Dietary dihydroartemisinin supplementation alleviates intestinal inflammatory injury through TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation

The aim of present study was to evaluate whether diets supplemented with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) could alleviate intestinal inflammatory injury in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Twelve normal birth weight (NBW) piglets and 12 piglets with IUGR were fed a basal diet (NBW-CON and IUCR-CON groups), and another 12 piglets with IUGR were fed the basal diet supplemented with DHA at 80 mg/kg (IUGR-DHA group) from 21 to 49 d of age. At 49 d of age, 8 piglets with similar body weight in each group were sacrificed. The jejunal and ileal samples were collected for further analysis. The results showed that IUGR impaired intestinal morphology, increased intestinal inflammatory response, raised enterocyte apoptosis and reduced enterocyte proliferation and activated transmembrane toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Dihydroartemisinin inclusion ameliorated intestinal morphology, indicated by increased villus height, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, villus surface area and decreased villus width of piglets with IUGR (P < 0.05). Compared with NBW piglets, IUGR piglets supplemented with DHA exhibited higher apoptosis index and caspase-3 expression, and lower proliferation index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in the intestine (P < 0.05). Dihydroartemisinin supplementation attenuated the intestinal inflammation of piglets with IUGR, indicated by increased concentrations of intestinal inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharides (P < 0.05). In addition, DHA supplementation down-regulated the related mRNA expressions of TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway and upregulated mRNA expressions of negative regulators of TLR4 and NOD signaling pathway in the intestine of piglets with IUGR (P < 0.05). Piglets in the IUGR-DHA group showed lower protein expressions of TLR4, phosphorylated NF-κB (pNF-κB) inhibitor α, nuclear pNF-κB, and higher protein expression of cytoplasmic pNF-κB in the intestine than those in the IUGR-CON group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, DHA supplementation could improve intestinal morphology, regulate enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis, and alleviate intestinal inflammation through TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway in weaned piglets with IUGR.     

Weed control and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) response to preplant incorporated herbicides and method of incorporation

Field studies were conducted at two sesame-growing regions of Texas in 2004 and 2005 to determine weed control and sesame response to four dinitroaniline herbicides and their method of incorporation. Ethalfluralin, pendimethalin (formulated as Prowl EC), and trifluralin were applied at the X, 1X, and 2X of the suggested label dose for Gossypium hirsutum L. Pendimethalin (formulated as Prowl H₂O) was applied at the X, 1X, and 1X rate. Two methods of incorporation included rolling cultivator mixing wheels and spring tooth harrow. With rolling cultivator mixing wheels, all herbicides controlled Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J.D. Sauer at least 74% regardless of dose. The X dose of ethalfluralin and pendimethalin (formulated as Prowl EC), or the X and 1X dose of pendimethalin (formulated as Prowl H₂O) controlled Brachiaria platyphylla (Griseb.) Nash no better than 73% while all other doses of the herbicides controlled B. platyphylla at least 80%. The use of mixing wheels to incorporate the herbicides resulted in better sesame stands and less stunting than the use of the spring tooth harrow; however, sesame stands were reduced as herbicide rate increased when using mixing wheels. Ethalfluralin at the 1X dose, pendimethalin (formulated as Prowl H₂O) at the X dose, and trifluralin at the X dose produced the highest sesame yield while ethalfluralin at the 2X dose produced the lowest yield.     

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange for Venom-Induced Thrombotic Microangiopathy Following Hump-Nosed Pit Viper (Genus: Hypnale) Bites: A Prospective Observational Study

