Effect of Glutamine on the Growth Performance, Oxidative Stress, and Nrf2/p38 MAPK Expression in the Livers of Heat-Stressed Broilers.

The purpose of this work was to study the effects of glutamine (Gln) on the growth performance, oxidative stress, Nrf2, and p38 MAPK pathway in the livers of heat-stressed broilers. In total, 300 broilers were divided into five groups, including a normal temperature (NT, without dietary Gln) group and four cyclic high temperature groups (HT, GHT1, GHT2, and GHT3) fed with 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% Gln, respectively. High temperature conditions increased (p < 0.05) liver malonaldehyde (MDA) concentration, but decreased (p < 0.05), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST), and glutathione (GSH) levels in broilers. Nrf2 and p38 MAPK protein and mRNA expression levels were lower (p < 0.05) in the NT group than that in the HT group. However, dietary 1.5% Gln decreased (p < 0.05) liver MDA concentration, but increased (p < 0.05) BWG, FI, liver SOD, T-AOC, GSH-Px, GST, and GSH levels in heat-stressed broilers. Nrf2 and p38 MAPK protein and mRNA expression levels were higher (p < 0.05) in the GHT3 group than that in the HT group. In summary, Gln improved oxidative damage through the activation of Nrf2 and p38 MAPK expression in the livers of heat-stressed broilers.

Identification and characterization of extrachromosomal circular DNA in Wei and Large White pigs by high-throughput sequencing.

Wei pig (WP) and Large White pig (LP) are fatty and lean breeds, respectively. Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) plays an important role in regulating signaling pathway processes of cell. However, there are few reports regarding the eccDNA and ecDNA profiles in WP and LP. The present work aimed to investigate the eccDNA and ecDNA profiles between WP and LP. Three WPs and three LPs (100 ± 1.3 kg) were selected for analysis of eccDNA and ecDNA in the ear samples. Results showed that there were 39,686,953,656-58,411,217,258 and 53,824,168,657-58,311,810,737 clean data for WP and LP, respectively. Sequencing yielded 15,587-25,479 and 71,123-79,605 eccDNAs from the ear samples of WP and LP, respectively. There were 15,111 and 22,594 eccDNA-derived genes in the WP and LP, respectively, and 13,807 eccDNA-derived genes were common in the ear samples of both pigs. Sequencing yielded 13-19 and 27-43 ecDNAs in the ears of WP and LP, respectively. There were 1,005 and 1,777 ecDNA-derived genes in WP and LP, respectively, and 351 ecDNA-derived genes were common in the ear samples of both pigs. The most significant KEGG pathways of eccDNA-derived genes were axon guidance, focal adhesion, metabolic pathways, MAPK signaling pathway, Hedgehog signaling pathway, microRNAs in cancer, tight junction, phospholipase D signaling pathway, endocytosis, and sphingolipid signaling pathway. Furthermore, the most significant KEGG pathways of ecDNA-derived genes were olfactory transduction, B cell receptor signaling pathway, and chemical carcinogenesis. The eccDNA00044301 was lower abundance, while the ecDNA00000060 was higher abundance in WP compared with that in LP. Summary, we found that eccDNAs and ecDNAs are common in WP and LP and occur in sizes large enough to carry one or several partial or complete genes. These findings have expanded the knowledge repertoire of circular DNA in pig and will provide a reference for the use of pigs as a medical model and help discovery of new genetic markers to select high-quality breeds.

Dissecting the Effect of Berberine on the Intestinal Microbiome in the Weaned Piglets by Metagenomic Sequencing.

This study aimed to investigate the microbial structure and function in the rectum of weaned piglets with berberine supplementation. Twelve healthy 21-day-old Duorc × (Landrace × Large White) weaned piglets (similar body weight) were evenly divided into control and berberine groups and were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 and 0.1% berberine, respectively. After 21 days, metagenomic sequencing analysis was performed to detect microbial composition and function in the rectum of weaned piglets. Results showed that there were 10,597,721,931-14,059,392,900 base pairs (bp) and 10,186,558,171-15,859,563,342 bp of clean data in the control and berberine groups, respectively. The Q20s of the control and berberine groups were 97.15 to 97.7% and 96.26 to 97.68%, respectively. The microorganisms in the berberine group had lower (p < 0.05) Chao1, alternating conditional expectation, Shannon, and Simpson indices at the species levels than those in the control group. Analysis of similarity showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.01) between the control and berberine groups at the genus and species levels of the gut microorganisms. Dietary berberine significantly increased (p < 0.05) the abundance of Subdoligranulum variabile, but decreased (p < 0.05) the abundance of Prevotella copri compared with the control group. Carbohydrate-active enzymes analysis revealed that the levels of polysaccharide lyases and carbohydrate esterases were lower (p < 0.05) in the berberine group than that in the control group. Linear discriminant analysis effect size analysis showed that berberine supplementation could induce various significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, including carbohydrate metabolism, environmental information processing, and microbial metabolism in diverse environments. In conclusion, our findings suggest that berberine could improve the composition, abundance, structure, and function of gut microbiome in the weaned piglets, potentially providing a suitable approach for the application of berberine in human and animal health.

