Effects of graded levels of cupric citrate on growth performance, antioxidant status, serum lipid metabolites and immunity, and tissue residues of trace elements in weaned pigs

Chu Cai Peng,Jia You Yan,Bin Dong,Lin Zhu,Yao Yao Tian,Li Min Gong 아세아·태평양축산학회 2017 Animal Bioscience Vol.30 No.4

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of cupric citrate (CuCit) on growth performance, antioxidant indices, serum lipid metabolites, serum immune indices, and tissue residues of copper (Cu), zinc, and iron in weaned pigs. Methods: A total of 180 weaned pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Large White) with an average body weight of 8.98±1.21 kg were randomly assigned to a corn-soybean meal control ration, or 4 similar rations with 30, 60, 120, or 240 mg/kg Cu as CuCit. All diets contained 10 mg/kg Cu as cupric sulfate from the vitamin-mineral premix. The experiment was divided into two phases: 0 to 14 d (phase 1) and 15 to 28 d (phase 2). Results: Average daily gain (ADG; linearly, p<0.01) and average daily feed intake (ADFI; linearly and quadratically, p<0.05) were affected by an increase in CuCit during phase 2. Overall period, ADG (p<0.05) and ADFI (p<0.01) were linearly increased with increasing dietary levels of CuCit. Serum malondialdehyde concentrations (p<0.05) and glutathione peroxidase activity (p<0.01) linearly decreased and increased respectively with an increase in CuCit. Serum levels of Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase were linearly affected with an increase in CuCit (p<0.01). Hepatic malondialdehyde levels decreased with an increase in CuCit (linearly and quadratically, p<0.01). Serum total cholesterol concentrations were quadratically affected (p<0.05) and decreased in pigs fed Cu as CuCit at 60 and 120 mg/kg and increased in pigs fed 240 mg/kg Cu as CuCit. Serum high-density lipoprotein concentrations were linearly affected with an increase in CuCit (p<0.01). Serum IL-1β levels were quadratically affected (p<0.05) by dietary treatment. Compared with other treatments, 240 mg/kg Cu from CuCit quadratically increased hepatic (p<0.01) and renal (p<0.05) Cu concentrations, and quadratically decreased hepatic and renal iron concentrations (p<0.05). Conclusion: Cu administered in the form of CuCit at a dosage range of 30 to 60 mg/kg, effectively enhanced the growth performance and antioxidant status of weaned pigs.

Two Maternal Lineages Revealed by Mitochondrial DNA D-loop Sequences in Chinese Native Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

Lei, Chu-Zhao,Zhang, Wei,Chen, Hong,Lu, Fan,Ge, Qing-Lan,Liu, Ruo-Yu,Dang, Rui-Hua,Yao, Yun-Yi,Yao, Li-Bo,Lu, Zi-Fan,Zhao, Zhong-liang Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.4

Little is known about the origin and genetic diversity of swamp buffaloes in China. To obtain more knowledge on genetics of the water buffalo in China, the complete mitochondrial D-loop sequences of 30 samples from 6 native types were investigated. The results revealed 12 mitochondrial haplotypes with 50 polymorphic sites. Among these polymorphic sites, there were 49 transitions and 1 transversion. The average nucleotide diversity and haplotype diversity estimated from mtDNA D-loop region in 6 Chinese water buffalo types were 0.00684 and 0.798, respectively, showing rather abundant mitochondrial genetic diversity. The Neighbor-Joining (NJ) tree of mtDNA of Chinese water buffaloes was constructed according to the 12 haplotypes. The NJ tree indicated two lineages being designated lineage A and lineage B, in which lineage A was predominant, and lineage B was at low frequency. The new lineage B was first discovered and defined in 6 Chinese water buffalo types. These results showed that two different maternal lineages were involved in the origin of domestic swamp buffaloes in China and the lineage B was probably an introgression from Southeast Asian buffaloes.

