Dietary Effects of Lipid and Protein Levels on Growth, Feed Utilization, Lipid Metabolism, and Antioxidant Capacity of Triploid Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

This study investigated the dietary effects of lipid and protein levels on growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, lipid metabolism, and antioxidant capacity of triploid rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. A 3 × 2 two-factor design was conducted with three crude lipid levels of 4%, 9%, and 14% (L4, L9, and L14) and two crude protein levels of 44%, 49% (P44, P49). Therefore, a total of six diets were prepared as P44/L4, P44/L9, P44/L14, P49/L4, P49/L9, and P49/L14. Triploid rainbow trout (initial body weight 65.0 ± 0.1 g) were fed one of the six diets for 80 days. The results showed that weight gain (WG), protein retention (PR), and protein efficiency rate (PER) significantly increased with increasing the dietary lipid level at the same crude protein level, while feed conversion ratio (FCR) and hepatosomatic index significantly decreased (P < 0.05). At the same lipid level, there was no difference in WG, FCR, PR, PER between 44% and 49% crude protein group (P > 0.05). The P49/L14 group had the highest WG (374.6%) and lowest FCR (1.25), while P44/L14 group had the highest PER (1.80) and PR (25.06%) with similar WG and FCR to P49/L14 group. The crude lipid contents in whole fish were significantly higher in the L14 group than those in the L4 and L9 groups (P < 0.05). Muscle n-3 PUFAs, n-6 PUFAs, and PUFAs levels were positively correlated with dietary lipid level, while n-6 PUFAs was negatively correlated with dietary protein level. Dietary protein, dietary lipid, and their interaction significantly affected hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) content, aspartate aminotransferase, lipase (LPS), and fatty acid synthase (FAS) activities (P < 0.05). In both P44 and P49 groups, LPS and FAS activities increased with increasing the dietary lipid level. MDA content significantly decreased in the P44 group and increased in the P49 group with increasing the dietary lipid level (P < 0.05). As dietary protein level increased, serum total cholesterol level increased, while hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activity decreased. With increasing the dietary lipid level, total superoxide dismutase, catalase, total nitric oxide synthase, and fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase activities showed an increasing trend, while the opposite was true for alanine aminotransferase activity. In conclusion, based on growth performance and feed utilization, dietary protein level of 44% and dietary lipid level of 14% (measured value, 43.71% and 13.62%) were suggested for young triploid rainbow trout.

Synthesis, antitumor evaluation and computational study of thiazolidinone derivatives of dehydroabietic acid-based B ring-fused-thiazole.

In an attempt to search for new natural product-based antitumor agents, a series of novel thiazolidinone derivatives of dehydroabietic acid-based B ring-fused-thiazole were designed and synthesized. The primary antitumor tests showed that compounds 5 m exhibited almost the best inhibitory activity against the tested cancer cells. The computational study suggested NOTCH1, IGF1R, TLR4, and KDR were the core targets of the title compounds, and the IC50 of SCC9 and Cal27 is strong correlation with the binding ability of TLR4 and compounds.

Coexistence of polar distortion and conduction in doped 2D group-IV ferroelectrics: SiGe, SiSn, and GeSn.

Since the concept of ferroelectric metal predicted in the 1960s has been experimentally realized in the bulk Weyl semimetal WTe2 [Sharma et al 2019 Sci. Adv. 5, eaax5080], it is significant to find the ultrathin polar metal or ferroelectric metal due to the demand of miniature of electronic nanodevices. Here, 2D buckled monolayers composed of group-IV elements such as SiGe, SiSn, and GeSn are selected as prototype. Then, the stability of 2D ferroelectricity in the above monolayers are confirmed based on the results of first-principles calculations. Most interesting, a robustly metallic polar state has been found in the above 2D ferrolectrics under both the electron doping and hole doping, and the polar distortion becomes even more remarkable when the electrons are doped as compared with the undoped system. Thus, the coexistence of polar state and conduction is theoretically verified in the doped group-IV monolayers. We hope the 2D ferroelectric materials can be used as a starting point to look for the polar metals with atomic thickness, and further broaden their applications in 2D electronics or spintronics in the future.

The hypoglycemic mechanism of catalpol involves increased AMPK-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis.

Mitochondria serve as sensors of energy regulation and glucose levels, which are impaired by diabetes progression. Catalpol is an iridoid glycoside that exerts a hypoglycemic effect by improving mitochondrial function, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In the current study we explored the effects of catalpol on mitochondrial function in db/db mice and C2C12 myotubes in vitro. After oral administration of catalpol (200 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 8 weeks, db/db mice exhibited a decreased fasting blood glucose level and restored mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. Catalpol increased mitochondrial biogenesis, evidenced by significant elevations in the number of mitochondria, mitochondrial DNA levels, and the expression of three genes associated with mitochondrial biogenesis: peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gammaco-activator 1 (PGC-1α), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1). In C2C12 myotubes, catalpol significantly increased glucose uptake and ATP production. These effects depended on activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis. Thus, catalpol improves skeletal muscle mitochondrial function by activating AMPK-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis. These findings may guide the development of a new therapeutic approach for type 2 diabetes.