Effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on growth performance,carcass trait,meat quality,and plasma metabolites in pigs of different genotypes

Background： The protein/energy ratio is important for the production performance and utilization of available feed resources by animals. Increased protein consumption by mammals leads to elevated feed costs and increased nitrogen release into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and plasma metabolites of pigs of different genotypes. Methods： Bama mini-pigs and Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment groups （Chinese conventional diet with low protein/energy ratio or National Research Council diet with high protein/energy ratio; n = 24 per treatment） in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Blood and muscle samples were collected at the end of the nursery, growing, and finishing phases. Results： We observed significant interactions （P 〈 0.05） between breed and diet for total fat percentage, intramuscular fat （IMF） content, protein content in biceps femoris （BF） muscle, and plasma urea nitrogen （UN） concentration in the nursery phase; for average daily gain （ADG）, average daily feed intake （ADFI）, dry matter, IMF content in psoas major （PM） muscle, and plasma total protein and albumin concentrations in the growing phase; and for drip loss and plasma UN concentration in the finishing phase. Breed influenced （P 〈 0.05） growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality, but not plasma metabolites. Throughout the trial, Landrace pigs showed significantly higher （P 〈 0.0_5） ADG, ADFI, dressing percentage, lean mass rate, and loin-eye area than did Bama mini-pigs, but significantly lower （P 〈 0.0.5） feed/gain ratio, fat percentage, backfat thickness, and IMF content. Dietary protein/energy ratio influenced the pH value, chemical composition of BF and PM muscles, and plasma activities of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and plasma concentration of UN. Conclusions： Compared with Landrace pigs, Bama mini-pigs showed slower growth and lower carcass performance, but had better meat quality. Moreover, unlike Landrace pigs, the dietary protein/energy ratio did not affect the growth performance of Bama mini-pigs. These results suggest that, in swine production, low dietary protein/energy ratio may be useful for reducing feed costs and minimizing the adverse effects of ammonia release into the environment.

Optimal scheduling of a township integrated-energy system using the adjustable heat-electricity ratio model

With the expansion and implementation of rural revitalization strategies,there is a constant need for new energy sources for the construction of new townships.Consequently,integrated energy systems with the interconnection and interaction of multiple energy sources are developing rapidly.Biomass energy,a renewable green energy source with low pollution and wide distribution,has significant application potential in integrated energy systems.Considering the application of biomass energy in townships,this study established an integrated biomass energy system and proposed a model to optimize its operation.Lowest economic cost and highest clean energy utilization rate were considered as the objective functions.In addition,a plan was suggested to adjust the heat-electricity ratio based on the characteristics of the combined heat and power of the biomass.Finally,a simulation analysis conducted for a town in China was discussed,demonstrating that the construction of a township integrated-energy system and the use of biomass can significantly reduce operating costs and improve the energy utilization rate.Moreover,by adjusting the heat-electricity ratio,the economic cost was further reduced by 6.70%,whereas the clean energy utilization rate was increased by 5.14%.

Simulation Study of Diesel Spray Tilt Angle and Ammonia Energy Ratio Effect on Ammonia-Diesel Dual-Fuel Engine Performance

Ammonia-diesel dual fuel(ADDF)engines for transportation applications are an important way to reduce carbon emissions.In order to achieve better combustion of ammonia in diesel engines.A small-bore single-cylinder engine was converted into an ADDF engine with the help of mature computational fluid dynamics(CFD)simulation software to investigate the performance of an engine with a high ammonia energy ratio(AER),and to study the effect of spray tilt angle on ADDF engine.The results showed that the increase in AER reduced nitric oxide(NO)and nitrogen dioxide(NO2)emissions but increased nitrous oxide(N2O)and unburned ammonia emissions.AER in the range of 50%-70%achieved lower greenhouse gases(GHG)emissions than the pure diesel mode.Relative to the pure diesel mode,when the AER was 60%,the indicated thermal efficiency(ITE)was increased by 0.2%and the GHG emissions were decreased by 22.3%,but carbon monoxide(CO)and Hydrocarbon(HC)emissions were increased.Increasing the in-cylinder combustion temperature or high-temperature region range of the ADDF engine could reduce GHG emissions.At an AER of 60%,an increase in the spray tilt angle helped the ammonia combustion in the residual gap to reduce the unburned ammonia emissions.Compared to the pure diesel mode with a spray tilt angle of 75°,an AER of 60%with a spray tilt angle of 77.5°improved the ITE by 1.5%,and reduced theGHGemissions by 25.7%.Adjusting the spray tilt angle of theADDFengine also reducedCOandHCemissions.This is an effective way to improve ADDF engine performance by adjusting the spray tilt angle.

