Heterologous expression and characterization of two novel glucanases derived from sheep rumen microbiota.

ß-Glucanases are a suite of glycoside hydrolases that depolymerize ß-glucan into cellooligosaccharides and/or monosaccharides and have been widely used as feed additives in livestock. In this study, two novel glucanase genes, IDSGluc5-26 and IDSGluc5-37, derived from sheep rumen microbiota, were expressed and functionally characterized. The optimal temperatures/pH of recombinant IDSGLUC5-26 and IDSGLUC5-37 were 50 °C/5.0 and 40 °C/6.0, respectively. Notably, IDSGLUC5-26 showed considerable stability under acidic conditions. Both IDSGLUC5-26 and IDSGLUC5-37 showed the highest activities toward barley ß-glucan, with Vmax values of 89.96 ± 9.19 µmol/min/mg and 459.50 ± 25.02 µmol/min/mg, respectively. Additionally, these two glucanases demonstrated hydrolysis of Icelandic moss lichenan and konjac gum, IDSGLUC5-26 releasing cellobiose (G2; occupying 17.37% of total reducing sugars), cellotriose (G3; 23.97%), and cellotetraose (G4; 30.93%) from barley ß-glucan and Icelandic moss lichenan after 10 min and suggestive of a typical endo-ß-1,4-glucanase (EC.3.2.1.4). In contrast, IDSGLUC5-37 was capable of liberating dominant G3 (64.11% or 67.55%) from barley ß-glucan or Icelandic moss lichenan, suggesting that the enzyme was likely an endo-ß-1,3 - 1,4-glucanases/lichenase (EC3.2.1.73). These findings describe the expression and characterization of two novel glucanase genes from sheep rumen microbiota. The two recombinant enzymes, particularly the acid-stable IDSGLUC5-26, will be of interest for potential application in food-/feed-additive development.

Inflammation-associated factors for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with COVID-19.

The aim is to explore the relation between inflammation-associated factors and in-hospital mortality and investigate which factor is an independent predictor of in-hospital death in patients with coronavirus disease-2019. This study included patients with coronavirus disease-2019, who were hospitalized between February 9, 2020, and March 30, 2020. Univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) were used to select variables. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to identify independent risk factors in coronavirus disease-2019. A total of 1135 patients were analyzed during the study period. A total of 35 variables were considered to be risk factors after the univariate regression analysis of the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters (p < .05), and LASSO regression analysis screened out seven risk factors for further study. The six independent risk factors revealed by multivariate Cox regression were myoglobin (HR, 5.353; 95% CI, 2.633-10.882; p < .001), C-reactive protein (HR, 2.063; 95% CI, 1.036-4.109; p = .039), neutrophil count (HR, 2.015; 95% CI, 1.154-3.518; p = .014), interleukin 6 (Il-6; HR, 9.753; 95% CI, 2.952-32.218; p < .001), age (HR, 2.016; 95% CI, 1.077-3.773; p = .028), and international normalized ratio (HR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.412-4.769; p = .002). Our results suggested that inflammation-associated factors were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in coronavirus disease-2019 patients. C-reactive protein, neutrophil count, and interleukin 6 were independent factors for predicting in-hospital mortality and had a better independent predictive ability. We believe these findings may allow early identification of the patients at high risk for death, and can also assist in better management of these patients.

Biotransformation ability of endophytic fungi: from species evolution to industrial applications.

Increased understanding of the interactions between endophytic fungi and plants has led to the discovery of a new generation of chemical compounds and processes between endophytic fungi and plants. Due to the long-term co-evolution between fungal endophytes and host plants, endophytes have evolved special biotransformation abilities, which can have critical consequences on plant metabolic processes and their composition. Biotransformation or bioconversion can impact the synthesis and decomposition of hormones, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, lipids, proteins, and various secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, polysaccharides, and terpenes. Endophytic fungi produce enzymes and various bioactive secondary metabolites with industrial value and can degrade or sequester inorganic and organic small molecules and macromolecules (e.g., toxins, pollutants, heavy metals). These fungi also have the ability to cause highly selective catalytic conversion of high-value compounds in an environmentally friendly manner, which can be important for the production/innovation of bioactive molecules, food and nutrition, agriculture, and environment. This work mainly summarized recent research progress in this field, providing a reference for further research and application of fungal endophytes. KEY POINTS: •The industrial value of degradation of endophytes was summarized. • The commercial value for the pharmaceutical industry is reviewed.