Introduction—Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA), which is the triad of acute kidney injury (AKI), microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MAHA), and thrombocytopenia, is a rare complication of snakebites, and in Sri Lanka, it is commonly seen with hump-nosed pit viper (HNPV) bites.Methods—We conducted a prospective observational study of patients with AKI caused by HNPV bites in Teaching Hospital, Ratnapura, Sri Lanka for 6 y, commencing in June 2015. Some patients with TMA underwent therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) and some did not. These 2 groups were compared. Statistical analysis was carried out using Minitab 18.1. Data were presented as median (IQR).Results—There were 52 (8%) patients with TMA, of whom 21 (45%) were in the TPE group and 26 (55%) were in the non-TPE group. TPE improved time to platelet correction (4 d [IQR, 4–5 d] vs 7 d [IQR, 5–9 d]; P=0.009), time to MAHA correction (5 d [IQR, 3–4 d] vs 7 d [IQR, 6–9 d]; P=0.004), time to prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR) correction (1 d [IQR, 1–2 d] vs 3 d [IQR, 3–4 d]; P=0.003), and time to 20 min whole blood clotting test (WBCT20) correction (2 d [IQR, 1–2 d] vs 3 d [1QR 2–3 d]; P=0.020). Renal recovery was predicted by TPE (P=0.048) and highest creatinine level (P=0.001). There was no association between TPE and dialysis dependency at discharge (P=0.597), length of hospital stay (P=0.220), and the number of dialysis cycles prior to discharge (P=0.540). TPE did not improve the number of blood transfusions (5 packs [IQR, 3–8.5 packs] vs 4 packs [IQR, 0–9 packs]; P=0.290).Conclusions—TPE is effective for TMA in the early correction of platelet counts, MAHA, PT/INR, and WBCT20 in HNPV bites.     

基于响应面法的马铃薯分选机参数优化及试验*

为减少马铃薯在分选过程中的跌落损伤,探讨分选机的工作条件对马铃薯跌落损伤的影响,以“荷兰15”马铃薯为试验材料,以马铃薯分选机的输送速度、剔除力、马铃薯的下落高度和含水率为试验因素,以马铃薯的跌落损伤等级为响应值,进行二次回归正交旋转试验,通过Design-Expert 8.0.6软件对试验结果畸形方差分析,并通过响应面探究各试验因素对马铃薯的跌落损伤等级的影响规律,确定马铃薯分选机的最佳工作参数。跌落试验结果表明:对马铃薯跌落损伤等级的影响程度主次顺序为马铃薯含水率、下落高度、输送速度、剔除力。当马铃薯输送速度为0.3 m/s,剔除力为15 N,下落高度为45 cm,含水率为75.36%时,在该参数组合下分选机对马铃薯跌落损伤等级最小。试验所得马铃薯的实际跌落损伤等级为0.84,该结果与马铃薯跌落损伤预测等级具有良好的拟合性。     

极端低温对晚熟柑桔产业的影响及冻后补救措施

2020年冬季的极端低温天气对全国晚熟柑桔产业造成了较为严重的影响。为将冻害损失降至最低程度,以南充地区为例,通过实地调查、分析对比冻害发生情况,提出了晚熟柑桔冻害发生后的补救措施,为促进南充及相似产区晚熟柑桔产业有序恢复及后续发展提供参考。     

Influence of phosphate-buffered sucrose solution on early graft function in feline renal autotransplantation

Graft perfusion with cold heparinized saline has known to induce ischemia and reperfusion injury in feline kidney transplantation. In this study, the effects of phosphate-buffered sucrose solution and heparinized saline solution on early kidney graft function were compared in feline kidney autotransplantation. Perfusion of grafts with or without hypothermic storage with chilled phosphate-buffered sucrose solution prevented ischemia and reperfusion injury despite a very short ischemic time. The results of our study suggest that phosphate-buffered sucrose perfusion and storage solution should be effective to reduce ischemia and reperfusion injury despite a very short ischemic time in feline kidney transplantation.     

低温预贮对‘红阳’猕猴桃果实冷害及CBF转录因子表达的影响

以‘红阳’猕猴桃果实为试材,研究低温预贮[(5±1)℃3d]对‘红阳’猕猴桃果实冷害及转录因子CBF(C-repeat binding factor)表达的影响。结果表明,低温预贮处理可以有效地降低‘红阳’猕猴桃果实冷害率和冷害指数,显著减少膜脂过氧化产物丙二醛(MDA)的积累和抑制脂氧合酶(LOX)活性的增加,有效地抑制果实呼吸速率和乙烯释放速率,保持较高的过氧化物酶(POD)活性,降低多酚氧化酶(PPO)活性,促进CBF转录因子的表达,在贮藏末期失水较少,保持较高的好果率。可见,低温预贮处理可以减轻‘红阳’猕猴桃果实在低温贮藏过程中的冷害发生,促进CBF转录因子的表达,对控制‘红阳’猕猴桃果实冷害有较好的作用。