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Water Cherenkov detector array (WCDA) is one of the key parts of the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), the construction of which was completed by the end of 2020. The WCDA covers a 78 000-m2 area and there exist 3120 large size photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) in three ponds: 8-in PMTs are used in WCDA pond No. 1 and 20-in PMTs are used in ponds No. 2 and No. 3. The front-end electronics (FEE) system based on multigain measurement technique is designed to achieve both high-precision time and charge measurements over a large dynamic range from single photon electron (S.P.E.) to 4000 P.E. (for water pond No. 1)/1800 P.E. (for water ponds No. 2 and No. 3). To achieve a high-quality clock distribution and phase alignment as well as mixed transmission of data, clock, and commands in one fiber over a long distance, an enhanced white rabbit (WR) technique is used. Testing of all the 350 FEE modules for the WCDA is presented in this article. Test results indicate that the charge resolution is better than 20% at S.P.E. and 1% at 1800/4000 P.E. and the time resolution is better than 300 ps root mean square (rms), which successfully meets the application requirement. All the FEE modules have been fabricated and installed for the LHAASO WCDA from 2018 to 2020, and the initial commissioning operation indicates that the FEEs function well.

The manganese based lithium ion sieve H1.6Mn1.6O4 is regarded as a promising adsorbent for recovering lithium from salt-lake brines. However, the poor recycle stability caused by the dissolution of manganese hinders its industrial application. In this work, the Co-doped H1.6CoxMn1.6-xO4 ion sieve with enhanced cycling performance for Li + adsorption was prepared through hydrothermal synthesis. The results of XRD and SEM indicated that Co-doping did not affect the spinel crystal structure of Li1.6Mn1.6O4 and a micro array structure was obtained. The cooperative effect of Co-doping and the micro array structure morphology on the Li + adsorption performance was investigated. Compared with H1.6Mn1.6O4(23.53 mg/g), the adsorption capacity of H1.6Co0.16Mn1.44O4 reached 29.95 mg/g. Also, H1.6Co0.16Mn1.44O4 showed excellent cycling performance that the Li + adsorption capacity maintained over 88% and the dissolution rate of manganese was below 2% after five cycles. The Co-doped H1.6CoxMn1.6-xO4 ion sieves show the prospects to be employed for the Li + extraction from aqueous lithium resources.

Clostridioides difficile is considered an urgent threat to human health by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In recent years, C. difficile has been reported increasingly as a cause of gastrointestinal disease in children, and the prevalence of hospital-acquired C. difficile infection and community-acquired CDI in children is increasing.To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors for CDI in children.MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, OVID, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang (Chinese), SinoMed (Chinese) and Weipu (Chinese) were searched from inception to 12In total, 25 observational studies were included in the analysis. Prior antibiotic exposure [OR 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.97], prolonged hospitalization (OR 14.68, 95% CI 13.24-16.28), history of hospitalization (OR 3.67, 95% CI 1.91-7.06), gastric acid suppressants (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.41-2.73), male gender (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05-1.32), neoplastic disease (OR 3.40, 95% CI, 2.85-4.07), immunodeficiency (OR 4.18, 95% CI 3.25-5.37), solid organ transplantation (OR 4.56, 95% CI 3.95-5.27) and enteral feeding (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.05-4.62) were associated with increased risk of CDI.This systematic review and meta-analysis provides further evidence for the susceptibility factors of CDI to improve clinicians' awareness of CDI, and prevent C. difficile-associated diarrhoea in children.

To investigate the influences of dietary riboflavin (RF) addition on nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation, eight rumen cannulated Holstein bulls were randomly allocated into four treatments in a repeated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Daily addition level of RF for each bull in control, low RF, medium RF and high RF was 0, 300, 600 and 900 mg, respectively. Increasing the addition level of RF, DM intake was not affected, average daily gain tended to be increased linearly and feed conversion ratio decreased linearly. Total tract digestibilities of DM, organic matter, crude protein (CP) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF) increased linearly. Rumen pH decreased quadratically, and total volatile fatty acids (VFA) increased quadratically. Acetate molar percentage and acetate:propionate ratio increased linearly, but propionate molar percentage and ammonia-N content decreased linearly. Rumen effective degradability of DM increased linearly, NDF increased quadratically but CP was unaltered. Activity of cellulase and populations of total bacteria, protozoa, fungi, dominant cellulolytic bacteria, Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus increased linearly. Linear increase was observed for urinary total purine derivatives excretion. The data suggested that dietary RF addition was essential for rumen microbial growth, and no further increase in performance and rumen total VFA concentration was observed when increasing RF level from 600 to 900 mg/d in dairy bulls.

