Predictions of Milk Fatty Acid Contents by Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy in Chinese Holstein Cows.

Genetic improvement of milk fatty acid content traits in dairy cattle is of great significance. However, chromatography-based methods to measure milk fatty acid content have several disadvantages. Thus, quick and accurate predictions of various milk fatty acid contents based on the mid-infrared spectrum (MIRS) from dairy herd improvement (DHI) data are essential and meaningful to expand the amount of phenotypic data available. In this study, 24 kinds of milk fatty acid concentrations were measured from the milk samples of 336 Holstein cows in Shandong Province, China, using the gas chromatography (GC) technique, which simultaneously produced MIRS values for the prediction of fatty acids. After quantification by the GC technique, milk fatty acid contents expressed as g/100 g of milk (milk-basis) and g/100 g of fat (fat-basis) were processed by five spectral pre-processing algorithms: first-order derivative (DER1), second-order derivative (DER2), multiple scattering correction (MSC), standard normal transform (SNV), and Savitzky-Golsy convolution smoothing (SG), and four regression models: random forest regression (RFR), partial least square regression (PLSR), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LassoR), and ridge regression (RidgeR). Two ranges of wavebands (4000~400 cm-1 and 3017~2823 cm-1/1805~1734 cm-1) were also used in the above analysis. The prediction accuracy was evaluated using a 10-fold cross validation procedure, with the ratio of the training set and the test set as 3:1, where the determination coefficient (R2) and residual predictive deviation (RPD) were used for evaluations. The results showed that 17 out of 31 milk fatty acids were accurately predicted using MIRS, with RPD values higher than 2 and R2 values higher than 0.75. In addition, 16 out of 31 fatty acids were accurately predicted by RFR, indicating that the ensemble learning model potentially resulted in a higher prediction accuracy. Meanwhile, DER1, DER2 and SG pre-processing algorithms led to high prediction accuracy for most fatty acids. In summary, these results imply that the application of MIRS to predict the fatty acid contents of milk is feasible.

Circular RNA expression alteration identifies a novel circulating biomarker in serum exosomal for detection of alcohol dependence.

Alcohol dependence (AD) is one of the most common and detrimental neuropsychological disorders. Recently, more and more studies have focused on circular RNA as markers for central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The present study was conducted to evaluate the circular RNA expression alteration in serum exosomal and to identify a novel circulating biomarker for the detection of AD. We first isolated exosomes from serum and then investigated the circRNA expression alterations by high throughput whole transcriptome sequencing. The data were then analyzed using bioinformatics methods. Moreover, we verified the circRNA-seq by qRT-PCR. Furthermore, we analyzed the correlations between the levels of hsa_circ_0004771 and both Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ) and Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS). The diagnostic value of hsa_circ_0004771 in AD patients was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC). In this study, 254 differentially expressed circRNAs were identified, with 149 upregulated and 105 downregulated. GO analysis showed that these differentially expressed circRNAs from exosomes might be associated with the regulation of neuron projection and axon regeneration. KEGG analysis revealed that T cell receptor signaling and antigen processing and presentation pathway had a regulating effect on upstream levels. We found that hsa_circ_0004771 was related to the severity of AD. The AUC for the diagnostic value of hsa_circ_0004771 in AD patients was 0.874. These findings indicated that circRNA in serum exosomes provide novel targets for further research on molecular mechanisms of AD. Among these, hsa_circ_0004771 may be a sensitive biomarker that was related to the severity of AD.

Autophagy alleviates ethanol-induced memory impairment in association with anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory pathways.

Chronic excessive drinking leads to a wide spectrum of neurological disorders, including cognitive deficits, such as learning and memory impairment. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these deleterious changes are still poorly understood. We conducted a comprehensive study to investigate the role and mechanism of autophagy in alcohol-induced memory impairment. To establish an ethanol-induced memory impairment mouse model, we allowed C57BL/6J mice intermittent access to 20% ethanol (four-bottle choice) to escalate ethanol drinking levels. Memory impairment was confirmed by a Morris water maze test. We found that mice exposed to EtOH (ethanol) and EtOH combined with the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) showed high alcohol intake and blood alcohol concentration. We confirmed that the EtOH group exhibited notable memory impairment. Inhibition of autophagy by 3-MA worsened ethanol-induced memory impairment. Ethanol induced autophagy in the hippocampus of mice as indicated by western blotting, electron microscopy, RT-qPCR, and fluorescence confocal microscopy. We determined that the mTOR/BECN1 (S14) pathway is involved in ethanol-induced autophagy in vivo. Further, ethanol-induced autophagy suppressed the NLRP3 inflammatory and apoptosis pathways in the hippocampus in mice and in vitro. These findings suggest that autophagy activation in hippocampal cells alleviates ethanol-induced memory impairment in association with anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory pathways.

