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Previous nutritional studies have shown that insulin regulation is different between DT and A strains of gibel carp. As leptin plays a pivotal role in the effects of insulin, we hypothesised that leptin regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism would differ between the two strains. To test our hypothesis, recombinant human leptin was injected into two strains. The results showed that leptin activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)–protein kinase B (AKT), AMP-activated protein kinase–acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)–signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathways in both strains. Hypoglycaemia induced by leptin might be due to higher glucose uptake by the liver and muscles together with enhanced glycolytic potential and reduced gluconeogenic potential. Decreased lipogenesis and up-regulated fatty acid oxidation were induced by leptin. In terms of genotype, the PI3K–AKT signalling pathway was more strongly activated by leptin in the muscle tissue of the A strain, as reflected by the heightened phosphorylation of AKT. Furthermore, glycogen content, glycolytic enzyme activity and gluconeogenic capability were higher in the A strain than the DT strain. Strain A had higher levels of fatty acid synthesis and lipolytic capacity in the liver than the DT strain, but the opposite was true in white muscle. Regarding leptin–genotype interactions, the DT strain displayed stronger regulation of glucose metabolism in the liver by leptin as compared with the A strain. Moreover, a more active JAK2–STAT signalling pathway accompanied by enhanced inhibition of fatty acid synthesis by leptin was observed in the DT strain. Overall, the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by leptin differed between the two strains, as expected.

Selected 4-oxybenzaldehyde and 2,2-dioxybiphenyl cyclotriphosphazene derivatives were synthesized via substitution reactions through tailored control. The reactions of cyclotriphosphazene with 4-oxybenzaldehyde and 2,2-dioxybiphenyl gave the following synthesized derivatives: one mono-substituted open-chain compound, N3P3Cl5(O2C7H5) (1, 69%); mono spiro, N3P3Cl4(O2C12H8) (2, 91.1%); non-gem tri-substituted, N3P3Cl3 (O6C21H15) (3, 17%); dispiro, N3P3Cl2(O4C24H16) (4, 92.3%); penta-substituted, N3P3Cl(O10C35H25) (5, 92%)；hexa-substituted, N3P3(O12C42H30). Most of these derivatives (1–6) are obtained with good yield (up to 97%), This work provides a simple and available approach to obtain versatile cyclotriphosphazene derivatives, which is expected to further promote the use of HCCP as phosphorus platform for the construction of multi-functional materials.

Attempts to improve the application performance of noncontact silver (Ag) screen-printing paste for crystalline silicon solar cells, especially in terms of solderability, depend heavily on controlling the properties of the glass additive therein. Taking PbO–B2O3–SiO2–RxOy glasses as an example, this work demonstrates an improvement in the Ag paste due to the RxOy (e.g., ZnO, Bi2O3, Al2O3, and MgO) component. The RxOy components were found to help improve the sintering compactness of the Ag paste. The inclusion of the different RxOy components resulted in obvious differences in the soldering state of the sintered Ag grid. Microscopic observations revealed that the soldering state was related to the covering of the solder on the Ag grid and the growth rate of the intermetallic compound Ag3Sn during soldering. Comparatively, the sintered Ag grid was soldered more firmly when the glass containing the Bi2O3 or Al2O3 component was used in the Ag paste. This is due to the higher coverage of solder on these Ag grids and the appropriate growth rate of Ag3Sn. Considering these findings, the functions of the RxOy components are discussed comprehensively.

Infectious diseases such as Listeria monocytogenes infection pose a great threat to the health of human beings and the development of livestock and poultry farming. Currently the treatment of Listeria infection mainly relies on antibiotics, which may result in excessive antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry products, as well as causing an increase in the occurrence of zoonotic diseases. Here, we demonstrate that Succinoglycan Riclin promoted the clearance of Listeria in the in vitro and in vivo infection model. The expression and secretion of inflammatory cytokines including IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly increased after Riclin treatment upon infection. The protective effect of Riclin was mainly through activating MAPK/IL-6 axis. HO-1/IL-1β signaling pathway was less important in this process. Moreover, Riclin caused significant metabolic changes including pathways involved in glycolysis, protein synthesis and oxidative stress during Listeria infection. These results suggest a potential use of Succinoglycan Riclin as non-antibiotic preventive and therapeutic anti-microbial agent in livestock and poultry farming and human diseases.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is one of the most common infections in women. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of a water-soluble β-glucan salecan to protect against Candida albicans (C. albicans) vaginal infection. The model was reproduced with intravaginal inoculation of yeast blastoconidia in pseudoestrus mice. We found that mice that received salecan (0.5 mg per mouse) after infection had 85% fewer CFU than infected mice given saline. Compared with the C.albicans group, salecan reduced the migration of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in the vagina, decreased mRNA levels of cytokines IL23, IL22, IL17a, and IL17f, anti-candidal genes S100a8 and S100a9 and C.albicans pattern recognition receptor Dectin1. The analysis for vaginal microbial community composition at different taxa levels revealed that the bacterial flora composition in the vagina of the salecan-treated mice was similar to that of the uninfected mice, and distinguished from the infected mice. The vaginal lavages from the salecan treated group had more Enterococcus and its metabolite lactate. Our results suggest salecan might be a potential therapeutic agent for vaginal infection of C.albicans.

Since the application of silver (Ag) electrodes is of vital importance to the power output of crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, the factors affecting Ag paste metallization contact performance on Si wafers need to get well understood. Herein, the correlation of Ag/Si contact resistivity and glasses used in Ag paste was studied comprehensively. Here taken for exemplification are three types of glass samples used in Ag paste, because the application of them can result in obvious differences in the contact interface characteristics as well as in the contact resistivity. It was found that the factors affecting contact resistivity include the formation of Ag colloids in the glass phase, the doping concentration in the contacted Si surface, and the fixed charge density and defect states density at the interface. In terms of these issues, the key functions and mechanisms of glasses used in Ag paste are elucidated, and also their effects on electrical performance of cells are discussed in this article.

