Sustainable Furfural Biomass Feedstocks Electrooxidation toward Value-Added Furoic Acid with Energy-Saving H_(2) Fuel Production Using Pt-Decorated Co_(3)O_(4) Nanospheres

Here,furfural oxidation was performed to replace the kinetically sluggish O_(2)evolution reaction(OER).Pt-Co_(3)O_(4)nanospheres were developed via pulsed laser ablation in liquid(PLAL)in a single step for the paired electrocatalysis of an H_(2)evolution reaction(HER)and furfural oxidation reaction(FOR).The FOR afforded a high furfural conversion(44.2%)with a major product of 2-furoic acid after a 2-h electrolysis at 1.55 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode in a 1.0-M KOH/50-mM furfural electrolyte.The Pt-Co_(3)O_(4)electrode exhibited a small overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2).As an anode and cathode in an electrolyzer system,the Pt-Co_(3)O_(4)electrocatalyst required only a small applied cell voltage of~1.83 V to deliver 10 mA cm^(-2),compared with that of the pure water electrolyzer(OER||HER,~1.99 V).This study simultaneously realized the integrated production of energy-saving H_(2)fuel at the cathode and 2-furoic acid at the anode.

Recent advances in graphene-based phase change composites for thermal energy storage and management

Energy storage and conservation are receiving increased attention due to rising global energy demands.Therefore,the development of energy storage materials is crucial.Thermal energy storage(TES)systems based on phase change materials(PCMs)have increased in prominence over the past two decades,not only because of their outstanding heat storage capacities but also their superior thermal energy regulation capability.However,issues such as leakage and low thermal conductivity limit their applicability in a variety of settings.Carbon-based materials such as graphene and its derivatives can be utilized to surmount these obstacles.This study examines the recent advancements in graphene-based phase change composites(PCCs),where graphene-based nanostructures such as graphene,graphene oxide(GO),functionalized graphene/GO,and graphene aerogel(GA)are incorporated into PCMs to substantially enhance their shape stability and thermal conductivity that could be translated to better storage capacity,durability,and temperature response,thus boosting their attractiveness for TES systems.In addition,the applications of these graphene-based PCCs in various TES disciplines,such as energy conservation in buildings,solar utilization,and battery thermal management,are discussed and summarized.

Conducting Polymer-Based e-Refinery for Sustainable Hydrogen Peroxide Production

Electrocatalysis enables the industrial transition to sustainable production of chemicals using abundant precursors and electricity from renewable sources.De-centralized production of hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2))from water and oxygen of air is highly desirable for daily life and industry.We report an effective electrochemical refinery(e-refinery)for H_(2)O_(2)by means of electrocatalysis-controlled comproportionation reaction(2_(H)O+o→2HO),feeding pure water and oxygen only.Mesoporous nickel(Ⅱ)oxide(NiO)was used as electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction(OER),producing oxygen at the anode.Conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)(PEDOT:PSS)drove the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR),forming H_(2)O_(2)on the cathode.The reactions were evaluated in both half-cell and device configurations.The performance of the H_(2)O_(2)e-refinery,assembled on anion-exchange solid electrolyte and fed with pure water,was limited by the unbalanced ionic transport.Optimization of the operation conditions allowed a conversion efficiency of 80%.

3D reservoir characterization of the Mangahewa Formation,Mangahewa Field,Taranaki Basin,New Zealand

