Xylanase Supplement Enhances the Growth Performance of Broiler by Modulating Serum Metabolism, Intestinal Health, Short-Chain Fatty Acid Composition, and Microbiota

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of xylanase supplementation in a wheat-based diet on growth performance, short-chain fatty acids, intestinal health, microbial composition, and serum metabolism. A total of 1200 male chicks were randomly assigned to four wheat-based diet treatments: Group C (adding 0 mg/kg of xylanase), Group L (adding 50 mg/kg of xylanase), Group M (adding 100 mg/kg of xylanase), and Group H (adding 150 mg/kg of xylanase). The experiment lasted for 56 days. The results indicated that Group H broilers experienced a decreased feed-to-gain ratio throughout the study period. Additionally, dietary supplementation with xylanase led to an increase in the physical barrier, as indicated by increased VH and VH/CD in the gut (p < 0.05). Furthermore, levels of D-lactic acid and endotoxin were reduced. Xylanase supplementation also increased the abundance of Muc-2, ZO-1, and Occludin (p < 0.05). Moreover, xylanase supplementation enhanced the activity of sucrase and maltase in the duodenum (p < 0.05), which may be attributable to the upregulation of the abundance of SI and MGA (p < 0.05). Furthermore, xylanase addition promoted propionic acid produced by specific bacteria, such as Phascolarctobacterium, and influenced the microbial composition to some extent, promoting intestinal health. Additionally, 150 mg/kg of xylanase supplementation increased the amino acid, peptide, and carbohydrate content and upregulated the metabolism of amino acids related to histidine, cysteine, methionine, and other pathways (p < 0.05). These findings suggest adequate xylanase supplementation can enhance nutritional digestibility and absorption, improve growth performance, stimulate endogenous enzyme activity, optimize intestinal morphology and barrier function, and positively influence acid-producing bacteria and amino acid metabolic pathways.

Study of association between corneal shape parameters and axial length elongation during orthokeratology using image-pro plus software

BACKGROUND

The aim was to validate the correlation between corneal shape parameters and axial length growth (ALG) during orthokeratology using Image-Pro Plus (IPP) 6.0 software.

METHODS

This retrospective study used medical records of myopic children aged 8-13 years (n = 104) undergoing orthokeratology. Their corneal topography and axial length were measured at baseline and subsequent follow-ups after lens wear. Corneal shape parameters, including the treatment zone (TZ) area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, TZ radius ratio, eccentric distance, pupil area, and pupillary peripheral steepened zone(PSZ) area, were measured using IPP software. The impact of corneal shape parameters at 3 months post-orthokeratology visit on 1.5-year ALG was evaluated using multivariate linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

ALG exhibited significant associations with age, TZ area, TZ diameter, TZ fractal dimension, and eccentric distance on univariate linear regression analysis. Multivariate regression analysis identified age, TZ area, and eccentric distance as significantly correlated with ALG (all P < 0.01), with eccentric distance showing the strongest correlation (β = -0.370). The regressive equation was y = 1.870 - 0.235a + 0.276b - 0.370c, where y represents ALG, a represents age, b represents TZ area, and c represents eccentric distance; R2 = 0.27). No significant relationships were observed between the TZ radius ratio, pupillary PSZ area, and ALG.

CONCLUSIONS

IPP software proves effective in capturing precise corneal shape parameters after orthokeratology. Eccentric distance, rather than age or the TZ area, significantly influences ALG retardation.

Carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan-chitosan complex nanogels stabilized emulsions incorporated into alginate as microcapsule matrix for intestinal-targeted delivery of probiotics: In vivo and in vitro studies

In this study, we developed a novel delivery system using carboxymethyl konjac glucomannan-chitosan (CMKGM-CS) nanogels stabilized single and double emulsion incorporated into alginate hydrogel as microcapsule matrix for intestinal-targeted delivery of probiotics. Through in vitro experiments, it was demonstrated that alginate hydrogel provided favorable biocompatible growth conditions for the proliferation of Lactobacillus reuteri (LR). The alginate hydrogel containing single (ASE) or double emulsions (ACG) enhanced the resistance of LR to various adverse environments. Simulated gastrointestinal digestion experiments revealed that the survivability of LR in free, CON, ASE and ACG group decreased by 6.45 log CFU/g, 4.21 log CFU/g, 1.26 log CFU/g and 0.65 log CFU/g, respectively. In vivo studies conducted in mice showed that ACG maintained its integrity during passage through the stomach and released the probiotics in the targeted intestinal area, whereas the pure alginate hydrogels (CON) were prematurely released in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, the viable counts of ACG in different intestinal segments (jejunum, ileum, cecum, and colon) were increased by 1.11, 1.42, 1.68, and 1.89 log CFU/g, respectively, after 72 h of oral administration compared to the CON group. This research contributed valuable insights into the development of an effective microbial delivery system with potential applications in the biopharmaceutical and food industries.

Selenomethionine Attenuated H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis by Nrf2 in Chicken Liver Cells

Earlier studies have shown that selenomethionine (SM) supplements in broiler breeders had higher deposition in eggs, further reduced the mortality of chicken embryos, and exerted a stronger antioxidant ability in offspring than sodium selenite (SS). Since previous studies also confirmed that Se deposition in eggs was positively correlated with maternal supplementation, this study aimed to directly investigate the antioxidant activities and underlying mechanisms of SS and SM on the chicken hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (LMH). The cytotoxicity results showed that the safe concentration of SM was up to 1000 ng/mL, while SS was 100 ng/mL. In Se treatments, both SS and SM significantly elevated mRNA stability and the protein synthesis rate of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), two Se-containing antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, SM exerted protective effects in the H2O2-induced oxidant stress model by reducing free radicals (including ROS, MDA, and NO) and elevating the activities of antioxidative enzymes, which performed better than SS. Furthermore, the results showed that cotreatment with SM significantly induced apoptosis induced by H2O2 on elevating the content of Bcl-2 and decreasing caspase-3. Moreover, investigations of the mechanism revealed that SM might exert antioxidant effects on H2O2-induced LMHs by activating the Nrf2 pathway and enhancing the activities of major antioxidant selenoenzymes downstream. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of SM on ameliorating H2O2-induced oxidative impairment and suggest SM has the potential to be used in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of oxidative-related impairment in poultry feeds.

Development of LOX-1 Antibody Modified Immuno-liposomes as Drug Carriers to Macrophages in Atherosclerotic Lesions

We developed a drug delivery system for atherosclerotic lesions using immuno-liposomes. We focused on enhancing the delivery efficiency of the liposomes to macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions by antibody modification of lectinlike oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) receptor 1 (LOX-1). The cellular accumulation of the liposomes in foam cells induced by oxidized LDL (oxLDL) in Raw264 mouse macrophages was evaluated. The cellular accumulation of LOX-1 antibody modified liposomes in oxLDL-induced foam cells and untreated Raw264 cells was significantly higher compared with that of unmodified liposomes. The liposomes were also administered intravenously to Apoeshl mice as an atherosclerosis model. Frozen sections were prepared from the mouse aortas and observed by confocal laser microscopy. The distribution of LOX-1 antibody modified liposomes in the atherosclerotic regions of Apoeshl mice was significantly greater compared with that of unmodified liposomes. The results suggest that LOX-1 antibody modified liposomes can target foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions, providing a potential route for delivering various drugs with pharmacological effects or detecting atherosclerotic foci for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis.

Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 attenuates Clostridium perfringens-induced intestinal damage of broilers by modulating intestinal microbiota and the metabolome

Necrotic enteritis (NE), especially subclinical NE (SNE), without clinical symptoms, in chicks has become one of the most threatening problems to the poultry industry. Therefore, increasing attention has been focused on the research and application of effective probiotic strains as an alternative to antibiotics to prevent SNE in broilers. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 (BS) on the prevention of subclinical necrotic enteritis (SNE) in broilers. A total of 480 1-day-old broiler chickens were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, each with six replicates pens of twenty birds for 63 d. The negative (Ctr group) and positive (SNE group) groups were only fed a basal diet, while the two treatment groups received basal diets supplemented with BS (1 × 109 colony-forming units BS/kg) (BS group) and 10mg/kg enramycin (ER group), respectively. On days 15, birds except those in the Ctr group were challenged with 20-fold dose coccidiosis vaccine, and then with 1 ml of C. perfringens (2 × 108) at days 18 to 21 for SNE induction. BS, similar to ER, effectively attenuated CP-induced poor growth performance. Moreover, BS pretreatment increased villi height, claudin-1 expression, maltase activity, and immunoglobulin abundance, while decreasing lesional scores, as well as mucosal IFN-γ and TNF-α concentrations. In addition, BS pretreatment increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria and decreased that of pathogenic species; many lipid metabolites were enriched in the cecum of treated chickens. These results suggest that BS potentially provides active ingredients that may serve as an antibiotic substitute, effectively preventing SNE-induced growth decline by enhancing intestinal health in broilers.

[Clinical and StAR genetic characteristics of 33 children with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia]

Objective: To analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of 33 children with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) caused by StAR gene defects. Methods: The clinical, biochemical, genetic, and follow-up (until December 2021) data of 33 children diagnosed with CLAH from 2006 to 2021 were retrospectively analyzed in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. Results: Of the 33 children with CLAH, 17 had a karyotype of 46, XX and 16 had a karyotype of 46, XY; 31 were female and 2 were male by social gender. Classic type and non-classic type were found in 30 and 3 children respectively. The age at diagnosis was 9.0 (3.0, 34.5) months. All the 30 cases with classic CLAH presented within the first year of life with skin hyperpigmentation (28 cases, 93%), vomiting and(or) diarrhea (19 cases, 63%), no increase in body weight (8 cases, 27%), elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone levels (21cases (70%)>275 pmol/L), decreased cortisol levels (47 (31,126) nmol/L), hyponatremia ((126±13) mmol/L), hyperkalemia ((5.7±1.1) mmol/L), and normal 17α-hydroxyprogesterone levels (30 cases, 100%). All these with classic CLAH exhibited female external genitalia. Three children with non-classic CLAH (including 2 cases of 46, XY and 1 case of 46, XX) also showed signs and symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, but 2 of them had an age of onset later than 1 year of age, including 1 case of 46, XY with male external genitalia and 1 case of 46, XX with female external genitalia. The other 46, XY patient with non-classic CLAH presented with adrenal insufficiency at 2 months of age, showing micropenis and hypospadias. In the 17 females with 46, XX, 4 older than 10 years of age showed spontaneous pubertal development. A total of 25 StAR gene pathogenic variants were identified in 33 patients, with p.Q258* (18/66, 27%), p.K236Tfs*47 (8/66, 12%) and p.Q77* (6/66, 9%) being the common variantion. Six novel variants were found, including c.358T>G, c.713_714del, c.125del, c.745-1G>A, c.179-2A>C, and exon 1 deletion. Conclusions: Patients with classic CLAH typically present with signs and symptoms of primary adrenal insufficiency in the early infancy period and female external genitalia. p.Q258*, p.K236Tfs*47 and p.Q77* are common variants in CLAH patients.

Bacterial Metabolite Reuterin Attenuated LPS-Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Response in HD11 Macrophages

Reuterin is well-known for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial ability, while the other potential bioactivity is not yet clear. The present study aims to investigate the immunomodulatory activity of reuterin on chicken macrophage HD11 cells for the first time and evaluate whether reuterin is able to regulate the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory response. The results showed that the safe medication range of reuterin was less than 250 μM. Reuterin treatment for 6 h decreased the transcriptional of CD86, IL-1β and iNOS and increased the expression of CD206 in a dose-dependent way, but reuterin treatment for 12 h contrary increased the expression of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-10. However, it was noticed that reuterin treatment for 12 h significantly decreased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppressed the phagocytosis activity of HD11 macrophages against bacteria. Further, the results showed that preincubation or coincubation with reuterin significantly attenuated the promotive effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on transcription of proinflammatory cytokines (including IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) and obviously inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production as well as the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Meanwhile, Mechanism studies implied that reuterin might exert an anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-stimulated cells by downregulating the expression of TLR4/MyD88/TRAF6 and blocking the activation of NF-κB as well as MAPKs signaling pathways. Additionally, it was found that both pretreatment and cotreatment with reuterin remarkably inhibited the oxidative stress induced by LPS stimulation by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway and enhancing the activities of antioxidative enzymes. These findings suggested the immunoregulatory function of reuterin and indicated this bacterial metabolite was able to inhibit the inflammation and oxidative stress of HD11 macrophages once exposed to LPS stimulation.

[Disease spectrum analysis of children with inherited metabolic diseases detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of urinary organic acids]

Objective: To investigate the spectrum of amino acid, organic acid, and fatty acid oxidative metabolic diseases in children diagnosed by detecting urinary organic acid levels using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Methods: From January 2005 to December 2021, clinical data of 2 461 children diagnosed with inherited metabolic diseases (IMD) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, in combination with tandem mass spectrometry and genetic testing in Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among 2 461 children, 1 446 were male and 1 051 were female. A total of 32 types of IMD were detected among 2 461 patients, which included 10 amino acid disorders in 662 cases (26.9%), 6 common diseases were hyperphenylalaninemia, citrin deficiency, ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency, maple syrup urine disease, alkaptonuria, and tyrosinemia-I, 17 types of organic acidemias in 1 683 cases (68.4%), 6 common diseases were methylmalonic acidemia, propionic acidemia, valeric acidemia-type Ⅰ, isovaleric acidemia, 3-methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase deficiency and multiple carboxylase deficiency and 5 fatty acid β oxidative defects in 116 cases (4.7%), 2 common diseases were multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency and short-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency). Conclusion: Among the diseases diagnosed by analyzing urinary organic acid profiling with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the most common are organic acidemias, followed by amino acid disorders and fatty acid oxidation defects.

[HBx promotes ubiquitination and degradation of ZO1 and increases the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells]

Objective: To study the effect of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) expression level on migration and invasion of zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1) in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Methods: Liver cancer cells were transfected with HBV full gene plasmid (pcDNA3.1-HBV1. 1 or pcDNA3.1-HBV1.3), empty plasmid (pcDNA3.1) and HBV-encoded protein plasmids (pHBc, pHBs, pHBp and pHBx), respectively. Western blot and RT-PCR were used to detect ZO1 protein and mRNA levels. Immunoprecipitation was used to detect transfected pHBx. Western blot was used to detect ZO1 ubiquitination levels. Transwell chambers were used to assess cell migration and invasion. Cell proliferation and lactate dehydrogenase assay was used to detect siRNA transfecting targeting ZO1. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and cycle. The data was compared between two and multiple groups by using an independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance. Results: Compared with the empty plasmid, ZO1 protein level in HepG2 cells after transiently transfected with pHBV1.1 and pHBV1.3 was decreased by 42.99% ± 6.8% and 55.0% 5 ± 4.56%, respectively, and their mRNA levels did not change significantly. ZO1 protein level in Huh7 cells was decreased by 17.46% ± 4.94% and 47.53% ± 3.38%, respectively. ZO1 protein level after transfection with pHBx was decreased by 47.02% ± 3.4%, while the ZO1 protein level after transfection with pHBc, pHBs and pHBp did not change significantly. ZO1 mRNA level was unaffected with pHBx transfection. ZO1 ubiquitin level and cell migration and invasion ability in HepG2 cells was significantly increased with transfected pHBx. HepG2 cells proliferation, apoptosis and cycle after transfection with ZO1-targeted siRNA did not change significantly, but the migration and invasion ability were significantly increased. Conclusion: HBx can increase the migration and invasion of liver cancer cells by promoting the ubiquitination and degradation of ZO1 protein level.

