A basic study for the molecular imaging of dual-energy CT in diagnosing anterior cruciate ligament injury of knee joint.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common disease in clinical practice that seriously affects the daily life of patients. PURPOSE: To explore the molecular imaging basis of "diminution sign on dual-energy colour mapping" for the diagnosis of ACL injury by dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline reagents were prepared in different concentrations. The grouping was shown as follows: a simple concentration change group of an amino acid (group 1/2); a mixed solution group with the concentration increasing synchronously (group 3); a mixed solution group with the concentration reverse increasing and decreasing (group 4); and a mixed solution group that fix one amino acid with increasing concentration of the other (group 5/6). The samples were scanned by DECT. The solution CT value and image signal-to-noise ratio were analyzed. RESULTS: In group 1/2, the brightness of the dual-energy color mapping of each test tube solution and the CT value increased with increasing the concentration of amino acid. In group 6, there was no significant change in the brightness and brilliance of the dual-energy color mapping and the CT value. The remaining three groups showed an increase in the brightness and brilliance of the dual-energy color mapping and the CT value, and this increase was positively associated with the hydroxylysine concentration. CONCLUSION: The dual-energy staining of the DECT imaging in "tendon" mode is related to hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline. Moreover, the degree of dual-energy color mapping is positively correlated with the change of CT value.

FSH promotes the proliferation of sheep granulosa cells by inhibiting the expression of TSP1.

Thrombospondin (TSP1) plays an important role as an antiangiogenic factor in the reproductive system of female mammals. However, its expression and function in sheep are still unclear. In the present research, the Altay sheep (a native Chinese breed) was used to analyze the expression of TSP1 in the ovary and its potential function in granulosa cells. TSP1 was widely expressed in most tissues, as shown by qPCR. In the ovary, TSP1 mRNA expression decreased during follicular to luteal growth. The TSP1 protein was expressed in a wide variety of follicles of different diameters and localized to the cytoplasm and nucleus of granulosa cells. In in vitro studies, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) significantly inhibited the expression of TSP1 in sheep granulosa cells. Functionally, FSH- and TSP1-specific siRNAs can promote the proliferation of sheep granulosa cells. In contrast, TSP1 mimetic peptide, ABT510, offsets the proliferation of sheep granulosa cells. Different signaling pathway inhibitors all promoted FSH-inhibited TSP1 expression, but each inhibitor had different effects on TSP1. Among them, the PI3K and ERK pathway inhibitors significantly promoted TSP1 expression and inhibited the proliferation of sheep granulosa cells.

Antifreeze protein from Anatolia polita (ApAFP914) improved outcome of vitrified in vitro sheep embryos.

Embryo cryopreservation is an important tool to preserve endangered species. As a cryoprotectant for mouse oocytes, antifreeze protein from Anatolica polita (ApAFP914) has demonstrated utility. In the present study, the effects of controlled slow freezing and vitrification methods on the survival rate of sheep oocytes fertilized in vitro after freezing-thawing were compared. Different ApAFP914 concentrations were added to the vitrification liquid for exploring the effect of antifreeze protein on the warmed embryos. The results showed that the survival and hatching rates of in vitro derived embryos were significantly higher than that of the slow freezing method. Furthermore, among the cryopreserved embryos at different developmental stages, the survival and hatching rates of the expanded blastocyst were significantly higher than those of the blastocysts, early blastocysts and morula. The survival and the hatching rates of the fast-growing embryos were both significantly higher than that of the slow-growing embryos. Additionally, treatment of ApAFP914 (5-30 µg/mL) did not increase the freezing efficiency of the 6-6.5 d embryos. However, addition of 10 µg/mL of ApAFP914 significantly increased the hatching rate of slow-growing embryos. In conclusion, our study suggests that the vitrification is better than the slow freezing method for the conservation of in vitro sheep embryos, and supplementation of ApAFP914 (10 µg/mL) significantly increased the hatching rate of slow-growing embryos after cryopreservation.

Transcriptome profile of one-month-old lambs' granulosa cells after superstimulation.

