Evaluation of forage production, feed value, and ensilability of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.).

Whole-plant corn (Zea may L.) and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] are major summer crops that can be fed as direct-cut or silage. Proso millet is a short-season growing crop with distinct agronomic characteristics that can be productive in marginal lands. However, information is limited about the potential production, feed value, and ensilability of proso millet forage. We evaluated proso millet as a silage crop in comparison with conventional silage crops. Proso millet was sown on June 8 and harvested on September 5 at soft-dough stage. Corn and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid were planted on May 10 and harvested on September 10 at the half milk-line and soft-dough stages, respectively. The fermentation was evaluated at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 days after ensiling. Although forage yield of proso millet was lower than corn and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, its relative feed value was greater than sorghum-sudangrass hybrid. Concentrations of dry matter (DM), crude protein, and water-soluble carbohydrate decreased commonly in the ensiling forage crops. The DM loss was greater in proso millet than those in corn and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid. The in vitro dry matter digestibility declined in the forage crops as fermentation progressed. In the early stages of fermentation, pH dropped rapidly, which was stabilized in the later stages. Compared to corn and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, the concentration of ammonia-nitrogen was greater in proso millet. The count of lactic acid bacteria reached the maximum level on day 10, with the values of 6.96, 7.77, and 6.95 Log10 CFU/g fresh weight for proso millet, corn, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, respectively. As ensiling progressed, the concentrations of lactic acid and acetic acid of the three crops increased and lactic acid proportion became higher in the order of sorghum-sudangrass hybrid, corn, and proso millet. Overall, the shorter, fast-growing proso millet comparing with corn and sorghum-sudangrass hybrid makes this forage crop an alternative option, particularly in areas where agricultural inputs are limited. However, additional research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of viable strategies such as chemical additives or microbial inoculants to minimize ammonia-nitrogen formation and DM loss during ensiling.

Effects of formic acid and lactic acid bacteria inoculant on main summer crop silages in Korea.

To improve the fermentation quality of silage and reduce the nutrients loss of raw materials during the ensiling process, silage additives are widely used. The effect of additives on silage is also affected by the species of crop. Therefore, this study was designed to explore the effects of formic acid (FA) and lactic acid bacterial inoculant on the quality of main summer crop silage. The experiment was consisted on split-plot design with three replications. The experiment used the main summer forage crops of proso millet ("Geumsilchal"), silage corn ("Gwangpyeongok"), and a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid ("Turbo-gold"). Treatments included silage with Lactic acid bacterial Inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum [LP], 1.0 × 106 CFU/g fresh matter), with FA (98%, 5 mL/kg), and a control (C, without additive). All silages were stored for 60 days after preparation. All additives significantly increased the crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of the silages and also reduced the content of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and pH. Corn had the highest content of IVDMD, total digestible nutrients and relative feed value among silages. Compared with the control, irrespective of whether FA or LP was added, the water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) of three crops was largely preserved and the WSC content in the proso millet treated with FA was the highest. The treatment of LP significantly increased the lactic acid content of the all silage, while the use of FA significantly increased the content of acetic acid (p < 0.05). The highest count of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was detected in the LP treatment of corn. In all FA treatment groups, the total microorganism and mold numbers were significantly lower than those of the control and LP groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, both additives improved the fermentation quality and nutritional composition of the main summer forage crops. The application of FA effectively inhibited the fermentation of the three crops, whereas LAB promoted fermentation. So, both FA and LP can improve the quality of various species of silage.

Effect of harvest dates on ß-carotene content and forage quality of rye (Secale cereale L.) silage and hay.

Limited data about the effects of various factors on forage quality and ß-carotene content of rye produced in Korea are available, so this study investigated the effects of two preservation methods. Samples were collected from rye harvested every 5 days between April 25 and May 31, and comparisons were done among rye silage wilted for different periods of time and hay of three growth stages of rye. For the silage, dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents increased with advanced maturity of rye, whereas crude protein, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), total digestible nutrients (TDN), relative feed value (RFV), and DM loss decreased (p < 0.0001). Wilting increased the DM content and pH value significantly (p < 0.0001). Silage harvested at the heading stage had the lowest pH value (4.45), propionic acid (0.83 g/kg DM), butyric acid (0 g/kg DM), and fungi and yeast populations (3.70 Log CFU/g of fresh matter [FM]); conversely, it had the highest lactic acid (9.7 g/kg DM), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (6.87 Log CFU/g of FM), total microorganisms (TM) (7.33 Log CFU/g of FM), and Flieg's score (70) (p < 0.0001). Wilting elevated LAB and TM populations, but it had no consistent effect on other fermentation products. Both delayed harvest and prolonged wilting decreased ß-carotene content. Rye silage harvested around May 9 (heading stage) with 24 h of wilting was preferred for highland, Pyeongchang. For rye hay, advanced maturity decreased DM loss, IVDMD, TDN, and RFV, but it increased DM, ADF, and NDF significantly (p < 0.05). ß-carotene was decreased by delay of hay-making. Consequently, to attain lower DM loss and higher hay quality, the harvest date of May 9 (heading stage) is recommended.