Chlortetracycline alters microbiota of gut or faeces in pigs and leads to accumulation and migration of antibiotic resistance genes

In this study, we investigated the effect of long-term use of chlortetracycline (CTC) on the gut microbiota composition and metabolism profiles in pigs, and the variation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial communities in faeces and manure during aerobic composting (AC) and anaerobic digestion (AD). The pigs were fed the same basal diet supplemented with or without 75 mg/kg CTC, and fresh faeces of 30-, 60-, 90-, and 120-day-old pigs were collected from the CTC group. The results showed that CTC reduced the diversity of the gut microbiota significantly and changed its structure. Metabolomics analysis of intestinal contents revealed 23 differentially abundant metabolites, mainly organic acids, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Metabolic pathways, such as the TCA cycle, propionate metabolism, and pyruvate metabolism, were changed. From 30 to 120 days of age, the amount of CTC residues in faeces and the abundance of 3 tetracycline resistance genes increased significantly, and it was positively correlated with tetC, tetG, tetW, sul1 and intI2. CTC residue levels and ARGs abundance gradually decreased with fermentation time, and AC was better than AD at reducing ARGs abundance. The results suggest that in-feed CTC can reduce the diversity of the gut microbiota, change the structure, function and metabolism of the bacterial community, and increase the abundance of ARGs in faeces.

Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 Alleviates Negative Effects on Growth Performance in Broilers by Improving the Intestinal Health Under Necrotic Enteritis Challenge

Along with banning antibiotics, necrotic enteritis (NE), especially subclinical enteritis (SNE), poses a significant threat to the chicken industry; however, probiotics are a potentially promising intervention. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of Bacillus subtilis DSM29784 (BS) on the treatment of Clostridium perfringens (CP)-induced SNE in broilers. A total of 360 1-day-old broiler chicks were divided into three treatment groups, namely control (Ctr), SNE, and BS treatment (BST) groups, all of which were fed with a basal died for 21days, and then from day 22 onward, only the BST group had a BS supplemented diet (1×10⁹ colony-forming units BS/kg). On day 15, all chicks, except the Ctr group, were challenged with a 20-fold dose coccidiosis vaccine and 1ml CP (2×10⁸) on days 18–21 for SNE induction. Beneficial effects were observed on growth performance in BST compared to SNE broilers. BST treatment alleviated intestinal lesions and increased the villus height/crypt depth ratio. Further, BST broilers showed increased maltase activity in the duodenum compared with SNE chicks, and a significantly decreased caspase-3 protein expression in the jejunum mucosa. Moreover, an increased abundance of Ruminococcaceae and Bifidobacterium beneficial gut bacteria and an altered gut metabolome were observed. Taken together, we demonstrate that the manipulation of microbial gut composition using probiotics may be a promising prevention strategy for SNE by improving the composition and metabolism of the intestinal microbiota, intestinal structure, and reducing inflammation and apoptosis. Hence, BS potentially has active ingredients that may be used as antibiotic substitutes and effectively reduces the economic losses caused by SNE. The findings of this study provide a scientific foundation for BS application in broiler feed in the future.

[Analysis of six children with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria]

Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics, genotypes and long-term outcomes of individuals with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. Methods: The clinical features, biochemical data, genetic test results and treatment outcomes of six children with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria admitted to the Department of Endocrinology, Genetics and Metabolism, Xinhua Hospital from February 2017 to February 2019 were retrospectively analyzed and the Gesell developmental diagnosis schedule was performed to evaluate the development of four patients. Results: Among 6 children with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria 2 were males and 4 were females.Four cases had 3-methylglutaconic aciduria type Ⅰ and 2 cases had 3-methylglutaconic aciduria with deafness,encephalopathy, and Leigh-like syndrome. Five of 6 patients were detected by newborn screening among whom 4 remained asymptomatic, and only one had a postmortem diagnosis. Among them, 4 patients remained asymptomatic, while two presented with clinical symptoms such as jaundice and dyspnea and the age of disease onset was 1 and 2 days respectively. The concentration of 3-methylglutaconic acid in urine of all affected individuals was between 22.38 and 77.09 mmol/molCr, which was above the normal value. Genetic tests were performed for all patients. Eleven variants were identified in 2 genes, of which 10 variants were novel and only c.442C>T p.(R148X) has been previously reported; Seven variants (c.656-2delA, EX5-EX6 Del, c.942+3A>G, c.373C>T p.(R125W), c.895-3C>G, c.667C>T p.(R223X) and c.894+5G>A) were in AUH gene. The others (c.548G>A p.(R138Q), c.442C>T p.(R148X), c.1339C>T p.(R447X) and c.973dupA p.(M325Nfs*5) were in SERAC1 gene. After being treated with leucine diet restriction and L-carnitine, 4 patients with AUH gene variation who were from asymptomatic phase developed normally, whereas those 2 patients with SERAC1 gene variation had a poor prognosis. During the follow-up, 2 patients exhibited varying degrees of psychomotor retardation, the rest had normal course of development. Conclusions: There are significant clinical heterogeneities among individuals with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. The most common pathogenic variants are splicing variations, followed by nonsense, missense and frameshift mutations. Leucine-free diet and oral L-carnitine therapy are effective for some patients. Newborn screening is essential for early diagnosis and improvement of prognosis.

Early-Life Intervention Using Exogenous Fecal Microbiota Alleviates Gut Injury and Reduce Inflammation Caused by Weaning Stress in Piglets

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) could shape the structure of intestinal microbiota in animals. This study was conducted to explore the changes that happen in the structure and function of microbiota caused by weaning stress, and whether early-life FMT could alleviate weaning stress through modifying intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets. Diarrheal (D) and healthy (H) weaned piglets were observed, and in the same farm, a total of nine litters newborn piglets were randomly allocated to three groups: sucking normally (S), weaned at 21 d (W), and early-life FMT + weaned at 21 d (FW). The results demonstrated that differences of fecal microbiota existed in group D and H. Early-life FMT significantly decreased diarrhea incidence of weaned piglets. Intestinal morphology and integrity were improved in the FW group. Both ZO-1 and occludin (tight junction proteins) of jejunum were greatly enhanced, while the zonulin expression was significantly down-regulated through early-life FMT. The expression of IL-6 and TNF-α (intestinal mucosal inflammatory cytokines) were down-regulated, while IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokines) was up-regulated by early-life FMT. In addition, early-life FMT increased the variety of the intestinal microbial population and the relative amounts of some beneficial bacteria such as Spirochaetes, Akkermansia, and Alistipes. Functional alteration of the intestinal microbiota revealed that lipid biosynthesis and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were enriched in the FW group. These findings suggested that alteration of the microbiota network caused by weaning stress induced diarrhea, and early-life FMT alleviated weaning stress in piglets, which was characterized by decreased diarrhea incidence, improved intestinal morphology, reduced intestinal inflammation, and modified intestinal bacterial composition and function.

