Antinephrotoxic and antihyperlipidaemic activities of Cucurbita maxima leaf supplemented diets in stz-induced diabetic rats

Background:Cucurbita maxima plant materials are frequently used to manage a number of disorders,according to previous studies.Objective:The goal of the present report was to look into further possible effects of this plant on kidney disorder in rats brought on by diabetes as well as the related abnormalities in lipid metabolism.Methods:To assess the ameliorative effect of the plant,streptozotocin(STZ)(45 mg/kg/day)was given as a single dosage to cause type 1 diabetes.After then,diabetic rats received supplemented diets of Cucurbita maxima for four weeks at 5%,10%,15%and 20%ad libidium.However,in another experiment to evaluate the preventive capacity of Cucurbita maxima,the STZ-induction came at the end of four weeks supplementation.Blood and kidney tissues were obtained at the end of the treatments and investigated.Consequently,the analysis of kidney function and lipid profile was made using serum obtained from the blood sample.Histological change in kidney was also observed using haematoxylin and eosin stain Results:Our findings demonstrated that Cucurbita maxima drastically(P<0.05)decreased the elevated kidney indicators such as urea and creatinine in the blood,and restored the electrolytes and lipid profiles anomalies as compared to the normal control.However,the alteration of biochemical parameters in the STZ-induced diabetic control remained unchanged throughout as compared to the normal control.The above mentioned biochemical changes that took place in kidney tissues were further corroborated by histological alterations.Conclusion:The results suggest that Cucurbita maxima leaves supplemented diets reversed STZ-induced renal disorder and abnormal lipid metabolism,and that these effects may be mediated by interacting with multiple receptors to raise the levels of antioxidant enzymes in the system.

Iron supplementation during malaria infection in pregnancy and childhood:A review

Malaria presents a significant global public health challenge,with severe malarial anaemia being a primary manifestation of the disease.The understanding of anaemia caused by malaria remains incomplete,making the treatment more complex.Iron is a crucial micronutrient essential for haemoglobin synthesis,oxygen delivery,and other vital metabolic functions in the body.It is indispensable for the growth of human beings,as well as bacteria,protozoa,and viruses in vitro and in vivo.Iron deficiency is among the most common nutritional deficiencies and can have detrimental effects during developmental stages of life.Malaria-induced iron deficiency occurs due to the hemolysis of erythrocytes and the suppression of erythropoiesis,leading to anaemia.Meeting iron requirements is particularly critical during pivotal life stages such as pregnancy,infancy,and childhood.Dietary intake alone may not suffice to meet adequate iron requirements,thus highlighting the vital role of iron supplementation.While iron supplementation can alleviate iron deficiency,it can exacerbate malaria infection by providing additional iron for the parasites.However,in the context of pregnancy and childhood,iron supplementation combined with malaria prevention and treatment has been shown to be beneficial in improving birth outcomes and ensuring proper growth and development,respectively.This review aims to identify the role and impact of iron supplementation in malaria infection during the life stages of pregnancy and childhood.

C-CORE:Clustering by Code Representation to Prioritize Test Cases in Compiler Testing

Edge devices,due to their limited computational and storage resources,often require the use of compilers for program optimization.Therefore,ensuring the security and reliability of these compilers is of paramount importance in the emerging field of edge AI.One widely used testing method for this purpose is fuzz testing,which detects bugs by inputting random test cases into the target program.However,this process consumes significant time and resources.To improve the efficiency of compiler fuzz testing,it is common practice to utilize test case prioritization techniques.Some researchers use machine learning to predict the code coverage of test cases,aiming to maximize the test capability for the target compiler by increasing the overall predicted coverage of the test cases.Nevertheless,these methods can only forecast the code coverage of the compiler at a specific optimization level,potentially missing many optimization-related bugs.In this paper,we introduce C-CORE(short for Clustering by Code Representation),the first framework to prioritize test cases according to their code representations,which are derived directly from the source codes.This approach avoids being limited to specific compiler states and extends to a broader range of compiler bugs.Specifically,we first train a scaled pre-trained programming language model to capture as many common features as possible from the test cases generated by a fuzzer.Using this pre-trained model,we then train two downstream models:one for predicting the likelihood of triggering a bug and another for identifying code representations associated with bugs.Subsequently,we cluster the test cases according to their code representations and select the highest-scoring test case from each cluster as the high-quality test case.This reduction in redundant testing cases leads to time savings.Comprehensive evaluation results reveal that code representations are better at distinguishing test capabilities,and C-CORE significantly enhances testing efficiency.Across four datasets,C-CORE increases the average of the percentage of faults detected(APFD)value by 0.16 to 0.31 and reduces test time by over 50% in 46% of cases.When compared to the best results from approaches using predicted code coverage,C-CORE improves the APFD value by 1.1% to 12.3% and achieves an overall time-saving of 159.1%.

