Aviation Contrail Cirrus and Radiative Forcing Over Europe During 6 Months of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a 72% reduction of air traffic over Europe in March-August 2020 compared to 2019. Modeled contrail cover declined similarly, and computed mean instantaneous radiative contrail forcing dropped regionally by up to 0.7 W m-2. Here, model predictions of cirrus optical thickness and the top-of-atmosphere outgoing longwave and reflected shortwave irradiances are tested by comparison to Meteosat-SEVIRI-derived data. The agreement between observations and modeled data is slightly better when modeled contrail cirrus contributions are included. The spatial distributions and diurnal cycles of the differences in these data between 2019 and 2020 are partially caused by differences in atmospheric and surface conditions, particularly for solar radiation in the spring of 2020. Aviation signals become discernible in the observed differences of these data between 2019 and 2020 when subtracting numerical weather prediction model results that approximate the atmosphere and surface conditions without contrails.

Prognostic impact of gross tumor volume during radical radiochemotherapy of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer-results from the NCT03055715 multicenter cohort study of the Young DEGRO Trial Group.

BACKGROUND: In radical radiochemotherapy (RCT) of inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) typical prognostic factors include T- and N-stage, while there are still conflicting data on the prognostic relevance of gross tumor volume (GTV) and particularly its changes during RCT. The NCT03055715 study of the Young DEGRO working group of the German Society of Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) evaluated the prognostic impact of GTV and its changes during RCT. METHODS: A total of 21 university centers for radiation oncology from five different European countries (Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, and Austria) participated in the study which evaluated n = 347 patients with confirmed (biopsy) inoperable NSCLC in UICC stage III A/B who received radical curative-intent RCT between 2010 and 2013. Patient and disease data were collected anonymously via electronic case report forms and entered into the multi-institutional RadPlanBio platform for central data analysis. GTV before RCT (initial planning CT, GTV1) and at 40-50 Gy (re-planning CT for radiation boost, GTV2) was delineated. Absolute GTV before/during RCT and relative GTV changes were correlated with overall survival as the primary endpoint. Hazard ratios (HR) of survival analysis were estimated by means of adjusted Cox regression models. RESULTS: GTV1 was found to have a mean of 154.4 ml (95%CI: 1.5-877) and GTV2 of 106.2 ml (95% CI: 0.5-589.5), resulting in an estimated reduction of 48.2 ml (p < 0.001). Median overall survival (OS) was 18.8 months with a median of 22.1, 20.9, and 12.6 months for patients with high, intermediate, and low GTV before RT. Considering all patients, in one survival model of overall mortality, GTV2 (2.75 (1.12-6.75, p = 0.03) was found to be a stronger survival predictor than GTV1 (1.34 (0.9-2, p > 0.05). In patients with available data on both GTV1 and GTV2, absolute GTV1 before RT was not significantly associated with survival (HR 0-69, 0.32-1.49, p > 0.05) but GTV2 significantly predicted OS in a model adjusted for age, T stage, and chemotherapy, with an HR of 3.7 (1.01-13.53, p = 0.04) per 300 ml. The absolute decrease from GTV1 to GTV2 was correlated to survival, where every decrease by 50 ml reduced the HR by 0.8 (CI 0.64-0.99, p = 0.04). There was no evidence for a survival effect of the relative change between GTV1 and GTV2. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that independently of T stage, the re-planning GTV during RCT is a significant and superior survival predictor compared to baseline GTV before RT. Patients with a high absolute (rather than relative) change in GTV during RT show a superior survival outcome after RCT.

Customizing hydrothermal properties of inkjet printed sensitive films by functionalization of carbon nanotubes.