Regulation by fungal endophyte of Rhodiola crenulata from enzyme genes to metabolites based on combination of transcriptome and metabolome.

BACKGROUND: The contents of some its crucial metabolites tend to decrease when Rhodiola crenulata is cultured at low altitude. Interestingly, it was found that an endophyte, Phialocephala fortinii, could alleviate this problem. RESULTS: There were 16 151 differential genes including 14 706 up-regulated and 1445 down-regulated unigenes with significant differences (P < 0.05), and a total of 1432 metabolites exhibited statistically significant (P < 0.05) metabolic differences comprising 27 different marker metabolites which showed highly significant values of VIP > 5 and P < 0.01. Results highlight differential regulation of 20 enzymatic genes that are involved in the biosynthesis of five different marker metabolites including acetaldehyde, homocysteine, cyclopropylamine, 1-pyrrolinium and halistanol sulfate. CONCLUSIONS: The positive physiological effect of P. fortinii on R. crenulata encompasses differential regulation in carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism and secondary metabolite synthesis. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

The role and mechanism of KCa3.1 channels in human monocyte migration induced by palmitic acid.

Monocyte migration into diseased tissues contributes to the pathogenesis of diseases. Intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa3.1) channels play an important role in cell migration. However, the role of KCa3.1 channels in mediating monocyte migration induced by palmitic acid (PA) is still unclear. Using cultured THP-1 cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy subjects, we investigated the role and signaling mechanisms of KCa3.1 channels in mediating the migration induced by PA. Using methods of Western blotting analysis, RNA interference, cell migration assay and ELISA, we found that PA-treated monocytes exhibited increment of the protein levels of KCa3.1 channel and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and the effects were reversed by co-incubation of PA with anti-TLR2/4 antibodies or by specific inhibitors of p38-MAPK, or NF-κB. In addition, PA increased monocyte migration, which was abolished by a specific KCa3.1 channel blocker, TRAM-34, or KCa3.1 small interfering RNA (siRNA). The expression and secretion of MCP-1 induced by PA was also similarly prevented by TRAM-34 and KCa3.1 siRNA. These results demonstrate for the first time that PA upregulates KCa3.1 channels through TLR2/4, p38-MAPK and NF-κB pathway to promote the expression of MCP-1, and then induce the trans-endothelial migration of monocytes.

[Effect of endophytic fungus on expression of key enzyme genes in pathway of salidroside biosynthesis in Rhodiola crenulata].

One strain of endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1 was obtained for the capacity of promoting production of salidroside in Rhodiola crenulata. To explain the mechanism of salidroside biosynthesis in host plant, eight housekeeping genes were evaluated, and the evaluation method was created for the expression activities of four key enzyme genes PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), TyDC (tyrosine decarboxylase), TAT (tyrosine transaminase), UDPGT (UDP-glucosyltransferase) referenced double reference genes in biosynthesis pathway of salidroside in R. crenulata. Stabilities of housekeeping genes were confirmed by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR technology and three softwares including geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper, then relative expressions of key enzyme genes were analysized by the 2-ΔΔCt method. The results showed that the most stable gene was GAPDH, followed by PCS, and the most appropriate reference of internal genes were combination with two genes in R. crenulata inoculated with endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1. Under symbiosis conditions, regularity changes of key enzyme genes affected by endophytic fungus ZPRa-R-1 were as follows: the relative expression activity of PAL attached to peak value, which was 4.9 times as that of control group when inoculated ten days. The relative expression of TyDC reached the maximum value, which was 2.8 times of that control after inoculating 12 days. The relative expression of UDPGT actually reach 17.1 times than that of control after inoculating 8 days. However, the relative expression of TAT was not affected by this fungus. The changes of four key enzyme genes are positively correlated with the changes of salidroside content in R. crenulata.

Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for Universal Detection of Enteroviruses.

