Dietary 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol and additional vitamin E improve bone development and antioxidant capacity in high-density stocking broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of diets supplemented with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-(OH)D3] and additional vitamin E on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, bone development, and carcass characteristics at different stocking densities on commercial broiler farms. A total of 118,800 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial treatment consisting of two dietary vitamin levels (5,500 IU vitamin D3 and 60 IU vitamin E: normal diet, using half 25-(OH)D3 as a source of vitamin D3 and an additional 60 IU of vitamin E: 25-(OH)D3+VE diet) and two stocking densities (high density of 20 chickens/m2: HD and 16 chickens/m2: LD). The experiment lasted for 42 d. The results showed that high-density stocking negatively affected the growth performance of broilers during the first four weeks, whereas the vitamin diet treatment significantly improved the feed conversion ratios (FCR) during the last 2 wk. Vitamin diets increased catalase at 14 and 42 d, and the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) levels at 42 d in high-density-stocked broilers. The interaction showed that serum vitamin E levels were significantly improved at 28 d of age in high-density-stocked broilers as a result of the vitamin diets. Stocking density and dietary treatments were found to significantly affect bone development, with the vitamin diet significantly increasing metatarsal length and femoral bone strength in broilers from high-density stocking density at 28 d of age. High stocking density increased the proportion of leg muscles and meat yield per square meter. In general, 25-(OH)D3 and additional vitamin E suppressed oxidative stress and ameliorated the negative effects of high-density stocking on bone development in a commercial chicken farm setting. Vitamin diets improved the FCR of broilers, while high-density stocking resulted in better economic outcomes.

High-density stocking is often associated with animal welfare risks in broilers, mainly in terms of oxidative stress and bone development. Nevertheless, farming at too low a density remains for the most part economically unviable. Modulation of antioxidant capacity and bone development by nutritional strategies in high-density-farmed broilers has proven an effective tool in developing countries. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of applying diets with a higher biological potency of vitamin D3 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25-(OH)D3] and a higher concentration of vitamin E on broiler production performance, antioxidant capacity and meat production performance at different densities of stocking under commercial farming conditions. The results indicated that the vitamin dietary treatments suppressed oxidative stress and ameliorated the negative effects of high-density farming on bone development.

Protective limb remote ischemic post-conditioning against high-intraocular-pressure-induced retinal injury in mice.

AIM: To determine whether limb remote ischemic post-conditioning (LRIC) protects against high-intraocular-pressure (IOP)-induced retinal injury, and to identify underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: In mice, IOP was increased to 110 mm Hg for 50min and LRIC applied to the unilateral leg for three occlusion cycles (5min/release). Three animal groups (control, high IOP, and high IOP+LRIC) were arranged in this study. Plasma was collected from LRIC treated mice. Retinal histology, oxidative stress were determined by histological section staining and chemical kit. C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), and Iba-1 parameters were evaluated by immunofluorescent staining and Western blot. RESULTS: The data showed that LRIC treatment alleviated the retinal histological disorganization and ganglion cell loss induced by high IOP. The CHOP, Iba-1 expression and oxidative stress marker also were inhibited by LRIC treatment. To further explore underlying mechanisms, plasma from LRIC treated animals was intravenously transfused into high-IOP animals. The results showed plasma injection decreased caspase 9 expression and DHE staining signals compared with that in high IOP retinas. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that LRIC treatments exert retinal protective effects against high-IOP injury. Endogenous humoral factors release into the circulation by LRIC may contribute to homeostatic protection by reducing monocyte infiltration and/or microglia activation.

Effects of parecoxib on postoperative pain and opioid-related symptoms following gynecologic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the analgesic and opioid-sparing effects of parecoxib following major gynecologic surgery. METHODS: This is a large subset analysis of patients from a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of parecoxib/valdecoxib (PAR/VAL) for postoperative pain. Pain severity, pain interference with function, opioid use, occurrence of opioid-related symptoms, and Patient/Physician Global Evaluation of Study Medication were compared between placebo and PAR/VAL treatment groups in the days following surgery. RESULTS: Pain scores were reduced in the PAR/VAL group (n=98), relative to placebo (n=97), on Day 2 (-21%, P<0.001) and Day 3 (-23%, P=0.004). Pain interference with function scores were also significantly lower in the PAR/VAL group, compared with placebo, on Day 2 (-29%, P<0.001) and Day 3 (-28%, P=0.013). Consumption of supplemental morphine was significantly lower in the PAR/VAL group relative to placebo at 24 hours (-37%, P=0.010) and trended lower at 48 (-28%) and 72 hours (-26%). Patients in the PAR/VAL group also had a reduced risk of experiencing specific opioid-related symptoms, including "inability to concentrate" (relative risk =0.53) and "nausea" (relative risk =0.60) on Day 2. Both Patient and Physician Global Evaluation of Study Medication scores were better in the PAR/VAL group than in the placebo group. CONCLUSION: The current study adds support for the use of parecoxib in patients following major gynecologic surgery.

[Modeling polarimetric BRDF of leaves surfaces].

The purpose of the present paper is to model a physical polarimetric bidirectional reflectance distribution function (pBRDF), which can character not only the non-Lambertian but also the polarized features in order that the pBRDF can be applied to analyze the relationship between the degree of polarization and the physiological and biochemical parameters of leaves quantitatively later. Firstly, the bidirectional polarized reflectance distributions from several leaves surfaces were measured by the polarized goniometer developed by Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The samples of leaves include two pieces of zea mays L. leaves (young leaf and mature leaf) and a piece of E. palcherrima wild leaf. Non-Lambertian characteristics of directional reflectance from the surfaces of these three leaves are obvious. A Cook-Torrance model was modified by coupling the polarized Fresnel equations to simulate the bidirectional polarized reflectance properties of leaves surfaces. The three parameters in the modified pBRDF model, such as diffuse reflectivity, refractive index and roughness of leaf surface were inversed with genetic algorithm (GA). It was found that the pBRDF model can fit with the measured data well. In addition, these parameters in the model are related with both the physiological and biochemical properties and the polarized characteristics of leaves, therefore it is possible to build the relationships between them later.

Research on buildings impacting on aerosol diffusing in urban area using remote sensing.

Employing remote sensing method to interpret the building volumetric ratio and aerosol status in Guangzhou, China. The relation between them and identified characteristics of their spatial distribution was analyzed. Results showed that building density and aerosol status are strongly correlated. It is indicated that the resistance of building to aerosol diffusing is one of factors influencing air pollution in urban area. On the basis of calculated results, building voluminous ratio of 5.6 is taken as the threshold impacting on aerosol diffusing, so the building voluminous ratio of Guangzhou should be limited to less than 5.6 in order to alleviate air pollution.