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are attractive materials for realizing sensors, owing to their high aspect ratio associated with excellent mechanical, electronic, and thermal properties. Moreover, their sensing properties can be tuned by introducing functional groups on their framework and adjusting the processing conditions. In this paper, we investigate the potential of functionalized CNTs for humidity and temperature sensing by optimization of the functionalization, the processing conditions and the printing conditions. The morphology of the differently functionalized MWCNTs is investigated by infrared spectroscopy (IR), scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry (TG) and TG-coupled mass-spectrometric studies. Using the functionalized MWCNTs, films were fabricated with different numbers of layers (4, 6, 8, 10 layers) via inkjet printing on a flexible polyimide substrate containing an interdigital microelectrode. The influence of hydrothermal effects was investigated. The sensitivity to humidity is higher for films prepared with MWCNTs functionalized with a high sonication amplitude and a bigger number of layers due to enhancements of hydrophilicity and water mobility. A higher sensitivity to temperature is achieved by a low sonication amplitude and a small number of layers. For the encapsulation of the temperature sensor against humidity, a Bectron layer is proposed, which reduces also the hysteresis effect. This study demonstrates the efficiency of carboxylic functionalized MWCNTs deposit by inkjet printing for realization of sensitive and cost-effective humidity and temperature sensors. It provides a real example for the interesting contribution of functionalization procedures to the sensing properties of MWCNTs films.

DEGRO practical guideline for partial-breast irradiation.

PURPOSE: This consensus statement from the Breast Cancer Working Group of the German Society for Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) aims to define practical guidelines for accelerated partial-breast irradiation (APBI). METHODS: Recent recommendations for relevant aspects of APBI were summarized and a panel of experts reviewed all the relevant literature. Panel members of the DEGRO experts participated in a series of conferences, supplemented their clinical experience, performed a literature review, and formulated recommendations for implementing APBI in clinical routine, focusing on patient selection, target definition, and treatment technique. RESULTS: Appropriate patient selection, target definition for different APBI techniques, and basic rules for appropriate APBI techniques for clinical routine outside of clinical trials are described. Detailed recommendations for APBI in daily practice, including dose constraints, are given. CONCLUSION: Guidelines are mandatory to assure optimal results of APBI using different techniques.

Human nasal mucosal C-reactive protein responses after inhalation of ultrafine welding fume particles: positive correlation to systemic C-reactive protein responses.

Exposures to occupationally relevant ultrafine, zinc- and copper-containing welding fumes cause inflammatory responses involving systemic IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid A (SAA), all associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular events. We investigated whether the systemic response is preceded by nasal inflammatory reactions. Fifteen nonsmoking male subjects were exposed for 6 h under controlled conditions to zinc-/copper-containing welding fumes (at 2.5 mg/m3) or ambient air control in a randomized order. Nasal secretions were collected before and at 1, 3, 6, 10, and 29 h after exposure. Nasal levels of selected biomarkers were determined by electrochemiluminescent assays and related to their systemic levels. Nasal interferon-γ (IFN-γ) peaked significantly 1 h after start of exposure compared to baseline. Nasal CRP as well as SAA increased significantly at 10 and 29 h compared to baseline. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for differentiating welding fume from control exposure was performed: The highest area under ROC curve (AUC) values were found for the CRP increases (10, 29 h versus 0 h): AUC = 0.83, and for IFN-γ increases (1 h versus 0 h): AUC = 0.92. Nasal and systemic changes of CRP at 29 h revealed a strong correlation (Spearman rank test: increases compared to baseline: r = 0.815, p = 0.0022; absolute levels: r = 0.9, p = 0.0002). In conclusion, short-term exposure to a zinc- and copper-containing welding fume causes significant increases of inflammatory mediators in nasal mucosal lining fluid. Therefore, measurement of nasal inflammatory mediators may provide a useful means for occupational surveillance of workers exposed to ultrafine metal fume particles.

[Description of a Multidimensional Health Program for Informal Caregivers]. / Beschreibung eines mehrdimensionalen Gesundheitsprogramms für pflegende Angehörige.

The aim of this study is to describe the concept of a prevention program for informal caregivers and its fit into stress theory and quality criteria. The program combines a 4-day group intervention outside the home with individual professional care in familiar domestic surroundings (family health care for persons with high burden, home training for specific care aspects). The program applies strategies focusing on problems and emotions. The program can be financed by social security funds. The 4-day respite service closes a gap in health services for informal caregivers.

Systemic serum amyloid A as a biomarker for exposure to zinc and/or copper-containing metal fumes.