Overweight and obese men face numerous health problems, including type 2 diabetes, subfertility, and even infertility. However, few studies have focused on the effects of nutritional status and obesity-related regulatory signals on fertility deficiency. Our previous observations have shown that the elevation of plasma 5'-adenosine monophosphate (5'-AMP) and the accumulation of adenosine in liver and muscle of obese diabetic db/db mice are related to insulin resistance. Here, we found that adenosine accumulation in testis is a common marker of both genetic obesity and high-fat-diet induced obese mice. An messenger RNA sequencing analysis indicated that 78 upregulated genes and 155 downregulated genes in the testis of 5'-AMP-treated mice overlapped with the same genes in the testis of ob/ob mice, and these genes belonged to the clusters of steroid metabolic process and regulation of hormone levels, respectively. Serum testosterone was reduced in ob/ob and 5'-AMP-treated mice. Metabolomic analysis based on 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance showed that the testicular metabolic profiles of ob/ob mice were similar to those of 5'-AMP treated mice. Exogenous 5'-AMP inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT and mammalian target of rapamycin signal transduction and reduced the proliferating cell nuclear antigen expressions in testes. Our results suggest that the accumulation of adenosine causes metabolic disorders in testes and associates lower testosterone level in obese mice.

A substantial proportion of Acanthopagrus schlegelii individuals change sex from male to female during their lifetime. However, the mechanisms underlying sex change are unknown. In this research, iTRAQ analyses of proteins obtained from A.schlegelii gonads in four different stages of development were compared. In total, 4692 proteins were identified, including common sex-specific proteins, such as sperm-associated antigen 6 and cilia- and flagella-associated proteins in males, and zona pellucida sperm-binding proteins in females. Furthermore, proteins involved in the integrin signaling pathway, inflammation mediated by the chemokine and cytokine signaling pathways, pyruvate metabolism, CCKR signaling map, de novo purine biosynthesis and the ubiquitin proteasome pathway were upregulated in female gonads, whereas proteins implicated in DNA replication, the heterotrimeric G-protein signaling pathway, Gi alpha- and Gs alpha-mediated pathways, wnt signaling pathway, and hedgehog signaling pathway were upregulated in male gonads. Interestingly, cathepsins were only identified in ovaries, indicating their potential involvement in rapid ovarian development. Apoptosis-related proteins expressed in ovaries (such as MAPK and Cdc42) may protect them from cancer. This is the first report on the gonad proteome from A.schlegelii in different stages of sex reversal, and the results provide important fundamental data for studying the molecular mechanisms of sex reversal.

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to investigate carbohydrate use in a low-lipid diet between different strains of gibel carp (Carassius gibelio). The wild-type Dongting strain and artificially selected CASIII strain were fed three levels of carbohydrate: 15%, 30%, and 45%, in a low-lipid formulation (4%). The results showed that low-lipid supplementation with high carbohydrate seems to improve the feeding rate (FR) and specific growth rate (SGR), while it did not result in hyperglycaemia in gibel carp. Transcriptional regulation was slightly affected by carbohydrate levels; only hepatic pfk expression was more increased in the 30% and 45% carbohydrate diets than in the 15% carbohydrate diet ( p < 0.05 ). Regarding the strains, CASIII obtained higher growth performance by having higher FR and SGR than Dongting ( p < 0.05 ). Relatively higher glycaemia was found in CASIII, and it was coupled with increased plasma triglycerides and insulin ( p > 0.05 ). Enhanced gene expression of pk involved in glycolysis and decreased mRNA levels of pepck in gluconeogenesis were also observed in CASIII ( p < 0.05 ). There were strong strain ∗ diet interactions of gene expression involved in lipogenesis, and Dongting had higher mRNA levels of srebp-1, acly, and fas when fed carbohydrate at 45% ( p < 0.05 ). In conclusion, the tolerant level of carbohydrates in a low-lipid diet could be up to 45% for gibel carp by an improvement of growth and noninducement of postprandial plasma glucose. CASIII had a better ability to use dietary carbohydrates for growth with active glycolysis and restrained gluconeogenesis, and Dongting had more potential in lipid metabolism in response to carbohydrate intake.

Inflammation is an energy-intensive process and the liver is a key organ in energy regulation. Since the intestine and liver exchange nutrients and metabolites, enteritis can affect the liver. To investigate the correlation between enteritis and liver metabolism, we developed an intestinal inflammation model with concentration-dependent 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in gibel carp (Carassius gibelio). The results showed the dysregulation of intestinal tight junction, increased permeability of the gut barrier, and apoptosis of epithelial cells during the development of enteritis. The liver metabolome was analyzed by LC-MS and the live respiration was determined using Oxygraph-2k. The results showed that glycolysis, the TCA cycle and pyrimidine metabolism were affected by intestinal inflammation. In particular, the activity of hepatic mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I was significantly increased. Structure and abundance changes of gut microbiota were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. Pathogenic bacteria in the intestine, as well as plasma LPS, increased significantly. Using a liver cell line, we verified that the dysfunctional metabolism of the liver is related to the dislocation of LPS. All results imply the existence of a connection between enteritis and liver metabolism in gibel carp, and the gut microbiome plays a critical role in this process.