Comparison of coagulation pretreatment of produced water from natural gas well by polyaluminium chloride and polyferric sulphate coagulants.

This study aimed to optimise coagulation pretreatment of the produced water (PW) collected from a natural gas field. Two coagulants, polyferric sulphate (PFS) and polyaluminium chloride (PACl), were applied separately for the organics, suspended solids (SS), and colour removal. Treatment performance at different coagulant dosages, initial pH values, stirring patterns, and the addition of cationic polyacrylamide (PAM) was investigated in jar tests. The optimal coagulation conditions were dosage of PACl 25 g/L or PFS 20 g/L with that of PAM 30 mg/L, initial pH of 11, and fast mixing of 1.5 min (for PACl) or 2 min (for PFS) at 250 rpm followed by slow mixing of 15 min at 50 rpm for both coagulants. PACl performed better than PFS to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), SS, and colour, and achieved a removal efficiency of 90.1%, 89.4%, 99.0%, and 99.9%, respectively, under the optimal condition; while PFS efficiency was 86.1%, 86.1%, 99.0%, and 98.2%, respectively. However, oil removal was higher in PFS coagulation compared to PACl and showed 98.9% and 95.3%, respectively. Biodegradability, ratio of the biological oxygen demand (five-day) (BOD5)/COD, of the PW after pretreatment increased from 0.08 to 0.32 for PFS and 0.43 for PACl. Zeta potential (Z-potential) analysis at the optimum coagulant dosage of PACl and PFS suggests that charge neutralisation was the predominant mechanism during coagulation. Better efficiency was observed at higher pH. The addition of PAM and starring pattern had a minor influence on the removal performance of both coagulants. The results suggest that PACl or PFS can be applied for the pretreatment of PW, which can provide substantial removal of carbon, oil, and colour, a necessary first step for subsequent main treatment units such as chemical oxidation or biological treatment.

Plant uptake of diclofenac in a mesocosm-scale free water surface constructed wetland by Cyperus alternifolius.

This study aimed to assess the uptake of diclofenac, a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical, by a macrophyte Cyperus alternifolius in a mesocosm-scale free water surface (FWS) constructed wetland. Quantitative analysis of diclofenac concentrations in water solution and plant tissues was conducted by high performance liquid chromatography analysis after sample pre-treatment with solid-phase extraction and liquid extraction, respectively. The FWS with Cyperus alternifolius obtained a maximum 69.3% diclofenac removal efficiency, while a control system without plant only had a removal efficiency of 2.7% at the end of the experiment period of 70 days. Based on mass balance study of the experimental system, it was estimated that plant uptake and in-plant conversion of diclofenac contributed about 21.4% of the total diclofenac removal in the mesocosm while the remaining 78.6% diclofenac was eliminated through biotic and abiotic conversion of diclofenac in the water phase. Diclofenac on the root surface and in roots, stems and leaves of Cyperus alternifolius was found at the concentrations of 0.15-2.59 µg/g, 0.21-2.66 µg/g, 0.06-0.53 µg/g, and 0.005-0.02 µg/g of fresh weight of plant tissues, respectively. The maximum bioaccumulation factor of diclofenac was calculated in roots (21.04) followed by root surface (20.49), stems (4.19), and leaves (0.16), respectively. Diclofenac translocation potentiality from root to stem was found below 0.5, suggesting a slow and passive translocation process of diclofenac. Current study demonstrated high potential of Cyperus alternifolius for phytoremediation of diclofenac in FWS and can be applied in other engineered ecosystems.

3-(3-pyridylmethylidene)-2-indolinone reduces the severity of colonic injury in a murine model of experimental colitis.

Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response which is crucial for cytoprotection against extracellular stresses. Numerous in vivo studies indicate that Nrf2 plays a protective role in anti-inflammatory response. 3-(3-Pyridylmethylidene)-2-indolinone (PMID) is a synthesized derivative of 2-indolinone compounds. Our previous study suggested that PMID induces the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway, then protecting against oxidative stress-mediated cell death. However, little is known regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of PMID in severe inflammatory phenotypes. In the present study we determined if PMID treatment protects mice from dextran sodium sulphate- (DSS-) induced colitis. The result suggests that treatment with PMID prior to colitis induction significantly reduced body weight loss, shortened colon length, and decreased disease activity index compared to control mice. Histopathological analysis of the colon revealed attenuated inflammation in PMID pretreated animals. The levels of inflammatory markers in colon tissue and serum were reduced associated with inhibition of NF-κB activation. The expression levels of Nrf2-dependent genes such as HO-1, NQO1, and Nrf2 were increased in PMID pretreated mice. However, PMID pretreatment did not prevent DSS-induced colitis in Nrf2 knockout mice. These data indicate that PMID pretreatment in mice confers protection against DSS-induced colitis in Nrf2-dependent manner, suggesting a potential role of PMID in anti-inflammatory response.