Zinc- and copper-containing welding fumes increase systemic C-reactive protein (CRP). The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of the biomarkers serum amyloid A (SAA) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in this regard. Fifteen male subjects were exposed under controlled conditions to welding fumes containing either zinc, or copper, or copper and zinc for 6 h. Plasma samples were collected before, 6 and 24 h after start of exposure and biomarkers therein were measured by electrochemiluminescent assay. For each exposure, systemic concentrations of systemic SAA, but not VCAM-1, increased significantly at 24 h after exposure start compared with baseline ("copper only": P=0.0005, "zinc only": P=0.027, "copper and zinc": P=0.001). SAA showed a wider range of concentrations than did CRP and its levels increased up to 19-fold after welding fume exposure. The recognition of copper as a potential harmful component in welding fumes, also independent from zinc, deserves further consideration. SAA might represent a new sensitive biomarker for potential subclinical sterile inflammation after inhalation of copper- and/or zinc-containing welding fumes. As elevations of CRP and SAA protein have both been linked to a higher risk for cardiovascular disease, these findings might particularly be important for long-term welders.

IL-6, a central acute-phase mediator, as an early biomarker for exposure to zinc-based metal fumes.

AIMS: Systemic C-reactive protein (CRP) increases 1day after short-term inhalation of welding fumes containing zinc and/or copper. The aim of the current study was to find further, possibly earlier systemic biomarkers after inhalation of different welding fumes containing zinc and traces of aluminum, with or without copper, as these metal combinations become more common in modern joining technology. METHODS: The study group consisted of 15 non-smoking male volunteers with healthy lung function data and without any occupational metal fume exposure. On 4 different exposure days, the members of the study group were exposed under controlled conditions to ambient air or 3 different welding fumes for 6h. Spirometric and impulse oscillometric measurements and differential blood counts were performed and serum samples were collected before exposure and 6, 10 and 29h after start of exposure. The biomarker concentrations in serum were measured by electrochemiluminescent assays. RESULTS: Systemic increases of IL-6 peaked significantly at 10h compared to baseline ("ZincZinc": P=0.0005 (median increase (m. incr.)=1.36pg/mL); "ZincAlu": P=0.0012 (m. incr.=1.48pg/mL); "AluBronze": P=0.0005 (m. incr.=2.66pg/mL)). At 29h, CRP and serum amyloid A (SAA) increased distinctively ("ZincZinc": P=0.032 (m. incr.=0.65µg/mL) [CRP], 0.077 (m. incr.=0.61µg/mL) [SAA]; "ZincAlu": P=0.001 (m. incr.=1.15µg/mL) [CRP], 0.0024 (m. incr.=0.94µg/mL) [SAA]; "AluBronze": P=0.002 (m. incr.=2.5µg/mL) [CRP], 0.002 (m. incr.=0.97µg/mL) [SAA]). The median increases of CRP and IL-6 were most pronounced for the welding fume which contained besides zinc also copper (AluBronze). For differentiating AluBronze from control exposure, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the IL-6 increases (10h versus 0h) was 0.931. The additional inflammatory mediators [vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), cell counts] and the lung function parameters did not show any significant changes after exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with its role of the mediation of the acute-phase response, systemic increases of IL-6 after welding fume exposure peak at 10h before the increases of the acute-phase reactants CRP and SAA at 29h. IL-6 may represent a highly sensitive and early biomarker for the exposure to metal fumes containing zinc and copper. As IL-6, CRP and SAA are independent, strong risk markers for future cardiovascular diseases, these data may particularly be important for long-term welders with respect to their cardiovascular health.

[Prediction and Prevention of Dropouts in Vocational Retraining]. / Prognose und Verhinderung von Abbrüchen bei Qualifizierungen in der beruflichen Rehabilitation.