Efficacy of a Diabetes Specific Nutrition Supplement on Glycemic, Anthropometric, Dietary and Gut Health Markers in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: An RCT

With increasing incidence of diabetes, use of diabetes specific nutrition supplements (DSNS) is common for better management of the disease. To study effect of 12-week DSNS supplementation on glycemic markers, anthropometry, lipid profile, SCFAs, and gut microbiome in individuals with diabetes. Markers studied were glycemic [Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), Post Prandial Glucose (PPG), HbA1c, Incremental Area under curve (iAUC), Mean Amplitude of Glycemic Excursions (MAGE), Time in/above Range (TIR/TAR)], anthropometry [weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference (WC)], lipid profile, diet and gut health [plasma short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)]. N = 210 adults were randomized to receive either DSNS with standard care (DSNS + SC;n = 105) or standard care alone (SC alone;n = 105). After 12 weeks, significant differences between DSNS + SC versus SC alone was observed in FBG [−3 ± 6 vs 14 ± 6 mg/dl;p = 0.03], PPG [−35 ± 9 vs −3 ± 9 mg/dl;p = 0.01], weight [−0.6 ± 0.1 vs 0.2 ± 0.1 kg;p = 0.0001], BMI [−0.3 ± 0.1 vs 0.1 ± 0.1 kg/m2;p = 0.0001] and WC [−0.3 ± 0.2 vs 0.2 ± 0.2 cm;p = 0.01]. HbA1C and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly reduced in DSNS + SC [−0.2 ± 0.9;p = 0.04 and −5 mg/dl;p = 0.03] respectively with no change in control. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) reported significant differences between DSNS + SC versus SC alone for mean glucose [−12 ± 65 vs 28 ± 93 mg/dl;p < 0.01], TAR 180 [−9 ± 42 vs 7 ± 45 mg/dl;p = 0.04], TAR 250 [−3 ± 27 vs 9 ± 38 mg/dl;p = 0.05], iAUC [−192 (1.1) vs −48 (1.1) mg/dl;p = 0.03]. MAGE was significantly reduced for both DSNS + SC (−19 ± 67;p < 0.001) and SC alone (−8 ± 70;p = 0.04), with reduction being more pronounced for DSNS + SC. DSNS + SC reported a decrease in carbohydrate energy % [−9.4 (−11.3, −7.6) %;p < 0.0001] and amount [−47.4 (−67.1, −27.7) g;p < 0.0001], increased dietary fiber [9.5 (7.2, 11.8) g;p < 0.0001] and protein energy % [0.9 (0.5, 1.3) %;p < 0.0001] versus SC alone. DSNS + SC reported significant increases versus SC alone in total (0.3 ng/ml;p = 0.03) and individual plasma SCFAs. The consumption of DSNS significantly improves the glycemic, anthropometric, dietary, and gut health markers in diabetes.