OBJECTIVE: Superstimulatory treatment of one-month-old lambs can achieve synchronous development of numerous growing follicles. However, these growing follicles cannot complete maturation and ovulation. Oocyte maturation and competence are acquired during follicular development, in which granulosa cells play an essential role. METHODS: In this study, we applied RNA sequencing to analyze and compare gene expression between prepubertal and adult superstimulated follicle granulosa cells in sheep. RESULTS: There were more than 300 genes that significantly differed in expression. Among these differently expressed genes, many extracellular matrix genes (EGF containing Fibulin Like Extracellular Matrix Protein 1, pentraxin 3, adrenomedullin, and osteopontin) were significantly down-regulated in the superstimulated follicles. Ingenuity pathway and gene ontology analyses revealed that processes of axonal guidance, cell proliferation and DNA replication were expressed at higher levels in the prepubertal follicles. Epidermal growth factor, T-Box protein 2 and beta-estradiol upstream regulator were predicted to be active in prepubertal follicles. By comparison, tumor protein P53 and let-7 were most active in adult follicles. CONCLUSION: These results may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the development of granulosa cells in the growing follicle in prepubertal sheep.

Evidence supporting a role for SMAD2/3 in bovine early embryonic development: potential implications for embryotropic actions of follistatin.

The TGF-beta-SMAD signaling pathway is involved in regulation of various aspects of female reproduction. However, the intrinsic functional role of SMADs in early embryogenesis remains poorly understood. Previously, we demonstrated that treatment with follistatin, an activin (TGF-beta superfamily ligand)-binding protein, is beneficial for bovine early embryogenesis and specific embryotropic actions of follistatin are dependent on SMAD4. Because SMAD4 is a common SMAD that can bind both SMAD2/3 and SMAD1/5, the objective of this study was to further determine the intrinsic role of SMAD2/3 in the control of early embryogenesis and delineate if embryotropic actions of follistatin in early embryos are SMAD2/3 dependent. By using a combination of pharmacological and small interfering RNA-mediated inhibition of SMAD2/3 signaling in the presence or absence of follistatin treatment, our results indicate that SMAD2 and SMAD3 are both required for bovine early embryonic development and stimulatory actions of follistatin on 8- to 16-cell and that blastocyst rates, but not early cleavage, are muted when SMAD2/3 signaling is inhibited. SMAD2 deficiency also results in reduced expression of the bovine trophectoderm cell-specific gene CTGF. In conclusion, the present work provides evidence supporting a functional role of SMAD2/3 in bovine early embryogenesis and that specific stimulatory actions of follistatin are not observed in the absence of SMAD2/3 signaling.

Superhydrophobic microporous membrane based on modified microfibrillated cellulose framework for efficient oil-water separation.

The preparation of stable and efficient cellulose-based oil/water separation membranes is of great significance in solving the problem of industrial oily wastewater. Herein, rod-like hydroxyapatite (HAP) modified microfibrillated celluloses (MFCs) are used to form the fibrous framework to produce a microporous PDMS-MFC-HAP membrane. The membrane shows good superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 151.6°. It exhibits the oil-water separation performance for various water-in-oil emulsions. The separation flux of the membrane is up to 3665.3 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1 under 0.5 bar pressure with a separation efficiency of over 99.6 %. The PDMS-MFC-HAP membrane could maintain a high separation efficiency of 98.6 % after 20 cycles. This study provides a simple and effective method to fabricate cellulose-based superhydrophobic membranes, which have a greater potential to achieve oil-water separation for oily wastewater treatment with high efficiency.

Strong adsorption enhances mass transfer and promotes efficient hydrolysis of cellulose to sugar by solid acids.