The Mangahewa Formation is the primary reservoir target in the Mangahewa Field in the Taranaki Basin,New Zealand.This formation is distinguished by its marginal marine substantial tight-sand reservoir,having thickness exceeding 800 m.The aim of this study is to assess the reservoir properties of the Mangahewa Formation through 3D reservoir modeling,employing 3D seismic data,core data,and well data from the Mangahewa Field.Utilizing variance attributes,the faults and horizons have been identified successfully within the field.The majority of the interpreted faults exhibit dip angles exceeding 60°,with a maximum displacement of 118 m.To detect direct hydrocarbon indicators,root-mean-square amplitude seismic attribute,envelope,and generalized spectral decomposition techniques have been employed.Subsequently,four lithofacies,comprising 78.3%sandstone,9.2%siltstone,9.5%claystone,and 3.0%coal have been established by utilizing the Sequential Indicator Simulation(SIS)algorithm to create a lithofacies model.A property model has been generated using the Sequential Gaussian Simulation(SGS)algorithm.Petrophysical evaluation indicates that the Mangahewa Formation exhibits reservoir qualities ranging from fair to good,with porosity levels between 8%and 11%,permeability averaging up to 10 mD,variable shale volumes,and hydrocarbon saturation in the range of 40%-50%.This study's methodologies and findings can serve as a valuable foundation for similar investigations in other tightsand gas fields located in different regions.

Towards trustworthy multi-modal motion prediction:Holistic evaluation and interpretability of outputs

Predicting the motion of other road agents enables autonomous vehicles to perform safe and efficient path planning.This task is very complex,as the behaviour of road agents depends on many factors and the number of possible future trajectories can be consid-erable(multi-modal).Most prior approaches proposed to address multi-modal motion prediction are based on complex machine learning systems that have limited interpret-ability.Moreover,the metrics used in current benchmarks do not evaluate all aspects of the problem,such as the diversity and admissibility of the output.The authors aim to advance towards the design of trustworthy motion prediction systems,based on some of the re-quirements for the design of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence.The focus is on evaluation criteria,robustness,and interpretability of outputs.First,the evaluation metrics are comprehensively analysed,the main gaps of current benchmarks are identified,and a new holistic evaluation framework is proposed.Then,a method for the assessment of spatial and temporal robustness is introduced by simulating noise in the perception system.To enhance the interpretability of the outputs and generate more balanced results in the proposed evaluation framework,an intent prediction layer that can be attached to multi-modal motion prediction models is proposed.The effectiveness of this approach is assessed through a survey that explores different elements in the visualisation of the multi-modal trajectories and intentions.The proposed approach and findings make a significant contribution to the development of trustworthy motion prediction systems for autono-mous vehicles,advancing the field towards greater safety and reliability.

Exploring the modulatory role of bovine lactoferrin on the microbiome and the immune response in healthy and Shiga toxin‑producing E.coli challenged weaned piglets

Background Post-weaned piglets suffer from F18+Escherichia coli(E.coli)infections resulting in post-weaning diar-rhoea or oedema disease.Frequently used management strategies,including colistin and zinc oxide,have contrib-uted to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance.Novel antimicrobials capable of directly interacting with pathogens and modulating the host immune responses are being investigated.Lactoferrin has shown promising results against porcine enterotoxigenic E.coli strains,both in vitro and in vivo.Results We investigated the influence of bovine lactoferrin(bLF)on the microbiome of healthy and infected weaned piglets.Additionally,we assessed whether bLF influenced the immune responses upon Shiga toxin-producing E.coli(STEC)infection.Therefore,2 in vivo trials were conducted:a microbiome trial and a challenge infection trial,using an F18+STEC strain.BLF did not affect theα-andβ-diversity.However,bLF groups showed a higher relative abundance(RA)for the Actinobacteria phylum and the Bifidobacterium genus in the ileal mucosa.When analysing the immune response upon infection,the STEC group exhibited a significant increase in F18-specific IgG serum levels,whereas this response was absent in the bLF group.Conclusion Taken together,the oral administration of bLF did not have a notable impact on theα-andβ-diversity of the gut microbiome in weaned piglets.Nevertheless,it did increase the RA of the Actinobacteria phylum and Bifi-dobacterium genus,which have previously been shown to play an important role in maintaining gut homeostasis.Furthermore,bLF administration during STEC infection resulted in the absence of F18-specific serum IgG responses.