Efficacy of a Diabetes Specific Nutritional Supplement (DSNS) on Glycemic Response in Prediabetic Adults: A Two-Armed, Open-Labelled Randomized Controlled Study

It is well known that Diabetes Specific Nutritional Supplements (DSNSs) are linked to improved glycemic control in individuals with diabetes. However, data on efficacy of DSNSs in prediabetics is limited. This was a two-armed, open-labelled, randomized controlled six-week study on 199 prediabetics [30 - 65 years;Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) 5.7% - 6.4% and/or Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) 100-125 mg/dl]. Two parallel phases were conducted: Acute Blood Glucose Response (ABGR) and Intervention phase. Prediabetic participants were randomized into test (n = 100) and control (n = 99). The primary objective was to assess the ABGR of DSNS versus an isocaloric snack, measured by incremental Area under the Curve (iAUC). Test and control received 60 g of DSNS and 56 g of isocaloric snack (cornflakes) respectively, both in 250 ml double-toned milk on visit days 1, 15, 29 and 43. Postprandial Blood Glucose (PPG) was estimated at 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 minutes. During the 4 weeks intervention phase, the test group received DSNS with lifestyle counselling (DSNS + LC) and was compared with the control receiving lifestyle counselling alone (LC alone). Impact was studied on FBG, HbA1C, anthropometry, body composition, blood pressure, nutrient intake, and physical activity. The impact of DSNS was also studied using CGM between two 14-day phases: CGM1 baseline (days 1 - 14) and CGM2 endline (days 28 - 42). DSNS showed significantly lower PPG versus isocaloric snack at 30 (p 12, and chromium were reported by DSNS + LC versus LC alone. No other significant changes were reported between groups. It may be concluded that DSNS may be considered as a snack for prediabetic or hyperglycemic individuals requiring nutritional support for improved glycemic control.

Parent-offspring relationship recognition based on SSR and mtDNA confirmed resource supplement effect of Fenneropenaeus chinensis release

The resource of Fenneropenaeus chinensis has declined sharply due to excessive fishing intensity,ecological changes and diseases.In order to supplement the fishing yield and restore resources of F.chinensis,the relevant authorities have carried out the activities of stock enhancement and releasing.It can increase biomass and recover resources.However,compared with increasing biomass,there were still few reports on its effect on the recovery of resources.Resource recovery is a process related to whether the released individuals can form a reproductive population.Up to now,there has been a lack of evidence whether the released F.chinensis can complete the entire life history,and form reproduction population.In this study,gravid female shrimp after spawning migration were captured from coastal waters of Haiyang,Qingdao,and Yellow Sea.After identifying parentage relationships using simple sequence repeat(SSR)and mtDNA haplotype,it was finally confirmed that there were eight released individuals in the recapture samples.It was confirmed for the first time that at least part of the released F.chinensis can complete overwintering and reproductive migration,and maintain the migration habits as their wild counterparts.Therefore,we infered that the released shrimp can reproduce under natural conditions,these F.chinensis can form reproductive populations theoretically if without human intervention.These results indicated that enhancenment and release activities have a positive effect on resource recovery.

Review on dietary supplements as an effective improvement of Alzheimer's disease:focus on structures and mechanisms

Alzheimer’s disease(AD),the major form of neurodegenerative diseases that can severely impede normal cognitive function,makes it one of the most common fatal diseases.There are currently over 50 million AD patients worldwide.The neuropathology of AD is perplexing and there is a scarcity of disease-modifying treatments.Currently,early diagnosis of AD has been made possible with the discovery of biological markers associated with pathology,providing strong support for the improvement of the disease status.The search for inhibitors of AD markers from dietary supplements(DSs)has become a major hot topic.Especially with the widespread use of DSs,DSs containing polyphenols,alkaloids,terpenes,polysaccharides and other bioactive components can prevent AD by reducing Aβdeposition,inhibiting tau protein hyperphosphorylation,reconstructing synaptic dysfunction,weakening cholinesterase activity,regulating mitochondrial oxidative stress,neuronal inflammation and apoptosis.This review summarizes the anti-AD effects of the main DSs and their bioactive constituents,as well as the potential molecular mechanisms covers from 2017 to 2023.Additionally,we discussed the opportunities and challenges faced by DSs in the process of AD prevention and treatment,aiming to further provide new perspectives for functional food development.