Enteroviruses are found in most environments and cause several diseases in humans. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was adapted and evaluated for the rapid detection of enteroviruses. Based on the highly conserved 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) of the human enteroviruses (HEVs), particularly human enterovirus A (HEV-A) and HEV-B, a set of universal primers was designed. The LAMP amplification was carried out under isothermal conditions at 61 °C, depending on the template concentration results were obtained within 45-90 min. The detection limits were found to be 10(1) copies of cloned enterovirus 71 fragments, more sensitive than conventional PCR. Nine water samples collected from drinking water sources during three seasons and 19 stool specimens collected from HFMD patients were analyzed. By using the LAMP assay, the majority of samples was tested positive, 9/9 (100 %) and 18/19 (94.7 %), respectively. LAMP is a practical method for the rapid detection of enteroviruses in environmental and clinical samples.

Serum extracellular vesicle-derived miR-21-5p and miR-26a-5p as non-invasive diagnostic potential biomarkers for gastric cancer: A preliminary study.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer is the most common malignancy worldwide and is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths, urgently requiring an early and non-invasive diagnosis. Circulating extracellular vesicles may emerge as promising biomarkers for the rapid diagnosis in a non-invasive manner. METHODS: Using high-throughput small RNA sequencing, we profiled the small RNA population of serum-derived extracellular vesicles from healthy controls and gastric cancer patients. Differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) were randomly selected and validated by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curves were employed to assess the predictive value of miRNAs for gastric cancer. RESULTS: In this study, 193 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, of which 152 were upregulated and 41 were significantly downregulated. Among the differently expressed miRNA, the expression levels of miR-21-5p, miR-26a-5p, and miR-27a-3p were significantly elevated in serum-derived extracellular vesicles of gastric cancer patients. The miR-21-5p and miR-27a-3p were closely correlated with the tumor size. Moreover, the expression levels of serum miR-21-5p and miR-26a-5p were significantly decreased in gastric cancer patients after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The present study discovered the potential of serum miR-21-5p and miR-26a-5p as promising candidates for the diagnostic and prognostic markers of gastric cancer.

Expression and characterization of a novel microbial GH9 glucanase, IDSGLUC9-4, isolated from sheep rumen.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and characterize a novel endo-ß-glucanase, IDSGLUC9-4, from the rumen metatranscriptome of Hu sheep. Methods: A novel endo-ß-glucanase, IDSGLUC9-4, was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and biochemically characterized. The optimal temperature and pH of recombinant IDSGLUC9-4 were determined. Subsequently, substrate specificity of the enzyme was assessed using mixed-linked glucans including barley ß-glucan and Icelandic moss lichenan. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analyses were conducted to determine the products released from polysaccharides and cello-oligosaccharides substrates. Results: The recombinant IDSGLUC9-4 exhibited temperature and pH optima of 40 °C and pH 6.0, respectively. It exclusively hydrolyzed mixed-linked glucans, with significant activity observed for barley ß-glucan (109.59 ± 3.61 µmol·mg-1·min-1) and Icelandic moss lichenan (35.35 ± 1.55 µmol·mg-1·min-1). TLC and HPLC analyses revealed that IDSGLUC9-4 primarily released cellobiose, cellotriose, and cellotetraose from polysaccharide substrates. Furthermore, after 48 h of reaction, IDSGLUC9-4 removed most of the glucose, indicating transglycosylation activity alongside its endo-glucanase activity. Conclusion: The recombinant IDSGLUC9-4 was a relatively acid-resistant, mesophilic endo-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4) that hydrolyzed glucan-like substrates, generating predominantly G3 and G4 oligosaccharides, and which appeared to have glycosylation activity. These findings provided insights into the substrate specificity and product profiles of rumen-derived GH9 glucanases and contributed to the expanding knowledge of cellulolytic enzymes and novel herbivore rumen enzymes in general.

Gut microbiota-derived LCA mediates the protective effect of PEDV infection in piglets.