An oral starch administration trial was used to evaluate glucose homoeostasis in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) and Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostrisGünther). Fish were administered with 3 g of a water and starch mixture (with 3:2 ratio) per 100 g body weight after fasting for 48 h. Fish were sampled at 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after oral starch administration. In grass carp, plasma levels of glucose peaked at 3 h but returned to baseline at 6 h. However, in Chinese longsnout catfish, plasma glucose levels peaked at 6 h and returned to baseline at 48 h. The activity of intestinal amylase was increased in grass carp at 1 and 3 h, but no significant change in Chinese longsnout catfish was observed. The activity of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase fell significantly in grass carp but change was not evident in Chinese longsnout catfish. The expression levels and enzymic activity of hepatic pyruvate kinase increased in grass carp, but no significant changes were observed in the Chinese longsnout catfish. Glycogen synthase (gys) and glycogen phosphorylase (gp) were induced in grass carp. However, there was no significant change ingysand a clear down-regulation ofgpin Chinese longsnout catfish. In brief, compared with Chinese longsnout catfish, grass carp exhibited a rapid increase and faster clearance rate of plasma glucose. This effect was closely related to significantly enhanced levels of digestion, glycolysis, glycogen metabolism and glucose-induced lipogenesis in grass carp, as well as the inhibition of gluconeogenesis.

Riclinoctaose was produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of a succinoglycan-type exopolysaccharide riclin. It can be used as a prebiotic to regulate the composition of gut microbiota. Therefore, a safety evaluation is needed. Here, we reported the safety data generated on riclinoctaose. Standard in vitro genotoxicity tests such as the bacterial reverse mutation assay and in vivo micronucleus assay were performed and no mutagenic or clastogenic potential was found. In the acute toxicity study, ICR mice were administered with riclinoctaose via gavage in 14-day studies at the level corresponding to 3000 mg/kg BW/day. In the subchronic study, the diets containing 0%, 1.0%, 2.5%, and 5.0% of riclinoctaose (weight/weight) were prepared for ICR mice for 13 weeks. No test item-related adverse effects were observed in the acute and subchronic studies. No riclinoctaose-induced differences in the overall health, body weight gain, food and water consumption, hematology, blood chemistry, gross pathology, histopathology, or animal death were observed. A no-observed-adverse-effect level of 8842 mg/kg BW/day for male and 9230 mg/kg BW/day for female mice was identified for riclinoctaose when administered for 13 weeks. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated the safety of riclinoctaose and indicated the possibility that riclinoctaose may be used as a functional food. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Functional oligosaccharide is a low-calorie sweetener, which is beneficial to human health. Dietary riclinoctaose can improve intestinal health and understanding the safety of riclinoctaose is the first step to evaluate its potential use in functional food. Therefore, genotoxicity, acute toxicity, and subchronic toxicity of riclinoctaose were studied.

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A 48 days growth trial investigated the effects of dietary protein on growth, feed utilization in non-transgenic and GH (growth hormone gene) transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Transgenic common carp (TG fish) and non-transgenic (NT fish) were fed with seven diets of different protein levels (20%, 24%, 28%, 32%, 36%, 40%, 44%). The results showed that, TG fish obtained higher growth and feed utilization. NT fish showed higher whole-body protein and lipid. Compared to NT fish, the lower whole-body lipid of TG fish was mainly achieved by reducing fat synthesis and promoting fatty acid β-oxidation, including down-regulation of mRNA levels of acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (acc1), acyl-CoA desaturase 1 (scd1) and fatty-acid synthase (fas), upregulation of mRNA level of carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1a (cpt-1a). Plasma glucose levels were found higher in TG fish than NT fish, which might be caused by the inhibition of glycolysis (pfk, p

Bacterial succinoglycan is found suitable as a viscosifying and emulsifying agent in food industry. Riclin is a de-succinyl succinoglycan from an agrobacterium isolate. Our previous study has revealed that riclin exerts special anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. This study aims to determine the effects of riclin on preventing against immunological injury of beta-cells in type 1 diabetic model. We found that orally riclin effectively restores beta-cell function and improves the complications of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes. Riclin also reduces STZ-induced liver and kidney damage, balances the inappropriate ratio of T helper type 1 cell (Th1)/type 2 cell (Th2) in the spleen and pancreatic draining lymph nodes of the STZ-induced diabetic mice. In a co-culture system with islet β cell MIN6 and macrophage RAW 264.7, riclin reduces the levels of IFN-γ and IL-1β, protecting STZ-caused MIN6 cell injury. We identified that riclin specifically binds to the membrane of macrophages and regulates the ratio of IL-10 and IL-12, thereby inhibiting the macrophage-mediated the polarization of Th1 cells and promoting the differentiation of Th2 cells, which depends on dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) receptor. Moreover, orally riclin significantly decreases the incidence of STZ-induced hyperglycemia (7.1% in riclin vs 92.9% in STZ), and prevents autoimmune diabetes in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, with 87.5% of mice free of diabetes compared to 46.6% of control mice. These results suggest that riclin has potential to be a functional food to prevent and improve autoimmune diabetes and related diseases.

Hibernation is an example of extreme hypometabolic behavior. How mammals achieve such a state of suspended animation remains unclear. Here we show that several strains of type 2 diabetic mice spontaneously enter into hibernation-like suspended animation (HLSA) in cold temperatures. Nondiabetic mice injected with ATP mimic the severe hypothermia analogous to that observed in diabetic mice. We identified that uric acid, an ATP metabolite, is a key molecular in the entry of HLSA. Uric acid binds to the Na+ binding pocket of the Na+/H+ exchanger protein and inhibits its activity, acidifying the cytoplasm and triggering a drop in metabolic rate. The suppression of uric acid biosynthesis blocks the occurrence of HLSA, and hyperuricemic mice induced by treatment with an uricase inhibitor can spontaneously enter into HLSA similar to that observed in type 2 diabetic mice. In rats and dogs, injection of ATP induces a reversible state of HLSA similar to that seen in mice. However, ATP injection fails to induce HLSA in pigs due to the lack of their ability to accumulate uric acid. Our results raise the possibility that nonhibernating mammals could spontaneously undergo HLSA upon accumulation of ATP metabolite, uric acid.

The catalyzed direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from hydrogen and oxygen has the potential to become a lower cost and more environmentally friendly alternative to the commercially practi...

