Transcriptome analysis of hepatic gene expression and DNA methylation in methionine- and betaine-supplemented geese (Anser cygnoides domesticus)

Dietary methionine (Met) restriction produces a coordinated series of transcriptional responses in the liver that limits growth performance and amino acid metabolism. Methyl donor supplementation with betaine (Bet) may protect against this disturbance and affect the molecular basis of gene regulation. However, a lack of genetic information remains an obstacle to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Met and Bet supplementation and its effects on genetic mechanisms. The goal of this study was to identify the effects of dietary supplementation of Met and Bet on growth performance, transcriptomic gene expression, and epigenetic mechanisms in geese on a Met-deficient diet. One hundred and fifty 21-day-old healthy male Yangzhou geese of similar body weight were randomly distributed into 3 groups with 5 replicates per treatment and 10 geese per replicate: Met-deficient diet (Control), Control+1.2 g/kg of Met (Met), and Control+0.6 g/kg of Bet (Bet). All geese had free access to the diet and water throughout rearing. Our results indicated that supplementation of 1.2 g/kg of Met in Met-deficient feed increased growth performance and plasma homocysteine (HCY) levels, indicating increased transsulfuration flux in the liver. Supplementation of 0.6 g/kg Bet had no apparent sparing effect on Met needs for growth performance in growing geese. The expression of many genes critical for Met metabolism is increased in Met supplementation group. In the Bet-supplemented group, genes involved in energy production and conversion were up-regulated. Dietary supplementation with Bet and Met also altered DNA methylation. We observed changes in the methylation of the LOC106032502 promoter and corresponding changes in mRNA expression. In conclusion, Met and Bet supplementation in geese affects the transcriptional regulatory network and alters the hepatic DNA methylation of LOC106032502

SU(2)-in-SU(1,1) Nested Interferometer for Highly Sensitive, Loss-Tolerant Quantum Metrology

We present experimental and theoretical results on a new interferometer topology that nests a SU(2) interferometer, e.g., a Mach-Zehnder or Michelson interferometer, inside a SU(1,1) interferometer, i.e., a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with parametric amplifiers in place of beam splitters. This SU(2)-in-SU(1,1) nested interferometer (SISNI) simultaneously achieves high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit (SQL) and tolerance to photon losses external to the interferometer, e.g., in detectors. We implement a SISNI using parametric amplification by four-wave mixing (FWM) in Rb vapor and a laser-fed Mach-Zehnder SU(2) interferometer. We observe path-length sensitivity with SNR 2.2 dB beyond the SQL at power levels (and thus SNR) 2 orders of magnitude beyond those of previous loss-tolerant interferometers. We find experimentally the optimal FWM gains and find agreement with a minimal quantum noise model for the FWM process. The results suggest ways to boost the in-practice sensitivity of high-power interferometers, e.g., gravitational wave interferometers, and may enable high-sensitivity, quantum-enhanced interferometry at wavelengths for which efficient detectors are not available.Comment: 6 pages + 4 of supplemental material, 5 figure

3D porous Li3V2(PO4)3/hard carbon composites for improving the rate performance of lithium ion batteries

A 3D porous Li3V2(PO4)3/hard carbon composite delivers a capacity of 98 mA h g−1 after 1000 cycles at 10C.</p

Graphene-like carbon sheet/Fe3O4 nanocomposites derived from soda papermaking black liquor for high performance lithium ion batteries

Alkali lignins and its degradation products in the soda papermaking black liquor (SPBL) are renewable resource with the highest natural carbon content. In this work we convert SPBL into the high-performance carbon-based nanocomposite anodes. The unique functional groups of lignin biomass induce spontaneous formation of graphene-like carbon sheet (GCS) in-situ doped SiC/S. The lamellar GCS/FeO nanocomposite (GCS/FO-NC) is facilely prepared via one-step in-situ thermo-chemical method at 700\ua0°C, in which donut shaped FeO nanoparticles with superlattices and inner surface are homogeneously embedded in the interlayer of GCS and are also anchored on its surface. The GCS/FO-NC anode exhibits a ultrahigh first discharge specific capacity of 3829\ua0mAh\ua0g at 50\ua0mA\ua0g in a coin-type Li ion battery, which is more than 4 times the theoretical capacity (924\ua0mAh\ua0g) of FeO and 5 times that of the graphene anode (744\ua0mAh. g). Even at a high current density (1000\ua0mA\ua0g), it still exhibits a high reversible capacity (750\ua0mAh\ua0g) after 1400 discharge/charge cycles. More importantly, the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand of SPBL is up to 83.4% during the synthesis process, which reduce its load to environment and synthetic cost of carbon-based nanocomposite anodes