PCK1 is negatively regulated by bta-miR-26a, and a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region is involved in semen quality and longevity of Holstein bulls.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) is a multi-functional enzyme that plays important roles in physiological processes, including reproduction. We previously reported that the PCK1 transcript has five splice variants; PCK1-AS4, which lacks exon 5, is enriched in the testis of Holstein bulls. In the present study, we profiled select PCK1 transcript variants in the testis, epididymus, and semen of high- and low-performance bulls, and examined the possibility that microRNAs may be involved in single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-mediated modulation of PCK1 expression. PCK1-AS4 abundance is not significantly different between high- and low-performance bulls. Luciferase reporter assays, however, showed that bovine PCK1 expression is repressed by bta-miR-26a in HepG2 hepatocyte cells. One SNP (c. + 2183 G > T) at the miRNA-binding site of PCK1 does not influence PCK1 expression, but is associated with elevated ejaculation volume, fresh sperm motility, and genomic estimated breeding value of longevity, as well as with reduced values of composite index and calving ease. Collectively, the identified 3'-untranslated-region SNP variant highlights the importance of PCK1 in the fecundity of Holstein bulls, and implicates a role for bta-miR-26a in regulating PCK1 abundance. Further study is needed to assess the effects of other genetic variants in 5'-flanking region and exons of PCK1 on enzyme levels in the testis and sperm. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 217-225, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Can nitrate contaminated groundwater be remediated by optimizing flood irrigation rate with high nitrate water in a desert oasis using the WHCNS model?

Nitrate contamination of groundwater is an environmental concern in intensively cultivated desert oases where this polluted groundwater is in turn used as a major irrigation water resource. However, nitrate fluxes from root zone to groundwater are difficult to monitor in this complex system. The objectives of this study were to validate and apply the WHCNS (soil Water Heat Carbon Nitrogen Simulator) model to simulate water drainage and nitrate leaching under different irrigation and nitrogen (N) management practices, and to assess the utilization of groundwater nitrate as an approach to remediate nitrate contaminated groundwater while maintain crop yield. A two-year field experiment was conducted in a corn field irrigated with high nitrate groundwater (20 mg N L(-1)) in Alxa, Inner Mongolia, China. The experiment consisted of two irrigation treatments (Istd, standard, 750 mm per season; Icsv, conservation, 570 mm per season) factorially combined with two N fertilization treatments (Nstd, standard, 138 kg ha(-1); Ncsv, conservation, 92 kg ha(-1)). The validated results showed that the WHCNS model simulated values of crop dry matter, yield, soil water content and soil N concentration in soil profile all agreed well with the observed values. Compared to the standard water management (Istd), the simulated drainage and nitrate leaching decreased about 65% and 59%, respectively, under the conservation water management (Icsv). Nearly 55% of input N was lost by leaching under the IstdNstd and IstdNcsv treatments, compared to only 26% under the IcsvNstd and IcsvNcsv treatments. Simulations with more than 240 scenarios combing different levels of irrigation and fertilization indicated that irrigation was the main reason leading to the high risk of nitrate leaching, and the nitrate in irrigation groundwater can be best utilized without corn yield loss when the total irrigation was reduced from the current 750 mm to 491 mm. This reduced irrigation rate facilitated the use of approximately 42 kg N ha(-1) yr(-1) of nitrate from groundwater, which would gradually improve the groundwater quality. Future field studies on nitrate leaching in this area are suggested to investigate water and N dynamics under irrigation rates near 490 mm per season.

The possible involvement of JNK activation in the spinal dorsal horn in bortezomib-induced allodynia: the role of TNF-α and IL-1ß.

