RESUMO O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar os diferentes metabolitos do plasma entre o cio e o cio pós-parto de vacas leiteiras e fornecer uma base teórica para a prevenção do cio de vacas em fazendas de leite. No experimento, foram selecionadas 127 vacas leiteiras Holstein com idade e paridade similares. De acordo com a concentração de β- ácido hidroxibutírico, ácidos graxos não esterificados e glicose no plasma entre 14 e 21 dias no leite, todas as vacas leiteiras foram determinadas em estado de equilíbrio energético. De acordo com os resultados dos sintomas clínicos, do exame de ultra-som retal e B aos 60 a 90 dias pós-parto, estas vacas foram divididas em vinte cios e vinte e quatro grupos de cio, outras vacas leiteiras foram removidas. A tecnologia de ressonância magnética nuclear 1H foi utilizada para detectar as alterações dos metabólitos plasmáticos e para triar diferentes metabólitos plasmáticos entre as vacas do cio e do cio. Dez diferentes metabólitos incluindo alanina, ácido glutâmico, asparagina, creatina, colina, fosfocholina, glicerofosfocolina, lipoproteína de baixa densidade e lipoproteína de muito baixa densidade foram significativamente diminuídos nas vacas antróficas em comparação com as vacas estro. As análises da via metabólica indicaram que os metabólitos diferenciais estavam principalmente envolvidos no metabolismo de aminoácidos e glicerofosfolipídios. Estes metabólitos e suas vias de enriquecimento indicam que a redução dos precursores da síntese de hormônios esteróides resulta em níveis mais baixos de estradiol e progesterona e causa anestros no balanço energético negativo. Estes dados fornecem uma melhor compreensão das mudanças que podem afetar o cio das vacas leiteiras pós-parto no estado de NEB e preparam o terreno para mais pesquisas.

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to investigate the different plasma metabolites between anestrus and estrus postpartum dairy cows and to provide a theoretical basis for prevention of anestrus in dairy farm cows. In the experiment, one hundred and sixty-seven Holstein dairy cows were selected with similar age and parity. According to the concentration of β-hydroxybutyric acid, non-esterified fatty acids and glucose in plasma during 14 to 21 days in milk, all dairy cows were determined as having a status of energy balance. According to the results of clinical symptom, rectal and B ultrasound examination at 60 to 90 days postpartum, these cows were divided into twenty estrus and twenty-four anestrus group, other dairy cows were removed. 1H nuclear magnetic resonance technology was utilized to detect the plasma metabolites changes and screen different plasma metabolites between anestrus and estrus cows. Ten different metabolites including alanine, glutamic acid, asparagine, creatine, choline, phosphocholine, glycerophosphocholine, low-density lipoprotein, and very-low-density lipoprotein were significantly decreased in anestrous cows compared with estrous cows. Metabolic pathway analyses indicated that differential metabolites were primarily involved in amino acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism. These metabolites and their enrichment pathways indicate that reduced steroid hormone synthesis precursors result in lower levels of estradiol and progesterone and cause anestrus in negative energy balance. These data provide a better understanding of the changes that may affect estrus of postpartum dairy cows at NEB status and lay the ground for further research.

RESUMO O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a influência de mudanças patológicas de plasma antes de inseminação artificial (TAI) na gestação de vacas. O conteúdo de estrogênio (E2), progesterona (P4), glucose (Glu), selênio (Se), fator neurotrófico derivado do cérebro (BDNF), e histamina (HIS) no plasma de 48 vacas Holstein foi medido antes de TAI. De acordo com a detecção de estro, as vacas foram divididas em dois grupos: estro (E) e anestro (A). Após teste de gestação 28 d após TAI, dois grupos de E e A foram formados em gestação positiva do grupo E (EP+), gestação negativa do grupo E (EP-), gestação positiva do grupo A (AP+), e gestação negativa do grupo A (AP-). Os valores de E2, P4, Glu, Se, BDNF e hIS foram significativamente diferentes entre os quatro grupos (P<0,01). A análise ROC foi utilizada para determinar o risco de teste de gestação negativo (-) após aumento de TAI quando plasma E2 estava abaixo de 46,45 pmol/L em vacas antes de TAI. Alterações em E2, P4,hIS, Glu e BDNF no sangue de estro natural e anestro natural em vacas afetou a gestação após TAI. O nível de E2 no plasma pode ser usado para avaliar o risco de gestação negativa após TAI.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of plasma pathological changes before timed artificial insemination (TAI) on pregnancy of cows. The contents of estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4), glucose (Glu), selenium (Se), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and histamine (HIS) in plasma of 48 Holstein cows were measured before TAI. According to the estrus detection, the cows were divided into estrus (E) and anestrus (A) groups. After pregnancy testing at 28 d after TAI, two groups of E and A were divided into positive pregnancy of E group (EP+), negative pregnancy of E group (EP-), positive pregnancy of A group (AP+), and negative pregnancy of A group (AP-). The contents of E2, P4, Glu, Se, BDNF and hIS significantly differed among the four groups (P<0.01). The ROC analysis was used to determine the risk of negative pregnancy test (-) after TAI was increased when plasma E2 was less than 46.45 pmol/L in cows before TAI. The changes in E2, P4,hIS, Glu, and BDNF in the blood of natural estrus and natural anestrus cows affected the pregnancy after TAI. the level of E2 in plasma may be used to assess the risk of negative pregnancy after TAI.

