Nuclear factor-like factor 2-antioxidant response element signaling activation by tert-butylhydroquinone attenuates acute heat stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcription factor that binds to the antioxidant response element (ARE) in the upstream promoter region of many antioxidative genes. The Nrf2-ARE signaling plays a key role in the cellular antioxidant-defense system, but whether Nrf2 activation has protective effects against heat shock (HS) stress in mammary epithelial cells (MEC) remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine whether tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ), a well-known Nrf2 activator, could attenuate heat stress-induced cell damage in MAC-T cells of the bovine MEC line. The MAC-T cells were exposed to HS (42.5°C for 1h) followed by recovery at 37°C to mimic HS. Compared with cells that were consistently cultured at normothermia (37°C), the cell viability levels significantly decreased after HS stress. In parallel, heat stress increased the reactive oxygen species levels and induced cellular apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The MAC-T cells that were pretreated with tBHQ (10μM) for 2h followed by HS had a reduction in the loss of cell viability. The tBHQ pretreatment significantly decreased cellular reactive oxygen species levels and stress-related marker gene expression. The tBHQ-treated MAC-T cells showed strong Nrf2-ARE signaling activation and a nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 and upregulated expression of Nrf2-ARE downstream genes. Small interfering RNA silencing of Nrf2 in HS-treated MAC-T cells almost completely abolished the cytoprotective effects by tBHQ. Overall, our results demonstrated that HS could cause cell damage in cultured bovine MEC, and that activation of Nrf2 by tBHQ could attenuate HS-induced cell damage.

Early supplementation of starter pellets with alfalfa improves the performance of pre- and postweaning Hu lambs

This study aims to determine the effects of alfalfa supplementation on the pre- and postweaning performance, rumen development, and feed transition in starter diet-fed lambs. Six of 66 male Hu lambs were slaughtered at the age of 10 d to serve as a control. The other 60 lambs were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments: milk replacer and starter pellets without (STA) or with free-choice chopped alfalfa (S-ALF). The animals were offered 300 g/d of the concentrate mixture and had free access to alfalfa after weaning at the end of wk 4 (age 38 d). The alfalfa inclusion in the S-ALF group tended to increase the starter intake before weaning, significantly increased the concentrate intake soon after weaning ( < 0.05), and increased the BW ( < 0.01) and ADG ( < 0.10) in pre- and postweaning lambs. The S-ALF group had heavier carcasses ( < 0.05), rumens ( < 0.05), reticula ( < 0.05), omasums ( < 0.10), abomasums ( < 0.05), and visceral organs ( < 0.10) than the STA lambs after weaning. Alfalfa supplementation increased ( < 0.05) the rumen papillae length and the ratio of the duodenal villus height to the crypt depth; it also decreased ( < 0.05) the concentration and molar proportion of propionate in wk 1 and 5. The STA lambs had higher ( < 0.01) blood concentrations of globulin and blood urea nitrogen and lower β-hydroxybutyrate after weaning. The STA group also had a higher incidence of feed plaque. From the above results, we infer that the free-choice addition of chopped alfalfa to starter diets is beneficial to rumen development, relieves weaning stress, and improves the performance of lambs.

Managing the protein folding demands in the endoplasmic reticulum of plants

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs in plants during certain developmental stages or under adverse environmental conditions, as a result of the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the ER. To minimize the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER, a protein quality control (PQC) system monitors protein folding and eliminates misfolded proteins through either ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) or autophagy. ER stress elicits the unfolded protein response (UPR), which enhances the operation in plant cells of the ER protein folding machinery and the PQC system. The UPR also reduces protein folding demands in the ER by degrading mRNAs encoding secretory proteins. In plants subjected to severe or chronic stress, UPR promotes programmed cell death (PCD). Progress in the field in recent years has provided insights into the regulatory networks and signaling mechanisms of the ER stress responses in plants. In addition, novel physiological functions of the ER stress responses in plants for coordinating plant growth and development with changing environment have been recently revealed.