Medium manganese (Mn) steel has excellent strength and ductility and is widely used in the automobile industry and elsewhere; however, hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is considered as one of the most serious issues of its application. In this paper, in situ transmission electron microscopy was used to study the microstructural evolution and fracture micromechanisms of medium Mn steel under the influence of hydrogen and annealing. The results indicated that two specimens with different annealing processes showed transformation-induced plasticity and twinning-induced plasticity, albeit to a varying degree due to different microstructures with distinct mechanical properties. It was shown that hydrogen affected the fracture micromechanisms, which promoted the initiation of microcracks at the boundaries of martensite transformed from austenite. Moreover, the main cracks propagate in a zigzag fashion, following hydrogen charging, due to the hardness of the martensite. These findings provide directions for improving HE resistance through microstructural regulation of medium Mn steel.

Coated copper sulphate (CCS) could be used as a Cu supplement in cows. To investigate the influences of copper sulphate (CS) and CCS on milk performance, nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation, fifty Holstein dairy cows were arranged in a randomised block design to five groups: control, CS addition (7·5 mg Cu/kg DM from CS) or CCS addition (5, 7·5 and 10 mg Cu/kg DM from CCS, respectively). When comparing Cu source at equal inclusion rates (7·5 mg/kg DM), cows receiving CCS addition had higher yields of fat-corrected milk, milk fat and protein; digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral-detergent fibre (NDF); ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration; activities of carboxymethyl cellulase, cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase; populations of Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes; and liver Cu content than cows receiving CS addition. Increasing CCS addition, DM intake was unchanged, yields of milk, milk fat and protein; feed efficiency; digestibility of DM, OM, NDF and acid-detergent fibre; ruminal total VFA concentration; acetate:propionate ratio; activity of cellulolytic enzyme; populations of total bacteria, protozoa and dominant cellulolytic bacteria; and concentrations of Cu in serum and liver increased linearly, but ruminal propionate percentage, ammonia-N concentration, α-amylase activity and populations of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus decreased linearly. The results indicated that supplement of CS could be substituted with CCS and addition of CCS improved milk performance and nutrient digestion in dairy cows.

Se can enhance lactation performance by improving nutrient utilization and antioxidant status. However, sodium selenite (SS) can be reduced to non-absorbable elemental Se in the rumen, thereby reducing the intestinal availability of Se. The study investigated the impacts of SS and coated SS (CSS) supplementation on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and microbiota in dairy cows. Sixty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were blocked by parity, daily milk yield and days in milk and randomly assigned to five treatments: control, SS addition (0.3 mg Se/kg DM as SS addition) or CSS addition (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg Se/kg DM as CSS addition for low CSS (LCSS), medium CSS (MCSS) and high CSS (HCSS), respectively). Experiment period was 110 days with 20 days of adaptation and 90 days of sample collection. Dry matter intake was higher for MCSS and HCSS compared with control. Yields of milk, milk fat and milk protein and feed efficiency were higher for MCSS and HCSS than for control, SS and LCSS. Digestibility of DM and organic matter was highest for CSS addition, followed by SS addition and then control. Digestibility of CP was higher for MCSS and HCSS than for control, SS and LCSS. Higher digestibility of ether extract, NDF and ADF was observed for SS or CSS addition. Ruminal pH decreased with dietary Se addition. Acetate to propionate ratio and ammonia N were lower, and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration was greater for SS, MCSS and HCSS than control. Ruminal H ion concentration was highest for MCSS and HCSS and lowest for control. Activities of cellobiase, carboxymethyl-cellulase, xylanase and protease and copies of total bacteria, fungi, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus amylophilus increased with SS or CSS addition. Activity of α-amylase, copies of protozoa, Ruminococcus albus and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and serum glucose, total protein, albumin and glutathione peroxidase were higher for SS, MCSS and HCSS than for control and LCSS. Dietary SS or CSS supplementation elevated blood Se concentration and total antioxidant capacity activity. The data implied that milk yield was elevated due to the increase in total tract nutrient digestibility, total VFA concentration and microorganism population with 0.2 or 0.3 mg Se/kg DM from CSS supplementation in dairy cows. Compared with SS, HCSS addition was more efficient in promoting lactation performance of dairy cows.

