ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of cottonseed peptides from in vitro degradation with protease, Enterococcus faecalis ( E. faecalis ), or both on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and health status of pigs. We used four diets containing non-degraded, protease-degraded, E. faecalis -degraded, or both-degraded cottonseed meal at 20% for growing phase (6 wk) and 16% for finishing phase (7 wk), corresponding to barrows, with six replicates of six pigs each. Results showed that the in vitro degradation of cottonseed meal increased proportions of peptides and organic acids and decreased nitrogen-free extract and phytate phosphorus. The degraded cottonseed meal increased feed intake, body weight gain, feed efficiency, apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter, energy, crude protein, Ile, Leu, Lys, Met, Cys, Ser, and Gly, and blood profiles of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, IgA, and IgG. The diet containing cottonseed meal by dual degradation showed more pronounced effects on nutritional compositions, growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and serum parameters than the other diets. The data suggest that cottonseed meal dually degraded in vitro with enzymes and probiotics can improve its nutritional properties and application in animal feed. protease E , ) performance nondegraded, nondegraded non degraded, non-degraded proteasedegraded, proteasedegraded protease-degraded -degraded bothdegraded 20 6 wk 16 7 wk, barrows each nitrogenfree nitrogen free phosphorus intake gain efficiency matter energy protein Ile Leu Lys Met Cys Ser Gly dismutase peroxidase catalase IgA IgG compositions 2 1

OBJECTIVE: In gracilis functioning free muscle transplantation, the limited caliber of the dominant vascular pedicle increases the complexity of the anastomosis and the risk of vascular compromise. The purpose of this study was to characterize the results of using a T-shaped vascular pedicle for flow-through anastomosis in gracilis functioning free muscle transplantation for brachial plexus injury. METHODS: The outcomes of patients with brachial plexus injury who received gracilis functioning free muscle transplantation with either conventional end-to-end anastomosis or flow-through anastomosis from 2005 to 2013 were retrospectively compared. In the flow-through group, the pedicle comprised a segment of the profunda femoris and the nutrient artery of the gracilis. The recipient artery was interposed by the T-shaped pedicle. RESULTS: A total of 46 patients received flow-through anastomosis, and 25 patients received conventional end-to-end anastomosis. The surgical time was similar between the groups. The diameter of the arterial anastomosis in the flow-through group was significantly larger than that in the end-to-end group (3.87 mm vs. 2.06 mm, respectively, p<0.001), and there were significantly fewer cases of vascular compromise in the flow-through group (2 [4.35%] vs. 6 [24%], respectively, p=0.019). All flaps in the flow-through group survived, whereas 2 in the end-to-end group failed. Minimal donor-site morbidity was noted in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Flow-through anastomosis in gracilis functioning free muscle transplantation for brachial plexus injury can decrease the complexity of anastomosis, reduce the risk of flap loss, and allow for more variation in muscle placement.

Road tunnel ventilation system is of high non-linearity and uncertainty, and its exact mathematical model is acquired with very difficulty. In order to effectively control road tunnel ventilation system, a combined grey prediction fuzzy control (CGPFC) law is proposed in the paper. The output of this kind of combined controller is formed by combining outputs of the grey prediction fuzzy controller (GPFC) and the traditional fuzzy control law. The grey predictor is realized by discrete GM(1,1) and it is used to predict the system outputs on line in rolling mode. The simulation and experiment for this new fuzzy control law to be applied in road tunnel ventilation system are conducted. The simulation and the practical application show that the effect of this method is better and it also cost less energy compared to the traditional fuzzy control method.

This paper describes an efficient bacterial transformation system that was established for the preparation of competent cells, plasmid preparation, and for the storage in bacterial stocks in our laboratory. Using this method, a number of different plasmids have been amplified for further experiments. Competent cells for bacterial transformation were prepared by the calcium chloride method with an optimum concentration of 75 mM. Three different strains of Escherichia coli that were tested are DH5α, TG1 and XL1 blue, and the most efficient strain being XL1 blue. The optimal optical density (OD600) range for competent cell preparation varied for each of the strains investigated, and for XL1 blue it was 0.15-0.45; for TG1 it was 0.2-0.5; and for DH5α it was 0.145-0.45. The storage time of competent cells and its correlation to transformation efficiency has been studied, and the result showed that competent cells can be stored at -20ºC for 7 days and at -70ºC for 15 days. Three critical alterations to previous methods have been made, which are the changing of the normal CaCl2 solution to TB solution, the changing of the medium from LB to S.O.C., and addition of DMSO or PEG8000 during transformation of competent cells with plasmids. Changing the medium from LB to S.O.C., resulted in much faster growth of transformants, and the transformation efficiency was increased. Addition of DMSO or PEG8000 raised transformation efficiencies by 100-300 fold. Our improved bacterial transformation system can raise the transformation efficiency about 10³ times, making it becoming a highly efficient bacterial transformation system.