HT Treatments Research Articles

Heat Production of Iberian Pig Exposed to High Temperature and Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Betaine or Zinc.

The effect of heat, and dietary betaine or zinc on the heat production (HP) of Iberian pigs was studied. Thirty barrows (44 kg) were individually housed for 28 days and assigned to one of five treatments: (1) thermoneutrality (20 °C) and fed a control diet (TN-CON) ad libitum; (2) hot (30 °C) and fed a control diet (HT-CON) ad libitum; (3) thermoneutrality and pair fed a control diet (TN-CON-PF) to HT-CON; (4) hot and fed a betaine-supplemented (0.5%) diet (HT-BET) ad libitum; and (5) hot and fed a zinc-supplemented (0.012%) diet (HT-ZN) ad libitum. On the 18th day, pigs were moved to a respirometry chamber (two chambers) under their respective treatment. The metabolizable energy (ME) intake, HP and respiratory quotient (RQ) were measured over 24 h. No differences (p > 0.05) were found in HP and RE between treatments. For RQ, TN-CON was greater (p < 0.01) than HT treatments, except for HT-BET. All RQs indicated an overall lipogenesis where betaine supplementation showed an intermediate value, indicating that it may have a positive effect on lipogenesis and overall growth. At 30 °C, betaine or zinc had no effect on HP and RE; ME intake was not reduced, indicating a genetic adaptation of Iberian pigs to heat.

Effects of different treatment processes on microstructure and tensile fracture behaviour of selected laser melting TC17 titanium alloy

It is essential to study the tensile fracture mechanism of additively manufactured materials and develop the effective process treatment techniques to improve their fracture resistance. In this paper, the effects of different treatment processes on the microstructure and tensile fracture properties of TC17 titanium alloy melted by laser selective zone melting were investigated. The static tensile fracture morphological characteristics were observed by combining SEM and EDS. The metallographic microstructure after chemical corrosion was observed optically. And the tensile fracture morphology of the three states of TC17 titanium alloy samples at room temperature conditions was investigated. The results show that the metallographic matrix microstructure of TC17 titanium alloy after HT, HIP and HIP-HT treatments was a bimodal structure with α+β phases, i.e., β phase was in the form of a net basket, and α phase was in the form of a coarse bar. The grain sizes of the samples treated by different processes were different, but the difference in grain size of the HT-treated tissues was small, and the difference in grain size of the HIP-HT-treated tissues was large. And the coarse α-phase segregation could be seen at the edge of the samples. The 3D-printed materials had complex changes in anisotropic properties affected by the printing structure and tissue. The printed tissues were brittle and had high internal stresses. These problems were partly improved at high temperatures, but they still existed. The HIP-HT-treated materials had a large α+β-phase bimodal structure. The HT-treated material had coarse grains and precipitation phases, poor room temperature plasticity, and improved high temperature plasticity. After HT treatment, the original printing microstructure changed, the strength and plasticity were significantly improved, but the macroscopic printing structure still had a slight influence on the fracture morphology. When HIP treatment temperature was higher, the influence of macroscopic printing structure basically disappeared, but the grain and microstructure grew up, and the strength and plasticity were slightly lower than that of the HT treatment. HIP process basically eliminated the unfused defects of the three-dimensional morphology, and the local weak bonding zone formed.

Effects of dietary zinc levels on growth, intestinal health, antioxidant and non-specific immunity of spotted seabass (Lateolabrax maculatus) reared at two temperatures

This study investigated effects of dietary zinc levels and water temperature on growth, feed utilization, intestinal health, antioxidant and non-specific immunity of spotted seabass. Six experimental diets were formulated to contain 30, 53, 77, 98, 116, or 145 mg Zn/kg. Each diet was fed to two different groups of fish reared at low temperature (27 °C; LT) or high temperature (33 °C; HT). Triplicate groups of fish were fed the test diets to apparent satiation two times daily for 8 weeks. Results showed that fish under HT showed the lower weight gain (WG) and higher feed conversion rate (FCR) comparing to the LT treatment (P < 0.05). Also, the growth and feed utilization were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by dietary Zn levels and broken-line regression analysis showed the optimal dietary Zn level for spotted seabass reared at 27 °C and 33 °C are 77.69 mg/kg and 93.61 mg/kg, respectively. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of protein and lipid in HT treatment were significantly lower than those of LT treatment (P < 0.05), and ADCs significantly increased with the increase of dietary Zn levels. The histology showed HT and Zn-deficiency can cause the damage of intestine, while fish fed 77 mg Zn/kg diets presented normal structure. Serum LZM activity, C3 and IgM contents of HT treatments were lower than those of the LT treatments. Further, LZM activity, C3, and IgM contents can be significantly elevated by the increasing of dietary Zn levels. MDA content of HT treatments were significantly higher than that of LT treatments, while MDA content decreased with the increase of dietary Zn levels as SOD activity and T-AOC increased. Overall, the optimum dietary Zn level alleviated heat stress via enhancing immunity, antioxidant capacity and intestine health.

