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Enhancing the supply of arginine (Arg), a semi-essential amino acid, has positive effects on immune function in dairy cattle experiencing metabolic stress during early lactation. Our objective was to determine the effects of Arg supplementation on biomarkers of liver damage and inflammation in cows during early lactation. Six Chinese Holstein lactating cows with similar BW (508 ± 14 kg), body condition score (3.0), parity (4.0 ± 0), milk yield (30.6 ± 1.8 kg) and days in milk (20 ± days) were randomly assigned to three treatments in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design balanced for carryover effects. Each period was 21 days with 7 days for infusion and 14 days for washout. Treatments were (1) Control: saline; (2) Arg group: saline + 0.216 mol/day l-Arg; and (3) Alanine (Ala) group: saline + 0.868 mol/day l-Ala (iso-nitrogenous to the Arg group). Blood and milk samples from the experimental cows were collected on the last day of each infusion period and analyzed for indices of liver damage and inflammation, and the count and composition of somatic cells in milk. Compared with the Control, the infusion of Arg led to greater concentrations of total protein, immunoglobulin M and high density lipoprotein cholesterol coupled with lower concentrations of haptoglobin and tumor necrosis factor-α, and activity of aspartate aminotransferase in serum. Infusion of Ala had no effect on those biomarkers compared with the Control. Although milk somatic cell count was not affected, the concentration of granulocytes was lower in response to Arg infusion compared with the Control or Ala group. Overall, the biomarker analyses indicated that the supplementation of Arg via the jugular vein during early lactation alleviated inflammation and metabolic stress.

The association between strength, assistance with walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs and falls (SARC-F), strength, assistance with walking, rise from a chair, climb stairs, falls and calf circumference (SARC-CalF), Ishii score chart, the short version of mini sarcopenia risk assessment (MSRA-5), the full version of mini sarcopenia risk assessment (MSRA-7) and clinical outcomes in patients with gastric cancer were unclear. We aimed to investigate the predictive values of the above five sarcopenia screening tools on clinical outcomes following surgery in patients with gastric cancer.The clinical data of consecutive patients who would undergo gastrectomy from May 2020 to October 2020 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were prospectively collected. On the first admission day, patients' characteristics, Nutrition risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002), the above five sarcopenia screening tools and anthropometric measurements were preoperatively collected. Within 24 hours after discharge, operation information, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and clinical outcomes in hospital (postoperative complications, hospitalization expenditures and postoperative hospital stay) were collected. Three months after discharge, clinical outcomes out of hospital (hospital readmissions and mortality) were collected. Multivariate analyses were conducted to identify the independent predictors for clinical outcomes.A total of 263 patients were finally included in the study, with the average age being 62.44 years. The prevalence of sarcopenia risk ranged from 3.42% to 73.76%. For the above five sarcopenia screening tools, multivariate analyses showed that sarcopenia risk indicated by SARC-CalF was an independent predictor for postoperative complications (OR=3.145 [95%CI: 0.594, 16.665], P=0.037), prolonged postoperative hospital stay (B=2.383 [95%CI: 0.377, 4.388], P=0.020), increased hospitalization expenditures (B=1.305 [95%CI: 0.402, 2.208], P=0.005) and 3-month hospital readmissions (HR=3.626 [95%CI: 1.126, 11.676], P=0.031). Sarcopenia risk indicated by Ishii score chart was an independent predictor for postoperative complications (OR=6.491 [95%CI: 1.514, 27.840], P=0.012) and hospitalization expenditures (B=0.767 [95%CI: 0.065, 1.469], P=0.032). Sarcopenia risk indicated by MSRA-7 was an independent predictor for prolonged postoperative hospital stay (B=1.636 [95%CI: 0.119, 3.153], P=0.035)and increased hospitalization expenditures (B=0.831 [95%CI: 0.146, 1.516], P=0.018).Among the above five sarcopenia screening tools, SARC-CalF seemed to have better predictive values on clinical outcomes. Preoperative gastric cancer patients with sarcopenia risk indicated by SARC-CalF could have a higher risk of postoperative complications, prolonged postoperative hospital stay, increased hospitalization expenditures and 3-month hospital readmissions.

Transformation of Arg to nitric oxide and ornithine (Arg-Orn) constitutes the main route of Arg metabolism in mammals. The primary objective of this work was to determine the effects of inhibiting the Arg-Orn pathway via Nω-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA) on health of lactating cows. Furthermore, we also explored the effect of Arg-Orn inhibition on the efficiency of nitrogen utilization to find support for previous research that showed the inhibition of Arg-Orn inhibited milk protein synthesis. Six healthy Chinese Holstein cows of similar body weight (550.0 ± 20 kg), parity (4.0 ± 0), body condition score (3.0 ± 0), milk yield (21.0 ± 1.0 kg), and days in milk (80 ± 2 d) were selected and randomly assigned to 3 treatments in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 22 d for each period (7 d for infusion and 15 d for washout). The treatments were (1) saline infusion (control); (2) infusion of 125 mg/L of nor-NOHA; and (3) infusion of 125 mg/L of nor-NOHA with 9.42 g/L of Arg. Dry matter intake, apparent digestibility of nutrients, urinary N, N in milk, and blood indices of metabolism and immune function were determined. Compared with the control, the infusion of nor-NOHA had no effect on the concentrations of cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, IgA, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and alanine transaminase. In addition, the dry matter intake, apparent digestibility of N, and the concentration of milk protein N in the Nor-NOHA did not differ from the control; however, the infusion of nor-NOHA and Arg resulted in greater concentrations of high-density lipoprotein, IgA, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, and lower concentrations of cholesterol in serum compared with the control. Moreover, the addition of Arg to cows infused with nor-NOHA increased the concentration of nitrate (the indicator of nitric oxide) in serum and was associated with greater milk protein N production due to greater milk yield compared with those infused with nor-NOHA. Overall, the results indicated important roles of Arg in immunity and mammary N utilization, whereas a minor role of the Arg-Orn pathway in these physiologic processes was found.

