Effects of Dietary Copper Source and Level on Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Lipid Metabolism in Lambs

Cheng, Jianbo,Fan, Caiyun,Zhang, Wei,Zhu, Xiaoping,Yan, Xiaogang,Wang, Runlian,Jia, Zhihai Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.5

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary copper (Cu) on performance, carcass characteristics and lipid metabolism in lambs. Fifty DorperMongolia wether lambs (approximately 3 month of age; 23.80.6 kg of body weight) were housed in individual pens and were assigned randomly to one of five treatments. Treatments consisted of 1) control (no supplemental Cu), 2) 10 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu-lysine, 3) 20 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu-lysine, 4) 10 mg Cu/kg DM from tribasic copper chloride (Cu2(OH)3Cl; TBCC), 5) 20 mg Cu/kg DM from tribasic copper chloride. The Cu concentration was 6.74 mg/kg DM in the basal diet. Body weight was measured on two consecutive days at the start and the end of the 60-day experimental period. Blood samples were collected and then the lambs were slaughtered on d 60. Performance was not affected (p>0.05) by dietary Cu treatment. Cu-supplemented and control lambs had similar hot carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus muscle area, but Cu supplementation, regardless of source and level, reduced (p<0.01) 12th rib backfat and kidney fat in lambs. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-) and serum triglyceride concentrations were increased (p<0.05), total cholesterol concentrations were decreased (p<0.05) and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) concentrations tended to be increased (p<0.07) by Cu supplementation. However, Serum concentrations of HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary treatment. Fatty acid profile of longissimus muscle was similar across treatments. These results indicate that Cu-lysine and TBCC are of similar availability in lambs. Cu supplementation given to DorperMongolia wether lambs altered lipid metabolism. The reduction in backfat depth may be due to copper altering TNF- metabolism in lambs. Supplementation of 10 or 20 mg Cu/kg DM showed similar effects on lipid metabolism in lambs.

Effects of Chromium Yeast on Performance, Insulin Activity, and Lipid Metabolism in Lambs Fed Different Dietary Protein Levels

Yan, Xiaogang,Zhang, Wei,Cheng, Jianbo,Wang, Runlian,Kleemann, David O.,Zhu, Xiaoping,Jia, Zhihai Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.6

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of chromium (Cr), dietary crude protein (CP) level and potential interactions between these two factors on growth rate and carcass response, insulin activity and lipid metabolism in lambs. Forty-eight, 9-week-old weaned lambs (Dorper$\times$Small-tail Han sheep, mean initial body weight = $22.96kg{\pm}2.60kg$) were used in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement of supplemental Cr (0 ppb, Cr0; 400 ppb, Cr1; or 800 ppb, Cr2 from chromium yeast) and CP levels (157 g/d to 171 g/d for each animal, LP; or 189 g/d to 209 g/d for each animal, HP). Growth data and blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the feed trial, after which the lambs were killed. Both Cr additive groups and the HP group increased final weight and average daily gain, especially the Cr1 and HP group (p<0.01). HP increased pelvic fat weight (p<0.05), fat thickness of the 10th rib (p<0.05), longissimus muscle area (p<0.01) and rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.01). Supplemental Cr decreased the rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.05). Fasting insulin level and the ratio of insulin to glucose were lower with Cr1 than other groups, but with no significant difference. Glucose concentration was not affected by any treatment. Nonesterified fatty acids increased in the Cr1 (p<0.05) and HP (p<0.05) conditions and there was a significant $Cr{\times}CP$ interaction (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased triglycerides (p<0.05) and total cholesterol (p = 0.151) and HP increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased lipoprotein lipase activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue (aLPL, p<0.05) and the ratio of aLPL to lipoprotein lipase activity in skeletal muscle (mLPL, p = 0.079). mLPL and hepatic lipase (hHL) were not affected by any treatment. In the present study, Cr had limited effects on growth rate and carcass response, whereas Cr and CP had some notable effects on plasma metabolites and enzyme activities. Cr has a potential effect on energy modulation between lipid and muscle tissue. In addition, few $Cr{\times}CP$ interactions were observed.