Enrichment of Autotrophic Denitrifiers From Anaerobic Sludge Using Sulfurous Electron Donors

This study compared the rates and microbial community development in batch bioassays on autotrophic denitrification using elemental sulfur (S0), pyrite (FeS2), thiosulfate (S2O3 2-), and sulfide (S2-) as electron donor. The performance of two inocula was compared: digested sludge (DS) from a wastewater treatment plant of a dairy industry and anaerobic granular sludge (GS) from a UASB reactor treating dairy wastewater. All electron donors supported the development of a microbial community with predominance of autotrophic denitrifiers during the enrichments, except for sulfide. For the first time, pyrite revealed to be a suitable substrate for the growth of autotrophic denitrifiers developing a microbial community with predominance of the genera Thiobacillus, Thioprofundum, and Ignavibacterium. Thiosulfate gave the highest denitrification rates removing 10.94 mM NO3 - day-1 and 8.98 mM NO3 - day-1 by DS and GS, respectively. This was 1.5 and 6 times faster than elemental sulfur and pyrite, respectively. Despite the highest denitrification rates observed in thiosulfate-fed enrichments, an evaluation of the most relevant parameters for a technological application revealed elemental sulfur as the best electron donor for autotrophic denitrification with a total cost of 0.38 € per m3 of wastewater treated.

[Effects of pressure steam sterilization times on the accuracy of the digital intraoral scanning data]

Objective: To provide a scientific basis for the standardized operation of clinical disinfection by comparing and analyzing the influence of disinfection times on the accuracy of digital intraoral scanning. Methods: The author prepared 10 brand-new intraoral scanning heads (Trios, 3Shape, Denmark), scan the same plaster standard dentition model after 1, 20, 40, and 60 times of pressure steam sterilization, and obtained the data of four groups of experimental groups A, B, C, D, and scan the model 5 times repeatedly after each disinfection cycle of each scanning head. A model scanner (D2000, 3Shape, Denmark) was used to scan the standard dentition model, and the scan results were used as the control group data. Vernier calipers and measurement software were used to measure the arch length (the distance between the mesial cheek tips of the first molars on both sides of the maxillary) and the front and back length (the distance from the tongue protrusion of the right incisor to the buccal tip of the first molar on the right of the upper jaw) of the plaster model and the data of the 4 experimental groups. The line distance results of the 4 groups of experimental groups were compared for statistical analysis, and the trueness and precision values of the 4 groups of experimental groups were compared for statistical analysis. Results: The length of the arch across the 4 experimental groups increased with the increase in the number of disinfection (P<0.05), and there were statistical differences compared with the measurement results of the plaster model (P<0.05); the differences in the length of the dental arch were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The treness of the 4 experimental groups is statistically significant (P<0.05), and the trueness was from high to low in order of group A [(114.85±3.75) μm], group B [(124.65±3.85) μm], group C [(131.45±3.04) μm] and group D [(144.64±3.34) μm]; the precision of the 4 experimental groups was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusions: The number of times of pressure steam sterilization can affect the accuracy of the scanning results of the digital intraoral scanner, and with the increase of the number of sterilizations, the error of the scanning results also tends to increase. The number of sterilizations has no effect on the repeatability of the digital scanning results. The increase in the number of times of pressure steam sterilization affects the accross of the arch but has no effect on the length of the dental arch, and the range of change of the length of the arch is within the clinically acceptable range. After 60 times of pressure steam sterilization, the accuracy of digital scan data can still meet clinical needs.

Effects of different stocking densities on tracheal barrier function and its metabolic changes in finishing broilers

In the present study, we evaluated the effects of various stocking densities on the tracheal barrier and plasma metabolic profiles of finishing broilers. We randomly assigned 1,440 Lingnan Yellow feathered broilers (age 22 d) to 5 different stocking density groups (8 m-2, 10 m-2, 12 m-2, 14 m-2, and 16 m-2). Each of these consisted of 3 replicates. The interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-10 concentrations were substantially higher in the 16 m-2 treatment group than they were in the 8 m-2 and 10 m-2 treatment groups (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, IL-4 did not significantly differ among the 5 treatments (P > 0.05). The tracheal mucosae of the birds in the 16 m-2 group (high stocking density, HSD) were considerably thicker than those for the birds in the 10 m-2 group (control, CSD). Relative to CSD, the claudin1 expression level was lower, and the muc2 and caspase3 expression levels were higher for HSD. Compared with CSD, 10 metabolites were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05), and 7 were significantly downregulated (P < 0.05) in HSD. Most of these putative diagnostic biomarkers were implicated in matter biosynthesis and energy metabolism. A metabolic pathway analysis revealed that the most relevant and critical biomarkers were pentose and glucuronate interconversions and the pentose phosphate pathway. Activation of the aforementioned pathways may partially counteract the adverse effects of the stress induced by high stocking density. This work helped improve our understanding of the harmful effects of high stocking density on the tracheal barrier and identified 2 metabolic pathways that might be associated with high stocking density-induced metabolic disorders in broilers.

[Postinflammatroy pulmonary fibrosis of COVID-19: the current status and perspective]

The novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) has been well controlled in China. Most of the COVID-19 patients were having postinflammatory pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) on the follow-up CT scan when discharged, and complaining about exertional dyspnea of different levels, presenting with an UIP (usual interstitial pneumonia) pattern or NSIP (non-specific interstitial pneumonia) pattern on the CT scans. Will the PPF get improved or stay stable, or progress? Such questions could only be answered by follow-up and monitoring of the pulmonary function. At the same time, we should learn from the lessons on pulmonary function loss of the SARS patients and MERS patients, some of whom had persistent impaired lung function after discharge. Pirfenidone and Nintedanib had been approved for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF), showing effectiveness on non-IPF pulmonary fibrosis as well. However, there are no studies about the application on PPF resulting from viral pneumonia. Given the follow-up status of SARS patients and MERS patients, and the PPF of COVID-19 patients, we should be careful about the discharged patients with a close follow-up, and further studies on PPF of COVID-19 are needed.

Effects of First Feed Administration on Small Intestinal Development and Plasma Hormones in Broiler Chicks

Simple Summary

In this study, the effects of first feed administration on intestinal morphology, barrier function, and plasma hormones in broilers during the initial 168 h posthatch. Results revealed that early feeding posthatch had a positive effect on small intestinal growth by increasing weight and improving intestinal morphology and barrier function. In other words, early feeding promoted intestinal development, which could be very meaningful for commercial broiler production.

Abstract

(1) Background: Under practical conditions, newly hatched chicks were usually withheld feed and water for 48 to 72 h. It was shown that early feeding after hatch promoted gastrointestinal development of broiler chicks. However, the mechanism of early feeding affecting intestinal development in chicks needs further research. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of first feed administration on intestinal morphology, barrier function, and plasma hormones in broilers during the initial 168 h posthatch. (2) Methods: A total of 720 one-day-old chicks (newborn chick, Lingnan Yellow) were placed 2 h after hatch and randomly assigned to three treatments: Group A (feed immediately after placement), Group B (fasting for 24 h after placement), and Group C (fasting for 48 h after placement). The trial lasted for 168 h and water ad libitum all the time. Sampling was performed at 0, 24, 48, 72, 120, and 168 h. (3) Results: Higher (p < 0.05) absolute weight and relative weight of the small intestine were observed in Group A. Moreover, the villus height, crypt depth, and ratio of the jejunum and ileum were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Groups A and B than those in Group C. Microvilli of the duodenum were closely packed in Group A but sparse and disorganized in Groups B and C. The expression levels of mRNA and protein of tight junction genes (occludin and claudin-1) were upregulated (p < 0.05) in Group A. The levels of gastrin and insulin in plasma were decreased (p < 0.05) significantly in the Groups B and C. However, chicks in Groups B and C had higher (p < 0.05) plasma glucagon levels at 24 and 48 h after placement. (4) Conclusions: These results suggested that early feeding posthatch had a positive effect on small intestinal growth increasing weight and improving intestinal morphology and barrier function.