Cellulose synthesis genes CESA6 and CSI1 are important for salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

Two salt hypersensitive mutants she1 and she2 were identified through genetic screening. SHE1 encodes a cellulose synthase CESA6 while SHE2 encodes a cellulose synthase-interactive protein CSI1. Both of them are involved in cellulose deposition. Our results demonstrated that the sustained cellulose synthesis is important for salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Correlation among RKIP expression, NF-κB p65 levels, and T-lymphocyte subsets in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma

The aim of this study was to characterize variations in Raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) expression and related signaling molecules in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma. Cancerous and precancerous tissues were collected from patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma and normal tissue was collected from healthy controls. RKIP expression was detected in these tissues and the serum levels of NF-κB p65 and T-lymphocyte subsets were measured. Positive RKIP expression was higher in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma tissues than in precancerous tissues. The serum level of total NF-κB p65 was higher in patients with gastric cardia adenocarcinoma than in healthy controls. Levels of NF-κB p65 did not correlate with positive and negative expression of RKIP, but were higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without it. The cellular immune function of the gastric cardia adenocarcinoma group was lower than in normal controls, particularly in cases with negative RKIP expression. RKIP is downregulated in gastric cardia adenocarcinoma tissues, which is related to the occurrence, progression, invasion, and metastasis of tumors. The possible mechanism for this may be the inhibition of NF-κB activity and cellular immune function, which allows for the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance.

Diversity of arthropod community in transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystems

Poplar-cotton agro-ecosystems are the main agricultural planting modes of plain cotton fields in China. Here, we performed a systematic survey of the diversity and population of arthropod communities in four different combination of poplar-cotton eco-systems, including I) non-transgenic poplar and non-transgenic cotton fields; II) non-transgenic poplar and transgenic cotton fields [Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton]; III) Bt transgenic poplar (high insect resistant strain Pb29) and non-transgenic cotton; and IV) transgenic poplar and transgenic cotton fields, over a period of 3 years. Based on the statistical methods used to investigate community ecology, the effects of transgenic ecosystems on the whole structure of the arthropod community, on the structure of arthropods in the nutritive layer, and on the similarity of arthropod communities were evaluated. The main results were as follows: the transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystem has a stronger inhibitory effect on insect pests and has no impact on the structure of the arthropod community, and therefore, maintains the diversity of the arthropod community. The character index of the community indicated that the structure of the arthropod community of the transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystem was better than that of the poplar-cotton ecosystem, and that system IV had the best structure. As for the abundance of nutritional classes, the transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystem was also better than that of the non-transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystem. The cluster analysis and similarity of arthropod communities between the four different transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystems illustrated that the structure of the arthropod community excelled in the small sample of the transgenic poplar-cotton ecosystems.

Effect of initial stress on propagation behaviors of shear horizontal waves in piezoelectric/piezomagnetic layered cylinders

An analytical approach is taken to investigate shear horizontal wave (SH wave) propagation in layered cylinder with initial stress, where a piezomagnetic (PM) material thin layer is bonded to a piezoelectric (PE) cylinder. Two different material combinations are taken into account, and the phase velocities of the SH waves are numerically calculated for the magnetically open and short cases, respectively. It is found that the initial stress, the thickness ratio and the material performance have a great influence on the phase velocity. The results obtained in this paper can offer fundamental significance to the application of PE/PM composite media or structure for the acoustic wave and microwave technologies.

The Effects of Dietary Phosphorus on the Growth Performance and Phosphorus Excretion of Dairy Heifers

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of reducing dietary phosphorus (P) on the frame size, udder traits, blood parameters and nutrient digestibility coefficient in 8- to 10-month-old Holstein heifers. Forty-five heifers were divided into 15 blocks according to the mo of age and were randomly assigned one of three dietary treatments: 0.26% (low P [LP]), 0.36% (medium P [MP]), or 0.42% (high P [HP]) (dry matter basis). Samples were collected at the wk 1, 4, 8. The results show that low dietary P had no effect on body measurement. The blood P concentration decreased with decreasing dietary P (p<0.05), while the blood calcium content of LP was higher than that of the MP and HP groups (p<0.05), though still in the normal range. The serum contents of alkalinephosphatase, potassium, and magnesium were similar among the treatments. No differences were found in all nutrients' apparent digestibility coefficients with varied dietary P. However, with P diet decreased from HP to LP, the total fecal P and urine P concentration declined significantly, as did fecal water soluble P (p<0.05). In conclusion, reducing the dietary P from 0.42% to 0.26% did not negatively affect the heifers' growth performance but did significantly lessen manure P excretion into the environment.

