Effect of different levels of protein concentrates supplementation on the growth performance, plasma amino acids profile and mTOR cascade genes expression in early-weaned yak calves

Publication history: Accepted - 13 June 2017; Published online - 27 June 2017Objective This study evaluated the effects of different levels of protein concentrate supplementation on the growth performance of yak calves, and correlated the growth rate to changes occurring in the plasma- amino acids, -insulin profile, and signaling activity of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) cascade to characterize the mechanism through which the protein synthesis can be improved in early weaned yaks. Methods For this study, 48 early (3 months old) weaned yak calves were selected, and assigned into four dietary treatments according to randomized complete block design. The four blocks were balanced for body weight and sex. The yaks were either grazed on natural pasture (control diet) in a single herd or the grazing yaks was supplemented with one of the three protein rich supplements containing low (17%; LP), medium (19%; MP), or high (21%; HP) levels of crude proteins for a period of 30 days. Results Results showed that the average daily gain of calves increased (0.14 vs 0.23–0.26 kg; p0.05) when the grazing calves were supplemented with protein concentrates. Compared to control diet, the insulin level of calves increased (p<0.05; 1.86 vs 2.16–2.54 μIU/mL) with supplementation of protein concentrates. Addition of protein concentrates up-regulated (p<0.05) expression of mTOR-raptor, mammalian vacuolar protein sorting 34 homolog, the translational regulators eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1, and S6 kinase 1 genes in both Longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus. In contrast, the expression of sequestosome 1 was down-regulated in the concentrate supplemented calves. Conclusion Our results show that protein supplementation improves the growth performance of early weaned yak calves, and that plasma methionine and insulin concentrations were the key mediator for gene expression and protein deposition in the muscles.This research project was supported by grants from the Cattle System Special Research Funds (CARS-38)

A fucoidan plant drink reduces Helicobacter pylori load in the stomach: a real-world study

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection is highly prevalent globally and is predominantly managed by antibiotics. Recently, the anti-adhesive, antioxidant, antitoxin, immunomodulatory, anti-coagulant, and anti-infective activities of fucoidan, a polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweeds, have been widely studied, and the results showed promise. Fucoidan has the potential to be utilized in Hp eradication therapy. Our present clinical study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of Lewuyou®, a fucoidan plant drink (FPD) in eradicating Hp in humans. METHODS: This multi-center, clinical study was conducted between October 2020 and July 2021. Hp infection was confirmed by urea breath test (UBT). A total of 122 patients with confirmed Hp infection were enrolled; after exclusion of incomplete data, 85 eligible patients (37 males and 48 females aged 20–81 years) were included in the final analysis. FPD (50 mL per vial) was orally administered twice daily for a 4-week cycle, and 41 patients completed an 8-week cycle. RESULTS: No adverse event (AE) was reported in all 122 participants who had consumed FPD. The Hp eradication rate and clearance rate were 77.6% (66/85) and 20.0% (17/85), respectively, after 4 weeks of FPD consumption and 80.5% (33/41) and 26.8 (11/41) , respectively, after 8 weeks of consumption. CONCLUSIONS: The 4- and 8-week protocols of FPD consumption were safe and effective at reducing Hp load on the gastric mucosa, with Hp eradicated in the majority of participants

The present and future of QCD

This White Paper presents an overview of the current status and future perspective of QCD research, based on the community inputs and scientific conclusions from the 2022 Hot and Cold QCD Town Meeting. We present the progress made in the last decade toward a deep understanding of both the fundamental structure of the sub-atomic matter of nucleon and nucleus in cold QCD, and the hot QCD matter in heavy ion collisions. We identify key questions of QCD research and plausible paths to obtaining answers to those questions in the near future, hence defining priorities of our research over the coming decades

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

The present and future of QCD

This White Paper presents an overview of the current status and future perspective of QCD research, based on the community inputs and scientific conclusions from the 2022 Hot and Cold QCD Town Meeting. We present the progress made in the last decade toward a deep understanding of both the fundamental structure of the sub-atomic matter of nucleon and nucleus in cold QCD, and the hot QCD matter in heavy ion collisions. We identify key questions of QCD research and plausible paths to obtaining answers to those questions in the near future, hence defining priorities of our research over the coming decades

