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The homeostasis dysfunctions caused by cold stress remain a threat to intestinal health, particularly for young broiler chickens. We hypothesized that adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) was involved in the regulation of cold stress on intestinal health. This study aimed to examine the effect of cold stress for 72 h on growth performance, serum biochemistry, intestinal barrier molecules, and AMPK in broilers. A total of 144 10-day-old male Arbor Acres broilers were subjected to temperature treatments (control 28 ± 1 °C vs cold stress 16 ± 1 °C) for 72 h. Growth performance was monitored, serum was collected for the analysis of physiological parameters, and jejunal mucosa was sampled for the determination of tight junction (TJ) proteins, heat shock proteins, and AMPK signaling molecules. Results showed that 72 h cold treatment reduced average BW gain and increased the feed conversion ratio of the broilers (P 0.05). In conclusion, cold stress significantly reduced the growth performance of broiler chickens. The intestinal barrier function might be impaired, and enhanced bacterial translocation might occur. The unregulated gene expression of TJ proteins implied the remodeling of intestinal barrier. The change of AMPK suggested the possible relationship between intestinal energy metabolism and barrier function under cold stress.

This study was aimed at comparing the postoperative analgesic effects of tolfenamic acid and meloxicam in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Ovariohysterectomy was performed in 24 female dogs. All dogs were administered pre-anaesthetic medication comprised of 0.02 mg/kg i.m. acepromazine, and general anaesthesia was induced with i.v. propofol (4-6 mg/kg) and maintained with 1.5-2.0% isoflurane. Dogs were divided into three groups (n = 8). Following induction of anaesthesia, group C received 0.05 ml/kg sterile saline i.m.; group T received 4 mg/kg tolfenamic acid i.m.; group M received 0.2 mg/kg meloxicam s.c. Heart rate, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, mean arterial pressure and arterial oxygen saturation of haemoglobin were monitored intraoperatively. Pain was assessed using the short form of the Glasgow composite pain scale (SF-GCPS) by two observers who were blinded to the treatment groups; pain was assessed at the time of pre-medication (baseline), and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h after extubation. Rescue analgesia (0.2 mg/kg i.m. methadone) was administered to any dog with an SF-GCPS score of greater than or equal to six during postoperative monitoring. The pain score in group C was significantly higher compared with group T and group M at 4, 6 and 8 h, while there were no significant differences between the two treatment groups. The mean pain score in group C was also higher than that in group M at 2 h. Rescue analgesia was first administered at 4 h in group C. Rescue analgesia was required by significantly more dogs in group C (n = 8) compared with groups T (n = 0) and M (n = 1), but there was no significant difference between the two treatment groups. Thus, tolfenamic acid and meloxicam provide adequate postoperative analgesia to similar degrees over 24 h in healthy dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Relieving perioperative pain can reduce postoperative suffering and improve recovery from anaesthesia in animals. The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic effects of nefopam and tramadol in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy. Twenty-four adult mixed-breed female dogs were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8) and received their respective treatments immediately after surgery: Group T (2 mg/kg tramadol, i.v.), Group C (1 mg/kg nefopam, i.v.) and Group D (2 mg/kg nefopam, i.v.). The heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), respiratory rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) were measured and the level of analgesia was assessed using the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale (CMPS-SF). The CMPS-SF was performed at least two days before premedication (baseline), every 2 h for the first 8 h (post-extubation), at 12 h and at 24 h. Results showed that the HR in all groups was significantly (P < 0.05) higher at 2 and 6 h than at baseline. The RR in Group T was significantly higher (P < 0.05) at 0 and 2 h than at baseline. Rescue analgesia (0.2 mg/kg morphine, i.v.) was provided if CMPS-SF pain scores greater than or equal to six. Four dogs required rescue analgesia: one dog in Group T at 2 h and three dogs in Group C at 2 and 6 h. No dogs in Group D required rescue analgesia. The CMPS-SF pain scores of dogs in Group C were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in Group T at 6, 8 and 12 h. The scores in Group D were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those in Group C at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 h. The scores in Group D were significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those in Group T at 2 and 4 h. However, the scores in Group D were not significantly different compared with Group T. In conclusion, this study suggests that nefopam at 2 mg/kg i.v. produces better postoperative analgesia compared with tramadol at 2 mg/kg i.v. or nefopam at 1 mg/kg i.v. in dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy.

