Effects of Dietary Sulfur Source on Rumen pH and Hydrogen Sulfide Gas Concentration

The objective of this experiment was to compare the effects of 5 commonly used sulfur (S) sources in research trials: dry distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), condensed distillers solubles (CCDS), sulfuric acid, sodium sulfate, and calcium sulfate, on ruminal pH and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations. While diet and ruminal pH did differ among the treatments, there was no difference among S sources in ruminal H2S concentrations measured 6 hours post-feeding. These data suggest that there is no difference in the potential for S toxicity among the different S sources used in this study

An agent-based exploration of the effect of multi-criteria decisions on complex socio-technical heat transitions

Natural gas for heating is widespread in the built environment of The Netherlands, where the government aims at limiting heat demand and reducing natural gas consumption over the coming decades. In the owner-occupied residential sector, this transition is complex and requires cooperation and coordination of individuals and groups that make investment decisions. We use agent-based modelling to explore the effect that various financial policies could have in an illustrative neighbourhood, given that households make multi-criteria and group decisions. In the scientific literature, this type of energy model seldom focuses on the adoption of competing technologies by households as individual and collective agents grouped in homeowner associations in multi-family buildings. To address the problem and knowledge gaps, we model individual preferences with a multi-criteria perceived lifetime utility submodel, and decisions as outcomes of individual preferences and a threshold voting system. We explore energy taxes (natural gas and electricity), regulated price of heat from networks, and subsidies (insulation and heat pumps). Under our assumptions, we found that combinations of fiscal policies, regulated heat prices, and subsidies can sometimes create incentives for households to disconnect from natural gas, but that steering the transition mainly with financial policies could prove ineffective. We also found that, in terms of collective CO2 reduction, some transitions in which only some households phase out natural gas could have results similar to some scenarios in which households only improve their dwellings’ insulation levels

Energy efficiency in buildings in China: Policies, barriers and opportunities

"China's rising energy demands that are required for its booming economy have made the country one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases. The Chinese building sector substantially contributes to the country's CO2emissions. Chinese policy makers have realized that enhancing energy efficiency in buildings (EEB) is a promising approach with regard to combining further economic growth with less energy consumption and environmental impact. They have enacted a wide range of policies to foster energy efficiency within the building sector. While the policies can theoretically unfold a great energy saving potential, their implementation has been weak so far. This study analyzes the existing policies and measures in place in order to promote EEB and examines promoting factors as well as barriers for the implementation of EEB policies. The study comes to the conclusion that the determinants of successful EEB policy implementation in China arise in the fields: legal environment and enforcement, economic parameters for investment, informational and lifestyle aspects as well as the specific organization of the value chain in the housing sector." (author's abstract

Review on abyssomicins:Inhibitors of the chorismate pathway and folate biosynthesis

Antifolates targeting folate biosynthesis within the shikimate-chorismate-folate metabolic pathway are ideal and selective antimicrobials, since higher eukaryotes lack this pathway and rely on an exogenous source of folate. Resistance to the available antifolates, inhibiting the folate pathway, underlines the need for novel antibiotic scaffolds and molecular targets. While para-aminobenzoic acid synthesis within the chorismate pathway constitutes a novel molecular target for antifolates, abyssomicins are its first known natural inhibitors. This review describes the abyssomicin family, a novel spirotetronate polyketide Class I antimicrobial. It summarizes synthetic and biological studies, structural, biosynthetic, and biological properties of the abyssomicin family members. This paper aims to explain their molecular target, mechanism of action, structure–activity relationship, and to explore their biological and pharmacological potential. Thirty-two natural abyssomicins and numerous synthetic analogues have been reported. The biological activity of abyssomicins includes their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria and mycobacteria, antitumor properties, latent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reactivator, anti-HIV and HIV replication inducer properties. Their antimalarial properties have not been explored yet. Future analoging programs using the structure–activity relationship data and synthetic approaches may provide a novel abyssomicin structure that is active and devoid of cytotoxicity. Abyssomicin J and atrop-o-benzyl-desmethylabyssomicin C constitute promising candidates for such programs

The Valsalva Maneuver for Assessment of Cardiovagal Baroreflex Sensitivity

The cardiovagal baroreflex is fundamental to understanding normal autonomic neural function, but can be difficult to assess. PURPOSE: In this study, we highlight the utility of the Valsalva maneuver for the assessment of cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity during both vagal inhibition and activation. METHODS: Thirteen supine male subjects (21 ± .7 yrs; 173 ± 2 cm; 78 ± 4 kg) were instrumented with an electrocardiogram and a finger photoplethysmograph (Finometer, to assess beat-by-beat arterial pressure). Subjects then exhaled against resistance to an expiratory pressure of 40 mmHg for 15 s followed by a 2-min recovery. Subjects performed three trials, and we averaged systolic arterial pressure (SAP) reductions during phase II straining, and SAP increases during phase IV release from strain. Cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity during vagal inhibition (phase II) and activation (phase IV) was assessed by calculating linear regressions between SAP and R-R interval. RESULTS: During phase II straining, SAP decreased by 26 ± 4 mmHg (mean ± SE), and during phase IV increased by 39 ± 6 mmHg. Correlation coefficients (r) during phase II were .92 ± .02, and .75 ± .04 during phase IV. Cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (β1x) was 11 ± 2 ms/mmHg during phase II, and 10 ± 2 ms/mmHg during phase IV. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that the Valsalva maneuver is a simple, yet informative non-invasive technique yielding insight into dynamic changes of the cardiovagal baroreflex during both vagal inhibition and activation. This descriptive study identifies responses of apparently healthy, college-age men, and provides baseline data from which comparisons might be made with other matched subjects with conditions characterized by autonomic dysfunction

Lineage tracing and clonal analysis in developing cerebral cortex using mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM)

Beginning from a limited pool of progenitors, the mammalian cerebral cortex forms highly organized functional neural circuits. However, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating lineage transitions of neural stem cells (NSCs) and eventual production of neurons and glia in the developing neuroepithelium remains unclear. Methods to trace NSC division patterns and map the lineage of clonally related cells have advanced dramatically. However, many contemporary lineage tracing techniques suffer from the lack of cellular resolution of progeny cell fate, which is essential for deciphering progenitor cell division patterns. Presented is a protocol using mosaic analysis with double markers (MADM) to perform in vivo clonal analysis. MADM concomitantly manipulates individual progenitor cells and visualizes precise division patterns and lineage progression at unprecedented single cell resolution. MADM-based interchromosomal recombination events during the G2-X phase of mitosis, together with temporally inducible CreERT2, provide exact information on the birth dates of clones and their division patterns. Thus, MADM lineage tracing provides unprecedented qualitative and quantitative optical readouts of the proliferation mode of stem cell progenitors at the single cell level. MADM also allows for examination of the mechanisms and functional requirements of candidate genes in NSC lineage progression. This method is unique in that comparative analysis of control and mutant subclones can be performed in the same tissue environment in vivo. Here, the protocol is described in detail, and experimental paradigms to employ MADM for clonal analysis and lineage tracing in the developing cerebral cortex are demonstrated. Importantly, this protocol can be adapted to perform MADM clonal analysis in any murine stem cell niche, as long as the CreERT2 driver is present