Animal temperament is defined as the consistent behavioral and physiological differences that are seen between individuals in response to the same stressor. Neurotransmitter systems, like serotonin and oxytocin in the central nervous system, underlie variation in behavioral traits in humans and other animals. Variations like single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the genes for tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (TPH2), the serotonin transporter (SLC6A4), the serotonin receptor (HTR2A), and the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) are associated with behavioral phenotype in humans. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify SNPs in those genes and to test if those variations are associated with the temperament in Merino sheep. Using ewes from the University of Western Australia temperament flock, which has been selected on emotional reactivity for more than 20 generations, eight SNPs (rs107856757, rs107856818, rs107856856 and rs107857156 in TPH2, rs20917091 in SLC6A4, rs17196799 and rs17193181 in HTR2A, and rs17664565 in OXTR) were found to be distributed differently between calm and nervous sheep. These eight SNPs were then genotyped in 260 sheep from a flock that has never been selected on emotional reactivity, followed by the estimation of the behavioral traits of those 260 sheep using an arena test and an isolation box test. We found that several SNPs in TPH2 (rs107856757, rs107856818, rs107856856 and rs107857156) were in strong linkage disequilibrium, and all were associated with behavioral phenotype in the nonselected sheep. Similarly, rs17196799 in HTR2A was also associated with the behavioral phenotype.

Arginine, a semi-essential functional amino acid, has been found to promote the synthesis of casein in mammary epithelial cells to some extent. Data from mouse indicated that microRNA (miRNA) are important in regulating the development of mammary gland and milk protein synthesis. Whether there are potential links among arginine, miRNA and casein synthesis in bovine mammary gland is uncertain. The objective of the present work was to detect the effects of arginine supplementation on the expression of miRNA associated with casein synthesis in mammary tissue and mammary epithelial cells (BMEC). The first study with bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) focused on screening for miRNA candidates associated with the regulation of casein production by arginine. The BMEC were cultured with three different media, containing 0, 1.6 and 3.2 mM arginine, for 24 h. The expression of candidate miRNA was evaluated. Subsequently, in an in vivo study, 6 Chinese Holstein dairy cows with similar BW (mean &plusmn, SE) (512.0 &plusmn, 19.6 kg), parity (3), BCS (4.0) and DIM (190 &plusmn, 10.3 d) were randomly assigned to three experimental groups. The experimental cows received an infusion of casein, arginine (casein plus double the concentration of arginine in casein), and alanine (casein plus alanine, i.e., iso-nitrogenous to the arginine group) in a replicated 3 &times, 3 Latin square design with 22 d for each period (7 d for infusion and 15 d for washout). Mammary gland biopsies were obtained from each cow at the end of each infusion period. Results of the in vitro study showed differences between experimental groups and the control group for the expression of nine miRNA: miR-743a, miR-543, miR-101a, miR-760-3p, miR-1954, miR-712, miR-574-5p, miR-468 and miR-875-3p. The in vivo study showed that arginine infusion promoted milk protein content, casein yield and the expression of CSN1S1 and CSN1S2. Furthermore, the expression of miR-743a, miR-543, miR-101a, miR-760-3p, miR-1954, and miR-712 was also greater in response to arginine injection compared with the control or alanine group. Overall, results both in vivo and in vitro revealed that arginine might partly influence casein yield by altering the expression of 6 miRNAs (miR-743a, miR-543, miR-101a, miR-760-3p, miR-1954, and miR-712).

Bamboo vinegar, a natural liquid manufactured from bamboo, has been regarded as a potential antibiotic substitute in animal production. In this study, we evaluated the effects and mechanism of bamboo vinegar powder (BVP) on the antioxidant ability of pigs. A total of 40 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire healthy pigs (80.88 ± 0.82 kg) were selected and randomly allocated into 5 different groups: control group (CG, fed with basal diets); antibiotic group (AG, fed with antibiotic-supplemented diets); 0.5% BVP group (0.5% BVG, fed 0.5% BVP-supplemented diets); 1.0% BVP group (1.0% BVG, fed with 1.0% BVP-supplemented diets) and 1.5% BVP group (1.5% BVG, fed with 1.5% BVP-supplemented diets). With the BVP-supplemented diets, the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood increased (P

A previous in vitro study revealed that Arg elicits positive effects on casein synthesis through alterations of the Arg-ornithine pathway in bovine mammary epithelial cells. The main purpose of this work was to determine the effects of arginase inhibition using Nω-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA) on milk protein synthesis in vivo. Six healthy Chinese Holstein cows with similar body weight (550.0 ± 20 kg; means ± standard deviation), parity (4), body condition score (3.0), milk yield (21.0 ± 1.0 kg), and days in milk (80 ± 2) were selected and randomly assigned to 3 treatments in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 22 d for each period (7 d for infusion and 15 d for washout). The treatments were (1) control: saline infusion; (2) nor-NOHA: infusion of 125 mg/L of nor-NOHA; (3) nor-NOHA + Arg: infusion of 125 mg/L of nor-NOHA with 9.42 g/L of Arg. The activity of enzymes related to Arg metabolism, milk protein synthesis, and expression of AA transporters was determined. The infusion of nor-NOHA decreased the activity of arginase but had no effect on the activity of ornithine decarboxylase and nitric oxide synthase in serum, and these responses were the same at the gene expression level in mammary gland. In addition, the infusion of nor-NOHA also reduced protein and fat synthesis in milk but had no effect on milk yield. When Arg was infused with nor-NOHA, the activity of total arginase, ornithine decarboxylase, and nitric oxide synthase, and the concentration of casein, protein, and fat in milk did not change compared with the nor-NOHA group, but the milk protein yield, the expression of some Arg transporters (SLC7A5 and SLC7A8), and milk yield increased. Overall, results verified previous in vitro findings indicating that synthesis of casein protein is closely regulated by the Arg-ornithine pathway in bovine mammary gland.