Oxidative stress in the body occurs when the production of free radicals overwhelms the antioxidant defence systems. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a combination of dexmedetomidine, midazolam, butorphanol, and atropine (DMBA) as an anaesthetic on plasma oxidative status in twelve raccoon dogs. Baseline measures were recorded prior to anaesthesia, and then the animals were anaesthetised with the combination of dexmedetomidine (25 ug/kg), midazolam (0.45 mg/kg), butorphanol (0.25 mg/kg), and atropine (0.035 mg/kg). Temperature, respiratory rate, haemoglobin saturation by oxygen, pulse rate, systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, and mean arterial pressure were continually monitored. Blood pressure was significantly decreased at 30 to 60 min (P < 0.05). Pulse rate ranged from 96 to 123 bpm, without episodes of severe bradycardia or tachycardia. Blood samples were collected from saphenous venipuncture at 0, 0.5, 1, and 24 h before, during, and after anaesthesia. Plasma superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activity, and malondialdehyde concentrations were measured by colorimetry, and plasma vitamin E level was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 0.5 h, and then gradually decreased to baseline values after 1 h. Catalase activity increased significantly (P < 0.05) at 0.5 h, 1 h, and then gradually decreased to baseline values after 24 h. There was no significant change in vitamin E level (P < 0.05).The concentration of malondialdehyde decreased significantly at 0.5, 1, and 24 h after injection (P < 0.05). The results show that the administered dose of dexmedetomidine, midazolam, butorphanol, and atropine has antioxidant effects in raccoon dogs. Our study is the first to demonstrate that dexmedetomidine, midazolam, butorphanol, and atropine exert antioxidant effects, which may be exploited to alleviate the stress of examination and research at veterinary clinics.

A new isotope 203Ac was produced in the reaction 40Ca + 169Tm at beam energy of 226 MeV. One correlated α-decay chain was attributed to 203Ac. The α-particle energy and half-life were determined to be 8217(16) keV and 56−26+269 μs, respectively. The reduced α-decay width (δ2) of 203Ac was deduced to be 1096−906+921 keV, which indicates a favored α decay. The systematics of δ2 and single-particle energy levels indicate that the new state probably arises from the intruder s1/2 configuration, which shows an onset of deformation in Ac isotopes. The proton separation energy Sp of 203Ac was extracted as −1214(22) keV and the systematics of Sp for odd-A isotopes beyond proton drip line were discussed.

ABSTRACT: The passion fruit peel (PFP) is the by-product of juice processing and is rich in phenolic compounds and dietary fibers. As the high ADF content in PFP (34.20%), we proceeded to treat PFP with cellulase. The ADF decreased to 16.70% after enzymatic processing, and we supposed that enzymolytic passion fruit peel (EPF) should have a greater growth performance than PFP to broilers. Two trials were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary PFP or EPF supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemical indices, meat quality, and cecal short-chain fatty acids, microbiota, and metabolites in broilers. In Exp. 1, 180 1-day-old Sanhuang broilers (male, 36.17 ± 2.47 g) were randomly allocated into 3 treatments, with 6 replicates in each treatment. The 3 experimental diets included 1 basal diet (control) and 2 PFP-added diets supplemented with 1 and 2% PFP, respectively. The trial lasted for 42 d. In Exp. 2, 144 Sanhuang broilers (male, 112-day-old, 1.62 ± 0.21 kg) were randomly allocated to 3 treatments. Each treatment was distributed among 6 pens, and each pen contained 8 broilers. The 3 treatment diets included: a control diet, a positive control diet supplementing 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline, and the experimental diet supplementing 3% EPF. The trial lasted for 56 d. Results showed that dietary 1 and 2% PFP addition did not affect growth performance in Exp. 1, and the 3% EPF supplementation had a negative effect on ADFI (P < 0.05) in Exp. 2. A decreased serum triglyceride (P < 0.05) in broilers was observed in Exp. 1. Broilers fed EPF had a higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (P < 0.05), and lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (P < 0.05) and glucose (P < 0.05) in Exp. 2. We also found that broilers from PFP or EPF-treated treatments had an increased butyrate content and higher microbial diversity in the cecum. The effects of antioxidation, anti-inflammatory function, and elevated SCFAs were confirmed after the microbe and untargeted metabolomic analysis. Dietary EPF supplementation significantly increased the SCFA-generating bacteria, anti-inflammatory-related bacteria, the antioxidant-related and anti-inflammatory-related metabolites. Moreover, dietary 3% EPF addition positively affects the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids, which strongly correlate with the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, the proper addition level did not affect the growth performance, and the PFP and EPF could improve the antioxidation state, anti-inflammatory activity, and intestinal functions of Sanhuang broilers to some extent.

