Modulation of rumen fermentation and microbial community through increasing dietary cation-anion difference in Chinese Holstein dairy cows under heat stress conditions.

AIMS: The effect of increasing dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) on rumen fermentation and ruminal microbial community in dairy cows under heat stress (HS) conditions were evaluated. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was performed as a two-period cross-over design during the summer season, with eight lactating dairy cows randomly distributed to either a control DCAD diet (CON: 33·5 mEq/100 g DM) or high DCAD diet (HDCAD: 50·8 mEq/100 g DM). Throughout the present study, the temperature and humidity index (THI; 80·2 ± 4·29) was generally elevated above the threshold (THI = 72) that is reported to cause HS in lactating dairy cows. Rumen liquid samples were collected on 15 and 21 d during each 21 d-period. The absolute concentration of ruminal total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) in HDCAD treatment was significantly (P < 0·05) higher than those in the control, whilst the ruminal pH, NH3 -N, and VFA molar percentages were unaffected through increasing DCAD. Furthermore, the copy numbers of the cellulolytic bacteria Ruminococcus albus and Ruminococcus flavefaciens in rumen fluid significantly (P < 0·05) rose along with the increment of DCAD. Although the Alpha diversity indexes and the bacterial microbiota structure were unaffected, increasing DCAD significantly (P < 0·05) enriched the phylum Fibrobacteres and genus Fibrobacter in the microflora of rumen fluid, whilst the genera Flexilinea and Dubosiella were the most differentially abundant taxa in the control. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing DCAD under HS conditions resulted in a greater concentration of total VFA without affecting rumen bacteria diversity or structure, although the enrichment of some cellulolytic/hemicellulolytic bacteria was observed. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The present study provides information on the modulation of rumen fermentation and microbial community through the increment of DCAD in Holstein dairy cows under HS conditions.

Substitution of Wheat for Corn in Beef Cattle Diets: Digestibility, Digestive Enzyme Activities, Serum Metabolite Contents and Ruminal Fermentation.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of diets containing different amounts of wheat, as a partial or whole substitute for corn, on digestibility, digestive enzyme activities, serum metabolite contents and ruminal fermentation in beef cattle. Four Limousin×LuXi crossbred cattle with a body weight (400±10 kg), fitted with permanent ruminal, proximal duodenal and terminal ileal cannulas, were used in a 4×4 Latin square design with four treatments: Control (100% corn), 33% wheat (33% substitution for corn), 67% wheat (67% substitution for corn), and 100% wheat (100% substitution for corn) on a dry matter basis. The results showed that replacing corn with increasing amounts of wheat increased the apparent digestibility values of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein (p<0.05). While the apparent digestibility of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber were lower with increasing amounts of wheat. Digestive enzyme activities of lipase, protease and amylase in the duodenum were higher with increasing wheat amounts (p<0.05), and showed similar results to those for the enzymes in the ileum except for amylase. Increased substitution of wheat for corn increased the serum alanine aminotransferase concentration (p<0.05). Ruminal pH was not different between those given only corn and those given 33% wheat. Increasing the substitution of wheat for corn increased the molar proportion of acetate and tended to increase the acetate-to-propionate ratio. Cattle fed 100% wheat tended to have the lowest ruminal NH3-N concentration compared with control (p<0.05), whereas no differences were observed among the cattle fed 33% and 67% wheat. These findings indicate that wheat can be effectively used to replace corn in moderate amounts to meet the energy and fiber requirements of beef cattle.

Effects of Three Feeding Systems on Production Performance, Rumen Fermentation and Rumen Digesta Particle Structure of Beef Cattle.

The effects of three different feeding systems on beef cattle production performance, rumen fermentation, and rumen digesta particle structure were investigated by using 18 Limousin (steers) with a similar body weight (575±10 kg) in a 80-d experiment. The animals were equally and randomly divided into three treatment groups, namely, total mixed ration group (cattle fed TMR), SI1 group (cattle fed concentrate firstly then roughage), and SI2 group (cattle fed roughage firstly then concentrate). The results showed that the average daily gain was significantly higher in cattle receiving TMR than in those receiving SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05). Consumption per kg weight gain of concentrate, silage, and combined net energy (NEmf) were significantly decreased when cattle received TMR, unlike when they received SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05), indicating that the feed efficiency of TMR was the highest. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was significantly decreased when cattle received TMR compared with that in cattle receiving SI1 (p<0.05), whereas there was no difference compared with that in cattle receiving SI2. Ammonia nitrogen concentration was significantly lower in cattle receiving TMR than in those receiving SI1 and SI2 (p<0.05). The rumen area of cattle that received TMR was significantly larger than that of cattle receiving SI1 (p<0.05), but there was no difference compared with that of cattle receiving SI2. Although there was no significant difference among the three feeding systems in rumen digesta particle distribution, the TMR group trended to have fewer large- and medium-sized particles and more small-sized particles than those in the SI1 and SI2 groups. In conclusion, cattle with dietary TMR showed increased weight gain and ruminal development and decreased BUN. This indicated that TMR feeding was more conducive toward improving the production performance and rumen fermentation of beef cattle.

Diets of differentially processed wheat alter ruminal fermentation parameters and microbial populations in beef cattle.

