A 56‐day feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary glutamate (Glu) supplementation on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities and intestinal antioxidant capacity of ...grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). A total of 540 grass carp with average initial weight of 370 ± 3.8 g were fed three diets supplemented with 0, 8 and 16 g kg⁻¹ Glu. The per cent weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein and lipid productive value were significantly improved by dietary Glu supplementation. Feed intake, condition factor, visceral somatic index and perivisceral fat ratio were not significantly different between dietary groups. Hepatosomatic index, intestinal somatic index, intestine length index, intestine protein content, trypsin activity in hepatopancreas and intestine, lipase activity in proximal and mid‐intestine (MI) and hepatopancreas, alkaline phosphatase and gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase activities in intestine, creatine kinase activities in the mid‐ and distal intestine, intestinal folds height in the proximal and MI were significantly increased with increased Glu. Malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl contents in the intestine decreased with increased Glu. Superoxide anion and hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, glutathione reducase, catalase and total superoxide dismutase activities, and glutathione content in the intestine were increased with increased Glu. These results suggested that dietary Glu supplementation increased intestinal antioxidant capacity, digestive and absorptive ability and improved fish growth.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Quantum phase transitions (QPTs) are usually associated with many-body systems in the thermodynamic limit when their ground states show abrupt changes at zero temperature with variation of a ...parameter in the Hamiltonian. Recently it has been realized that a QPT can also occur in a system composed of only a two-level atom and a single-mode bosonic field, described by the quantum Rabi model (QRM). Here we report an experimental demonstration of a QPT in the QRM using a
Yb
ion in a Paul trap. We measure the spin-up state population and the average phonon number of the ion as two order parameters and observe clear evidence of the phase transition via adiabatic tuning of the coupling between the ion and its spatial motion. An experimental probe of the phase transition in a fundamental quantum optics model without imposing the thermodynamic limit opens up a window for controlled study of QPTs and quantum critical phenomena.
A total of 900 juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) (7.99 ± 0.02 g) were fed diets containing graded levels of xylanase at 220 (unsupplemented control), 650, 1070, 1480, 1810 and ...2470 U kg⁻¹ diet for 10 weeks to investigate the effects of xylanase levels on growth performance, intestinal enzyme activities and microflora. The per cent weight gain, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, protein production value, lipid production value, ash production value, calcium production value and phosphorus retention ratio were significantly improved with increasing levels of xylanase up to a point, and thereafter declined (P < 0.05). The activities of trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase and amylase in the hepatopancreas and intestine, activities of alkaline phosphatase, Na⁺, K⁺‐ATPase, creatine kinase and γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase in three intestinal segments were improved by dietary xylanase (P < 0.05). The amounts of Lactobacillus, Escherichia coli and Aeromonas were significantly affected by dietary xylanase levels (P < 0.05). In conclusion, xylanase supplementation improved growth performance, enhanced intestinal enzyme activities and influenced the balance of intestinal microflora of juvenile Jian carp. The optimal level of xylanase in juvenile Jian carp (7.99–99.16 g) based on PWG was 1259 U kg⁻¹ diet by the quadratic regression analysis.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Four extreme haze episodes occurred in October 2014 in the North China Plain (NCP). To clarify the formation mechanism of hazes in autumn, strengthened observations were conducted in Beijing from 5 ...October to 2 November. The meteorological parameters, satellite data, chemical compositions and optical properties of aerosols were obtained. The hazes originated from the NCP, developing in the southwest and northeast directions, with the highest concentration of PM2.5 of 469 mu g m-3 in Beijing. The NCP was dominated by a weak high pressure system during the haze episode, which resulted in low surface wind speed and relatively stagnant weather. Moreover, the wind slowed down around Beijing city. The secondary aerosols NO3- was always higher than that of SO42-, which indicated the motor vehicles played a more important part in the hazes in October 2014, even though the oxidation rate from SO2 to SO42- was faster than that of NOx to NO3-. Sudden increases of the concentrations of organic matter, Cl- and BC (black carbon) before each haze episode implied that regional transport of pollutants by biomass burning was important for haze formation during autumn. A satellite map of fire points and the backward trajectories of the air masses also indicated this pollution source. The distinct decrease in the PBL (planetary boundary layer) height during four haze episodes restrained the vertical dispersion of the air pollutants. Water vapor also played a vital role in the formation of hazes by accelerating the chemical transformation of secondary pollutants, leading to hygroscopic growth of aerosols and altering the thermal balance of the atmosphere.
