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Aims This study aimed to separate the effects of chemical and microbial factors on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of ensiled Pennisetum giganteum. Methods and Results Fresh P. giganteum of two vegetative stages (stage I, GI; stage II, GII) was treated as follows: GI epiphytic microbiota + γ-ray presterilized GI (MICI), GII epiphytic microbiota + γ-ray presterilized GI (MIICI), GI epiphytic microbiota + γ-ray presterilized GII (MICII), and GII epiphytic microbiota + γ-ray presterilized GII (MIICII). Triplicates per treatment were sampled after 30 days of ensiling for chemical and microbial analyses and high-throughput sequencing. Silages made from CII (MICII and MIICII) had higher lactic acid concentration and the ratio of lactic to acetic acid, and lower pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration than silages produced by CI (MICI and MIICI). Species differential analyses showed that the changes of chemical composition rather than epiphytic microbiota significantly affected the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Pediococcus and Pantoea in P. giganteum silages. Conclusion These above results manifested that chemical composition was the main factor influencing the fermentation quality and bacterial community of P. giganteum silage in this study. Significance and Impact of the Study The obtained results may, therefore, be the first record to provide an in-depth understanding of the relative contributions of chemical and microbial parameters on fermentation quality and bacterial community, which is of great importance for modulating silage fermentation and improving silage quality.

BACKROUND The study aims to reveal effects of hexanoic acid on microbial community, fermentation and hygienic quality of corn silages with or without fungal infection. Fungal infested (FI) and non-infested (NFI) whole-crop corn were separately ensiled without (control, CON) or with Hexanoic acid (Hex, 90% purity) at 0.2 g·kg-1 fresh weight (FW). RESULT The addition of Hex accelerated the pH decline during the first 5 d of ensiling regardless of fungal infestation. The lactic acid (LA) concentration in Hex silages was lower than that of CON during 45 d of ensiling, however the FI-Hex silage had the highest LA concentration among treatments on d 90. The Hex silage showed lower aflatoxin B1 (AFB1 ), zearalenone (ZEA), and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentrations than CON for FI silages. On d 5, the addition of Hex decreased the relative abundance of Klebsiella, Pantoea, and Enterobacter compared with CON regardless of fungal infestation, this inhibitory effect last until d 90 for NFI silages but disappeared for FI silages on d 90. The fungal infestation resulted in accumulation of Candida (34.05%) and Wickerhamomyces (19.46%). Hex decreased the relative abundance of Asperigillus, Issatchenkia and Penicillium for NFI silages on d 5, however its inhibitory effects was not observed in FI silages on d 5. CONCLUSION Fungal infestation was associated with poor fermentation and hygienic quality of corn silage, adding Hex accelerated the pH decline and maintained the antifungal activity until 90 d of ensiling, attenuating adverse effects of fungal infestation on the fermentation and preventing the accumulation of mycotoxins in corn silages. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Bovine mammary epithelial cells undergo an increase in metabolic rate, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress after calving. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NFE2L2), a master regulator of cellular redox homeostasis, plays crucial roles in the regulation of mitochondrial function. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of NFE2L2 on mitochondrial function in bovine mammary epithelial cells under hyperlipidemic conditions. Three experiments were conducted as follows: (1) the immortalized bovine mammary epithelial cell line MAC-T was treated with various concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA; 0, 0.6, 1.2, or 2.4 mM) for 24 h to induce stress; (2) MAC-T cells were transfected with small interfering RNA targeting NFE2L2 (si-NFE2L2) and scrambled nontarget negative control (si-Control) for 48 h; and (3) MAC-T cells were pretreated with 10 μM sulforaphane (SFN), an activator of NFE2L2, for 24 h followed by treatment with 1.2 mM FFA for an additional 24 h. Results indicated that exogenous FFA challenge induced linear and quadratic increases in concentrations of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). Compared with 0 mM FFA, mitochondrial membrane potential, mRNA abundance of oxidative phosphorylation complexes (CO I-V), protein abundance of nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), and NFE2L2 along with the contents of ATP, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and total mitochondria were greater in the MAC-T challenged with 0.6 mM FFA group, but lower in the 1.2 and 2.4 mM FFA cultures. Knockdown of NFE2L2 via small interfering RNA led to greater mitochondrial ROS content and lower mitochondrial membrane potential along with contents of ATP, mtDNA, and total mitochondria. The SFN pretreatment upregulated protein abundance of NFE2L2 and attenuated the downregulation of NFE2L2 induced by FFA. Pretreatment with SFN attenuated the downregulation induced by FFA of PGC-1α, NRF1, and TFAM protein abundance along with contents of mtDNA and total mitochondria. Furthermore, SFN pretreatment attenuated the upregulation of mitochondrial ROS content, the downregulation of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the decreases in ATP, mtDNA, and mitochondrial content induced by FFA. Overall, data indicated that FFA inhibit NFE2L2, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and ROS production in bovine mammary epithelial cells. Thus, NFE2L2 may be a promising therapeutic target against metabolic challenge-driven mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

