Exploring the Fecal Microbial Composition and Metagenomic Functional Capacities Associated With Feed Efficiency in Commercial DLY Pigs

Gut microbiota has indispensable roles in nutrient digestion and energy harvesting, especially in processing the indigestible components of dietary polysaccharides. Searching for the microbial taxa and functional capacity of the gut microbiome associated with feed efficiency (FE) can provide important knowledge to increase profitability and sustainability of the swine industry. In the current study, we performed a comparative analysis of the fecal microbiota in 50 commercial Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) (DLY) pigs with polarizing FE using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and shotgun metagenomic sequencing. There was a different microbial community structure in the fecal microbiota of pigs with different FE. Random forest analysis identified 24 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as potential biomarkers to improve swine FE. Multiple comparison analysis detected 8 OTUs with a significant difference or tendency toward a difference between high- and low-FE pigs (P < 0.01, q < 0.1). The high-FE pigs had a greater abundance of OTUs that were from the Lachnospiraceae and Prevotellaceae families and the Escherichia-Shigella and Streptococcus genera than low-FE pigs. A sub-species Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus could be an important candidate for improving FE. The functional capacity analysis found 18 KEGG pathways and CAZy EC activities that were different between high- and low-FE pigs. The fecal microbiota in high FE pigs have greater functional capacity to degrade dietary cellulose, polysaccharides, and protein and may have a greater abundance of microbes that can promote intestinal health. These results provided insights for improving porcine FE through modulating the gut microbiome

A Transcriptomic Taxonomy of Mouse Brain-Wide Spinal Projecting Neurons

The brain controls nearly all bodily functions via spinal projecting neurons (SPNs) that carry command signals from the brain to the spinal cord. However, a comprehensive molecular characterization of brain-wide SPNs is still lacking. Here we transcriptionally profiled a total of 65,002 SPNs, identified 76 region-specific SPN types, and mapped these types into a companion atlas of the whole mouse brain1. This taxonomy reveals a three-component organization of SPNs: (1) molecularly homogeneous excitatory SPNs from the cortex, red nucleus and cerebellum with somatotopic spinal terminations suitable for point-to-point communication; (2) heterogeneous populations in the reticular formation with broad spinal termination patterns, suitable for relaying commands related to the activities of the entire spinal cord; and (3) modulatory neurons expressing slow-acting neurotransmitters and/or neuropeptides in the hypothalamus, midbrain and reticular formation for ‘gain setting’ of brain–spinal signals. In addition, this atlas revealed a LIM homeobox transcription factor code that parcellates the reticulospinal neurons into five molecularly distinct and spatially segregated populations. Finally, we found transcriptional signatures of a subset of SPNs with large soma size and correlated these with fast-firing electrophysiological properties. Together, this study establishes a comprehensive taxonomy of brain-wide SPNs and provides insight into the functional organization of SPNs in mediating brain control of bodily functions

Banks’ security under letters of credit on bills of lading: Inherent risks in paper and digital contexts

A bank under a letter of credit transaction is always expected to become a pledgee on the goods which are the subject of the transaction by holding the related bills of lading. However, the process of creating a pledge in a letter of credit transaction is much more complicated than a mere delivery of a bill of lading, and there are many inherent factors that might impair a bank’s ability to become a pledgee on bills of lading. These factors are deeply associated with the mechanism of letters of credit and the characteristics of bills of lading. Some of these factors were identified in the authorities in decades ago; but since then, they have been overlooked by both English courts and academia; meanwhile, some have been being misunderstood for many years. These factors have existed as a risk to a bank’s security for a long time and would continue to act as a threat when paper bills of lading are replaced by electronic bills of lading (eB/Ls).This thesis aims to identify these factors and examine the impacts thereof on bank’s position under letter of credit transactions. Also, it evaluates how the usage of eB/Ls to replace paper bills of lading will change the bank’s position, especially in the occurrence of the factors mentioned above; last but not least, it proposes suggestions for lawmakers to address the risks brought by these factors, in the context of both the paper world and the digital world.Through examining each stage of pledging a bill of lading associated with the performance of the parties in a sale of goods transaction, the thesis identifies the following factors that affect (or are assumed to affect) a bank’s security under a letter of credit: first, goods have been discharged before a sellers’ tender of bills of lading; secondly, the ownership in the goods has passed to buyers before sellers’ tender of bills of lading; thirdly, sellers have not intended to transfer constructive possession to banks through their transfer of bills of lading or sellers have not indorsed their bills of lading properly (if necessary) to banks; fourthly, buyers fraudulently dispose of the pledged bills of lading, which are previously redelivered by banks against a trust receipt.From the detailed discussion on these factors, it concludes that banks’ position under letter of credit transactions is less secured than it appears and that the impact of the replacement of paper bills of lading with eB/Ls on banks’ position will vary depending on types of electronic-bills-of-lading platforms used. To deal with these factors, the thesis proposes that more certainty and clarity in the law are necessary, especially the law of bills of lading as well as the law of pledge; moreover, more preparation in legal infrastructure is required before entering the digital context