To investigate the protective effect of ticagrelor on the myocardium of patients with ST-elevated acute coronary syndrome accompanied by diabetes mellitus.210 patients with diabetes mellitus receiving emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) due to ST-elevated acute coronary syndrome from December 2014 to June 2018 in the Hospital were selected and randomly divided into ticagrelor group and clopidogrel group. The myocardial microcirculation perfusion was evaluated via ST-segment elevation resolution (STR) in electrocardiogram (ECG) and myocardial blush grade (MBG). Myocardial necrosis markers, including creatine kinase (CK), CK-MB, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), were evaluated. Moreover, the cardiac function was assessed using brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Finally, patients were followed up for one month on average, and the adverse cardiovascular and bleeding events were recorded.The results showed that CK, CK-MB, cTnI, and BNP levels in ticagrelor group were lower than those in clopidogrel group, and the differences were statistically significant (p0.05). Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grading after the operation had no statistically significant difference between the two groups, and the usage rate of tirofiban in ticagrelor group was lower than that in clopidogrel group (p0.05). Besides, the myocardial microcirculation perfusion level after the operation in ticagrelor group was significantly higher than that in clopidogrel group. The proportions of STR ≥50% in ECG and MBG2 in ticagrelor group were significantly higher than those in clopidogrel group (p0.01). The incidence rate of mild bleeding in ticagrelor group was higher than that in clopidogrel group (p0.05).The application of ticagrelor in the treatment of ST-elevated acute coronary syndrome accompanied by diabetes mellitus can increase the level of myocardial microcirculation perfusion and improve the left heart function.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of rituximab combined with chemotherapy on the expression of serum exosome micro ribonucleic acid 451a (miR-451a) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and to explore the possible underlying mechanism.89 DLBCL patients (DLBCL group) receiving rituximab combined with chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. Meanwhile, 48 healthy controls (control group) were enrolled as well. Serum samples were collected from all patients before and after treatment, respectively. At the same time, blood samples of healthy people were collected, and serum exosome was extracted. Real-Time fluorescence-quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to measure the expression level of serum exosome miR-451a. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of miR-451a. Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) 22.0 was employed for statistical analysis. Two-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) was used for all tests, and p0.05 was considered statistically significant.The expression level of miR-451a in the DLBCL group was significantly lower than that of the control group. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the diagnostic efficacy of serum exosome miR-451a for DCBCL was 0.7147. After treatment, the level of serum exosome miR-451a in patients was significantly increased, whereas was still lower than the normal level. The AUC of ROC for evaluating the effect of serum exosome miR-451a in DCBCL was 0.8038.Serum exosome miR-451a has moderate diagnostic efficiency for DLBCL. Moreover, miR-451a can act as an indicator for evaluating the efficacy of rituximab combined with chemotherapy in the DLBCL treatment.

Background Enhancing the post-ruminal supply of arginine (Arg), a semi-essential amino acid (AA), elicits positive effects on milk production. Our objective was to determine the effects of Arg infusion on milk production parameters and aspects of nitrogen (N) absorption and utilization in lactating dairy cows. Six lactating Chinese Holstein cows of similar body weight (508 ± 14 kg), body condition score (3.0 ± 0), parity (4.0 ± 0), milk yield (30.6 ± 1.8 kg) and days in milk (20 ± 2 d) were randomly assigned to 3 treatments in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21 d for each period (1 week for infusion and 2 weeks for washout). Treatments were 1) Control: saline; 2) Arg group: saline + 9.42 g/L L-Arg; 3) Alanine (Ala) group: saline + 19.31 g/L L-Ala (iso-nitrogenous to the Arg group). Milk production and composition, dry matter intake, apparent absorption of N, profiles of amino acids (AA) in blood, urea N in urine, milk, and blood, and gene expression of AA transporters were determined. Results Compared with the Control or Ala group, the infusion of Arg led to greater expression of AA transporters (SLC7A2 and SLC7A8) and apparent uptake of free AA in the mammary gland, and was accompanied by greater milk yield, milk protein yield and milk efficiency (calculated by dividing milk yield over feed intake), together with lower concentration of urea N [regarded as an indicator of N utilization efficiency (NUE)] in blood and milk. Furthermore, in the cows infused with Arg, the NUE was higher and the concentration of urea N in urine was lower than those in the Ala group, although no differences were detected in NUE and urea N in urine between the Control and Arg group. The infusion of Ala had no effect on those indices compared with the Control. Conclusions Overall, enhancing the post-ruminal supply of Arg via the jugular vein had a positive effect on the synthesis of milk protein at least in part by increasing gene expression of some AA transporters and uptake of free AA by mammary gland.

To investigate the effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells under a hypoxic state.Human gastric cancer SGC7901 cells were sub-cultured, and the cobalt chloride (CoCl2) hypoxia model was established. The blank control group (normoxia group), hypoxia control group (hypoxia group) and hypoxia + different concentrations of EGCG subgroups (20, 40, 60, 80, 100 μg/mL EGCG) were set up. Cell viability was detected via methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay, apoptosis was detected via flow cytometry, and expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were detected via reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting.Relatively low concentrations of EGCG (20-80 μg/mL) presented no significant inhibiting effect on SGC7901 cell growth within a short time (24 h) (p0.05). The increasing concentration of EGCG inhibited cell proliferation under a hypoxia state (p0.05). EGCG induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner under hypoxia (p0.05). EGCG could significantly impede expressions of HIF-1α and VEGF proteins (p0.05), and down-regulate the level of VEGF mRNA (p0.05), but it showed no significant effect on the HIF-1α mRNA expression (p0.05).EGCG inhibited cell proliferation under hypoxia via the downregulation of HIF-1α and its downstream target gene VEGF levels, providing a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer in clinic.