UNLABELLED: Principal objective: To verify if a psychological intervention targeting individuals with high resignation tendency prevents dropouts in vocational retraining. For individuals with high resignation tendency a high risk of dropping out was assumed under regular conditions. METHOD: Data was collected at 2 adult education institutes. At the beginning of vocational training the occupational inventory Work-related Behaviour and Experience Patterns (AVEM) was used. The questionnaire allows to classify 4 types of coping behaviour. G: healthy-ambitious, S: unambitious, A: excessively ambitious, B: resigned. Using a quasi-experimental design, the effect of resilience building was verified by comparing a treatment group with a control group. Control group was offered the usual treatment of the education institute. The treatment group was additionally offered two individual meetings and a work-related group treatment focussing on coping behaviour. RESULTS: Given a very high resignation tendency in both groups, dropping out of rehabilitation was less frequent in the treatment group. Other individuals tended to drop out more frequently, but this is not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The study shows that work-related resilience building helps to minimize risk of dropping out of vocational rehabilitation in the case of extremely resigned coping behaviour.

A simple and inexpensive method to control oxygen concentrations within physiological and neoplastic ranges.

Traditional methods for regulating oxygen concentration ([O2]) in in vitro experiments over the range found in normal and tumor tissues require the use of expensive equipment to generate controlled gas atmospheres or the purchase of a range of gas cylinders with certified O2 percentages. Here we describe a simple and inexpensive enzymatic method for generating low, precise steady-state [O2] levels that are stable for several hours. This method is particularly applicable to the in vitro study of some classes of hypoxia-targeted antitumor prodrugs and bioreductively activated agents.

Inducible T-cell receptor expression in precursor T cells for leukemia control.

Co-transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells with those engineered to express leukemia-reactive T-cell receptors (TCRs) and differentiated ex vivo into precursor T cells (preTs) may reduce the risk of leukemia relapse. As expression of potentially self-(leukemia-) reactive TCRs will lead to negative selection or provoke autoimmunity upon thymic maturation, we investigated a novel concept whereby TCR expression set under the control of an inducible promoter would allow timely controlled TCR expression. After in vivo maturation and gene induction, preTs developed potent anti-leukemia effects. Engineered preTs provided protection even after repeated leukemia challenges by giving rise to effector and central memory cells. Importantly, adoptive transfer of TCR-transduced allogeneic preTs mediated anti-leukemia effect without evoking graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Earlier transgene induction forced CD8(+) T-cell development was required to obtain a mature T-cell subset of targeted specificity, allowed engineered T cells to efficiently pass positive selection and abrogated the endogenous T-cell repertoire. Later induction favored CD4 differentiation and failed to produce a leukemia-reactive population emphasizing the dominant role of positive selection. Taken together, we provide new functional insights for the employment of TCR-engineered precursor cells as a controllable immunotherapeutic modality with significant anti-leukemia activity.

Nasal levels of soluble IL-33R ST2 and IL-16 in allergic rhinitis: inverse correlation trends with disease severity.

BACKGROUND: Serum levels of IL-16, IL-33 and the decoy receptor of IL-33, soluble ST2, are elevated in allergic rhinitis. Recent studies show that IL-16, soluble ST2 or anti-IL-33 reduce type 2 cytokines (such as IL-5) and eosinophilia in murine models of allergic asthma or allergic rhinitis respectively. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we studied the release of IL-5, IL-16, IL-33 and soluble ST2 in allergic rhinitis patients after nasal allergen challenge and natural pollen exposure. METHODS: The nasal lavages of 15 allergic and 14 non-allergic volunteers were collected during the pollen allergy season. In addition, six allergic volunteers underwent unilateral nasal allergen and control challenge out of season and nasal secretions and sera were collected. IL-5, IL-16, IL-33 and soluble ST2 in nasal secretions and sera were measured by electrochemiluminescent assay or ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: Nasal IL-5, IL-16 and soluble ST2 levels were significantly increased in seasonally pollen exposed allergic volunteers compared to control subjects (P < 0.001, P = 0.018 and P = 0.002 respectively), whereas IL-33 remained undetectable. Nasal IL-16 showed a weak inverse correlation trend with nasal symptoms (r = -0.48, P = 0.07). Nasal soluble ST2 concentrations were inversely correlated with nasal symptoms (r = -0.61, P = 0.02) and positively correlated with IL-16 (r = 0.56, P = 0.03). Significant increases of nasal IL-5, IL-16 and ST2 but not IL-33 were observed after nasal allergen challenge. At 24 h after allergen challenge, local ST2 and IL-5 concentrations showed an inverse correlation trend (r = -0.83, P = 0.04). Serum levels of IL-5, IL-16 and soluble ST2 rose in at least five of six volunteers tested at 5 or 24 h post-challenge. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The observed upregulation of soluble ST2 and IL-16 after nasal allergen challenge and during peak pollination season suggests potential regulatory roles of these cytokines in the inflammatory reaction in allergic rhinitis.