Efficient conversion of cellulose to glucose is a crucial challenge for the energy and materialization of non-food biomass. Solid acids' adsorption strength is essential to affecting mass transfer efficiency. In this study, solid acids with different particle sizes (from 0.25 to 10.10 µm) modified with -OH and -PO3H2 were obtained by hydrothermal method. Hydrolysis of cellulose at 180 °C for 4 h revealed that the particle size of the solid acids was directly proportional to the cellulose conversion (R2 = 0.925). Still, there was no significant correlation with the glucose yield (R2 = 0.632). Eventually, the cellulose conversion reached 98.9 %, with a 30 % glucose yield. The solid acids demonstrated good stability and recoverability. This study fills the gap in the influence of solid acid particle size and reveals the mechanism of strong adsorptive mass transfer and hydrolysis efficiency. It provides the theoretical basis for the design of high-performance solid acids.

Analysis of the Genetic Relationship and Inbreeding Coefficient of the Hetian Qing Donkey through a Simplified Genome Sequencing Technology.

The Hetian Qing donkey is an excellent local donkey breed in Xinjiang. It is of great significance to accelerate breeding and the speed of breeding and rejuvenation, as well as to understand the genetic basis of the strategies and population. This study collected a total of 4 male donkeys and 28 female donkeys. It then obtained genotype data through Simplified Genomic Sequencing (GBS) technology for data analysis. The results detected a total of 55,399 SNP loci, and the genotype detection rate of individuals was ≥90%. A total of 45,557 SNP loci were identified through quality control, of which 95.5% were polymorphic. The average minimum allele frequency was 0.250. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.347. The average expected heterozygosity was 0.340. The average IBS (state homologous) genetic distance was 0.268. ROH: 49 (homozygous fragments), with 73.47% of the length between 1 and 5 Mb. The average per-strip ROH length was 1.75 Mb. The mean inbreeding coefficient was 0.003. The 32 Hetian green donkeys could be divided into six families. The number of individuals in each family is significant. To sum up, the Hetian Qing donkey population has low heterozygosity, few families, and large differences in the number of individuals in each family, which can easily cause a loss of genetic diversity. In the subsequent process of seed protection, seed selection should be conducted according to the divided pedigree to ensure the long-term protection of the genetic resources of Hetian green donkeys.

MiR-134-3p targets HMOX1 to inhibit ferroptosis in granulosa cells of sheep follicles.

BACKGROUND: The intricate interplay of gene expression within ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) is not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the miRNA regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis during the process of follicle development in lamb GCs. METHODS: Employing transcriptome sequencing, we compared differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) and miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) in GCs from lambs treated with follicle-stimulating hormone (FL) to untreated controls (CL). We further screened differentially expressed ferroptosis-related genes and identified potential miRNA regulatory factors. The expression patterns of HMOX1 and miRNAs in GCs were validated using qRT‒PCR and Western blotting. Additionally, we investigated the regulatory effect of oar-miR-134-3p on HMOX1 and its function in ferroptosis through cell transfection and erastin treatment. RESULTS: We identified a total of 4,184 DE-mRNAs and 304 DE-miRNAs. The DE-mRNAs were mainly enriched in ferroptosis, insulin resistance, and the cell cycle. Specifically, we focused on the differential expression of ferroptosis-related genes. Notably, the ferroptosis-related genes HMOX1 and SLC3A2, modulated by DE-miRNAs, were markedly suppressed in FLs. Experimental validation revealed that HMOX1 was significantly downregulated in FL and large follicles, while oar-miR-134-3p was significantly upregulated compared to that in the CLs. HMOX1 expression was regulated by the targeting effect of oar-miR-134-3p. Functional assays further revealed that modulation of oar-miR-134-3p influenced HMOX1 expression and altered cellular responses to ferroptosis induction by erastin. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that oar-miR-134-3p and HMOX1 may be one of the pathways regulating ferroptosis in GCs. This finding provides new clues to understanding the development and regulatory process of follicles.

The genetic characterization of germplasm and identification of the litter size trait associated candidate genes in Dexin mutton and fine-wool sheep.