Changes in fermentation pattern and quality of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage by wilting and inoculant treatments.

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of wilting and microbial inoculant treatment on the fermentation pattern and quality of Italian ryegrass silage. METHODS: Italian ryegrass was harvested at heading stage and ensiled into vinyl bags (20 cm×30 cm) for 60d. Italian ryegrass was ensiled with 4 treatments (NWNA, no-wilting noadditive; NWA, no-wilting with additive; WNA, wilting no-additive; WA, wilting with additive) in 3 replications, wilting time was 5 hours and additives were treated with 106 cfu/g of Lactobacillus plantarum. The silages samples were collected at 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 days after ensiling and analyzed for the ensiling quality and characteristics of fermentation patterns. RESULTS: Wilting treatment resulted in lower crude protein and in vitro dry matter digestibility and there were no significant differences in acid detergent fiber (ADF), total digestible nutrient (TDN), water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC), ammonia content, and pH (p>0.05). However, wilting treatment resulted in higher ADF and neutral detergent fiber content of Italian ryegrass silage (p<0.05), and the WNA treatment showed the lowest TDN and in vitro dry matter digestibility. The pH of the silage was higher in the wilting group (WNA and WA) and lower in the additive treatment group. Meanwhile, the decrease in pH occurred sharply between the 3-5th day of storage. The ammonia nitrogen content was significantly lower in the additive treatment (p<0.05), and wilting had no effect. As fermentation progressed, the lactic and acetic acid contents were increased and showed the highest content at 30 days of storage. CONCLUSION: The wilting treatment did not significantly improve the silage fermentation, but the inoculant treatment improved the fermentation patterns and quality of the silage. So, inoculation before ensiling is recommended when preparing high quality of Italian ryegrass silage, and when wilting, it is recommended to combine inoculation for making high quality silage.

Surface-based regional homogeneity in bipolar disorder: A resting-state fMRI study.

Surface-based, two-dimensional regional homogeneity (2dReHo) was used in the current study to compare local functional synchronization of spontaneous neuronal activity between patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and healthy controls (HC), rather than volume-based, three-dimensional regional homogeneity (3dReHo) methods that have been previously described. Seventy-one BD patients and 113 HC participated in structural and resting-state fMRI scans. Participants ranged in age from 12 to 54 years. All subjects were rated with the Young Mania Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. BD patients showed reduced surface-based ReHo across the cortical surface, both at the global level and in the left ventral visual stream (VVS). Additionally, ReHo value across the cortical surface showed a significant negative correlation with age in both groups at the global level. Abnormal activity in the left VVS cortex may contribute to the pathogenesis of BD. Therefore, surface-based ReHo may be a useful index to explore the pathophysiology of BD.

5-HMF Attenuates Liver Fibrosis in CCl4-Plus-Alcohol-Induced Mice by Suppression of Oxidative Stress.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) on liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and alcohol. Male ICR mice were treated with CCl4 dissolved in olive oil (10% v/v, 2.5 µg/L) intraperitoneally (i.p.), and given at a dose of 2.5×10-5 mg/kg B.W. twice a week for 7 wk. Concurrently, mice received drinking water with or without alcohol. The mice in treatment groups and positive control group were gavaged with 5-HMF (7.5, 15, and 30 mg/kg B.W.) or Huganpian (350 mg/kg B.W.) daily starting in the fourth week and lasting for 4 wk. The blood samples were analyzed for biochemical markers of hepatic injury and tissue samples were subjected for estimation of liver antioxidants and histopathological studies. The concentrations of HA (hyaluronic acid), LN (laminin), CIV (collagen type IV), and MDA (malondialdehyde), as well as the serum levels of ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase) were markedly reduced by 5-HMF. On the other hand, enzymatic antioxidants SOD (superoxide dismutase), CAT (catalase) and GSH-Px (glutathione peroxidase) were markedly elevated in liver tissue treated with 5-HMF. Histopathological examination revealed that 5-HMF treatment noticeably prevented hepatocyte apoptosis, fatty degeneration and inflammatory cell infiltration on liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 and alcohol. Hoechst 33258 staining also revealed hepatocyte apoptosis. 5-HMF could exert protective effects against liver injury and reduce liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 and alcohol in mice.