The combined addition of branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFAs) and folic acid (FA) could improve growth performance and nutrient utilization by stimulating ruminal microbial growth and enzyme activity. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of BCVFA and FA addition on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, microbial enzyme activity, microflora and excretion of urinary purine derivatives (PDs) in calves. Thirty-six Chinese Holstein weaned calves (60 ± 5.4 days of age and 107 ± 4.7 kg of BW) were assigned to one of four groups in a randomized block design. Treatments were control (without additives), FA (with 10 mg FA/kg dietary DM), BCVFA (with 5 g BCVFA/kg dietary DM) and the combined addition of FA and BCVFA (10 mg/kg DM of FA and 5 g/kg DM of BCVFA). Supplements were hand-mixed into the top one-third of total mixed ration. Dietary concentrate to maize silage ratio was 50 : 50 on a DM basis. Dietary BCVFA or FA addition did not affect dry matter intake but increased average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion efficiency. Ruminal pH and ammonia N were lower, and total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentration was higher for BCVFA or FA addition than for control. Dietary BCVFA or FA addition did not affect acetate proportion but decreased propionate proportion and increased acetate to propionate ratio. Total tract digestibility of DM, organic matter, CP and NDF was higher for BCVFA or FA addition than for control. Dietary BCVFA or FA addition increased activity of carboxymethyl cellulase and cellobiase, population of total bacteria, fungi, Ruminococcus albus, R. flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Prevotella ruminicola as well as total PD excretion. Ruminal xylanase, pectinase and protease activity and Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens population were increased by BCVFA addition, whereas population of protozoa and methanogens was increased by FA addition. The BCVFA × FA interaction was significant for acetate to propionate ratio, cellobiase activity and total PD excretion, and these variables increased more with FA addition in diet without BCVFA than in diet with BCVFA. The data indicated that supplementation with BCVFA or FA increased ADG, nutrient digestibility, ruminal total VFA concentration and microbial protein synthesis by stimulating ruminal microbial growth and enzyme activity in calves.

The effects of pantothenic acid (PA) and folic acid (FA) addition on digestibility coefficient, ruminal fermentation and urinary purine derivative (PD) excretion in dairy bulls were evaluated. Eight rumen-cannulated Holstein dairy bulls were allocated to a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design according to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Diets were supplemented with two levels of FA (0 or 8.0 mg/kg dietary dry matter [DM]) and two of PA (0 or 60 mg/kg DM). The PA × FA interaction was not significant for all variables. Both supplements increased DM intake and average daily gain, but decreased a feed conversion ratio. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre increased, but ether extract digestibility was unchanged for both supplements. Digestibility of acid detergent fibre only increased with FA supplementation. For both supplements, ruminal pH and ammonia nitrogen (N) decreased, but total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration increased. Acetate proportion only increased with FA supplementation. Propionate proportion decreased for both supplements. Consequently, the acetate to propionate ratio increased. For both supplements, activity of xylanase and pectinase, population of Ruminococcus albus, R. flavefaciens, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminobacter amylophilus and total PD excretion increased. Additionally, activity of carboxymethylcellulase, cellobiase, α-amylase and protease, and population of total bacteria, fungi, protozoa, methanogens, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens and Prevotella ruminicola increased with FA addition. The results suggested that PA and FA supplementation stimulated ruminal microbial growth and enzyme activity, resulting in an increased digestibility coefficient and ruminal total VFA concentration in dairy bulls.

Two tree peony species, Paeonia ostii and Paeonia rockii, from eight different provenances in China (four provenances for each species) were collected for their photosynthetic characteristics. Their diurnal variations of photosynthesis, the light- and CO2-response curves and chlorophyll content were determined. Among all eight provenances, Ziwuling P. rockii had a significantly higher average daily net photosynthetic rate, showing a superior photosynthetic capacity, followed by Fengxiang P. ostii and Xunyang P. ostii. In addition, Ziwuling P. rockii had the highest maximum net photosynthetic rates, thus, presented a strong photosynthetic potential. Furthermore, Xunyang P. ostii, Fengxiang P. ostii, and Heze P. ostii also exhibited a great photosynthetic capacity and light adaptability, which was consistent with their high chlorophyll a/b values. Taken together, Ziwuling P. rockii had the strongest photosynthetic capacity among all tested sources, followed by Fengxiang P. ostii, and Xunyang P. ostii, which are recommended to be used as seed sources for oil peony cultivation and cross-breeding.