The Quantitative Evaluation of Automatic Segmentation in Lumbar Magnetic Resonance Images

Yao-Wen Liang,Yu-Ting Fang,Ting-Chun Lin,Cheng-Ru Yang,Chih-Chang Chang,Hsuan-Kan Chang,Chin-Chu Ko,Tsung-Hsi Tu,Li-Yu Fay,Jau-Ching Wu,Wen-Cheng Huang,Hsiang-Wei Hu,You-Yin Chen,Chao-Hung Kuo 대한척추신경외과학회 2024 Neurospine Vol.21 No.2

Objective: This study aims to overcome challenges in lumbar spine imaging, particularly lumbar spinal stenosis, by developing an automated segmentation model using advanced techniques. Traditional manual measurement and lesion detection methods are limited by subjectivity and inefficiency. The objective is to create an accurate and automated segmentation model that identifies anatomical structures in lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging scans. Methods: Leveraging a dataset of 539 lumbar spinal stenosis patients, the study utilizes the residual U-Net for semantic segmentation in sagittal and axial lumbar spine magnetic resonance images. The model, trained to recognize specific tissue categories, employs a geometry algorithm for anatomical structure quantification. Validation metrics, like Intersection over Union (IOU) and Dice coefficients, validate the residual U-Net’s segmentation accuracy. A novel rotation matrix approach is introduced for detecting bulging discs, assessing dural sac compression, and measuring yellow ligament thickness. Results: The residual U-Net achieves high precision in segmenting lumbar spine structures, with mean IOU values ranging from 0.82 to 0.93 across various tissue categories and views. The automated quantification system provides measurements for intervertebral disc dimensions, dural sac diameter, yellow ligament thickness, and disc hydration. Consistency between training and testing datasets assures the robustness of automated measurements. Conclusion: Automated lumbar spine segmentation with residual U-Net and deep learning exhibits high precision in identifying anatomical structures, facilitating efficient quantification in lumbar spinal stenosis cases. The introduction of a rotation matrix enhances lesion detection, promising improved diagnostic accuracy, and supporting treatment decisions for lumbar spinal stenosis patients.

Humidity-assisted selective reactivity between NO₂ and SO₂ gas on carbon nanotubes

Yao, Fei,Duong, Dinh Loc,Lim, Seong Chu,Yang, Seung Bum,Hwang, Ha Ryong,Yu, Woo Jong,Lee, Il Ha,Gü,neş,, Fethullah,Lee, Young Hee Royal Society of Chemistry 2011 Journal of materials chemistry Vol.21 No.12

<P>In spite of the technical importance of detecting environmental SO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB> and NO<SUB><I>x</I></SUB> gases, a selective detection has not been realized because of their similar chemical properties. In this report, adsorption and desorption of SO<SUB>2</SUB> and NO<SUB>2</SUB> gas on carbon nanotubes are investigated in terms of different humidity levels at room temperature. A random-network single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) resistor is constructed by a dip-pen method using a SWCNT/dichloroethane (DCE) solution. In the case of SO<SUB>2</SUB> gas adsorption, the resistance increases at high humidity level (92%) and shows no obvious change at low humidity levels. On the other hand, in the case of NO<SUB>2</SUB> gas adsorption, the resistance always decreases independent of moisture levels. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that this selective behavior originates from cooperative charge compensation between the SO<SUB>2</SUB>–<I>n</I>H<SUB>2</SUB>O complex and the p-type CNT resistor. The change of response time and recovery time with different moisture levels is further investigated. This humidity-assisted gas reaction provides a simple route to detect these two gases selectively.</P> <P>Graphic Abstract</P><P>Selective detection of SO<SUB>2</SUB> and NO<SUB>2</SUB> gas has been successfully realized on carbon nanotubes by introducing humidity in this study. <IMG SRC='http://pubs.rsc.org/services/images/RSCpubs.ePlatform.Service.FreeContent.ImageService.svc/ImageService/image/GA?id=c0jm03227a'> </P>

Experimental Research on the Shear Performance of the Two-Storey Composite Cold-Formed Thin-Walled Steel Wall

Yunpeng Chu,Xiangrong He,Yong Yao,Hongjie Hou 대한토목학회 2020 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.24 No.2