AIMS To investigate the effects of epiphytic microbiota from napiergrass and Sudan grass on ensiling characteristics and microbial community of oat silage. METHODS AND RESULTS By γ-ray irradiation sterilization and microbiota transplantation technology, the sterilized oat was inoculated as follows: (a) aseptic water (STOT), (b) epiphytic bacteria on oat (OTOT), (c) epiphytic bacteria on napiergrass (OTNP) and (d) epiphytic bacteria on Sudan grass (OTSD). STOT remained in the unfermented state based on similar chemical components with fresh oat. Compared with OTOT and OTSD, higher lactic acid content and ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid, and lower pH, acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen contents were observed in OTNP after 60 days of ensiling. At the late stage, Lactobacillus was the most predominant in each group. Lactococcus was eventually replaced by Lactobacillus in OTSD, whereas Lactococcus was found throughout the whole ensiling process in OTNP. Higher abundance of Weissella was observed in OTSD at the early and late stages. The result of co-occurrence network analysis proved that Lactococcus was pivotal in determining the silage fermentation pattern during ensiling. According to the 16S rRNA gene-predicted functional profiles, the inoculation of epiphytic microbiota from oat enhanced the metabolism of amino acids, whereas the inoculation of epiphytic microbiota from napiergrass and Sudan grass accelerated the carbohydrate metabolism. CONCLUSIONS The epiphytic microbiota on napiergrass promoted a homo-fermentative process, whereas the epiphytic microbiota on oat and Sudan grass facilitated a hetero-fermentative pattern in oat silage, which was closely related to the abundance and metabolism of Lactococcus, Weissella and Lactobacillus. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The exogenous microorganisms that promote the carbohydrate metabolism and inhibit the metabolism of amino acids could be a good potential source to improve the silage quality of temperate grass.

Soil fertility plays a key role in citrus productivity. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the effects of soil amendments on soil fertility and citrus productivity and estimate carbon fractions’ suitability, which response to soil fertility and citrus productivity. A field experiment in a citrus orchard was conducted containing five treatments: local habit fertilization (LF), special fertilizer [25% lower NPK than LF, (SF)], special fertilizer, and rice straw mulching [0%, 12.5%, and 25% NPK higher than LF (SFRS25, SFRS37.5, and SFRS50, respectively)]. Total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), permanganate oxidizable carbon (ROC), available N, P, K, fruit yield, and quality were analyzed. Straw mulching and special fertilizer significantly increased soil carbon fractions, such as MBC and ROC. Such treatments also enhanced the soil available N, P, and K, subsequently elevated the fruit yield. MBC, available K, and available P showed a significantly positive correlation with citrus yield. Redundancy analysis indicated that MBC and ROC significantly explained 61.87% of the variation for available nutrients, suggesting that the increase of organic carbon fractions and microbial biomass could accelerate nutrient cycling for the plant. It proved that decrement application of special compound fertilizer with straw mulching raised fruit yield by altering soil carbon fractions to improve soil available nutrients or fertility. The MBC of soil labile carbon responded more sensitively to not only soil fertility but also citrus fruit yield.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of storage time and formic acid (FA) on fermentation characteristics, epiphytic microflora, carbohydrate components and in vitro digestibility of rice straw silage.Methods: Fresh rice straw was ensiled with four levels of FA (0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, and 0.6% of fresh weight) for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30, and 60 d. At each time point, the silos were opened and sampled for chemical and microbial analyses. Meanwhile, the fresh and 60-d ensiled rice straw were further subjected to in vitro analyses.Results: The results showed that 0.2% and 0.6% FA both produced well-preserved silages with low pH value and undetected butyric acid, whereas it was converse for 0.4% FA. The populations of enterobacteria, yeasts, moulds and aerobic bacteria were suppressed by 0.2% and 0.6% FA, resulting in lower dry matter loss, ammonia nitrogen and ethanol content (pin vitro gas production of rice straw was decreased by ensilage but the initial gas production rate was increased, and further improved by FA application (pin vitro digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre was observed (p>0.05).Conclusion: The 0.2% FA application level promoted lactic acid fermentation while 0.6% FA restricted all microbial fermentation of rice straw silages. Rice straw ensiled with 0.2% FA or 0.6% FA improved its nutrient preservation without affecting digestion, with the 0.6% FA level best.

Background Bovine mammary epithelial cells after calving undergo serious metabolic challenges and oxidative stress both of which could compromise autophagy. Transcription factor EB (TFEB)-mediated autophagy is an important cytoprotective mechanism against oxidative stress. However, effects of TFEB-mediated autophagy on the oxidative stress of bovine mammary epithelial cells remain unknown. Therefore, the main aim of the study was to investigate the role of TFEB-mediated autophagy in bovine mammary epithelial cells experiencing oxidative stress. Results H2O2 challenge of the bovine mammary epithelial cell MAC-T increased protein abundance of LC3-II, increased number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes while decreased protein abundance of p62. Inhibition of autophagy via bafilomycin A1 aggravated H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and apoptosis in MAC-T cells. Furthermore, H2O2 treatment triggered the translocation of TFEB into the nucleus. Knockdown of TFEB by siRNA reversed the effect of H2O2 on protein abundance of LC3-II and p62 as well as the number of autophagosomes and autolysosomes. Overexpression of TFEB activated autophagy and attenuated H2O2-induced ROS accumulation. Furthermore, TFEB overexpression attenuated H2O2-induced apoptosis by downregulating the caspase apoptotic pathway. Conclusions Our results indicate that activation of TFEB mediated autophagy alleviates H2O2-induced oxidative damage by reducing ROS accumulation and inhibiting caspase-dependent apoptosis.

Objective: To investigate the improvement in utilization efficiency of total mixed ration (TMR) on Tibetan plateau, TMR were ensiled with different additives.Methods: A total of 150 experimental silos were prepared in a completely randomized design to evaluate the six treatments: i) control (without additive), ii) Lactobacillus buchneri (L. buchneri), iii) acetic acid, iv) propionic acid, v) 1,2-propanediol; and vi) 1-propanol. After 90 days of ensiling, silos were opened for fermentation quality and in vitro analysis, and then subjected to an aerobic stability test for 14 days.Results: Treating with L. buchneri, acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol decreased propionic acid contents and yeast number, whereas increased (p0.05) all in vitro parameters including gas production at 24 h (GP24), GP rate constant, potential GP, in vitro DM digestibility and in vitro neutral detergent fibre digestibility. All additives improved the aerobic stability of ensiled TMR to different extents. Specially, aerobic stability of the ensiled TMR were substantially improved by L. buchneri, acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol, and 1-propanol, indicated by stable pH and lactic acid content during the aerobic stability test.Conclusion: L. buchneri, acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol, and 1-propanol had no adverse effect on in vitro digestibility, while ensiling TMR with the additives produced more acetic acid and ethanol, subsequently resulting in improvement of aerobic stability. There is a potential for some fermentation boosting additives to enhance aerobic stability of fermented TMR on Tibetan plateau.