PURPOSE: Bortezomib (BTZ), a widely used chemotherapeutic drug, is closely associated with the development of painful peripheral neuropathy, but the mechanism underlying the induction of this disorder by BTZ remains largely unclear. To examine this association, we have evaluated the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members in the spinal dorsal horn and the role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) in BTZ-induced allodynia in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used as the model animals. The paw withdrawal test, in which mechanical stimuli (von Frey hairs) is applied to the plantar surface of the hindpaw, was used to determine any changes in the paw withdrawal threshold of the treated rats. A PE-10 catheter was placed intrathecally to deliver TNF-α neutralizing antibody, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) or the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125. The mRNA levels of various cytokines were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. The expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family members in the spinal dorsal horn was measured by western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. All data were expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean and analyzed using the SPSS version 13.0 software program. RESULTS: The BTZ treatment induced an upsurge in the mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α in the neurons and IL-1ß in the astrocytes in the spinal dorsal horn. It also significantly upregulated the phosphorylation of JNK but not of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and p38-MAPK in astrocytes of the spinal dorsal horn. Inhibition of TNF-α or IL-1ß ameliorated JNK activation and mechanical allodynia induced by BTZ. Co-administration of thalidomide (TNF-α synthesis inhibitor) and IL-1ra prevented BTZ-induced mechanical allodynia. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the TNF-α or IL-1ß/JNK pathway in the spinal dorsal horn may play a critical role in the development of painful peripheral neuropathy induced by BTZ.

Genetic Parameters of Semen Traits and Their Correlations with Conformation Traits in Chinese Holstein Bulls.

The elite bull plays an extremely important role in the genetic progression of the dairy cow population. The previous results indicated the potential positive relationship of large scrotal circumference (SC) with improved semen volume, concentration, and motility. In order to improve bull's semen quantity and quality by selection, it is necessary to estimate the genetic parameters of semen traits and their correlations with other conformation traits such as SC that could be used for an indirect selection. In this study, the genetic parameters of seven semen traits (n = 66,260) and nine conformation traits (n = 3,642) of Holstein bulls (n = 453) were estimated by using the bivariate repeatability animal model with the average information-restricted maximum likelihood (AI-REML) approach. The results showed that the estimated heritabilities of semen traits ranged from 0.06 (total number of motile sperm, TNMS) to 0.37 (percentage of abnormal sperm, PAS) and conformation traits ranged from 0.23 (pin width, PW) to 0.69 (hip height, HH). The highest genetic correlations were found between semen volume per ejaculation (SVPE), semen concentration per ejaculation (SCPE), total number of sperm (TNS), and TNMS traits that were 0.97, 0.98, 1.00, and 0.99, respectively. Phenotypic correlations between SC and SVPE, SCPE, TNS, and TNMS were 0.35, 0.35, 0.48, and 0.42, respectively. In summary, the moderate or high heritability of semen traits indicates that genetic improvement of semen quality by selection is feasible, where SC could be a useful trait for indirect selection or as correlated information to improve semen quantity and production in the practical bull breeding programs.

Fracture identification and characteristics of carbonate underground gas storage: an example from the eastern area of Sulige gas field, ordos Basin, China.

The carbonate rock formations have obvious dual media characteristics, fracture development and good physical conditions, which are the main seepage channels and storage spaces for gas after the reconstruction of underground gas storage. The carbonate strata of the Ordovician system are important natural gas reservoirs in the eastern area of Sulige Gas Field in the Ordos Basin, and the identification and characterization of their fractures are of great significance for the modeling of fractures in the later stage and the improvement of the operation scheme of the gas storage. At present, there is little research on fractures, which restricts exploration and development. Therefore, taking the 39-61 gas storage reservoir in the eastern area of Sulige Gas Field in the Ordos Basin as the research object, this paper identifies and studies the characteristics of the fractures by core, microscopic, conventional logging curves, and imaging logging identification. The results show that the fracture length ranges from 5 to 15 cm and the width ranges from 0.1 to 3 mm. The fracture angles are mostly between 75° and 90° and the main direction is NW-SE. In conventional logging curves, porosity logging has a good response to fractures, while resistivity logging has a general response to fractures; In layers with more developed fractures, natural gamma values are mostly higher than 40API, rock volume density is less than 2.8 g/cm3, neutron porosity is greater than 12.5%, and acoustic time difference is greater than 160 µ s/m. This study is of great significance for improving the identification of carbonate fractures, enriching the relevant theories, and providing guidance for the construction of carbonate gas storage.

Single-Factor Comprehensive Reservoir Quality Classification Evaluation-Taking the Hala'alat Mountains at the Northwestern Margin of the Junggar Basin as an Example.