Synergistic effects of warming and low salinity enhanced the production of Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis in the warming drainage zone of Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, China

Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant in China is the world's largest coastal nuclear power plant in terms of its total installed capacity both in operation and under construction. Its operations create a warming drainage zone that is potentially beneficial to the large-scale cultivation of macroalgae. Moreover, natural freshwater river flow and ocean acidification caused by increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 bring new uncertainties to the growth and photophysiology of commercial macroalgae. In this study, two CO2 concentrations (LC, 400 μatm; HC, 1000 μatm), two salinity levels (LS, 20 ppt; HS, 30 ppt), and two temperatures (LT, 20 °C; HT, 26 °C) were tested to examine the synergistic effects of warming and salinity on the economically important macroalga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis under ocean acidification. The results showed that the synergistic effect of LS and HT treatments significantly promoted the growth of G. lemaneiformis under LC treatment, but this promotion effect was more obvious under HC treatment. In contrast, HSLT conditions inhibited G. lemaneiformis growth under both LC and HC conditions. Under HC treatment, warming and low salinity together increased the maximum photosynthetic rate and the maximum electron transport rate of G. lemaneiformis. Photosynthetic pigment analysis revealed that LS had a significantly negative effect on the contents of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and carotenoids (Car.), and HT had an obviously adverse influence on the contents of Chl a, Car., phycoerythrin, and phycocyanin. Moreover, the dual limitation of LSHT conditions significantly reduced the contents of Chl a and Car. under HC and LC conditions. These findings suggested that warming and low salinity synergically improved the growth and photosynthetic performance of G. lemaneiformis, especially under ocean acidification. The results provide a scientific basis for macroalgal cultivation as part of environmental restoration around nuclear power plants generally and year-round cultivation of G. lemaneiformis in northern China specifically.

Comparative transcriptomic and proteomic analysis reveals common molecular factors responsive to heat and drought stresses in sweetpotaoto (Ipomoea batatas).

Crops are affected by various abiotic stresses, among which heat (HT) and drought (DR) stresses are the most common in summer. Many studies have been conducted on HT and DR, but relatively little is known about how drought and heat combination (DH) affects plants at molecular level. Here, we investigated the responses of sweetpotato to HT, DR, and DH stresses by RNA-seq and data-independent acquisition (DIA) technologies, using controlled experiments and the quantification of both gene and protein levels in paired samples. Twelve cDNA libraries were created under HT, DR, and DH conditions and controls. We identified 536, 389, and 907 DEGs in response to HT, DR, and DH stresses, respectively. Of these, 147 genes were common and 447 were specifically associated with DH stress. Proteomic analysis identified 1609, 1168, and 1535 DEPs under HT, DR, and DH treatments, respectively, compared with the control, of which 656 were common and 358 were exclusive to DH stress. Further analysis revealed the DEGs/DEPs were associated with heat shock proteins, carbon metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, starch and cellulose metabolism, and plant defense, amongst others. Correlation analysis identified 6465, 6607, and 6435 co-expressed genes and proteins under HT, DR, and DH stresses respectively. In addition, a combined analysis of the transcriptomic and proteomic data identified 59, 35, and 86 significantly co-expressed DEGs and DEPs under HT, DR, and DH stresses, respectively. Especially, top 5 up-regulated co-expressed DEGs and DEPs (At5g58770, C24B11.05, Os04g0679100, BACOVA_02659 and HSP70-5) and down-regulated co-expressed DEGs and DEPs (AN3, PMT2, TUBB5, FL and CYP98A3) were identified under DH stress. This is the first study of differential genes and proteins in sweetpotato under DH stress, and it is hoped that the findings will assist in clarifying the molecular mechanisms involved in sweetpotato resistance to heat and drought stress.