C-reactive protein to albumin ratio predict responses to programmed cell death-1 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND Over the years,programmed cell death-1(PD-1)inhibitors have been routinely used for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)treatment and yielded improved survival outcomes.Nonetheless,significant heterogeneity surrounds the outcomes of most studies.Therefore,it is critical to search for biomarkers that predict the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with HCC.AIM To investigate the role of the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio(CAR)in evaluating the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors for HCC.METHODS The clinical data of 160 patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors from January 2018 to November 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS The optimal cut-off value for CAR based on progression-free survival(PFS)was determined to be 1.20 using x-tile software.Cox proportional risk model was used to determine the factors affecting prognosis.Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status[hazard ratio(HR)=1.754,95%confidence interval(95%CI)=1.045-2.944,P=0.033],CAR(HR=2.118,95%CI=1.057-4.243,P=0.034)and tumor number(HR=2.932,95%CI=1.246-6.897,P=0.014)were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.CAR(HR=2.730,95%CI=1.502-4.961,P=0.001),tumor number(HR=1.584,95%CI=1.003-2.500,P=0.048)and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(HR=1.120,95%CI=1.022-1.228,P=0.015)were independent prognostic factors for PFS.Two nomograms were constructed based on independent prognostic factors.The C-index index and calibration plots confirmed that the nomogram is a reliable risk prediction tool.The ROC curve and decision curve analysis confirmed that the nomogram has a good predictive effect as well as a net clinical benefit.CONCLUSION Overall,we reveal that the CAR is a potential predictor of short-and long-term prognosis in patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors.If further verified,CAR-based nomogram may increase the number of markers that predict individualized prognosis.

Integrating Virtual Reality and Energy Analysis with BIM to Optimize Window-to-Wall Ratio and Building’s Orientation for Age-in-Place Design at the Conceptual Stage

This study unfolds an innovative approach aiming to address the critical role of building design in global energy consumption, focusing on optimizing the Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), since buildings account for approximately 30% of total energy consumed worldwide. The greatest contributors to energy expenditure in buildings are internal artificial lighting and heating and cooling systems. The WWR, determined by the proportion of the building’s glazed area to its wall area, is a significant factor influencing energy efficiency and minimizing energy load. This study introduces the development of a semi-automated computer model designed to offer a real-time, interactive simulation environment, fostering improving communication and engagement between designers and owners. The said model serves to optimize both the WWR and building orientation to align with occupants’ needs and expectations, subsequently reducing annual energy consumption and enhancing the overall building energy performance. The integrated model incorporates Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR), and Energy Analysis tools deployed at the conceptual design stage, allowing for the amalgamation of owners’ inputs in the design process and facilitating the creation of more realistic and effective design strategies.

Effects of Different Protein Energy Ratios on Fattening Performance,Slaughter Performance and Meat Quality of Pigs