A novel precipitation-strengthened CuFeNiMn high-entropy alloy without sigma-sensitive Cr and rare Co was prepared by traditional cast, homogenization, cold rolling and aging. The second phase was controllably precipitated by aging, which was identified as Cu-rich face-centered-cubic (FCC) phases, distributed dispersedly in the FCC-structured matrix. Two characteristic aging parameters were selected to study the precipitate features and corresponding tensile properties. After aging at 800 °C/1 h, the alloy exhibits a good integrated performance, i.e. tensile yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation of 825 MPa, 932 MPa, and 18%, respectively. Increasing the aging temperature to 900 °C, the yield strength is decreased significantly, but the work hardening rate and elongation are increased. The Cu-rich particles play a predominant part in strengthening by dislocation shearing, different from the by-pass mechanism of the hard ceramic and intermetallic precipitates.

The tunnel of Wang-Pei interval underpasses 6 residential buildings in a concentrate manner. The construction time of buildings is mostly from the 70s to the 80s of the last century. It’s very difficult to control subsidence and protect building. This paper uses PLAXIS 3D to simulate the construction. The calculation results and the monitoring data are compared. The results show that: (1) the building is slightly raised firstly; (2) then rapidly settles when tunnel passes; (3) slightly lifted before settlement stable; (4) the building is slightly inclined towards the central axis of the tunnel; (6) the maximum settlement is 14.1mm, which is consistent with the initial monitoring data. And this project adopts monitoring program of automatic and manual monitoring, and developed a real-time detection technology for grouting behind segment by using radar, timely grouting again to reduce the ground loss. Eventually, “micro settlement” was basically achieved and the building was well protected.

This study evaluated the effects of branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFA) and rumen protected folic acid (RPFA) supplementation on lactation performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion and blood metabolites in dairy cows. Fifty-six multiparous Chinese Holstein cows (3.2 ± 1.1 of parity, 631 ± 16.4 kg of body weight [BW], 65 ± 2.6 days in milk [DIM] and 30.2 ± 2.1 kg of milk yield per day, mean ± SD) were blocked by lactation number, milk yield per day and DIM and were arranged into one of four groups in a randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Supplemental BCVFA (0 g/d [BCVFA-] or 80 g/d [BCVFA+]) and RPFA (0 mg/d [RPFA-] or 128 mg/d [RPFA+]) were hand-mixed into the top one-third of total mixed ration. Dietary concentrate to forage ratio was 50:50 based on a dry matter (DM) basis. Experimental periods comprised 105 days with 15 d of adaptation followed by 90 d of data collection. DM intake was increased with BCVFA supplementation, but was unaffected by RPFA. The BW changes were similar among treatments. Yields of milk, milk fat and lactose were increased, and milk true protein yield tended to increase with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation. Milk fat percentage was increased with BCVFA supplementation, but was unaffected by RPFA. Percentage of milk true protein was increased, lactose was unaltered and feed conversion ratio was decreased with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation. Ruminal pH and ammonia N concentration were decreased, but total volatile fatty acids concentration was increased with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation. Molar proportion of acetate was increased and propionate was decreased, resulting in an increased ratio of acetate to propionate with BCVFA supplementation. Acetate and propionate molar proportion and the ratio of acetate to propionate were not affected by RPFA. Digestibilities of DM, organic matter, crude protein, non-fiber carbohydrates, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre were increased with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation. Similarly, activities of caboxymethyl-cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase, pectinase, α-amylase and protease and abundance of R. albus, R. flavefaciens, F. succinogenes, B. fibrisolvens and P. ruminicola were increased. However, R. amylophilus abundance was not affected by BCVFA and increased with RPFA supplementation. Serum concentrations of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) were unaltered and total protein was increased with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation. Serum acetoacetate (ACAC) and BHBA were increased by BCVFA, but were decreased by RPFA. Supplementation of BCVFA or RPFA increased serum growth hormone releasing hormone, growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1. These results indicated that lactation performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion and hormone secretion improved due to the stimulated ruminal bacteria growth and enzyme activity with BCVFA or RPFA supplementation, but no BCVFA × RPFA interaction was detected during the trial.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary soybean oil (SO) and coated folic acid (CFA) supplementation on ruminal digestion kinetics, fermentation, microbial enzyme activity and bacterial abundance in Jinnan beef steers. Eight ruminally cannulated Jinnan beef steers, averaging 15 months of age and 415 ± 5.6 kg of body weight (BW; Mean ± S.E.), were used in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design by a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Two levels of CFA (0 mg [FA-] or 115 mg per kg dietary DM [FA + ]) were supplemented to the diets without or with SO supplementation (0 g [SO−] or 30 g per kg dietary dry matter [DM] [SO + ]). Steers were fed a total mixed ration with ensiled corn forage to concentrate ratio of 50:50 on a DM basis. The SO × CFA interaction was observed for ruminal pH, total VFA concentration, molar proportions of acetate and propionate, the ratio of acetate to propionate and ammonia N content. Ruminal pH increased with SO supplementation, but decreased with CFA supplementation. Ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate molar proportion and acetate to propionate ratio decreased with SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. Ruminal ammonia-N content decreased with SO or CFA supplementation. No SO × CFA interaction was observed for nutrient degradability and digestibility. Degradability of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and digestibility of DM, organic matter, NDF and acid detergent fibre decreased with SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. Degradability and digestibility of crude protein was not affected by SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. Pectinase activity was unaltered, whereas, other microbial enzyme activity, bacterial abundance and total PD excretion were affected by SO × CFA interaction. Activities of carboxymethyl-cellulase, cellobiase and xylanase and abundance of R. albus, R. flavefaciens, F. succinogenes and B. fibrisolvens decreased with SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. Activities of pectinase, α-amylase and protease as well as total bacterial abundance were not affected by SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. Total protozoal abundance decreased with SO supplementation, but was not affected by CFA supplementation. Abundance of P. ruminicola and R. amylophilus increased with SO or CFA supplementation. Total PD excretion increased with CFA supplementation, but decreased with SO supplementation. The results suggested that ruminal fermentation, NDF degradability, protozoal abundance, cellulolytic bacterial abundance and enzyme activity decreased with dietary SO supplementation, but increased with CFA supplementation. The supplementation of CFA in the SO diet could relieve the negative effects of SO on ruminal fermentation.