To evaluate the feasibility of bamboo shoot shell (BSS) application in total mixed ration silage (TMR) production, the effects of BSS substitution for whole-crop corn on the fermentation characteristics, nutritive value, aerobic stability and in vitro parameters of TMR silage were studied. Four TMR formulations were designed based on dry matter: (1) 0% bamboo shoot shell + 23% whole-crop corn (BSS0 ); (2) 4% bamboo shoot shell + 19% whole-crop corn (BSS4 ); (3) 8% bamboo shoot shell + 15% whole-crop corn (BSS8 ); and (4) 12% bamboo shoot shell + 11% whole-crop corn (BSS12 ). After 90 days of ensiling, the silos were opened and sampled for fermentation characteristics, nutritive value and in vitro analyses, and subsequent 14-day aerobic stability test. All TMR silages were well preserved except BSS12 , characterized by high lactic acid content and V-score, low pH and NH3 -N and butyric acid content. With increasing proportion of BSS, crude protein increased (p .05) difference of BSS substitution was observed on in vitro ruminal gas production, digestibility, metabolizable energy and net energy for lactation. The substitution of whole-crop corn with 4% BSS and 8% BSS had no undesired effect on the fermentation characteristics and in vitro digestibility, and efficiently improving the aerobic stability of TMR silages. The BSS8 substitution level is recommended to maximize the BSS utilization.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of substituting Pennisetum sinese with bamboo shoot shell (BSS) on the fermentation quality, chemical composition, in vitro digestibility and aerobic stability of ensiled total mixed ration (TMR). Four ensiled TMRs were designed on fresh matter basis: (i) 45% P. sinese (BSS0); (ii) 15% BSS + 30% P. sinese (BSS15); (iii) 25% BSS + 20% P. sinese (BSS25); (iv) 35% BSS + 10% P. sinese (BSS35). All silages were moderately fermented according to the V-score. Substituting P. sinese with BSS increased acetic acid content and decreased ethanol and ammonia nitrogen contents (p .05). The substitution of P. sinese with BSS had no adverse effect on the fermentation quality and in vitro digestibility while efficiently improving the aerobic stability of ensiled TMR. The BSS35 substitution level is recommended considering the maximum utilisation of BSS.HIGHLIGHTS Bamboo shoot shell (BSS) was explored for ensiled TMR. BSS had no effect on the silage digestibility. BSS improved aerobic stability.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of cellulolytic lactic acid bacteria on the lignocellulose degradation, sugar profile and lactic acid fermentation of high-moisture alfalfa during anaerobic bioprocessing in low-temperature seasons. Last cut and low dry matter (DM) alfalfa was ensiled with five additives, commercial cellulase (EN), a combination of Lactobacillus plantarum and commercial cellulase (LPEN), a combination of engineered Lactococcus lactis strains (HT2) containing cellulase gene, Enterococcus faecium Y83 (EF83), or Enterococcus faecalis JF85 (EF85), and without additives, as the control, with four replicates each. After anaerobic preservation in a silo from late fall through winter (3 to 20 °C) for 140 days, the ensiled alfalfa was sampled and analysed. Compared with the control, EF85 increased the relative contents of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and cellulose and decreased contents of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) and lactic acid, and the conversion of WSCs into lactic acid. Consequently, lactic acid fermentation was decreased in EF85. Compared with the control, supplementation with EN, EF83, HT2, and LPEN decreased contents of NDF, ADF, cellulose, and hemicellulose and increased the contents of WSCs, disaccharide, xylose, and arabinose; interestingly, compared with EN, supplementation with EF83, HT2 and LPEN increased the lactic acid content and the ratio of lactic acid to acetic acid as indicated by strong homo-lactic acid fermentation. Furthermore, HT2 increased the lactic acid concentration to a maximum of 72.2 g/kg DM and had a higher conversion of WSCs into lactic acid than EF83 (36.3%) and LPEN (17.9%), indicating that HT2 had a greater ability to ferment lignocellulose of alfalfa into lactic acid. Therefore, HT2 could enhance the lactic acid production of alfalfa during ensiling in low-temperature seasons.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of citric acid residue (CAR) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on fermentation quality and aerobic stability of alfalfa silage. Alfalfa was treated as follows: (1) control without additive (CON); (2) LAB (L); (3) 12 g/kg CAR (C); (4) 12 g/kg CAR + LAB (CL) and fermented for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30 and 45 days. The residual silages ensiled for 45 days were evaluated for aerobic stability. The results showed that addition of CAR with or without LAB inoculant decreased pH, acetic acid, ammonia nitrogen , neutral detergent fibre, hemicellulose contents and Enterobacteriaceae counts (p

Aims The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of hexanoic acid (Hex) as a silage additive. Methods and results The effect of Hex, Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) and their combination (Hex + Lp) on the aerobic stability of napier grass silage was investigated. Napier grass was ensiled without additives (C) or with Lp, Hex or Hex + Lp for 60 days followed by 7 days of aerobic exposure. After 60 days of ensiling, the Lp silage had the lowest pH and the highest lactic acid (LA) concentration among all silage, whereas the highest water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content was observed in Hex + Lp silage, followed by Hex silage. After 60 days of ensiling, the population of yeasts in C and Lp silages was > 3·0 log10 CFU per g FW, while that of Hex and Hex + Lp was Conclusion Addition of Hex (97 h) and Hex + Lp (>168 h) improved aerobic stability (P Significance and impact of the study Hex or in combination with L. plantarum inhibited the proliferation of yeasts during aerobic exposure of napier grass. Thus, Hex is an alternative antifungal additive to improve aerobic stability.