Pseudocapacitive Heteroatom-Doped Carbon Cathode for Aluminum-Ion Batteries with Ultrahigh Reversible Stability

Aluminum(Al)-ion batteries have emerged as a potential alternative to conventional ion batteries that rely on less abundant and costly materials like lithium.Nonetheless,given the nascent stage of advancement in Al-ion batteries(AIBs),attaining electrode materials that can leverage both intercalation capacity and structural stability remains challenging.Herein,we demonstrate a C3N4-derived layered N,S heteroatom-doped carbon,obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures,as a cathode material for AIBs,encompassing the diffusion-controlled intercalation and surface-induced capacity with ultrahigh reversibility.The developed layered N,S-doped corbon(N,S-C)cathode,synthesized at 900℃,delivers a specific capacity of 330 mAhg^(-1)with a relatively high coulombic efficiency of~85%after 500 cycles under a current density of 0.5 A g^(-1).Owing to its reinforced adsorption capability and enlarged interlayer spacing by doping N and S heteroatoms,the N,S-C900 cathode demonstrates outstanding energy storage capacity with excellent rate performance(61 mAhg^(-1)at 20 A g^(-1))and ultrahigh reversibility(90 mAhg^(-1)at 5Ag^(-1)after 10000cycles).

Supramolecular Macrocycle Regulated Single-Atom MoS_(2)@Co Catalysts for Enhanced Oxygen Evolution Reaction

The development of active water oxidation catalysts for water splitting has stimulated considerable interest.Herein,the design and building of single atom Co sites using a supramolecular tailoring strategy are reported,that is,the introduction of pillar[4]arene[1]quinone(P4A1Q)permits mononuclear Co species stereoelectronically assembled on MoS_(2)matrix to construct an atomically dispersed MoS_(2)@Co catalyst with modulated local electronic structure,definite chemical environment and enhanced oxygen evolution reaction performance.Theoretical calculations indicate that immsobilized single-Co sites exhibit an optimized adsorption capability of oxygen-containing intermediates,endowing the catalyst an excellent electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction activity,with a low overpotential of 370 mV at 10 mA cm^(-2)and a small Tafel slope of 90 mV dec^(-1).The extendable potential of this strategy to other electrocatalysts such as MoS_(2)@Ni and MoS_(2)@Zn,and other applications such as the hydrogen evolution reaction was also demonstrated.This study affords new insights into the rational design of single metal atom systems with enhanced electrocatalytic performance.

Enhancement of physicochemical properties and baking quality of broken rice flour through superheated steam

This study investigated the effects of superheated steam(SS)treatment at different temperatures(120℃,150℃,180℃)on the physicochemical properties of broken rice flour and the quality of broken rice cakes.SS treatment at 120℃ significantly enhanced the moisture content of broken rice flour(P<0.05).In contrast,treatments at 150℃ and 180℃ caused decrease of moisture content,amylose leaching,and reduction of damaged starch content.After SS treatment,the pasting properties of broken rice flour increased,along with the rising of storage modulus and loss modulus.The proportion of short chains(DP 6-12)in amylopectin increased from 29.42%to 34.80%(P<0.05),which could delay starch retrogradation.Compared with untreated ones,the SS-150 broken rice cakes showed a significantly higher specific volume(2.96 mL/g,P<0.05),more uniform cell structure,and lower hardness(1.66 N)and chewiness(10.22 mJ).After 7 days of storage,cakes from SS-treated rice flour(150℃ and 180℃)had significantly reduced hardness and chewiness.The study demonstrated that SS treatment could improve the properties of broken rice flour and enhance the quality of broken rice cakes,especially at 150℃ and 180℃.This study presents a method for improving the quality of broken rice flour and rice cakes using superheated steam treatment,addressing challenges related to poor flour characteristics and suboptimal cake quality.The findings offer technical and theoretical support for enhancing rice cake production,contributing to the comprehensive utilization of rice resources.

An Analysis of Supply Chain Environment in Great Wall Motor Based on Life-Cycle Assessment

Great Wall Motor(GWM),a leading automotive manufacturer,places a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability and social responsibility.The company focuses on comprehensively evaluating and enhancing its supply chain to align with these objectives.This evaluation spans the entire product life cycle,encompassing design,manufacturing,packaging,distribution,usage,and recycling and disposal processes.Key areas of focus include optimizing raw material selection,improving product recyclability,reducing energy consumption and waste emissions,and minimizing carbon emissions during transportation.Through these endeavors,GWM not only enhances its environmental performance by reducing carbon emissions and resource consumption but also bolsters its brand image and competitiveness in the market.GWM’s dedication to environmental innovation and technological leadership serves as a driving force behind sustainable development and social responsibility within the industry.