The composite wall made of the cold-formed thin-walled steel has good shear performance. When it is used in buildings, its weak part is located at the joint of floors and becomes the first broken part under the action of the earthquake. The shear test of five Two-storey Composite Cold-formed Thin-walled Steel Walls (TCS) under cyclic loading has been carried out. The influences of axial pressures, types of anti-pulling bolts and panel materials on shear performances are examined. The results show that under the same working condition, the energy dissipation capacity of calcium silicate panel specimens is significantly lager than that of the gypsum panel specimens, and the ultimate bearing capacity is also greater. The axial pressure has a great influence on the ultimate bearing capacity and energy dissipation capacity of the specimens. Compared with the specimens designed according to the Ref. (JGJ227-2011, 2011), the energy dissipation capacity of all specimens is increased by 3.25 times. The extrusion between the self-tapping screw and the wall panel causes the screw to fall off, resulting in a sharp decrease in the rigidity of the specimens at the initial loading stage. After the failure of the wall panel, the bottom and top beam are restricted by double nuts of the anti-pulling bolt at the joint of floors, so the bearing capacity of specimens decreases slowly at the later loading stage. The tilt angle of anti-pulling bolt increases when the TCS wall is loaded to the later stage. The force state of the self-tapping screw on the hold-down is changed from bearing shear force to bearing tension and shear force, resulting in fast failure of the anti-pulling bolt suit. The load borne by the anti-pulling bolt suit is transferred to floor beams and their supporting stiffeners, causing them to collapse rapidly.

Fertility and prognosis assessment between bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatin and paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy regimens in the conservative treatment of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors: a multicenter and retrospective study

Ran Chu,Penglin Liu,Jingying Chen,Xiaodong Cheng,Kezhen Li,Yanci Che,Jianliu Wang,Li Li,Xi Zhang,Shu Yao,Li Song,Ying Zhao,Changzhen Huang,Ying Xue,Xiyu Pan,Junting Li,Zhongshao Chen,Jie Jiang,Beihua 대한부인종양학회 2023 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.34 No.2

Objective: To evaluate the impact of bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatin (BEP) and paclitaxel/carboplatin (PC) chemotherapy regimens on the fertility and prognostic outcomes in malignant ovarian germ cell tumor (MOGCT) patients who underwent fertility-sparing surgery (FSS). Methods: A propensity score matching algorithm was performed between the BEP and PC groups. The χ2 test and the Kaplan-Meier method were used to compare the fertility outcome, disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify risk factor of DFS. Results: We included 213 patients, 185 (86.9%) underwent BEP chemotherapy, and 28 (13.1%) underwent PC chemotherapy. The median age was 22 years (range, 8–44 years), and the median follow-up period was 63 months (range, 2–191 months). Fifty-one (29.3%) patients had a pregnancy plan, and 35 (85.4%) delivered successfully. In the before and after propensity score matching cohorts, there were no significant differences in spontaneous abortion, selective termination of pregnancy, during-pregnancy status, and live birth between the BEP and PC groups (p>0.05). Fourteen (6.6%) patients experienced recurrence, including 11 (5.9%) in the BEP group and 3 (10.7%) in the PC group. Four (1.9%) patients in the BEP group died. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed no significant differences in DFS (p=0.328) and OS (p=0.446) between the BEP and PC groups, and the same survival results were observed in the after matching cohort. Conclusion: The PC regimen is as safe as the BEP regimen for MOGCT patients with fertility preservation treatment, and no differences were observed in fertility and clinical prognosis.

Optimization of magnetic polyurethane composite PU/OA@Fe3O4 synthesis for enhanced treatment of municipal wastewater using response surface methodology

Shuyi Chu,Yilei Yao,Xinggan Sun,Jibo Xiao,Xiao Ma,Hongcai Guan 한국공업화학회 2023 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.128 No.-

A novel magnetic polyurethane (PU) composite, PU/OA@Fe3O4 (MPU), was synthesized using oleic-acidcoatedFe3O4 nanoparticles. The response surface method based on the Box-Behnken design wasemployed to optimize the synthesis of MPU. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectronspectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and saturated magnetizationwere employed to characterize the MPU. The conditions for optimal synthesis of MPU were asfollows: 0.65 g of catalyst A, 0.42 g of catalyst B, 2.11 g of organic silicon resin FS-05, and a toluene diisocyanateindex of 112. The saturated magnetization of MPU at an OA@Fe3O4 of 8% and 10% were 21.19 and32.83 emu/g, respectively. The improvement in removal performance of a sequencing batch biofilm reactorwith MPU compared to conventional PU was also investigated. Removal of ammonia nitrogen, totalnitrogen, chemical oxygen demand, and total phosphorus were all improved, compared to PU, by11.73%, 9.13%, 11.22%, and 10.34%, respectively. At the end of the experiment, total and volatile biomassof MPU were 542 and 375 mg/g, respectively, which were 30 and 100 mg/g greater than those of PU. Inaddition, the biofilms growing on MPU contained considerably more proteins and tightly bound extracellularpolymeric substances than those growing on PU.