The Profile and Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds in Cereals Influenced by Improved Extrusion Cooking Treatment

<div><p>The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Improved Extrusion Cooking Treatment (IECT) on the phenolics and its bioaccessibility in cereals, represented by brown rice, wheat, and oat. Data showed that total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity in free form were significantly decreased, while the bound form was increased after IECT. After IECT, the total free phenolic acids of brown rice and wheat were significantly decreased by 5.88% and 45.66%, respectively, while the total bound phenolic acids of brown rice, wheat, and oat were significantly increased by 6.45%, 8.78%, and 9.10%, respectively. Brown rice provided the most bioaccessible phenolics and antioxidant compounds, followed by oat and wheat. IECT significantly decreased the bioaccessible phenolics of brown rice and oat by 31.09% and 30.95%, while it had minimal effect on the bioaccessible phenolics of wheat. These results showed that IECT greatly affected the phenolics and its bioaccessibiltiy of cereals, with the effect depending on cereal matrix and the sensitivity of free and bound phenolics. Furthermore, bioaccessible phenolic acids of raw and processed cereals were considerably low, and it slightly contributed to the bioaccessible phenolics.</p></div

Circulating Sestrin Levels Are Increased in Hypertension Patients

Background. Sestrins (Sesns), a group of oxidative stress-related proteins, have been reported to be involved in various cardiovascular diseases, including aortic dissection and chronic heart failure. This study is aimed at investigating the level of circulating Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 in hypertension patients. Methods. Plasma levels of Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 in 400 hypertensive patients and 100 normotensive subjects were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. The hypertension patients were divided into groups with grade I (n=140), grade II (n=180), and grade III (n=80) hypertension. Results. Compared with the normotensive subjects, Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 levels were increased in patients with hypertension, with a gradual increase between the groups with grade I, grade II, and grade III hypertension. Elevated Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 levels were positively correlated with both the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). Moreover, Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 levels were elevated in patients with dipper hypertension and further increased in patients with nondipper hypertension. In addition, smokers, as well as patients with higher levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) and carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP), exhibited increased Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 levels when compared with patients without these clinical characteristics. Furthermore, plasma levels of Sesn1, Sesn2, and Sesn3 were negatively correlated with the presence of CAP. Conclusions. Circulating Sesn levels are increased in patients with hypertension and may be a target for the prevention and treatment of clinical hypertension

The content of bioaccessible phenolics and antioxidant compounds of raw and processed cereals.

<p>The content of bioaccessible phenolics and antioxidant compounds of raw and processed cereals.</p

Total Phenolic content and total antioxidant activity of raw (A, C) and processed (B, D) cereal grains.

<p>* Significantly (<i>p</i> < 0.05) different from raw cereals.</p

HPLC chromatogram of phenolic acid standards.

<p>1: <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzoic acid; 2: chlorogenic acid; 3: vanillic acid; 4: <i>trans</i>-caffeic acid; 5: syringic acid; 6: <i>trans</i>-<i>p</i>-coumaric acid; 7: <i>cis</i>-<i>p</i>-coumaric acid; 8: <i>trans</i>-ferulic acid; 9: <i>trans</i>-sinapic acid; 10: <i>cis</i>-ferulic acid; 11: <i>cis</i>-sinapic acid.</p