Effects of Dietary Energy Density on Growth, Carcass Quality and mRNA Expression of Fatty Acid Synthase and Hormone-sensitive Lipase in Finishing Pigs

Liu, Z.H.,Yang, F.Y.,Kong, L.J.,Lai, C.H.,Piao, X.S.,Gu, Y.H.,Ou, X.Q. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.10

A single factorial experiment was conducted to test the effects of three dietary levels of energy on mRNA expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS-mRNA) and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL-mRNA) and their association with intramuscular fat in finishing pigs. 72 crossbred (Large $White{\times}Rongchang$) barrows with an average initial body weight of 20.71 (s.e. 0.1) kg, were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments (11.75, 13.05 and 14.36 MJ DE/kg) and fed until slaughtered at 100 or 101 kg. The diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-essential amino acids. The growth performances including the duration of finishing were changed linearly (p<0.05) or quadratically (p<0.05) with increased dietary energy levels. The effects of dietary energy content on the percentage of external fat, intramuscular backfat and the fat thickness were linear (p<0.05). The content of dietary energy increased FAS-mRNA linearly or quadratically, while HSL-mRNA decreased linearly or quadratically in backfat and Longissmus dorsi muscle. Meanwhile, significant positive correlations (p<0.05) were found between energy level and intramuscular fat, FAS-mRNA or the ratio of FAS-mRNA to HSL-mRNA, between the ratio of FAS-mRNA to HSL-mRNA and intramuscular fat. However, the correlations between HSL mRNA and dietary energy or intramuscular fat were negative (p<0.05). The results indicated that dietary energy level regulates lipid accumulation, especially intramuscular fat, possibly by modulating the mRNA of FAS and HSL together rather than individually.

A return mapping algorithm for plane stress and degenerated shell plasticity

Liu, Z.,Al-Bermani, F.G.A. Techno-Press 1995 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.3 No.2

A numerical algorithm for plane stress and shell elasto-plasticity is presented in this paper. The proposed strain decomposition (SD) algorithm is an elastic predictor/plastic corrector algorithm, and in the context of operator splitting, is a return mapping algorithm. However, it differs significantly from other return mapping algorithms in that only the necessary response functions are used without invoking their gradients, and the stress increment is updated only at the end of the time step. This makes the proposed SD algorithm more suitable for materials with complex yield surfaces and will guard against error accumulation during the time step. Comparative analyses of structural systems using the proposed strain decomposition (SD) algorithm and the iterative radial return (IRR) algorithm are presented. The results demonstrate the accuracy and usefulness of the proposed algorithm.

Effects of Biocom as a Replacement of Glutamine on Performance and Blood Biochemical Indexes of Early Weaned Piglets

Zhou, R.Y.,Peng, J.,Liu, Z.L.,Fang, Z.F. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2006 Animal Bioscience Vol.19 No.6

The objective of this study was to evaluate Biocom (a protein source containing a high level of glutamine and alanyl-glutamine) as a replacement for glutamine (Gln) in nursery pig diets. Forty-two pigs (fourteen pigs per treatment) weaned at 28 d of age were used in a 28-d performance trial using three dietary treatments: control (no Gln), control supplemented with Gln or Biocom. The control diet was composed of corn, soybean meal, whey and fish meal. Individual body weight, pen feed disappearance and diarrhea were monitored. On d 0, 2, 7 and 14 postweaning, respectively, five pigs per treatment were selected and bled from the anterior vena cava to obtain five replicate samples of blood on each dietary treatment for determination of blood biochemical index. Dietary supplementation of Gln and Biocom did not influence performance, plasma Gln and total serum protein concentration (p>0.05). However, the addition of Gln and Biocom could prevent serum urea nitrogen and serum cortisol from increasing on d 2 postweaning (p<0.05). There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in any of the examined parameters between Gln- and Biocom-supplemented diets. In conclusion, dietary Gln did not influence the performance of early-weaned piglets owing to the complex diet containing whey, but could prevent the increase of serum urea and cortisol. Biocom could be used as a replacement for free pure Gln without any negative effect on early-weaned piglets.

Intramuscular Administration of Zinc Metallothionein to Preslaughter Stressed Pigs Improves Anti-oxidative Status and Pork Quality

Li, L.L.,Hou, Z.P.,Yin, Y.L.,Liu, Y.H.,Hou, D.X.,Zhang, B.,Wu, G.Y.,Kim, S.W.,Fan, M.Z.,Yang, C.B.,Kong, X.F.,Tang, Z.R.,Peng, H.Z.,Deng, D.,Deng, Z.Y.,Xie, M.Y.,Xiong, H.,Kang, P.,Wang, S.X. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.5