Xinjiang is a major province of sheep breeding in China, which plays an important role in meeting people's needs for meat products, increasing farmers' income and sustainable development of animal husbandry. However, the genetic differentiation relationship between breeds was not clear, and most sheep had low fecundity, which seriously restricted the efficient development of sheep industry. Therefore, this study used the whole genome resequencing to detect the genetic variation of Dexin mutton and fine-wool sheep, explored the selected regions and important genes of the litter size traits, analyzed the genetic mechanism of reproductive traits, and provided new insights for the high fecundity breeding of sheep. A total of 5,236.338 G genome data and 35,884,037 SNPs were obtained. Furthermore, we identified 39 selection signals spanning candidate genes, 99 genes were significantly associated related to growth, reproduction and immunity, among which, BRIP1, BMPR1B, BMP4, NGF, etc. genes, and MAKP signaling pathway, Fanconi anemia pathway and Thyroid hormone signaling pathway and other signaling pathways were significantly correlated with litter size trait. Among them, we identified NGF, TrKA and BRIP1 genes was the important genes for sheep litter size traits and the mutation frequencies of 9 SNPs in BRIP1 gene were significantly different in domestic sheep in the world. The research provided new insights for the breeding of self-cultivated meat fine-wool sheep.

Deep learning model for automated diagnosis of degenerative cervical spondylosis and altered spinal cord signal on MRI.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: A deep learning (DL) model for degenerative cervical spondylosis on MRI could enhance reporting consistency and efficiency, addressing a significant global health issue. PURPOSE: Create a DL model to detect and classify cervical cord signal abnormalities, spinal canal and neural foraminal stenosis. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective study conducted from January 2013 to July 2021, excluding cases with instrumentation. PATIENT SAMPLE: Overall, 504 MRI cervical spines were analyzed (504 patients, mean=58 years±13.7[SD]; 202 women) with 454 for training (90%) and 50 (10%) for internal testing. In addition, 100 MRI cervical spines were available for external testing (100 patients, mean=60 years±13.0[SD];26 women). OUTCOME MEASURES: Automated detection and classification of spinal canal stenosis, neural foraminal stenosis, and cord signal abnormality using the DL model. Recall(%), inter-rater agreement (Gwet's kappa), sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. METHODS: Utilizing axial T2-weighted gradient echo and sagittal T2-weighted images, a transformer-based DL model was trained on data labeled by an experienced musculoskeletal radiologist (12 years of experience). Internal testing involved data labeled in consensus by two musculoskeletal radiologists (reference standard, both with 12-years-experience), two subspecialist radiologists, and two in-training radiologists. External testing was performed. RESULTS: The DL model exhibited substantial agreement surpassing all readers in all classes for spinal canal (κ=0.78, p<0.001 vs. κ range=0.57-0.70 for readers) and neural foraminal stenosis (κ=0.80, p<0.001 vs. κ range=0.63-0.69 for readers) classification. The DL model's recall for cord signal abnormality (92.3%) was similar to all readers (range: 92.3-100.0%). Nearly perfect agreement was demonstrated for binary classification (normal/mild vs. moderate/severe) (κ=0.95, p<0.001 for spinal canal; κ=0.90, p<0.001 for neural foramina). External testing showed substantial agreement using all classes (κ=0.76, p<0.001 for spinal canal; κ=0.66, p<0.001 for neural foramina) and high recall for cord signal abnormality (91.9%). The DL model demonstrated high sensitivities (range:83.7%-92.4%) and specificities (range:87.8%-98.3%) on both internal and external datasets for spinal canal and neural foramina classification. CONCLUSIONS: Our DL model for degenerative cervical spondylosis on MRI showed good performance, demonstrating substantial agreement with the reference standard. This tool could assist radiologists in improving the efficiency and consistency of MRI cervical spondylosis assessments in clinical practice.

Expression of 2A peptide mediated tri-fluorescent protein genes were regulated by epigenetics in transgenic sheep.