Plasma 5′-AMP (pAMP) is elevated in mouse models of type 2 diabetes. However, the metabolic regulatory role of adenine nucleotides in type 2 diabetes remains unclear. Adenine nucleotides and their metabolites in plasma and liver were examined by HPLC. 1H NMR-based metabolomics analysis was performed to explore the changes of metabolites in mouse models of type 2 diabetes. Na+/K+ ATPase and Na+/H+ exchanger activity were measured in response to adenine nucleotide metabolites. Human recombinant protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) was used for enzyme kinetic assays. Protein binding assays were performed with microscale thermophoresis. The intracellular pH of hepatocyte AML12 cell lines was measured using the BCECF-AM method. We also analysed pAMP levels in participants with type 2 diabetes. Elevation of pAMP was a universal phenomenon in all mouse models of type 2 diabetes including db/db vs lean mice (13.9 ± 2.3 μmol/l vs 3.7 ± 0.9 μmol/l; p

Spirulina, Arthrospira platensis, contains high levels of protein and lutein. To evaluate nutritional, pigmentation, and antioxidation effects of A. platensis, a total of 900 juvenile yellow catfish (Pelteobagrus fulvidraco) were divided into 18 tanks (3 tanks/treatment, 50 fish/tank) and fed a diet supplemented with A. platensis for 50 days. A. platensis was used in quantities of 0, 57.6, 115.1, 172.7, 230.3, and 287.9 g kg(-1) for experimental diets to replace fishmeal protein at levels of 0 (AP0), 20% (AP20), 40% (AP40), 60% (AP60), 80% (AP80), and 100% (AP100). Results revealed that substituting up to 80% of fishmeal by A. platensis biomass did not have a negative effect on fish growth, feed utilization, or apparent digestibility. However, significantly lower growth rates were observed when 100% of the fishmeal was substituted (P

Methotrexate (MTX) is a widely used cancer chemotherapy agent. The efficacy of MTX is often limited by serious side effects, such as intestinal mucositis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of water-soluble β-glucan salecan on MTX-induced intestinal toxicity in mice. Intestinal mucositis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by intraperitoneal injection of MTX for two consecutive days. Mice were orally administrated with saline or salecan for 6 days before MTX injection and continued to the end of the study. Several histological and biochemical parameters were measured in the jejunum. Orally administration of salecan improved the severity of intestinal mucositis in a dose-dependent manner, as evidenced by the well-maintained mucosal architecture and body weight in salecan-treated groups. Salecan treatment inhibited MTX-induced oxidative stress and effectively scavenged free radicals both in vitro and in vivo. Metabolomics analysis revealed that salecan treatment reversed the intestinal metabolic profiling changes in mice with MTX-induced mucositis. Salecan treatment modulated the innate immunity through the regulation of TLR and Dectin1 expression in the jejunum, thus protecting mice from MTX-induced intestinal damage. Salecan has potential advantages in the treatment of MTX-induced intestinal mucositis, and its protective effect is mainly attributed to its antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.

High-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of microbial communities was used to investigate how biofloc technology (BFT) improved water quality and fish yield in freshwater pond aquaculture. Three treatments included conventional treatment (CT), biofloc treatment (BT) and biofloc systems augmented with floc-forming bacterium (Zoogloea resiniphila MMB) treatment (BZT). The feeding trial lasted for 8 weeks with triplicate groups of cyprinid species in nine enclosures, which were placed in an outdoor pond to simulate a real aquaculture environment. Biofloc was generated by adding organic carbon and continuous aeration, which resulted in reducing dissolved nitrogen from 22% to 14% and sedimentary nitrogen from 49% to 5% and increasing nitrogen accumulation in biofloc and fish biomass. Nitrogen content in fish biomass increased from 28% in a CT to 42% when BFT was applied. Changes in the bacterial community and stimulation of biofloc formation played a central part in transferring nitrogen from remaining food, excreta and feces to bacteria and fish biomass. Z. resiniphila MMB did not outcompete indigenous communities and had no impact on floc formation by direct addition to the pond. Filamentous bacteria comprised the major structure of biofloc, while the proportion of zoogloea-forming microorganisms was very low. The proportion of aerobic heterotrophic microorganisms increased in both BFT treatments. Actinobacteria promoted the formation of floc and could have secondary benefits of protecting against fish pathogens, such as Aeromonas sp., though may increase the accumulation of off-flavor in the water and fish tissue.

A dicyano-methylene-4H-pyran (DCM)-based fluorescent probe DCPOP was designed for detecting lysozyme in urine sample. DCPOP showed obvious NIR emission (> 650 nm) avoiding the background fluorescence of urine (450 ˜ 600 nm). Compared to its mimic (DCPO), DCPOP has a big end-capped triphenyl phosphate (TPP) moiety, which induced good stability in several aqueous with different pH value. Furthermore, the end-capped TPP moiety showed weak interaction with lysozyme, which could modulate the emission signals of DCPOP. As a result, DCPOP could detect the lysozyme in both PBS buffer and real urine samples.

The reliability of crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaic modules has a strong dependence on the silver (Ag) electrode solderability. To achieve desirable soldering, the reaction that occurs between Ag electrode and solder (Sn/Pb alloy) need to be comprehensively understood and elaborately controlled. In this article, the correlation of Ag electrode soldering states with intermetallic compound (Ag3Sn) growth was discussed. It was found that the reaction dynamics of Ag electrode and solder was closely associated with the glass frit in Ag paste. Here taken for exemplification were three kinds of V–B–Si oxide glass frit, which led to diverse soldering states for the Ag electrode, e.g. inveracious soldering, appropriate soldering and over-soldering, owing to their different affection on the Ag3Sn growth rate. The effect of glass frit on the Ag3Sn growth was addressed from the aspects of glass phase transition temperature, distribution of glass phase in electrode, and reaction between glass and solder. In addition, it was also demonstrated that the amount of glass frit added in Ag paste might impose significant affection on the solderability of the sintered electrode.