This study was conducted to determine the effects of exogenous zinc-metallothionein (Zn-MT) on anti-oxidative function and pork quality. After feeding a corn-soybean meal-based diet for two weeks, 48 pigs ($Duroc{\times}Landrace{\times}Chinese\;Black Pig$) were assigned randomly to four groups. Pigs in Group 1 were maintained under non-stress conditions, whereas pigs in Groups 2, 3 and 4 were aggressively handled for 25 min to produce stress. Pigs in Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received intramuscular administration of saline (control group; CON), 0 (negative control group; NCON), 0.8 (low dose group; LOW), and 1.6 (high dose group; HIGH) mg rabbit liver Zn-MT per kg body weight, respectively. Pigs were slaughtered at 3 and 6 h post-injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-PX) while decreasing the concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. These responses were greater (p<0.05) at 6 h than at 3 h post Zn-MT injection. Zn-MT treatment increased (p<0.05) hepatic SOD mRNA levels in a time and dose-dependent manner and decreased (p<0.05) serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities (indicators of tissue integrity). Zn-MT administration decreased (p<0.05) lactate concentration and increased (p<0.05) pH and water-holding capacity in the longissimus thorasis meat. Collectively, our results indicate that intramuscular administration of Zn-MT to pre-slaughter stressed pigs improved tissue anti-oxidative ability and meat quality.

Molecular Characterization and Expression Pattern of Gene IGFBP-5 in the Cashmere Goat (Capra hircus)

Wang, X.J.,Shi, J.J.,Yang, J.F.,Liang, Y.,Wang, Y.F.,Wu, M.L.,Li, S.Y.,Guo, X.D.,Wang, Z.G.,Liu, D.J. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2012 Animal Bioscience Vol.25 No.5

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is one of the six members of IGFBP family, important for cell growth, apoptosis and other IGF-stimulated signaling pathways. In order to explore the significance of IGFBP-5 in cells of the Inner Mongolian Cashmere goat (Capra hircus), IGFBP-5 gene complementary DNA (cDNA) was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the animal's fetal fibroblasts and tissue-specific expression analysis was performed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The gene is 816 base pairs (bp) in length and includes the complete open reading frame, encoding 271 amino acids (GenBank accession number JF720883). The full cDNA nucleotide sequence has a 99% identity with sheep, 98% with cattle and 95% with human. The amino acids sequence shares identity with 99%, 99% and 99%, respectively. The bioinformatics analysis showed that IGFBP-5 has an insulin growth factor-binding protein homologues (IB) domain and a thyroglobulin type-1 (TY) domain, four protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, five casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, three prenyl group binding sites (CaaX box). The IGFBP-5 gene was expressed in all the tested tissues including testis, brain, liver, lung, mammary gland, spleen, and kidney, suggesting that IGFBP-5 plays an important role in goat cells.

Variation and Correlation of Shearing Force with Feed Nutritional Characteristics of Wheat Straw

Cui, X.M.,Yang, Z.B.,Yang, W.R.,Jiang, S.Z.,Zhang, G.G.,Liu, L.,Wu, B.R.,Wang, Z.F. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2013 Animal Bioscience Vol.26 No.10

This experiment was conducted to study the variation laws and correlations of shearing force and feed characteristics including morphological characteristic, chemical composition and in situ degradability of wheat straw. Feasibility of evaluating the nutritional value of wheat straws with shearing force values was analyzed in this study. Six hundred wheat straw plants (Jimai 22) were randomly selected and placed in a cool and ventilated place. Samples were collected in the 1st, 15th, 30th, 45th, 60th d after harvest to measure shearing force, morphological characteristic, nutritional composition. Rumen degradation of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of wheat straws were determined by the nylon bags method. The results demonstrated that linear and quadratic effects of storage time on all the tested morphological characteristics were significantly correlative (p<0.01). As storage time goes on, all the tested nutrients and their rumen degradations of wheat straw was linearly (p<0.01) and quadratic (p<0.01) correlative except ADF content and rumen degradation of ADF. Significant correlations were determined in linear effect of shearing force on morphological characteristics (p<0.01), and linear density and diameter were a more sensitive predictor than stem thickness for shearing force. There were strong correlations between storage time and all the measured physical characteristics (shearing force, morphological characteristics and shearing force standardized by morphological characteristics) (p<0.01). Nutrition compositions were linearly correlative with shearing force and standardized shearing force (p<0.01). The linear correlation between rumen degradation of DM and NDF and shearing force and standardized shearing force were evident (p<0.01). In conclusion, shearing force, nutrition compositions and their rumen degradation of wheat straw were still dynamic with storage time after harvest. Correlation could be found between shearing force and nutritional characteristics of wheat straw. Nutrient content, morphological index and rumen degradation of DM and NDF could be predicted by changes in shearing force. Shearing force should be applied according to a standardized storage time when it is used to forecast the feed value of wheat straws.

