Effect of Diet Complexity and the Additive Effect of Pharmacological Levels of ZnO and Carbadox on the Performance of Weaned Pigs

The scientific literature documents the efficacy of antibacterial feed additives for weaned pigs. More recently, Feeding therapeutic levels of supplemental zinc (Zn) from zinc oxide (ZnO) stimulated voluntary feed intake and weight gain of young pigs. Over the last decade, research demonstrated that swine diets contianing sub-therapeutic levels of various antibiotics combined with pharmacological levels of copper (Cu) resulted in better performance than when either ingredient was provided individually. In 1982, an additive improvement in performance was found when a sub-therapeutic level (55 mg/kg) of carbodox (CARB) and high level of Cu (125 mg/kg) were provided in combination in a corn-soybean meal diet. The interactive effects of Cu from copper sulfate (CuSO4) and Zn from ZnO in diets for weanling pigs on performance have been evaluated, and the use of 3000 mg/kg Zn alone provided greater performance than the use of both Cu and Zn. Because Cu and Zn have independent biological growth promoting properies, it is necessary to determine if swine diets containing an antimicrobial agent in combination with 3000 mg/kg Zn as ZnO may result in better performance than when either is provided individually. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the additive effects of 3000 mg/kg Zn as ZnO and CARB on weaned pig performance and (2) to evaluate whether simple nursery diets containing Zn as ZnO support performance that is similar to complex (phase I and phase II) nursery diets

Effect of Diet Complexity on the Performance of Newly Weaned Pigs Fed Pharmacological Levels of Zinc Oxide

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace mineral for swine. The requirement for Zn has been suggested to be in the range of 50 to 100 mg/kg for pigs at various stages of growth. The bioavilability of zinc oxide (ZnO) as a source of Zn is lower than other Zn sources such as zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), zinc carbonate (ZnCO3) and Znmethionine in weanling pigs. Recent studies have shown that adding pharmacological levels (2000-4000 mg/kg) of Zn as ZnO to corn-soybean meal based diets improved started pig performance and was effective in controlling E. coli scours for weanling pigs. Very high levels of Zn can be toxic. Studies have demonstrated that Zn toxicosis is not found or is much less severe when ZnO is supplemented in corn-soybean meal dies for weanling pigs than ZnCO3 is the source of pharmacological levels of Zn. The response for weaned pigs to the addition of pharacological levels of ZnO to simple diets containing corn, soybean meal, and dried-whey has not been compared to the addition of the same levels of Zn to complex diets containing these same ingredients plus animal protein supplements. The objective of this study was to determine whether diet composition affected the growth promoting properties of ZnO in weaned pig diets

In situ synchrotron x-ray study of ultrasound cavitation and its effect on solidification microstructures

Considerable progress has been made in studying the mechanism and effectiveness of using ultrasound waves to manipulate the solidification microstructures of metallic alloys. However, uncertainties remain in both the underlying physics of how microstructures evolve under ultrasonic waves, and the best technological approach to control the final microstructures and properties. We used the ultrafast synchrotron X-ray phase contrast imaging facility housed at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, US to study in situ the highly transient and dynamic interactions between the liquid metal and ultrasonic waves/bubbles. The dynamics of ultrasonic bubbles in liquid metal and their interactions with the solidifying phases in a transparent alloy were captured in situ. The experiments were complemented by the simulations of the acoustic pressure field, the pulsing of the bubbles, and the associated forces acting onto the solidifying dendrites. The study provides more quantitative understanding on how ultrasonic waves/bubbles influence the growth of dendritic grains and promote the grain multiplication effect for grain refinement

Pressure-induced phase transitions and superconductivity in magnesium carbides

Crystal structure prediction and in silico physical property observations guide experimental synthesis in high-pressure research. Here, we used magnesium carbides as a representative example of computational high-pressure studies. We predicted various compositions of Mg-C compounds up to 150 GPa and successfully reproduced previous experimental results. Interestingly, our proposed MgC2 at high pressure >7 GPa consists of extended carbon bonds, one-dimensional graphene layers, and Mg atomic layers, which provides a good platform to study superconductivity of metal intercalated graphene nano-ribbons. We found that this new phase of MgC2 could be recovered to ambient pressure and exhibited a strong electron-phonon coupling (EPC) strength of 0.6 whose corresponding superconductivity transition temperature reached 15 K. The EPC originated from the cooperation of the out-of-plane and the in-plane phonon modes. The geometry confinement and the hybridization between the Mg s and C p(z) orbitals significantly affect the coupling of phonon modes and electrons. These results show the importance of the high-pressure route to the synthesis of novel functional materials, which can promote the search for new phases of carbon-based superconductors.11Ysciescopu

β-lapachone induces growth inhibition and apoptosis in bladder cancer cells by modulation of BCL-2 family and activation of caspases