Effect of age on the relationship between metabolizable energy and digestible energy for broiler chickens

A total of 960 male Ross 308 chicks (day-old) were used to investigate the effect of age on the relationship between metabolizable energy (ME) and digestible energy (DE) for broiler chickens. Bird growth variables, nitrogen retention (NR), nitrogen digestibility (ND), as well as the relative weight of liver, pancreas, and the gastrointestinal tract were determined. Practical diets that compared 2 cereals (corn and wheat) and exogenous xylanase (0 or 16,000 BXU/kg) were evaluated at 5 ages (7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 D) in a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial arrangement of treatments with 8 replicates per treatment and started with 30 birds per replicate. A randomized block ANOVA analysis of repeated measures was performed, and a 2 × 2 × 5 factorial structure was used to investigate the 2 dietary treatment factors (cereal type and the presence of xylanase) within the 5 bird ages (7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 D), and their interactions. Apparent metabolizable energy (AME) increased linearly from 7 until 28 D of age, but (P 0.05) from 14 to 35 D of age. The AME: DE ratio was lowest (P 0.05) differences thereafter. Cereal type and xylanase supplementation did not (P > 0.05) change the ME: DE ratio. The results indicate that determining ME before 14 D of age may give absolute values that are lower than would be obtained with older birds. ME values that are determined on older broiler chickens may overestimate the energy availability of practical feeds used in broiler starter feeds

Equilibrium and dynamical properties of the ANNNI chain at the multiphase point

We study the equilibrium and dynamical properties of the ANNNI (axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising) chain at the multiphase point. An interesting property of the system is the macroscopic degeneracy of the ground state leading to finite zero-temperature entropy. In our equilibrium study we consider the effect of softening the spins. We show that the degeneracy of the ground state is lifted and there is a qualitative change in the low temperature behaviour of the system with a well defined low temperature peak of the specific heat that carries the thermodynamic ``weight'' of the ground state entropy. In our study of the dynamical properties, the stochastic Kawasaki dynamics is considered. The Fokker-Planck operator for the process corresponds to a quantum spin Hamiltonian similar to the Heisenberg ferromagnet but with constraints on allowed states. This leads to a number of differences in its properties which are obtained through exact numerical diagonalization, simulations and by obtaining various analytic bounds.Comment: 9 pages, RevTex, 6 figures (To appear in Phys. Rev. E

Dwarfing gene Rht18 from tetraploid wheat responds to exogenous GA₃ in hexaploid wheat

Rht18, derived from Triticum durum (tetraploid) wheat, is classified as a gibberellic acid (GA)-responsive dwarfing gene. Prior to this study, the responses of Rht18 to exogenous GA on agronomic traits in hexaploid wheat were still unknown. The response of Rht18 to exogenous GA3 on coleoptile length, plant height, yield components and other agronomic traits were investigated using F4:5 and F5:6 hexaploid dwarf lines with Rht18 derived from two crosses between the tetraploid donor Icaro and tall Chinese winter wheat cultivars, Xifeng 20 and Jinmai 47. Applications of exogenous GA3 significantly increased coleoptile length in both lines and their tall parents. Plant height was significantly increased by 21.3 and 10.7% in the GA3-treated dwarf lines of Xifeng 20 and Jinmai 47, respectively. Compared to the untreated dwarf lines, the partitioning of dry matter to ears at anthesis was significantly decreased while the partitioning of dry matter to stems was significantly increased in the GA3-treated dwarf lines. There were no obvious changes in plant height and dry matter partitioning in the GA3-treated tall parents. Exogenous GA3 significantly decreased grain number spike–1 while it increased 1000-kernel weight in both the dwarf lines and tall parents. Thus, applications of exogenous GA3 restored plant height and other agronomic traits of Rht18 dwarf lines to the levels of the tall parents. This study indicated that Rht18 dwarf mutants are GA-deficient lines with impaired GA biosynthesis