[Objectives]Protein energy ratio refers to the proportional relationship between protein and energy levels in animal diets,i.e.,the grams of crude protein corresponding to every megacalorie of energy,which is generally expressed as CP:ME or CP:DE.This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different diets on fattening and slaughter performance and meat quality traits for"L(Large Yorkshire)×L(Landrace)"crossbred pigs.[Methods]Eighteen piglets of L×L crossbred with similar body weights about 51 kg were selected.The piglets were divided into 3 groups randomly and each group was assigned to 3 replicates with 2 piglets in a replicate.Group A was fed diet Ⅰ (control diet),group B was fed the same diet of group A in the first month of the trial but fed diet Ⅱ in second month,and group C consumed diet Ⅲ.All the pigs were fed in the same feeding condition for two months except the different diets during the trial.One pig in similar body weight from each replicate was slaughtered for the determination of slaughter performance and meat quality traits in the end of the trial.[Results]The average daily feed intake(ADFI)of pigs from group B was only(2.32±0.52)kg and significantly lower than those from group A and group C(P<0.05),but no difference was found in average daily gain(ADG) and feed/gain(P>0.05).Also,no differences occurred in the carcass length,back fat thickness,longissimus muscle (LM) area and dressing percentage(P>0.05).In addition,no differences were found in the meat quality traits of shear force,meat color,pH_(45 min),pH_(24 h) and cooking loss(P>0.05).However,the water-holding capacity of meat from group C was(2.58±0.02)ms and significantly lower than that of(2.80±0.20)ms from group A(P<0.05).Although the contents of glutamic acid and cystine in LM from group B was significantly lower than those from group A and group C(P<0.05),no differences occurred in the contents of other amino acids,the total amino acid and total flavor amino acid among the three groups(P>0.05).However,the inosine monophosphate content of LM from group C was only(331.80±11.53)mg/100 g and significantly lower than those of(361.00±6.36)and(366.37±4.80)mg/100 g from group A and B(P<0.05).Even though no differences were found in the contents of DM and CP in LM among the three groups of pigs,the content of intramuscular fat(IMF)in LM from group B and group C was increased by 45.6%and 46.58%respectively from that of group A(P<0.05),but no difference occurred between group B and C(P>0.05).[Conclusions]DietsⅡ and Ⅲ in this study caused no differences in fattening and slaughter performance of L×L crossbred pigs,but the effects on some meat traits were still significant,especially on the improvement of intramuscular fat in experimental pigs.Therefore,they could improve the meat quality of crossbred pigs to a certain extent.

C-reactive Protein/Albumin Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Posttraumatic Shock and Outcome of Multiple Trauma Patients

Objective C-reactive protein(CRP)/albumin ratio(CAR)is a new inflammation-based index for predicting the prognosis of various diseases.The CAR determined on admission may help to predict the prognostic value of multiple trauma patients.Methods A total of 264 adult patients with severe multiple trauma were included for the present retrospective study,together with the collection of relevant clinical and laboratory data.CAR,CRP,albumin,shock index and ISS were incorporated into the prognostic model,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drawn.Then,the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR was analyzed.Finally,univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the independent risk factors for the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Results A total of 36 patients had poor survival outcomes,and the mortality rate reached 13.6%.Furthermore,after analyzing the shock index for patients with different levels of CAR,it was revealed that the shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4,when compared to CAR<2 and 2≤CAR<4,in multiple trauma patients.The multivariate logistic analysis helped to identify the independent association between the variables CAR(P=0.029)and shock index(P=0.019),and the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.Conclusion CAR is higher in patients with severe multiple trauma.Furthermore,CAR serves as a risk factor for independently predicting the 28-day mortality of multiple trauma patients.The shock index was significantly higher when CAR was≥4 in multiple trauma patients.

Economic feasibility and efficiency enhancement approaches for in situ upgrading of low-maturity organic-rich shale from an energy consumption ratio perspective

The technical feasibility of in situ upgrading technology to develop the enormous oil and gas resource potential in low-maturity shale is widely acknowledged.However,because of the large quantities of energy required to heat shale,its economic feasibility is still a matter of debate and has yet to be convincingly demonstrated quantitatively.Based on the energy conservation law,the energy acquisition of oil and gas generation and the energy consumption of organic matter cracking,shale heat-absorption,and surrounding rock heat dissipation during in situ heating were evaluated in this study.The energy consumption ratios for different conditions were determined,and the factors that influence them were analyzed.The results show that the energy consumption ratio increases rapidly with increasing total organic carbon(TOC)content.For oil-prone shales,the TOC content corresponding to an energy consumption ratio of 3 is approximately 4.2%.This indicates that shale with a high TOC content can be expected to reduce the project cost through large-scale operation,making the energy consumption ratio after consideration of the project cost greater than 1.In situ heating and upgrading technology can achieve economic benefits.The main methods for improving the economic feasibility by analyzing factors that influence the energy consumption ratio include the following:(1)exploring technologies that efficiently heat shale but reduce the heat dissipation of surrounding rocks,(2)exploring technologies for efficient transformation of organic matter into oil and gas,i.e.,exploring technologies with catalytic effects,or the capability to reduce in situ heating time,and(3)establishing a horizontal well deployment technology that comprehensively considers the energy consumption ratio,time cost,and engineering cost.