Effect of organic mineral supplementation in reducing oxidative stress in Holstein calves during short‑term heat stress and recovery conditions

Background This study investigated the effects of inorganic and organic minerals on physiological responses,oxidative stress reduction,and rumen microbiota in Holstein bull calves(123.81±9.76 kg;5 months old)during short-term heat stress(HS)and recovery periods.Eight Holstein calves were randomly assigned to four treatment groups:no mineral supplementation(Con),inorganic minerals(IM),organic minerals(OM),and high-concentration organic minerals(HOM)and two thermal environments(HS and recovery)using 4×2 factorial arrangement in a crossover design of four periods of 35 d.Calves were maintained in a temperature-controlled barn.The experimental period consisted of 14 d of HS,14 d of recovery condititon,and a 7-d washing period.Results Body temperature and respiration rate were higher in HS than in the recovery conditions(P<0.05).Selenium concentration in serum was high in the HOM-supplemented calves in both HS(90.38μg/dL)and recovery periods(102.00μg/dL)(P<0.05).During the HS period,the serum cortisol was 20.26 ng/mL in the HOM group,which was 5.60 ng/mL lower than in the control group(P<0.05).The total antioxidant status was the highest in the OM group(2.71 mmol Trolox equivalent/L),followed by the HOM group during HS,whereas it was highest in the HOM group(2.58 mmol Trolox equivalent/L)during the recovery period(P<0.05).Plasma malondialdehyde and HSP70 levels were decreased by HOM supplementation during the HS and recovery periods,whereas SOD and GPX levels were not significantly affected(P>0.05).The principal coordinate analysis represented that the overall rumen microbiota was not influenced by mineral supplementation;however,temperature-induced microbial structure shifts were indicated(PERMANOVA:P<0.05).At the phylum level,Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased,whereas Fibrobacteres,Spirochaetes,and Tenericutes increased(P<0.05),under HS conditions.The genus Treponema increased under HS conditions,while Christensenella was higher in recovery conditions(P<0.05).Conclusion HOM supplementation during HS reduced cortisol concentrations and increased total antioxidant status in Holstein bull calves,suggesting that high organic mineral supplementation may alleviate the adverse effects of HS.

Effects of a Cocktail Supplement of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract on Cognitive Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and non-motor symptoms, including cognitive impairment. Current treatments often involve synthetic drugs with significant side effects and potential for dependency. This study investigates the effects of a natural supplement combination of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract on cognitive symptoms in a 77-year-old male with PD. The participant underwent a three-month supplementation regimen, with cognitive function assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test before and after the intervention. The results indicated an improvement in cognitive scores, suggesting that the combination of Ginkgo Biloba and Acai Extract may offer a promising alternative or adjunct to conventional PD treatments. This study highlights the potential of natural supplements in managing PD symptoms and calls for further research with larger sample sizes to confirm these findings. Human data was performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki by the Roxbury District IRB Board (IRB Number: IRB00011767).

Impact of Different Rates of Nitrogen Supplementation on Soil PhysicochemicalProperties and Microbial Diversity in Goji Berry

Goji berry(Lycium barbarum L.)is substantially dependent on nitrogen fertilizer application,which can signifi-cantly enhance fruit yield and Goji berry industrial development in Ningxia,China.This study aimed to analyze the functions of differential nitrogen application rates including low(N1),medium(N2),and high(N3)levels in soil microbial community structure(bacterial and fungal)at 2 diverse soil depths(0-20,20-40 cm)through high-throughput sequencing technology by targeting 16S RNA gene and ITS1&ITS2 regions.All the observed physicochemical parameters exhibited significant improvement(p<0.05)with increased levels of nitrogen and the highest values for most parameters were observed at N2.However,pH decreased(p<0.05)gradually.The alpha and beta diversity analyses for bacterial and fungal communities’metagenome displayed more similarities than differences among all groups.The top bacterial and fungal phyla and genera suggested no obvious(p>0.05)differences among three group treatments(N1,N2,and N3).Furthermore,the functional enrichment analysis demonstrated significant(p<0.05)enrichment of quorum sensing,cysteine and methionine metabolism,and transcriptional machinery for bacterial communities,while various saprotrophic functional roles for fungal communities.Conclusively,moderately reducing the use of N-supplemented fertilizers is conducive to increasing soil nitrogen utilization rate,which can contribute to sustainable agriculture practices through improved soil quality,and microbial community structure and functions.