This study evaluated the effects of branched-chain volatile fatty acids (BCVFA) supplementation on growth performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, hepatic lipid content and gene expression of dairy calves. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein male calves (10 months of age; 345 ± 6.4 kg of body weight [BW]) were assigned randomly to four treatments with 0, 60, 120 and 180 mg BCVFA per kg BW per day for each calf. Supplemental BCVFA was hand-mixed into the top third of the daily ration and fed to calves for 100 days to the experimental treatments. Supplementation of BCVFA in calves ration increased ADG and feed conversion linearly. Dry matter (DM) intake was unaffected, but digestibilitiy of DM, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre increased linearly with increasing levels of BCFVA supplementation. Similarly, Supplementation of BCVFA linearly decreased ruminal pH and ammonia-N but increased total VFAs. Molar proportion of acetate linearly increased, whereas propionate linearly decreased and the ratio of acetate to propionate increased linearly with increasing BCVFA in rations. Relative mRNA expressions of peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α and carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 linearly increased with BCVFA levels. The results suggested that BCVFA supplementation improved ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility and growth of calves with promoted hepatic lipid oxidation. Due to the unsignificant difference between 120 and 180 mg groups for all parameters, the optimum supplementary dose of BCVFA was 120 mg per kg BW per day.

The present study evaluated the effects of isovalerate supplementation on the development of the small intestinal mucosa in dairy calves. Forty-eight Chinese Holstein bull calves at 15 days of age and 45.1 ± 0.36 kg of body weight were assigned randomly to four groups. The treatments were control, low-isovalerate, moderate-isovalerate and high-isovalerate with 0, 3, 6 and 9 g isovalerate per calf per day, respectively. The study comprised 75 days with a 15-day adaptation period followed by a 60-day sampling period. Calves were weaned at 60 days of age. Six calves were chosen from each treatment at random and slaughtered at 30 and 90 days of age. The small intestine morphology and activities of amylase and trypsin improved significantly with increasing age. No interaction between treatments and age was observed. The small intestine length, mucosa layer thickness, villus height and crypt depth increased linearly with increasing isovalerate supplementation. However, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth was not affected by treatment. Activities of amylase and trypsin increased linearly. The lactase activity increased linearly during the 75-day period and for pre-weaned calves but was unaltered for post-weaned calves. The relative mRNA expressions of growth hormone receptor, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor and sodium-glucose co-transporter-1 in the small intestine mucosa increased linearly, and a similar pattern was observed for the expression of peptide transporter-1 in the duodenum and proximal jejunum. The results suggested that small intestine development was promoted by isovalerate in a dose-dependent manner.