AIMS To evaluate the effects of various epiphytic microbiota from Italian ryegrass (IR), maize (MZ) and sorghum (SG) on fermentative profile and microbial community dynamics in sterile IR. METHODS AND RESULTS Using microbiota transplantation, the irradiated IR was treated with the following: (i) sterile water; (ii) epiphytic microbiota on IR (IRIR); (iii) epiphytic microbiota on MZ (IRMZ); (iv) epiphytic microbiota on SG (IRSG). After 60 days of ensiling, MZ and SG microbiota significantly (P

In this paper, thermal shock experiments at different temperatures and cycles were carried out on red sandstone. Its surface properties, including color and roughness, were systematically studied. The results show that the color change of sandstone is mainly related to two compositions: one is goethite, the other is calcium carbonate (CaCO3). The oxidation of goethite makes the sandstone redder, and the migration of CaCO3 makes it whiter. The sandstone is reddest at 550 °C and whitest at 700 °C. When the temperature is more than 550 °C, a white coat appeared on the surface of the sample. This process can be thought of as the migration of CaCO3 from the inside to the surface. The color parameters changed significantly around 550 °C and after 2, 3, and 4 cycles. The roughness variation of sandstone is not obvious due to not enough thermal shock cycles. The white coat can reduce the roughness of the sandstone to a small extent. The temperature of 550 °C is the critical threshold in this study which has important implications for red sandstone because it has a severe influence on the surface properties of red sandstone.

Aims To enrich lignocellulolytic microbial consortia and evaluate whether a combination of these consortia and Lactobacillus plantarum can facilitate degradation of structural carbohydrates and improve fermentation quality of high-moisture alfalfa silage. Methods and Results Two novel microbial consortia (CL and YL) with high lignocellulolytic potential were enriched, and had higher enzyme activities at slightly acidic conditions (pH 3.5–6.5). Two consortia were inoculated with and without combined L. plantarum (LP) to alfalfa for up to 120 days of ensiling. The two consortia alone or combined with LP significantly (p < 0.05) increased lactic-to-acetic acid ratios and decreased contents of volatile organic acids and NH3-N as compared to the control. Treatments that combining microbial consortia and LP further resulted in the higher contents of lactic acid (LA), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and crude protein, dry matter (DM) recovery, and lower neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin and cellulose contents, with YLP silage showing the lowest pH (4.41) and highest LA content (76.72 g kg−1 DM) and the conversion of WSC into LA (184.03%). Conclusions The addition of lignocellulolytic microbial consortia (CL or YL) to alfalfa silages as attractive silage inoculants could improve fermentation quality, and that their combination with L. plantarum appeared more effective on the degradation of structural carbohydrates and conversion of soluble carbohydrates into LA. Significance and Impact of the Study High-moisture alfalfa is difficult to ensile due to its high buffering capacity and low readily fermentable carbohydrate contents. Microbial consortia (CL and YL) can encode a broad selection of multi-functional CAZymes, and their combination with LP could be promising for the degradation of structural carbohydrates simultaneously with improvement fermentation quality, with high performance in LA production.

Aims To isolate and enrich lignocellulolytic microbial consortia from yak (Bos grunniens) rumen and evaluate their effects on the fermentation characteristics and enzymatic hydrolysis in rice straw silage. Methods and Results A novel microbial consortium M2 with high CMCase and xylanase activities was enriched and observed to be prone to use natural carbon sources. Its predominant genus was Enterococcus, and most carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) genes belonged to the glycosyl hydrolases class. The consortium M2 was introduced with or without combined lactic acid bacteria (XA) to rice straw silage for 60 days. Inoculating the consortium M2 notably decreased the structural carbohydrate contents and pH of rice straw silages. Treatment that combines consortium M2 and XA resulted in the highest levels of lactic acid and lignocellulose degradation. The consortium M2 alone or combined with XA significantly (p < 0.01) increased water-soluble carbohydrates (WSCs), mono- and disaccharides contents compared with the XA silage. Combined addition obviously improved the enzymatic conversion efficiency of rice straw silage with higher glucose and xylose yields (23.39 and 12.91 w/w% DM, respectively). Conclusions Ensiling pretreatment with the microbial consortium M2 in sterile rice straw improved fermentation characteristics. The combined application of consortium M2 with XA had synergistic effects on promoting the degradation of structural carbohydrates and enzymatic hydrolysis. Significance and Impact of the Study Rice straw is difficult to ensile because of its low WSC and high structural carbohydrate contents. The microbial consortium M2 identified herein exhibits great potential for degrading fibrous substrates, and their combination with XA provides a faster and more effective synergistic strategy for biorefinery of lignocellulosic biomass.