Comparative evaluation of artificial intelligence systems'accuracy in providing medical drug dosages:A methodological study

BACKGROUND Medication errors,especially in dosage calculation,pose risks in healthcare.Artificial intelligence(AI)systems like ChatGPT and Google Bard may help reduce errors,but their accuracy in providing medication information remains to be evaluated.AIM To evaluate the accuracy of AI systems(ChatGPT 3.5,ChatGPT 4,Google Bard)in providing drug dosage information per Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine.METHODS A set of natural language queries mimicking real-world medical dosage inquiries was presented to the AI systems.Responses were analyzed using a 3-point Likert scale.The analysis,conducted with Python and its libraries,focused on basic statistics,overall system accuracy,and disease-specific and organ system accuracies.RESULTS ChatGPT 4 outperformed the other systems,showing the highest rate of correct responses(83.77%)and the best overall weighted accuracy(0.6775).Disease-specific accuracy varied notably across systems,with some diseases being accurately recognized,while others demonstrated significant discrepancies.Organ system accuracy also showed variable results,underscoring system-specific strengths and weaknesses.CONCLUSION ChatGPT 4 demonstrates superior reliability in medical dosage information,yet variations across diseases emphasize the need for ongoing improvements.These results highlight AI's potential in aiding healthcare professionals,urging continuous development for dependable accuracy in critical medical situations.

Structural basis for dsRNA recognition by NS1 protein of influenza A virus

Influenza A viruses are important human pathogens causing periodic pandemic threats. Nonstructural protein 1 （NS1） protein of influenza A virus （NS1A） shields the virus against host defense. Here, we report the crystal structure of NS1A RNA-binding domain （RBD） bound to a double-stranded RNA （dsRNA） at 1.7A. NS1A RBD forms a homodimer to recognize the major groove of A-form dsRNA in a length-independent mode by its conserved concave surface formed by dimeric anti-parallel a-helices, dsRNA is anchored by a pair of invariable arginines （Arg38） from both monomers by extensive hydrogen bonds. In accordance with the structural observation, isothermal titration calorimetry assay shows that the unique Arg38-Arg38 pair and two Arg35-Arg46 pairs are crucial for dsRNA binding, and that Ser42 and Thr49 are also important for dsRNA binding. Agrobacterium co-infiltration assay further supports that the unique Arg38 pair plays important roles in dsRNA binding in vivo.

Conventional, but not remote ischemic preconditioning, reduces iNOS transcription in liver ischemia/reperfusion

AIM:To study the effects of preconditioning on inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and interleukin 1(IL-1)receptor transcription in rat liver ischemia/reperfusion injury(IRI).METHODS:Seventy-two male rats were randomized into 3 groups:the one-hour segmental ischemia(IRI,n=24)group,the ischemic preconditioning(IPC,n=24)group or the remote ischemic preconditioning(RIPC,n=24)group.The IPC and R-IPC were performed as 10 min of ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion.The iNOS and the IL-1 receptor mRNA in the liver tissue was analyzed with real time PCR.The total Nitrite and Nitrate(NOx)in continuously sampled microdialysate(MD)from the liver was analyzed.In addition,the NOx levels in the serum were analyzed.RESULTS:After 4 h of reperfusion,the iNOS mRNA was significantly higher in the R-IPC(ΔCt:3.44±0.57)group than in the IPC(ΔCt:5.86±0.82)group(P=0.025).The IL-1 receptor transcription activity was reduced in the IPC group(ΔCt:1.88±0.53 to 4.81±0.21),but not in the R-IPC group,during reperfusion(P=0.027).In the MD,a significant drop in the NOx levels was noted in the R-IPC group(12.3±2.2 to 4.7±1.2μmol/L)at the end of ischemia compared with the levels in early ischemia(P=0.008).A similar trend was observed in the IPC group(11.8±2.1 to 6.4±1.5μmol/L),although this difference was not statistically significant.The levels of NOx rose quickly during reperfusion in both groups.CONCLUSION:IPC,but not R-IPC,reduces iNOS and IL-1 receptor transcription during early reperfusion,indicating a lower inflammatory reaction.NOx is consumed in the ischemic liver lobe.