Begonia kui (sect. Coelocentrum, Begoniaceae), a new species from Vietnam

Begonia kui, a new species of sect. Coelocentrum, is described and illustrated. Begonia kui is somewhat similar to B. variegata Y. M. Shui & W H. Chen, differing in the leaf apex obtuse or rounded (vs. shortly acuminate); leaf margin with a white maculation (vs. with a dark brown band); inflorescences pilose (vs. glandular-hispid); outer tepals pinkish or reddish (vs. greenish or greenish-yellow), abaxially shortly pilose (vs. glandular-hispid); androecium zygomorphic or nearly so (vs. actinomorphic); and ovaries and fruits glabrous (vs. glandular-hispid). Begonia kid is available from floral markets in northern Taiwan, possibly originated from Thai Nguyen Province in northern Vietnam

Kaempferol inhibited VEGF and PGF expression and in vitro angiogenesis of HRECs under diabetic-like environment

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the common and specific microvascular complications of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the anti-angiogenic effect of kaempferol and explore its underlying molecular mechanisms. The mRNA expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placenta growth factor (PGF) and the concentrations of secreted VEGF and PGF were measured by qTR-PCR and ELISA assay, respectively. Human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) proliferation, migration, and sprouting were measured by CCK-8 and transwell, scratching wound, and tube formation assays, respectively. Protein levels were determined by western blot. High glucose (25 mM) increased the mRNA expression levels of VEGF and PGF as well as the concentrations of secreted VEGF and PGF in HRECs, which can be antagonized by kaempferol (25 µM). Kaempferol (5-25 µM) significantly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, migration distance and sprouting of HRECs under high glucose condition. The anti-angiogenic effect of kaempferol was mediated via downregulating the expression of PI3K and inhibiting the activation of Erk1/2, Src, and Akt1. This study indicates that kaempferol suppressed angiogenesis of HRECs via targeting VEGF and PGF to inhibit the activation of Src-Akt1-Erk1/2 signaling pathway. The results suggest that kaempferol may be a potential drug for better management of DR

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of hypoxia inducible factor 1α in tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis (Actinopterygii: Pleuronectiformes: Cynoglossidae), subjected to acute hypoxia

Background. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a subunit of the HIF-1 protein, plays a key role in the regulation of genes involved in hypoxia physiological response. Tongue sole, Cynoglossus semilaevis Günther, 1873, a marine teleost, had been proved to be a hypoxia-tolerant species. In this study, the HIF-1α in tongue sole was cloned and its expression under acute hypoxia was examined to provide further basis for understanding the molecular response of tongue sole under hypoxia. Materials and methods. The full length of HIF-1α cDNA sequence was cloned from the liver of tongue sole by RT-PCR and RACE-PCR method. Then, the expression pattern of tongue sole HIF-1α under acute hypoxic conditions were detected using quantitative real-time PCR method. Results. The open reading frame of tongue sole HIF-1α is 2208 bp, encoding 735 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of tongue sole HIF-1α shared high identities (52.7%–81.8%) with HIF-1α from other vertebrates, and possessed six typical domains of the HIF-1 family (bHLH, PAS-A, PAS-B, PAC, N-TAD, and C-TAD). In adult fish, HIF-1α mRNAs were highly expressed in the liver, moderately in the heart, spleen, kidney, stomach, blood and gills, and low in intestine. Under acute hypoxia stress, expression of HIF-1α mRNAs were significantly up-regulated in many tissues, including the liver, spleen, stomach, blood, heart and gills. Conclusion. Tongue sole HIF-1α possessed the similar sequence length, shared higher identities and clustered well with other known HIF-1α, thus revealing a high degree conservation of HIF-1α during evolution. Tongue sole HIF-1α began to be up-regulated from 5 min to 120 min after hypoxia, indicating that it might play a significant role at the early stage of hypoxia