[Pharmacotherapeutics for the new coronavirus pneumonia]

The new coronavirus pneumonia (NCP), also named as COVID-19 by WHO on Feb 11 2020, is now causing a severe public health emergency in China since. The number of diagnosed cases is more than 40,000 until the submission of this manuscript. Coronavirus has caused several epidemic situations world widely, but the present contagious disease caused by 2019 new coronavirus is unprecedentedly fulminating. The published cohorts of 2019 new coronavirus (n-Cov) are single-center studies, or retrospective studies. We here share the therapeutic experiences of NCP treatment with literature review. Combination of Ribavirin and interferon-α is recommended by the 5(th) edition National Health Commission's Regimen (Revised Edition) because of the effect on Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the effectiveness of Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Remdisivir needs to be confirmed by randomized controlled trial (RCT), given the situation of no specific antivirus drug on NCP is unavailable. Systemic glucocorticosteroid is recommended as a short term use (1~2 mg·kg(-1)·d(-1), 3~5 d) by the 5(th) edition National Health Commission's Regimen (Revised Edition) yet RCTs are expected to confirm the effectiveness. Inappropriate application of antibiotics should be avoided, especially the combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics, for the NCP is not often complicated with bacterial infection.

Research Note: Metabolic changes and physiological responses of broilers in the final stage of growth exposed to different environmental temperatures

There is no information regarding the influence of heat stress (HS) on host metabolic profile. In this study, we investigated the effects of different environmental temperatures on oxidative status, hormone levels, HS indicators, and plasma metabolites in broilers. A total of 1,680 yellow-feather broilers (28 D old) were randomly allotted to 4 groups with 6 replicates. The broilers (29–57 D old) were maintained in thermostatic rooms (20°C, 25°C, 28°C, and 30°C) for 28 consecutive days. The results showed that the plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels and creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activities gradually increased when the temperature increased from 20°C to 30°C. However, the insulin-like growth factor-І level decreased gradually. Furthermore, heat shock protein 70 expression significantly increased in the liver and breast muscle (P < 0.01). As the temperature increased, the total anti-oxidant capacity in the plasma and liver gradually decreased, whereas the malondialdehyde level increased. The activity of plasma glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase in the liver showed a similar increasing trend (P < 0.01). In addition, 15 metabolites were identified at higher (P < 0.05) levels, whereas 2 metabolites were identified at lower (P < 0.05) levels in the 30°C treatment group than those in the 25°C treatment group. Most of these potentially diagnostic biomarkers are involved in carbohydrate, amino acid, lipid, or gut microbiome-derived metabolism, indicating that HS affected the metabolic pathways in broilers. Six candidate metabolites (tartronic acid, l-bethreine, tartaric acid, allose, glutaric acid, and neohesperidin) were selected as biomarkers, as they showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing broilers under HS (P < 0.01). In conclusion, in the final stage of growth, we identified 6 plasma differential metabolites as potential biomarkers of HS-induced metabolic disorders in yellow-feathered broilers. This work offers new insights into the metabolic alterations of broilers exposed to HS and provides a new perspective for further study.

[Pharmacotherapeutics for the New Coronavirus Pneumonia]

The New Coronavirus Pneumonia (NCP, also named as COVID-19 by WHO on Feb 11 2020, is now causing a severe public health emergency in China since. The number of diagnosed cases is more than 40,000 until the submission of this manuscript. Coronavirus has caused several epidemic situations world widely, but the present contagious disease caused by 2019 new Coronavirus is unprecedentedly fulminating. The published cohorts of 2019 new Coronavirus (n-Cov) are single-center studies, or retrospective studies. We here share the therapeutic experiences of NCP treatment with literature review. Combination of Ribavirin and Interferon-α is recommended by the 5(th) edition National Health Commission's Regimen (Revised Edition) because of the effect on MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and the effectiveness of Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Remdisivir needs to be confirmed by randomized controlled trial (RCT), given the situation of no specific antivirus drug on NCP is unavailable. Systemic glucocorticosteroid is recommended as a short term use (1~2 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), 3~5d ) by the 5(th) edition National Health Commission's Regimen (Revised Edition) yet RCTs are expected to confirm the effectiveness. Inappropriate application of antibiotics should be avoided, especially the combination of broad-spectrum antibiotics, for the NCP is not often complicated with bacterial infection.

[Related factors on skip metastasis of neck lymph node in papillary thyroid carcinoma]

Objective: To investigate the correlation between skip metastasis of neck lymph node and clinicopathological features in papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: Totally 272 papillary thyroid carcinoma patients with lateral lymph node metastases who received surgical procedure at Department of Thyroid Surgery, the First Hospital of the Jilin University from January 2014 to June 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 105 male and 167 female patients, aging from 16 to 73 years with a mean age of (42±8) years. There were 29 patients (10.7%) with skip metastasis. And then the correlation between skip metastasis of neck lymph node and clinicopathological features was analyzed by χ(2) test and multivariate Logistic regression test. Results: The rate of skip metastasis in all patients was 10.7% (29/272). By summarizing the distribution of the lateral lymph nodes about the patients with skip metastasis, 16 cases metastasized in single level (55.2%), meanwhile 6 in two levels (20.7%) and 7 in three levels (24.1%). Strong correlation between age, tumor location and skip metastasis was found using χ(2) test (χ(2) values were 14.056 and 21.362 respectively, both P values were 0.000). Age (>45 years) (OR=4.318, 95% CI: 1.767 to 10.552, P=0.001), microcarcinoma (OR=2.623, 95% CI: 1.013 to 6.795, P=0.047)and the tumor located in the upper of the thyroid (OR=11.982, 95% CI: 2.533 to 56.173, P=0.002) were risk factors to the skip metastasis through multivariable Logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: Age >45 years old, microcarcinoma or tumor located in the upper part of the thyroid gland was more likely present with skip metastasis. Skip metastases are often involved in the lateral multi-level. Therefore, confronted patients with one of these risk factors, the occurrence of skip metastasis should be awared when the lateral lymph node was large abnormally. Accordingly, it may be appropriate to extend the indications of fine needle aspiration for lateral lymph node in order to prevent missed diagnosis.

Effects of Different Forms and Levels of Selenomethionine on Productive Performance and Antioxidant Status of Broiler Breeders and Its Offspring

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different selenomethionine (SM) forms and levels on productive performance and antioxidant status of broiler breeders and its offspring. Four hundred eighty 48-week-old Lingnan Yellow broiler breeders were randomly divided into four groups, provided basal diet with 0.15 or 0.30 mg/kg Se coming from two SM forms of DL-SM and L-SM. The experiment included a 4-week pretreatment period and an 8-week trial period. During the trial period, eggs were incubated once a week under standard conditions. The broiler breeders were slaughtered after the trial period. At the same time, 15 1-day-old chicks were selected at random per replicate and killed. The results showed that different SM forms and levels had no significant differences in average egg weight, feed intake, and feed-to-egg ration. The DL-SM group in contrast to the L-SM group induced a notable elevation of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in serum (P < 0.01) and liver (P < 0.05), and the 0.15 mg/kg group had higher GPx activity than 0.30 mg/kg in serum (P < 0.01) and pancreas (P < 0.05). Different SM forms showed no significant differences in total antioxidant capability (T-AOC). Diets with 0.15 mg/kg Se exhibited a higher level of T-AOC in serum (P < 0.01) and some tissues. Besides, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in serum, liver, and kidney significantly decreased due to the supplementation of DL-SM. Supplemental 0.15 mg/kg Se reduced MDA concentrations in kidney and muscle. The offspring of broiler breeders fed on DL-SM had higher GPx activity in liver and kidney than L-SM treatment. Supplemental 0.15 mg/kg Se also improved GPx activity in kidney and muscle and T-AOC in kidney of 1-day-old chicks. In summary, our study demonstrated that compared with L-SM, DL-SM was more effective for enhancing the antioxidant status of broiler breeders and its offspring. Moreover, the recommended level of Se supplementation was 0.15 mg/kg Se in Lingnan Yellow broiler breeder diets.

