Effects of lactulose on the number of DGGE bands and Shannon diversity of the feces and colonic samples of pigs fed with daidzein.

<p>Note: values with different small letter superscripts in the same row mean that there was a significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05), and the same small letter superscripts mean that there was no difference.</p>A<p>The fecal sample replications in C group n = 10, D group n = 11, D+L group n = 11.</p>B<p>The colon content sample replications in C group n = 6, D group n = 5, D+L group n = 6.</p>C<p>The mucosa of colon sample replications in C group n = 6, D group n = 5, D+L group n = 6.</p

Lactulose Increases Equol Production and Improves Liver Antioxidant Status in Barrows Treated with Daidzein

<div><p>Equol, one of the intestinal microflora metabolites of daidzein, has gained much attention for having greater bioactivity than its precursor (daidzein and daidzin) and seeming to be promoted by hydrogen gas. The effects of lactulose on the equol-producing capacity and liver antioxidant status of barrows treated with daidzein were investigated in this study. Male castrated piglets (barrows) of Landrace×Duroc, aged 40 days, were randomly divided into the following three groups: control group (C, n = 12, fed an isoflavones-free basic diet), daidzein group (D, n = 12, fed an isoflavones-free basic diet with 50 mg/kg of daidzein supplementation) and daidzein+lactulose group (D+L, n = 12, fed an isoflavones-free basic diet with 1% of lactulose and 50 mg/kg of daidzein supplementation). After 20 days, the profile of short-chain fatty acids in the colon digesta showed that lactulose significantly increased the fermented capacity in the gastrointestinal tract of the barrows. First-void urinary equol concentrations were significantly higher in the D+L group than in the D group (3.13±0.93 compared to 2.11±0.82 μg/ml, respectively). Furthermore, fecal equol levels were also significantly higher in the D+L group than in the D group (12.00±2.68 compared to 10.00±2.26 μg/g, respectively). The population of bacteroidetes and the percentage of bacteroidetes to bacteria in feces were higher in the D+L group than in the D group. The DGGE profiles results indicate that lactulose might shift the pathways of hydrogen utilization, and changing the profiles of SRB in feces. Moreover, the D+L group had weak enhancement of T-SOD and CuZn-SOD activities in the livers of barrows treated with daidzein.</p></div

The abundance of selected bacteria in the feces, colonic digesta, and mucosa of barrows.

<p>Note: values with different small letter superscripts in the same row mean that there was a significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05), and the same small letter superscripts mean that there was no difference.</p>A<p>The fecal sample replications in C group n = 10, D group n = 11, D+L group n = 11.</p>B<p>The colon digesta sample replications in C group n = 6, D group n = 5, D+L group n = 6.</p>C<p>The colon mucosa sample replications in C group n = 6, D group n = 5, D+L group n = 6.</p

Effects of lactulose on SCFA levels in the colonic digesta of barrows fed with daidzein.

<p>Note: values with different small letter superscripts in the same row mean that there was a significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05), and the same small letter superscripts mean that there was no difference.</p

Effects of lactulose on the concentrations of urinary and fecal daidzein and equol, and the ratio of urinary and fecal equol to daidzein concentrations in barrows fed with daidzein.

<p>Note: values with different small letter superscripts in the same row mean that there was a significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05), and the same small letter superscripts mean that there was no difference. ND = not detected.</p

DGGE profiles and similarities of APS reductase subunit A gene in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).

<p>DGGE profiles and similarities of APS reductase subunit A gene in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).</p

Oxidative biomarkers and antioxidant enzymes status in the liver of barrows.

<p>Note: values with different small letter superscripts in the same row mean that there was a significant difference (<i>P</i><0.05), and the same small letter superscripts mean that there was no difference.</p

DGGE profiles and similarities of bacterial communities in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).

<p>DGGE profiles and similarities of bacterial communities in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).</p

DGGE profiles and similarities of methanogenic <i>Archaea</i> in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).

<p>DGGE profiles and similarities of methanogenic <i>Archaea</i> in the feces (A)(B), colonic digesta (C)(D), and colonic mucosa (E)(F).</p

Crystal Structure and Highly Luminescent Properties Studies of Bis-β-diketonate Lanthanide Complexes

A new bis­(β-diketonate), 1,3-bis­(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)­phenyl (BTP), which contains a trifluorinated alkyl group, has been prepared for the synthesis of two series of dinuclear lanthanide complexes with the general formula Ln₂(BTP)₃L₂ [Ln³⁺ = Eu³⁺, L = DME­(<b>1</b>), bpy­(<b>2</b>), and phen­(<b>3</b>); Ln³⁺ = Sm³⁺, L = DME­(<b>4</b>), bpy­(<b>5</b>), and phen­(<b>6</b>); DME = ethylene glycol dimethyl ether, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline]. The crystal structure of the free ligand has been determined and shows a twisted arrangement of the two binding sites around the 1,3-phenylene spacer. X-ray crystallographic analysis reveals that complexes <b>1</b>, <b>2</b>, <b>4</b>, and <b>5</b> are triple-stranded dinuclear structures formed by three bis-bidentate ligands with two lanthanide ions. The room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of complexes <b>1</b>–<b>6</b> show that this bis-β-diketonate can effectively sensitize rare earths (Sm³⁺ and Eu³⁺) and produce characteristic emissions of the corresponding Eu³⁺ and Sm³⁺ ions. In addition, two bidentate nitrogen ancillary ligands, 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), have been employed to enhance the luminescence quantum yields and lifetimes of both series of Eu³⁺ and Sm³⁺ complexes