In the process of petroleum geology exploration and development, reservoir quality evaluation is an essential component. However, conventional reservoir quality evaluation methods are no longer able to provide accurate and comprehensive assessments for all types of reservoirs. Therefore, the comprehensive evaluation of reservoir quality using multiple single factors is of significant importance in improving the level of reservoir quality assessment and enhancing the effectiveness of oil and gas exploration techniques. Conventional reservoir quality evaluation methods can assess only the quality of individual reservoir properties, resulting in limited classification outcomes. Taking the Cretaceous formations in the southern margin of the Hala'alat Mountain in the Junggar Basin as the research object, preliminary classification criteria were established based on the principles of formation coefficient, storage coefficient, and flow unit index. Combining experimental data such as core observation, thin-section identification, pore permeability analysis, and scanning electron microscopy, a comprehensive set of reservoir quality classification and evaluation criteria were developed. Furthermore, the corresponding reservoir classification evaluation maps were generated to illustrate the spatial distribution of reservoir quality. The study reveals that the area can be classified into four types of reservoirs, namely, Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class IV, corresponding to the best reservoir, relatively good reservoir, relatively poor reservoir, and poor reservoir, respectively. Among them, the second (K1q2) and third (K1q3) members of the Cretaceous Qingshuihe Formation, as well as the first (K1h1) and third (K1h3) members of the Cretaceous Hutubi Formation, exhibit the best reservoir quality as Class II. On the other hand, the second member of the Cretaceous Hutubi Formation (K1h2) exhibits the best reservoir quality as Class III, with relatively poorer reservoir quality overall. The research findings of this study can provide an important theoretical basis for oil and gas exploration and development in the region.

The single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility datasets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in Chinese holstein cattle.

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed in the frame of a more extensive study dedicated to the integrated analysis of the single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility datasets of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with a large-scale GWAS of 45 complex traits in Chinese Holstein cattle. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a crucial mediator of chronic inflammation to modulate immune responses. PBMCs include primary T and B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes (Mono), and dendritic cells (DC). How LPS stimulates PBMCs at the single-cell level in dairy cattle remains largely unknown. DATA DESCRIPTION: We sequenced 30,756 estimated single cells and mapped 26,141 of them (96.05%) with approximately 60,075 mapped reads per cell after quality control for four whole-blood treatments (no, 2 h, 4 h, and 8 h LPS) by single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-cell sequencing assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (scATAC-seq). Finally, 7,107 (no), 9,174 (2 h), 6,741 (4 h), and 3,119 (8 h) cells were generated with ~ 15,000 total genes in the whole population. Therefore, the single-cell transcriptome and chromatin accessibility datasets in this study enable a further understanding of the cell types and functions of PBMCs and their responses to LPS stimulation in vitro.

Modeling nitrate leaching and optimizing water and nitrogen management under irrigated maize in desert oases in Northwestern China.

Understanding water and N transport through the soil profile is important for efficient irrigation and nutrient management to minimize nitrate leaching to the groundwater, and to promote agricultural sustainable development in desert oases. In this study, a process-based water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) was used to simulate soil water movement, nitrate transport, and crop growth (maize [Zea mays L.]) under desert oasis conditions in northwestern China. The model was calibrated and validated with a field experiment. The model simulation results showed that about 35% of total water input and 58% of the total N input were leached to <1.8 m depth under traditional management practice. Excessive irrigation and N fertilizer application, high nitrate concentration in the irrigation water, together with the sandy soil texture, resulted in large nitrate leaching. Nitrate leaching was significantly reduced under the improved management practice suggested by farm extension personnel; however, the water and nitrate inputs still far exceeded the crop requirements. More than 1700 scenarios combining various types of irrigation and fertilizer practices were simulated. Quantitative analysis was conducted to obtain the best management practices (BMPs) with simultaneous consideration of crop yield, water use efficiency, fertilizer N use efficiency, and nitrate leaching. The results indicated that the BMPs under the specific desert oasis conditions are to irrigate the maize with 600 mm of water in eight times with a single fertilizer application at a rate of 75 kg N ha(-1).

Influencing factors and application prospects of CO2 flooding in heterogeneous glutenite reservoirs.