The influences of differently processed wheat products on rumen fermentation, microbial populations, and serum biochemistry profiles in beef cattle were studied. Four ruminally cannulated Limousin × Luxi beef cattle (400 ± 10 kg) were used in the experiment with a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The experimental diets contained (on a DM basis) 60% corn silage as a forage source and 40% concentrate with 4 differently processed wheat products (extruded, pulverized, crushed, and rolled wheat). Concentrations of ruminal NH-N and microbial protein (MCP) in cattle fed crushed and rolled wheat were greater ( < 0.05) than the corresponding values in cattle fed pulverized and extruded wheat. Ruminal concentrations of total VFA and acetate and the ratio of acetate to propionate decreased ( < 0.05) with increased geometric mean particle size (geometric mean diameter) of processed wheat, except for extruded wheat; cattle fed extruded wheat had the lowest concentrations of total VFA and acetate among all treatments. The relative abundance of , , ciliated protozoa, and was lower in cattle fed the pulverized wheat diet than in the other 3 diets ( < 0.05), whereas the relative abundance of was decreased in cattle fed extruded wheat compared with cattle fed crushed and rolled wheat ( < 0.05). No treatment effect was obtained for serum enzyme activity and protein concentration ( > 0.05). Our findings suggest that the method of wheat processing could have a significant effect on ruminal fermentation parameters and microbial populations in beef cattle and that crushed and rolled processing is better in terms of ruminal NH-N and MCP content, acetate-to-propionate ratio, and relative abundance of rumen microorganisms.

The PPI network and cluster ONE analysis to explain the mechanism of bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer is a common cancer worldwide whose incidence continues to increase. It is estimated that there are 261,000 cases of bladder cancer resulting in 115,000 deaths worldwide. AIM: Although some studies can be initiated using small local tissue collections, high quality collection of fresh tissues from new clinical trials will be crucial for proper evaluation of associations with clinical outcome. For superficial bladder cancer, identification of tumors that will progress has long been perceived as a potential application of genetic studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study, we constructed the Protein-Protein Interactions (PPI) network using the Cytoscape and detected some network modeling clusters. In addition, we enriched GO categories among these genes in the first cluster and detected a pathway i.e. Spliceosome (hsa03040). Most Gene Ontology (GO) categories and Spliceosome were closely to RNA splicing and cellular macromolecular complex (CMC) assembly, which indicates that the mutation of RNA splicing and CMC assembly maybe important factors causing bladder cancer. RESULTS: In our study, these clusters of GO:0034622, GO:0006397 and GO:0034621 in bladder cancer belong to cellular macromolecular complex assembly, which may play an important role in the occurrence of cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: It is a great significance for the detection and treatment of bladder cancer to understand the mechanism of RNA splicing and CMC assembly.

Effects of soybean small peptides on rumen fermentation and on intestinal and total tract digestion of luxi yellow cattle.

Four Luxi beef cattle (400±10 kg) fitted with ruminal, duodenal and ileal cannulas were used in a 4×4 Latin square to assess the effects of soybean small peptide (SSP) infusion on rumen fermentation, diet digestion and flow of nutrient in the gastrointestinal tract. The ruminal infusion of SSP was 0 (control), 100, 200 and 300 g/d. Ruminal SSP infusion linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased microbial protein synthesis and rumen ammonia-N concentration. Concentrations of total volatile fatty acid were linearly increased (p = 0.029) by infusion SSP. Rumen samples were obtained for analysis of microbial ecology by real-time PCR. Populations of rumen Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Streptococcus bovis, Ciliate protozoa, Ruminococcus flavefaciens, and Prevotella ruminicola were expressed as a proportion of total Rumen bacterial 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid (rDNA). Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens populations which related to total bacterial 16S rDNA were increased (p<0.05), while Streptococcus bovis populations were linearly (p = 0.049) and quadratically (p = 0.020) decreased by infusion of SSP. Apparent rumen digestibility of DM and NDF were (Q, p<0.05; L, p<0.05) increased with infusion SSP. Total tract digestion of DM, OM and NDF were linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased by infusing SSP. The flow of total amino acids (AA), essential amino acids (EAA) and individual amino acids were linearly (p<0.01) and quadratically (p<0.01) increased with infusion SSP. The digestibility of Lysine was quadratically (p = 0.033) increased and apparent degradability of Arginine was linearly (p = 0.032) and quadratically (p = 0.042) increased with infusion SSP. The results indicated that infusion SSP could improve nutrient digestion, ruminal fermentation and AA availability.

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of a thermoset polymer, poly(benzoxazine), by pyrolysis-gas chromatography.

The chemical composition of a poly(benzoxazine) thermoset polymer (a copolymer of bisphenol-A benzoxazine and tert.-butylphenol benzoxazine) has been studied by pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC). Major pyrolysates have been identified and the possible degradation pathways have been investigated. A specific pyrolysate was identified for quantitative analysis after carefully proving the linear relationship between the pyrolysate signal intensity and monomer concentration over a wide range of compositions. A method to determine the concentration of the monomer that potentially acts as a cross-linking unit has been developed. In this study, Py-GC was shown to be an excellent analytical technique for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of thermoset polymers.

Acute intracranial subdural haematoma resulting from lumbar myelography.

We report a case of acute intracranial subdural haematoma after lumbar myelography with Iopamidol. The haematoma was successfully treated by emergency craniotomy. The bleeding came from cortical bridging veins as confirmed by surgery. This rare complication should be suspected in patients who complain of prolonged headache or develop a neurological deficit after myelography.