HDR brachytherapy: an option for preventing nonmalignant obstruction in patients after lung transplantation.

PURPOSE: Interventional bronchoscopy is the main treatment modality in managing benign airway obstructions following lung transplantation. We analyzed the effect of intraluminal brachytherapy on preventing recurrence of hyperplastic tissue. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2002 to September 2004, a total of 24 intraluminal brachytherapy applications were carried out on 12 lung transplant patients in 15 different locations. A single dose of 3 Gy was calculated at a 5-mm distance from the catheter surface; the target volume included a stenosis plus safety interval of 0.5-1.0 cm. RESULTS: All patients had a mean 10.6 local interventions (Argon plasma coagulation, balloon dilatations, stenting) over 4.4 months before the first application of endobronchial brachytherapy, with a mean amount of 2.4 applications per month. The mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) was 2,219 ml in the 3 months before application of brachytherapy. After endobronchial brachytherapy, all patients experienced improvement in clinical status and respiratory function. The mean level of FEV1 in the 3 months after application was 2,435 ml (p = 0.02), and the number of invasive interventions dropped to a mean rate of 5.2 interventions in the 5.1 months after the first intervention, with an amount of 1 application per month. No treatment-related complications were seen. Four patients were treated twice, 1 patient three times, and 1 patient four times at the same localization. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent symptomatic benign airway obstruction from hyperplastic tissue in the bronchus after lung transplantation can be successfully treated with intraluminal high-dose-rate brachytherapy with a dose of 3 Gy at a 5-mm distance from the catheter surface and a longitudinal safety margin of 1 cm.

Hydrogenotrophic methanogens dominate in biogas reactors fed with defined substrates.

Methanogenic communities in 200L biogas reactors containing liquid manure were investigated for 33 d. The reactors were consecutively fed with casein, starch and cream. Real-time PCR with primers targeting the gene for methyl coenzyme-M reductase (mcrA) resulted in copy numbers of up to 2.1×10(9) g dry mass(-1). Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis revealed a stable community consisting of few hydrogenotrophic methanogens. One of the two most abundant species was closely related to Methanospirillum hungatei, whereas the other one was only distantly related to other methanogens, with Methanopyrus kandleri being the closest cultivated relative. Most probable number (MPN) cultivations were accomplished with a sample from a 600 m(3) reactor from which all manures used in the experiments originated, and equal cell counts of ca. 10(9) g dry mass(-1) were found for cultivations with acetate, H(2) and methanol. SSCP analysis of these samples and sequencing of the DNA bands identified different hydrogenotrophic methanogens in all samples, and acetoclastic methanogens closely related to Methanosarcina mazei in the samples cultivated with acetate and methanol. As the acetoclastic species were not found in any other SSCP sample, it was supposed that the ammonia values in the manure of the laboratory biogas reactor, which ranged from 2.48 to 3.61 g NH(4)-NL(-1), inhibited the growth of the acetoclastic methanogens.

pH-dependent bending in and out of purple membranes comprising BR-D85T.