In recent years, large amounts of CO2 emissions have led to many environmental problems. Developing a reasonable approach to carbon dioxide emissions is one of the most important issues for the sustainable development of human civilization. Compared with CO2 geological storage, CO2 flooding has greater advantages and a higher utilization efficiency. CO2 flooding technology has been successfully applied to many types of reservoirs, such as conventional sandstone reservoirs, low-permeability reservoirs, and carbonates. In this paper, the feasibility of CO2 flooding in glutenite reservoirs is studied. First, the glutenite reservoir is divided into fine stages, and reasonable vertical development units are determined. On this basis, the distribution scale, genetic environment and formation mode of the glutenite reservoir are characterized in detail and their spatial distribution rules are depicted in three dimensions. Then, the influencing factors of CO2 flooding in the glutenite reservoir are analysed via reservoir numerical simulation technology. The effects of reservoir thickness, reservoir heterogeneity, macropores, dominant channels and fracturing on CO2 flooding efficiency are evaluated individually, and a set of reasonable parameters constituting an evaluation system for CO2 flooding in the glutenite reservoir is established. Finally, based on parameter optimization, the disadvantaged conditions of CO2 flooding in glutenite reservoirs are optimized, and their effects are gradually eliminated. In view of the characteristics of glutenite reservoirs, a unique three-dimensional well pattern arrangement is designed, different injection modes are optimized, and suitable injection agents are tested. These methods are conducive to improving the effect of reservoir parameters on CO2 flooding efficiency, allowing these reservoirs to be used for CO2 flooding. Based on these new methods, the displacement effect of the Yanjia-Yongan glutenite reservoir is predicted. Our results show that the reservoir has been developed efficiently and achieved a high recovery rate, the displacement front of the CO2 has become more uniform, and the sweep range has become wider. After extending the successful application of CO2 flooding in this reservoir to all of the glutenite reservoirs in the entirety of the Bohaiwan Basin, we predict that the oil recovery rate may reach 40%, with a cumulative oil recovery rate of approximately 3.04 × 108 t and a total CO2 consumption of 1.672 × 108 t. Thus, the proposed approach not only can improve the atmospheric environment but can also greatly improve the efficiency of oil displacement.

Effect of alcohol use disorders and alcohol intake on the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are often comorbid with depressive symptoms. Cohort studies on the association between AUD and subsequent depressive symptoms have produced inconsistent results. Moreover, regarding alcohol intake, the risk of developing depressive symptoms might vary with alcohol intake level. We aimed to investigate the association between AUD, alcohol intake and subsequent depressive symptoms. DESIGN AND SETTING: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase and PsycINFO for cohort studies on the association between AUD or alcohol intake and subsequent depressive symptoms. PARTICIPANTS: We included 338 426 participants from 42 studies. Six and four studies analyzed only females and males, respectively. MEASUREMENTS: We combined risk estimates for developing depressive symptoms using a random-effects model. We divided alcohol intake into abstinence, light (0-84 g/week), moderate (85-168 g/week) and heavy drinking (> 168 g/week or > 48 g/day at least weekly). We conducted a categorical analysis to compare the risk of depressive symptoms between abstinence and different intake categories. Further, we conducted a dose-response analysis to investigate the alcohol-depression association. FINDINGS: We analyzed 42 studies (follow-up time: 1-40 years). AUD was associated with significantly increased risk of subsequent depressive symptoms [relative risk (RR) = 1.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.41-1.76]. Regarding alcohol intake, heavy drinking had an increased risk of depressive symptoms; however, the association was only significant when controls were limited to non-heavy drinkers (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.05-1.22). Taking into consideration the possibility of publication bias and confounding factors made the association non-significant. We observed J-shaped associations in both categorical and dose-response analyses where light-moderate drinking had a significantly decreased risk of depression, while heavy drinking did not show a significant association with depressive symptoms compared with non-drinkers. CONCLUSION: Alcohol use disorders are associated with increased the risk of subsequent depressive symptoms. Heavy drinking does not significantly predict occurrence of depressive symptoms after adjusting for potential confounders.

An miR-340-5p-macrophage feedback loop modulates the progression and tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma multiforme.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be involved in the progression and tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Our previous research has indicated that miR-340-5p has an antitumor effect in vitro. However, the role of miR-340-5p in GBM has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that downregulation of miR-340-5p in GBM is correlated with tumor size, recurrence, and poor survival. Moreover, we found that miR-340-5p levels are correlated with the density of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and M2-polarized TAMs in GBM. Biofunctional investigations revealed that downregulation of miR-340-5p promoted TAM recruitment and M2-TAMs polarization in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we found that upregulation of miR-340-5p inhibited tumor growth and was associated with good prognosis in vivo. Through gene expression profiles and bioinformatics analysis, we showed that miR-340-5p directly targets POSTN, which recruited TAMs through integrin αvß3. Downregulation of miR-340-5p in GBM did not induce the differentiation of TAMs into polarized M2 cells but was able to promote the M2 polarization of TAMs through directly targeting LTBP-1. Furthermore, we found that M2-TAMs promoted tumorigenesis and were associated with a poor prognosis in vivo. In an in vitro study, we demonstrated that M2-TAMs inhibited miR-340-5p expression in GBM cells by upregulation of TGFß-1, which increased HMGA-2 expression in GBM. A ChIP assay confirmed that HMGA-2 transcriptionally suppressed miR-340-5p expression. Patients with low-miR-340-5p expression, high CD163, high POSTN, high LIBP1 levels, and high HMGA-2 had a poor prognosis with shorter overall survival, confirming data from the TCGA database. These findings suggest that an miR-340-5p-macrophage feedback loop modulates the progression and tumor microenvironment of GBM and may represent a prognostic biomarker and therapeutic strategy for GBM.