The present study was conducted to evaluate dietary inosine 5'-monophosphate (5'-IMP) on growth, immune genes expression and disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila in juvenile gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio var. CAS Ⅲ) (initial body weight: 7.48 g). Six diets were formulated containing exogenous 5'-IMP at three gradient levels (0, 0.1% and 0.2%) in the high dietary fishmeal group (15% fishmeal: D1, D2, D3) and in the high dietary soybean meal group (33% soybean meal: D4, D5, D6). Each diet was randomly allotted to triplicate tanks in a recirculating system. After the feeding trial, fish were exposed to Aeromonas hydrophila challenge. Hematological and immunological responses were analyzed before and after challenge. The results indicated that feeding rate in all 5'-IMP supplemented treatments (D2, D3, D5 and D6) and daily growth coefficient in D5 and D6 were reduced compared with those of respective control treatments (D1 and D4) without 5'-IMP addition (P 0.05). The cumulative survival rates were numerically improved by dietary 5'-IMP supplementation (P 0.05). Compared with the respective control treatment, in the high fishmeal group, plasma SOD and MPO were significantly elevated in D3 at the end of feeding trial (P 0.05), plasma SOD and lysozyme were significantly increased in D3 after bacterial challenge (P 0.05); in high soybean meal group, plasma lysozyme activity was significantly elevated in D5 post bacterial challenge (P 0.05). Most of the expression of immune related genes (intelectin, major histocompatibility complex class II β (MHC II β), Complement 3 (C3), Complement component C7-1 (ccC7), lysozyme C, Interleukin 1β (IL-1β), Tumor necrosis factor α1 (TNF-α1), Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and Interleukin 8 (IL-8)) in spleen, kidney and liver of the fish were significantly affected by supplementation of 5'-IMP at the end of feeding trial and post bacterial challenge. Additionally, adding 5'-IMP in high soybean meal diets exerted further effects of promoting immunity than counterparts in high fishmeal diets. Considering enhanced disease resistance, the immunopotentiation of 5'-IMP was manifested when the addition level was 0.1% in high soybean meal diets and 0.2% in high fishmeal diets.

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of dietary carbohydrate on glucose metabolism in gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) as well to investigate if different clones had different responses to carbohydrate intake. Unselected Dongting strain (DT strain), selected gibel carp "CAS III" (A strain) and gibel carp "CAS V" (F strain) were fed with no corn starch diet (0C), 30% corn starch diet (30C) and 45% corn starch diet (45C) for 8 weeks. The results showed that selected F strain showed higher growth performance. F strain and A strain showed better control on postprandial glucose regulation by increasing plasma triglyceride, plasma cholesterol, liver and muscle glycogen contents and also enhancing glycolysis and restraining gluconeogenesis. DT strain had higher body lipid and lipid utilization. In conclusion, gibel carp could tolerate 45% dietary carbohydrate and F strain showed better growth by increasing glycolysis while decreasing glycogenesis.

The effects of guar gum, when used as a feed binder, on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, and intestinal histology in gibel carp were evaluated. Four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated and supplemented with 0%, 1%, 3%, and 5% guar gum. The different diets were fed to triplicate groups of gibel carp (mean initial weight: 5.60 ± 0.003 g) for 51 d. Feed supplemented with 1% guar gum had no effect on specific growth rate, feed efficiency, condition factor, or protein retention efficiency as compared to the control group; this level of supplementation increased microvillus length in the distal intestine and increased fecal viscosity. In contrast, 5% guar gum supplementation increased feed hardness, decreased feed water solubility, and decreased total nitrogen content in the soaking water after 3-h immersion. However, 5% guar gum supplementation decreased feed intake and induced distal intestine damage, as indicated by shorter microvilli as compared to the control group. Supplementation with 5% guar gum also decreased the activity levels of intestinal digestive enzymes (chymotrypsin, amylase, and alkaline phosphatase) and decreased plasma total cholesterol and triglycerides, and finally reduced fish growth. Dietary supplementation with 1% guar gum increased fecal viscosity sufficiently to decrease water pollution, without significant adverse effects on growth performance, feed utilization, and intestinal microstructure in the gibel carp.

As an important branch of heterocyclic compounds, coumarin and its derivatives with diverse potential biological activities have attracted wide attention and have been applied in medical-related fields. In this article, three cyclotriphosphazene derivatives bearing 4-methyl-7-hydroxycoumarin moieties with the numbers of 2, 4, and 6 were synthesized and characterized and their antitumor activities were investigated. All the new compounds were found to display antitumor activity in vitro against breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and 4T1 cells) with the IC50 values in the range of 108.72–188.44 μM and 75.93–154.91 μM, respectively. In contrast, the coumarin monomer displayed the values of 4140 μM and 1640 μM (IC50). Our results suggested that the antitumor activity was significantly enhanced when coumarin was introduced onto the surface of cyclotriphosphazenes, thereby providing potent candidate molecules for pharmaceutical applications.

The synthesis of thiophene aldehydes from easily available cyclopropyl ethanol derivatives and potassium sulfide has been developed. This novel one-pot procedure achieves double C–S bond formation via the cleavage of C–C bonds. This transformation shows good functional group tolerance under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, DMSO acts as the solvent and mild oxidant simultaneously in this reaction.