Improving performance of organic solar cells by supplying additional acceptors to surface of bulk-heterojunction layers

Xie, Xiaoyin,Liu, Guanchen,Cheng, Guanjian,Liu, Zhihai,Lee, Eun-Cheol The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 Journal of Materials Chemistry C Vol.6 No.11

<P>In this study, we improved the performance of poly[4,8-bis(5-(2-ethylhexyl)thiophen-2-yl)benzo[1,2-<I>b</I>:4,5-<I>b</I>′] dithiophene-<I>co</I>-3-fluorothieno[3,4-<I>b</I>]thiophene-2-carboxylate]:[6,6]-phenyl-C70-butyric acid methyl ester (PTB7-Th:PC71BM)-based organic solar cells (OSCs) by thermally evaporating additional acceptors PC71BM or 3,9-bis(2-methylene-(3-(1,1-dicyanomethylene)-indanone))-5,5,11,11-tetrakis(4-hexylphenyl)-dithieno[2,3-<I>d</I>:2′,3′-<I>d</I>′]-<I>s</I>-indaceno[1,2-<I>b</I>:5,6-<I>b</I>′]dithiophene (ITIC) on the surface of bulk-heterojunction layers. We found that the surface of the bulk-heterojunction layers showed a shortage of acceptor materials due to vertical phase separation, which was detrimental to the power conversion efficiency (PCE). The acceptor addition (PC71BM or ITIC) was beneficial for charge transport and suppressed charge recombination. Addition of a 9 nm PC71BM layer on the surface of the bulk-heterojunction layers significantly improved the performance of rigid OSCs (on glass substrates), and the maximum PCE increased from 8.99% to 10.25%, which was higher than that (9.78%) of the OSCs using ITIC. In addition, the degradation of the OSCs during long-term stability testing reduced from 21% to 14% Furthermore, the PCE of flexible OSCs (on polyethylene naphthalate substrate) improved from 7.65% to 8.52%. Our results indicated that evaporating PC71BM on the surface of bulk-heterojunction layers is a simple and effective method to fabricate high-performance rigid and flexible OSCs.</P>

Alcohol based vapor annealing of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) layer for performance improvement of inverted perovskite solar cells

Liu, Guanchen,Xie, Xiaoyin,Liu, Zhihai,Cheng, Guanjian,Lee, Eun-Cheol The Royal Society of Chemistry 2018 Nanoscale Vol.10 No.23

<P>In this study, we introduced alcohol based vapor annealing of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layer for fabricating high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells. Atomic force microscopy measurements and atomistic theoretical simulations indicated that phase separation between PEDOT and PSS was enhanced by this annealing, improving the hole conductivity at the PEDOT:PSS layer. As a result of using methanol, the short-circuit current density improved from 20.7 to 21.6 mA cm<SUP>−2</SUP>; consequently, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) improved from 16.1 to 17.3%. However, using ethanol or isopropanol yielded a smaller performance improvement. The PCEs of the best sample in this study under forward and reverse scans were 17.7 and 18.0%, respectively, indicating that the PSC had a small hysteresis. Our results suggest that alcohol vapor annealing is a simple and effective method of developing high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells.</P>

Effects of Source of Supplemental Zinc on Performance, Nutrient Digestibility and Plasma Mineral Profile in Cashmere Goats

Jia, Wenbin,Zhu, Xiaoping,Zhang, Wei,Cheng, Jianbo,Guo, Cuihua,Jia, Zhihai Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2009 Animal Bioscience Vol.22 No.12