A new proton-unbound isotope 204Ac was produced in the fusion-evaporation reaction Tm(40169Ca,5n)204Ac and identified via the recoil-α correlation at the gas-filled recoiled separators SHANS2 and SHANS. The excitation function for producing 204Ac was measured and the optimal beam energy was evaluated to be 212 MeV. Nineteen ER - α1 - α2 - α3 decay chains were observed for this isotope. Based on these chains, the α-particle energy and half-life of 204Ac were determined to be 7948(15) keV and 7.4−1.4+2.2 ms, respectively. Both are consistent with the theoretical prediction. The reduced α-decay width was deduced to be 49−15+10 keV, which indicates a favored α decay for 204Ac. In addition, more precise decay properties of Eα = 7883(15) keV and T1/2 = 7.7−1.6+2.7 ms were obtained for 205Ac.

At present, most total knee replacement (TKR) prostheses on the market are designed according to the sizes of Caucasians. However, extensive studies have indicated that human anatomies differ among different ethnicities. A number of reports have indicated that Chinese TKR patients do not match with available prostheses. In this study, computed tomography (CT) images of 52 knees of Chinese men and women were used for anthropometric measurements. Index and geometric measurements were defined and used for correlation analysis. Key parameters from the measurement results were identified. Detailed geometries of knees were measured as coordinates. A deformable three-dimensional (3D) knee model based on anatomical coordinates correlating with the identified key parameters was generated. A prosthesis was then designed according to the analyzed results. Surface matching analysis, bone resection analysis, and cadaveric trials were conducted and compared with commercial products to validate the proposed design. The femoral component designed by this study resulted in the highest accuracy (root mean square point-to-surface (RMS PS), (1.08 ± 0.20) mm) and lowest amount of resected bone volume (27 412 mm3) in comparison with two commercial knee prostheses. This study suggests a new approach for population-based patient-specific femoral prosthesis design. With a single, easily acquired dimension—namely, epicondyle width (ECW)—as input, a patient-specific femoral prosthesis can be designed according to the analyzed measured data and manufactured by additive manufacturing (AM) methods. Meanwhile, the reconstructed femoral condylar surface was compared with the femoral condylar surface in the original CT scanning data. The average RMS PS distance of the reconstructed femoral condylar surface among all data was (1.10 ± 0.18) mm, which is comparable to other statistical shape modeling methods using multiple radiographs as input data. There is a need to develop an anthropometric-based knee prosthesis for the Chinese population. Based on the anthropometry of the Chinese population, our new design fits Chinese patients better and reserves more bone volume compared with current commercial prostheses, which is an essential step toward AM for personalized knee prostheses.