BACKGROUND: The gut microbiota is a critical factor in the regulation of host health, but the relationship between the differential resistance of hosts to pathogens and the interaction of gut microbes is not yet clear. Herein, we investigated the potential correlation between the gut microbiota of piglets and their disease resistance using single-cell transcriptomics, 16S amplicon sequencing, metagenomics, and untargeted metabolomics. RESULTS: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection leads to significant changes in the gut microbiota of piglets. Notably, Landrace pigs lose their resistance quickly after being infected with PEDV, but transplanting the fecal microbiota of Min pigs to Landrace pigs alleviated the infection status. Macrogenomic and animal protection models identified Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus amylovorus in the gut microbiota as playing an anti-infective role. Moreover, metabolomic screening of the secondary bile acids' deoxycholic acid (DCA) and lithocholic acid (LCA) correlated significantly with Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus amylovorus, but only LCA exerted a protective function in the animal model. In addition, LCA supplementation altered the distribution of intestinal T-cell populations and resulted in significantly enriched CD8+ CTLs, and in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that LCA increased SLA-I expression in porcine intestinal epithelial cells via FXR receptors, thereby recruiting CD8+ CTLs to exert antiviral effects. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our findings indicate that the diversity of gut microbiota influences the development of the disease, and manipulating Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus amylovorus, as well as LCA, represents a promising strategy to improve PEDV infection in piglets. Video Abstract.

4-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f]-1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)phenol-based G-quadruplex DNA binding agents: telomerase inhibition, cytotoxicity and DNA-binding studies.

Four novel 4-(1H-imidazo[4,5-f]-1,10-phenanthrolin-2-yl)phenol derivatives 1-4 have been synthesized, and their G-quadruplex DNA-binding interactions, telomerase inhibition, antiproliferative activity, cell cycle arrest, and apoptotic induction were studied. All compounds show the preferential h-telo, c-myc, and c-kit2 G-quadruplex binding affinity and the G-quadruplex versus duplex selectivity. In the case of the same G-quadruplex target, the compound 1 exhibits better stabilization effect (ΔT(m)) than the other three compounds and also gives 80.2% inhibition of telomerase activity at 7.5 µM. All compounds can promote selectively the formation of parallel G-quadruplex structure of both c-myc and c-kit2 without addition of any cations. Four compounds display the cytotoxicity activities against HeLa and HepG2 cells by MTT assay with IC50 values of about 10(-6) and 10(-5) M, respectively, and cause a substantial decrease in the G2/M-phase cell population and a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells.

AGEs-RAGE-KCa3.1 pathway mediates palmitic acid-induced migration of PBMCs from patients with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. Tissue infiltration by monocyte migration contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular complications in T2DM. We studied the role of intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa3.1) channels in the palmitic acid (PA)-induced migration of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from T2DM patients and the influence of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). A total of 49 T2DM patients and 33 healthy subjects was recruited into this study. Using flow cytometry and Western blotting analysis as well as cell migration assay, we found that there was a significant decrease in frequency of T lymphocytes and monocytes in CD45+ leukocyte population. PA at 100 µM stimulated migration of PBMCs from T2DM individuals, which was inhibited by the specific KCa3.1 channel blocker TRAM-34 (1 µM). The PBMC migration was positively correlated with glycosylated hemoglobin A1 chain (HbA1c) level of T2DM patients, an indicator of AGEs, and PBMCs with higher level of HbA1c showed upregulated expression of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/4 and KCa3.1 channels. In THP-1 cells, AGEs at 200 µg/ml increased protein expression of TLR 2/4 and KCa3.1 channels, and were synergistically involved in PA-induced migration through receptors of AGEs (RAGE)-mediated KCa3.1 upregulation. In conclusion, in PBMCs of T2DM patients, AGEs promotes PA-induced migration via upregulation of TLR2/4 and KCa3.1 channels.

"Mini-community" simulation revealed the differences of endophytic fungal communities between the above- and below-ground tissues of Ephedra sinica Stapf.

