Effects of Purple Corn Anthocyanin on Blood Biochemical Indexes, Ruminal Fluid Fermentation, and Rumen Microbiota in Goats.

The objective of this study was to observe the effects of anthocyanin from purple corn on blood biochemical indexes, ruminal fluid fermentation parameters, and the microbial population in goats. A total of 18 Qianbei Ma wether kids (body weight, 21.38 ± 1.61 kg; mean ± standard deviation) were randomly assigned to three groups using a completely randomized design. The group diets were: (1) control, basal diet, (2) treatment 1 (LA), basal diet with 0.5-g/d purple corn pigment (PCP), and (3) treatment 2 (HA), basal diet with 1-g/d PCP. The results showed that supplementation of PCP anthocyanin increased (P < 0.05) crude protein and gross energy digestibilities compared to the control. Compared to the control group, the inclusion of anthocyanin-rich PCP led to significantly increased (P < 0.05) plasma reduced glutathione and peroxidase concentrations. Goats receiving PCP had increased (P < 0.05) ruminal fluid acetic acid and a higher ratio of acetate to propionate, while the propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid levels had decreased (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in ruminal fluid alpha bacterial diversity among the three groups. At the phylum level, the feeding of PCP had significant effect (P < 0.05) on the abundances of Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Elusimicrobiota, WPS-2, and Cyanobacteria. At the genus level, HA group had lower (P < 0.05) Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group abundance compared to the other groups. In addition, significant differences (P < 0.05) were also observed for the ruminal fluid Eubacterium_nodatum_group, Amnipila, Ruminiclostridium, U29-B03, unclassified_c_Clostridia, Pyramidobacter, Anaeroplasma, UCG-004, Atopobium, norank_f_norank_o_Bradymonadales, Elusimicrobium, norank_f_norank_o_norank_c_norank_p_WPS-2, norank_f_Bacteroidales_UCG-001, and norank_f_norank_o_Gastranaerophilales among all groups. Taken together, the inclusion of anthocyanin-rich PCP increased the antioxidant potential, improved rumen volatile fatty acids, and induced a shift in the structure and relative abundance of ruminal microbiota in growing goats.

[Study of changes in extravascular lung water index of patients suffered from H7N9 avian influenza with acute respiratory distress syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristic of changes in extravascular lung water index (EVLWI) of H7N9 avian influenza patients who complicated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and to approach the relevance between EVLWI and severity, pulmonary oxygenation in patients with lung injury. METHODS: Four H7N9 avian influenza patients administered from April to June in 2013 in First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were studied. The patients who suffered from severe ARDS were administered with low tide volume ventilation plus positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), namely protected ventilation strategy, with monitoring hemodynamic parameters and EVLWI through pulse-indicated continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) catheter. During ventilation, patients' parameters, such as PEEP, fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), pulmonary vascular resistance index (PVRI), EVLWI, and central venous pressure (CVP) were collected. RESULTS: All 4 H7N9 avian influenza patients were complicated with ARDS, 2 patients were classified to severe ARDS and administered with comprehensive therapies, specially protected ventilation strategy; ventilation duration was 9 days and 30 days respectively, and PiCCO monitoring was 9 days and 21 days respectively. EVLWI of 2 patients on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd day was 10.0±3.2 ml/kg, 12.0±2.9 ml/kg, 14.0±4.2 ml/kg, and 24.0±6.7 ml/kg, 24.0±6.1 ml/kg, 23.0±5.8 ml/kg, respectively. As their conditions became better, patients' EVLWI decreased to 5.5±2.7 ml/kg and 7.0±3.0 ml/kg, respectively at weaning. PEEP and FiO2 of 2 patients were down-regulated, PaO2/FiO2 increased to 334±64 mm Hg and 142±53 mm Hg at weaning. However, no significant changes in CI, SVRI, PVRI and CVP in the 2 patients were observed. CONCLUSIONS: EVLWI increases when H7N9 avian influenza patients are complicated with severe ARDS. As the conditions get better, EVLWI returns to normal value gradually. There is relevance between the motive changes in EVLWI and severity of ARDS and pulmonary oxygenation.

[Changes in the calcitonin content after inhalation injury in dogs].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in the serum content of immunoreactive calcitonin (iCT) after burns or inhalation injury, and to explore its diagnostic significance. METHODS: Twenty-four dogs were randomized into 4 groups, i. e. A (n = 6, with moderate degree inhalation injury) , B ( n = 6, with severe inhalation injury), C (n = 6, with most severe inhalation injury) and D (n = 6, with severe burns) groups. The serum content of iCT and blood gas analysis before and after injury were determined at different time points. The degree of inhalation injury was determined with fibrobronchoscopic examination at 6 post-inhalation injury hour (PIH). RESULTS: (1) Fiber bronchoscopic examination showed that the degree of inhalation injury in each group was coincident with the anticipation. (2) The serum content of iCT in each group at 1 PIH was obviously higher than that before injury, and it was evidently higher in A, B and C groups than that in D group at 4 PIH. The peak value of iCT in group A at 24 PIH was (453+/-224) ng/L, and it increased gradually in B and C groups at 48 PIH. The serum content of iCT increased continually from 2 PIH on, and it reached (125+/-41) ng/L at 48 PIH. (3) Compared with PaO2 value before injury (109+/-8) mmHg, there was no obvious difference of the PaO, in A and D groups. PaO2 value in B and C group began to descend continually at 8 PIH (65+/-6) mmHg, and that in C group began to descend at 4 PIH (71+/-9) mmHg. PaCO2 value in C group began to increase at 24 PIH(52+/-11) mmHg when compared with that before injury(38+/-5 ) mmHg. CONCLUSION: The changes in the serum level of iCT within 8 PIH occurred much earlier than PaO2 and PaCO2, thus it has the same diagnostic significance as fibers bronchoscopic examination.