Isovalerate supplements could stimulate rumen development by improving morphology and function of rumen mucosa, and then promote the growth of calves. This study was done to evaluate the effects of isovalerate supplements on morphology and functional gene expression of rumen mucosa in dairy calves. In total, 48 Chinese Holstein male calves with 15 days of age and 45.1±0.36 kg of BW were randomly assigned to four groups. The treatments were: control, low-isovalerate, moderate-isovalerate and high-isovalerate with 0, 3, 6 and 9 g isovalerate per calf per day, respectively. Supplementary isovalerate was hand-mixed into milk in pre-weaning calves and into concentrate portion in post-weaning calves. The study consisted of a 15-day-adaptation period and a 60-day-sampling period. Calves were weaned at 60 days of age. Three calves were slaughtered from each of the four treatments at 30, 60 and 90 days of age. The weight of body and stomach were measured, samples of ruminal tissues and blood were analyzed. Total stomach weight, total stomach to BW ratio, rumen wall and keratinized layer thickness, serum growth hormone and IGF-1 for both pre- and post-weaning calves increased linearly with increasing isovalerate supplements. Rumen to total stomach weight ratio, the length and width of rumen papillae, and serum β-hydroxybutyrate increased linearly for post-weaning calves. However, abomasum weight to total stomach weight ratio decreased linearly for both pre- and post-weaning calves. The relative messenger RNA expression for growth hormone receptor, IGF-1 receptor and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 in rumen mucosa increased linearly for post-weaning calves. Our results suggested that isovalerate supplements promoted rumen development in a dose-dependent manner. The optimum dose was 6.0 g isovalerate per calf per day.

This study was to evaluate impacts of zinc sulfate (ZS) and coated ZS (CZS) supplementation on milk performance, nutrient digestibility and rumen fermentation. Forty-five Holstein dairy cows were assigned in a randomized block design to one of five treatments: control, ZS supplementation (30 mg Zn/kg dry matter [DM] as ZS) or CZS supplementation (10, 20 and 30 mg Zn/kg DM as CZS for LCZS, MCZS and HCZS, respectively). The experiment lasted for 110 days with 20 days for adaptation and 90 days for data collection. When comparing Zn source at same supplemental level (30 mg Zn/kg DM), milk yield and total-tract digestibility of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) tended to be higher and ruminal activities of xylanase, cellobiase, pectinase and protease and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were higher for HCZS than for ZS. Increasing CZS addition linearly increased DM intake and yields of milk, milk fat and milk protein but did not affect milk lactose yield, milk composition content and feed efficiency. Digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein, NDF and ADF, ruminal total volatile fatty acids content and acetate to propionate ratio linearly increased but ammonia N content linearly decreased with increasing CZS addition. Quadratic responses were observed for proportions of acetate and propionate. Activities of cellulase and protease and populations of total bacteria, fungi, protozoa, dominant cellulolytic and amylolytic (proteolytic) bacteria responded linearly and positively with increasing CZS addition. Increasing CZS addition linearly increased liver Zn and blood total protein, albumin, ALP and Zn. Results indicated that CZS could be used as a Zn supplement in cows, and supplementing 20 or 30 mg/kg DM of Zn from CZS stimulated performance, nutrients digestion and ruminal fermentation and improved Zn status in cows fed diets containing 31.2 mg Zn/kg DM.

The first Water Cherenkov detector of the LHAASO experiment (WCDA-1) has been operating since April 2019. The data for the first year have been analyzed to test its performance by observing the Crab Nebula as a standard candle. The WCDA-1 achieves a sensitivity of 65 mCU per year, with a statistical threshold of 5 . To accomplish this, a 97.7% cosmic-ray background rejection rate around 1 TeV and 99.8% around 6 TeV with an approximate photon acceptance of 50% is achieved after applying an algorithm to separate gamma-induced showers. The angular resolution is measured using the Crab Nebula as a point source to be approximately 0.45° at 1 TeV and better than 0.2° above 6 TeV, with a pointing accuracy better than 0.05°. These values all match the design specifications. The energy resolution is found to be 33% for gamma rays around 6 TeV. The spectral energy distribution of the Crab Nebula in the range from 500 GeV to 15.8 TeV is measured and found to be in agreement with the results from other TeV gamma ray observatories.