Compilation Mode for the Integrated Planning of Lake Scenic Areas——A Case Study of the Longhu Lake Scenic Area in the Taihang Mountains

In view of lake scenic areas with abundant tourist resources but less-developed economy,contradictions between the urgency of its tourist resource development and complexity of urban-rural planning compilation were analyzed,and also limitations summarized as insufficient time and fund.Statutory planning contents included in the integrated compilation system were elaborated,and compilation of the integrated planning for the Longhe Lake Scenic Area in the Taihang Mountains was taken for example to introduce planning concepts of the compilation technical system.Considering characteristics of the study area,"regionality" was stressed as the foundation of planning compilation,concise,convenient and practical planning compilation contents were advocated and further explained from the perspectives of compiling by layer and category.In view of this,it is necessary to apply integrated compilation mode under certain circumstances,so as to provide a new approach for the planning compilation of other regions in China and enhance economic and social development of local areas.

Physico-Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of Wheat Bread Supplemented with Stabilized Undefatted Rice Bran

The effect of rice bran supplementation on some physicochemical and sensory properties of wheat bread was deter mined. Blends of wheat flour and rice bran (95:5, 90:10 and 85:15) were used to bake bread with 100% wheat flour as control. Thereafter, proximate, vitamin and mineral composition, as well as the physical and sensory properties of the dough and bread loaves were determined, using standard methods of analysis. The moisture content, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre and ash of the composite bread loaves increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 21.07% to 23.67%, 12.04% to 13.10%, 1.57% to 3.77%, 1.76% to 2.91% and 1.46% to 2.41% respectively;while carbohydrate content decreased with increased level of supplementation from 62.10% to 54.14%. There were significant increases (p < 0.05) in vitamin B1 (Thiamin) from 0.15 mg/100g to 0.47 mg/100g and B2 (Niacin) from 3.31 mg/100g to 4.04 mg/100g but no significant increase (p > 0.05) in vitamin B3 (Riboflavin). Mineral content of the bread increased significantly (p < 0.05) with increased level of supplementation from 9.32 mg/100g to 20.52 mg/100g (Iron), 80.74 mg/100g to 188.20 mg/100g (Potassium), 81.31 mg/100g to 130.70 mg/100g (Calcium) and 13.65 mg/100g to 132.22 mg/100g (Magne sium). However, there was a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in sodium with increased level of supplementation from 305.25 mg/100g to 253.03 mg/100g. Bread loaf weight increased from 152.7 g to 162.7 g;while loaf volume decreased from 655.2 ml to 586.0 ml and specific loaf volume decreased from 4.29 ml/g to 3.60 ml/g. There were significant dif ferences (p < 0.05) in physical properties of dough and bread loaves between the composite bread and the control. Though 100% wheat bread had better acceptability scores (7.95) compared to composite bread (7.20 for 95:5 blend), all the composite bread samples had significantly (p < 0.05) higher values for nutritional parameters. There was therefore, a significant improvement in the nutritional composition of the wheat bread with rice bran supplementation.

Finite Element Simulation of Flexible Roll Forming with Supplemented Material Data and the Experimental Verification

Flexible roll forming is a promising manufacturing method for the production of variable cross section products. Considering the large plastic strain in this forming process which is much larger than that of uniform deformation phase of uniaxial tensile test, the widely adopted method of simulating the forming processes with non-supplemented material data from uniaxial tensile test will certainly lead to large error. To reduce this error, the material data is supplemented based on three constitutive models. Then a finite element model of a six passes flexible roll forming process is established based on the supplemented material data and the original material data from the uniaxial tensile test. The flexible roll forming experiment of a B pillar reinforcing plate is carried out to verify the proposed method. Final cross section shapes of the experimental and the simulated results are compared. It is shown that the simulation calculated with supplemented material data based on Swift model agrees well with the experimental results, while the simulation based on original material data could not predict the actual deformation accurately. The results indicate that this material supplement method is reliable and indispensible, and the simulation model can well reflect the real metal forming process. Detailed analysis of the distribution and history of plastic strain at different positions are performed. A new material data supplement method is proposed to tackle the problem which is ignored in other roll forming simulations, and thus the forming process simulation accuracy can be greatly improved.