Chlorine (Cl) is indispensable for the growth of plants. While rarely systematic reports are available for the effect of Cl-containing fertilizers on citrus production. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of various Cl-containing fertilizers on the nutrients in the leaves, the yield and quality of sweet orange, and the Cl migration in the plant–soil–leaching system. A 5-year field experiment (2016–2020) with five Cl treatments (0, 75, 150, 450, and 900 kg ha−1), and soil core lysimeter test with five Cl levels (0, 150, 225, 300, and 450 kg ha−1) were carried out. The results showed that 77.0% of Cl leached into above 60 cm deeper soil layer, with calcium as the main accompanying ions, resulting in less Cl being absorbed by the citrus plants. The content of Cl in the leaves and soil was enhanced by the increasing input of Cl-containing fertilizer, without yearly increased characteristics, under a mean annual rainfall of 1,474 mm. Chlorine significantly increased the yield (13.24–37.8 9%), fruit weight, and vitamin C (Vc), in addition to enhancing the flavor and the juice yield of sweet orange via improving the absorption of N and K. Moreover, the long-term application of potassium sulfate has elevated the accumulation of sulfur in the soil and in leaves; it is becoming a potential risk factor for citrus production. Taken together, the application of Cl-containing fertilizer in sweet orange is feasible, and trace absorbance of Cl could improve the yield and fruit quality of sweet orange.

During the underground coal gasification process, a large amount of heat will be released, causing the surrounding rock in the goaf to undergo a high-temperature baking process. Therefore, it is essential to study the pyrolysis characteristics and mechanism of rocks. In this paper, the red sandstone in Linyi city of China is taken as an example. According to the results of thermogravimetric analysis in argon and air, the thermokinetic parameters are calculated by non isothermal pyrolysis kinetic model, and the pyrolysis mechanism is analyzed. The results are as follows: in argon atmosphere, when the pyrolysis temperature is less than 500 °C, the DSC curve of sandstone has no obvious change; when the pyrolysis temperature is higher than 500 °C, the DSC curve reduce obviously, which is endothermic reaction; As the pyrolysis temperature increasing, the TG curve also decreases. In air atmosphere, the exothermic reaction occurs before 450 °C, and the endothermic reaction occurs after 450 °C; after 700 °C, the mineral absorbs oxygen and gains weight, and the TG curve increases obviously. During the pyrolysis of sandstone, a series of physicochemical reactions such as the escape of bound water and crystal water (200 °C), the escape of structural water and quartz phase transition (600 °C), the decomposition of cement (800 °C), and the melting of minerals (1100 °C). When sandstone is pyrolyzed in air, a large number of oxidation reactions will take place in the clay minerals, causing the sample mass, activation energy (E) and frequency factor (A) of sandstone being larger than that of sandstone pyrolyzed in argon. And the higher the heat treatment temperature, the greater the E and A.

Objective: To explore feed resources capable of replacing regular poor-quality fodder, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of additives on the fermentation quality, in vitro digestibility and aerobic stability of mulberry leaves silage.Methods: The mulberry leaves were ensiled either untreated (control) or treated with 1×106 cfu/g fresh matter Lactobacillus plantarum (L), 1% glucose (G), 3% molasses (M), a combination of 1% glucose and Lactobacillus plantarum (L+G), and a combination of 3% molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum (L+M). The fermentation quality and chemical composition were analyzed after 7, 14, 30, and 60 d, respectively. The 60-d silages were subjected to an aerobic stability test and fermented with buffered rumen fluid to measure the digestibility.Results: Inoculating lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resulted in more rapid increase in lactic acid concentrations and decline in pH of mulberry leaves silage as compared control. Higher acetic acid and lower ethanol and ammonia nitrogen concentrations (p

Objective To study the contribution of plant enzyme and microbial activities on protein degradation in silage, this study evaluated the nitrogen transformation dynamics during ensiling of non- and irradiated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Methods Alfalfa and red clover silages were prepared and equally divided into two groups. One group was exposed to γ-irradiation at a recommended dosage (25 Gky). Therefore, four types of silages were produced: i) non-irradiated alfalfa silage; ii) irradiated alfalfa silage; iii) non-irradiated red clover silage; and iv) irradiated red clover silage. These silages were opened for fermentation quality and nitrogen components analyses after 1, 4, 8, and 30 days, respectively. Results The γ-irradiation successfully suppressed microbial activity, indicated by high pH and no apparent increases in fermentation end products in irradiated silages. All nitrogen components, except for peptide-N, increased throughout the ensiling process. Proteolysis less occurred in red clover silages compared with alfalfa silages, indicated by smaller (p

Lactobacillus plantarum and molasses have been shown to function as fermentation modifiers in both silage and rumen fermentation. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of L. plantarum MTD1, a commercial probiotic, when co-administered with waste molasses (WM), on the silage quality, rumen volatile fatty acids and greenhouse gas (GHG) production of rice straw. Rice straw was ensiled with no additive (Control), 106 cfu/g L. plantarum (L), L + 2%WM, L + 3%WM and L + 4%WM for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30 and 60 days. The rumen volatile fatty acids and gas production kinetics were determined using in vitro incubation technology. All additives, especially L + 4%WM, improved the silage quality of rice straw, indicated by higher lactic acid and nonstructural carbohydrate content, lower pH, butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen content (P

Stainless steels as proton exchange membrane fuel cell bipolar plates have received extensive attention in recent years. The pack chromizing layer was fabricated on 316L stainless steel to improve the corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity. The corrosion properties were investigated in 0.5 M H2SO4 + 2 ppm HF solution at 70 °C purged with hydrogen gas and air. Higher electrochemical impedance and more stable passive film were obtained by chromizing the 316L stainless steel. Potentiodynamic polarization results showed the corrosion current densities were reduced to 0.264 μA cm−2 and 0.222 μA cm−2 in two simulated operating environments. In addition, the interfacial contact resistance was decreased to 1.4 mΩ⋅cm2 under the compaction force of 140 N⋅cm−2 and maintained at low values after potentiostatic polarization for 4 h. The excellent corrosion and conductive performances could be attributed to the chromium carbides and high alloying element content in chromizing layer.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of hexanoic acid (Hex), Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) and their combination on the fermentation profile of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) silage. Napier grass was ensiled without additive (C), Lp, Hex and combinations of Hex + Lp for 60 d. Silage inoculated with Lp exhibited rapid accumulation of lactic acid (LA) and decline of pH over the ensiling as compared to the C silage. The accumulation of LA, acetic acid (AA) and the decline of pH and water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) in silages with Hex and Hex + Lp were slower than those of silage without Hex over the ensiling. The addition of Hex, Lp and Hex + Lp (P

