Near Infrared Spectroscopy to Assess Feeding Value and Antinutritional Compounds in Legume Species

There is an increasing demand for information on the quality characteristics and chemical composition of forages in order to meet the demands of dietary specifications for feeding animals. Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a tool for rapid and non-destructive analysis in agronomic and breeding programs of a number of chemical components of forages and grains. NIR spectroscopy in particular has the advantage of being able to simultaneously evaluate the samples for a number of qualitative traits of whole plants and seeds. In two experiments here presented, NIR Spectroscopy was used to predict: i) qualitative characteristics of field pea seeds and, as regards secondary metabolites responsible of detrimental or beneficial effects on animal nutrition ii) condensed tannins in legume forages, based on calibration sets of samples previously chemically analysed

Prediction of the chemical composition and nutritive value of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Lucerne is a low input energy efficient crop that improves soil fertility, and its importance is rising with the increase of public interest in sustainable agriculture. Furthermore, it occupies a significant economic position in the animal feed market (i.e. hay, dehydrated forage, pellets and silage products) and deserves a particular interest in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano cheese production areas of Northern Italy (Torricelli et al., 2000)

Is it the creatine or the anabolic androgenic steroids? Need for assessing the steroids role in testicular cancer

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Dietary cholesterol promotes repair of demyelinated lesions in the adult brain

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder in which remyelination failure contributes to persistent disability. Cholesterol is rate-limiting for myelin biogenesis in the developing CNS; however, whether cholesterol insufficiency contributes to remyelination failure in MS, is unclear. Here, we show the relationship between cholesterol, myelination and neurological parameters in mouse models of demyelination and remyelination. In the cuprizone model, acute disease reduces serum cholesterol levels that can be restored by dietary cholesterol. Concomitant with blood-brain barrier impairment, supplemented cholesterol directly supports oligodendrocyte precursor proliferation and differentiation, and restores the balance of growth factors, creating a permissive environment for repair. This leads to attenuated axon damage, enhanced remyelination and improved motor learning. Remarkably, in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, cholesterol supplementation does not exacerbate disease expression. These findings emphasize the safety of dietary cholesterol in inflammatory diseases and point to a previously unrecognized role of cholesterol in promoting repair after demyelinating episodes

High-Frequency InAIAs/InGaAs Metal-Insulator-Doped Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MIDFETs) for Telecommunications

Contains an introduction and a report on one research project.Charles S. Draper Laboratories, Inc. Contract DL-H-418488Fujitsu LaboratoriesJoint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-89-C-0001Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001Texas Instrument

Chemical Beam Epitaxy of Compound Semiconductors

Contains reports on three research projects and a list of publications.3M Company Faculty Development GrantAT&T Research Foundation Special Purpose GrantCharles S. Draper Laboratories Contract DL-H-418484Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 216-25013Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 542383Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-89-C-0001Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001National Science Foundation Grant ECS 88-46919National Science Foundation Grant ECS 89-05909Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 5300716-07U.S. Navy - Office of Naval Research Contract N00014-88-K-0564Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 530-0716-07National Science Foundation Subcontract DMR 90-0789

Chemical Beam Epitaxy of Compound Semiconductors

Contains an introduction, reports on three research projects and a list of publications.3M Company Faculty Development GrantDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 216-25013Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Subcontract 542383Joint Services Electronics Program Contract DAAL03-92-C-0001National Science Foundation Grant ECS 88-46919National Science Foundation Grant ECS 89-05909National Science Foundation Grant DMR 92-0295

Ketogenic diet uncovers differential metabolic plasticity of brain cells

To maintain homeostasis, the body, including the brain, reprograms its metabolism in response to altered nutrition or disease. However, the consequences of these challenges for the energy metabolism of the different brain cell types remain unknown. Here, we generated a proteome atlas of the major central nervous system (CNS) cell types from young and adult mice, after feeding the therapeutically relevant low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet (KD) and during neuroinflammation. Under steady-state conditions, CNS cell types prefer distinct modes of energy metabolism. Unexpectedly, the comparison with KD revealed distinct cell type–specific strategies to manage the altered availability of energy metabolites. Astrocytes and neurons but not oligodendrocytes demonstrated metabolic plasticity. Moreover, inflammatory demyelinating disease changed the neuronal metabolic signature in a similar direction as KD. Together, these findings highlight the importance of the metabolic cross-talk between CNS cells and between the periphery and the brain to manage altered nutrition and neurological disease

M tuberculosis in the adjuvant modulates time of appearance of CNS-specific effector T cells in the spleen through a polymorphic site of TLR2

DC deliver information regulating trafficking of effector T cells along T-cell priming. However, the role of pathogen-derived motives in the regulation of movement of T cells has not been studied. We hereinafter report that amount of M tuberculosis in the adjuvant modulates relocation of PLP139-151 specific T cells. In the presence of a low dose of M tuberculosis in the adjuvant, T cells (detected by CDR3 BV-BJ spectratyping, the so-called "immunoscope") mostly reach the spleen by day 28 after immunization ("late relocation") in the SJL strain, whereas T cells reach the spleen by d 14 with a high dose of M tuberculosis ("early relocation"). The C57Bl/6 background confers a dominant "early relocation" phenotype to F1 (SJL 7C57Bl/6) mice, allowing early relocation of T cells in the presence of low dose M tuberculosis. A single non-synonymous polymorphism of TLR2 is responsible for "early/late" relocation phenotype. Egress of T lymphocytes is regulated by TLR2 expressed on T cells. Thus, pathogens engaging TLR2 on T cells regulate directly T-cell trafficking, and polymorphisms of TLR2 condition T-cell trafficking upon a limiting concentration of ligand