The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of oregano, attapulgite, benzoic acid and their combination on broiler performance, microflora composition of jejunum and cecum, intestinal architecture and breast and thigh meat composition. A total of 400 one-day-old broiler chicks were used in a 42-day trial. They were randomly distributed into five treatments with four replicates of twenty chickens per pen: Control group; Attapulgite group; Oregano essential oil group; Benzoic acid group; Mixed group. At the end of the trial, total counts of bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacilli, and Clostridium perfringens were enumerated by real time PCR at both jejunum and cecum. Intestinal morphology was carried out in duodenum, jejunum and ileum, for villus height and crypt depth. Cell proliferation was also evaluated in the small intestine and the cecum. The results showed that oregano and benzoic acid improved some growth performance parameters. The combined use of the examined substances increased enterobacteria counts in the jejunum, and cell proliferation in the duodenum and the jejunum. Benzoic acid improved intestinal wall morphology in the ileum. In conclusion, the combined dietary supplementation with oregano, attapulgite and benzoic acid can be a novel tool to beneficially modulate broiler chickens performance.

Object: Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in children. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) comprise a superfamily of proteins that serve as molecular chaperones and are overexpressed in a wide range of human cancers. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the expression of HSP27 (pSer⁸²), HSP27 (pSer¹⁵), HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90-α, Akt, and phospho-Akt by multiplex bead array assay of MBs. The results of HSP and Akt expression were correlated with MB subtype; immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67 index, bcl-2, and p53; and patients' prognosis. Methods: The authors retrospectively evaluated 25 children with MB who underwent surgery. Immunohistochemical analysis of Ki-67, p53, and bcl-2 expression was performed in all cases. By using multiplex bead array assay, a simultaneous detection of HSP27 (pSer⁸²), HSP27 (pSer¹⁵), HSP40, HSP60, HSP70, HSP90-α, Akt, and phospho-Akt was performed. Results: Medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity had significantly lower HSP27 (pSer¹⁵) expression (p = 0.039) but significantly higher HSP60 expression (p = 0.021) than classic MB. Large-cell MB had significantly higher HSP70 expression (p = 0.028) than classic MB. No significant difference was found between HSP27 (pSer⁸²), HSP40, HSP90-α, Akt, or phospho-Akt expression and MB subtype. Large-cell MBs had significantly higher Ki-67 index compared with classic MBs (p = 0.033). When analyzing all MBs, there was a significant negative correlation between HSP27 (pSer¹⁵) and Ki-67 index (r = −0.475, p = 0.016); a significant positive correlation between HSP70 expression and Ki-67 index (r = 0.407, p = 0.043); and a significant positive correlation between HSP70 expression and bcl-2 index (r = 0.491, p = 0.023). Patients with large-cell MB had a worse survival than those with classic MB, but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.076). Conclusions: A substantial expression of several HSPs in MB was observed. Given that HSPs represent an attractive strategy for anticancer therapy, further studies, involving larger series of patients, are obviously necessary to clarify the relationship of HSPs with tumor aggressiveness and prognosis.

The Gram-negative bacterium Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) is known to cause clinical disease with severe economic impacts primarily in ducks and less frequently in geese and turkeys. RA was isolated and identified in broiler chickens, from a clinical case in a commercial broiler farm located in the southwest mainland of Greece. The morbidity and the mortality in the broiler house were estimated at 10% and 5% respectively. The observed clinical signs appeared at the age of 30 to 42 days with respiratory distress (dyspnea), white fluid feces and stunting. Post-mortem examinations displayed serositis, pericarditis, perihepatitis and airsacculitis. Edematous swelling around the tibio-tarsal joints was observed in some birds. Tissue samples from lesions were streaked on selective media. Three bacterial isolates were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Moreover, an antibiogram analysis was performed for the three RA strains, using a pattern of 16 common antibiotics to advocate the most effective drugs for a proper treatment. All the RA isolates were sensitive to ceftiofur, sulphamethoxazole–trimethoprim and amoxicillin, whereas all were resistant to gentamicin, tylosin, tetracyclin, colistin sulphate, spectinomycin, lincomycin and oxytetracycline.

The objective of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of essential oils of oregano, laurel and their combination on growth performance, intestinal microbiota and intestinal morphology as replacers of antibiotic growth promoters, as well as on the antioxidant capacity and mineral content of breast and thigh meat. A total of 256 day-old broiler chickens were randomized into 4 groups with 4 replicates. Control group received a basal corn-soybean diet, whereas the other experimental groups received the basal diet plus 25 mg/kg oregano essential oil, 2.5 mg/kg laurel essential oil or their combination, respectively. Chickens had free access to water and feed. Body weight gain and feed to gain ratio was calculated for the total fattening period and mortality was daily recorded. Intestinal microbiota was enumerated by conventional techniques with selective agar media at the end of the trial at both ileum and caecum. Also, evaluation of intestinal morphology was carried out in small intestine and caecum. At the end of the trial, birds were slaughtered, their carcasses were processed and samples of breast and thigh meat were analyzed for moisture, fat and protein content. Total phenolic content was determined in feeds and breast and thigh meat in order to assess its antioxidant capacity. Mineral content of breast and thigh meat was evaluated by ICP-MS. The results of the trial showed that the group that received oregano or the mixture of oregano and laurel presented better BW and FCR and mortality compared to control group. Bacterial counts for the Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria were higher in the experimental groups compared to the control group at both ileum and caecum, and total coliforms were lower in caecum in the experimental groups compared to control. Higher values for villus height were found for the oregano supplemented groups compared to control or laurel ones. Oregano supplemented groups showed higher antioxidant capacity of breast and thigh meat compared to control and laurel groups, however no changes in mineral content were noted among the different groups. In conclusion, oregano essential oil alone or as a mixture with laurel essential oil can be used to improve growth performance and gut health in broiler chickens.