To eliminate nozzle clogging during continuous casting of ship plate steel and reduce the calcium addition required, the composition of CaO-MgO-Al2O3 inclusions in the liquid phase region must be controlled. Thermodynamic calculations using FactSage show that when the balanced Al content is 0.03 mass %, aCa in the liquid steel is 1-10 ppm, and aMg is 0.01-0.3 ppm; and when the balanced Al content is 0.06 mass %, aCa in the liquid steel is 1-30 ppm, and aMg is 0.05-0.9 ppm. The CaO-Al2O3-CaS inclusions can be controlled in the liquid region below 1600°C at aCa values of 5 ppm, 15 ppm, and 30 ppm, and the balanced Al content should be controlled in the range of 0.001-0.050, 0.005-0.250, and 0.010-0.50 mass %, respectively. Based on theoretical analysis, the refining slag composition should be controlled to 45-53 mass % CaO, 30-37 mass % Al2O3, 6-12 mass % SiO2, and 6-8 mass % MgO. Optimization of the slag system and steel composition can reduce, or even eliminate, the requirement for calcium treatment. The total oxygen content in the slab can be controlled to 15-21 ppm, with typical micro-inclusions < 10 μm in size, with compositions in the CaO-Al2O3-MgO and CaO-Al2O3-CaS systems.

Loss of function of mutated solute carrier family 12 member 3 (SLC12A3) gene is the most frequent etiology for Gitelman syndrome (GS), which is mainly manifested by hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia and hypocalciuria. We report the genetic characteristics of one suspicious Chinese GS pedigree by gene sequencing. Complete sequencing analysis of the SLC12A3 gene revealed that both the proband and his elder sister had a novel homozygous SLC12A3 mutation: c.2099T>C and p.Leu700Pro. Moreover, the SLC12A3 genes of his mother and daughter encoded the same mutated heterozygote. It was noted that in this pedigree, only the proband complained about recurrent episodes of bilateral lower limb weakness over 8 years, while his elder sister, mother and daughter did not present symptoms. The inconsistent clinical features of this pedigree implied that besides diverse phenotypes possibly originated from the same genotype, gender difference may also dominate the variant GS phenotypes. Further genetic and proteomic research are needed to investigate the precise mechanisms of GS, including the study of specific ethnicities.

We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy plus postural change after dosing for Helicobacter pylori eradication in gastrectomized patients. We compared 76 gastric stump patients with H. pylori infection (GS group) with 50 non-gastrectomized H. pylori-positive patients who met the treatment indication (controls). The GS group was divided into GS group 1 and GS group 2. All groups were administered bismuth potassium citrate (220 mg), esomeprazole (20 mg), amoxicillin (1.0 g), and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 14 days. GS group 1 maintained a left lateral horizontal position for 30 min after dosing. H. pylori was detected using rapid urease testing and histologic examination of gastric mucosa before and 3 months after therapy. Mucosal histologic manifestations were evaluated using visual analog scales of the updated Sydney System. GS group 1 had a higher prevalence of eradication than the GS group 2 (intention-to-treat [ITT]: P=0.025; per-protocol [PP]: P=0.030), and the control group had a similar prevalence. GS group 2 had a lower prevalence of eradication than controls (ITT: P=0.006; PP: P=0.626). Scores for chronic inflammation and activity declined significantly (P<0.001) 3 months after treatment, whereas those for atrophy and intestinal metaplasia showed no significant change. Prevalence of adverse reactions was similar among groups during therapy (P=0.939). A bismuth-containing quadruple therapy regimen plus postural change after dosing appears to be a relatively safe, effective, economical, and practical method for H. pylori eradication in gastrectomized patients.

Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (allo-MSCs) have recently garnered increasing interest for their broad clinical therapy applications. Despite this, many studies have shown that allo-MSCs are associated with a high rate of graft rejection unless immunosuppressive therapy is administered to control allo-immune responses. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4) is a co-inhibitory molecule expressed on T cells that mediates the inhibition of T-cell function. Here, we investigated the osteogenic differentiation potency of allo-MSCs in an activated immune system that mimics the in vivo allo-MSC grafting microenvironment and explored the immunomodulatory role of the helper T cell receptor CTLA4 in this process. We found that MSC osteogenic differentiation was inhibited in the presence of the activated immune response and that overexpression of CTLA4 in allo-MSCs suppressed the immune response and promoted osteogenic differentiation. Our results support the application of CTLA4-overexpressing allo-MSCs in bone tissue engineering.

Porous silicon (PSi) has attracted much attention for biosensing due to its large surface area and easy preparation. In this paper, an optical immunoassay method based on a macro-PSi silicon resonant waveguide, with pore size much larger than that of large molecules such as bovine serum albumin, has been developed for the detection of the antigen-antibody reaction between hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA, i.e., the component of Carthamus tinctorius L.) and the specificity of the polyclonal anti-HSYA antibodies. HSYA antibodies were immobilized into the macro-PSi silicon waveguide using standard amino-silane and glutaraldehyde chemistry. The waveguide resonance angle was increased by binding HSYA onto the immobilized antibodies. The label-free immunosensor is simple and exhibits high sensitivity to HSYA. Therefore, this research is expected to have applications for quick and accurate determination of HSYAand can also be used for various immunoassays with other antigens..

Sodium phosphate (Na3PO4) was chosen as catalyst for biodiesel preparation from rapeseed oil. The effects of mass ratio of catalyst to oil, molar ratio of methanol to oil, reaction temperature and rotation speed on biodiesel yield were investigated. For a mass ratio of catalyst to oil of 3%, molar ratio of methanol to oil of 9:1, reaction temperature of 343K and rotation speed of 600rpm, the transesterification was nearly completed within 20 minutes. Na3PO4 has a similar activity to homogeneous catalysts. Na3PO4 could be used repeatedly for 8 runs without any activation treatment and no obvious activity loss was observed. The concentrations of catalyst in biodiesel ranged from 0.6 to 0.7 mg/g. Compared to Na3PO4, Na3PO4.10H2O was cheaper, but the final yield was 71.3%, much lower than that of Na3PO4 at 99.7%.