The weathering of rocks controls the shape of the Earth’s surface and affects their suitability as building stones. Frost weathering and crystallization of soluble salts are considered to be important factors in rock weathering. Although the crystallization of salts and ice presents obvious chemical differences, both of them produce crystallization pressure. Few studies seem to have been done on the effects of the combined action of repeated freezing–thawing and salt crystallization on the rocks. This paper studies the weathering of rocks under the combined effect of freezing–thawing cycle and salt crystallization cycle. The results show that, with the increase of freeze–thaw cycles, the samples soaked with MgSO4 solution tend to turn red and the surface particles fall off more seriously. The mass of the sandstone is increased at the beginning of the freeze–thaw cycle and then decreases. Roughness, residual moisture, and MgSO4 crystal affect the thermal conductivity. Samples soaked with 40% MgSO4 solution lost the most mass and have the lowest thermal conductivity. There are two main factors that cause damage to sandstone: (1) crystallization pressure of salt and (2) frost heave action of ice. Crystallization pressure of salt and frost heave action of ice can reduce the cohesive force between particles, making the particles fall off, which is the most important factor of sandstone damage.

The objective of this experiment was to characterize the dynamics of nitrogen (N) transformations in alfalfa and red clover and their mixture during ensiling. Alfalfa, red clover and a mixture of them (1:1 on fresh weight) were ensiled for 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30 days. The fermentation qualities and dynamic change of N components of the three silages were determined. Red clover and mixed silages showed better fermentation qualities, indicated by lower (p

To elucidate the differences of various sugar sources and doses on rice straw silage, the effect of molasses (M, direct substrate) and fibrolytic enzyme (E, indirect substrate) with four doses on fermentation dynamics, carbohydrates and in vitro digestibility was evaluated. Molasses (0, 2, 3 and 4% of fresh weight) or fibrolytic enzyme (0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06%) were applied to fresh rice straw ensiling for 3, 6, 9, 15, 30 and 60 days. All additives increased lactic acid content and lactic/acetic acid, reduced pH, NH3-N content of resulting silage (p

In order to enhance the feed’s nutritive value and utilisation efficiency of local straws in Tibet, hulless-barley straw was conserved as silage by mixing with tall fescue and adding the tested additives and their combination. In experiment 1, hulless-barley straw was ensiled with four levels of tall fescue (0, 20, 40 or 60 of fresh weight, FW) in laboratory silos (1 L) for 60 days. The results suggested that 40% hulless-barley straw inclusion of 60% tall fescue was proper for further study. In experiment 2, a mixture of hulless-barley straw and tall fescue (40/60) were treated with (1) no additive (control), (2) fibrolytic enzymes (E, 0.1% FW), (3) molasses (M, 4% FW), (4) Lactobacillus plantarum MTD-1 (Lp, 106 cfu g−1 FW), (5) E + Lp and (6) M + Lp, respectively. Silos were opened after 7, 24, 45 and 60 days of ensiling respectively. The fermentation quality and structural carbohydrates were analysed. After 60 days of ensiling, all the additives except fibrolytic enzymes increased the lactic acid contents, and decreased the pH, ammonia nitrogen and butyric acid contents. All the treated silages had lower neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, hemicellulose and cellulose contents than that of control, especially in E + Lp and M + Lp treated silages. In conclusion, application of L. plantarum together with fibrolytic enzymes or molasses could further improve the fermentation quality and structural carbohydrate compositions in comparison with using each of the three additives alone.Highlights Enhancing the utilisation efficiency of local straws by mixed silage. Improving the feed’s nutritive value by reducing the crude fibre contents.

This study was aimed to examine the characteristics of three isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains (HG24, M1, and TG1), and to evaluate their effects on fermentation characteristics, nutritive value, and in vitro digestibility in a variety of substrates. The experiments were conducted with Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schred.), and oat (Avena sativa L.) in laboratory silo (1 L) for ensiling 30 days. All the treated silages had significantly (p

BACKGROUND Silages produced with grass and legume mixtures may have positive associative effects on silage quality and animal performance when ruminants are fed the silages. The present study aimed to determine the preservation characteristics, in vitro rumen fermentation profile and microbial abundance of silages, produced with mixtures of sweet sorghum (SS) and alfalfa (AF) in different ratios: 100:0 (Control), 75:25 (SA25), 50:50 (SA50), 25:75 (SA75) and 0:100 (SA100) on a fresh weight basis. RESULTS As the proportion of AF increased in the silages, pH, acetic acid, ammonia nitrogen and crude protein (CP) concentrations, and aerobic stability increased (P

Fatty liver disease is one of the most common disorders afflicting dairy cows during the postpartum period, and is associated with increased blood non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) uptake by the liver. Major long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in NEFA are palmitic (PA), palmitoleic (POA), stearic (SA), oleic (OA), and linoleic (LA) acid. In order to investigate the characteristics of lipid accumulation and injury caused by these NEFA, primary calf hepatocytes were isolated and challenged for 12 h with 1.2 mmol/L PA, POA, SA, OA, LA, or a mixture of these LCFA (NEFA). Compared with POA, OA, and LA, culture with PA and SA led to greater abundance of CCAAT-enhancer binding protein, glucose-regulated protein 78 mRNA, and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 mRNA along with greater concentrations of H2O2, malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although culture with POA, OA, and LA led to lower very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentration in cell culture medium, POA and OA led to greater concentrations of triacylglycerol, protein abundance of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, fatty acid synthase, acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase 1, ApoB100, and sortilin 1 (SORT1). Compared with individual fatty acids, culture with NEFA led to an intermediate degree of lipid accumulation and hepatocytes damage. Overall, the data suggest that saturated fatty acids cause more severe oxidative and ER stress. However, unsaturated fatty acids cause serious lipid accumulation. Furthermore, a fatty acid balanced nutrient regulation was suggested useful improve liver health of transition period dairy cows.