[Analysis of the related factors of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and allergic rhinitis in children]

Objective:To investigate the association between symptom of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and allergic rhinitis (AR) in children with AR at different sexes and different ages. Method:A total of 439 AR children aged 6 to 12 years were enrolled in this study. Basic information (age, gender, medical history, family history and comorbidities) of children with AR was collected. Results of prick tests on children skin were recorded. (TNSS) and Chinese version of the SNAP-Ⅳ scale, children under the guidance of independent completion of children's quality of life of children with nasal conjunctivitis scale (PRQLQ). According to the results of SNAP-Ⅳ, children were divided into AR with ADHD group ［attention deficit and hyperactivity symptom score (IHS) >1.25］ and AR without ADHD group (IHS≤1.25). The differences between the two groups of children were analyzed using group t-test and χ² test, and the relationship between each parameter and IHS >1.25 was analyzed by binary logistic regression. Result:Using SPSS 22.0 software, among all the included AR children, IHS >1.25 children accounted for 26.4%, IHS >1.25 group AR symptom scores were significantly higher than HIS ≤1.25 groups. Univariate analysis showed that children with age, gender, duration of AR symptoms, skin index and PRQLQ subscales had a correlation with IHS >1.25. After controlling for age and gender, duration of AR symptoms and skin index correlated with IHS >1.25 The estimated OR values are 1.807 (95%CI: 1.350-2.419) and 1.912 (95%CI: 1.320-2.772), respectively. The estimated OR values of PRQLQ subscale and IHS >1.25 were 1.657 (nasal symptom score), 1.324 (eye symptom score), 2.48 (non-eye-nasal symptom score), 1.418 (Behavior problem score) and 2.045 (activity and sleep score). The correlation between IHS>1.25 and the skin index and PRQLQ subscales was mainly found in males with stratification of age and gender, and the association between duration of AR symptoms and HIS >1.25 was statistically significant among all groups reflected. Conclusion:The association between attention deficits and hyperactivity symptoms in AR children was correlated with the severity of AR symptoms, duration, and skin index, and this association was more pronounced in males. In children with AR and ADHD, early management of AR symptoms may improve their ADHD symptoms.

Anaerobic co-digestion of pig manure and food waste; effects on digestate biosafety, dewaterability, and microbial community dynamics

This study assessed the effect of varying pig manure (PM)/food waste (FW) mixing ratio and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on methane yields, digestate dewaterability, enteric indicator bacteria and microbial communities during anaerobic co-digestion. Three 10 L digesters were operated at 39 °C, each with a PM/FW feedstock composition of 85%/15%, 63%/37% and 40%/60% (volatile solids basis). While the PM/FW ratio was different among reactors, the organic loading rate applied was equal, and increased stepwise with reducing HRT. The effects of three different HRTs were studied: 41, 29, and 21 days. Increasing the proportion of FW in the feedstock significantly increased methane yields, but had no significant effect on counts of enteric indicator bacteria in the digestate or specific resistance to filtration, suggesting that varying the PM/FW feedstock composition at the mixing ratios studied should not have major consequences for digestate disposal. Decreasing HRT significantly increased volumetric methane yields, increased digestate volatile solids concentrations and increased the proportion of particles >500 µm in the digestate, indicating that decreasing HRT to 21 days reduced methane conversion efficiency High throughput 16S rRNA sequencing data revealed that microbial communities were just slightly affected by changes in digester operating conditions. These results would provide information useful when optimizing the start-up and operation of biogas plants treating these substrates.

A glimpse of gluons through deeply virtual compton scattering on the proton

The internal structure of nucleons (protons and neutrons) remains one of the greatest outstanding problems in modern nuclear physics. By scattering high-energy electrons off a proton we are able to resolve its fundamental constituents and probe their momenta and positions. Here we investigate the dynamics of quarks and gluons inside nucleons using deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS)-a highly virtual photon scatters off the proton, which subsequently radiates a photon. DVCS interferes with the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process, where the photon is emitted by the electron rather than the proton. We report herein the full determination of the BH-DVCS interference by exploiting the distinct energy dependences of the DVCS and BH amplitudes. In the regime where the scattering is expected to occur off a single quark, measurements show an intriguing sensitivity to gluons, the carriers of the strong interaction.

Large-scale study of clinical and biochemical characteristics of Chinese patients diagnosed with Krabbe disease

Krabbe disease (KD) is a rare disease caused by the deficiency of β-galactocerebrosidase. This study investigated 22 unrelated Chinese patients, including their clinical presentations, plasma psychosine levels and β-galactocerebrosidase gene mutations. We found the late-onset form of KD present in 82% of the patients in our study, which was more prevalent than in patients from other populations. Plasma psychosine levels were elevated in KD, which were correlated with the severity of clinical presentations. Sanger sequencing identified 8 novel mutations, including 7 missense mutations, p.H253Y, p.S259L, p.P318L, p.F350V, p.T428A, p.L530P, p.G586D, and 1 splicing mutation, c.1251+1G>A. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification identified a novel exon 12 and 14 deletion, separately. Next generation sequencing, applied at the final step, revealed 2 missense mutant alleles missed using Sanger sequencing. The most common mutation in Chinese population is p.P154H, which accounts for 20.5% of alleles. Consistent with the higher prevalence of the late-onset form of KD, missense mutations predominated in our study, different with the common mutation types in Europe and Japan. This work was the first large-scale study of Chinese KD patients describing their clinical, biochemical and genetic characteristics, which furthered our understanding of this classical neurological lysosomal storage disease.

Differential expression of miR16 in glioblastoma and glioblastoma stem cells: their correlation with proliferation, differentiation, metastasis and prognosis

The function of miR16 in multiforme glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and its stem cells (GSCs) remains elusive. To this end, we investigated the patterns of miR16 expression in these cells and their correlation with malignant behaviors and clinical outcomes. The levels of miR16 and its targeted genes in tumor tissue of GBM and GBM SGH44, U87, U251 cells as well as their stem cell counterparts were measured by qRT–PCR or western blot or immunohistochemistry. Luciferase reporter assay was used to confirm the binding of miR16 to 3′-UTR of its target genes. The effects of miR16 on malignant behaviors were investigated, including tumor cell viability, soft-agar colony formation, GSCs Matrigel colony forming and migration and invasion as well as nude mice xenograft model. Differentially expression patterns of miR16 in glioblastoma cells and GSCs cells were found in this study. Changes of miR16 targeted genes, Bcl2 (B cell lymphoma 2), CDK6 (Cyclin-dependent kinase 6), CCND1 (cyclin D1), CCNE1 (cyclin E1) and SOX5 were confirmed in glioblastoma cell lines and tissue specimens. In vitro and in vivo studies showed that tumor cell proliferation was inhibited by miR16 mimic, but enhanced by miR16 inhibitor. The expression level of miR16 positively correlates with GSCs differentiation, but negatively with the abilities of migration, motility, invasion and colony formation in glioblastoma cells. The inhibitory effects of miR16 on its target genes were also found in nude mice xenograft model. Our findings revealed that the miR16 functions as a tumor suppressor in GSCs and its association with prognosis in GBM.

Rosenbluth Separation of the π^{0} Electroproduction Cross Section

We present deeply virtual π^{0} electroproduction cross-section measurements at x_{B}=0.36 and three different Q^{2} values ranging from 1.5 to 2  GeV^{2}, obtained from Jefferson Lab Hall A experiment E07-007. The Rosenbluth technique is used to separate the longitudinal and transverse responses. Results demonstrate that the cross section is dominated by its transverse component and, thus, is far from the asymptotic limit predicted by perturbative quantum chromodynamics. Nonetheless, an indication of a nonzero longitudinal contribution is provided by the measured interference term σ_{LT}. Results are compared with several models based on the leading-twist approach of generalized parton distributions (GPDs). In particular, a fair agreement is obtained with models in which the scattering amplitude includes convolution terms of chiral-odd (transversity) GPDs of the nucleon with the twist-3 pion distribution amplitude. This experiment, together with previous extensive unseparated measurements, provides strong support to the exciting idea that transversity GPDs can be accessed via neutral pion electroproduction in the high-Q^{2} regime.

