Comparative analysis of the ileal bacterial composition of post-weaned pigs fed different high-quality protein sources.

To further understand the contribution of feedstuff ingredients to gut health in swine, gut histology and intestinal bacterial profiles associated with the use of two high-quality protein sources, microbially enhanced soybean meal (MSBM) and Menhaden fishmeal (FM) were assessed. Weaned pigs were fed one of three experimental diets: (1) basic diet containing corn and soybean meal (Negative Control (NEG)), (2) basic diet + fishmeal (FM; Positive Control (POS)) and (3) basic diet + MSBM (MSBM). Phase I POS and MSBM diets (d 0 to d 7 post-wean) included FM or MSBM at 7.5%, while Phase II POS and MSBM diets (d 8 to d 21) included FM or MSBM at 5.0%. Gastrointestinal tissue and ileal digesta were collected from euthanised pigs at d 21 (eight pigs/diet) to assess gut histology and intestinal bacterial profiles, respectively. Data were analysed using Proc Mixed in SAS, with pig as the experimental unit and pig (treatment) as the random effect. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of stomach and small intestinal tissue using haematoxylin-eosin, Periodic Acid Schiff/Alcian blue and inflammatory cell staining did not reveal detectable differences in host response to dietary treatment. Ileal bacterial composition profiles were obtained from next-generation sequencing of PCR generated amplicons targeting the V1 to V3 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Lactobacillus-affiliated sequences were found to be the most highly represented across treatments, with an average relative abundance of 64.0%, 59.9% and 41.80% in samples from pigs fed the NEG, POS and MSBM diets, respectively. Accordingly, the three most abundant Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were affiliated to Lactobacillus, showing a distinct abundance pattern relative to dietary treatment. One OTU (SD_Ssd_00001), most closely related to Lactobacillus amylovorus, was found to be more abundant in NEG and POS samples compared to MSBM (23.5% and 35.0% v. 9.2%). Another OTU (SD_Ssd_00002), closely related to Lactobacillus johnsonii, was more highly represented in POS and MSBM samples compared to NEG (14.0% and 15.8% v. 0.1%). Finally, OTU Sd_Ssd-00011, highest sequence identity to Lactobacillus delbrueckii, was found in highest abundance in ileal samples from MSBM-fed pigs (1.9% and 3.3% v. 11.3, in POS, NEG and MSBM, respectively). There was no effect of protein source on bacterial taxa to the genus level or diversity based on principal component analysis. Dietary protein source may provide opportunity to enhance presence of specific members of Lactobacillus genus that are associated with immune-modulating properties without altering overall intestinal bacterial diversity.

Stabilisation effects of phosphane ligands in the homogeneous approach of sunlight induced hydrogen production.

Most of the systems for photochemical hydrogen production are not stable and suffer from decomposition. With bis(bidentate) tetraphosphane ligands the stability increases enormously, up to more than 1000 h. This stability was achieved with a system containing osmium(ii) as a light harvesting antenna and palladium(ii) as a water reduction catalyst connected with a bis(bidentate) phosphane ligand in one molecule with the chemical formula [Os(bpy)2(dppcb)Pd(dppm)](PF6)4. With the help of electrochemical measurements as well as photophysical data and its single crystal X-ray structure, the electron transfer between the two active metal centres (light harvesting antenna, water reduction catalyst) was analysed. The distance between the two active metal centres was determined to be 7.396(1) Å. In a noble metal free combination of a copper based photosensitiser and a cobalt diimine-dioxime complex as water reduction catalyst a further stabilisation effect by the phosphane ligands is observed. With the help of triethylamine as a sacrificial donor in the presence of different monophosphane ligands it was possible to produce hydrogen with a turnover number of 1176. This completely novel combination is also able to produce hydrogen in a wide pH-range from pH = 7.0 to 12.5 with the maximum production at pH = 11.0. The influence of monophosphane ligands with different Tolman cone angles was investigated. Monophosphane ligands with a large Tolman cone angle (>160°) could not stabilise the intermediate of the cobalt based water reduction catalyst and so the turnover number is lower than for systems with an addition of monophosphane ligands with a Tolman cone angle smaller than 160°. The role of the monophosphane ligand during sunlight-induced hydrogen production was analysed and these results were confirmed with DFT calculations. Furthermore the crystal structures of two important Co(i) intermediates, which are the catalytic active species during the catalytic pathway, were obtained. The exchange of PPh3 with other tertiary phosphane ligands can have a major impact on the activity, depending on the coordination properties. By an exchange of monophosphane ligands with functionalised phosphane ligands (hybrid ligands) the hydrogen production was raised 2.17 times.

Evaluation of microbially enhanced soybean meal as an alternative to fishmeal in weaned pig diets.

