III), respectively, by 0.6% of alpha-linolenic acid (IV), eicosatrienoic acid (V) and eicosapentaenoic acid (VI). A 60% replacement of the coconut fat in the basal diet by pure oleic acid, respectively, by 0.6% of eicosapentaenoic acid or eicosatrienoic acid significantly decreased the total cholesterol concentration in serum by 21% (HDL -28%; LDL -15%; VLDL -48%), respectively, 19% (HDL -12%; LDL -42%; VLDL +69%) or 15% (HDL -11%; LDL -21%) and the total free cholesterol concentration by 22% (HDL -27%), respectively, 41% (HDL -31%; LDL -66%) or 23% (HDL -21%; LDL -31%). The substitution of the coconut fat by 60% oleic acid or 0.6% alpha-linoleic acid had no influence on the total and total free cholesterol concentration in serum, though in the LDL-fraction a significant decrease of cholesterol could always be found. The concentrations of free fatty acids in serum were not influenced by the unsaturated dietary fatty acids while the phospholipid concentration was reduced by linoleic acid (-15%) and by eicosapentaenoic acid (-18%). The triglyceride content in serum was decreased by linoleic acid (-29%) and by eicosatrienoic acid (-25%).

Animals↗

PubMed1993

[The effect of zinc depletion on the fat content and fatty acid composition of the liver and brain in forcibly fed rats].

In the present work the influence of zinc deficiency on fat content and fatty acid composition of liver and fatty acid composition of brain of rats with a high food intake was investigated. Using the force-feeding technique the rats were fed 14.5 g food daily at days 1 to 4, and then 11.6 g food for later days. After 7 days the zinc-deficient animals had a fatty liver which was characterized by an increase in fat content (68%) and dry matter (23%). The amounts of lauric acid, myristic acid, myristoleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, and oleic acid were also increased by 100 to 200% in the liver of zinc-deficient animals, whereas the amount of arachidonic acid was decreased by 29%. The amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine in the liver were not changed by zinc deficiency, but the fatty acid composition of these phospholipids was changed. The liver phospholipids of zinc-deficient animals had a decreased proportion of arachidonic acid, but an increased proportion of docosahexaenoic acid. In the zinc-deficient animals there also existed a positive correlation between the fat content in the liver and the ratio between linoleic and arachidonic acid in the liver and a negative correlation between the fat content in the liver and the amount of arachidonic acid in the liver. These correlations as well as the changes in liver fatty acid composition of zinc-deficient animals suggest that the fatty liver might be the result of a disturbed metabolism of linoleic acid. In contrast, zinc deficiency did not influence the fatty acid composition of brain. This means that brain is protected against the effects of short-term zinc deficiency.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1993

[The effect of palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids on thermogenesis in the model experiment in sows].

An animal model experiment was conducted with nine adult sows to study the effects of long-chain fatty acids on thermogenesis when different fatty acids were replaced for 30% of the energy of a basal diet based on cereals and soybean meal. The acids were fed as commercial products containing as main constituent either palmitic acid, oleic acid, or linoleic acid, according to a latin square design in experimental periods 2 to 4. In periods 1 and 5 the sows were submitted to basal diet alone. Digestibility of palmitic acid was only 36%, whereas the unsaturated fatty acids were highly absorbed (90%). Interaction effects of the undigested proportion of the long-chain fatty acids with the basal diet in hindgut fermentation could be ruled out since a supplementary experiment on three sows showed no influence of infusion of oleic or linoleic acid into the caecum on the energy utilization of the basal diet. There was no significant differences in thermogenesis among the fatty acids. Heat production in the treatment periods averaged -1.2% as compared to the basal diet periods. This result was in accordance with the value -1.0% calculated theoretically for the reduction in heat production in the treatment periods. Thus, the data did not indicate any stimulating effect of long-chain fatty acids on heat production, and utilization of energy of fatty acids occurred within the obligatory thermogenesis.

Absorption↗

PubMed1993

[Estimation of the zinc requirement for broilers using their ability for selective zinc absorption and by dose-response relations].

Broiler chicks are able to select an adequate dietary Zn-concentration in choice-feeding. The zinc requirement should be ascertained by this method of self-selection. 72 day-old chicks were divided into 9 groups and were kept over 5 weeks in individual cages. By gradually supplementing ZnSO4.7H2O to a semisynthetic basal diet with isolated soybean protein 5 diets were made with Zn-concentrations of 14, 22, 30, 38 and 50 ppm, which respectively were fed to one group. The four other groups had to choose between two rations: 14/38; 14/50; 22/38; 22/50. Selective zinc intake was represented by a significant increase of dietary zinc concentration compared to random selection (mean of both diets). Feed intake, zinc intake and weight gain were measured daily and the end total feed consumption, live weight, feed conversion rate, plasma-zinc concentration and plasma-zinc binding capacity at the end of the experiment. In comparison optimal dietary zinc levels were estimated by dose-response relations, both by sigmoid growth curves and by broken-line model. With 30 ppm Zn chickens reached a high fattening level with daily weight gains of 60 g. Feed intake and growth rate were markedly reduced at a dosage of 14 and 22 ppm Zn, feed conversion rate was tendentially decreased below a level of about 34 ppm, whereas above zinc binding capacity reached a plateau. Birds self-selected a dietary zinc level of 32 ppm, which were adequate for the criteria feed intake and weight gains. Zinc requirements of about 40 ppm were assessed by conventional methods.

Absorption↗

PubMed1993

[Digestion, growth and body composition of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) after feeding different starch varieties].

