Consequences of herbal mixture supplementation on milk performance, ruminal fermentation, and bacterial diversity in water buffaloes.

This study was aimed to evaluate the potential of a herbal mixture (HM) to improve production performance, rumen fermentation, and milk fatty acid profile in water buffaloes. Sixteen Murrah buffaloes (in four groups) were fed for 10 weeks with the same basal diet supplemented with 0 (control); 20 (HM20), 30 (HM30), and 40 (HM40) g/buffalo per day. The herbal mixture contained an equal quantity of black pepper (fruit), ginger (tubers), cinnamon (bark), peppermint (leaves), ajwain (seeds) and garlic (bulbs). After two weeks of adaptation, daily milk yield, and weekly milk composition were recorded. On the last day of the experiment, rumen contents were collected to determine rumen fermentation parameters and bacterial diversity through 16S rRNA sequencing. Results revealed no effect of treatment on dry matter intake (DMI), rumen fermentation parameters, and daily milk yield. However, milk fat (%) showed a tendency to increase (p = 0.07) in HM20 as compared with the control group. A significant increase in mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids (C14:1, C16:1, C18:2n6 and C18:3) whereas a decrease in saturated fatty acids (C18:0) in milk was observed in HM20 as compared with the control group. No significant change in bacterial diversity parameters (alpha and beta diversity) was observed in response to the treatment. Despite the substantial variation observed in the relative abundance of bacteria among treatment groups, no significant effect of treatment was observed when compared with the control group. Correlation analysis revealed several positive and negative correlations of rumen bacteria with rumen volatile fatty acids (VFA) and milk yield traits. Bacterial genera including Succinivibrionaceae, Butyrivibrio, Pseudobutyrivibrio, and Lachnospiraceae showed a positive correlation with VFA and milk yield traits. Overall, we observed 52 positive and 10 negative correlations of rumen bacteria with milk fatty acid contents. Our study revealed the potential of the herbal mixture at a lower supplemental level (20 g/day) to increase milk fat (%) and unsaturated fatty acid content in buffalo.

Characterization of aerobic granular sludge of different sizes for nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

Granular size plays a key role in the performance of the aerobic granular sludge (AGS). As the diameter of the granule increases, stratification may begin to appear due to the increase in mass transfer resistance. Aerobic granules harvested from a lab-scale anaerobic-aerobic sequencing batch reactor (AO-SBR) were classified into three categories according to their size: (a) 0.15-0.28 mm, (b) 0.28-0.45 mm and (c) larger than 0.45 mm. In this study, the categories were called small-size, medium-size and large-size granules, respectively. A fraction of the different forms of phosphate and denitrification efficiency was investigated in each category. Results show that small-size granules present much more easily mobile phosphorus than other granules. Moreover, the denitrification performance has been tested by using dumping and trickling patterns for COD and NO3--N feeding. The results demonstrated that the large-size granules exhibit poor denitrification rates, as opposed to the medium-size granules. Therefore, medium-size granules, with a size of 0.28-0.45 mm, are regarded as the most suitable granular size for AGS in this experiment from the perspective of denitrification and phosphorus removal.

Immunomodulatory Activities on RAW 264.7 Macrophages of a Polysaccharide from Veiled Lady Mushroom, Dictyophora indusiata (Higher Basidiomycetes).

A water-soluble polysaccharide named DI was extracted from the fruiting bodies of gastroid mushroom Dictyophora indusiata with boiling water. The chemical and physical characteristics of DI were investigated by a combination of chemical and instrumental analysis methods. The immunomodulatory activities on RAW 264.7 macrophage of DI in vitro were also studied. The results showed that DI is a ß-(1→3)-glucan with side branches of ß-(1→6)-glucosyl units, and it has triple-helical structure. DI has no toxic effect on cells, but can promote macrophage multiplication. DI significantly affects the immune function by promoting the production of nitric oxide and cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1, -6, and -12, showing an obvious dose-effect relationship. This work extends the application scope of the polysaccharide from D. indusiata in the biomedical field.

Dynamics of endogenous endothelial progenitor cells homing modulated by physiological ischaemia training.

OBJECTIVE: To locate and trace endogenous endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in rabbits subjected to myocardial ischaemia and/or physiological ischaemia training. METHODS: Rabbits were randomly divided into 4 groups: a myocardial ischaemia group (subjected to myocardial ischaemia only); a physiological ischaemia training group (subjected to physiological ischaemia training only); a physiological ischaemia training-myocardial ischaemia group (subjected to both myocardial ischaemia and physiological ischaemia training); and a sham-operated group. Myocardial ischaemia was induced experimentally by a 2-min ischaemia, followed by a 1-h reperfusion. Physiological ischaemia training involved a 4-min isometric contraction elicited by electrical stimulation (biphase square wave, 40 Hz, 1 ms), which generated a contraction force at 40% of the maximal isometric contraction force. Myocardial ischaemia I and/or physiological ischaemia training were performed twice a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Capillary densities and EPC levels in both blood and the ischaemic heart region were then measured. EPCs were traced by double-labelling with super paramagnetic iron oxide and chloromethyl-benzamidodialkylcarbocyanine. RESULTS: EPC levels in the blood and the ischaemic heart region both improved significantly in the physiological ischaemia training-myocardial ischaemia group (mean 0.046% (standard deviation (SD) 0.007), 0.013% (SD 0.005)) and group myocardial ischaemia (mean 0.038% (SD 0.016), 0.008% (SD 0.004)). For the physiological ischaemia training group, moderately raised EPCs were found in the blood (0.026 ± 0.010%), but not in the heart. Capillary density increased in the physiological ischaemia training-myocardial ischaemia and myocardial ischaemia groups. The dual-labelled EPCs were confirmed in the ischaemic heart region. Pearson's analysis demonstrated that there is a positive correlation between EPC levels in the blood and the heart region (p < 0.05), and between circulating EPCs and the capillary (p < 0.05) for the physiological ischaemia training-myocardial ischaemia group. CONCLUSION: Physiological ischaemia training can effectively improve endogenous EPCs. Their homing process from the circulating blood to the ischaemic myocardium was clearly traced in this study on rabbits. This homing process is of great importance for remote neovascularization.

[Effects of surfactants on adsorption of methyl parathion by neutral alumina].

The sorption of methyl parathion by neutral alumina which was modified by ionic surfactants such as SDS, SDBS and CTMAB was studied. It showed that the adsorbability of alumina to methyl parathion were related to the type and concentration of surfactant and pH of the system. The adsorbabilities of alumina on three kinds of surfactants were different. When pH = 7, the adsorbance of SDS was the largest, but the adsorbance of CTMAB was the smallest. When pH = 4, the adsorbance of SDS or SDBS was increased, while the adsorbance of CTMAB was decreased. The adsorbability of alumina was strengthened, not weakened, by the cooperation of pollutant and anionic surfactant, while the sorption of methyl parathion by alumina with cationic surfactant was weakened. These features had the practical value when neutral alumina is used to remove more than one contaminants from wastewater.