An experimental, microbially enhanced soybean product (MEPRO) was evaluated as a replacement for fishmeal (FM). Assessment of feedstuffs should include estimation of digestibility as well as pig performance and in combination with dietary additives. Digestibility values determined in growing pigs may not apply to nursery pigs; thus, standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids (AA) in MEPRO and FM were determined using 30±1.6 kg BW ileal-cannulated barrows (n=6) and 9.8±1.2 kg BW barrows (n=37; serial slaughter). Experimental diets included MEPRO, FM and nitrogen free where FM and MEPRO were included as the sole protein source. The SID of AAs was 3% to 5% lower in MEPRO than FM when fed to 30 kg pigs. The SID of arginine and methionine was greater (P<0.05) in MEPRO than FM when fed to 10 kg pigs. The SID of AAs was 12% to 20% lower in FM when fed to 10 v. 30 kg pigs but only 3% to 9% lower in MEPRO. A total of 336 barrows and gilts were weaned at 21 days of age (initial BW=6.1±0.8 kg) and used in a performance trial. Pens of pigs were assigned to one of the six experimental diets (8 pens/diet in two blocks). Treatment diets were fed in Phase I (7 days) and Phase II (14 days) with all pigs fed a common Phase III diet (14 days). Experimental diets included (1) negative control (NEG) containing corn, soybean meal and whey, (2) NEG+acidifier, (3) NEG+FM (POS), (4) POS+acidifier (POS A+), (5) NEG+MEPRO (MEPRO) and (6) MEPRO+acidifier. The FM and MEPRO were included at 7.5% and 5.0% in Phase I and II diets, respectively. Diets were formulated to meet the standard nutrient requirements for weaned pigs. Pig BW and feed disappearance was measured weekly and fecal scores were measured daily for the first 14 days post-weaning as an indicator of post-weaning diarrhea syndrome (PWDS). Performance (BW, daily gain, feed intake and gain : feed) was not significantly different among treatments. Treatment for PWDS occurred on different days in each block. Analysis of fecal score was completed separately by block. Pigs fed the NEG diets had higher (P=0.02) fecal scores than pigs fed the POS diets on days 2 and 3 (block 1) and higher (P<0.05) than pigs fed MEPRO or POS diets and diets with dietary acidifier on days 6 and 3 (block 2). The MEPRO holds promise as an alternative to FM in nursery pig diets.

Forming mechanism of the bipolar resistance switching in double-layer memristive nanodevices.

To initiate resistance switching phenomena, it is usually necessary to apply a strong electric field to a sample. This forming process poses very serious obstacles in real nanodevice applications. In unipolar resistance switching (URS), it is well known that the forming originates from soft dielectric breakdown. However, the forming in bipolar resistance switching (BRS) is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the forming processes in Pt/Ta2O5/TaOx/Pt and Pt/TaOx/Pt nanodevices, which showed BRS and URS, respectively. By comparing the double- and single-layer systems, we were able to observe differences in the BRS and URS forming processes. Using computer simulations based on an 'interface-modified random circuit breaker network model', we could explain most of our experimental observations. This success suggests that the BRS forming in our Pt/Ta2O5/TaOx/Pt double-layer system can occur via two processes, i.e., polarity-dependent resistance switching in the Ta2O5 layer and soft dielectric breakdown in the TaOx layer. This forming mechanism can be used to improve the performance of BRS devices. For example, we could improve the endurance properties of Pt/Ta2O5/TaOx/Pt cells by using a small forming voltage.

Multifunctional nature of UV-irradiated nanocrystalline anatase thin films for biomedical applications.

Anatase is known to decompose organic material by photocatalysis and to enhance surface wettability once irradiated by ultraviolet (UV) light. In this study, pulse magnetron-sputtered anatase thin films were investigated for their suitability with respect to specific biomedical applications, namely superhydrophilic and biofilm degrading implant surfaces. UV-induced hydrophilicity was quantified by static and dynamic contact angle analysis. Photocatalytic protein decomposition was analyzed by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation. The surfaces were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The radical formation on anatase, responsible for photocatalytic effects, was analyzed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. Results have shown that the nanocrystalline anatase films, in contrast to reference titanium surfaces, were sensitive to UV irradiation and showed rapid switching towards superhydrophilicity. The observed decrease in carbon adsorbents and the increase in the fraction of surface hydroxyl groups upon UV irradiation might contribute to this hydrophilic behavior. UV irradiation of anatase pre-conditioned with albumin protein layers induces the photocatalytic decomposition of these model biofilms. The observed degradation is mainly caused by hydroxyl radicals. It is concluded that nanocrystalline anatase films offer different functions at implant interfaces, e.g. bedside hydrophilization of anatase-coated implants for improved osseointegration or the in situ decomposition of conditioning films forming the basal layer of biofilms in the oral cavity.

[Serum activity of leucine aminopeptidase in lymphotropic infections and in malignant lymphomas]. / Die Serumaktivität der Leuzinaminopeptidase bei lymphotropen Infektionen und malignen Lymphomen.

Increases of the leucine aminopeptidase according to data of literature are regarded as a sensitive parameter of lesions in liver diseases. In patients with active generalised lymphadenitis (viral infections, toxoplasmosis) as a typical enzyme constellation a relatively strong leucine aminopeptidase increase in the serum with missing or relatively slight enzyme deviation of the transaminases could be found. The quotient of the activities of LAP/ALAT was clearly above that of inflammatory liver diseases. In chronic lymphatic leukosis, plasmocytoma and malignant lymphomas the leucine aminopeptidase serum activities were within the normal. Increases of leucine aminopeptidase in lymphotropic infections are probably partly of extrahepatic origin.