Nitrite,a novel method to decrease ischemia/reperfusion injury in the rat liver

AIM:To investigate whether nitrite administered prior to ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)reduces liver injury.METHODS:Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to 3 groups,including sham operated(n=8),45-min segmental ischemia of the left liver lobe(IR,n=14)and ischemia/reperfusion(I/R)preceded by the administration of 480 nmol of nitrite(n=14).Serum transaminases were measured after 4 h of reperfusion.Liver microdialysate(MD)was sampled in 30-min intervals and analyzed for glucose,lactate,pyruvate and glycerol as well as the total nitrite and nitrate(NOx).The NOx was measured in serum.RESULTS:Aspartate aminotransferase(AST)at the end of reperfusion was higher in the IR group than in the nitrite group(40±6.8μkat/L vs 22±2.6μkat/L,P=0.022).Similarly,alanine aminotransferase(ALT)was also higher in the I/R group than in the nitrite group(34±6μkat vs 14±1.5μkat,P=0.0045).The NOx in MD was significantly higher in the nitrite group than in the I/R group(10.1±2.9μmol/L vs 3.2±0.9μmol/L,P=0.031)after the administration of nitrite.During ischemia,the levels decreased in both groups and then increased again during reperfusion.At the end of reperfusion,there was a tendency towards a higher NOx in the I/R group than in the nitrite group(11.6±0.7μmol/L vs 9.2±1.1μmol/L,P=0.067).Lactate in MD was significantly higher in the IR group than in the nitrite group(3.37±0.18 mmol/L vs 2.8±0.12 mmol/L,P=0.01)during ischemia and the first 30 min of reperfusion.During the same period,glycerol was also higher in the IRI group than in the nitrite group(464±38μmol/L vs 367±31μmol/L,P=0.049).With respect to histology,there were more signs of tissue damage in the I/R group than in the nitrite group,and29%of the animals in the I/R group exhibited necrosis compared with none in the nitrite group.Inducible nitric oxide synthase transcription increased between early ischemia(t=15)and the end of reperfusion in both groups.CONCLUSION:Nitrite administered before liver ischemia in the rat liver reduces anaerobic metabolism and cell necrosis,which could be important in the clinical setting.

Synthesis,isolation,identification and characterization of new process-related impurity in isoproterenol hydrochloride by HPLC,LC/ESI-MS and NMR

One unknown impurity （Imp-II） during the analysis of laboratory batches of isoproterenol hydrochloride was detected in the level ranging from 0.04% to 0.12% by high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The unknown impurity structure was proposed as 4-[2-（propan-2oylamino）ethyl]benzene-l,2-diol （Imp-II） using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrophotometry （LC-MS） analysis. Imp-II was isolated by semi-preparative liquid chromatography from the impurity-enriched reaction crude sample. Its proposed structure was confirmed by nuclear magnetic spectroscopy such as 1H, 13C, DEPT （1D NMR）, HSQC （2D NMR） and infrared spectroscopy （IR）, and retention time and purity with HPLC followed by the chemical synthesis. Due to less removable nature of Imp-II during the purification, the synthetic process was optimized proficiently to control the formation of Imp-II below to the limit 〈 0.12% in the course of reaction. The new chemical route was developed for the preparation of this impurity in required quantity with purity to use as reference standard. The most probable mechanism for the formation of Imp-II was discussed in details.