Gene expression profiling identifies the novel role of immunoproteasome in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

The most well-known cause of chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity is doxorubicin (DOX). The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the main cellular machinery for protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. However, the expression pattern of the UPS in DOX-induced cardiotoxicity remains unclear. C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with a single dose of DOX (15mg/kg). After 1, 3 and 5 days, cardiac function and apoptosis were detected with echocardiography and TUNEL assay. Microarray assay and qPCR analysis were also performed at day 5. We found that DOX caused a significant decrease in cardiac function at day 5 and increase in cardiomyocyte apoptosis at days 3 and 5. Microarray data revealed that totally 1185 genes were significantly regulated in DOX-treated heart, and genes involved in apoptosis and the UPS were mostly altered. Among them, the expression of 3 immunoproteasome catalytic subunits (ß1i, ß2i and ß5i) was markedly down-regulated. Moreover, DOX significantly decreased proteasome activities and enhanced polyubiquitinated proteins in the heart. Importantly, overexpression of immunoproteasome catalytic subunits (ß1i, ß2i or ß5i) significantly attenuated DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and other UPS gene expression while knockdown of them significantly increased DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. These effects were partially associated with increased degradation of multiple pro-apoptotic proteins. In conclusion, our studies suggest that immunoproteasome plays an important role in DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and may be a novel therapeutic target for prevention of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Microarray and Co-expression Network Analysis of Genes Associated with Acute Doxorubicin Cardiomyopathy in Mice.

Clinical use of doxorubicin (DOX) in cancer therapy is limited by its dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. But molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have not been well defined. This study was to investigate the effect of DOX on the changes of global genomics in hearts. Acute cardiotoxicity was induced by giving C57BL/6J mice a single intraperitoneal injection of DOX (15 mg/kg). Cardiac function and apoptosis were monitored using echocardiography and TUNEL assay at days 1, 3 and 5. Myocardial glucose and ATP levels were measured. Microarray assays were used to screen gene expression profiles in the hearts at day 5, and the results were confirmed with qPCR analysis. DOX administration caused decreased cardiac function, increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis and decreased glucose and ATP levels. Microarrays showed 747 up-regulated genes and 438 down-regulated genes involved in seven main functional categories. Among them, metabolic pathway was the most affected by DOX. Several key genes, including 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate mutase (Bpgm), hexokinase 2, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, isoenzyme 4 and fructose-2,6-bisphosphate 2-phosphatase, are closely related to glucose metabolism. Gene co-expression networks suggested the core role of Bpgm in DOX cardiomyopathy. These results obtained in mice were further confirmed in cultured cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, genes involved in glucose metabolism, especially Bpgm, may play a central role in the pathogenesis of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity.

Berberine protects against palmitate-induced endothelial dysfunction: involvements of upregulation of AMPK and eNOS and downregulation of NOX4.

Endothelial dysfunction is a critical factor during the initiation of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Berberine can ameliorate endothelial dysfunction induced by diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of berberine on palmitate-induced endothelial dysfunction in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The cell viability of HUVECs was determined by MTT assays. Nitric oxide (NO) level and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined in supernatants or in the cultured HUVECs. The mRNA level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was measured by RT-PCR, and the protein levels of eNOS, p-eNOS, Akt, p-Akt, AMPK, p-AMPK, and NADPH oxidase (NOX4) were analyzed. The results demonstrated that berberine significantly elevated NO levels and reduced the production of ROS. The expressions of eNOS were significantly increased, while NOX4 protein expression was decreased in berberine-treated HUVECs. Moreover, berberine upregulated the protein expression of AMPK and p-AMPK in palmitate-treated HUVECs, but had no effect on the levels of Akt. Therefore, berberine ameliorates palmitate-induced endothelial dysfunction by upregulating eNOS expression and downregulating expression of NOX4. This regulatory effect of berberine may be related to the activation of AMPK.