Membrane-associated transcription factor peptidase, site-2 protease, antagonizes ABA signaling in Arabidopsis

Abscisic acid plays important roles in maintaining seed dormancy while gibberellins (GA) and other phytohormones antagonize ABA to promote germination. However, how ABA signaling is desensitized during the transition from dormancy to germination is still poorly understood. We functionally characterized the role of membrane-associated transcription factor peptidase, site-2 protease (S2P), in ABA signaling during seed germination in Arabidopsis. Genetic analysis showed that loss-of-function of S2P conferred high ABA sensitivity during seed germination, and expression of the activated form of membrane-associated transcription factor bZIP17, in which the transmembrane domain and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen-facing C-terminus were deleted, in the S2P mutant rescued its ABA-sensitive phenotype. MYC and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged bZIP17 were processed and translocated from the ER to the nucleus in response to ABA treatment. Furthermore, genes encoding negative regulators of ABA signaling, such as the transcription factor ATHB7 and its target genes HAB1, HAB2, HAI1 and AHG3, were up-regulated in seeds of the wild-type upon ABA treatment; this up-regulation was impaired in seeds of S2P mutants. Our results suggest that S2P desensitizes ABA signaling during seed germination through regulating the activation of the membrane-associated transcription factor bZIP17 and therefore controlling the expression level of genes encoding negative regulators of ABA signaling.

Losartan improves the distribution and efficacy of doxorubicin in CT26 tumor

OBJECTIVE

The effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents is impaired by limited delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to the tumor cells. Improving drug penetration in tumor tissues is very important. We tested whether losartan, a selective antagonist against type 1 angiotensin II receptors (AT1R) with noted antifibrotic activity, can enhance the penetration and efficacy of doxorubicin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

BALB/C mice, which implanted with CT26 tumor cells, were divided into four groups: control, doxorubicin alone, losartan alone and doxorubicin + losartan combination groups. At day 0, the losartan alone and doxorubicin + losartan combination groups received losartan; and at day 8, the doxorubicin alone and doxorubicin + losartan combination groups received doxorubicin i.v. Tumor growth and intratumoral distribution of doxorubicin were evaluated. The mechanism underlying the enhanced anti-tumor effect of the combination of doxorubicin and losartan was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis.

RESULTS

Treatment with losartan alone did not suppress tumor growth; In contrast, treatment with doxorubicin alone decreased tumor growth; losartan and doxorubicin were administered in combination, had a synergistic effect that the tumor growth was much more inhibited. The decreased proliferation as indicated by down-regulation of Ki67, and increased apoptosis as indicated by TUNEL and caspase-3 staining. The expression of tumor suppressor gene P53 increased in doxorubicin + losartan combination groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Losartan can increase the therapeutic effectiveness of doxorubicin, yielding more great antitumor benefit. This study provided a rationale for initiating clinical trials using losartan in combination with chemotherapeutic agents to increase their therapeutic effectiveness.

Effects of Supplemental Levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Fermentation Product on Lactation Performance in Dairy Cows under Heat Stress

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of different supplemental levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP; Original XP; Diamond V) on lactation performance in Holstein dairy cows under heat stress. Eighty-one multiparous Holstein dairy cows were divided into 27 blocks of 3 cows each based on milk yield (23.6±0.20 kg/d), parity (2.88±0.91) and day in milk (204±46 d). The cows were randomly assigned within blocks to one of three treatments: 0 (control), 120, or 240 g/d of SCFP mixed with 240, 120, or 0 g of corn meal, respectively. The experiment was carried out during the summer season of 2014, starting from 14 July 2014 and lasting for 9 weeks with the first week as adaption period. During the experimental period, average daily temperature-humidity index (measured at 08:00, 14:00, and 20:00) was above 68, indicating that cows were exposed to heat stress throughout the study. Rectal temperatures tended to decrease linearly (p = 0.07) for cows supplemented with SCFP compared to the control cows at 14:30, but were not different at 06:30 (p>0.10). Dry matter intake was not affected by SCFP supplementation (p>0.10). Milk yield increased linearly (p<0.05) with increasing levels of SCFP. Feed efficiency (milk yield/dry matter intake) was highest (p<0.05) for cows fed 240 g/d SCFP. Cows supplemented with SCFP gained (p<0.01) body weight, while cows in the control lost body weight. Net energy balance also increased linearly (p<0.01) with increasing levels of SCFP. Concentrations of milk urea nitrogen (p<0.01) decreased linearly with increasing levels of SCFP, while no difference (p>0.10) was observed among the treatments in conversion of dietary crude protein to milk protein yield. In summary, supplementation of SCFP alleviated the negative effect of heat stress in lactating Holstein dairy cows and allowed cows to maintain higher milk production, feed efficiency and net energy balance. Effects of SCFP were dose-dependent and greater effects were observed from higher doses.