Distribution of Vibrational Energy Levels of Protein Molecular Chains

The distributions of the quantum vibrational energy levels of the protein molecular chain are found by the discretely nonlinear Schr?dinger equation appropriate to protein obtained from the Davydov theory. The results calculated by this method are basically consistent with the experimental values. Furthermore, the energy spectra at high excited states have also been obtained for the molecular chain which is helpful in researching the properties of infrared absorption and Raman scattering of the protein molecules.

Effects of Astragalus membranaceus on Energy Metabolism and Expression of CNTF Protein in Skeletal Muscle of Exercise-induced Fatigue Rats

[Objectives]This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Astragalus membranaceus in different groups on energy metabolism and CNTF protein expression in skeletal muscle of exercise-induced fatigue rats.[Methods]Thirty-five clean male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group,and low-,meddle-and high-dose groups of A.membranaceus aqueous solution,with 7 rats in each group.The low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups were given by gavage at 0.65,1.3 and 2.6 g/kg,respectively,while the normal group and the model group were given normal food and water.The weight of rats was observed.The contents of serum urea,lactate,muscle glycogen,liver glycogen and CNTF expression were detected.[Results]After modeling,compared with the normal group,the serum lactate and urea contents of rats in the model group significantly increased(P<0.01),while the muscle glycogen content(P<0.01)and liver glycogen content(P<0.05)of the skeletal muscle significantly decreased.Compared with the model group,the low-,meddle-and high-dose groups of A.membranaceus significantly reduced the levels of lactate and urea in serum(P<0.01),while the levels of muscle glycogen and liver glycogen in the skeletal muscle significantly increased(P<0.01,P<0.05).[Conclusions]This study provides a good research foundation for the treatment of exercise-induced fatigue using traditional Chinese herb A.membranaceus in modern clinical practice.

Rockburst proneness considering energy characteristics and sample shape effects

Accurate prediction of rockburst proneness is one of challenges for assessing the rockburst risk and selecting effective control measures.This study aims to assess rockburst proneness by considering the energy characteristics and qualitative information during rock failure.Several representative rock types in cylindrical and cuboidal sample shapes were tested under uniaxial compression conditions and the failure progress was detected by a high-speed camera.The far-field ejection mass ratio(FEMR)was determined considering the qualitative failure information of the rock samples.The peak-strength energy impact index and the residual elastic energy index were used to quantitatively evaluate the rockburst proneness of both cylindrical and cuboidal samples.Further,the performance of these two indices was analyzed by comparing their estimates with the FEMR.The results show that the accuracy of the residual elastic energy index is significantly higher than that of the peak-strength energy impact index.The residual elastic energy index and the FEMR are in good agreement for both cylindrical and cuboidal rock materials.This is because these two indices can essentially reflect the common energy release mechanism characterized by the mass,ejection velocity,and ejection distance of rock fragments.It suggests that both the FEMR and the residual elastic energy index can be used to accurately measure the rockburst proneness of cylindrical and cuboidal samples based on uniaxial compression test.

Targeted metabolomics reveals the aberrant energy status in diabetic peripheral neuropathy and the neuroprotective mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine JinMaiTong

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common and devastating complication of diabetes, for which effective therapies are currently lacking. Disturbed energy status plays a crucial role in DPN pathogenesis. However, the integrated profile of energy metabolism, especially the central carbohydrate metabolism, remains unclear in DPN. Here, we developed a metabolomics approach by targeting 56 metabolites using high-performance ion chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPIC-MS/MS) to illustrate the integrative characteristics of central carbohydrate metabolism in patients with DPN and streptozotocin-induced DPN rats. Furthermore, JinMaiTong (JMT), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, was found to be effective for DPN, improving the peripheral neurological function and alleviating the neuropathology of DPN rats even after demyelination and axonal degeneration. JMT ameliorated DPN by regulating the aberrant energy balance and mitochondrial functions, including excessive glycolysis restoration, tricarboxylic acid cycle improvement, and increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) generation. Bioenergetic profile was aberrant in cultured rat Schwann cells under high-glucose conditions, which was remarkably corrected by JMT treatment. In-vivo and in-vitro studies revealed that these effects of JMT were mainly attributed to the activation of adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and downstream peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α). Our results expand the therapeutic framework for DPN and suggest the integrative modulation of energy metabolism using TCMs, such as JMT, as an effective strategy for its treatment.

