Search

Background: Compost-bedded pack barns (CBP) are getting huge attention as an alternative housing system for dairy cows due to their beneficial impact on animal welfare. Effective microorganisms (EM) inoculums are believed to enhance compost quality, improve soil structure and benefit the environment. However, little information is available on the impact of incubation with external EM combinations on the barn environment, compost quality and microbial diversity in CBP. This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of inoculating different combinations of EM [Lactobacillus plantarum (L), Compound Bacillus (B) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S)] on compost quality and microbial communities of CBP products, as well as the relationship with the heifers' barn environment. CBP barns were subjected to the following four treatments: CON with no EM inoculum, LB/LS/LBS were Incubated with weight ratios of 1:2 (L: B), 1:2 (L: S), 1:1:1 (L: B: S), respectively. Results: The EM inoculation (LB, LS, LBS) reduced the concentration of respirable particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) in the CBP, and decreased the serum total protein and total cholesterol levels in heifers. Notably, LBS achieved the highest content of high-density lipoprotein compared to other treatments. Microbiome results revealed that EM inoculation reduced the bacterial abundance (Chao1 index) and fungal diversity (Shannon & Simpson indexes), while increasing the relative abundance of various bacterial genera (Pseudomonas, Paracoccus, Aequorivita) and fungi (Pestalotiopsis), which are associated with cellulose decomposition that ultimately resulted in accelerating organic matter degradation and humification. Furthermore, high nutrient elements (TK&TP) and low mycotoxin content were obtained with EM inoculation, with LBS showing a particularly pronounced effect. Meanwhile, LBS contributed to a decline in the proportion of fungal pathogen categories but also led to an increase in fungal saprotroph categories. Conclusion: Generally, EM inoculation positively impacted compost product quality as organic fertilizer and barn environment by modifying the abundance of cellulolytic bacteria and fungi, while inhibiting the reproduction of pathogenic microbes, especially co-supplementing with L, B and S achieved an amplifying effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Milk fat is one of the most important economic traits in dairy cow production. Numerous investigations have demonstrated the influence of the ruminal microbiome's composition and metabolic profile on milk production. However, no studies have directly connected the ruminal metabolome with bacterial and fungal communities as a function of milk fat content in dairy cows. The specific objective of the present study was to compare ruminal metabolome with bacterial and fungal communities among Chinese Holstein cows with contrasting milk fat content that were fed the same diet. Our results confirm that ruminal metabolome, bacterial, and fungal communities differ significantly in dairy cows with different milk fat contents. Among these different metabolites, lauric acid was enriched in fatty acid biosynthesis and selected for an in vitro study with bovine mammary epithelial cells, indicating that lauric acid promoted intracellular triglyceride synthesis via upregulation of the mRNA abundance of fatty acid uptake and activation, as well as lipogenesis. This study revealed microbial-mediated metabolic processes related to milk fat synthesis. The composition and metabolic profile of the ruminal microbiome have an impact on milk composition. To unravel the ruminal microbiome and metabolome affecting milk fat synthesis in dairy cows, 16S rRNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequencing, as well as ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) methods were used to investigate the significant differences in ruminal bacterial and fungal communities as well as metabolome among Chinese Holstein cows with contrasting milk fat contents under the same diet (H-MF 5.82 ± 0.41% vs. L-MF 3.60 ± 0.12%). Another objective was to culture bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) to assess the effect of metabolites on lipid metabolism. Results showed that the acetate-to-propionate ratio and xylanase activity in ruminal fluid were both higher in H-MF. Microbiome sequencing identified 10 types of bacteria and four types of fungi differently abundant at the genus level. Metabolomics analysis indicated 11 different ruminal metabolites between the two groups, the majority of which were lipids and organic acids. Among these, lauric acid (LA) was enriched in fatty acid biosynthesis with its concentration in milk fat of H-MF cows being greater (217 vs. 156 mg per 100 g milk), thus, it was selected for an in vitro study with BMECs. Exogenous LA led to a marked increase in intracellular triglyceride (TG) content and lipid droplet formation, and it upregulated the mRNA abundance of fatty acid uptake and activation (CD36 and ACSL1), TG synthesis (DGAT1, DGAT2 and GPAM), and transcriptional regulation (SREBP1) genes. Taken together, the greater relative abundance of xylan-fermenting bacteria and fungi, and lower abundance of bacteria suppressing short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria or participating in fatty acid hydrogenation altered lipids and organic acids in the rumen of dairy cows. In BMECs, LA altered the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in mammary cells, ultimately promoting milk fat synthesis. Thus, it appears that this fatty acid plays a key role in milk fat synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the concordance between an automatic software program and manual evaluation in reconstructing, delineating, and measuring the levator hiatus (LH) on maximal Valsalva maneuver. Methods: This was a retrospective study analyzing archived raw ultrasound imaging data of 100 patients underwent transperineal ultrasound (TPUS) examination. Each data were assessed by the automatic Smart Pelvic System software program and manual evaluation. The Dice similarity index (DSI), mean absolute distance (MAD), and Hausdorff distance (HDD) were calculated to quantify delineation accuracy of LH. Agreement between automatic and manual measurement of levator hiatus area was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland–Altman method. Results: The satisfaction rate of automatic reconstruction was 94%. Six images were recognized as unsatisfactory reconstructed images for some gas in the rectum and anal canal. Compared with satisfactory reconstructed images, DSI of unsatisfactory reconstructed images was lower, MAD and HDD were larger (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.006, respectively). The ICC was up to 0.987 in 94 satisfactory reconstructed images. Conclusions: The Smart Pelvic System software program had good performance in reconstruction, delineation, and measurement of LH on maximal Valsalva maneuver in clinical practice, despite misidentification of the border of posterior aspect of LH due to the influence of gas in the rectum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a novel class of non-coding RNAs, can interact with miRNAs through a sequence-driven sponge mechanism, thereby regulating the expression of their downstream target genes. CircRNA-1967 was found in secondary hair follicles (SHFs) of cashmere goats, but its functions are not clear. Here, we showed that both circRNA-1967 and its host gene BNC2 had significantly higher expression in SHF bulge at anagen than those at telogen of cashmere goats. Also, circRNA-1967 participates in the differentiation of SHF stem cells (SHF-SCs) into hair follicle lineage in cashmere goats. RNA pull-down assay verified that circRNA-1967 interacts with miR-93-3p. We also indicated that circRNA-1967 promoted LEF1 expression in SHF-SCs of cashmere goats. By dual-luciferase reporter analysis, we found that circRNA-1967 up-regulated LEF1 expression through the miR-93-3p-mediated pathway. The results from this study demonstrated that circRNA-1967 participated in the differentiation of goat SHF-SCs into hair follicle lineage by sponging miR-93-3p to enhance LEF1 expression. Our founding might constitute a novel pathway for revealing the potential mechanism of the differentiation of SHF-SCs into hair follicle lineage in cashmere goats. Also, these results provided a valuable basis for further enhancing the intrinsic regeneration of cashmere goat SHFs with the formation and growth of cashmere fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]