ObjectivesTo describe the safety of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 in people with inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (I-RMD).MethodsPhysician-reported registry of I-RMD and non-inflammatory RMD (NI-RMDs) patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. From 5 February 2021 to 27 July 2021, we collected data on demographics, vaccination, RMD diagnosis, disease activity, immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive treatments, flares, adverse events (AEs) and SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections. Data were analysed descriptively.ResultsThe study included 5121 participants from 30 countries, 90% with I-RMDs (n=4604, 68% female, mean age 60.5 years) and 10% with NI-RMDs (n=517, 77% female, mean age 71.4). Inflammatory joint diseases (58%), connective tissue diseases (18%) and vasculitis (12%) were the most frequent diagnostic groups; 54% received conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), 42% biological DMARDs and 35% immunosuppressants. Most patients received the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine (70%), 17% AstraZeneca/Oxford and 8% Moderna. In fully vaccinated cases, breakthrough infections were reported in 0.7% of I-RMD patients and 1.1% of NI-RMD patients. I-RMD flares were reported in 4.4% of cases (0.6% severe), 1.5% resulting in medication changes. AEs were reported in 37% of cases (37% I-RMD, 40% NI-RMD), serious AEs in 0.5% (0.4% I-RMD, 1.9% NI-RMD).ConclusionThe safety profiles of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in patients with I-RMD was reassuring and comparable with patients with NI-RMDs. The majority of patients tolerated their vaccination well with rare reports of I-RMD flare and very rare reports of serious AEs. These findings should provide reassurance to rheumatologists and vaccine recipients and promote confidence in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine safety in I-RMD patients.

A rapid development in the potential use of phytogenic feed additives has occurred mainly due to the 2006 EU ban on the use of antimicrobial substances as growth stimulators; however, they are also used as sensory, technological additives or substances positively affecting the quality of animal products. The use of phytogenic additives in form of extracts, predominantly essential oils, has been tested in a number of animal species; however, there is still a lack of scientific findings on the safety and efficacy of their use, or on their effect on the quality of animal products. The aim of this review was to sum up current scientific knowledge on phytogenic additives in animal nutrition.

Selenium has been known for two centuries and its biological activities have been studied for nearly a hundred years, however the problem of Se deficit has still been persisting both in humans and animals. The cause of Se deficit in animals may be low Se level in soil. This mainly applies to cattle and sheep with their direct link to soil via roughage. The risk of Se deficit in pigs and poultry is lower due to lower dependence on soil Se level in the region and Se fortification in feed mixes. The present research focuses on the effects of Se on meat and egg quality, antioxidant activity of Se, effects on fatty acid levels, activity of glutathione-peroxidase, or the effect of Se on the immune system. Ensuring natural Se supply in human nutrition by food of animal origin, mainly poultry meat and eggs (the "functional foods"), is another area to which extensive attention has recently been paid.

Blahová J., R. Dobšíková, E. Straková, P. Suchý: Effect of Low Environmental Temperature on Performance and Blood System in Broiler Chickens (Gallus domesticus). Acta Vet. Brno 2007, 76: S17-S23.The aim of this study was to assess the effect of low environmental temperature on growth, feed conversion, performance and selected biochemical and haematological indicators in broiler chickens. The decrease in air temperature since the 22 nd day of growth influenced significantly (p < 0.05) the level of total proteins, uric acid, phosphorus (in female broiler chickens), glucose (in male broiler chickens), haemoglobin (in female broiler chickens) and liver weight (in male broiler chickens). The temperature influenced significantly (p < 0.01) the level of triiodothyronine, haemoglobin (in male broiler chickens), haematocrit, abdominal fat content (in male broiler chickens), and heart weight too. The results have clearly confirmed that during growth, the decrease in environmental temperature (cold stress) negatively influenced some indices of performance and blood system in broiler chickens. Poultry, ambient temperature, stress, biochemical and haematological indicators, carcass efficiencyThe changes in environmental temperature below and above the thermal comfort zone have a negative effect on bird performance. Broiler chicken is a homeotherm that can live comfortably only in a relatively narrow zone of thermoneutrality. Both low and high temperatures act in a negative way. Low environmental temperature increases feed intake and decreases body weight gain and feed efficiency, thus negatively influencing the performance of broiler chickens. As Manning and Wyatt (1990) proved, broiler chickens adapted more easily to lower than to higher temperature. The optimal temperature range for efficient production for broiler chickens over 4 weeks of age is 18 -21˚C (Aengwanich and Simaraks 2004).Shinder et al. (2002) reported that short-term cold conditioning of chickens at an early age could induce an improvement either in thermotolerance during cold challenge or in performance of chickens exposed to an optimal environmental temperature.The increase in energy requirement as a result of exposure to low environmental temperature implies neccessary changes in the cardiovascular system to accommodate the energy needs. Thus, increases in haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, blood volume, liver and heart muscle weight have been observed in broiler chickens and turkeys exposed to low environmental temperature (Yahav et al. 1996;Yahav 2002). Yahav et al. (1997) reported linear relationship between haematocrit and heart weight under constant temperature. The observed relationship indicates an adaptation of heart mass to the changes in work load associated with the changes in blood flow resistance. Cahaner and Leenstra (1992) documented that abdominal fat content was affected by environmental temperature. In cooler environment, more energy was dissipated as heat and thus fat accumulation was decreased.Plasma triiodothyronine (T 3 ...

Abstract. The present paper explores amino acid composition of breast and thigh muscles of common pheasant and compares it with that in broiler chickens. The experimental feeding of both pheasant and broiler chickens proceeded for a period of 42 days at the identical conditions employing the same diet and rearing technology. Muscles were analysed for the content of following amino acids: Asp, Thr, Ser, Glu, Pro, Gly, Ala, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Tyr, Phe, His, Lys, and Arg. The results show that the levels of most amino acids in thigh and breast muscles of pheasants (related to dry matter content) were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) than those in broiler chickens. In 42-day-old birds, the levels of individual amino acids in breast muscles (related to 100% of dry matter content) ranged from 8.02 to 127.32 g . kg-1 in pheasant chickens and from 19.77 to 110.33 g . kg-1 in broiler chickens while the corresponding average values in thigh muscles ranged from 14.77 g . kg-1 to 132.77 g . kg-1 in pheasant chickens and from 14.02 g . kg-1 to 93.53 g . kg-1 in broiler chickens. One interesting finding is that in the case of broiler chickens the levels of most amino acids in breast muscles were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.01) than those in thigh muscles. In the case of pheasant chickens, the difference between breast and thigh muscles was not confirmed which indicates that both muscles have high nutritive value. The results of amino acid composition of pheasant and broiler meat have proven a high nutritive value of pheasant meat in respect to human nutrition.