Effects of different methionine sources on production and reproduction performance, egg quality and serum biochemical indices of broiler breeders

Objective

The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different methionine (Met) sources on production performance, reproduction performance, egg quality and serum biochemical indices in broiler breeders.

Methods

After receiving a basal diet (containing 0.25% Met) for a 2-wk pretreatment period, a total of 360 39-wk-old Lingnan yellow broiler breeders were randomly allocated to four treatments with six replicates each (15 birds per replicate). Breeders were fed with basal diets (control) or diets supplemented with DL-methionine (DLM), DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthio butytric calcium (MHA-Ca) and coated DL-Met (CME) respectively.

Results

The results showed that CME supplementation promoted laying rate and decreased feed-to-egg ratio (F/E) (p<0.05), DLM and MHA-Ca supplementation decreased F/E (p<0.05) when compared with control group. The rate of fertility, hatchability and birthrate were higher (p<0.05) in DLM, MHA-Ca, and CME groups than control group. Compared with control group, CME increased the eggshell thickness (p<0.05); MHA-Ca improved the eggshell thickness, shell ratio and eggshell strength (p<0.05). Results also showed that CME elevated the concentration of total protein in serum (p<0.05); MHA-Ca improved the concentration of calcium in serum (p<0.05). The concentration of serum uric acid in DLM, MHA-Ca, and CME groups was lower than that in control group (p<0.05). Besides, CME had higher concentrations of serum taurine, cysteine and cystanthionine (p<0.05) while MHA-Ca and DLM promoted the serum taurine concentration (p<0.05) compared with control group.

Conclusion

Based on the results, it was concluded that Met supplementation could enhance the production and reproduction performance as well as the antioxidant status and egg quality of broiler breeders. In terms of improving the production performance, reproduction performance and antioxidant performance, CME was superior to DLM and MHA-Ca; but in regard to the enhancement of eggshell quality and serum Ca concentration, MHA-Ca was superior to DLM and CME.

FOXK1 interaction with FHL2 promotes proliferation, invasion and metastasis in colorectal cancer

The transcriptional factor Forkhead box k1 (FOXK1) is a member of the FOX family. The abnormal expression of FOXK1 may have an important role in tumour development. Our previous studies showed that four-and-a-half LIM protein 2 (FHL2) is a critical inducer of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion. However, the molecular mechanism by which FOXK1 synergizes with FHL2 tumour proliferation, EMT and metastasis is not well defined. We evaluated that messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression levels by quantitative RT–PCR, western blot, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays. The migration and invasive abilities of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells were evaluated using short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated inhibition in vitro and in vivo. We showed that FOXK1 expression was upregulated in CRC compared with matched normal tissues. FOXK1 physically interacts with FHL2 in CRC. Moreover, higher expression levels of the two proteins were significantly associated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, AJCC stage and poorer prognosis. Furthermore, the overexpression of FOXK1 in CRC cells is associated with EMT, invasion and metastasis. However, the siRNA-mediated repression of FHL2 in FOXK1-overexpressing cells reversed EMT and both the proliferative and metastatic phenotypes in vitro and in vivo. These data identified that the co-expression of FOXK1 and FHL2 enhances cell proliferation and metastasis through the induction of EMT. Thus, FOXK1 and FHL2 may serve as putative targets in the combined therapy of CRC.

In vivo periodontal tissue regeneration by periodontal ligament stem cells and endothelial cells in three-dimensional cell sheet constructs

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Chronic periodontitis causes damage to tooth-supporting tissues, resulting in tooth loss in adults. Recently, cell-sheet-based approaches have been studied to overcome the limitations of conventional cytotherapeutic procedures for periodontal regeneration. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the regenerative potential of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in three-dimensional (3D) cell sheet constructs for periodontal regeneration in vivo.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

PDLSCs, HUVECs or co-cultures of both cells were seeded onto temperature-responsive culture dishes, and intact cell sheets were fabricated. Cell sheets were wrapped around the prepared human roots in three different combinations and implanted subcutaneously into immunodeficient mice.

RESULTS

Histological evaluation revealed that after 2, 4 and 8 wk of implantation, periodontal ligament-like tissue arrangements were observed around the implanted roots in experimental groups compared with controls. Vascular lumens were also observed in periodontal compartments of HUVEC-containing groups. Periodontal ligament regeneration, cementogenesis and osteogenesis were evident in the experimental groups at both weeks 4 and 8, as shown by immunostaining for periostin and bone sialoprotein. Human cells in the transplanted cell sheets were stained by immunohistochemistry for the presence of human mitochondria.

CONCLUSIONS

The 3D cell sheet-based approach may be potentially beneficial and is thus encouraged for future regenerative periodontal therapy.

Functional diversity of family 3 β-glucosidases from thermophilic cellulolytic fungus Humicola insolens Y1

The fungus Humicola insolens is one of the most powerful decomposers of crystalline cellulose. However, studies on the β-glucosidases from this fungus remain insufficient, especially on glycosyl hydrolase family 3 enzymes. In the present study, we analyzed the functional diversity of three distant family 3 β-glucosidases from Humicola insolens strain Y1, which belonged to different evolutionary clades, by heterogeneous expression in Pichia pastoris strain GS115. The recombinant enzymes shared similar enzymatic properties including thermophilic and neutral optima (50-60 °C and pH 5.5-6.0) and high glucose tolerance, but differed in substrate specificities and kinetics. HiBgl3B was solely active towards aryl β-glucosides while HiBgl3A and HiBgl3C showed broad substrate specificities including both disaccharides and aryl β-glucosides. Of the three enzymes, HiBgl3C exhibited the highest specific activity (158.8 U/mg on pNPG and 56.4 U/mg on cellobiose) and catalytic efficiency and had the capacity to promote cellulose degradation. Substitutions of three key residues Ile48, Ile278 and Thr484 of HiBgl3B to the corresponding residues of HiBgl3A conferred the enzyme activity towards sophorose, and vice versa. This study reveals the functional diversity of GH3 β-glucosidases as well as the key residues in recognizing +1 subsite of different substrates.

[Blood 7-ketocholesterol level, clinical features and gene mutation analysis of 18 children with Niemann-Pick disease type C]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) level in the blood, clinical features and gene mutation of Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC).

METHOD

Eighteen patients diagnosed as NPC in Shanghai Xinhua Hospital seen from February 2013 to October 2014 were enrolled in this study. They included 13 males and 5 females and aged from 5 months to 21 years. The plasma 7-KC concentrations, clinical features and gene mutations of NPC patients were reviewed retrospectively.

RESULT

Fourteen NPC patients had neurological symptoms with the age of neurological onset from 1 year to 16 years. In seven cases the disease was early-infantile subtype, in 1 late-infantile subtype, in five juvenile subtype and in one adult subtype. The 7-KC value in the plasma of NPC patients was higher than the normal range, (348.5±168.7) μg/L in the early-infantile subtype, 150.6 μg/L in the late-infantile subtype, (145.0±46.3) μg/L in the juvenile subtype, and 32.0 μg/L in the adult subtype, respectively, additionally, four NPC patients had no observable neuropsychiatric disability when confirmed to be NPC by genetic testing, with the plasma 7-KC value (345.6±134.2) μg/L; 16 of 18 patients had splenomegaly or hepatosplenomegaly. Among 18 patients, 34 different mutations in the NPC1 gene were identified including 27 reported mutations, 1 novel small deletion 3609_3610delAC, five novel exonic point mutations, c. 3683T>C(M1228T), c. 3679A>T(R1227W), c. 1070C>T(S357L), c. 1456A>C(N486H) and c. 1142G>A(W381X) and 1 novel intronic mutation c. 881+ 3A>G.