The purpose of this study is to determine the chemical composition of the essential oils of Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl leaves (CCPL) from 5 different habitats in China by GC-MS, and to evaluate their antimicrobial activities against 3 foodborne pathogens, using a paper disc diffusion method. A total of 30 compounds were identified with a predominance of oxygenated monoterpenes, including linalool (42.65%-96.47%), eucalyptol (39.07%-55.35%) and camphor (26.08%) as well as monoterpene hydrocarbons such as sabinene (6.18%-12.93%) and α-terpineol (8.19%-13.81%). Through cluster analysis, CCPL from 5 different habitats can be well divided into 2 categories. Combining with principal component analysis, the habitats can be better correlated with the chemical constituents of the essential oils. The antimicrobial activities of 5 extracted essential oils against 2 gram-negative bacteria and one gram-positive bacteria were assessed. It showed that the essential oil extracted from the CCPL harvested in Jinxi had the strongest antibacterial property. The results of this study provided basis for resource identification of CCPL and quality difference identification of essential oils. Research on the antibacterial properties of several pathogenic strains has proved its application value as a natural food preservative.

Vitamin A is easily degraded by environmental factors. Therefore, it is very important to add antioxidants during Vitamin A production. In the past, ethoxyquin (EQ) was widely used, but recent studies have found that it has potential toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the antioxidant activities of 4 antioxidants in vitro: EQ, butylated hydroxytoluene, α-tocopherol and L-ascorbic acid sodium salt (Vitamin C sodium). In vitro experiments showed that Vitamin C sodium had better antioxidant capacity. Then, we explored the effects of different antioxidant types of Vitamin A on the growth performance, immune function and antioxidant capacity of weaned pigs. In total, 288 weaned piglets with an initial mean BW of 8.34 ± 0.02 kg at 30 days old were randomly divided into three groups with four replicates and 24 piglets per replicate for 35 days of feeding. The experimental diets were as follows: i) basal diet without external Vitamin A (NC); ii) basal diet supplemented with 12000 IU/kg EQ Vitamin A and iii) basal diet supplemented with 12000 IU/kg Vitamin C sodium Vitamin A. On day 36, two pigs from each replicate were selected to collect serum samples. The in vivo results showed that pigs in the EQ Vitamin A and Vitamin C sodium Vitamin A groups had significantly higher final weight and average daily gain (P

Effective diffusivity is one of the basic transport coefficients used to describe the mass transport capability of a porous medium. In this study, a deep learning method based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) with sample structure information self-amplification is proposed to predict the effective diffusivity of a porous medium, which is considerably influenced by the morphological and topological parameters of the porous medium. In this method, the geometric structures of three-dimensional (3D) porous media are reproduced via a stochastic reconstruction method. Datasets of the effective diffusivities of the reconstructed porous media were first established by the pore-scale lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) simulation. A large number of geometric structures of 3D porous media are obtained using the proposed sample structure information self-amplification approach. The 3D geometric structure information and corresponding effective diffusivities are directionally applied to a CNN for training and prediction. The effective diffusivities of media with porosities ranging from 0.48 to 0.58 are employed as training datasets, and the effective diffusivities of media with a broader porosity range of 0.39 to 0.79 are predicted by CNN. The CNN model can achieve a fast and accurate prediction of the effective diffusivity. The relative error between the CNN and LBM is 0.026%–8.95% with porosities ranging from 0.39 to 0.79. For a typical case with a porosity of 0.5, the computation time required by the CNN model is only 3 × 10−4 h, while the computation time for the same case is 16.96 h using the LBM. These findings indicate that the proposed deep learning method has a powerful learning ability; it is time-saving, provides accurate predictions, and can serve as a promising and powerful tool to predict the transport coefficients of complex porous media.

With the comprehensive development of the quality education, more and more colleges begin to pay attention to the physical education for the college students. Evaluating the teaching quality for the physical education can enhance the physical teaching management of the colleges. In this paper, we combine the AHP method with the TOPSIS method and propose the RAHPTOPSIS method In order to evaluate accurately the teaching quality for the college physical education. Then, we use the method to evaluate the teaching quality evaluation of the college physical education. The evaluation results show that the method is validity and accuracy.