To improve the utilization efficiency of total mixed ration (TMR) on Tibetan plateau, the effects of different additives on fermentation quality and aerobic stability of the ensiled TMR prepared with local feed resources were studied. A total of 150 experimental silos were prepared in a completely randomized design to evaluate the following treatments: (a) control; (b) Lactobacillus buchneri; (c) acetic acid; (d) propionic acid; (e) 1,2-propanediol; and (f) 1-propanol. After 90 days of ensiling, silos were opened for fermentation quality and in vitro parameters analysis, and then subjected to an aerobic stability test for 14 days. The acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol treatments increased (p < .05) pH and acetic acid content, and lowered (p < .05) the lactic acid production in comparison to control. There were no statistically significant differences in in vitro digestibility parameters among the treatments. Treatments of acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol substantially improved the aerobic stability of the ensiled TMR, as indicated by almost unchanged pH and lactic acid contents throughout the aerobic exposure test. These results indicated that acetic acid, 1,2-propanediol and 1-propanol had no adverse effect on in vitro digestibility and could be effective additives for enhancing the aerobic stability of ensiled TMR prepared on Tibetan plateau.

Two bacteria strains with cellulolytic potential isolated from Tibetan yak (Bos grunniens) rumen were identified as Enterococcus faecalis (JF85) and Enterococcus faecium (Y83). Isolates grow well within a range of temperature 15 to 55 °C and pH 3.0–7.0, respectively. Two strains were inoculated with or without Lactobacillus plantarum (Lp) to Pennisetum sinese silage for 90 days. All inoculants increased lactic acid content, decreased pH and lignocellulose contents compared with silage without additives (control). The lowest pH, highest lactic acid and largest reduction in lignocellulose contents were observed in JF85+Lp and Y83+Lp silages. Isolates alone or in combination with Lp significantly increased WSC, mono- and disaccharides contents as compared to the control. Combined addition efficiently improved enzymatic hydrolysis of Pennisetum sinese silage, indicated by higher glucose yield and cellulose convertibility. Pennisetum sinese ensiled with combined additives is a suitable storage and pretreatment method prior to sugars production from energy crop.

A laboratory-silo study was conducted to evaluate the fermentation quality, feed-nutritive value and aerobic stability of sweet sorghum silage with or without oil-extracted microalgae supplementation. Sweet sorghum was mixed with four microalgae levels (0%, 1%, 2% and 3% on a dry matter basis; control, M1, M2 and M3, respectively) and ensiled for 45 d. Further, the four experimental silages were subjected to an aerobic stability test lasting 7 d.; Results: All the silages except M3 silage had good fermentative characteristics with low pH and ammonia nitrogen concentrations, and high lactic acid concentrations and favorable microbial parameters. Meanwhile, oil-extracted microalgae supplementation improved the feed-nutritional value of sweet sorghum silage. Fibre (neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin and cellulose) concentrations decreased, while dry matter and crude protein levels markedly increased (P

Eight lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from five naturally fermented silages of different ensilage materials on the Tibetan Plateau were characterized, and their effects on the silage quality of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) were studied. These LAB isolates were evaluated using morphological, physiological and biochemical tests. The eight isolated strains and one commercial inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum MTD‐1) were subsequently added to common vetch for ensiling 60 days. All the isolated strains (LW4, M1, WG27, O30, I2, LCG3, LCG9, CG35) could grow normally at 5–20°C, pH 3.5–6.0 and NaCl (3.0%, 6.5%), and they were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus by sequencing 16S rDNA. All the LAB inoculants improved the silage quality of common vetch, indicated by significantly (p

The objective of present study was to investigate the changes of total fatty acid (FA) content and fatty acid composition in high moisture alfalfa (DM = 229 g/kg fresh weight) silage treated without (Control) or with Lactobacillus buchneri (LB), L. plantarum (LP), propionic acid additive (PA) and tea polyphenols (TP) during ensiling and after exposure to air. A 750 g of alfalfa material was filled into the experimental silo (polyvinyl chloride bottle, 1000 mL capacity). After ensiling for 65 days at room temperature, a part of silages (200 g) was sampled and the others (450 g) were exposed to air for 6 days. Butyric acid (>30 g/kg DM) was more than lactic acid (

In order to evaluate the nutritional value and digestibility of corn (Zea mays L.) stover silage mixed with legume herbages in Tibet, corn stover was ensiled with four levels (0, 10, 20 and 30% of fresh weight) of common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), respectively. The silos were opened after 45 days of ensiling, and the fermentation characteristics, nutritive quality and in vitro digestibility of the mixed silages were analyzed. The results showed that the inclusion of legumes could somewhat improve the corn stover silage quality, as indicated by significantly (P

BACKGROUND The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of four chemicals on the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silage. Wilted alfalfa was ensiled without additive (control), or with formic acid (FA), potassium diformate (KDF), sodium diacetate (SDA) or calcium propionate (CAP). RESULTS After 60 days of ensiling, the pH in FA, KDF and SDA silages were lower (P