弥漫性大B细胞淋巴瘤（diffuse large B cell lymphoma，DLBCL）是一种具有高度异质性的侵袭性恶性肿瘤，这种异质性不仅表现在临床结局、遗传特征、细胞起源等方面，而且在能量代谢方面也存在着明显的异质性。根据能量代谢差异，DLBCL可分为以有氧糖酵解为主要代谢特征的B细胞受体（BCR）-DLBCL亚型和以氧化磷酸化（OxPhos）为主要代谢特征的OxPhos-DLBCL亚型。对于这两种不同代谢方式的DLBCL，有着差异显著的细胞调控通路。目前研究表明，BCR信号通路、bcl-6和自噬等调节BCR-DLBCL亚型细胞的有氧糖酵解过程；高度活化的线粒体功能基因和高表达的脂肪酸代谢关键基因等调节OxPhos-DLBCL亚型细胞的氧化磷酸化过程。靶向DLBCL的能量代谢差异及相关调控通路，可能为DLBCL患者的治疗和预后评估提供新的思路。.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of temperament classification (assessed using an arena test) on health and productivity of Hu ram lambs. In experiment one, eight ram lambs classified as calm and eight classified as nervous (selected from 100 ram lambs) were fed individually for 60-days to compare food intake, food digestibility, weight gain, and biochemical indices of health. In experiment two, nine ram lambs classified as calm and nine classified as nervous (selected from 150 ram lambs) were fed in a group and slaughter traits, meat quality, and muscle histology were compared. Calm lambs had higher dry matter digestibility, lower serum TNF-α, higher total antioxidant capacity, higher total superoxide dismutase activity, higher dressing percentage, higher cross-sectional area of loin, higher myofibre density, lower ultimate pH of the meat, and higher meat redness, than nervous lambs. Selection for calm temperament could be beneficial to health, slaughter, and carcass traits in Hu ram lambs.

The highly homeostasis-resistant nature of cancer cells leads to their escape from treatment and to liver metastasis, which in turn makes pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) difficult to treat, especially the squamous/epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like subtype. As the molecular mechanisms underlying tumour heterogeneity remain elusive, we investigated whether epigenetic regulation might explain inter-individual differences in the progression of specific subtypes. DNA methylation profiling performed on cancer tissues prior to chemo/radiotherapy identified one hypermethylated CpG site (CpG6882469) in the VAV1 gene body that was correlated with demethylation of two promoter CpGs (CpG6772370/CpG6772811) in both PDAC and peripheral blood. Transforming growth factor β treatment induced gene-body hypermethylation, dissociation of DNMT1 from the promoter, and VAV1 expression via SMAD4 and mutant KrasG12D. Pharmacological inhibition of TGFβ-VAV1 signalling decreased the squamous/EMT-like cancer cells, promoted nuclear VAV1 localization, and enhanced the efficacy of gemcitabine in prolonging the survival of KPfl/flC mice. Together, the three VAV1 CpGs serve as biomarkers for prognosis and early detection, and the TGFβ-VAV1 axis represents a therapeutic target.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of dietary ω-6/ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios on lipid metabolism in goslings. One hundred and sixty 21-day-old Yangzhou geese of similar weight were randomly divided into 4 groups. They were fed different PUFA-supplemented diets (the 4 diets had ω-6/ω-3 PUFA ratios of 12:1, 9:1, 6:1, or 3:1). The geese were slaughtered and samples of liver and muscle were collected at day 70. The activities and the gene expression of enzymes involved in lipid metabolism were measured. The results show that the activities of acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), malic enzyme (ME), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were lower (p

As one of functional active amino acids, L-arginine holds a key position in immunity. However, the mechanism that arginine modulates cow mammary inflammatory response in ruminant is unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of L-arginine on inflammatory response and casein expression after challenging the bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The cells were divided into four groups, stimulated with or without LPS (10 μg/mL) and treated with or without arginine (100 μg/mL) for 12 h. The concentration of proinflammatory cytokines, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways as well as the casein was determined. The results showed that arginine reduced the LPS-induced production like IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and iNOS. Though the expression of NF-κB was attenuated and the mTOR signaling pathway was upregulated, arginine had no effect on TLR4 expression. In addition, our results show that the content ofβ-casein and the total casein were enhanced after arginine was supplemented in LPS-induced BMECs. In conclusion, arginine could relieve the inflammatory reaction induced by LPS and enhance the concentration ofβ-casein and the total casein in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Cereal grains treated with organic acids were proved to increase ruminal resistant starch and can relieve the risk of ruminal acidosis. However, previous study mainly focussed on acid-treated barley, the effects of organic acid-treated corn is still unknown. The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether feeding ground corn steeped in citric acid (CA) would affect ruminal pH and fermentation patterns, milk production and innate immunity responses in dairy goats. Eight ruminally cannulated Saanen dairy goats were used in a crossover designed experiment. Each experimental period was 21 day long including 14 days for adaption to new diet and 7 days for sampling and data collection. The goats were fed high-grain diet contained 30% hay and 70% corn-based concentrate. The corn was steeped either in water (control) or in 0.5% (wt/vol) CA solution for 48 h. Goats fed CA diet showed improved ruminal pH status with greater mean and minimum ruminal pH, and shorter (Plt;0.05) duration of ruminal pHlt;5.6 and less area of ruminal pHlt;5.6, 5.8 and 6.0. Concentration of total volatile fatty acid and molar proportion of propionate were less but the molar proportion of acetate was greater (Plt;0.05) in goats fed the CA diet than the control diet. Concentration of ruminal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was lower (Plt;0.05) and that of lactic acid also tended (Plt;0.10) to be lower in goats fed CA than the control. Although dry matter intake, actual milk yield, yield and content of milk protein and lactose were not affected, the milk fat content and 4% fat-corrected milk tended (Plt;0.10) to be greater in goats fed CA diet. For the inflammatory responses, peripheral LPS did not differ, whereas the concentration of LPS binding protein and serum amyloid A tended (Plt;0.10) to be less in goats fed CA diet. Similarly, goats fed CA diet had less (Plt;0.05) concentration of haptoglobin and tumour necrosis factor. These results indicated that feeding ground corn treated with CA effectively improved ruminal pH status, thus alleviated the risk of ruminal acidosis, reduced inflammatory response, and tend to improve milk yield and milk fat test.