Short-Term Temperature Stress Modulates Fitness Traits in Bactrocera zonata, through Negative Impact on Larval Stage

The frequency and magnitude of climate extremes, especially temperature extremes (TE), are increasing, which are exposing insect populations. However, insect responses to TE are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of high-temperature (HT: 38 °C) and low-temperature (LT: 3 °C) stresses on demographic parameters and population projections of the peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata, a destructive pest of fruits and vegetables. Results show that the larval developmental stage was significantly increased by HT (8.30 d) and LT (8.10 d) compared with control (7.02 d). The preadult stage in the HT and LT stressed flies were 18.56 d and 18.40 d, respectively compared with control (17.37 d). Mean longevities of both males and females were also substantially prolonged in HT and LT treatments. Compared with control, the total pre-oviposition period (TPOP) and oviposition days of B. zonata were significantly increased in both stress conditions. Furthermore, female fecundity of flies significantly increased in both HT and LT (705.48 and 698.38 respectively) treatments compared with control (578.35). These findings show that temperature stresses in the larval stage delayed the larval development and increase the reproduction and life span of B. zonata. The temperature induces alteration in life-history traits that might have significant agricultural impacts on the control strategies for this key pest.

Microwave Hyperthermia of Brain Tumors: A 2D Assessment Parametric Numerical Study.

Due to the clinically proven benefit of hyperthermia treatments if added to standard cancer therapies for various tumor sites and the recent development of non-invasive temperature measurements using magnetic resonance systems, the hyperthermia community is convinced that it is a time when even patients with brain tumors could benefit from regional microwave hyperthermia, even if they are the subject of a treatment to a vital organ. The purpose of this study was to numerically analyze the ability to achieve a therapeutically relevant constructive superposition of electromagnetic (EM) waves in the treatment of hyperthermia targets within the brain. We evaluated the effect of the target size and position, operating frequency, and the number of antenna elements forming the phased array applicator on the treatment quality. In total, 10 anatomically realistic 2D human head models were considered, in which 10 circular hyperthermia targets with diameters of 20, 25, and 30 mm were examined. Additionally, applicators with 8, 12, 16, and 24 antenna elements and operating frequencies of 434, 650, 915, and 1150 MHz, respectively, were analyzed. For all scenarios considered (4800 combinations), the EM field distributions of individual antenna elements were calculated and treatment planning was performed. Their quality was evaluated using parameters applied in clinical practice, i.e., target coverage (TC) and the target to hot-spot quotient (THQ). The 12-antenna phased array system operating at 434 MHz was the best candidate among all tested systems for HT treatments of glioblastoma tumors. The 12 antenna elements met all the requirements to cover the entire target area; an additional increase in the number of antenna elements did not have a significant effect on the treatment quality.

Long-Lasting Effects of Incubation Temperature During Fetal Development on Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Broilers.

Increasing evidence indicates that fetal programming may cause permanent effects on offspring adipose tissue and body composition. Previous study showed reduction in newly-hatched broiler chick adiposity by manipulating incubation temperature during fetal development. The present study examined whether incubation temperature during fetal development has long-term effects on post-hatching fat deposition in broilers. Broiler breeder eggs (Cobb-500®) were incubated under constant low (36°C, LT), control (37.5°C, CT) or high (39°C, HT) temperature from day 13 onward, giving to eggshell temperature of 37.3 ± 0.08°C, 37.8 ± 0.2°C, and 38.8 ± 0.3°C, respectively. Male chicks were reared under recommended temperatures until 42 days old. LT 21 days old broilers exhibited higher blood cholesterol than CT broilers, and higher triglycerids, VLDL, and LDL, and lower HDL than CT and HT broilers. LT broilers presented higher liver cholesterol than CT broilers and lower ether extract percentage than CT broilers. Adipocyte count was lower in the abdomen than in the thigh. Until day 21 of age, feed intake was higher in LT than in HT broilers. At day 42 of age, blood cholesterol and LDL were higher in HT broilers than in CT and LT broilers. Liver cholesterol was higher in LT than in HT broilers. LT treatment reduced neck and increased thigh adipocyte size compared to CT treatment, while the HT treatment reduced abdomen and neck adipocyte size compared to other two treatments and in the thigh compared to LT treatment. In CT broilers, thigh adipocytes were smaller than abdomen and neck adipocytes. HT treatment increased adipocyte number per area in the neck compared to LT and CT treatment, and LT and HT treatments reduced adipocyte count in the thigh compared to CT treatment. CT broilers presented higher adipocyte count in the thigh than the abdomen and neck, while HT broilers presented higher adipocyte count in the neck than the abdomen and thigh. Cell proliferation was lower in the abdomen than in the thigh. The results show incubation temperature manipulation during fetal development has long-term and distinct effects on regional adiposity, and can be used to modulate broiler fat deposition.