Effects of Replacement of Concentrate Mixture by Broccoli Byproducts on Lactating Performance in Dairy Cows

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of feeding pelletized broccoli byproducts (PBB) on milk yield and milk composition in dairy cows. In Trial 1, an in vitro gas test determined the optimal replacement level of PBB in a concentrate mixture in a mixed substrate with Chinese wild ryegrass hay (50:50, w/w) at levels of 0, 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% (dry matter basis). When the concentrate was replaced by PBB at a level of 20%, no adverse effects were found on the gas volume or its rate constant during ruminal fermentation. In trial 2, 24 lactating cows (days in milk = 170.4±35; milk yield = 30±3 kg/d; body weight = 580 ±13 kg) were divided into 12 blocks based on day in milk and milk yield and randomly allocated to two dietary treatments: a basic diet with or without PBB replacing 20% of the concentrate mixture. The feeding trial lasted for 56 days; the first week allowed for adaptation to the diet. The milk composition was analyzed once a week. No significant difference in milk yield was observed between the two groups (23.5 vs 24.2 kg). A significant increase was found in milk fat content in the PBB group (p<0.05). Inclusion of PBB did not affect milk protein, lactose, total solids or solids-not-fat (p>0.05). These results indicated that PBB could be included in dairy cattle diets at a suitable level to replace concentrate mixture without any adverse effects on dairy performance.

Impacts of transgenic poplar-cotton agro-ecosystems upon target pests and non-target insects under field conditions

Poplar-cotton agro-ecosystems are the main agricultural planting modes of cotton fields in China. With increasing acres devoted to transgenic insect-resistant poplar and transgenic insect-resistant cotton, studies examining the effects of transgenic plants on target and non-target insects become increasingly important. We systematically surveyed populations of both target pests and non-target insects for 4 different combinations of poplar-cotton eco-systems over 3 years. Transgenic Bt cotton strongly resisted the target insects Fall webworm moth [Hyphantria cunea (Drury)], Sylepta derogata Fabrieius, and American bollworm (Heliothis armigera), but no clear impact on non-target insect cotton aphids (Aphis gossypii). Importantly, intercrops containing transgenic Pb29 poplar significantly increased the inhibitory effects of Bt cotton on Fall webworm moth in ecosystem IV. Highly resistant Pb29 poplar reduced populations of the target pests Grnsonoma minutara Hubner and non-target insect poplar leaf aphid (Chaitophorus po-pulialbae), while Fall webworm moth populations were unaffected. We determined the effects of Bt toxin from transgenic poplar and cotton on target and non-target pests in different ecosystems of cotton-poplar intercrops and identified the synergistic effects of such combinations toward both target and non-target insects.

Influence of Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil on late endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood of COPD patients with pulmonary artery hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the influence of Fasudil, a Rho inhibitor on the number and functions of the late endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) patients with pulmonary artery hypertension.

BACKGROUND

It is not clear yet, whether Rho Kinase Inhibitor Fasudil can reduced pulmonary artery pressure through improving lung endothelial function.

METHODS

80 COPD patients with pulmonary artery hypertension were selected and divided into two groups: the treatment group and the control group, which had 40 patients, respectively. Changes in the number and function of the late endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood of the patients before and after the treatment were compared between the two groups. The changes on the pulmonary artery pressure were also compared.

RESULTS

The number of the late endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood of the treatment group increased and the function was enhanced. The pulmonary artery pressure was reduced. The difference before and after the treatment and with the control group was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The Rho-kinase inhibitor Fasudil increased the number and enhanced the function of the late endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood of COPD patients with pulmonary artery hypertension (Tab. 3, Fig. 2, Ref. 17).