Transformation of Arg to nitric oxide and ornithine (Arg-Orn) constitutes the main route of Arg metabolism in mammals. The primary objective of this work was to determine the effects of inhibiting the Arg-Orn pathway via N

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of jugular l-Arg infusion on performance and immune function during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation of lactating dairy cows. Eight Holstein cows (multiparous, 608.8 ± 31.5 kg) at mid-lactation were randomly assigned to 5-d jugular infusions of control (saline), Arg (3 g/h), LPS (0.033 μg/kg per h), and LPS + Arg (0.033 μg/kg per h of LPS and 3 g/h of Arg) in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with 4 infusion periods separated by 10-d noninfusion periods. Jugular solutions of saline, Arg, LPS, and LPS + Arg were continuously infused using peristaltic pumps for approximately 6 h/d during infusion periods. Milk yield was measured on each day of the infusion period. Milk samples were obtained on the last 2 d of each infusion period, and blood samples were obtained on the last day of each infusion period before infusion (0 h) and at 3 and 6 h. We found that the jugular LPS infusion significantly increased serum concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and lipopolysaccharide binding protein, whereas Arg attenuated the increase in IL-6 and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels and tended to decrease the lipopolysaccharide binding protein level. Arginine alleviated the decrease in dry matter intake and milk fat yield and the increase of somatic cell count induced by LPS. Total casein in milk was decreased during the LPS-induced inflammation period, and jugular Arg infusion significantly increased the content of total casein. In contrast, lactalbumin in milk increased during the LPS-induced inflammation period, whereas jugular Arg infusion significantly decreased the content of lactalbumin. The concentrations of plasma Gly, Thr, Ile, Leu, Arg, Phe, and total free AA were significantly decreased by LPS treatment, but Arg attenuated this tendency. These results indicated that jugular Arg infusion (18 g/d) has protective effects on relieving inflammatory stress and improving immunity status triggered by LPS. In conclusion, Arg could attenuate inflammatory stress and improve milk performance of lactating dairy cows. This protective effect may be due to the ability of Arg to suppress LPS effects and improve immunity status.

A previous in vitro study revealed that Arg elicits positive effects on casein synthesis through alterations of the Arg-ornithine pathway in bovine mammary epithelial cells. The main purpose of this work was to determine the effects of arginase inhibition using N

The main purpose of this work was to determine the effect of arginase inhibition via Nω-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA) on casein synthesis in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC). Passage 2 BMEC isolated from dairy cows were seeded to 6-well plates and randomly divided into 4 treatments: (1) control [Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium:Nutrient Mixture F-12 medium (DMEM/F12)]; (2) nor-NOHA (DMEM/F12 + 1 mmol/L nor-NOHA); (3) nor-NOHA + arginine (DMEM/F12 + 1 mmol/L nor-NOHA + 3.2 mmol/L Arg); and (4) nor-NOHA + ornithine (DMEM/F12+ 1 mmol/L nor-NOHA + 1 mmol/L Orn). Then, we determined the activity of enzymes related to Arg metabolism and casein synthesis in BMEC and the proliferation of cells. The addition of nor-NOHA reduced the activity of arginase and ornithine decarboxylase but had no effect on the activity of nitric oxide synthase, and these responses were the same at the gene expression level. In addition, supplementation of nor-NOHA in BMEC reduced cellular proliferation and casein synthesis. Addition of Arg to nor-NOHA resulted in cellular proliferation and casein synthesis similar to that of nor-NOHA alone. In contrast, addition of Orn to the medium with nor-NOHA increased the synthesis of casein and cellular proliferation compared with Nor-NOHA. In conclusion, suppression of the Arg-arginase-Orn pathway reduced casein synthesis and cellular proliferation, which indicated that this pathway is an important regulator of the synthesis of casein in BMEC.

Summary This study was undertaken to evaluate the milk protein response when cows were supplied a balanced AA profile and to determine whether a deficiency of Leucine (Leu) or Arginine (Arg) had a negative effect on milk protein. Eight mid-lactation Holstein cows were randomly assigned to 5-day continuous jugular infusions of saline (CTL), EAA mixture prepared on the profile of casein and supplied (in % of lysine (Lys)) 100% of Lys, 33.3% of methionine (Met), 110.2% of Leu, 43.6% of Arg, 50.8% of threonine (Thr), 81.6% of valine (Val), 69.7% of isoleucine (Ile), 61.4% of phenylalanine (Phe) and 34.2% of histidine (His) (Casein, 160 g/d), EAA mixture excluding Leu (−Leu, 163 g/d) or EAA mixture excluding Arg (−Arg, 158 g/d) in a duplicated 4 × 4 Latin square design with four infusion periods separated by 7-day interval period. The basal diet supplied 1.6 Mcal NEL and 94.4 g MP per 1 kg DM to meet requirements for lactation. The Casein treatment provided a balanced supply (in % of MP) of 10.3% Leu and 5.3% Arg, whereas in the two subsequent −Leu and −Arg treatments, the concentration of Leu and Arg was reduced to 8.4 and 4.6% respectively. Dry matter intake (15.4 kg/day) was not affected by treatments. The Casein treatment increased milk yield (14.9%, p