We introduce and study in two dimensions a new class of dry, aligning active matter that exhibits a direct transition to orientational order, without the phase-separation phenomenology usually ...observed in this context. Characterized by self-propelled particles with velocity reversals and a ferromagnetic alignment of polarities, systems in this class display quasi-long-range polar order with continuously varying scaling exponents, yet a numerical study of the transition leads to conclude that it does not belong to the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless universality class but is best described as a standard critical point with an algebraic divergence of correlations. We rationalize these findings by showing that the interplay between order and density changes the role of defects.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Growth performance, digestive and absorptive capacities and target of rapamycin (TOR), ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) and eIF4E‐binding protein (4E‐BP) gene expression in the hepatopancreas and ...intestine of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) fed graded ratios of dietary alpha‐linolenic acid/linoleic acid (ALA/LNA) (0.01, 0.34, 0.68, 1.03, 1.41, 1.76 and 2.15) for 60 days were investigated. The results showed that ALA/LNA ratio of 1.03 significantly improved (i) per cent weight gain (PWG) and feed efficiency, (ii) hepatopancreatic trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase, amylase and intestinal creatine kinase (CK) activities, (iii) hepatopancreatic trypsinogen‐2 and chymotrypsinogen mRNA levels. Meanwhile, fish fed with ALA/LNA ratio of 0.68 significantly enhanced, (iv) Na+/K+‐ATPase and γ‐glutamyl transpeptidase activities in whole intestine, and alkaline phosphatase activities in the proximal intestine (PI) and distal intestine, (v) amylase, intestinal Na+/K+‐ATPase alpha‐subunit isoform 1, Na+/K+‐ATPase alpha‐subunit isoform 8 and CK mRNA abundances, (vi) TOR and S6K1 gene expression in the hepatopancreas and intestine of juvenile grass carp. Based on the quadratic regression analysis of PWG, cholecystokinin and leptin contents in the PI, optimal dietary ALA/LNA ratio of juvenile grass carp (8.78–72.00 g) was estimated to be 1.08, 1.19 and 1.05, respectively.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have important roles in diverse biological processes. Our previous study has revealed that lncRNA-MALAT1 deregulation is implicated in the pathogenesis of ...diabetes-related microvascular disease, diabetic retinopathy (DR). However, the role of MALAT1 in retinal vasculature remodeling still remains elusive. Here we show that MALAT1 expression is significantly upregulated in the retinas of STZ-induced diabetic rats and db/db mice. MALAT1 knockdown could obviously ameliorate DR in vivo, as shown by pericyte loss, capillary degeneration, microvascular leakage, and retinal inflammation. Moreover, MALAT1 knockdown could regulate retinal endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in vitro. The crosstalk between MALAT1 and p38 MAPK signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of endothelial cell function. MALAT1 upregulation represents a critical pathogenic mechanism for diabetes-induced microvascular dysfunction. Inhibition of MALAT1 may serve as a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy for diabetes-related microvascular complications.
Atherosclerosis is one of the most common vascular disorders. Endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. ...Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in several biological processes and human diseases. Here we show that lncRNA-RNCR3 is expressed in ECs and VSMCs. RNCR3 expression is significantly upregulated in mouse and human aortic atherosclerotic lesions, and cultured ECs and VSMCs upon ox-LDL treatment in vitro. RNCR3 knockdown accelerates the development of atherosclerosis, aggravates hypercholesterolemia and inflammatory factor releases, and decreases EC and VSMC proliferation in vivo. RNCR3 knockdown also reduces the proliferation and migration, and accelerates apoptosis development of EC and VSMC in vitro. RNCR3 acts as a ceRNA, and forms a feedback loop with Kruppel-like factor 2 and miR-185-5p to regulate cell function. This study reveals that RNCR3 has an atheroprotective role in atherosclerosis, and its intervention is a promising strategy for treating atherosclerosis-related vascular dysfunction.
We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses (mχ) via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on ...time-integrated (TI) and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1 kg day exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5 kg day exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive windows in mχ are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on σχNSI at 90% confidence level are derived as 2×10−32∼7×10−35 cm2 for TI analysis at mχ∼50–180 MeV/c2, and 3×10−32∼9×10−38 cm2 for AM analysis at mχ∼75 MeV/c2–3.0 GeV/c2.
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CMK, CTK, FMFMET, IJS, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Summary
Background
Tinea capitis is still common in developing countries, such as China. Its pathogen spectrum varies across regions and changes over time.
Objectives
This study aimed to clarify the ...current epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in China.
Methods
A multicentre, prospective descriptive study involving 29 tertiary hospitals in China was conducted. From August 2019 to July 2020, 611 patients with tinea capitis were enrolled. Data concerning demography, risk factors and fungal tests were collected. When necessary, the pathogens were further identified by morphology or molecular sequencing in the central laboratory.
Results
Among all enrolled patients, 74·1% of the cases were in patients aged 2–8 years. The children with tinea capitis were mainly boys (56·2%) and were more likely than adults to have a history of animal contact (57·4% vs. 35·3%, P = 0·012) and zoophilic dermatophyte infection (73·5% vs. 47%). The adults were mainly female (83%) and were more likely than children to have anthropophilic agent infection (53% vs. 23·9%). The most common pathogen was zoophilic Microsporum canis (354, 65·2%), followed by anthropophilic Trichophyton violaceum (74, 13·6%). In contrast to the eastern, western and northeastern regions, where zoophilic M. canis predominated, anthropophilic T. violaceum predominated in central China (69%, P < 0·001), where the patients had the most tinea at other sites (20%) and dermatophytosis contact (26%) but the least animal contact (39%). Microsporum ferrugineum was the most common anthropophilic agent in the western area, especially in Xinjiang province.
Conclusions
Boys aged approximately 5 years were the most commonly affected group. Dermatologists are advised to pay more attention to the different transmission routes and pathogen spectra in different age groups from different regions.
What is already known about this topic?
Tinea capitis is an infection of the scalp and hair caused by dermatophytes and is still common in developing countries. Prepubertal children are mainly affected.
The pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis varies across different geographical areas and changes over time.
Nationwide prospective epidemiological surveys of tinea capitis in China are rare and out of date.
What does this study add?
This study provides data concerning the epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in contemporary China.
Boys aged approximately 5 years were most commonly affected and were more likely than adults to have zoophilic dermatophyte infection.
The main pathogens of tinea capitis in China are zoophilic dermatophytes, mainly Microsporum canis. In contrast to the other regions, the predominant pathogens in central China are anthropophilic dermatophytes.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
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