Effects of corn and soybean meal types on rumen fermentation, nitrogen metabolism and productivity in dairy cows

Twelve multiparous Holstein dairy cows in mid-lactation were selected for a replicated 4×4 Latin square design with a 2 ×2 factorial arrangement to investigate the effects of corn and soybean meal (SBM) types on rumen fermentation, N metabolism and lactation performance in dairy cows. Two types of corn (dry ground [DGC] and steam-flaked corn [SFC]) and two types of SBM (solvent-extracted and heat-treated SBM) with different ruminal degradation rates and extents were used to formulate four diets with the same basal ingredients. Each period lasted for 21 days, including 14 d for adaptation and 7 d for sample collection. Cows receiving SFC had a lower dry matter (DM) and total N intake than those fed DGC. However, the milk yield and milk protein yield were not influenced by the corn type, resulting in higher feed and N utilization efficiency in SFC-fed cows than those receiving DGC. Ruminal acetate concentrations was greater and total volatile fatty acids concentrations tended to be greater for cows receiving DGC relative to cows fed SFC, but milk fat content was not influenced by corn type. The SFC-fed cows had lower ruminal ammonia-N, less urea N in their blood and milk, and lower fecal N excretion than those on DGC. Compared with solvent-extracted SBM-fed cows, cows receiving heat-treated SBM had lower microbial protein yield in the rumen, but similar total tract apparent nutrient digestibility, N metabolism measurements, and productivity. Excessive supply of metabolizable protein in all diets may have caused the lack of difference in lactation performance between SBM types. Results of the present study indicated that increasing the energy degradability in the rumen could improve feed efficiency, and reduce environmental pollution.

Effects of the processing methods of corn grain and soybean meal on milk protein expression profiles in dairy cows

A proteomic approach was used to investigate the effects of the processing method of corn grain and soybean meal on the milk protein expression profile in lactating dairy cows. A total of 12 multiparous Holstein dairy cows were used in a 4×4 Latin square design with a 2×2 factorial arrangement. The primary factors examined were corn (finely ground (FGC) v. steam-flaked (SFC)) and soybean meal (solvent-extracted (SSBM) v. heat-treated (HSBM)), which were used to formulate four diets with the same basal ingredient: 27% FGC and 9% SSBM; 27% SFC and 9% SSBM; 27% FGC and 9% HSBM; and 27% SFC and 9% HSBM. Each period lasted for 21 days. Milk samples were collected on days 18, 19 and 20 of each period. Changes in the milk proteins were assessed by two-dimensional (2D) electrophoresis and ImageMaster 2D Platinum 6.0 software. A total of 13 spots displayed variations in protein spot abundance according to the statistical analysis. These spots were identified by a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight/time of flight MS. According to the gels, the relative abundance of α(s2)-casein (CN) fragments was higher in the cows fed the SFC-HSBM than that for SFC-SSBM, whereas β-CN, α-lactalbumin and zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein fragments were down-regulated in HSBM-fed cows. The relative decrease of β-CN expression was validated by western blot and agreed with the MS data. These results suggested that the method used to process soybean meal modified the synthesis and secretion of milk proteins in lactating dairy cows' mammary glands.

Transfer of dietary aflatoxin B1 to milk aflatoxin M1 and effect of inclusion of adsorbent in the diet of dairy cows