Maize starch (treatment I), pregelatinized maize starch (II), wheat starch (III), pregelatinized wheat starch (IV), potato starch (V) or manioc meal (VI) were mixed in portions of 41% (I-V) or 46.7% (VI) to a basal diet. Each experimental diet was fed to 33 carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) (three aquaria with 11 carp each) in a daily amount of 1.8-2.0% of live weight. The experiment lasted 118 days and the carp had a mean live weight of 146 g at the beginning. The diets I-IV had a similar, high energy digestibility of about 90%, whereas the diet with potato starch and the diet with manioc meal significantly lowered the digestibility of the energy to 85% or 87%. The growth and the feed expenditure were not influenced by the different starches. The carp had a mean final weight of 520 g. All carcasses had, on average, a content of ash, protein, fat and energy of 2.8%, 15.7%, 9.4% and 7.4 kJ per g fresh matter. However, potato starch and manioc meal distinctly reduced the energy retention in comparison to maize and wheat starch (diet I or III) because the contents of dry matter, fat and energy of the carcasses of these carp were significantly lowered.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1993

[Lowering of the nitrogen excretion in swine].

Because of the low efficiency of N utilisation, animal husbandry is the main contributor of N pollution into environment within agricultural production systems. Possible solutions are to regulate the fertilizing and animal stocking rate per hectare as well as improving the efficiency of N utilisation in animal nutrition. Production of pig manure is determined by the kind of animal production, feeding level, performance level and N intake. Increasing performance improves nutrient utilisation which in turn reduces the amount of manure and manure-N per production unit. N intake especially influences N excretion. Therefore feeding in exact relation to the requirement is most important for an ecological pig husbandry. The proportion of the easily soluble urinary N to faecal N can be lowered by diet composition, mainly by higher amounts of bacterial fermentable substances. Thereby the ecological quality of manure is improved. Lowering of excessive N excretion in pigs via feeding measures is possible in two ways, (1) by exact adaptation of the protein supply in agreement with the changing requirements and (2) by improving the dietary amino acid balance. In the first case N excretion in fattening pigs and sows can be reduced up to 12%. In the second case lowering dietary protein and supplementation with crystalline amino acids diminished N emission up to 40% to 50%, practically achievable are under present conditions about 20%.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1993

[The nutritive efficiency of Bacillus cereus as a probiotic in the raising of piglets. 1. Effect on the growth parameters and gastrointestinal environment].

In an experiment with 4 x 12 piglets the probiotic effect of the Bacillus cereus strain FH 1457 S on the performance and changes in the gastrointestinal tract was studied. Beside a negative control the feed was supplemented with 10(7), 10(8) and 10(9) CFU Bacillus cereus/kg. The experiment included two feeding periods, whereby in the first a prestarter and in the second a piglet rearing feed was administrated ad libitum with the animals kept individually in cages. Over the whole feeding trial the piglets with the additions of 10(7), 10(8) und 10(9) CFU Bacillus cereus/kg feed showed higher daily weight gains of 9.5%, 11.1% and 8.6% with an increased feed consumption of 11.1%, 11.0% and 7.9%. The feed conversion rate was not influenced by the additions. In the first period daily weight gains were increased by 8.9%, 14.7% and 7.8%, the feed consumption in this period was 10.2%, 12.1% and 7.2% higher than in the control group. The addition of 10(8) CFU Bacillus cereus had a significantly higher daily weight gain in the first period compared to the control and the feed conversion rate was improved by 2.4%. In the second period the daily weight gains were increased by 9.9%, 8.9% and 9.1%, the feed consumption by 11.4%, 10.5% and 8.8% because of Bacillus cereus addition to the feed. The frequency of diarrhea was not influenced by the treatments. In each Bacillus cereus dosage the concentrations of ammonia, lactate and volatile fatty acids in small intestine contents were mostly diminished. In caecum contents the concentrations of acetic and propionic acid were decreased in the groups supplemented with Bacillus cereus.

Ammonia↗

PubMed1993

[The nutritive effect of Bacillus cereus as a probiotic in the raising of piglets. 2. Effect and microbial count, composition and resistance determination of gastrointestinal and fecal microflora].

After a feeding trial of 42 days with 4 x 12 piglets 4 x 6 piglets were slaughtered and the influence of spores of the Bacillus cereus strain FH 1457 S added to the feed on the microorganism counts of Lactobacillus/Bifidobacterium, Eubacteria, Bacteroidaceae, E. coli, Enterococcus and passants (Bacillus cereus) in duodenum, jejunum, ileum, caecum and colon was investigated. Beside a negative control the feed was supplemented with 10(7), 10(8) and 10(9) CFU Bacillus cereus/kg. The feeding trial included two periods each of 21 days. In each period faeces was collected from all animals and the influence on the microorganism counts and also the frequency of resistance of the E. coli and Enterococcus germs against selected antibiotics and chemotherapeutics investigated. The addition of 10(8) CFU Bacillus cereus decreased E. coli counts in duodenum and jejunum, however increased them in ileum, caecum and colon. In the highest dosage the counts of Bacillus cereus in duodenum, caecum, colon and faeces were significantly higher. The addition of Bacillus cereus reduced the counts of E. coli and Enterococcus in faeces in the first period. In the second period the dosage 10(8) CFU showed significant increased counts of E. coli and the sums of microorganisms of the main and satellite flora. The additions had no influence on the frequency of resistance of E. coli and enterococci against the tested antibiotics and synthetic chemotherapeutics. From the addition of Bacillus cereus in this case a selection of factors influencing resistance is not to be expected.

Animal Feed↗