Low crude protein formulation with supplemental amino acids for its impacts on intestinal health and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs

Background Low crude protein(CP)formulations with supplemental amino acids(AA)are used to enhance intestinal health,reduce costs,minimize environmental impact,and maintain growth performance of pigs.However,extensive reduction of dietary CP can compromise growth performance due to limited synthesis of non-essential AA and limited availability of bioactive compounds from protein supplements even when AA requirements are met.Moreover,implementing a low CP formulation can increase the net energy(NE)content in feeds causing excessive fat deposition.Additional supplementation of functional AA,coupled with low CP formulation could further enhance intestinal health and glucose metabolism,improving nitrogen utilization,and growth performance.Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of low CP formulations with supplemental AA on the intestinal health and growth performance of growing-finishing pigs.Methods In Exp.1,90 pigs(19.7±1.1 kg,45 barrows and 45 gilts)were assigned to 3 treatments:CON(18.0%CP,supplementing Lys,Met,and Thr),LCP(16.0%CP,supplementing Lys,Met,Thr,Trp,and Val),and LCPT(16.1%CP,LCP+0.05%SID Trp).In Exp.2,72 pigs(34.2±4.2 kg BW)were assigned to 3 treatments:CON(17.7%CP,meeting the requirements of Lys,Met,Thr,and Trp);LCP(15.0%CP,meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,and Phe);and VLCP(12.8%CP,meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,Phe,His,and Leu).In Exp.3,72 pigs(54.1±5.9 kg BW)were assigned to 3 treatments and fed experimental diets for 3 phases(grower 2,finishing 1,and finishing 2).Treatments were CON(18.0%,13.8%,12.7%CP for 3 phases;meeting Lys,Met,Thr,and Trp);LCP(13.5%,11.4%,10.4%CP for 3 phases;meeting Lys,Thr,Trp,Met,Val,Ile,and Phe);and LCPG(14.1%,12.8%,11.1%CP for 3 phases;LCP+Glu to match SID Glu with CON).All diets had 2.6 Mcal/kg NE.Results In Exp.1,overall,the growth performance did not differ among treatments.The LCPT increased(P<0.05)Claudin-1 expression in the duodenum and jejunum.The LCP and LCPT increased(P<0.05)CAT-1,4F2hc,and B0AT expressions in the jejunum.In Exp.2,overall,the VLCP reduced(P<0.05)G:F and BUN.The LCP and VLCP increased(P<0.05)the backfat thickness(BFT).In Exp.3,overall,growth performance and BFT did not differ among treatments.The LCPG reduced(P<0.05)BUN,whereas increased the insulin in plasma.The LCP and LCPG reduced(P<0.05)the abundance of Streptococcaceae,whereas the LCP reduced(P<0.05)Erysipelotrichaceae,and the alpha diversity.Conclusions When implementing low CP formulation,CP can be reduced by supplementation of Lys,Thr,Met,Trp,Val,and Ile without affecting the growth performance of growing-finishing pigs when NE is adjusted to avoid increased fat deposition.Supplementation of Trp above the requirement or supplementation of Glu in low CP formulation seems to benefit intestinal health as well as improved nitrogen utilization and glucose metabolism.