The objectives of this study were to investigate the transfer of aflatoxin from feed to milk and to evaluate the effects of Solis Mos (SM; Novus International Inc., St. Charles, MO) on milk aflatoxin M1, plasma biochemical parameters, and ruminal fermentation of dairy cows fed varying doses of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). Three groups of 8 multiparous Holstein cows in late lactation (days in milk = 271 ± 29; milk yield = 21.6 ± 3.1 kg/d) were assigned to 1 of 3 experiments in a crossover design. Cows in experiment 1 received no aflatoxin, cows in experiment 2 received 20 µg of AFB1/kg of dry matter, and cows in experiment 3 received 40 µg of AFB1/kg of dry matter. Cows in each experiment were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: control or 0.25% SM. Each experiment consisted of 2 consecutive periods with the first 4 d (d 1 to 4) as adaptation, followed by AFB1 challenge for 7 d (d 5 to 11), and finally clearance for 5 d (d 12 to 16) in each period. Samples of total mixed ration and milk were collected on d 1, 2, and 10 to 14 of each period. Blood samples were collected from the coccygeal vein on d 1, 11, and 14 of each period. Rumen fluid was collected by oral stomach tube 2 h after the morning feeding on d 1 and 11 of each period. Adding SM to basal or AFB1-contaminated diets at 0.25% had no effect on lactation performance, liver function, or immune response. However, addition of SM improved antioxidative status, as indicated by increased plasma concentrations of superoxide dismutase and reduced malondialdehyde regardless of dietary AFB1 level. Addition of SM to the AFB1-free diet eliminated the background AFM1 in milk and increased total ruminal volatile fatty acid (99.6 vs. 94.2 mM) concentrations. Adding SM to the AFB1-contaminated diet in experiment 2 decreased the AFM1 concentration (88.4 vs. 105.3 ng/L) and the transfer of aflatoxin to milk (0.46 vs. 0.56%), and increased total volatile fatty acid concentration (99.8 vs. 93.4 mM). Adding SM to diets with 40 µg/kg of AFB1 did not elicit changes in rumen parameters or AFM1 output. These results indicated that adding SM to diets containing 0 or 20 µg of AFB1/kg decreased milk AFM1 concentration, improved antioxidative status, and altered rumen fermentation, whereas adding SM to a diet containing 40 µg of AFB1/kg did not reduce AFB1 transfer but did increase the antioxidant status of the liver.

[Effect of licorice flavonoids on kainic acid-induced seizure in mice]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of licorice flavonoid (LF) on kainic acid (KA)-induced seizure in mice and its mechanism.

METHODS

Male adult ICR mice were injected with 25 mg/kg KA to induce temporal lobe seizure. LF was administrated 7 d before seizure induction (pre-treatment) or 24 h after seizure induction (post-treatment) for 7 d. Acute seizure latency, seizure stage and duration were observed and compared between LF- and vehicle-treated mice. From d2 on, mice with status epilepticus were video-monitored for spontaneous seizures, 10 h/d for 6 w. Immunohistochemical analysis of BrdU and Timm staining was conducted to detect the neurogenesis and mossy fiber sprouting, respectively.

RESULTS

No significant difference was observed in acute seizure latency, seizure stage and duration between LF-and vehicle-treated mice. KA-induced acute seizure resulted in spontaneous seizure in mice, and the seizure frequency was increased with time. Pre- and post-treatment with LF decreased seizure frequency from w3 after modeling [(0.58±0.15)/d, (0.38±0.38)/d vs (1.23±0.23)/d, P <0.05]. Furthermore, KA-induced seizure resulted in robust neurogenesis and mossy fiber sprouting, while treatment with LF both pre- and post- KA injection significantly inhibited neurogenesis (15.6±2.6, 17.1±3.1 vs 28.9±3.5, P <0.05) and mossy fiber sprouting (1.33±0.31, 1.56±0.42 vs 3.0±0.37, P <0.05).

CONCLUSION

LF has no significant anti-seizure effect. However, it can decrease epileptogenesis through inhibition of neurogenesis and mossy fiber sprouting.

Alternative optical concept for electron cyclotron emission imaging

The implementation of advanced electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) systems on tokamak experiments has revolutionized the diagnosis of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activities and improved our understanding of instabilities, which lead to disruptions. It is therefore desirable to have an ECEI system on the ITER tokamak. However, the large size of optical components in presently used ECEI systems have, up to now, precluded the implementation of an ECEI system on ITER. This paper describes a new optical ECEI concept that employs a single spherical mirror as the only optical component and exploits the astigmatism of such a mirror to produce an image with one-dimensional spatial resolution on the detector. Since this alternative approach would only require a thin slit as the viewing port to the plasma, it would make the implementation of an ECEI system on ITER feasible. The results obtained from proof-of-principle experiments with a 125 GHz microwave system are presented.