The large amount of schistosome eggs produced by mature female worms not only induce major pathological damage to the host but also lead to the transmission of schistosomiasis. Mature female schistosome worms need constant pairing contact with a male partner as male signaling is indispensable to female growth, development, and reproduction. The gynecophoral canal protein (GCP), a cell-surface glycoprotein, plays a potential role in the interaction between males and females and in stimulating female development and maturation. In this study, a yeast two-hybrid cDNA library of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) parasites 18 days post-infection (dpi) was constructed; the Sjgcp gene was inserted into a pGBKT7-BD bait plasmid and used as a bait protein to screen for its molecular interactions using a yeast mating procedure. Twenty-four prey proteins that interacted with the SjGCP were selected after excluding false positives; the interactions between S.japonicum lethal giant larvae (SjLGL) and SjGCP, S.japonicum type V collagen (SjColV) and SjGCP, were verified by co-immunoprecipitation. The RNA interference against SjGCP, SjColV and SjGCP + SjColV led to severe underdevelopment of tegument in male worms and vitelline globules in female worms as well as reduced reproductive capacity of the females. Collectively, SjGCP and its interacting proteins may play pivotal roles in growth and development. The findings also suggested that SjGCP and its interacting protein partners might represent new candidate targets for drug development against schistosomiasis.

An 8-week growth trial was conducted to investigate the effects of non-genetically modified (nGM) soybean (Youchun 06-1) and genetically modified (GM) soybean (Roundup Ready((R))) with and without a heat treatment on the growth and health of three Cyprinidae species with different feeding habits (grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idellus, gibel carp Carassius auratus gibelio, and black carp Mylopharyngodon piceus; body weight: 283.0 +/- 2.0 g, 60.5 +/- 0.7 g, and 261.4 +/- 3.1 g). Five diets (FM, nGMS, hnGMS, GMS, and hGMS) were made with fishmeal and full-fat soybean (Youchun 06-1, heat-treated Youchun 06-1, Roundup Ready((R)), and heat-treated Roundup Ready((R))). The FM diet contained fishmeal as the sole protein source. The experimental diets contained full-fat soybean meal as 60% of dietary protein. Both temperature (60, 80, 100, and 120 degrees C) and duration (1 and 2 hr) of heating influenced trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) and protein solubility of nGM soybean and GM soybean. The TIA in GM soybean was higher than that in nGM soybean. After heating at 120 degrees C for 2 hr, each amino acid of soybean treatment showed a slight decline. Neither source of soybean nor heat treatment affected the growth performance, feed utilization, chemical composition of the whole fish body and muscle, and lipase or amylase activity of the three Cyprinidae species (p > 0.05). Heat treatment of soybean meal slightly increased the plasma antioxidant capacity of the three fish and plasma cholecystokinin of black carp and grass carp. The unheated soybean treatment adversely affected the height and density of black carp intestinal villi, and all the soybean treatments caused disruption of the grass carp intestinal epithelium.

This experiment investigated the effects of dietary starch on growth performance, feed utilization, glucose and lipid metabolism of non-transgenic and growth hormone (GH) transgenic juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.). Transgenic common carp (TG fish) and non-transgenic (NT fish) were fed diets with five starch levels (0, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%). After 41 days, TG fish showed higher growth and feed utilization at low-starch diets, while similar growth, lower feeding rate (FR) and slightly higher feed efficiency (FE) was observed at high-starch diets. Lower plasma glucose level and hepatic glycogen content were observed in TG fish, which could be related to the higher glycolysis (high gene expression of hexokinase (hk), p < 0.01) and gluconeogenesis (high gene expression of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (fbpase), p < 0.01; glucose-6-phosphatase (g6pase), p < 0.01) of TG fish. Compared to NT fish, weakened fat synthesis (lower gene expression of fatty-acid synthase (fas), p

Accurately detect the residues of organophosphate pesticides (OPs) in food and environment is critical to our daily lives. In this study, we developed a novel acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor based on Au-Tb alloy nanospheres (NSs) for rapid and sensitive detection of OPs for the first time. Au-Tb alloy NSs that with good conductivity and biocompatibility were produced with a mild hydrothermal. Under optimal conditions, the AChE biosensor was obtained by a simple assembly process, with a big linear range (10-13-10-7M) and the limit of detection was 2.51 × 10-14M for the determination of methyl parathion. Moreover, the determination of methyl parathion with the prepared biosensor presented a high sensitivity, outstanding repeatability and superior stability compared with other reported biosensors. Through the determination of tap water and Yanming lake samples, it was proved that the modified biosensor with satisfactory recoveries (96.76%-108.6%), and are realizable in the determination of OPs in real samples.

As renewable energy source integration increases, P2G technology that can store surplus renewable power as methane is expected to expand. The development of a CO2 methanation catalyst, one of the core processes of the P2G concept, is being actively conducted. In this work, low-rank coal (LRC) was used as a catalyst support for CO2 methanation, as it can potentially enhance the diffusion and adsorption behavior by easily controlling the pore structure and composition. It can also improve the process efficiency owing to its simplicity (no pre-reduction step) and high thermal conductivity, compared to conventional metal oxide-supported catalysts. A screening of single metals (Ni, Co, Ru, Rh, and Pd) on LRC was performed, which showed that Ni was the most active. When Ni on the LRC catalyst was doped with a promoter (Ce and Mg), the CO2 conversion percentage increased by >10% compared to that of the single Ni catalyst. When the CO2 methanation activity was compared at 250–500 °C, the Ce-doped Ni/Eco and Mg-doped Ni/Eco catalysts showed similar or better activity than the commercial metal oxide-supported catalyst. In addition, the catalytic performance remained stable even after the test for an extended time (~200 h). The results of XRD, TEM, and TPR showed that highly efficient LRC-based CO2 methanation catalysts can be made when the metal dispersion and composition are modified.

The biological clock is an endogenous biological timing system, which controls metabolic functions in almost all organs. Nutrient metabolism, substrate processing, and detoxification are circadian controlled in livers. However, how the clock genes respond to toxins and influence toxicity keeps unclear. We identified the clock gene Per1 was specifically elevated in mice exposed to toxins such as carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Mice lacking Per1 slowed down the metabolic rate of toxins including CCl4, capsaicin, and acetaminophen, exhibiting relatively more residues in the plasma. Liver injury and fibrosis induced by acute and chronic CCl4 exposure were markedly alleviated in Per1-deficient mice. These processes involved the binding of PER1 protein and hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha (HNF-1α), which enhances the recruitment of HNF-1α to cytochrome P450 2E1 (Cyp2e1) promoter and increases Cyp2e1 expression, thereby promoting metabolism for toxins in the livers. These results indicate that PER1 mediates the metabolism of toxins and appropriate suppression of Per1 response is a potential therapeutic target for toxin-induced hepatotoxicity.