The light-driven proton pump bacteriorhodopsin (BR) embedded in a purple membrane (PM) from Halobacterium salinarum undergoes a series of conformational changes while transporting a proton from the cytoplasmic to the extracellular side over the course of the so-called photocycle. Wild-type BR variant D85T, where aspartic acid 85 is replaced by threonine, allows for the study of structural intermediates of this photocycle that are formed in a light-dependent manner in the wild-type and in thermal equilibrium by tuning the pH of the D85T purple membrane suspension. Especially the last and least studied O-intermediate of the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin has caught recent attention. First AFM images of D85T under acidic conditions resembling wild-type BR under physiological conditions in the O-photocycle-intermediate are presented. Bacteriorhodopsins embedded in the strongly bent purple membranes were analyzed by single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) providing the first single molecule force spectra of BR in the O-intermediate. SMFS was further employed to determine the absolute sign of membrane curvature. Complementary electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) was performed to support PM side discrimination and determination of the bending direction. Bending of PM-D85T was analyzed in more detail providing further insight into the structure-function relationship of the bacteriorhodopsin proton pump as well as PM behaviour at the solid-liquid junction. Findings reported here are of general interest to the field of chemomechanical transducers.

Bending of purple membranes in dependence on the pH analyzed by AFM and single molecule force spectroscopy.

The first AFM images of strongly bent purple membranes as well as the first single molecule force spectra of bacteriorhodopsins embedded therein are presented. AFM images of purple membranes to date always showed a flat membrane topology. Bacteriorhodopsin variants like BR-D85N and BR-D85T resemble an intermediate state of wild-type BR which is slightly 'wedge'-shaped. Due to the strong interaction within the 2-D crystalline lattice of the purple membrane, the geometrical anisotropy of the individual bacteriorhodopsins adds up to a macroscopic change in the geometry of the purple membranes. Instead of being flat they appear like domes at physiological conditions. Single molecule force spectroscopy was employed to determine the absolute sign of the membrane curvature. As the bacteriorhodopsins in the center of the dome-like purple membranes are not supported by any solid state substrate, the presented force spectra are the first of non-supported bacteriorhodopsin, resembling the natural occurrence in the halobacterial cell.

Health-related quality of life in elderly cancer patients, elderly non-cancer patients and an elderly general population.

Health-related quality of life (QoL) is a major topic within the care for cancer patients (CP). Compared with the general population (GP), QoL of CP is worse in most dimensions; however, only few data comparing QoL of CP with that of other patients have been provided so far. We determined QoL with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire in hospitalized patients aged 60 years and older: 195 CP and 130 patients treated for other medical disorders (MP). In addition, data were compared with an age- and gender-stratified German GP. Explorative statistical analyses were performed. The CP aged >or=70 years compared with those aged 60-69 years had decreased QoL in two scales, physical and cognitive functioning, MP in four scales, physical and role functioning, fatigue and dyspnoea respectively. Compared with the GP, both CP and MP had worse QoL in almost all scales. The CP and MP differed in two of 15 scales only, with CP having lower scores in emotional functioning and more loss of appetite. In conclusion, reduced QoL in elderly CP compared with GP cannot solely be attributed to the diagnosis of cancer, but also to a medical disorder requiring inpatient hospital care.

Influence of abomasal carbohydrates on subcutaneous, omental, and mesenteric adipose lipogenic and lipolytic rates in growing beef steers.

