Effects of diets with different energy and bile acids levels on growth performance and lipid metabolism in broilers

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bile acids (BAs) on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of broilers fed with different energy level diets. 480 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers (45.01 ± 0.26 g) were allotted to a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 levels of energy (basal or high-energy level) and 2 levels of BAs (with or without BAs supplementation), resulting in 4 groups of 8 replicates; the experiment lasted 42 d. High-energy diets decreased the feed/gain ratio (F/G) from 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05), and increased the liver index and abdominal fat percentage at 42 d (P < 0.05). The serum total triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 42 d were increased by high-energy diets (P < 0.05), while the hepatic lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity at 21 and 42 d was decreased (P < 0.05). BAs supplementation increased the body weight at 21 d and decreased the F/G during entire period (P < 0.05), as well as improved the carcass quality reflected by decreased abdominal fat percentage at 42 d and increased breast muscle percentage at 21 and 42 d (P < 0.05). The serum TG at 21 and 42 d were decreased by BAs (P < 0.05), and the hepatic LPL activity at 42 d was increased (P < 0.05). In addition, high-energy diets increased the expression of sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase (P < 0.05), while BAs diets decreased these genes expression (P < 0.05). Moreover, BAs supplementation also increased the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (P < 0.05), which was increased in high-energy groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, BAs supplementation could increase growth performance, elevate carcass quality, and improve lipid metabolism in broilers.

Surface Characteristics and Hydrophobicity of Ni-Ti Alloy through Magnetic Mixed Electrical Discharge Machining

Nickel⁻titanium (Ni-Ti) alloy has been selected as stent material given its good biocompatibility. In this study, experimental research on this material was conducted using magnetic field-assisted electrical discharge machining (EDM). The surface topography of the machined workpiece was analyzed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Hydrophobicity was measured by using an optical contact angle measuring instrument. The roughness values of different positions on the surface were measured using a TR200 roughness instrument. Results showed that the composite structure of solidification bulge⁻crater⁻pore⁻particle can be prepared on the surface of the Ni-Ti alloy through magnetic mixed EDM using suitable processing parameters. Moreover, the contact angle of the surface reaches 138.2°.

Ho:YAG Laser Endopyelotomy is effective for primary and secondary UPJOs

PURPOSE

To assess efficacy of laser endopyelotomy in both primary and secondary ureteropelvic junction obstructions (UPJOs) PATIENTS AND METHODS: Primary category consisted of 10 patients of congenital UPJOs. Secondary category was comprised of UPJOs in 12 status post pyeloplasty, 10 status post lithotomy, 5 status post shock wave lithotripsy, and 10 status post ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Ho:YAG laser endopyelotomy was performed in all subjects. Exclusion criteria included obstructions longer than 2 cm, ipsilateral upper urinary calculi and crossing vasculature.

RESULTS

Mean operation time was 44 min. Average inpatient duration was 1.87 days. No major complication occurred. Follow-ups were at least 12 months. Success rate for single endopyelotomy was 82.5%, leaving 7 patients for a secondary endopyelotomy. Secondary UPJO due to failed pyeloplasty had a predilection of restenosis after endopyelotomy (P = 0.0005) compared to other aetiologies.

CONCLUSIONS

Ho:YAG laser endopyelotomy is a safe and effective approach effective in both primary and secondary UPJO treatments.

Vagal afferent-dependent cholecystokinin modulation of visceral pain requires central amygdala NMDA-NR2B receptors in rats

BACKGROUND

Cholecystokinin (CCK), a gut hormone that is released during feeding, exerts gastrointestinal effects in part through vagal pathway. It is reported to be a potential trigger for increased postprandial visceral sensitivity in healthy subjects and, especially in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. NR2B-containing N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the central amygdala (CeA) participate in pain modulation. Systemically administered CCK activates the CeA-innervating neurons. Here, we investigated whether CCK modulation of visceral sensitivity is mediated through CeA NMDA-NR2B receptors and whether this modulation involves vagal pathway.