Effects of Aspergillus Oryzae Culture and 2-Hydroxy-4-(Methylthio)-Butanoic Acid on In vitro Rumen Fermentation and Microbial Populations between Different Roughage Sources

An in vitro experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Aspergillus oryzae culture (AOC) and 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid (HMB) on rumen fermentation and microbial populations between different roughage sources. Two roughage sources (Chinese wild rye [CWR] vs corn silage [CS]) were assigned in a 2×3 factorial arrangement with HMB (0 or 15 mg) and AOC (0, 3, or 6 mg). Gas production (GP), microbial protein (MCP) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) were increased in response to addition of HMB and AOC (p<0.01) for the two roughages. The HMB and AOC showed inconsistent effects on ammonia-N with different substrates. For CWR, neither HMB nor AOC had significant effect on molar proportion of individual VFA. For CS, acetate was increased (p = 0.02) and butyrate was decreased (p<0.01) by adding HMB and AOC. Increase of propionate was only occurred with AOC (p<0.01). Populations of protozoa (p≤0.03) and fungi (p≤0.02) of CWR were differently influenced by HMB and AOC. Percentages of F. succinogenes, R. albus, and R. flavefaciens (p<0.01) increased when AOC was added to CWR. For CS, HMB decreased the protozoa population (p = 0.01) and increased the populations of F. succinogenes and R. albus (p≤0.03). Populations of fungi, F. succinogenes (p = 0.02) and R. flavefacien (p = 0.03) were increased by adding AOC. The HMB×AOC interactions were noted in MCP, fungi and R. flavefacien for CWR and GP, ammonia-N, MCP, total VFA, propionate, acetate/propionate (A/P) and R. albus for CS. It is inferred that addition of HMB and AOC could influence rumen fermentation of forages by increasing the number of rumen microbes.

A plasma membrane-tethered transcription factor, NAC062/ANAC062/NTL6, mediates the unfolded protein response in Arabidopsis

The accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) triggers a well conserved pathway called the unfolded protein response (UPR) in eukaryotic cells to mitigate ER stress. Two signaling pathways, S2P-bZIP28 and IRE1-bZIP60, play important roles in transmitting ER stress signals from the ER to the nucleus in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). It is not known whether other components in the secretory pathway also contribute to the alleviation of ER stress. Here we report the identification of a plasma membrane-associated transcription factor, NAC062 (also known as ANAC062/NTL6), as another important UPR mediator in Arabidopsis plants. NAC062 relocates from the plasma membrane to the nucleus and regulates the expression of ER stress responsive genes in Arabidopsis. Knock-down of NAC062 in the wild-type background confers ER stress sensitivity, while inducible expression of a nucleus-localized form of NAC062, NAC062D, in the bZIP28 and bZIP60 double mutant (zip28zip60) background increases ER stress tolerance. Knock-down of NAC062 impairs ER-stress-induced expression of UPR downstream genes while over-expression of NAC062D-MYC induces the expression of UPR downstream genes under normal growth condition. CHIP-qPCR reveals that NAC062D-MYC is enriched at the promoter regions of several UPR downstream genes such as BiP2. Furthermore, NAC062 itself is also up-regulated by ER stress, which is dependent on bZIP60 but not on bZIP28. Thus, our results have uncovered an alternative UPR pathway in plants in which the membrane-associated transcription factor NAC062 relays ER stress signaling from the plasma membrane to the nucleus and plays important roles in regulating UPR downstream gene expression.

Effects of feeding lutein on production performance, antioxidative status, and milk quality of high-yielding dairy cows

This experiment was conducted to determine the influences of supplementing different levels of an additive containing lutein in the diet of Chinese Holstein lactating cows on production performance, antioxidative plasma metabolites, and milk quality. This study was performed on 60 multiparous Holstein dairy cows in peak lactation. The cows were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 homogeneous treatments, with lutein preparation (extracted from marigolds; effective lutein content was 2%) added at levels of 0, 100, 150, and 200 g/d per head, with the actual available amounts being 0, 2, 3, and 4 g of lutein/d per head, respectively. The experiment lasted for 13 wk, with the first week for adaptation. Milk yield and milk compositions were recorded weekly, and milk concentrations of lutein, dry matter intake, and antioxidative blood index were analyzed in the first, fourth, seventh, and thirteenth week of the study. The results showed that adding lutein in the diet had no effect on dry matter intake compared with the control group; however, it slowed down the trend of decline in milk yield, and had a linear incremental effect on milk yield with increasing concentration of lutein. Dietary lutein tended to quadratically increase the percentage of milk fat, and linearly increased milk lactose concentration, with the highest value when treated at 200 g of lutein preparation/d per head, and decreased somatic cell count, with the lowest values when treated with 150 and 200 g of lutein preparation/d per head. The concentration of lutein in milk linearly increased with the incorporation of the additive, with a value of 0.59, 0.70, 1.20, and 1.50 μg/100mL when treated with 0, 100, 150, and 200 g/d, respectively. Total plasma antioxidant capacity tended to linearly increase in cows fed lutein preparation, whereas plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities did not differ significantly. In conclusion, addition of lutein in the diet could improve the production performance and health status of dairy cows.