Occurrences of three classes of antibiotics in a natural river basin: association with antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli.

To investigate the occurrence of antibiotics in urban rivers and their association with antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli, 20 (fluoro)quinolone antibiotics (FQs), 16 tetracycline antibiotics (TCs) and their degradation products, and 25 sulfonamides (SAs) and some degradation products were determined in 45 river samples and 13 discharged wastewater samples collected from Wenyu River and its tributaries and 4 composite effluent samples from sewage treatment plants in Beijing, China. Fifteen FQs, eight TCs, including four degradation chemicals, and sixteen SAs, including four acetylated products, were detected in the river water. The SAs were the dominant antibiotic (total concentrations up to 3164.0 ng/L) in river water, followed by FQs (1430.3 ng/L) and TCs (296.6 ng/L). The sum concentrations for each class of detected antibiotic in the 13 discharge site samples were higher than those in river samples, up to 12326.7 ng/L for SAs, 6589.2 ng/L for FQs, and 730.1 ng/L for TCs, largely contributing to the high concentrations in the river basin. Log-linear regression analysis confirmed that the concentrations of FQs, TCs, and SAs in the Wenyu River basin were strongly correlated with the number of E. coli resistant to FQs (p < 0.05), TCs (p < 0.05), and SAs (p < 0.05), providing evidence for the environmental impacts of antibiotic usage.

Decomposition of two haloacetic acids in water using UV radiation, ozone and advanced oxidation processes.

The decomposition of two haloacetic acids (HAAs), dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA), from water was studied by means of single oxidants: ozone, UV radiation; and by the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) constituted by combinations of O(3)/UV radiation, H(2)O(2)/UV radiation, O(3)/H(2)O(2), O(3)/H(2)O(2)/UV radiation. The concentrations of HAAs were analyzed at specified time intervals to elucidate the decomposition of HAAs. Single O(3) or UV did not result in perceptible decomposition of HAAs within the applied reaction time. O(3)/UV showed to be more suitable for the decomposition of DCAA and TCAA in water among the six methods of oxidation. Decomposition of DCAA was easier than TCAA by AOPs. For O(3)/UV in the semi-continuous mode, the effective utilization rate of ozone for HAA decomposition decreased with ozone addition. The kinetics of HAAs decomposition by O(3)/UV and the influence of coexistent humic acids and HCO(3)(-) on the decomposition process were investigated. The decomposition of the HAAs by the O(3)/UV accorded with the pseudo-first-order mode under the constant initial dissolved O(3) concentration and fixed UV radiation. The pseudo-first-order rate constant for the decomposition of DCAA was more than four times that for TCAA. Humic acids can cause the H(2)O(2) accumulation and the decrease in rate constants of HAAs decomposition in the O(3)/UV process. The rate constants for the decomposition of DCAA and TCAA decreased by 41.1% and 23.8%, respectively, when humic acids were added at a concentration of 1.2mgTOC/L. The rate constants decreased by 43.5% and 25.9%, respectively, at an HCO(3)(-) concentration of 1.0mmol/L.

[Analysis of haloacetic acids in drinking water by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

Based on liquid-liquid micro-extraction and acidic methanol derivatization methods from EPA Method 552.3, a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) method has been studied for determining haloacetic acid (HAAs) in drinking water using ultrapure water instead of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) as solvent for preparing standard stock solution. The results showed that the peaks of 1,2-dibromo propane (internal standard) and HAAs were separated very well. With the improved method, the recoveries for HAAs (82% - 103%) were high at concentrations ranging from 5 to 80 microg/L, the detection limits for dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) and trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) were 0.72 and 0.44 microg/L. With the improved method, the runtime could be also significantly reduced without compromising the analytical resolutions. It is also demonstrated that the stock standard was stable under storage for 2 month at 4 degrees C.

[Adsorption performance of haloacetic acids onto 5 GACs from water].

Adsorption performance of 5 GACs were compared on two abundant haloacetic acids (HAAs) as disinfection by-products (dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid). The adsorption behaviours of the two HAAs were well correlated with Langmuir equation. When the two HAAs co-existed, trichloroacetic acid tended to be adsorbed more easily. The adsorption capacity of a foreign GAC-A for dichloroacetic acid was 4.4-5.7 times that of domestic GACs, and 3.8 times that of another foreign GAC-B, while the adsorption capacity of a foreign GAC-A for trichloroacetic acid was 4.0-5.4 times that of domestic GACs, and 2.6 times that of another foreign GAC-B. The equilibrium study of competitive adsorption between dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid on GAC-A demonstrates that the relative adsorption capacity of HAAs has a linear increase with their relative equilibrium concentration. The adsorption capacity for trichloroacetic acid is sensitive to changes at its equilibrium concentration greater than that for dichloroacetic acid.