Radiation dose reduction with application of non-linear adaptive filters for abdominal CT

AIM:To evaluate the effect of non-linear adaptive filters (NLAF) on abdominal computed tomography (CT) images acquired at different radiation dose levels.METHODS:Nineteen patients (mean age 61.6 ± 7.9 years,M:F=8:11) gave informed consent for an Institutional Review Board approved prospective study involving acquisition of 4 additional image series (200,150,100,50 mAs and 120 kVp) on a 64 slice multidetector row CT scanner over an identical 10 cm length in the abdomen.The CT images acquired at 150,100 and 50 mAs were processed with the NLAF.Two radiologists reviewed unprocessed and processed images for image quality in a blinded randomized manner.CT dose index volume,dose length product,patient weight,transverse diameters,objective noise and CT numbers wererecorded.Data were analyzed using Analysis of Variance and Wilcoxon signed rank test.RESULTS:Of the 31 lesions detected in abdominal CT images,28 lesions were less than 1 cm in size.Subjective image noise was graded as unacceptable in unprocessed images at 50 and 100 mAs,and in NLAF processed images at 50 mAs only.In NLAF processed images,objective image noise was decreased by 21% (14.4 ± 4/18.2 ± 4.9) at 150 mAs,28.3% (15.7 ± 5.6/21.9 ± 4) at 100 mAs and by 39.4% (18.8 ± 9/30.4 ± 9.2) at 50 mAs compared to unprocessed images acquired at respective radiation dose levels.At 100 mAs the visibility of smaller structures improved from suboptimal in unprocessed images to excellent in NLAF processed images,whereas diagnostic confidence was respectively improved from probably confident to fully confident.CONCLUSION:NLAF lowers image noise,improves the visibility of small structures and maintains lesion conspicuity at down to 100 mAs for abdominal CT.

Photoelectrochemical evaluation of SILAR-deposited nanoporous BiVO4 photoanodes for solar-driven water splitting

We report a photoelectrochemical investigation of BiVO4 photoanodes prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction(SILAR),a facile method that yields uniform nanoporous films.After characterization of the phase,morphology,composition,and optical properties of the prepared films,the efficiencies of charge separation(ηsep)and water oxidation(ηox)in solar water splitting cells employing these photoanodes were estimated following a previously reported procedure.Unexpected wavelength and illumination direction dependencies were discovered in the derived efficiencies,casting doubt on the validity of the analysis.An alternative approach using a diffusion–reaction model that explicitly considers the efficiency of electron collection resolved the discrepancies and explained the illumination direction dependence of the photocurrent.Electron diffusion lengths(Ln)of 0.45μm and 0.55μm were derived for pristine and cobalt phosphate(Co-Pi)modified BiVO4,respectively,which are much shorter than the film thickness of^2.1μm.The Co-Pi treatment also increasedηoxfrom 0.86 to^1,which is the main reason for the overall performance enhancement caused by adding Co-Pi.These findings suggest that there is little scope for improving the performance of SILAR-deposited BiVO4 photoanodes by further catalyzing water oxidation,but enhanced performance is achievable if electron transport can be improved.

A system for underground road condition monitoring

Poor road conditions in underground mine tunnels can lead to decreased production efficiency and increased wear on production vehicles. A prototype system for road condition monitoring is presented in this paper to counteract this. The system consists of three components i.e. localization, road monitoring, and scheduling. The localization of vehicles is performed using a Rao-Blackwellized extended particle filter, combining vehicle mounted sensors with signal strengths of Wi Fi access points. Two methods for road monitoring are described: a Kalman filter used together with a model of the vehicle suspension system, and a relative condition measure based on the power spectral density. Lastly, a method for taking automatic action on an ill-conditioned road segment is proposed in the form of a rescheduling algorithm.The scheduling algorithm is based on the large neighborhood search and is used to integrate road service activities in the short-term production schedule while minimizing introduced production disturbances.The system is demonstrated on experimental data collected in a Swedish underground mine.