METHODS

We first examined the visceromotor response (VMR) to colorectal distention (CRD) following i.p. injection of CCK octapeptide (CCK-8) in a rat model. Next, the NR2B antagonist ifenprodil and the NR2A antagonist NVP-AAM077 were microinjected into the CeA before systemic CCK injection. NR2B phosphorylation was detected by Western blot. To down-regulate NR2B gene expression, NR2B-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) was delivered into CeA neurons by electroporation. In addition, the effects of functional deafferentation by perivagal application of capsaicin and pretreatment with the CCK1 receptor antagonist devazepide were investigated.

KEY RESULTS

CCK-8 increased VMR to CRD in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was blunted by intra-CeA administration of ifenprodil (but not NVP-AAM077) and was accompanied by phosphorylation of NR2B subunits in the CeA. CCK failed to increase VMR to CRD in NR2B siRNA-treated rats. Perivagal capsaicin application and pretreatment with devazepide prevented CCK-induced pronociception and CeA NR2B phosphorylation.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

The pronociception induced by systemic CCK, which is vagal afferent-dependent, requires activation of CeA NMDA-NR2B receptors.

Slug regulates Cyclin D1 expression by ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in prostate cancer cells

AIM

Cyclin D1 is an important cell cycle regulatory proteins, which is a functional target of Slug in the regulation of cell growth of prostate cancer cells. But the pathway of these two factors interacting with each other is unclear.

METHODS

The infectde PCa Cells were treated with proteasome inhibitor MG-132. Expression level of Slug, HA-cyclin D1 and other protein was examined by Western blot.

RESULTS

Increasing doses of adenovirus expressing human Slug were added to DU-145 cells separately, but there were no significantly difference on expressions of Slug and cyclin D1. We found that the protein expressions of HA-Cyclin D1 (wide-type) were all reduced through high expression of Slug, which is dose-dependent. However, there is no change for HA-Cyclin D1 (mutant) expression in PC-3 with pMIGW-Cyclin D1-HA T286A. The protein expression of HA-Cyclin D1 were all reduced three days after infection by adding adenovirus expressing human Slug to PC-3 carrying pMIGW-Cyclin D1-HA vector compared to negative control, which is dose-dependent. However, there is no change for HA-Cyclin D1 expression in PC-3 with pMIGW-Cyclin D1-HA treated by MG-132.

CONCLUSION

We found that forced expression of Slug inhibited proliferation of prostate cancer cells through downregulation of cyclin D1 expression. And Slug regulates cyclin D1 expression by ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in PCa cells.

Urinary BLCA-4 is highly specific for detection of bladder cancer in Chinese Han population and is related to tumour invasiveness

BLCA-4 is currently the most sensitive and specific urinary marker for bladder cancer. As the incidence of bladder cancer varies by ethnic and territory, we tended to evaluate the feasibility of bladder cancer detection using urinary BLCA-4 in Chinese Han nationality. Urines from 79 bladder cancer patients, 31 urinary tract infection patients and 29 normal controls were included. Tissue specimens of 53 bladder cancers, 24 pathologically normal tumour- adjacent urothelium and 15 healthy controls were involved. BLCA-4 antibody was produced and applied in an indirect ELISA assay for urine samples and immunohistochemistry study in tissue samples. Urinary BLCA-4 was significantly higher in the bladder cancer group (P=0.0001). The level was in no relation to age, gender, growth pattern, grade or stage. Discrepant to reported data, a cut-off value of 1.7×10⁻⁴ A was acquired here, which yields a sensitivity of 97.37% and specificity of 100%. Muscle invasiveness was related to a higher BLCA-4 level (P=0.0175). Tumour tissues were also scored higher in staining (P=0.0001), yet this was not related to invasiveness. In 41.67% of adjacent normal tissue we found positive BLCA-4 expression. Urinary BLCA-4 was also highly specific in bladder cancer detection in the Chinese, with additional indicative value in muscle invasiveness detection. A cut-off value of 1.7×10⁻⁴ A may be more adaptive to Chinese Han population.

[Abdominal bipedicled subepidermal vascular-network flap in repair of degloving injury of hand]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the clinical result of repairing degloving injury of hand with abdominal bipedicled subdermal vascular-network flap in emergence.

METHODS

From 1994 to 1997, 19 cases with degloving injury of hand were treated with two flaps, one flaps with the inferior epigastric artery as pedicle, another with superficial epigastric artery. The two skin flaps were designed oppositely to cover the injured hands.

RESULTS

All the flaps survived. Followed up for 1 to 3 years, the contour of hands were fine. Extension of fingers was normal and opponers of thumbs was good. Range of flexion of metacarpo-phalangeal joints was from 45 to 60 degrees, and the proximal interphalangeal joints was from 10 to 25 degrees.

CONCLUSION

For the subdermal vascular network, the bipedicled flaps of abdomen in repair of degloving injury of hand have sufficient blood supply, strong resistance to infection, high survival rate, and good contour.

Effects of Ilexonin A on circulatory neuroregulation

Ilexonin A (IA), a pentacyclic triterpene, has been semisynthesized in china for the first time. It is extracted from the root of Ilicis pubescentis, a commonly used herbal medicine in Guangdong for the treatment of cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular diseases and heart failure with satisfactory effects. The pharmacokinetic studies indicated that the elimination half-life after oral and i.v. dosing were 17.7 +/- 2.4 h and 22.5 +/- 2.9 h respectively. The total clearance was 4.6 +/- 0.51/h. The bioavailability of IA capsules was 0.39 +/- 0.14 and LD50 was 234 mg/Kg. We have adopted modern techniques, including cellular electrophysiology, isotope tracing methods, molecular biology, electromicroscopy, etc., to probe into the pharmacologic mechanisms of the effects of IA on cardiovascular system. The results indicated that IA can increase the contractility of isolated guinea pig auricular myocardium, attenuate vascular smooth muscle tension induced by noradrenaline in the rabbit aorta. IA can exert a biphasic regulatory effect on arterial blood pressure. IA also can prolong A-V duration of Hiss bundle electrograph (HBE) in rabbits and prolong the action potential duration and the effective refractory period (ERP) of myocardial cells in guinea pigs. The results showed that IA can increase the cAMP content in the smooth muscle of aorta and exert a calcium-blockade effect. Therefore, the peripheral resistance vessels are relaxed and the cardiac afterload is lowered. IA-blocked calcium channels are correlated with both the potential-dependent channel and the receptor operated channel in vascular smooth muscles. IA also increases the cAMP content of myocardium and accelerates the cellular calcium influx and efflux, and this may be responsible for the direct mechanism of the positive inotropic action of IA. Under electron microscopy, it is observed that IA can alleviate the defect of succinate dehydrogenase in the myocardial mitochrondria of rabbit chronic congestive heart failure (CF) model and reduce the microstructural damage of the failed myodardium, therefore the anoxic tolerance of myocardium is increased, the effect of IA on the platelet stretching activity and microstructure in the patients with CF is also studied. It is found that IA can reduce the hypercoagulability of blood, decrease the severity of blood stagnation and improve the status of microcirculation. Effects of IA introventricular and cardiovascular central microinjection (nucleus tractus solitarius, paraventricular nucleus) on arterial blood pressure and heart rate were studied. It demonstrated that IA possess circulatory neuroregular effects by the medium of alpha-receptor and beta-receptor of cardiovascular motoneurons.

Integrated Academic Information Management Systems (IAIMS). Part III. Implementation of integrated information services. Library/computer center partnership

Information technologies are changing the traditional role of the library from that of a repository of information to that of an aggressive provider of information services utilizing electronic methods. In many cases, the library cannot realistically achieve this transformation independently but must work with the computer center to reach its objectives. Various models of the integration of libraries and computer centers are thus emerging. At the University of Maryland at Baltimore the Health Sciences Library and the Information Resources Management Division have developed a partnership based on functional relationships without changing the organizational structure. Strategic planning for an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS) acted as a catalyst in the process. The authors present the evolution of the partnership and discuss current projects being developed jointly by the two units.

Implementation of the Integrated Library System: University of Maryland Health Sciences Library

The Health Sciences Library, University of Maryland, has implemented the Integrated Library System (ILS), a minicomputer-based library automation system developed by the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, National Library of Medicine. The process of moving a library from a manual to a computerized system required comprehensive planning and strong commitment by the staff. Implementation activities included hardware and software modification, conversion of manual files, staff training, and system publicity. ILS implementation resulted in major changes in procedures in the circulation, reference, and cataloging departments.