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of feeding ground corn steeped in citric acid on ruminal fermentation, milk production and immunity responses in dairy goats. Eight ruminally cannulated Saanen dairy goats (BW 32.5 kg) were used in a crossover experiment. Each experimental period was 21-day, including 14-days adaption and 7-days sampling. The diet contained 30% hay and 70% corn-based concentrate (DM basis). Corn was steeped either in water (control) or in 0.5% (wt/vol) citric acid (CA) for 48 h. Goats fed CA diet showed improved ruminal pH with greater mean (5.93 vs. 5.85) and minimum ruminal pH (5.45 vs. 5.30), and shorter (P

The dissociation process of methane hydrate is simulated at P=30 bar and T=315, 320 and 325 K, using NPT molecular dynamics (MD) method. An eight unit-cell methane hydrate is employed as a model system. A series of analytical results concerned with the dissociation process are used to exhibit the continuous changes of methane hydrate from crystal to liquid. As a result, the dissociation of methane hydrate is considered to be comprised of two successive stages. The first stage is the process associated with the diffusive behaviour of host molecules, which gradually leads to the increase of the cell size and ultimately results in the fracture of the lattice structure. Methane molecules will escape from the broken hydrate cavities and aggregate together in the second stage. The fracture of the lattice structure is found to be the key for hydrate dissociation.

Author(s): Bai, JZ; Bian, JG; Blum, I; Chai, ZW; Chen, GP; Chen, HF; Chen, J; Chen, JC; Chen, Y; Chen, YB; Chen, YQ; Cheng, BS; Cui, XZ; Ding, HL; Ding, LY; Dong, LY; Du, ZZ; Dunwoodie, W; Feng, S; Gao, CS; Gao, ML; Gao, SQ; Gratton, P; Gu, JH; Gu, SD; Gu, WX; Gu, YF; Guo, YN; Han, SW; Han, Y; Harris, FA; He, J; He, JT; He, M; Hitlin, DG; Hu, GY; Hu, HM; Hu, JL; Hu, QH; Hu, T; Hu, XQ; Huang, JD; Huang, YZ; Izen, JM; Jiang, CH; Jin, Y; Ke, ZJ; Kelsey, MH; Kim, BK; Kong, D; Lai, YF; Lang, PF; Lankford, A; Li, CG; Li, D; Li, HB; Li, J; Li, PQ; Li, RB; Li, W; Li, WD; Li, WG; Li, XH; Li, XN; Liu, HM; Liu, J; Liu, JH; Liu, RG; Liu, Y; Lou, XC; Lowery, B; Lu, F; Lu, JG; Lu, JY; Lu, LC; Luo, CH; Ma, AM; Ma, EC; Ma, JM; Malchow, R; Mao, HS; Mao, ZP; Meng, XC; Nie, J; Olsen, SL | Abstract: The decays of the ψ(2S) into vector plus tensor meson final states have been studied for the first time using the BES detector. We determine upper limits on branching fractions for ψ(2S) decays into ωf2, ρa2, K*0K*02 + c.c., and φf'2(1525) that are, in each case, significantly smaller than the corresponding branching fractions for the J/ψ meson, scaled according to the expectations of perturbative QCD. © 1998 The American Physical Society.

Author(s): Bai, JZ; Bian, JG; Blum, I; Chai, ZW; Chen, GP; Chen, HF; Chen, J; Chen, JC; Chen, Y; Chen, YB; Chen, YQ; Cheng, BS; Cui, XZ; Ding, HL; Ding, LY; Dong, LY; Du, ZZ; Dunwoodie, W; Feng, S; Gao, CS; Gao, ML; Gao, SQ; Gratton, P; Gu, JH; Gu, SD; Gu, WX; Gu, YF; Guo, YN; Han, SW; Han, Y; Harris, FA; He, J; He, JT; He, M; Hitlin, DG; Hu, GY; Hu, HM; Hu, JL; Hu, QH; Hu, T; Hu, XQ; Huang, JD; Huang, YZ; Izen, JM; Jiang, CH; Jin, Y; Ke, ZJ; Kelsey, MH; Kim, BK; Kong, D; Lai, YF; Lang, PF; Lankford, A; Li, CG; Li, D; Li, HB; Li, J; Li, PQ; Li, RB; Li, W; Li, WD; Li, WG; Li, XH; Li, XN; Liu, HM; Liu, J; Liu, JH; Liu, RG; Liu, Y; Lou, XC; Lowery, B; Lu, F; Lu, JG; Lu, JY; Lu, LC; Luo, CH; Ma, AM; Ma, EC; Ma, JM; Malchow, R; Mao, HS; Mao, ZP; Meng, XC; Nie, J; Olsen, SL | Abstract: The processes ψ(2S) → I π+ π−, γK+ K−, and γpp¯ have been studied using a sample of 3.79 × 106 ψ(2S) decays. We determine the total width of the χc0 to be γtotχc0 = 14.3 ± 2.0 ± 3.0 MeV. We present the first measurement of the branching fraction B(χc0 → pp¯) = (15.9 ± 4.3 ± 5.3) × 10−5, where the first error is statistical and the second one is systematic. Branching fractions of χc0, 2 → π+ π− and K+ K− are also reported. © 1998 American Physical Society.