Association of gene and protein expression and genetic polymorphism of CC chemokine ligand 4 in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Leukocytes,such as T cells and macrophages,play an important role in tumorigenesis.CC chemokine ligand(CCL)4,which is produced by lymphocytes and macrophages,has been found to be expressed in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract and is a potent chemoattractant for various leukocytes.AIM To examine CCL4 expression and its genetic polymorphism rs10491121 in patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and evaluate their prognostic significance.METHODS Luminex technology was used to determine CCL4 Levels in CRC tissue(n=98),compared with paired normal tissue,and in plasma from patients with CRC(n=103),compared with healthy controls(n=97).Included patients had undergone surgical resection for primary colorectal adenocarcinomas between 1996 and 2019 at the Department of Surgery,Ryhov County Hospital,Jönköping,Sweden.Reverse transcription quantitative PCR was used to investigate the CCL4 gene expression in CRC tissue(n=101).Paired normal tissue and TaqMan single nucleotide polymorphism assays were used for the CCL4 rs10491121 polymorphism in 610 CRC patients and 409 healthy controls.RESULTS The CCL4 protein and messenger RNA expression levels were higher in CRC tissue than in normal paired tissue(90%,P<0.001 and 45%,P<0.05,respectively).CRC tissue from patients with localized disease had 2.8-fold higher protein expression levels than that from patients with disseminated disease.Low CCL4 protein expression levels in CRC tissue were associated with a 30%lower cancer-specific survival rate in patients(P<0.01).The level of plasma CCL4 was 11%higher in CRC patients than in healthy controls(P<0.05)and was positively correlated(r=0.56,P<0.01)with the CCL4 protein level in CRC tissue.The analysis of CCL4 gene polymorphism rs10491121 showed a difference(P<0.05)between localized disease and disseminated disease in the right colon,with a dominance of allele A in localized disease.Moreover,the rate of the A allele was higher among CRC patients with mucinous cancer than among those with nonmucinous cancer.CONCLUSION The present study indicates that the CRC tissue levels of CCL4 and CCL4 gene polymorphism rs10491121,particularly in the right colon,are associated with clinical outcome in CRC patients.

Bacterial direct-fed microbials fail to reduce methane emissions in primiparous lactating dairy cows

Direct-fed microbials(DFM) are considered as a promising technique to improve animal productivity without affecting animal health or harming the environment.The potential of three bacterial DFM to reduce methane(CH4)emissions,modulate ruminal fermentation,milk production and composition of primiparous dairy cows was examined in this study.As previous reports have shown that DFM respond differently to different diets,two contrasting diets were used in this study.Eight lactating primiparous cows were randomly divided into two groups that were fed a corn silage-based,high-starch diet(HSD) or a grass silage-based,high-fiber diet(HFD).Cows in each dietary group were randomly assigned to four treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin square design.The bacterial DFM used were selected for their proven CH4-reducing effect in vitro.Treatments included control(without DFM) and 3 DFM treatments: Propionibacterium freudenreichii 53-W(2.9 × 10^10 colony forming units(CFU)/cow per day),Lactobacillus pentosus D31(3.6 × 10^11 CFU/cow per day) and Lactobacillus bulgaricus D1(4.6 × 10^10 CFU/cow per day).Each experimental period included 4 weeks of treatment and 1 week of wash-out,with measures performed in the fourth week of the treatment period.Enteric CH4 emissions were measured during 3 consecutive days using respiration chambers.Rumen samples were collected for ruminal fermentation parameters and quantitative microbial analyses.Milk samples were collected for composition analysis.Body weight of cows were recorded at the end of each treatment period.Irrespective of diet,no mitigating effect of DFM was observed on CH4 emissions in dairy cows.In contrast,Propionibacterium increased CH4 intensity by 27%(g CH4/kg milk) in cows fed HSD.There was no effect of DFM on other fermentation parameters and on bacterial,archaeal and protozoal numbers.Similarly,the effect of DFM on milk fatty acid composition was negligible.Propionibacterium and L.pentosus DFM tended to increase body weight gain with HSD.We conclude that,contrary to the effect previously observed in vitro,bacterial DFM Propionibacterium freudenreichii 53-W,Lactobacillus pentosus D31 and Lactobacillus bulgaricus D1 did not alter ruminal fermentation and failed to reduce CH4 emissions in lactating primiparous cows fed high-starch or high-fiber diets.