The microecology of endophytic fungi in special habitats, such as the interior of different tissues from a medicinal plant, and its effects on the formation of metabolites with different biological activities are of great importance. However, the factors affecting fungal community formation are unclear. This study is the first to utilize "mini-community" remodeling to understand the above phenomena. First, high-throughput sequencing technology was applied to explore the community composition and diversity of endophytic fungi in the above-ground tissues (Ea) and below-ground tissues (Eb) of Ephedra sinica. Second, fungi were obtained through culture-dependent technology and used for "mini-community" remodeling in vitro. Then, the effects of environmental factors, partner fungi, and plant tissue fluid (internal environment) on endophytic fungal community formation were discussed. Results showed that environmental factors played a decisive role in the selection of endophytic fungi, that is, in Ea and Eb, 93.8% and 25.3% of endophytic fungi were halophilic, respectively, and 10.6% and 60.2% fungi were sensitive to high temperature (33 °C), respectively. Meanwhile, pH had little effect on fungal communities. The internal environment of the plant host further promoted the formation of endophytic fungal communities.

Soluble CD4 effectively prevents excessive TLR activation of resident macrophages in the onset of sepsis.

T lymphopenia, occurring in the early phase of sepsis in response to systemic inflammation, is commonly associated with morbidity and mortality of septic infections. We have previously shown that a sufficient number of T cells is required to constrain Toll-like receptors (TLRs) mediated hyperinflammation. However, the underlying mechanisms remains unsolved. Herein, we unveil that CD4+ T cells engage with MHC II of macrophages to downregulate TLR pro-inflammatory signaling. We show further that the direct contact between CD4 molecule of CD4+ T cells or the ectodomain of CD4 (soluble CD4, sCD4), and MHC II of resident macrophages is necessary and sufficient to prevent TLR4 overactivation in LPS and cecal ligation puncture (CLP) sepsis. sCD4 serum concentrations increase after the onset of LPS sepsis, suggesting its compensatory inhibitive effects on hyperinflammation. sCD4 engagement enables the cytoplasmic domain of MHC II to recruit and activate STING and SHP2, which inhibits IRAK1/Erk and TRAF6/NF-κB activation required for TLR4 inflammation. Furthermore, sCD4 subverts pro-inflammatory plasma membrane anchorage of TLR4 by disruption of MHC II-TLR4 raft domains that promotes MHC II endocytosis. Finally, sCD4/MHCII reversal signaling specifically interferes with TLR4 but not TNFR hyperinflammation, and independent of the inhibitive signaling of CD40 ligand of CD4+ cells on macrophages. Therefore, a sufficient amount of soluble CD4 protein can prevent excessive inflammatory activation of macrophages via alternation of MHC II-TLR signaling complex, that might benefit for a new paradigm of preventive treatment of sepsis.

Endophytic fungi and their bioactive secondary metabolites in medicinal leguminosae plants: nearly untapped medical resources.

There are many species of Chinese traditional leguminosae family plants that are well known for their medicinal applications, such as Astragalus membranaceus, Catsia tora, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Sophora flavescens and Albacia acacia. Their unique bioactive composition and internal phenological environment contribute to the formation of specific and unique endophytic fungal communities, which are important resources for new compounds used in a variety of pharmacological activities. Nonetheless, they have not been systematically studied. In the last decade, nearly 64 genera and thousands of species of endophytic fungi have been discovered from leguminosae plants, as well as 138 secondary metabolites (with 34 new compounds) including flavonoid, alkaloids, phenol, anthraquinone, macrolide, terpenoid, phytohormone and many more. These were shown to have diverse applications and benefits, such as antibacterial, antitumor, antioxidative, immunoregulatory and neuroprotective properties. Here, we provide a summarized overview with the aim of raising awareness of endophytic fungi from medicinal leguminosae plants and providing a comprehensive review of the discoveries of new natural products that may be of medicinal and pharmaceutical importance.