We report a numerical investigation of how the dispersion slope affects the soliton spectral tunneling (SST) in a photonic crystal fiber with three zero dispersion wavelengths. It is discovered that a larger dispersion slope makes group-velocity mismatch between the initial soliton and the transferred wave thereby suppressing the SST effect, while a proper decrease of the dispersion slope enhances the SST effect to widen a supercontinuum range. Besides, we find a soliton-like leaking dispersion wave, which can sustain information and energy for a short time within a particular spectral range.

Quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) store vitamin A as lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. When activated, these cells lose vitamin A and exhibit an increased capacity for proliferation, mobility, contractility, and the synthesis of collagen and other components of the extracellular matrix. Our previous work demonstrated that the lipid hydrolytic gene pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (mPlrp2) is involved in the hydrolysis of retinyl esters (REs) in the liver. Here, we showed that bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced liver injury triggered the conditional expression of mPlrp2 in livers and describe evidence of a strong relationship between the expression of mPlrp2 and Acta-2, a marker for activated HSCs. RNA interference targeting mPlrp2 inhibited HSC activation and ameliorated hepatic fibrosis induced by BDL in mice. Liver BDL markedly reduced the adenosine level and increased the ratio between S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) and S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH). Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis demonstrated an increase in trimethylated histone H3K4 at the mPlrp2 promoter in BDL mice, which was associated with the conditional expression of mPlrp2 in the liver. SAM, a well-known hepatoprotective substance, inhibited mPlrp2 expression and reduced RE hydrolysis in mice with hepatic fibrosis induced by chronic CCl

Previous nutritional studies have shown that insulin regulation is different between DT and A strains of gibel carp. As leptin plays a pivotal role in the effects of insulin, we hypothesised that leptin regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism would differ between the two strains. To test our hypothesis, recombinant human leptin was injected into two strains. The results showed that leptin activated the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-protein kinase B (AKT), AMP-activated protein kinase-acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase and Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)-signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathways in both strains. Hypoglycaemia induced by leptin might be due to higher glucose uptake by the liver and muscles together with enhanced glycolytic potential and reduced gluconeogenic potential. Decreased lipogenesis and up-regulated fatty acid oxidation were induced by leptin. In terms of genotype, the PI3K-AKT signalling pathway was more strongly activated by leptin in the muscle tissue of the A strain, as reflected by the heightened phosphorylation of AKT. Furthermore, glycogen content, glycolytic enzyme activity and gluconeogenic capability were higher in the A strain than the DT strain. Strain A had higher levels of fatty acid synthesis and lipolytic capacity in the liver than the DT strain, but the opposite was true in white muscle. Regarding leptin-genotype interactions, the DT strain displayed stronger regulation of glucose metabolism in the liver by leptin as compared with the A strain. Moreover, a more active JAK2-STAT signalling pathway accompanied by enhanced inhibition of fatty acid synthesis by leptin was observed in the DT strain. Overall, the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism by leptin differed between the two strains, as expected.

Circadian rhythms are biological systems that synchronize cellular circadian oscillators with the organism's daily feeding-fasting or rest-activity cycles in mammals. Circadian rhythms regulate nutrient absorption and utilization at the cellular level and are closely related to obesity and metabolic disorders. Bile acids are important modulators that facilitate nutrient absorption and regulate energy metabolism. Here, we provide an overview of the current connections and future perspectives between the circadian clock and bile acid metabolism as well as related metabolic diseases. Feeding and fasting cycles influence bile acid pool size and composition, and bile acid signaling can respond to acute lipid and glucose utilization and mediate energy balance. Disruption of circadian rhythms such as shift work, irregular diet, and gene mutations can contribute to altered bile acid metabolism and heighten obesity risk. High-fat diets, alcohol, and gene mutations related to bile acid signaling result in desynchronized circadian rhythms. Gut microbiome also plays a role in connecting circadian rhythms with bile acid metabolism. The underlying mechanism of how circadian rhythms interact with bile acid metabolism has not been fully explored. Sustaining bile acid homeostasis based on circadian rhythms may be a potential therapy to alleviate metabolic disturbance.

One of the decisive factors in realizing ohmic contact of silver (Ag) paste metallization on silicon (Si) wafers is the presence of Ag colloids in the glass phase at the Ag/Si interface. The Ag colloids are formed during the reaction between glass frit and Ag powder in the sintering process of Ag paste; thus, it is difficult to control the quantity of Ag colloids formed. In this study, we attempted to prepare a glass embedded with a large number of Ag colloids first to further improve the quality of ohmic contact of Ag paste metallization. In the PbO–TeO2–SiO2 glass system, a route was found for increasing the solubility of Ag in the glass melt by precipitating the Ce1.88Pb2.12O6.53 crystal, which enabled a molar amount of recrystallized Ag colloids reach a high level of about 1/10 of oxides in the glass. As a result, the resistivity of the Ag/Si contact can be decreased substantially. The formation mechanism of Ag colloids in glass is revealed by various characterization and analysis methods, such as X-ray diffraction, electron energy loss spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–visible and so on. Furthermore, it was also found that too high content of Ag in the glass melt would destroy the pyramid texture surface structure of Si wafers, which is not conducive to obtain high-quality Ag/Si ohmic contact. For this concern, optimal content of Ag colloids formed in glass is discussed.