Aim: To study in vitro the molecular mechanism of apoptosis caused by b-lapachone, a quinone obtained from the bark of the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae). Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on human bladder carcinoma T24 cell line. Determination of cell viability was done using trypan blue exclusion method, apoptosis quantitative estimation — by DAPI staining and agarose gel electrophoresis for DNA fragmentation. Flow cytometry analysis, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, colorimetric assay of caspase activity were applied as well. Results: It was found that in micromolar range of concentrations b-lapachone inhibited the viability of T24 cells by inducing apoptosis, which could be proved by formation of apoptotic bodies and DNA fragmentation. Treatment of T24 cells with b-lapachone resulted in a down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and up-regulation of Bax expression. b-lapachone-induced apoptosis was also associated with activation of caspase-3 and caspase-9, inhibition of IAP expression, and degradation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, phospholipase C-g1 and b-catenin proteins. At the same time Fas and FasL levels were inhibited upon treatment with b-lapachone in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion: b-lapachone-induced apoptosis in T24 cells is mediated, at least in part, by the mitochondrial-signaling pathway.Цель: изучить механизмы апоптоза клеток карциномы мочевого пузыря человека Т24 при действии β-лапакона, хинона из коры дерева Tabebuia avellanedae. Материалы и методы: для определения жизнеспособности клеток использовали окраску трипановым синим; окрашивание DAPI и электрофоретический анализ фрагментации ДНК в агарозном геле, метод проточной цитометрии (для количественной оценки апоптоза); полимеразную цепную реакцию в режиме реального времени (РВ-ПЦР) и Вестерн блот-анализ (для оценки уровня экспрессии генов и белков), а также колориметрический анализ активности каспаз. Результаты: выявлено, что в микромолярных концентрациях β-лапакон понижает жизне- способность клеток линии Т24 путем активации апоптоза, что подтверждается формированием апоптотических тел и фрагментацией ДНК. Результаты РВ-ПЦР и иммуноблоттинга указывают на то, что обработка клеток β-лапаконом приводит к снижению экспрессии Bcl-2 и к активации Bax. Апоптоз, индуцированный β-лапаконом, также сопровож- дается активацией каспаз -3­­ и -9, ингибированием экспрессии семейства IAP, а также деградацией поли-(ADP-рибозо) полимеразы, фосфатазы C-γ1 и β-катенина. Тем не менее, уровень экспрессии Fas и FasL снижался при увеличении концентрации β-лапакона. Выводы: апоптоз, индуцированный при действии β-лапакона в клетках Т24, может быть час- тично опосредован митохондриальным сигнальным каскадом

Golgi Outpost Synthesis Impaired by Toxic Polyglutamine Proteins Contributes to Dendritic Pathology in Neurons

Dendrite aberration is a common feature of neurodegenerative diseases caused by protein toxicity, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we show that nuclear polyglutamine (polyQ) toxicity resulted in defective terminal dendrite elongation accompanied by a loss of Golgi outposts (GOPs) and a decreased supply of plasma membrane (PM) in Drosophila class IV dendritic arborization (da) (C4 da) neurons. mRNA sequencing revealed that genes downregulated by polyQ proteins included many secretory pathway-related genes, including COPII genes regulating GOP synthesis. Transcription factor enrichment analysis identified CREB3L1/CrebA, which regulates COPII gene expression. CrebA overexpression in C4 da neurons restores the dysregulation of COPII genes, GOP synthesis, and PM supply. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-PCR revealed that CrebA expression is regulated by CREB-binding protein (CBP), which is sequestered by polyQ proteins. Furthermore, co-overexpression of CrebA and Rac1 synergistically restores the polyQ-induced dendrite pathology. Collectively, our results suggest that GOPs impaired by polyQ proteins contribute to dendrite pathology through the CBP-CrebA-COPII pathway. ? 2017 The Author(s)113Ysciescopu

Analysis and prevention of dent defects formed during strip casting of twin-induced plasticity steels

Rapid-solidification experiments were conducted for understanding dent defects formed during strip casting of twin-induced plasticity (TWIP) steels. The rapid-solidification experiments reproduced the dent defects formed on these steels, which were generally located at valleys of the shot-blasted roughness on the substrate. The rapid-solidification experiment results reveal that the number of dips, the Mn content of the steel, and the surface roughness of the substrate affect the depth and size of dents formed on the solidified-shell surfaces, while the composition of the atmosphere gases and the carbon content of the steel are not factors. The formation of dents was attributed to the entrapment of gases inside the roughness valleys of the substrate surface and their volume expansion due to the temperature of the steel melt and the latent heat. The dents could be prevented when the thermal expansion of gases was suppressed by making longitudinal grooves on the substrate surface, which allowed the entrapped gases to escape. Sound solidified shells were obtained by optimizing the width and depth of the longitudinal grooves and by controlling the shot-blasting conditions.ope

Role of calcineurin in Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced myocardial cell hypertrophy and apoptosis

Background and objective: Periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) increased cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and apoptosis whereas Actinobaeillus actinomycetemcomitans and Prevotella intermedia had no effects. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of calcineurin signaling pathway in P. gingivalis-induced H9c2 myocardial cell hypertrophy and apoptosis. Methods: DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, cellular morphology, calcineurin protein, Bcl2- associated death promoter (Bad) and nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT)-3 protein products in cultured H9c2 myocardial cell were measured by agarose gel electrophoresis, DAPI, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting following P. gingivalis and/or pre-administration of CsA (calcineurin inhibitors cyclosporin A). Results: P. gingivalis not only increased calcineurin protein, NFAT-3 protein products and cellular hypertrophy, but also increased DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation and Bad protein products in H9c2 cells. The increased cellular sizes, DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation, and Bad of H9c2 cells treated with P. gingivalis were all significantly reduced after pre-administration of CsA. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the activity of calcineurin signal pathway may be initiated by P. gingivalis and further lead to cell hypertrophy and death in culture H9c2 myocardial cells