A number of gene therapy applications and basic research would benefit from vectors expressing multiple genes. In this study, we constructed 2A peptide based tricistronic lentiviral vector and generated transgenic lambs by injecting lentivirus carrying the tricistronic vector into perivitelline space of zygotes. Of 7 lambs born, 2 lambs (#6 and #7) carried the transgene. However, no fluorescent proteins were identified in transgenic sheep. To investigate why the transgene was silenced in transgenic sheep, we analyzed the methylation status of transgene. The methylation level of CMV promoter was 76.25% in #6, and 64.7% in #7. In the coding region of three fluorescent protein genes, methylation levels were extremely high, with the average level of 98.3% in #6 and 98.4% in #7 respectively. Furthermore, the ratio of GFP(+) cells were increased significantly when the fibroblasts derived from the transgenic sheep were treated with 5-azaC and/ or TSA. Our results showed that 2A peptide based tricistronic construct was subjected to hypermethylation in transgenic sheep. Moreover, the silencing could be relieved by treating with methytransferase inhibitor and/or deacetylase inhibitor.

Analysis of Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Tarim and Junggar Bactrian Camels Based on Simplified GBS Genome Sequencing.

In view of the severe reduction in Bactrian camel germplasm resources, scientific evaluation, protection, and utilization is particularly important. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the genetic diversity and genetic structure of this species, and identify the genes that have played important roles in its evolution. In this study, 21,971 SNPs were identified in 118 domestic Bactrian camels from the Tarim (n = 60) and Junggar (n = 58) populations using simplified GBS genome sequencing. The results show that Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels have high nucleotide diversity. A phylogenetic tree constructed using structural analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and the adjacency method (NJ) showed that Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels were clustered together. The selection signals revealed that the Tarim and Junggar Bactrian camels shared 108 genes under positive selection, including WNT1, WNT10B, CD14, SEC61A2, DPAGT1, FOXO6, etc. These selected genes were widely involved in the immune system, embryonic development, lipid metabolism, and other processes. From a genomic analysis perspective, the genetic relationship between TLM and ZGE camels is close, with an average Fst of 0.048 and a relatively low average differentiation coefficient between the two populations. In addition, shared selected genes in the long-term depression pathway were significantly enriched in Tarim and Junggar. These findings will offer support and assistance for the exploration of genetic resource preservation, economically significant traits, and the mechanisms underlying biological characteristics, molecular breeding, and disease.

Multi-omics analysis reveals gut microbiota-ovary axis contributed to the follicular development difference between Meishan and Landrace × Yorkshire sows.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism by which Meishan (MS) sows are superior to white crossbred sows in ovarian follicle development remains unclear. Given gut microbiota could regulate female ovarian function and reproductive capacity, this study aimed to determine the role of gut microbiota-ovary axis on follicular development in sows. METHODS: We compared the ovarian follicular development, gut microbiota, plasma metabolome, and follicular fluid metabolome between MS and Landrace × Yorkshire (L × Y) sows. A H2O2-induced cell apoptosis model was used to evaluate the effects of multi-omics identified metabolites on the apoptosis of porcine ovarian granulosa cells in vitro. RESULTS: Compared with L × Y sows, MS sows have greater ovary weight and improved follicular development, including the greater counts of large follicles of diameter ≥ 5 mm, secondary follicles, and antral follicles, but lesser atretic follicles. The ovarian granulosa cells in MS sows had alleviated apoptosis, which was indicated by the increased BCL-2, decreased caspases-3, and decreased cleaved caspases-3 than in L × Y sows. The ovarian follicular fluid of MS sows had higher concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and insulin like growth factor 1 than L × Y sows. Gut microbiota of MS sows formed a distinct cluster and had improved alpha diversity, including increased Shannon and decreased Simpson than those of L × Y sows. Corresponding to the enhanced function of carbohydrate metabolism and elevated short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces, the differential metabolites in plasma between MS and L × Y sows are also mainly enriched in pathways of fatty acid metabolism. There were significant correlations among SCFAs with follicular development, ovarian granulosa cells apoptosis, and follicular fluid hormones, respectively. Noteworthily, compared with L × Y sows, MS sows had higher follicular fluid SCFAs concentrations which could ameliorate H2O2-induced porcine granulosa cells apoptosis in vitro. CONCLUSION: MS sows have more secondary and antral follicles, but fewer atretic follicles and apoptotic ovarian granulosa cells, as well as harbored a distinctive gut microbiota than L × Y sows. Gut microbiota may participate in regulating ovarian follicular development via SCFAs affecting granulosa cells apoptosis in sows.

