This experiment was conducted to determine the optimum level of green tea by-product (GTB) in diets without antibiotics and to evaluate its effect on broiler performances. A total of 140 Ross broilers were kept in battery cages for a period of 6 weeks. Dietary treatments used in this experiment were antibiotic free group (basal diet as a control), antibiotic added group (basal+0.05% chlortetracycline), GTB 0.5% (basal+GTB 0.5%), GTB 1% (basal+GTB 1%) and GTB 2% (basal+GTB 2%). Antibiotic added group showed significantly higher body weight gain than other treatments (p<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in feed intake and feed efficiency among treatments (p>0.05). The addition of green tea by-product to diets tended to decrease blood LDL cholesterol content compared to control group although there were no significant differences among treatments (p>0.05). Addition of green tea by-product increased docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in blood plasma and tended to decrease cholesterol content in chicken meat, but a significant difference was not observed (p>0.05). The values of TBA in chicken meat decreased in groups fed diets with green tea-by product and antibiotics compared to control group (p<0.05). The crude protein content in chicken meat was decreased slightly in treatments with green tea by-product and antibiotics supplementation. The abdominal fat was increased in chickens fed with diets with green tea by-product compared to the control (p<0.05).

well. Recent studies demonstrated that about 2.5 million cubic tons of dried tea is manufactured annually, of this total, approximately 20% is consumed in Asian countries including China, Korea and Japan. Some studies have been performed with animal models, mostly with rodents, to get a better understanding of the effects of green tea components on living organisms (Yang and Wang, 1993;Dreosti et al., 1997). Current studies informed that green tea and catechins, the main components of green tea, have many physiological and biochemical functions including antioxidant and antimutagenic effects (Yen and Chen, 1995;Kuroda and Tomita, 1999). Grimble (1998) reported that green tea had effects to reduce the serum and liver cholesterol levels in the rat. Yamane et al. (1999) reported that green tea extracts included in the diet improved egg quality profiles in a short-term experiment. Also in a longterm feeding study of green tea powder for laying hens had favorable effects on egg quality traits such as thick albumen stability without adverse effect on laying performance (Biswas et al., 2000). Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of green tea powder on laying performance and egg composition of layers as a reference to recommend the optimum dietary level of green tea powder for egg-laying hens.

Nitric Oxide (NO) is a small molecule gasotransmitter synthesized by nitric oxide synthase in almost all types of mammalian cells. NO is synthesized by NO synthase by conversion of l-arginine to l-citrulline in the human body. NO then stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase, from which various physiological functions are mediated in a concentration-dependent manner. High concentrations of NO induce apoptosis or antibacterial responses whereas low NO circulation leads to angiogenesis. The bidirectional effect of NO has attracted considerable attention, and efforts to deliver NO in a controlled manner, especially through polymeric carriers, has been the topic of much research. This naturally produced signaling molecule has stood out as a potentially more potent therapeutic agent compared to exogenously synthesized drugs. In this review, we will focus on past efforts of using the controlled release of NO via polymer-based materials to derive specific therapeutic results. We have also added studies and our future suggestions on co-delivery methods with other gasotransmitters as a step towards developing multifunctional carriers.

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The experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of Alisma canaliculatum with probiotics (ACP) on the growth performance, meat composition, oxidative stability, and fatty acid composition of broiler meat. Sixteen probiotic strains were tested for their levels of acid, bile, and heat tolerance. Among them, Lactobacillus acidophilus KCTC 3111, Enterococcus faecium KCTC 2022, Bacillus subtilis KCTC 3239, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae KCTC 7928 were selected for use in ACP. Exactly 140 Ross broiler chicks were assigned to four dietary treatments in five replications for 5 wks in a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments were NC (Negative control; basal diet), PC (Positive control; basal diet with 0.005% Chlortetracycline), ACP-0.5% (basal diet with 0.5% ACP powder), and ACP-1% (basal diet with 1% ACP powder). According to the results, body weight of the broilers increased, and feed conversion ratio improved in the ACP-0.5% group compared to the NC group (p<0.05). Crude protein content of breast meat was higher (p<0.05) in the ACP-0.5% group, whereas crude fat content of thigh meat was lower (p<0.05) in the supplemented groups. Breast meat absolute and relative weights were both higher (p<0.05) in the ACP groups compared to the control group. Further, ACP diets increased gizzard and decreased large intestine relative weights, whereas kidney relative weight decreased upon the addition of a higher level (1%) of ACP (p<0.05). Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of breast and thigh meats were reduced (p<0.05) by ACP supplementation compared to control. Regarding the fatty acid composition of breast meat, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, PUFA, and n6 fatty acid levels decreased (p<0.05) in the ACP groups, whereas the levels of linoleic acid, PUFA, PUFA/SFA, and n6 fatty acid in thigh meat decreased (p<0.05) by ACP and PC diets. It can be suggested based on the study results that ACP-0.5% diet could be an effective feed additive for broilers.