Lactation performance of dairy cow has considerably increased with animal breeding and management improvement in recent years. Ruminal net synthesised pantothenic acid is insufficient to meet the requirement of high producing dairy cows. The objective was to investigate the effects of rumen-protected pantothenate (RPP) on lactation performance, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion and blood metabolites in dairy cows.; Results: Dry matter (DM) intake tended to increase, whereas milk yields, milk fat percentage and yield, body condition score (BCS) changes and net energy output except for maintenance increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation. Ruminal pH and ammonia N concentration tended to decrease, total VFA tended to increase, while acetate-to-propionate ratio increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation. Digestibilities of DM, organic matter and crude protein increased linearly, but neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre digestibility tended to increase. Blood glucose, total protein, non-esterified fatty acids, pantothenic acid, pantothenate kinase, succinyl CoA, acyl carrier protein and acetyl CoA also increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation.; Conclusion: The results indicated that supplementary RPP improved lactation performance, nutrient digestion and blood parameters in a dose-dependent manner, and the optimal dose was 12 g RPP per cow per day in the current study. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The dynamic collision of an on-chain same charged polaron pair with an off-chain counterion trapped in an impurity molecule, under the influence of an external electric field, has been investigated using a nonadiabatic evolution method. We demonstrate that the bipolaron, the exciton and the trion are the main products in such a reaction, and that the trion can be formed by both the direct recombination of a positive polaron pair with a counterion and the secondary recombination of the formed bipolaron with either a trapped polaron, a charged defect, or an impurity of the opposite sign, which is consistent with the experimental evidence qualitatively. Meanwhile, our results show that the strength of the applied electric field and the impurity potential play important roles in the polaron pair-impurity collision. These results are expected to be helpful to understand the electroluminescence and conductivity in conjugated polymers.

The competition between α -decay and spontaneous fission (SF) of Z = 112 isotopes are studied. The α -decay half-lives are estimated by the generalized liquid-drop model (GLDM) and several sets of analytic formulas. These formulas include the Royer formula, Viola–Seaborg semiempirical (VSS) formula and universal decay law (UDL). For the SF, its half-lives are calculated by using the Xu, Ren, Karpov and Santhosh formulas. It is shown that the predicted α -decay half-lives by different approaches are more or less identical. However, the SF half-lives are highly sensitive to models. To test the accuracies of different SF formulas, the half-lives of 56 even–even heavy nuclei are calculated by these formulas. By comparing with the experimental data, it is found that the Xu formula is the most accurate one to reproduce the experimental SF half-lives. This allows us to make a systematic prediction on the competition between α -decay and SF of even–even superheavy nuclei (SHN) with Z = 104 – 120 by using the Xu formula and the above mentioned models on α -decay. The calculations suggest that 258,260 104, 268 – 276 110, 270 – 280 112, 272 – 286 114, 274 – 294 116, 284 – 302 118 and 292 – 308 120 have smaller α -decay half-lives than those of SF. Thus these nuclei can be synthesized and identified via α -decay in the laboratory. In addition, it is observed that N = 162 , 178, 184 and 196 may be the submagic or magic numbers. Finally, an extensive study on the possible α -decay chains for Z = 120 isotopes is performed. It is predicted that six sequential α -decay chains can be observed from 292 – 296 120, four α -decay chains from 298 120, three α -decay chains from 300,302 120, two α -decay chains from 304,306 120, and only one α -decay chain from 308 120. These nuclei are the most likely candidates to be synthesized experimentally via α -decay in the near future.