Remediation Strategies for Mycotoxins in Animal Feed.

Mycotoxins occur widely in various animal feedstuffs, with more than 500 mycotoxins identified so far [...].

Rice bran oil supplementation protects swine weanlings against diarrhea and lipopolysaccharide challenge. / æ—¥ç²®æ·»åŠ ç±³ç³ æ²¹å¯å¢žå¼ºæ–­å¥¶ä»”çŒªæŠµæŠ—è ¹æ³»å’Œè„‚å¤šç³–åº”æ¿€.

Early weaned piglets suffer from oxidative stress and enteral infection, which usually results in gut microbial dysbiosis, serve diarrhea, and even death. Rice bran oil (RBO), a polyphenol-enriched by-product of rice processing, has been shown to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties both in vivo and in vitro. Here, we ascertained the proper RBO supplementation level, and subsequently determined its effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal dysfunction in weaned piglets. A total of 168 piglets were randomly allocated into four groups of seven replicates (42 piglets each group, (21±1) d of age, body weight (7.60±0.04) kg, and half males and half females) and were given basal diet (Ctrl) or basal diet supplemented with 0.01% (mass fraction) RBO (RBO1), 0.02% RBO (RBO2), or 0.03% RBO (RBO3) for 21 d. Then, seven piglets from the Ctrl and the RBO were treated with LPS (100 µg/kg body weight (BW)) as LPS group and RBO+LPS group, respectively. Meanwhile, seven piglets from the Ctrl were treated with the saline vehicle (Ctrl group). Four hours later, all treated piglets were sacrificed for taking samples of plasma, jejunum tissues, and feces. The results showed that 0.02% was the optimal dose of dietary RBO supplementation based on diarrhea, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake indices in early weaning piglets. Furthermore, RBO protected piglets against LPS-induced jejunal epithelium damage, which was indicated by the increases in villus height, villus height/crypt depth ratio, and Claudin-1 levels, as well as a decreased level of jejunal epithelium apoptosis. RBO also improved the antioxidant ability of LPS-challenged piglets, which was indicated by the elevated concentrations of catalase and superoxide dismutase, and increased total antioxidant capacity, as well as the decreased concentrations of diamine oxidase and malondialdehyde in plasma. Meanwhile, RBO improved the immune function of LPS-challenged weaned piglets, which was indicated by elevated immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgM, ß||-defensin-1, and lysozyme levels in the plasma. In addition, RBO supplementation improved the LPS challenge-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota. Particularly, the indices of antioxidant capacity, intestinal damage, and immunity were significantly associated with the RBO-regulated gut microbiota. These findings suggested that 0.02% RBO is a suitable dose to protect against LPS-induced intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and jejunal microbiota dysbiosis in early weaned piglets.

The critical role of myostatin in differentiation of sheep myoblasts.

Myostatin [MSTN, also known as growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF8)], is an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth. Blockade of MSTN function has been reported to result in increased muscle mass in mice. However, its role in myoblast differentiation in farm animals has not been determined. In the present study, we sought to determine the role of MSTN in the differentiation of primary sheep myoblasts. We found that ectopic overexpression of MSTN resulted in lower fusion index in sheep myoblasts, which indicated the repression of myoblast differentiation. This phenotypic change was reversed by shRNA knockdown of the ectopically expressed MSTN in the cells. In contrast, shRNA knockdown of the endogenous MSTN resulted in induction of myogenic differentiation. Additional studies revealed that the induction of differentiation by knocking down the ectopically or endogenously expressed MSTN was accompanied by up-regulation of MyoD and myogenin, and down-regulation of Smad3. Our results demonstrate that MSTN plays critical role in myoblast differentiation in sheep, analogous to that in mice. This study also suggests that shRNA knockdown of MSTN could be a potentially promising approach to improve sheep muscle growth, so as to increase meat productivity.