Hydrothermal synthesis of stable metallic 1T phase WS₂ nanosheets for thermoelectric application

Piao, Mingxing,Chu, Jin,Wang, Xiao,Chi, Yao,Zhang, Heng,Li, Chaolong,Shi, Haofei,Joo, Min-Kyu IOP 2018 Nanotechnology Vol.29 No.2

<P>Two-dimensional materials have gained great attention as a promising thermoelectric (TE) material due to their unique density of state with confined electrons and holes. Here, we synthesized 1T phase tungsten disulfide (WS<SUB>2</SUB>) nanosheets with high TE performance via the hydrothermal method. Flexible WS<SUB>2</SUB> nanosheets restacked thin films were fabricated by employing the vacuum filtration technique. The measured electrical conductivity was 45 S cm<SUP>−1</SUP> with a Seebeck coefficient of +30 <I>μ</I>V K<SUP>–1</SUP> at room temperature, indicating a p-type characteristic. Furthermore, the TE performance could be further improved by thermal annealing treatment. It was found the electrical conductivity could be enhanced 2.7 times without sacrificing the Seebeck coefficient, resulting in the power factor of 9.40 <I>μ</I>W m<SUP>−1</SUP> K<SUP>−2</SUP>. Moreover, such 1T phase WS<SUB>2</SUB> nanosheets possess high phase stability since the TE properties maintained constant at least half one year in the air atmosphere. Notably, other kinds of 1T phase transitional metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) with excellent TE performance also could be imitated by using the procedure in this work. Finally, we believe a variety of materials based on 1T phase TMDCs nanosheets have great potential as candidate for future TE applications.</P>

Direct Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control for Under-actuated Uncertain Systems

Su, Shun-Feng,Hsueh, Yao-Chu,Tseng, Cio-Ping,Chen, Song-Shyong,Lin, Yu-San Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems 2015 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of FUZZY LOGIC and INTELLIGE Vol.15 No.4

The development of the control algorithms for under-actuated systems is important. Decoupled sliding mode control has been successfully employed to control under-actuated systems in a decoupling manner with the use of sliding mode control. However, in such a control scheme, the system functions must be known. If there are uncertainties in those functions, the control performance may not be satisfactory.In this paper, the direct adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control is employed to control a class of under-actuated uncertain systems which can be regarded as a combination of several subsystems with one same control input. By using the hierarchical sliding control approach, a sliding control law is derived so as to make every subsystem stabilized at the same time. But, since the system considered is assumed to be uncertain, the sliding control law cannot be readily facilitated. Therefore, in the study, based on Lyapunov stable theory a fuzzy compensator is proposed to approximate the uncertain part of the sliding control law. From those simulations, it can be concluded that the proposed compensator can indeed cope with system uncertainties. Besides, it can be found that the proposed compensator also provide good robustness properties.

Direct Adaptive Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control for Under-actuated Uncertain Systems

Shun-Feng Su,Yao-Chu Hsueh,Cio-Ping Tseng,Song-Shyong Chen,Yu-San Lin 한국지능시스템학회 2015 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of FUZZY LOGIC and INTELLIGE Vol.15 No.4

The development of the control algorithms for under-actuated systems is important. Decoupled sliding mode control has been successfully employed to control under-actuated systems in a decoupling manner with the use of sliding mode control. However, in such a control scheme, the system functions must be known. If there are uncertainties in those functions, the control performance may not be satisfactory. In this paper, the direct adaptive fuzzy sliding mode control is employed to control a class of under-actuated uncertain systems which can be regarded as a combination of several subsystems with one same control input. By using the hierarchical sliding control approach, a sliding control law is derived so as to make every subsystem stabilized at the same time. But, since the system considered is assumed to be uncertain, the sliding control law cannot be readily facilitated. Therefore, in the study, based on Lyapunov stable theory a fuzzy compensator is proposed to approximate the uncertain part of the sliding control law. From those simulations, it can be concluded that the proposed compensator can indeed cope with system uncertainties. Besides, it can be found that the proposed compensator also provide good robustness properties.