Natural polysaccharides have attracted considerable interests due to diverse biological activities. Succinoglycan is an extracellular polysaccharide produced by most Agrobacterium strains. Here, we confirmed riclin was a typical succinoglycan by NMR and methylation analysis, and investigated the antitumor effects of riclin in sarcoma 180 tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that riclin inhibited the tumor growth significantly as well as cyclophosphamide (CTX). While CTX caused serious damage to spleen structure, riclin increased the spleen index and promoted lymphocytes proliferation in peripheral blood, spleen and lymph nodes. Riclin decreased splenocytes apoptosis as evidenced by alterations of B-cell lymphoma-2 family proteins and Cleaved Caspase-3 protein. Moreover, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics analysis revealed that riclin partially altered the metabolic profiles of splenocytes. In conclusion, riclin is a succinoglycan that performed strong immunogenicity and suppressed sarcoma growth in mice. Succinoglycan riclin could be a potential antitumor agent for functional food and pharmaceutical purpose.

Previous studies demonstrated that gibel carp A strain was more susceptible to herpesvirus infection than other strains. Thus, we hypothesized that F strain might display better defense responses than the A strain against cadmium (Cd) exposure. To test our hypothesis, gibel carp A strain and F strain were exposed to three diets comprising of different concentrations of Cd for 8 weeks to compare their resistances to Cd. Comprehensive evaluations on biochemical, physiological and histological responses were conducted post-exposure. Results showed that no adverse effects and differences were observed on growth in two strains of gibel carp, compromising of the remarkable hepatoxicity-caused liver damage as shown by histological observations. Dietary Cd exposure stimulated antioxidant defense in the liver to counteract the Cd hepatoxicity, especially in the F strain. Activation of ER stress response positively stimulated the autophagy, then triggering apoptosis in fish after dietary Cd exposure. Thus, Cd-induced autophagy served as a protective strategy to alleviate hepatoxicity, but overaction of ER stress also triggered irreparable cell death via apoptosis. Cd induced dysregulation of lipid accumulation, which might be a common mechanism in response to hepatoxicity. Last but not least, the F strain showed stronger response on antioxidant, ER stress and autophagy, but apoptosis were remitted compared with the A strain, implying the F strain showed stronger response but better defense strategies to dietary Cd exposure. Our finding provides useful information for genetic breeding in aquaculture, and ultimately contribute to the safety assessment of aquatic products for human consumption.

Intelligent Education Physics Platform (IEPP) based on visualized knowledge elements can better meet actual needs of teachers and students in the process of curriculum teaching for the acquisition, learning and exploration of subject knowledge. Visualized knowledge element expressions of subject domain knowledge and readable problem's automatic and dynamic generation for given scenario are cornerstone problems of ICAI intelligent education subject platform research. On the background of junior middle school IEPP, combined with structural characteristics of unit knowledge, the theory of automatic and dynamic readable physical problem generation with visualized knowledge element expression under given scenario has been expanded to (junior middle school) electricity unit. A solid foundation has been laid for ICAI electricity problem's readable solution and application with knowledge expression, reasoning, and automatic and dynamic readable problem generation method proposed in this paper. It will play an exemplary role when expanding research works of other unit of knowledge.

International audience; This review is focused on the recent use of cyclotriphosphazene-based dendrimers in biomedicine. Since its synthesis for the first time in 1834, cyclotriphosphazene has been an important compound of phosphorus chemistry as a scaffold, and a large number of cyclotriphosphazene derivatives have been synthesized and applied in various fields such as biology, catalysis, fluorescence, nanomaterials, etc. Today, one of the most important uses concerns its biomedical applications. In this review, the recent developments (since 2012) of cyclotriphosphazene for major pharmaceutical applications are highlighted and analyzed.

Concanavalin A (Con A) activates innate immunity and causes liver damage mediated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in mice. The Pancreatic lipase-related protein 2 (PLRP2) is induced by interleukin (IL)-4 in vitro in CTLs and associated with CTL functions. We examined the role of PLRP2 in a mouse model of Con A-induced T cell-mediated hepatitis. PLRP2-knockout and wild-type (WT) mice were inoculated with 20 mg/kg Con A. Mice lacking PLRP2 reduced Con A-induced hepatitis, which was manifested by a decrease in serum aminotransferase and histopathological assessment. The expression and secretion of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-6, and IL-1β were suppressed in Con A-treated PLRP2-knockout mice. In PLRP2 knockout mice, Con A-induced liver chemokines and adhesion molecules (such as MIP-1α, MIP-1β, ICAM-1 and MCP-1) were also down regulated. In the WT liver treated with Con A, the number of T cells (CD4+ and CD8+) and macrophages (CD11b+ F4/80+) increased significantly, while the lack of PLRP2 reduced the number of T cells in the liver, but had no effect on macrophages. The shift of the metabolic profiles was impaired in Con A-treated PLRP2-knockout mice compared to WT mice. In conclusion, these results indicate that PLRP2 deficiency reduces T-cell mediated Con A-induced hepatitis, and suggest PLRP2 is a potential target of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory drugs to treat immune-mediated hepatitis.

Previous studies have shown that emodin (EMO) has a wide range of pharmacological activities, with the potential to protect against a variety of diseases. However, it is not clear whether EMO can alleviate impairment induced by acute hypoxia in gibel carp. Thus, an acute hypoxia experiment was conducted using gibel carp fed with EMO diets for eight weeks. The results showed that EMO decreased hypoxia signaling by down-regulating protein levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1α). This also protected the liver from oxidative damage induced by acute hypoxia, as indicated by the upregulation of mRNA levels and antioxidant enzyme activity of genes related to nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling. Moreover, EMO also inhibited endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver and hypothalamus induced by acute hypoxia. EMO enhanced autophagy and inhibited apoptosis in gibel carp by mediating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Overall, EMO could alleviate impairment in gibel carp induced by acute hypoxia via the AMPK/mTOR pathway.