Selection of ovine oocytes by brilliant cresyl blue staining.

Sheep oocytes derived from the ovaries collected from the slaughterhouse are often used for research on in vitro embryo production, animal cloning, transgenesis, embryonic stem cells, and other embryo biotechnology aspects. Improving the in vitro culture efficiency of oocytes can provide more materials for similar studies. Generally, determination of oocyte quality is mostly based on the layers of cumulus cells and cytoplasm or cytoplasm uniformity and colors. This requires considerable experience to better identify oocyte quality because of the intense subjectivity involved (Gordon (2003), Madison et al. (1992) and De Loos et al. (1992)). BCB staining is a function of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity, an enzyme synthesized in developing oocytes, which decreases in activity with maturation. Therefore, unstained oocytes (BCB-) are high in G6PD activity, while the less mature oocytes stains are deep blue (BCB+) due to insuffcient G6PD activity to decolorize the BCB dye.

Dual modification of cellulose with esterification and carbonation in DMSO/DBU/CO2 system as fluorescent additive for pH detection.

An easy and effective way to synthesize dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives with processability and fluorescence functionality by one-pot modification of successive esterification and carbonation under mild condition is established with the use of DMSO/DBU/CO2 system. Accordingly, four kinds of dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives with rather good fluorescent response are obtained. After blending the synthesized dual-functionalized cellulose derivative with cellulose acetate as functional additive in solution, cast film with the elastic modulus, stress and strain reaches to 2.2 GPa, 34.1 MPa and 5.7% is prepared. Besides, the cast film also exhibits the ability to detect the pH value at 12-14 with detection accuracy of 0.4 through the change of fluorescent color. This research shows a simple but effective way to prepare dual-functionalized cellulose derivatives for the high-quality applications in field of detection.

Dietary ellagic acid supplementation attenuates intestinal damage and oxidative stress by regulating gut microbiota in weanling piglets.

Intestinal oxidative stress triggers gut microbiota dysbiosis, which is involved in the etiology of post-weaning diarrhea and enteric infections. Ellagic acid (EA) can potentially serve as an antioxidant supplement to facilitate weaning transition by improving intestinal oxidative stress and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of dietary EA supplementation on the attenuation of intestinal damage, oxidative stress, and dysbiosis of gut microbiota in weanling piglets. A total of 126 piglets were randomly assigned into 3 groups and treated with a basal diet and 2 mL saline orally (Ctrl group), or the basal diet supplemented with 0.1% EA and 2 mL saline orally (EA group), or the basal diet and 2 mL fecal microbiota suspension from the EA group orally (FEA group), respectively, for 14 d. Compared with the Ctrl group, EA group improved growth performance by increasing average daily feed intake and average daily weight gain (P < 0.05) and decreasing fecal scores (P < 0.05). EA group also alleviated intestinal damage by increasing the tight junction protein occludin (P < 0.05), villus height, and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05), while decreasing intestinal epithelial apoptosis (P < 0.05). Additionally, EA group enhanced the jejunum antioxidant capacity by increasing the total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.01), catalase (P < 0.05), and glutathione/oxidized glutathione (P < 0.05), but decreased the oxidative metabolite malondialdehyde (P < 0.05) compared to the Ctrl group. Compared with the Ctrl group, EA and FEA groups increased alpha diversity (P < 0.05), enriched beneficial bacteria (Ruminococcaceae and Clostridium ramosum), and increased metabolites short-chain fatty acids (P < 0.05). Correspondingly, FEA group gained effects comparable to those of EA group on growth performance, intestinal damage, and intestinal antioxidant capacity. In addition, the relative abundance of bacteria shifted in EA and FEA groups was significantly related to the examined indices (P < 0.05). Overall, dietary EA supplementation could improve growth performance and attenuate intestinal damage and oxidative stress by regulating the gut microbiota in weanling piglets.