Comparative Slaughter Performance and Meat Quality of Rutana, Gumuz and Washera Sheep of Ethiopia Supplemented with Different Levels of Concentrate

A study was conducted to compare the carcass yield and meat quality of Rutana, Gumuz and Washera sheep of Ethiopia under two concentrate supplement levels (CSL), low (300 g/day) and high (450 g/day). The supplement contains 45% wheat bran, 26% maize grain and 29% Noug cake. A total of 36 sheep (12 from each genotype) were used in 3 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement (3 genotypes and 2 CSL) which was used in a completely randomized block design. Hay was fed ad libitum at a rate of 20% refusal. After the completion of 90 days fattening period, all sheep were slaughtered and meat sample from longissimus dorsi muscle of each animal was taken for sensory evaluation and instrumental measurement of tenderness and for color, pH, and chemical composition analysis. Slaughter body weight (SBW) (26.0 vs. 24.1 kg), hot carcass weight (HCW) (11.3 vs. 9.7 kg), dressing percentage (DP) on SBW (43.4% vs. 40.1%) and EBW basis (53.6% vs. 50.9%), and rib eye-muscle (REM) were higher for the high than low CSL. Rutana sheep had heavier HCW (11.9 kg) than Gumuz (10.1 kg) and Washera (9.4 kg) sheep. DP on EBW basis was higher for Rutana (54.7) than Washera sheep (48.1), while the value for Gumuz (50.9) was similar with both genotypes. Meat from high supplemented sheep had higher fat (9.7% vs. 8.8%), tenderness, juiciness, flavor and lower shear forces than the low level of supplementation. Most sensory parameters measured were in the order of Rutana > Gumuz > Washera sheep. It is concluded that Rutana sheep were relatively more suitable than Gumuz and Washera sheep for production of better carcass yield. The potential of Washera sheep to produce more carcass yield relative to their HCW, SBW and EBW was comparable with that of Gumuz sheep.

Optimization of Map Compilation for County-level Land Consolidation Planning

Based on practice of the land consolidation planning in Changfeng County of Hefei City,taking full account of reality of land consolidation and its significance as livelihood project,we analyzed map compilation procedure.In combination with actual effect of land consolidation,we carried out consolidation assessment of same elements by overall planning method,and optimized the map compilation for county-level land consolidation planning.Results show that planning map of land consolidation potential is to be improved and legends should be merged.After consolidation of legends,it is convenient to apply in potential planning map and solve complicated problem of reading maps.

Effect of diets supplemented with linseed alone or combined with vitamin E and selenium or with plant extracts,on Longissimus thoracis transcriptome in growing-finishing Italian Large White pigs

Background: Supplementing farm animals diet with functional ingredients may improve the nutritional quality of meat products.Diet composition has been also demonstrated to influence the gene expression with effect on biological processes and pathways.However,the knowledge on the effect of nutrients at the molecular level is scant.In particular,studies on the effects of antioxidants and polyphenols dietary supplementation have been investigated mainly in rodents,and only scarcely in farm animals so far.RNA-Seq with next-generation sequencing is increasingly the method of choice for studying changes in the transcriptome and it has been recently employed also in pig nutrigenomics studies to identify diet-induced changes in gene expression.The present study aimed to investigate the effect of diets enriched with functional ingredients(linseed,vitamin E and plant extracts) on the transcriptome of pig Longissimus thoracis to elucidate the role of these compounds in influencing genes involved in muscle physiology and metabolism compared to a standard diet.Results: Eight hundred ninety-three significant differentially expressed genes(DEGs)(FDR adjusted P-value ≤ 0.05)were detected by RNA-Seq analysis in the three diet comparisons(D2-D1,D3-D1,D4-D1).The functional analysis of DEGs showed that the diet enriched with n-3 PUFA from linseed(D2) mostly downregulated genes in pathways and biological processes(BPs) related to muscle development,contraction,and glycogen metabolism compared to the standard diet.The diet supplemented with linseed and vitamin E/Selenium(D3) showed to mostly downregulate genes linked to oxidative phosphorylation.Only few genes involved in extracellular matrix(ECM)organization were upregulated by the D3.Finally,the comparison D4-D1 showed that the diet supplemented with linseed and plant extracts(D4) upregulated the majority of genes compared to D1 that were involved in a complex network of pathways and BPs all connected by hub genes.In particular,IGF2 was a hub gene connecting protein metabolism,ECM organization,immune system and lipid biosynthesis pathways.Conclusion: The supplementation of pig diet with n-3 PUFA from linseed,antioxidants and plant-derived polyphenols can influence the expression of a relevant number of genes in Longissimus thoracis muscle that are involved in a variety of biochemical pathways linked to muscle function and metabolism.