Relationship between the mean of 24-h venous blood glucose and in-hospital mortality among patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: A matched cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between the mean of 24-h venous blood glucose (BG) and in-hospital mortality and all-cause mortality (ACM) in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Methods: Detailed clinical information was acquired from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The best cutoff value of mean BG was calculated using the X-tile program. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressive analyses were utilized to analyze the prognosis significance of mean BG, and survival curves were drawn using the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) approach. To improve the reliability of results and balance the impact of underlying confounders, the 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) approach was utilized. Results: An overall of 1,230 subjects were selected herein. The optimal cutoff value of the mean BG for in-hospital mortality was 152.25. In addition, 367 pairs of score-matched subjects were acquired after PSM analysis, and nearly all variables' differences were balanced. K-M analysis showed that patients with mean BG ≥ 152.25 mg/dl had significantly higher in-hospital, 3-month, and 6-month mortalities compared with patients with mean BG < 152.25 mg/dl (p < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regressive analyses revealed that patients with mean BG ≥ 152.25 mg/dl had significantly increased in-hospital mortality compared with patients with mean BG < 152.25 mg/dl after the adjustment for possible confounders (OR = 1.994, 95% CI: 1.321-3.012, p = 0.001). Similar outcomes were discovered in the PSM cohort. Conclusion: Our data suggested that mean BG was related to ACM of patients with SAH. More studies are needed to further analyze the role of the mean of 24-h venous BG in patients with SAH.

Transcriptional Regulatory Mechanism of Differential Metabolite Formation in Root and Stem of Ephedra sinica.

Ephedra sinica, a well-known Chinese medicinal plant, is characterized as having the opposite medicinal effect among its root and stem. However, there is a lack of understanding to differentiate the active components present in the root and stem of E. sinica, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of the differential compounds, which has significantly hampered the further development and utilization of E. sinica resource. In this study, forty-five differential metabolic markers are affiliated to alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and organic acids between root and stem of E. sinica, and sixty genes of key enzymes are involved in their biosynthesis distributed in metabolic pathway branches such as phenylalanine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis and phenylpropane biosynthesis, based on combination non-targeted metabolome with transcriptome technologies. The finding revealed that the expression activity changes of these enzyme genes had a direct impact on the distinction of differential metabolic markers in the root and stem of E. sinica. This study will help to understand the molecular mechanism of the differentiation and biosynthesis of the primary active metabolites in the root and stem of E. sinica, providing a theoretical foundation for its quality control and promotion in cultivation.

Treatment of pyogenic liver abscess by surgical incision and drainage combined with platelet-rich plasma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pyogenic liver abscesses are insidious in the early stage. Some cases progress rapidly, and the patient's condition can worsen and even become life-threatening if timely treatment is not provided. Surgery and prolonged antibiotic treatment are often required if the abscess is large and liquefied and becomes separated within the lumen. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of bacterial liver abscess with a poor outcome following pharmacological treatment, review the literature related to the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of hepatic impairment and partial hepatectomy in animals, and discuss the prognostic features of surgical incision and drainage combined with PRP in the treatment of bacterial liver abscesses. This is the first case describing the use of PRP in the treatment of a bacterial liver abscess in humans, providing new ideas for the treatment of this condition. CONCLUSION: This case highlights the importance of surgical treatment for bacterial liver abscesses that are well liquefied and poorly managed medically. PRP may produce antimicrobial effects and promote the regeneration and repair of liver tissue.

Supplementation with beta-1,3-glucan improves productivity, immunity and antioxidative status in transition Holstein cows.

Dairy cows undergo dramatic physiological changes during the transition from late pregnancy to early lactation, which make them vulnerable to metabolic stress and immune dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a commercial beta-1,3-glucan product (Aleta™, containing 50% beta-1,3-glucan) on productivity, immunity and antioxidative status in transition cows. Fifty-four multiparous Holstein cows received a control diet or a diet supplemented with 5 or 10 g of beta-1,3-glucan per cow per day from 21 days before expected calving to 21 days after parturition. Blood samples were collected at day -21, 1, and 21 relative to calving. Colostrum and milk were collected at day 1 and 21 after calving, respectively. Data showed that supplementation with beta-1,3-glucan had no effect on milk composition, but increased milk production. Beta-1,3-glucan treatment also improved the milk quality, as shown by reduced milk somatic cell count and increased immunoglobulin levels in colostrum. Notably, beta-1,3-glucan markedly reduced serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and C-reactive protein, while elevated serum immunoglobulin levels, indicating its immunity enhancement in transition cows. Moreover, beta-1,3-glucan addition reduced the serum malondialdehyde level and enhanced the activities of serum superoxide dismutase and catalase, which enhanced the antioxidative capacity in transition cows. In summary, supplementation with beta-1,3-glucan improves productivity, immunity and antioxidative status in transition dairy cows.