A review of interventions against fetal alcohol spectrum disorder targeting oxidative stress.

INTRODUCTION: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is caused by maternal ethanol exposure; it causes physical, behavioral, cognitive, and neural impairments (Murawski et al., 2015). Mechanisms of FASD causing damage are not yet fully elucidated. Oxidative stress might be one of its mechanisms (Henderson et al., 1995). Yet no effective treatment against FASD has been found other than ethanol abstention (Long et al., 2010). METHODS: This review summarizes relevant literatures regarding interventions targeting oxidative stress that may relieve fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. RESULTS: Astaxanthin was found to mitigate embryonic growth retardation induced by prenatal ethanol treatment through ameliorating the down regulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) caused by alcohol in a mice model (Zheng et al., 2014; Vabulas et al., 2002). Vitamin E protected against fatal alchol spectrum disorders by ameliorating oxidative stress in rat models (Mitchell et al., 1999a), and yielded a better outcome when it was combined with Vitamin C (Packer et al., 1979; Peng et al., 2005). Vitamin C mitigated embryonic retardation caused by alcohol and reversed ethanol induced NF-κB activation and ROS (reactive oxygen species) formation in a Xenopus laevis model (Peng et al., 2005). Beta carotene supplement was proved to protect against neurotoxicity in hippocampal cultures of embryos induced by alcohol in a rats model (Mitchell et al., 1999a). Prenatal folic acid supplement reversed the decrease of body weight caused by maternal ethanol treatment and ameliorated the increment of glutathione reductase specific activities as well as the increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) induced by alcohol in a rats model (Cano et al., 2001). Omega-3 fatty acids reversed the decrease of reduced glutathione (GSH) levels in brain caused by prenatal ethanol treatment in a rats model (Patten et al., 2013). EUK-134 treatment reduced the incidence of forelimb defects caused by ethanol treatment in a mice model (Chen et al., 2004). Pretreatment of activity-dependent neurotrophic factor-9 (ADNF-9) and NAPVSIPQ (NAP) protected against prenatal ethanol induced fetal death as well as fetal growth abnormalities in a mice model, and such treatment reversed the decrease of the rate of reduced glutathione (GSH)/ oxidative glutathione (GSSG) caused by alcohol (Spong et al., 2001). CONCLUSION: By now interventions against fetal alcohol spectrum disorder targeting oxidative stress includes astaxanthin, Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin E, beta-carotene, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Omega-3 fatty acids, etc (see Fig. 1). However, most interventions are only assayed in animal models, more clinical trials are needed to show whether antioxidants make an effort against FASD damage.

[Effects of irrigation amount on leaf structure, photosynthetic physiology, and fruit yield of Lycium barbarum in arid area].

Lycium barbarum is an important traditional medicinal plant in China. Under controlled condition, a field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different monthly irrigation quota on the leaf structure, photosynthetic physiology, and fruit yield of L. barbarum, aimed to determine an appropriate irrigation amount for the plant. When the monthly irrigation quota was less than 900 m3 x hm(-2), the leaf area, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, cell tense ratio (CTR), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE), stomatal limitation value (Ls), and fruit yield of L. barbarum all increased significantly with monthly irrigation quota, while leaf stoma density and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) showed a reverse trend. When the irrigation quota was more than 900 m3 x hm(-2), the Ci increased with irrigation quota, the leaf area, stoma density, and fruit yield had no obvious change, whereas the other indices showed a reverse trend. The leaf transpiration rate and Gs were the highest at irrigation quota 450 m3 x hm(-2), being 8.02 and 324 mmol x m(-2) x s(-1), respectively; whereas at other irrigation quota, these two indices were lower than the control. In terms of saving water, the monthly irrigation quota 900 m3 x hm(-2) was more appropriate for Lycium barbarum.