A Compilation of the Geo-Mechanical Properties of Rocks in Southern Ontario and the Neighbouring Regions

The available measurements of the geo-mechanical properties of rocks in Southern Ontario and the neighbouring regions (New York, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota) are summarized and presented. These measurements were compiled from available published data in the relevant literature and also from data that were collected from major underground projects in these regions. The compiled data are presented in three categories: measured in-situ stresses in different rock formations;calculated strength, stiffness and deformation including time-dependent deformation properties;and the measured dynamic properties of intact rock specimens from different rock formations in Southern Ontario and the neighbouring regions. The data presented in this paper can be used as a resource for preliminary evaluation of the geomechanical properties of the rocks in these regions. The presented geo-mechanical properties were generally obtained from in-situ measurements and from laboratory tests that were conducted on intact rock specimens from freshly excavated rock samples. Moreover, the time-dependent deformation properties of rocks in these regions were obtained from laboratory tests that were performed on intact rock specimens submerged in water. However, the influence of drilling fluids such as bentonite slurry and synthetic polymers solution, on the geo-mechanical properties of rocks is not evident and needs to be investigated.

Drug-Seeking Behavior Is Significantly Attenuated in Nutritionally Supplemented Cocaine Withdrawn Sprague-Dawley Rats

Aim: The effect of patented nutritional supplementation on drug-seeking behavior in cocaine addicted rats during acute drug withdrawal was investigated using a biased Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) paradigm. Method: Twenty-four (24) male Sprague-Dawley rats with pre-conditioned preference for the black chamber of the CPP box were randomly divided into Cocaine (COC) or Saline (SAL) treated groups. Rats (n = 12) treated with cocaine hydrochloride 20 mg/kg/ml, i.p. (COC group) were confined individually to the white chamber on days 1, 3, 5 and 7. On alternate days, they were given 1 ml saline vehicle, i.p. and confined to the black chamber. Control rats (SAL group, n = 12) received only vehicle on all 8 days and were confined on alternate days to the white or black chamber. Positive place preference was confirmed for COC rats, which subsequently received 6 increasing daily doses of cocaine. CPP performances of both COC and SAL rats were recorded following an acute 3-day withdrawal period. All animals were then randomly assigned to rats fed either chow reconstituted with the nutritional supplement (COC-S and SAL-S) or standard rat chow (COC-N and SAL-N) for 8 weeks, followed by final CPP performances. Results: Following supplementation, COC-S rats made significantly less entries and time spent in the white chamber (p < 0.05) compared with COC-N rats. COC-S rats exhibited significant place aversion to the white chamber similar to drug-naive animals;whereas COC-N continued to show positive place preference. Conclusion: Drug-seeking behavior that persisted during cocaine withdrawal was significantly diminished in the nutritionally supplemented.

A“Projectized”Approach to EST Translation Textbook Compilation

Setting out from the shortfalls of present EST translation textbooks,i.e.,similar structure and lacking diversity,we survey teachers and students of EST translation,and find problems regarding example choosing and lack of emphasis on CAT technology.Based on translation theory and translation talent training theory,a new“projectized”approach to compiling EST translation textbooks is put forward,which advocates that translation textbooks construct an environment with an initiator,consignor,original writer,translator,user,and receiver.The approach is expected to promote the practical value of EST translation textbooks and empower them with the ability required by the translation industry.