Effects of interplanting native species of Eucalyptus on stand growth and soil physicochemical properties under different interplanting intensities

Objective: To study the growth, accumulation and soil nutrient content of each overseeded species under different interharvesting intensity treatments of Eucalyptus, and to explore the best re-cultivation method suitable for mixed overseeded species after Eucalyptus interharvesting. Methods: In Guangxi state-owned Qipo forest, Eucalyptus tailorii with different planting densities (DH32-29) were mixed with Castanopsis hystrix, Mytilaria laosensis and Michelia macclurei, and four different treatments (CK, LT, MT and HT) were established for re-cultivation of Eucalyptus near-mature forests with different logging intensities, and the differences in growth conditions and soil physicochemical properties of each species were analyzed. Results: (1) As the proportion of Eucalyptus allocation decreased, the growth of Eucalyptus diameter at breast height, tree height and individual wood volume could be promoted; the growth of the three parameters of HT and MT Eucalyptus were significantly different from LT and CK. (2) The average wood volume per plant of the set species in the CK and LT treatments was Mytilaria laosensis &gt; Michelia macclurei &gt; Castanopsis hystrix, while in the MT and HT treatments it was Mytilaria laosensis &gt; Castanopsis hystrix &gt; Michelia macclurei. (3) The differences in soil aeration, total saturated water holding capacity, capillary water holding capacity, and field water holding capacity in soil layers of different depth varied. In the same soil layer, soil aeration, total porosity and capillary porosity were HT &gt; CK &gt; LT &gt; MT; saturated water holding capacity and capillary water holding capacity were HT &gt; CK &gt; LT &gt; MT, while field water holding capacity was CK &gt; HT &gt; LT &gt; MT. (4) Organic matter, pH, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium, fast-acting nitrogen, fast-acting phosphorus, and fast-acting potassium changed with varying soil depth in each treatment.

Long-Term Carbon Sequestration in Pine Forests under Different Silvicultural and Climatic Regimes in Spain

Proactive silviculture treatments (e.g., thinning) may increase C sequestration contributing to climate change mitigation, although, there are still questions about this effect in Mediterranean pine forests. The aim of this research was to quantify the storage of biomass and soil organic carbon in Pinus forests along a climatic gradient from North to South of the Iberian Peninsula. Nine experimental Pinus spp trials were selected along a latitudinal gradient from the pre-Pyrenees to southern Spain. At each location, a homogeneous area was used as the operational scale, and three thinning intensity treatments: unthinned or control (C), intermediate thinning (LT, removal of 30–40% of the initial basal area) and heavy thinning (HT, removal of 50–60%) were conducted. Growth per unit area (e.g., expressed as basal area increment-BAI), biomass, and Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) were measured as well as three sets of environmental variables (climate, soil water availability and soil chemical and physical characteristics). One-way ANOVA and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were used to study the effect of thinning and environmental variables on C sequestration. Biomass and growth per unit area were higher in the control than in the thinning treatments, although differences were only significant for P. halepensis. Radial growth recovered after thinning in all species, but it was faster in the HT treatments. Soil organic carbon (SOC10, 0–10 cm depth) was higher in the HT treatments for P. halepensis and P. sylvestris, but not for P. nigra. SEM showed that Pinus stands of the studied species were beneficed by HT thinning, recovering their growth quickly. The resulting model explained 72% of the variation in SOC10 content, and 89% of the variation in silvicultural condition (basal area and density) after thinning. SOC10 was better related to climate than to silvicultural treatments. On the other hand, soil chemical and physical characteristics did not show significant influence over SOC10- Soil water availability was the latent variable with the highest influence over SOC10. This work is a new contribution that shows the need for forest managers to integrate silviculture and C sequestration in Mediterranean pine plantations.