To determine the response to alteration in site and form of carbohydrate delivery to the digestive tract, in vitro rates of lipogenesis and lipolysis in mesenteric (MESA), omental (OMA), and subcutaneous (SQA) adipose depots were compared. Forty crossbred beef steers (243 +/- 2 kg of BW) were fed 161 (LI) or 214 (HI) kcal of ME/(kg of BW(0.75) x d) or they were fed LI and infused for 35 d into the rumen (R) or abomasum (A) with starch hydrolysate (SH) or into the abomasum with glucose (G). Jugular blood samples were collected, steers were slaughtered, and adipose depots were sampled and prepared for assessment of lipogenesis and lipolysis in vitro. Blood concentrations of glucagon were increased (P = 0.04) in HI-H2O compared with LI-H2O steers, whereas A-SH tended to increase (P = 0.08) circulating IGF-I relative to R-SH, and A-G tended to have elevated (P = 0.09) T3 compared with A-SH. Lipolysis, as assessed by NEFA release, was unaffected by treatment. Glycerol release by the MESA and SQA was increased or tended to be increased (P < or = 0.08) in HI-H2O compared with LI-H2O steers. In A-G compared with A-SH steers, glycerol release from OMA increased (P = 0.008) and from SQA tended to be increased (P = 0.08). Acetate incorporation into total neutral lipids (TNL) increased or tended to increase with ME intake and SH infusion (P < or = 0.09) across all depots. Rates of acetate incorporation into fatty acids (FA) also increased or tended to be increased (P < or = 0.1) by SH infusion across all depots, but only that of SQA was increased with ME intake (HI-H2O vs. LI-H2O; P = 0.02). Rates of acetate incorporation into FA and TNL in MESA were increased (P < or = 0.03) by A-SH compared with R-SH, but site of SH infusion did not affect the rates in SQA or OMA. Glucose incorporation into TNL for MESA and SQA increased or tended to be increased (P < or = 0.1) by dietary and infused energy, whereas for OMA they tended to be increased (P = 0.1) only by SH infusion. In contrast, glucose incorporation into FA was unaffected by energy supply but tended to be increased (P = 0.07) by SH in MESA and tended to be greater (P = 0.08) for A-G than A-SH in OMA. The general across-depot pattern of acetate incorporation rate into FA and TNL was SQA > OMA > MESA, whereas, for glucose incorporation, rates across depots were equivalent. These data provide evidence that the postruminal supply of energy, specifically carbohydrate, stimulates lipogenesis from acetate and glucose and is more pronounced in abdominal depots relative to the subcutaneous depot.

Influence of ruminal and postruminal carbohydrate infusion on visceral organ mass and adipose tissue accretion in growing beef steers.

Forty crossbred beef steers (243 +/- 2 kg of BW) with ruminal and abomasal infusion catheters were used to test 2 hypotheses: 1) visceral mass is responsive to energy input and site of carbohydrate (CHO) infusion and 2) rate and site of adipose accretion are dependent on site of CHO infusion and complexity. Treatments included a pelleted, forage-based, basal diet fed at 161 (LI) or 214 (HI) kcal of ME/(kg of BW(0.75) x d), LI plus ruminal (R-SH) or abomasal (A-SH) infusion of a partial starch hydrolysate (SH), and LI plus abomasal infusion of glucose (A-G). The basal diet was fed in 12 equal portions daily at 2-h intervals, with starch and glucose infused over a 22-h period at rates of 12.6 and 14.4 g/(kg of BW(0.75) x d). After 35 d of infusion, steers were slaughtered; and visceral organ and adipose mass, subcutaneous adipose thickness over the 5th and 12th rib, and LM intramuscular fat concentration were determined. Total intake energy (IE) increased (P = 0.0001) with ME intake. Dietary IE was similar between LI and CHO treatments, but total IE increased (P < 0.001) with CHO infusion. Greater dietary ME intake and CHO infusion increased or tended (P < or = 0.09) to increase final BW and HCW. As a percentage of empty BW, total stomach complex, rumen, omasum, liver, pancreas, and kidney weights were greater (P < or = 0.05) for HI vs. LI. Stomach complex, rumen, pancreas, and kidney weights as a percentage of empty BW were greater (P < or = 0.05) for R-SH vs. A-SH. Compared with ASH, A-G increased (P < or = 0.02) total and mucosal weights from the 10-cm sections of the ileum. Increases in rumen mass were associated with no change or an increase in rumen total and mucosal DNA concentrations. Greater dietary ME tended (P = 0.06) to increase subcutaneous fat thickness at the 5th rib but did not affect alimentary adipose accretion on an empty BW basis. Omental and total alimentary adipose weights were increased (P < or = 0.04) by A-G compared with A-SH. Although SH infusion did not alter adiposity, there was a consistent numerical pattern in total alimentary and subcutaneous fat depots with CHO infusion (A-G > ASH > R-SH). Our findings demonstrate that increasing ruminal CHO supply results in a disproportionate increase in rumen mass, whereas increasing small intestinal CHO supply does not alter gastrointestinal organ mass. Small intestinal energy in the form of glucose resulted in greater adipose accretion, particularly the omental depot.