With 7.8 million produced J / ψ events collected by the BES detector at the BEPC, decays J/ψ→Λ Λ ,Λ Λ γ and Λ Λ π 0 are analysed. The branching ratios are measured to be Br (J/ψ→Λ Λ )=(1.08±0.06±0.24)×10 −3 , Br (J/ψ→Λ Λ γ) −4 (90% C.L. ) , Br (J/ψ→Λ Λ π 0 )=(2.3±0.7±0.8)×10 −4 , respectively. The angular distribution for J/ψ→Λ Λ is of the form d N d cos θ =N 0 (1+α cos 2 θ) , from which we determine α =0.52±0.33±0.13.

A search is performed for the production of the ψ(2S) in e^+e^- annihilation at a center-of-mass energy of 4.03 GeV using the BES detector operated at the Beijing Electron Positron Collider (BEPC). The kinematic features of the reconstructed ψ(2S) signal are consistent with its being produced only in association with an energetic photon resulting from initial state radiation (ISR). Limits are placed on ψ(2S) production from the decay of unknown charmonia or metastable hybrids that might be produced in e^+e^- annihilations at 4.03 GeV. Under the assumption that the observed cross section for ψ(2S) production is due entirely to ISR, the partial width Γ_(ee) of the ψ(2S) is measured to be 2.07±0.32keV.

An improved multislice method is presented for performing dynamical calculations of high-energy electron diffraction and imaging in cases of inclined illumination. The method is shown by practical calculations to give results consistent with the traditional multislice method. The mathematical equivalency of the two methods for single-direction illumination cases is also given. However, there are some differences between the two methods for many-direction illumination cases such as in coherent convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED). The improved multislice method may provide a more convenient expression for understanding coherent CBED problems and a more rapid algorithm for performing numerical calculations of the multislice approach in real space.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios on heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratios and T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of the growing Yangzhou goose. A total of 160 healthy Yangzhou geese (0.407 ± 0.023 kg), aged 21 d, were randomly divided into 4 groups consisting of diets with different n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios: 12:1, 9:1, 6:1, and 3:1. White blood cell counts and H:L ratios were measured at 42, 56, and 70 d of age; T lymphocyte subsets were also analyzed using monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry simultaneously. The results showed that differences were found in white blood cells between groups (P0.05) but not within groups (P0.05), and white blood cells of 70-d-old geese were significantly higher than those of other ages within the same group. The H:L ratios of all groups decreased as age increased, and differences were found in 6:1 and 3:1 groups between ages (P0.05). As for the comparison of H:L ratio between treatments, 6:1 and 3:1 were lower than the other 2 groups at 42 or 70 d of age (P0.05), and 3:1 was lower than the other 3 groups at 56 d of age (P0.05). Moreover, H:L ratios had a tendency to decrease with the decrease of n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios. Furthermore, cluster of differentiation (CD) 3(+) and CD8(+) increased gradually, whereas CD4(+) and CD4(+):CD8(+) ratios first increased and then decreased as age increased. Differences were detected in T cell subsets among ages (P0.05). In addition, CD4(+) and CD4(+):CD8(+) ratios were affected remarkably by n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios but CD3(+) and CD8(+) were not, and 6:1 had much higher CD4(+) percentage and CD4(+):CD8(+) ratio compared with the other groups (P0.05). Taken together, diets containing low n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios could decrease H:L ratios in the peripheral blood. Additionally, CD4(+) percentage and CD4(+):CD8(+) ratio were much higher in the 6:1 group, which could be relevant for improving positive immune responses for Yangzhou goslings from 42 to 70 d of age.

A comparison of the rates for {psi}(2S){r_arrow}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup {minus}}J/{psi}, J/{psi}{r_arrow}l{sup +}l{sup {minus}} and J/{psi}{r_arrow} anything is used to determine the J/{psi} leptonic branching fractions. The results are B(J/{psi}{r_arrow}e{sup +}e{sup {minus}})=(5.90{plus_minus}0.05{plus_minus}0.10){percent} and B(J/{psi}{r_arrow}{mu}{sup +}{mu}{sup {minus}})=(5.84{plus_minus}0.06{plus_minus}0.10){percent}, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. Assuming lepton universality, the leptonic branching fraction of the J/{psi} is B(J/{psi}{r_arrow}l{sup +}l{sup {minus}})=(5.87{plus_minus}0.04{plus_minus}0.09){percent} per species. This result is used to estimate the QCD scale factor {Lambda}{sub {ovr MS}}{sup (4)} and the strong coupling constant {alpha}{sub s}. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}

We report the first measurements of the branching fractions: $B(\psi(2S) -> \gamma \eta') = (1.54 \pm 0.31 \pm 0.23) x 10^{-4}$ and $B(\psi(2S) -> \gamma \eta) = (0.53 \pm 0.31 \pm 0.08) x 10^{-4}$. The $\psi(2S)$ to $\gamma \eta'$ result is consistent with expectations of a model that considers the possibility of $\eta' - \eta$ mixing. The ratio of the $\psi(2S)$ to $\gamma \eta'$ and $\psi(2S)$ to $\gamma \eta$ rates is used to determine the pseudoscalar octet-singlet mixing angle.

The GST antigen (called 26-28 kDa antigen) extracted and purified from Schistosoma japonicum adult worms was applied to the detection of specific antibodies in sera of infected mice and mice immunized with the above protein antigen by ELISA technique. The 26-28 kDa antigen was better than crude antigens (SEA, SWAP) when used to detect specific antibodies in sera from immunized mice. As with crude antigens (SEA and SWAP), the 26-28 kDa antigen could be used to detect specific antibodies in infected sera, with titers as high as 1:160-1:320. There were no false positive reactions and a positivity rate as high as that using SWAP occurred when the 26-28 kDa antigen was used in schistosomiasis patients and normal subjects by intradermal test. It is suggested that the 26-28 kDa antigen may be a suitable candidate for immunodiagnosis of schistosomiasis.