Unsteady separated and reattaching turbulent flow over a two-dimensional square rib

Liu, Y.Z.,Ke, F.,Sung, H.J. Academic Press 2008 Journal of fluids and structures Vol.24 No.3

The spatio-temporal characteristics of the separated and reattaching turbulent flow over a two-dimensional square rib were studied experimentally. Synchronized measurements of wall-pressure fluctuations and velocity fluctuations were made using a microphone array and a split-fiber film, respectively. Profiles of time-averaged streamwise velocity and wall-pressure fluctuations showed that the shear layer separated from the leading edge of the rib sweeps past the rib and directly reattaches on the bottom wall (x/H=9.75) downstream of the rib. A thin region of reverse flow was formed above the rib. The shedding large-scale vortical structures (fH/U<SUB>0</SUB>=0.03) and the flapping separation bubble (fH/U<SUB>0</SUB>=0.0075) could be discerned in the wall-pressure spectra. A multi-resolution analysis based on the maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT) was performed to extract the intermittent events associated with the shedding large-scale vortical structures and the flapping separation bubble. The convective dynamics of the large-scale vortical structures were analyzed in terms of the autocorrelation of the continuous wavelet-transformed wall pressure, cross-correlation of the wall-pressure fluctuations, and the cross-correlation between the wall pressure at the time-averaged reattachment point and the streamwise velocity field. The convection speeds of the large-scale vortical structures before and after the reattachment point were U<SUB>c</SUB>=0.35U<SUB>0</SUB> and 0.45U<SUB>0</SUB>, respectively. The flapping motion of the separation bubble was analyzed in terms of the conditionally averaged reverse-flow intermittency near the wall region. The instantaneous reattachment point in response to the flapping motion was obtained; these findings established that the reattachment zone was a 1.2H-long region centered at x/H=9.75. The reverse-flow intermittency in one period of the flapping motion demonstrated that the thin reverse flow above the rib is influenced by the flapping motion of the separation bubble behind the rib.

Some Factors Affecting Freezing of Boar Semen in 5 ml Maxi-straws

Dai, J.J.,Wu, C.F.,Zhang, Defu,Yin, F.Z.,Zhang, T.Y.,Liu, D.,Wu, H.L.,Li, L.L.,Yang, S.T.,Wang, L. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2009 Animal Bioscience Vol.22 No.4

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the suitable freezing and thawing temperatures for the freezing of boar semen in 5 ml maxi-straws. The ultrastructure, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination (AI) of frozen-thawed semen were also be evaluated. The 5 cm freezing height gave the best results not only in post-thaw motility rate (54.00%), but also in normal acrosome morphology rate (NAR) (80.23%). There was no significant difference in the post-thaw motility between different thawing temperatures and corresponding thawing times (p>0.05); the group of $52^{\circ}C$ and 25 s gave the highest motility rate (45.00%). As a whole, not only from the motility but also the NAR, thawing at $42^{\circ}C$ was better than the other two treatments. In the freezing packages, 5 ml maxi-straw gave a little lower mobility (40%), viability rate (49.58%), plasma membrane integrity rate (53.91%) and NAR (52.65%) than the 0.25 ml straw, but there was no significant difference between the two straw volumes (p>0.05). The IVF capacity of frozen-thawed semen in this experiment was similar to fresh semen. From ultrastructure observation, the main damage to boar spermatozoa after freezing was seen in the acrosome, such as swelling and formation of vesicles. After AI in recipient Shanghai White sows, frozen-thawed semen from 5 ml maxi-straws and pellets produced 72.2% and 80% conception rate and 7.8 and 8 litter sizes, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the 5 ml maxi-straw and the pellet (p>0.05).

New Evidence of Alleles (V199I and G52S) at the PRKAG3 (RN) Locus Affecting Pork Meat Quality

Chen, J.F.,Dai, L.H.,Peng, J.,Li, J.L.,Zheng, R.,Zuo, B.,Li, F.E.,Liu, M.,Yue, K.,Lei, M.G.,Xiong, Y.Z.,Deng, C.Y.,Jiang, S.W. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.4

The porcine PRKAG3 (RN) gene encodes the regulatory gamma subunit of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which is a good candidate gene affecting meat quality. In this study, the effects of two missense mutations A595G (Ile199Val) and G154A (Gly52Ser) in porcine PRKAG3 gene on meat quality traits were studied in M. Longissimus dorsi (LD), M. Semispinalis capitis (SC) and M. Biceps femoris (BF) from different populations of 326 pigs. The PRKAG3 alleles 199I, 199IV, 52S and 52G were identified with PCR-RFLPs and all genotypes - 199I/199I, 199I/199V, 199V/199V, 52S/52S, 52S/52G and 52G/52G - were found. The frequency of V allele was larger than that of I allele in all populations. I allele frequency was zero in Chinese Meishan pigs (population D) especially. G allele frequency was larger than that of S allele in all populations except Large White (population A). Both variations at the PRKAG3 locus significantly affected these meat quality traits. The pork meat quality has not previously been established in Meishan or crosses thereof. The results suggested that generally pH of LD, SC and BF was higher in Meishan pigs than that in other populations. Moreover, Meishan pigs showed higher water-holding capacity and intramuscular fat (IMF), lower water content and water loss percentage compared to other populations in terms of the two variations. The results present here supply new evidence that alleles V199I and G52S at the PRKAG3 locus affect pork meat quality and provide useful information on pork production.

New Porous Crystals of Extended Metal-Catecholates

Hmadeh, M.,Lu, Z.,Liu, Z.,Gandara, F.,Furukawa, H.,Wan, S.,Augustyn, V.,Chang, R.,Liao, L.,Zhou, F. ACS AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2012 Chemistry of materials Vol.24 No.18