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The present study investigated the effects of phytoadditive carvacrol on growth performance, feed utilization, hematological, non-specific immune and serum biochemical parameters in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In trial, 240 rainbow trout which had average weight of 10.79 ± 0.57 was used. Fish were divided into four groups before being fed for 60 days with 0, 1 (C1), 3 (C3) or 5 (C5) g/kg of carvacrol. There were no particular differences in the growth performance, feed utilization, whole body composition, hematological parameters between the experimental group and the control group. However, as compared to control group, a significant increase of serum lysozyme activity was seen in groups receiving feed containing C3 and C5 groups after 30 days. The myeloperoxidase activity in groups (C1 and C3) was significantly higher on the 30th day of sampling. Myeloperoxidase activity of C5 treated group was significantly higher on the 60th day in comparison with the control group. Serum glucose levels significantly decreased on 60th day for C1, C3 and C5 treated groups. The serum total protein, globulin and triglyceride levels of C3 treated groups was significantly higher on the 60th day in comparison with the control and other carvacrol treated groups. The level of serum cholesterol in C5 treated groups was significantly lower on the 30th day in comparison with the control and other carvacrol treated groups. The results of the present study indicated that dietary supplementation of 3 g/kg of carvacrol in commercial diets could improve some non-specific and biochemical status in rainbow trout.

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Zinc deficiency may be suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis, control, and severity of asthma because of its antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and anti-inflammatory effects. We aimed to investigate whether there was any relationship between erythrocyte zinc levels and childhood asthma. The erythrocyte zinc levels of 67 asthmatic and 45 healthy children were analyzed in this case-control study. The mean concentrations of erythrocyte zinc were 1215.8 ± 145.1 µg/dl in asthma patients and 1206.9 ± 119.5 µg/dl in controls with no significant difference (P = 0.472). The erythrocyte zinc level was below 1,000 µg/dl in 6 asthmatic patients (8.9%) and 2 control group patients (4.4%). There was no relationship between erythrocyte zinc levels and duration of follow-up, severity, and control of the asthma (P > 0.05). On the other hand, patients hospitalized for an asthma attack had significantly lower erythrocyte zinc levels compared with nonhospitalized patients and the control group (P = 0.000 and P = 0.004 respectively). This study's findings indicate that asthmatic children are not a risk group for zinc deficiency. We emphasize that checking zinc levels in children who are hospitalized for an asthma attack may be useful.

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In this study, carob (Ceratonia siliqua) syrup was supplemented in the diet of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), and its effects on growth performance, immunological and serum biochemical parameters, gene expression responses and ammonia resistance of the fish were investigated. Carob syrup was added to the fish diet in ratios of 0%, 5%, 2.5%, 1.25% and 0.625%, such that five different diets were prepared: control, Cerat5000, Cerat2500, Cerat1250 and Cerat625 respectively. The fish were fed with experimental diets for 60 days. The survival rate of fish fed with 5% carob syrup decreased compared with all other experimental groups. Thus, this study found that feeding tilapia fish with 1.25% carob syrup for 60 days increased gene expression responses, some innate immune parameters and ammonia resistance of the fish without negative effects on growth performance or serum biochemical variables.

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