Effects of Storage Duration and Temperature on the Chemical Composition, Microorganism Density, and In vitro Rumen Fermentation of Wet Brewers Grains

This study aimed to investigate the effects of storage duration and temperature on the characteristics of wet brewers grains (WBG) as feeds for ruminant animals. Four storage temperatures (5°C, 15°C, 25°C, and 35°C) and four durations (0, 1, 2, and 3 d) were arranged in a 4×4 factorial design. Surface spoilage, chemical composition and microorganism density were analyzed. An in vitro gas test was also conducted to determine the pH, ammonia-nitrogen and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations after 24 h incubation. Surface spoilage was apparent at higher temperatures such as 25°C and 35°C. Nutrients contents decreased concomitantly with prolonged storage times (p<0.01) and increasing temperatures (p<0.01). The amount of yeast and mold increased (p<0.05) with increasing storage times and temperatures. As storage temperature increased, gas production, in vitro disappearance of organic matter, pH, ammonia nitrogen and total VFA from the WBG in the rumen decreased (p<0.01). Our results indicate that lower storage temperature promotes longer beneficial use period. However, when storage temperature exceeds 35°C, WBG should be used within a day to prevent impairment of rumen fermentation in the subtropics such as Southeast China, where the temperature is typically above 35°C during summer.

Blue Fluorescence of a Binuclear Cd(II) Complex: [Cd(ClC2H4CO2)2(phen)]2

A new binuclear complex, [Cd(ClCH2CH2CO2)2(phen)]2 (1), has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The Cd atoms are linked by carboxylate oxygen atoms into a four-membered Cd2O2 rhombic ring with a Cd···Cd separation of 3.824 Å . Two carboxylate groups act as bidentate, and two as both bidentate bridging and bidentate chelating ligands. The hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interactions are responsible for the supramolecular assembly and stabilization of the crystal structure. The complex has been characterized by elemental analysis, IR and UV/Vis spectra, and thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The complex exhibits blue fluorescence in the solid at room temperature.

The plant-specific transcription factor gene NAC103 is induced by bZIP60 through a new cis-regulatory element to modulate the unfolded protein response in Arabidopsis

The unfolded protein response (UPR) plays important roles in plant development and plant-pathogen interactions, as well as in plant adaptation to adverse environmental stresses. Previously bZIP28 and bZIP60 have been identified as important UPR regulators for mitigating the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here we report the biological function of NAC103 in a novel transcriptional regulatory cascade, connecting bZIP60 to the UPR downstream genes in Arabidopsis. Expression of NAC103 was induced by ER stress, and was completely abolished in the bZIP60 null mutant. A new ER stress-responsive cis-element UPRE-III (TCATCG) on the NAC103 promoter was identified, and trans-activation of UPRE-III by bZIP60 was confirmed in both yeast cells and Arabidopsis protoplasts. The direct binding of bZIP60 to UPRE-III-containing DNA was also demonstrated in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. NAC103 formed homodimers in yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. It had transcriptional activation activity and was localized in the nucleus. Over-expression of NAC103 had pleiotropic effects on plant growth, and induced expression of several UPR downstream genes in Arabidopsis under normal growth conditions. The activation of UPR gene promoters by NAC103 was also confirmed in effector/reporter protoplast assays. Thus, our study demonstrates a transcriptional regulatory cascade in which NAC103 relays ER stress signals from bZIP60 to UPR downstream genes through a newly identified ER stress cis-element (UPRE-III) and transcriptional activation activity of its encoded protein NAC103.