This experiment was to evaluate the effects of rumen-protected pantothenate (RPP) on ruminal fermentation, microbial enzyme activity, bacteria population and urinary excretion of purine derivatives in growing beef steers. Eight ruminally cannulated first-generation crossbred (Blonde d′Aquitaine × Simmental) beef steers, averaging 12 months of age and 363 ± 7 kg of body weight (BW), were allocated into a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. Four treatments were control, low-RPP (LRPP), medium-RPP (MRPP) and high-RPP (HRPP) with 0, 0.32, 0.48 and 0.64 g RPP per kg dietary DM, respectively. Steers were fed a total mixed ration and dietary concentrate to corn silage ratio was 50:50 based on a dry matter (DM) basis. The experiment included four periods and lasted for 96 days, each period contained 14 days of adaptation and 10 days of data collection. Ruminal pH decreased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation and was lower for MRPP than for control. Ruminal total VFA concentration increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation and was higher for MRPP than for control. The acetate to propionate ratio increased linearly due to the unchanged acetate molar proportion and the tendency towards decreased propionate proportion. Ruminal DM and neutral detergent fibre degradability of corn silage increased quadratically, whereas DM and crude protein degradability of concentrate mix increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation. Activities of carboxymethyl-cellulase, cellobiase, xylanase and α-amylase increased linearly and was higher for MRPP than for control. Populations of R. albus, R. flavefaciens, F. succinogenes, B. fibrisolvens, P. ruminicola and R. amylophilus increased linearly and quadratically with increasing RPP supplementation. Urinary excretion of purine derivatives increased linearly with increasing RPP supplementation and was higher for HRPP and MRPP than for LRPP and control. The results indicated that dietary supplementary RPP improved ruminal fermentation, in situ ruminal degradation and urinary excretion of purine derivatives by stimulating bacteria growth and microbial enzymes secretion. It is suggested that supplementary RPP regulated bacteria growth and microbial enzymes secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Under the current experimental condition, the appropriate dose of RPP was at 0.48 g per dietary DM for growing crossbred beef steer.

Deficiencies in DNA repair and DNA degrading nucleases can lead to accumulation of cytosolic DNA and the activation of STING pathways in tumor cells. The DNA sensors that recognize cytosolic DNA in tumor cells are not known. Here we show that double-stranded DNA and RNA:DNA hybrids bind cGAS and activate the cGAS-STING pathway in TRAMP-C2 prostate and other cancer cells. STING function in TRAMP-C2 cells was critical for rejection and immune cell infiltration of TRAMP-C2 tumors. In contrast, STING agonists failed to active STING and induce type I interferon (IFN) expression in many tested tumor cells. Inhibition of JAK2 and STAT3 restored type I IFN expression in these tumor cells. Intratumoral injections of IL-6, a known activator of JAK2 and STAT3, significantly reduced the anti-tumor effects of cGAMP. In summary, we show that IL-6 suppresses recognition of cytosolic DNA by the cGAS-STING pathway in tumor cells, which contributes to anti-tumor responses. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the NRF grant HUJ-CREATE-Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Inflammation and a ministry of education grant. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: Mice were housed according to the IACUC guidelines of the National University of Singapore (R14-0204).

Background Psychosocial concerns represent important outcomes in studies of treatments for acne and acne scarring. Also important, but largely overlooked, is the concept of appearance. Objectives To design an acne-specific patient-reported outcome measure for acne and acne scarring. Methods We used a mixed-methods approach. Phase I involved 21 patient interviews that were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded. Concepts were identified and developed into scales that were refined through 10 cognitive interviews and input from 16 clinical experts. Phase II involved data collection at hospital and community-based dermatology clinics in Canada and the U.S.A. Eligible participants were aged 12 years and older with acne and/or acne scars on the face, chest and/or back. Rasch Measurement Theory (RMT) analyses were performed to examine psychometric properties. Results Phase I led to the development of seven scales that measure appearance of facial skin, acne (face, chest and back) and acne scars, acne-specific symptoms and appearance-related distress. In phase II, 256 patients completed the ACNE-Q. RMT analysis provided evidence that the items of each scale worked together conceptually and statistically. Most participants scored within the range of measurement for each scale (81·9-93·1%). Reliability was high, with person separation index values and Cronbach alpha values > 0·90 for the appearance scales, ≥ 0·87 for appearance-related distress and ≥ 0·75 for symptoms. Worse scores on appearance scales correlated with worse symptom scores and more appearance-related distress. Conclusions The ACNE-Q is a rigorously developed instrument that can be used to measure appearance and other patient-centred concerns. What's already known about this topic? Acne is a common dermatological condition that can have an important impact on psychosocial function. Current patient-reported outcome measures specific to acne focus mostly on measuring psychological and social impact. What does this study add? The ACNE-Q provides a set of independently functioning scales that measure appearance of facial, back and chest acne, acne scarring and facial skin. Additional scales measure appearance-related distress and acne symptoms. What are the clinical implications of this work? ACNE-Q provides the dermatology community with a rigorously developed patient-reported measure for acne that can be applied in clinical trials, research and patient care. The measurement of appearance by ACNE-Q scales is more comprehensive than in other instruments providing important information on appearance of their acne and/or acne scars from the patient perspective.