The GST antigen, similar to Sj26 (Philippine strain), which plays an important role in inducing protective immunity against Schistosoma japonicum, can be extracted and purified from adult worms of the Chinese strain of S. japonicum. There are two bands at 26 kDa and 28 kDa of GST antigen called the 26-28 kDa GST antigen as identified by SDS-PAGE, and these have GST activities. Mice were immunized with the 26-28 kDa antigen and the specific antibody response in serum was assayed by ELISA, IFA and western blot. The antigenicity of the 26-28 kDa GST antigen in mice was significant. For example, the antigen could stimulate mice to increase the level of serum IgM and IgGl; the antibodies in serum of immunized mice could be localized in the antigenic determinants of tegument or body of the worms; specific antibodies against the antigens increased markedly after immunization as measured by ELISA or IFA; the antibody from mice immunized with the 26-28 kDa GST antigen can recognize 26-28 kDa antigenic molecules, identified by immunoblot assay.

This paper reports a comparison of the recombinant Sj26 (rSj26) antigen derived from the Philippine strain and the 26-28 kDa antigen isolated and purified from the Chinese strain of Schistosoma japonicum with respect to their antigenicity and immunogenicity. The results showed that there were obvious cross reactions between rSj26 and 26-28 kDa antigen when rSj26 antigen was tested against specific antibodies in sera of mice infected with the Chinese strain of S. japonicum or the 26-28 kDa antigen was tested against specific anti-rSj26 antibodies by ELISA, IFA and Western blotting. Both the 26-28 kDa and the rSj26 antigen had weak cross reactions with SEA antigen. The worm reduction rate after challenging with Chinese strain cercariae in mice immunized with rSj26 was 26-32%, similar to that in mice immunized with 26-28 kDa antigen. It is suggested that rSj26 antigen can induce a certain level of specific protective immunity in the host against infection by the Chinese strain of S. japonicum cercariae.

This paper reports on the comparison of the recombinant Sj26 (rSj26) antigen originated from the Philippine strain and 24-26 kDa antigen isolated and purified from Chinese mainland strain of S. japonicum for their antigenicity and immunogenicity. The results showed that there were obvious cross reactions between rSj26 and 24-26 kDa antigen when rSj26 antigen was tested against specific antibodies in sera from mice infected with the mainland strain of S. japonicum or 24-26 kDa antigen was tested against specific anti-rSj26 antibodies by ELISA, IFA and Western blotting etc. Both of 24-26 kDa and rSj26 antigen had weak cross reaction with SEA antigen. The worm reduction rate after challenging with mainland strain cercariae in mice immunized with rSj26 was 26-32%, similar to that in mice immunized with 24-26 kDa antigen. It is suggested that rSj26 antigen can induce certain level of specific protective immunity to protect the host against infection by Chinese strain of S. japonicum cercaciae.

The supernatant of protective McAb (isotype IgG2a) secreted by 1E2 hybridoma line was purified by protein A-sepharose CL-4B column and rabbits were immunized with purified 1E2 McAb. Dot-ELISA, immunodiffusion assay, Western blotting and ELISA were used to observe the presence of anti-McAb and anti-anti-McAb. The main results are: 1. anti-McAb antibody could be detected as early as 20 days post immunization in the immune sera and would be decreased gradually without boosting; otherwise, it would be increased quickly and the titers of anti-McAb were increased within 5 days post-boosting and could be maintained at a plateau for 30-50 days, and then decreased gradually to the normal; 2. there were different anti-anti-McAbs in the immune sera. Anti-anti-McAb, like anti-anti-idiotype antibody, can recognize different schistosome antigens and 90, 68 or 45 kDa antigenic determinants. The level of anti-anti-McAbs varied from titers 1:100 to 1:1600 at different time post-immunization with 1E2. The results provide evidence to understand the appearance of anti-McAb antibody and the way to develop anti-idiotype and anti-anti-idiotype McAb for research purpose.

In the studies presented here, we demonstrated the feasibility of producing large number of hybridoma cell lines secreting McAbs against S. japonicum including 16 cell lines secreting IgG McAbs (7 for IgG1, 5 for IgG2a, 1 for IgG2b, 3 for IgG3) and 13 McAbs for IgM, on the basis of successfully extracting 24-26kD and 90kD "target antigen" proteins known as important antigens for inducing schistosome protective immunity. All the above cell lines were characterized for localization of the McAbs, mediating in vitro ADCC against schistosomula, epitope recognized by the McAbs on different kinds of schistosome antigens. Studies have shown the evidences that the McAbs can be used to identify the "target antigen" on the surface of schistosome, to isolate and purify "target antigen" of S. japonicum by chromatography column bearing McAbs, as well as to immunize animals as antigens for accumulation of data in the development of vaccine against S. japonicum via anti-idiotype antibodies.

Observation was made on humoral and cellular immunity in mice immunized with NTG-attenuated cercariae. Results showed that the specific antibody in serum of immunized mice increased gradually. The titer by ELISA and IFA were more than 1:1,280 respectively at week 7 post-immunization with NTG-attenuated cercariae (15 min. pc or 60 min. ip). SDS-PAGE electrophoresis showed that there was an extra-band of IgG with MW, between 50,000 and 40,000 in the serum of immunized mice and there was no obvious difference in IgM bands. It suggested that there were differences in not only the increase of antibody titre, but also the composition of antibody post-immunization. The results also indicated that there were differences in levels of lymphocyte proliferative response to schistosome antigens at different weeks post-immunization. The proliferative response to SEA was greater in immunized mice than in infected mice, especially in lymph node lymphocytes. It suggested that NTG-attenuated cercariae did stimulate mice to produce immunity. The dynamic characteristics of humoral and cellular immunity may play roles in the induction of protective immunity against S. japonicum.