Four lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from straw silages on the Tibetan Plateau were characterized, and their effects on the fermentation quality of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) at different temperatures (10°C, 15°C and 25°C) were studied. These LAB isolates were evaluated using the acids production ability test, morphological observation, Gram staining, physiological, biochemical and acid tolerance tests. All the isolates (M1, LM8, LO7 and LOG9) could grow at 5-20°C, pH 3.5-7.0 and NaCl (3.0%, 6.5%). Strains M1, LM8, LO7 and LOG9 were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum, L. coryniformis, Pediococcus pentosaceus and P. acidilactici, respectively, by sequencing 16S ribosomal DNA. The four isolates were added to Italian ryegrass for ensiling for 30 days at various temperatures. Compared with the corresponding control, inoculating with isolates M1, LM8 and LO7 could improve the silage quality of Italian ryegrass at low temperatures, indicated by significantly (P

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of lactic acid bacteria and propionic acid on the fermentation quality, aerobic stability and in vitro gas production kinetics and digestibility of whole-crop corn based total mixed ration (TMR) silage. Total mixed ration was ensiled with four treatments: (1) no additives (control); (2) an inoculant (Lactobacillus plantarum) (L); (3) propionic acid (P); (4) propionic acid+lactic acid bacteria (PL). All treatments were ensiled in laboratory-scale silos for 45 days, and then subjected to an aerobic stability test for 12 days. Further, four TMR silages were incubated in vitro with buffered rumen fluid to study in vitro gas production kinetics and digestibility. The results indicated that all TMR silages had good fermentation characteristics with low pH (

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of potassium diformate (KDF) as a potential additive for alfalfa silage. Fresh alfalfa was untreated or treated with formic acid (4 g/kg fresh weight, FW) or three concentrations of KDF (4, 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW). After 60 days of ensiling, the addition of formic acid and greater levels of KDF (5.5 and 7 g/kg) effectively reduced silage pH and inhibited the undesirable bacteria, indicated by lower butyric acid, ethanol, ammonia N concentrations and microbial populations (including enterobacteria, yeasts, moulds and clostridia). Additives decreased the dry-matter loss, and more water-soluble carbohydrates were preserved in the silages with formic acid or potassium diformate than in the control. Alfalfa silages treated with formic acid at 4 g/kg FW or potassium diformate at 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW were classified as the highest quality silage based on the higher Flieg's point (above 70) and remained stable for more than 9 days during aerobic exposure. Potassium diformate is recommended as an effective additive for alfalfa silages at a level of 5.5 or 7 g/kg FW under the humid and hot conditions of southern China.

Objective To assess the potency of calcium propionate (CAP) used as silage additive, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of CAP on the nitrogen transformation, fermentation quality and aerobic stability of alfalfa silages. Methods Alfalfa was ensiled with four levels of CAP (5, 10, 15, and 20 g/kg of fresh weight [FW]) in laboratory silos for 30 days. After opening, the silages were analyzed for the chemical and microbiological characteristics, and subjected to an aerobic stability test. Results The increasing proportion of CAP did not affect pH, lactic acid (LA) concentrations and yeast counts, while linearly decreased counts of enterobacteria (p = 0.029), molds (p

Background: Short-chain fatty salts have been widely used as food and forage preservatives because of their antimicrobial properties. This study evaluated the effects of four chemical compounds with antimicrobial properties on nitrogen transformations and intrinsic protease activity of alfalfa silage.; Results: Potassium diformate (PD) and formic acid (FA) rapidly reduced silage pH. Silages treated with sodium diacetate (SD) and calcium propionate (CAP) had higher final peptide N concentrations than other silage. The free amino acid N contents in PD and FA treated silages were lower than other silages at all intervals of ensilage. The ammonia N concentrations in FA and PD silages were the lowest, followed by SD and CAP silages. As ensiling progressed, the aminopeptidase activity was completely lost by day 5 for FA and PD silages and inactive by day 7 for SD silage, while it remained active after day 7 for control and CAP silage. The carboxypeptidase activities in FA and PD silages were already reduced below 50% by day 1 of ensiling.; Conclusion: Potassium diformate was as effective as formic acid in depressing the proteolysis, while sodium diacetate and calcium propionate were inferior to formic acid in protecting alfalfa proteins from being hydrolysed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of additives on the fermentation characteristics, chemical composition and in vitro digestibility of tetraploid black locust (TBL). The TBL leaves silage was either untreated (control) or treated with 1 × 106 cfu/g FM Lactobacillus plantarum (L), 1% glucose (G), 3% molasses (M), a combination of 1% glucose and Lactobacillus plantarum (L+G), or a combination of 3% molasses and Lactobacillus plantarum (L+M). Fermentation quality, chemical composition and nutrient digestibility were then analyzed. Ethanol and acetic acid concentrations were the dominant fermentation products in all silages except L+M silage. The L, G and L+G treatments failed to influence the fermentation. The M treatment increased (P

Freezing damages in forages represents a major economic loss to agriculture. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of freeze–thaw (FT) event on microbial community dynamics of red clover silage. Results showed that the FT-treated material displayed higher proportions of Weissella and aerobic bacteria, while lower Pantoea and Enterobacter compared with the control material. The FT event promoted the development of Lactobacillus in silage microflora, inducing more intense lactic fermentation after an initial short lag. The aerobic bacteria were suppressed immediately after the onset of ensiling. Microbiomes of the two silages tended to be almost similar after 2 days of ensiling. However, a small number of aerobic bacteria tended to revitalize in the FT silage with prolonged ensiling time, indicated by apparent abundances of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas at the end of ensiling. The results obtained here suggest that the FT event could promote the development of Lactobacillus during ensiling and the control of aerobe revitalization need to be concerned with silages made from the freeze-damaged forages.