Activated Protein C Resistance in Patients with Pre-Eclampsia in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Preeclampsia is reported to complicate 2% - 8% of pregnancies globally and is an important cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. The aetiology and pathogenesis are still poorly understood and substantial improvement has not been made in the prediction, prevention and treatment of the disease. Objective: To compare the frequency of activated protein C resistance (APC-R) in patients with pre-eclampsia to that of normotensive pregnant women and to determine the correlation between activated protein ratio (APC-ratio) and the severity of pre-eclampsia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 100 pre-eclamptic patients and 100 normotensive pregnant controls. The APC-ratio was determined using the modified activated partial thromboplastin time. Study participants with APC-ratio of less than 2.0 were defined as having APC-R. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Results: Mean APC-ratio was significantly lower in pre-eclamptics (2.89 ± 1.70) compared to normotensive pregnant women (3.57 ± 1.06) (p = 0.0008) and the levels were also higher in mild (2.95 ± 1.15) compared to severe pre-eclamptics (2.62 ± 1.14). The frequency of APC-R was 26% among women with pre-eclampsia compared to 4% among normotensive controls (p = 0.000). Among 100 pre-eclamptic women 7 (21.2%) out of 33 with mild pre–eclampsia had APC-R, while 19 (28.4%) out of 67 with severe pre-eclampsia had APC-R. APC-ratio had a significant negative correlation with mean arterial blood pressure (r = −0.324;p = 0.000) and proteinuria (r = −0.379;p = 0.000) among study participants. Conclusion: The frequency of activated protein c resistance is significantly higher in pre-eclamptics compared to normotensive pregnant women and this is more pronounced in those with severe pre-eclampsia compared with those with mild disease. APC-R may therefore be used as a marker of severity in the disease.

Determination of Natural Logarithm of Diffusion Coefficient and Activation Energy of Thin Layer Drying Process of Ginger Rhizome Slices

This study is an extension of the previous work done with ARS-680 Environmental Chamber. Drying is a complex operation that demands much energy and time. Drying is essentially important for preservation of ginger rhizome. Drying of ginger was modeled, and then the effective diffusion coefficient and activation energy were determined. For this purpose, the experiments were done at six levels of varied temperatures: 10°C, 20°C, 30°C, 40°C, 50°C and 60°C. The values of effective diffusion coefficients obtained in this work for the variously treated ginger rhizomes closely agreed with the average effective diffusion coefficients of other notable authors who determined the drying kinetics and convective heat transfer coefficients of ginger slices.

Effects of salinity fluctuation and dietary protein/ carbohydrate ratio on the survival and growth of Juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei

A factorial study was conducted to determine the effects of salinity （constant （SO） and fluctuating （S10）） and isoenergetic diet of different protein/carbohydrate ratios （P/C： 4.1, 1.9, 1.0 and 0.6） on the survival and growth of juvenile Litopenaeus vannamei. The experiment lasted for 35 days. The results showed that I） At S0 and S10, specific growth rate and apparent digestibility coefficient exhibited decreasing trend, while food conversion ratio exhibited increasing trend, with decreasing P/C ratio. At SO, food consumption and specific growth rate of the shrimp fed 4.1 P/C were significantly higher than those fed 1.0 and 0.6 P/C, whereas at S10, no significant differences were detected among different treatments; II） At 4.1 and 1.9 P/C, food consumption and specific growth rate were higher in the shrimp maintained at SO as compared with those at S10, while at 1.0 and 0.6 P/C, an inverse trend was observed. Among four P/C ratios, food conversion ratio of the shrimp at SO was the lowest.

Estimation of Digestible Energy Values of Plant Protein Supplement in Pig

[Objective] The aim of the study was to establish the effective and accurate formulas for estimating the digestible energy （DE） values of plant protein supplement in pig. [Method] By difference method with different amount of alternative feeds （20% -50%）, two4 x4 Latin- square-designed trials were taken on eight castrated male pigs [ Yorkshire x Landrace x Neijiang pig, initial body-weight： （46 ±2） kg ] to deter- mine the apparent digestible energy （ADE） of the eight kinds of plant protein supplement commonly used in China, that is, corn gluten meal （sol.）, soybean meal （ sol. ）, fababean, pea, rapeseed meal （ sol. ）, sesame meal （ sol. ）, rapeseed meal （ exp. ） and cotton seed meal （sol.）. [Resultl （1） Fiber was the most important factor to estimate the ADE of plant protein supplement in pigs, and ADF was the best one. （2） The most effective equations were as below： （ 1 ） OE （kJ/kg DM） = 14 741.86 - 185.01ADF＋54.01SCHO＋22.45CP （ R =0.988,RSD= 67.9,P〈0.01 ） ; （2） DE （kJ/kg DM） =22 223.26 -209.58ADF＋26.79SCHO-1.09GE （ Ff =0.989,RSD=66.9, P〈0.01 ） . [Conclusion] The accurate, practical and specific regression equations were established for DE prediction of plant protein supplement in pig.