CONCLUSION

The 7-KC levels in the blood of patient was remarkably increased, and there was a tendency that 7-KC levels inversely correlated with the age of neurological onset. Most NPC patient had splenomegaly or hepatosplenomegaly. Among 18 patients, 34 different mutations in the NPC1 gene were identified including seven novel mutations, which enriched the gene mutation spectrum.

MIM regulates the trafficking of bone marrow cells via modulating surface expression of CXCR4

Missing in metastasis (MIM) is abundantly expressed in hematopoietic cells. Here we characterized the impact of MIM deficiency on murine bone marrow (BM) cells. Although MIM^-/- cells proliferated similarly to wild type (WT), they exhibited stronger response to chemokine SDF-1, increase in surface expression of CXCR4, impaired CXCR4 internalization and constitutive activation of Rac, Cdc42 and p38. Transplantation of MIM^-/- BM cells into lethally irradiated mice showed enhanced homing to BM, which was abolished when mice were pretreated with a p38 antagonist. Interestingly, MIM^-/- BM cells, including hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), showed 2 to 5-fold increase in mobilization into the peripheral blood upon treatment with AMD3100. In vitro, MIM^-/- leukocytes were susceptible to AMD3100 and maintained increased response to AMD3100 for mobilization even after transfer into wild type mice. MIM^-/- mice had also a higher level of SDF-1 in the circulation. Our data highlighted an unprecedented role of MIM in the homoeostasis of BM cells, including HSPCs, through modulation of the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis and interactions of BM leukocytes with their microenvironments.

Impact of patient characteristics on the clinical efficacy of mongersen (GED-0301), an oral Smad7 antisense oligonucleotide, in active Crohn's disease

BACKGROUND

In a phase 2 study, mongersen, an oral antisense oligonucleotide targeting Smad7, was effective in inducing clinical remission in approximately 60% of patients with active Crohn's disease (CD).

AIM

In a post hoc analysis to evaluate those patient disease characteristics that may have influenced the efficacy and safety of mongersen therapy.

METHODS

Patients with steroid-dependent/resistant, active CD were randomised to mongersen 10, 40 or 160 mg/day or placebo for 2 weeks; patients were followed for 10 weeks. Clinical remission [Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) score <150] and clinical response (CDAI score reduction ≥100 points) were assessed at weeks 2, 4 and 12 for these subgroups: disease duration <5/≥5 years, human serum C-reactive protein (hsCRP) <3/≥3 mg/L, and CDAI at baseline ≤260/>260. Additional patient baseline and disease characteristics were explored.

RESULTS

Clinical remission and response rates were significantly higher in patients receiving mongersen 40 and 160 mg/day but not 10 mg/day vs. placebo and independent of disease duration and hsCRP. Patients with baseline CDAI ≤260 had significantly higher remission rates with 40 and 160 mg/day. In patients with baseline CDAI >260, remission rates were statistically greater with 160 mg/day and numerically better with 40 mg/day vs. placebo. Adverse event rates were similar across treatment groups. Mongersen was safe and well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with higher CDAI scores achieved clinical remission most frequently with the highest mongersen dose. Disease duration and baseline human serum C-reactive protein did not appear to significantly impact efficacy of mongersen in this study (EudraCT Number: 2011-002640-27.).

Effects of different dl-selenomethionine and sodium selenite levels on growth performance, immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers

This trial was conducted in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement based on a completely randomized design to evaluate the effects of different dl-selenomethionine (dl-Se-Met) and sodium selenite (SS) levels on growth performance, immune functions and serum thyroid hormones concentrations in broilers. A total of 840 Ross 308 broilers (7 days old) were allocated by body weight to seven treatments (three replicates of 40 birds each treatment) including (1) basal diet (containing 0.04 mg of selenium (Se)/kg; control) without supplementary Se; (2, 3 and 4) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as SS; (5, 6 and 7) basal diet + 0.05, 0.15 or 0.25 mg/kg Se as dl-Se-Met. The experiment lasted 42 days. The results revealed that dietary Se supplementation improved (p < 0.05) average daily gain, feed efficiency, immune organ index, serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and triiodothyronine (T3 ) concentrations and decreased (p < 0.01) thyroxine (T4 )/T3 ratio in serum compared with the control. Broilers receiving the dl-Se-Met-supplemented diets had higher (p < 0.05) feed efficiency, thymus index, the amounts of IgA, IgG, IgM and T3 as well as lower (p < 0.05) serum T4 concentrations and T4 /T3 ratio than those consuming the SS-supplemented diets. Serum IgA and IgM levels of broilers fed 0.15 mg Se/kg were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of broilers fed 0.05 or 0.25 mg Se/kg. In summary, we concluded that dl-Se-Met is more effective than SS in increasing immunity and promoting conversion of T4 to T3 , thus providing an effective way to improve the growth performance of broilers. Besides, based on a consideration of all experiment indices, 0.15 mg Se/kg was suggested to be the optimal level of Se supplementation under the conditions of this study.

Measurement of the Target-Normal Single-Spin Asymmetry in Quasielastic Scattering from the Reaction (3)He(↑)(e,e')

We report the first measurement of the target single-spin asymmetry, A(y), in quasielastic scattering from the inclusive reaction (3)He(↑)(e,e') on a (3)He gas target polarized normal to the lepton scattering plane. Assuming time-reversal invariance, this asymmetry is strictly zero for one-photon exchange. A nonzero A(y) can arise from the interference between the one- and two-photon exchange processes which is sensitive to the details of the substructure of the nucleon. An experiment recently completed at Jefferson Lab yielded asymmetries with high statistical precision at Q(2)=0.13, 0.46, and 0.97  GeV(2). These measurements demonstrate, for the first time, that the (3)He asymmetry is clearly nonzero and negative at the 4σ-9σ level. Using measured proton-to-(3)He cross-section ratios and the effective polarization approximation, neutron asymmetries of -(1-3)% were obtained. The neutron asymmetry at high Q(2) is related to moments of the generalized parton distributions (GPDs). Our measured neutron asymmetry at Q(2)=0.97  GeV(2) agrees well with a prediction based on two-photon exchange using a GPD model and thus provides a new, independent constraint on these distributions.

Role for the M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor in Top-Down Cognitive Processing Using a Touchscreen Visual Discrimination Task in Mice

The M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) subtype has been implicated in the underlying mechanisms of learning and memory and represents an important potential pharmacotherapeutic target for the cognitive impairments observed in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. Patients with schizophrenia show impairments in top-down processing involving conflict between sensory-driven and goal-oriented processes that can be modeled in preclinical studies using touchscreen-based cognition tasks. The present studies used a touchscreen visual pairwise discrimination task in which mice discriminated between a less salient and a more salient stimulus to assess the influence of the M1 mAChR on top-down processing. M1 mAChR knockout (M1 KO) mice showed a slower rate of learning, evidenced by slower increases in accuracy over 12 consecutive days, and required more days to acquire (achieve 80% accuracy) this discrimination task compared to wild-type mice. In addition, the M1 positive allosteric modulator BQCA enhanced the rate of learning this discrimination in wild-type, but not in M1 KO, mice when BQCA was administered daily prior to testing over 12 consecutive days. Importantly, in discriminations between stimuli of equal salience, M1 KO mice did not show impaired acquisition and BQCA did not affect the rate of learning or acquisition in wild-type mice. These studies are the first to demonstrate performance deficits in M1 KO mice using touchscreen cognitive assessments and enhanced rate of learning and acquisition in wild-type mice through M1 mAChR potentiation when the touchscreen discrimination task involves top-down processing. Taken together, these findings provide further support for M1 potentiation as a potential treatment for the cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia.