Fecal Microbiota and Its Correlation With Fatty Acids and Free Amino Acids Metabolism in Piglets After a Lactobacillus Strain Oral Administration

Lactobacillus has a positive effect on the host intestinal microbiota. In piglets, dietary supplementation with Lactobacillus affects general health and plays an important role in nutrient digestion and fermentation. However, this association requires further investigation. Here, we studied newborn piglets from 12 litters. The nursed piglets were given a creep feed beginning on day 10 post-partum and weaned at day 30. Piglets were fed either a control basic diet or a diet including supplementation with Lactobacillus reuteri ZLR003 at 6.0 × 106 CFU/g feed. At day 30 and 60, feces samples were taken and used for sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. At day 60, feces samples and serum samples were also taken and used to measure the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and to detect long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and free amino acids (FAAs), respectively. The results revealed that L. reuteri ZLR003 could improve piglet fecal microbiota composition, especially at the end of weaned period. The concentrations of lactic acid and butyric acid in feces were higher, and acetic acid concentration was lower in the L. reuteri ZLR003 group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The serum polyunsaturated fatty acids C18:2n6c, C18:3n3, C20:4n6, and C22:6n3 were significantly higher (P < 0.05), as were the serum FAAs Gly, Ala, Val, Iso, Asn, Asp, Glu, Met, Phe, and Leu (P < 0.05), in the L. reuteri group compared with the control group. A correlation analysis revealed that the genera Ruminococcaceae_UCG-010 and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014 had a negative correlation with the SCFAs content in feces, the genus Prevotella_9 had a higher positive correlation with C18:2n6c, and the genera Megasphaera and Mitsuokella had a more positive significant effect on the serum FAAs content in weaned piglets in the L. reuteri ZLR003 group compared with the control group. In conclusion, L. reuteri ZLR003 influenced the fecal microbiota composition of piglets, and its effects were related to the metabolism of SCFAs, LCFAs, and FAAs. Our findings will help facilitate the application of Lactobacillus strains in pig production

Clinical and Immunopathological Features of Moyamoya Disease

Background: Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive stenosis or occlusion of the terminal portion of internal carotid arteries and the formation of a vascular network at the base of the brain. The pathogenesis of MMD is still unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data for 65 consecutive patients with MMD in our institutions and evaluated the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings of intracranial vessels from 3 patients. The onset age distribution was found to have 1 peak at 40–49 year-old age group, no significant difference was observed in the female-to-male ratio (F/M = 1.2). Intracranial hemorrhage was the predominant disease type (75%). Positive family history was observed in 4.6 % of patients. Histopathological findings were a narrowed lumen due to intimal fibrous thickening without significant inflammatory cell infiltration, and the internal elastic lamina was markedly tortuous and stratified. All 3 autopsy cases showed vacuolar degeneration in the cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells. Immunohistochemical study showed the migration of smooth muscle cells in the thickened intima, and aberrant expression of IgG and S100A4 protein in vascular smooth muscle cells. The Complement C3 immunoreactivity was negative. Conclusion/Significance: This study indicated that aberrant expression of IgG and S100A4 protein in intracranial vascular wall of MMD patients, which suggested that immune-related factors may be involved in the functional and morphologica

Design of Integrated Low-Power Irrigation Monitoring Terminal

International audienceIn order to realize low-cost automatic control of field irrigation and water metering, an integrated low-power irrigation monitoring terminal based on wireless data communication was designed. Powered by battery or solar, the terminal could acquire and store data of sensors and water meters in real-time. Taking valve as control object, the terminal can provide safe irrigation strategy based on multiple control logic, such as data overrun, time and manual operation. The detection of fault on-site and reasonable judgment of irrigation can be carried out by using self-check function, querying of local data and remote data transmission based on GPRS and Modbus Protocol. Experimental results showed that the terminal could work stably, and control irrigation water usage accurately with low power cost

OPTIMAL DESIGN OF CRANK BASED ON BOX-BEHNKEN METHOD

Parametrically building the crank 3D model by Solid Works and doing the FEA by Simulation. Select six parameters and take maximum stress as constraints to solve minimum volume of the structure. Using BBD to optimize the structure and finish 49 iterations. Solid Works can’t fully fit the data. Design the BBD by DOE software Design-Expert and input the simulation data. Then it fits the response surface functions about volume and stress and gets the optimal solution. Comparing with the conclusion of the reference,BBD shows application values on structural optimization

Buoyancy effect on heat transfer in rotating smooth square U-duct at high rotation number

The buoyancy effect on heat transfer in a rotating, two-pass, square channel is experimentally investigated in current work. The classical copper plate technique is performed to measure the regional averaged heat transfer coefficients. In order to perform a fundamental research, all turbulators are removed away. Two approaches of altering Buoyancy numbers are selected: varying rotation number from 0 to 2.08 at Reynolds number ranges of 10000 to 70000, and varying inlet density ratio from 0.07 to 0.16 at Reynolds number of 10000. And thus, Buoyancy numbers range from 0 to 12.9 for both cases. According to the experimental results, the relationships between heat transfer and Buoyancy numbers are in accord with those obtained under different rotation numbers. For both leading and trailing surface, a critical Buoyancy number exists for each X/D location. Before the critical point, the effect of Buoyancy number on heat transfer is limited; but after that, the Nusselt number ratios show different increase rate. Given the same rotation number, higher wall temperature ratios with its corresponding higher Buoyancy numbers substantially enhance heat transfer on both passages. And the critical exceed-point that heat transfer from trailing surface higher than leading surface happens at the same Buoyancy number for different wall temperature ratios in the second passage. Thus, the stronger buoyancy effect promotes heat transfer enhancement at high rotation number condition

Reduction of ormaplatin by an extended series of thiols unravels a remarkable correlation

Ormaplatin ([Pt(dach)Cl4]) represents one of the three primary structural prototypes of Pt(IV) anticancer-active prodrugs. The reduction of ormaplatin by an extended series of thiols has been studied kinetically in a broad pH range. A novel and remarkable correlation between logkRS− and the thiol dissociation constants pKRSH is disclosed: logkRS− = (0.50 ± 0.02)pKRSH + (0.68 ± 0.13), where kRS− denotes the second-order rate constant of each thiolate towards the reduction of ormaplatin