Observation of amyloid precursor protein cleavage and Aβ generation in living cells by using multiphoton laser scanning microscopy

Objective To investigate the proteolytic mechanism of amyloid precursor protein （APP） and to explore amyloidbeta （Aβ） generation in living neurons. Methods DNA fragments were amplified by PCR or synthesized. The four fragments, CFP, 54bp, YFP and C99 were ligated into pcDNA3.0 vector to construct the recombinant plasmids pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp- YFP and pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp-YFP-C99. The SH-SY5Y cells were transiently transfected with pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp-YFP or pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp-YFP-C99. The expression of fusion gene was examined under a multiphoton laser scanning microscope. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer （FRET） was used to measure the β cleavage and γ cleavage of APE Aβ generation was confirmed by immunocytochemistry and multiphoton laser scanning microscopy. Cell viability was tested by MTT assay at different time points. Results （1） The double restriction endonuclease digestion and sequencing analysis confirmed the authenticity of the recombinant plasmids pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp-YFP and pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp- YFP-C99. （2） Blue and yellow fluorescences were detected in the transfected cells. （3） FRET occurred in pcDNA3.0-CFP- 54bp-YFP-transfected cells but not in pcDNA3.0-CFP-54bp-YFP-C99-transfected cells. （4） Aβ was produced in the pcDNA3.0- CFP-54bp-YFP-C99 transfected cells. （5） Aβ-deposition was widespread in the cell. （6） Cell viability decreased along with the intracellular Aβ deposition. Conclusion C99 is important for the APP β cleavage. Aβ may be generated and deposited in cells at the early stage of Alzheimer＇s disease. Intracellular Aβ accumulation brings deleterious effects on cells.

Impact of material and energy flow variation-based iron /steel ratio on production cost

This paper establishes a model for the production cost of iron and steel enterprise.The variation rule of the production cost versus the iron/steel ratio for two cases, namely,fixed steel production and a fixed amount of molten iron,is analyzed,and the concept of a steel scrap threshold price is proposed.According to the analysis results,when the steel scrap unit price exceeds the steel scrap threshold price, an increase in the iron/steel ratio can reduce the production cost,and vice versa.When the gap between the steel scrap unit price and the steel scrap threshold price is relatively large, the impact of the iron/steel ratio on the production cost is more prominent.According to the calculation example,when steel production is fixed （284 358 t/month）and the steel scrap unit price is 263.2 yuan/t more than the steel scrap threshold price,an increase of 0.01 in the iron/steel ratio causes a monthly production cost reduction of approximately 750 000 yuan （2.63 yuan/t）.When the amount of molten iron is fixed （270 425 t/month）and the steel scrap unit price is 140.7 yuan/t more than the threshold price,an increase of 0.01 in the iron/steel ratio causes a monthly production cost reduction of approximately 430 000 yuan （1.5 yuan/t）.The results indicate that iron and steel enterprise should adjust the production strategy in time when the scrap price fluctuates, and then the production cost will be reduced.

Estimation of quality factors by energy ratio method

The quality factor Q, which reflects the energy attenuation of seismic waves in subsurface media, is a diagnostic tool for hydrocarbon detection and reservoir characterization. In this paper, we propose a new Q extraction method based on the energy ratio before and after the wavelet attenuation, named the energy-ratio method（ERM）. The proposed method uses multipoint signal data in the time domain to estimate the wavelet energy without invoking the source wavelet spectrum, which is necessary in conventional Q extraction methods, and is applicable to any source wavelet spectrum; however, it requires high-precision seismic data. Forward zero-offset VSP modeling suggests that the ERM can be used for reliable Q inversion after nonintrinsic attenuation（geometric dispersion, refl ection, and transmission loss） compensation. The application to real zero-offset VSP data shows that the Q values extracted by the ERM and spectral ratio methods are identical, which proves the reliability of the new method.