This experiment was designed to evaluate the effects of source of supplemental zinc (Zn) on performance, nutrient digestibility and plasma mineral profile in Cashmere goats during the cashmere fiber growing period. Twenty-seven Liao Ning Cashmere wether goats (9-10 month of age; initial BW = 19.31${\pm}$0.32 kg) were fed a basal diet (containing 22.3 mg Zn/kg DM) with no supplemental Zn (control) or 20 mg of supplemental Zn/kg of DM from Zn sulfate ($ZnSO_{4}$) or Zn methionine (ZnMet) for 60 days including a 10-day metabolism trial. Average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05) and gain:feed (G/F) (p<0.05) were increased by Zn supplementation, but no differences were noted between Zn sources (p>0.05). The length and diameter of cashmere fiber did not differ among treatments (p>0.05). Zn supplementation had no influence on digestibility of DM, CP, EE and NDF (p>0.05). However, ADF digestibility in the group supplemented with ZnMet was significantly higher than in other treatments (p<0.05). Plasma Zn was increased (p<0.05) and Cu tended to be decreased (p = 0.057) by Zn supplementation, but no differences were found between Zn sources (p>0.05). Plasma alkaline phosphatase activity (AKP) was improved by Zn supplementation (p<0.05) and was higher in the $ZnSO_{4}$ than the ZnMet group (p<0.05). Zn retention was increased (p<0.05) and apparent absorption rate was decreased (p<0.05) by Zn supplementation. The results indicate that supplementation of 20 mg Zn/kg DM either as $ZnSO_{4}$ or ZnMet in the basal diet containing 22.3 mg Zn/kg DM can improve growth performance in Cashmere goats, and effectiveness of the two sources is similar on performance measurements.

Moisture-Induced Reversible Softening of Polyacrylates-Stiffened Cotton Fabrics

Yifang Mi,Die Wu,Yongxiang Li,Xiaoxia Cheng,Xiaobo Yang,Shuxian Lan,Zhihai Cao 한국섬유공학회 2022 Fibers and polymers Vol.23 No.5

The stiffening finishing of cotton fabrics has been widely used in textile industry. However, the notorious softeningof stiffened fabrics attenuated the stiffening style during storage. To reveal crucial factors responsible for the softeningphenomenon and elucidate the mechanism, cotton twill woven fabrics finished with polyacrylates (PAcr) stiffening agentswere systematically analyzed. The sensitive index to stiffening effect, i.e. stiffness value, was found which can fully assessthe handle changes of stiffened fabrics. The stiffness value of stiffened cotton fabrics decreased rapidly in the initial stage ofstorage, and the declining extent was related to the hygroscopic behavior of stiffened fabrics. Based on the hygroscopickinetic data, hygroscopic-drying cyclic experiments, and morphology characterization, it was found that interfaces betweencotton fibers and stiffening agent film were maintained during the whole hygroscopic process, and the reason for handlechanges of stiffened cotton fabrics was ascribed to the reversible moisture-induced plasticization effect on PAcr stiffeningagent film and cotton fibers. Furthermore, the underlying softening mechanism was further proposed in this work. Collectively, the present results are crucial for anti-softening in stiffening finishing of hydrophilic fabrics and an importantpart for the research on the mechanism of softening of stiffened fabrics.

One-pot synthesis of double vacancy tazetta Bi5O7I for photocatalytic removal of mercury from flue gas

Weiqun Chu,Hailong Liu,Qilin Zhang,Fangqin Li,Cheng Peng,Zhihai Cheng,Jiang Wu,Sorachon Yoriya,Ping He,Hai Zhang 한국공업화학회 2023 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.125 No.-

Regulation of carrier capture and transport is critical for the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. Inthis work, a Bi5O7I photocatalyst containing double vacant tazetta-like structure was synthesized byone-pot calcination. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron spin resonance spectroscopy(ESR) analysis showed that the vacancy structure improved the activation performance of adsorbed oxygen,thereby promoting the participation of superoxide radicals in the photocatalytic reaction. The resultsof electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and timeresolvedphotoluminescence spectroscopy (TRPL) revealed that the defect state induced by double vacanciescould adjust the electron transport pathway, and the fluorescence lifetime could reach 3.043 ns,which greatly improved the photocatalytic reactivity. We further tested the photocatalytic activity ofheavy metal mercury removal experiment, and the optimal photocatalytic mercury removal efficiencyincreased to 83%. Finally, combining the results of DFT calculation and photocatalytic mercury removalexperiments, we proposed the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of Bi5O7I regulated by double vacancies. Our work provides a more convenient method for the design of defect engineering photocatalystsand provides effective theoretical support for photocatalytic removal of heavy metal mercury in flue gas.