Soybean glycinin and ß-conglycinin damage the intestinal barrier by triggering oxidative stress and inflammatory response in weaned piglets.

PURPOSE: Soybean glycinin (11S) and ß-conglycinin (7S) are major antigenic proteins in soybean and can induce a variety of allergic reactions in the young animals. This study aimed to investigate the effect of 7S and 11S allergens on the intestine of piglets. METHODS: Thirty healthy 21-day-old weaned "Duroc × Long White × Yorkshire" piglets were randomly divided into three groups fed with the basic diet, the 7S supplemented basic diet, or the 11S supplemented basic diet for 1 week. Allergy markers, intestinal permeability, oxidative stress, and inflammatory reactions were detected, and we observed different sections of intestinal tissue. The expressions of genes and proteins related to NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP-3) signaling pathway were detected by IHC, RT-qPCR, and WB. RESULTS: Severe diarrhea and decreased growth rate were observed in the 7S and 11S groups. Typical allergy markers include IgE production and significant elevations of histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). More aggressive intestinal inflammation and barrier dysfunction were observed in the experimental weaned piglets. In addition, 7S and 11S supplementation increased the levels of 8-hydroxy-2 deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and nitrotyrosine, triggering oxidative stress. Furthermore, higher expression levels of NLRP-3 inflammasome ASC, caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18 were observed in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that 7S and 11S damaged the intestinal barrier of weaned piglets and may be associated with the onset of oxidative stress and inflammatory response. However, the molecular mechanism underlying these reactions deserves further study.

Values of procalcitonin and C-reactive proteins in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease having concomitant bacterial infection.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the changes in the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in serum of patients with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and to compare with the values of CRP in combination with PCT in the diagnosis and treatment of infective exacerbation of COPD. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-four patients who developed acute exacerbation of COPD and admitted to the Binzhou People's Hospital from March 2014 to December 2015 were selected. They were divided into an infection group (N=98) and a non-infection group (N=66) according to bacterial culture results of sputum and lung computer tomography (CT) examination results. Moreover, 50 healthy people were selected as a normal control group. The levels of PCT and CRP of the three groups were determined respectively; patients in the infection group and non-infection group were determined again after administration of antibacterial drugs for a period of time. The results were all recorded. RESULTS: The levels of PCT and CRP of the infection group were significantly higher than those of the non-infection group and the normal control group before treatment, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The levels of PCT and CRP were (1.97±0.13) µg/L and (7.34±2.66) mg/L respectively in the infection group after treatment, which was much lower than the levels before treatment (P<0.05). The level of PCT of the infection group was remarkably higher than that of the non-infection group after treatment (P<0.05), but the difference of CRP level between the infection group and non-infection group had no statistical significance (P>0.05). The specificity and sensitivity of diagnosing COPD in combination with bacterial infection with PCT or CRP were lower than those of PCT in combination with CRP. CONCLUSION: Levels of CRP in combination with PCT is a reliable index for determining the existence of bacterial infection, which is of great clinical guidance significance to the treatment and prognosis assessment of AECOPD patients.

[Phytoavailability and chemical speciation of cadmium in different Cd-contaminated soils with crop root return].

Pot experiments were conducted under greenhouse condition to investigate the effects of crop root return on succeeding crops growth, Cd uptake and soil Cd speciation in Cd-contaminated soil and artificial Cd-contaminated soil. The results showed that the amount of root residue returned to soil by corn and kidney bean growth successive for 3 times was 0.4%-1.1%. The Cd returned to soil by root residue was 1.3%-3.5% to the total soil Cd. There was no significant difference in the shoot dry weights of winter wheat and Chinese cabbage grown on the 2 Cd-contaminated soils with and without root return. While Cd concentration of Chinese cabbage increased significantly in the Cd-contaminated soil with corn or kidney bean root return. Light fraction of soil organic matter increased with root return in both of the Cd-contaminated soils. The percentage of Cd in the light fraction of soil organic matter increased with root return in the artificial Cd-contaminated soil. Soil carbonates-bound Cd concentration decreased significantly with corn root return in the Cd-contaminated soil. Soil exchangeable Cd concentration decreased and soil Fe-Mn oxide-bound Cd concentration increased significantly with kidney bean root return in the artificial Cd-contaminated soil.

[Application of NIRS to detecting total N of cucumber leaves growing in greenhouse].

Non-destructive testing, as a new, rapid, non-destructive technology, is the direction of agricultural produce testing in the future. In this study, the nitrogen content of cucumber leaves was predetermined using near infrared spectroscopy technology. The main results were as follows: The authors measured the nitrogen content in cucumber leaves with Kjeldahl method and near infrared spectroscopy, then established a model between them, and processed a external verification next. The verification results showed that the determination coefficient of the model was 0.4066, relative standard deviation is 0.1559, and calibration standard deviation is 0.72; Then the authors predicted the cucumber leaves nitrogen content with this model, and the results showed that the mean absolute percent error was 0.59, average relative error was 13.88, and correlation coefficient of the chemical values and predicted values was 0.6377. So it was proved that this model had a certain feasibility in vegetable leaves nitrogen testing.

[Application of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence to investigating the distribution of trace elements in different organs of greenhouse rape].

The trace elements distribution in the root and leaf of greenhouse rape was determined with synchrotron radiation XRF, and many essential elements for human health were found, including Co, Mn, Ni, Fe, Cu, Zn, K and Ca, among which the contents of Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu and Zn are especially higher than the other elements. The results proved that the contents of different elements in different parts of leaves and roots were inequable. Generally, the contents of K, Ca and Mg in the roots are significantly higher than those in leaves, while the contents of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn in the leaves are apparently higher than those in roots. And the contents of all the elements in lateral roots are much lower. The contents of K, Ca and Co in the central section of leaf were higher than those in the edge, and the contents are gradually increasing from the edge to center; the contents of Cu, Mn, Fe and Ni in the tip of leaf were higher than those in base, and it increases gradually from the base to the tip of leaf; the content of Zn in the leaf is absolutely uniform; all the elements in the middle of root were higher than those in two ends, and the contents in the base of root are commonly higher than those in the tip of root.