High Pressure Processing Impact on Emerging Mycotoxins (ENNA, ENNA1, ENNB, ENNB1) Mitigation in Different Juice and Juice-Milk Matrices.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of high-pressure processing (HPP) (600 MPa during 5 min) on emerging mycotoxins, enniatin A (ENNA), enniatin A1 (ENNA1), enniatin B (ENNB), enniatin B1 (ENNB1) reduction in different juice/milk models, and to compare it with the effect of a traditional thermal treatment (HT) (90 °C during 21 s). For this purpose, different juice models (orange juice, orange juice/milk beverage, strawberry juice, strawberry juice/milk beverage, grape juice and grape juice/milk beverage) were prepared and spiked individually with ENNA, ENNA1, ENNB and ENNB1 at a concentration of 100 µg/L. After HPP and HT treatments, ENNs were extracted from treated samples and controls employing dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction methodology (DLLME) and determined by liquid chromatography coupled to ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS-IT). The results obtained revealed higher reduction percentages (11% to 75.4%) when the samples were treated under HPP technology. Thermal treatment allowed reduction percentages varying from 2.6% to 24.3%, at best, being ENNA1 the only enniatin that was reduced in all juice models. In general, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed when the reductions obtained for each enniatin were evaluated according to the kind of juice model, so no matrix effects were observed for most cases. HPP technology can constitute an effective tool in mycotoxins removal from juices.

Transcriptomics reveals that the caudal neurosecretory system in the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is more responsive in bold individuals and to chronic temperature change

In farmed animals, personalities have demonstrated links to performance traits, health and welfare, disease susceptibility, and to coping with environmental stress. The teleost caudal neurosecretory system (CNSS) of the posterior spinal cord is involved in the regulation of the osmoregulatory and stress responses and can directly sense a hypothermal challenge via a transient receptor potential ion channel. Here we investigated the global transcriptomic response of the CNSS of shy and bold individuals of the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) acclimated to 18 °C and transferred to 12 °C (low temperature treatment, LT) or 24 °C (high temperature treatment, HT) for 2 h (acute) or 8 days (chronic) in relation to fish maintained at 18 °C (control). Overall, differential transcriptomic responses were stronger in bold individuals and induced by acute HT and chronic LT treatments. Acute HT induced innate immunity, circadian rhythm, and cellular stress response pathways and, specifically in bold individuals, a heightened response of molecular chaperones of cellular response to heat which may be related to the mechanisms of rescue of downregulated RNA splicing processes. Chronic LT also caused downregulation of innate immunity pathways as well as pathways related to cell division. In addition, the CNSS of bold individuals was enriched in pathways related to regulation of cell cycle, adaptive immune response, and apoptosis, while cellular metabolism pathways were downregulated in shy individuals. The putative temperature sensor genes Trpv1 and Trpa1 were upregulated, respectively, after acute HT and chronic LT treatments, but there was no indication of a specific neurosecretory response of the CNSS. While several of the observed transcriptomic responses to temperature appear to be shared by other tissues and species, it is also clear that bold and shy behavioural personalities show marked different responses, with bold individuals the most responsive. These results add to the knowledge base available on olive flounder aquaculture, indicating a differential role of the CNSS in the response to temperature change according to behavioural personalities.

The Effect of Ensiling Sugar Beets on Preservation Characteristics, Nutrient Profile, and in Situ Disappearance

The objective of this project was to determine if sugar beets could be ensiled with hay or soybean meal with or without a liquid mold inhibitor and the impact on nutrient composition, pH, and aerobic stability. A 3 x 2 factorial experiment where hay (control; H) or sugar beets mixed with either hay (SBH) or soybean meal (SB) were ensiled at a rate of 50:50 (as fed) without the mold inhibitor. The mold inhibitor (T) was included to create three additional treatments: HT, SBT, and SBHT. All treatments decreased in pH over time (P &lt; 0.01), with the lowest pH value being generated by the SB treatment. Concentrations of NDF increased between d 0 and d 90 for treatments SB and SBT (P ≤ 0.01) and increased between d 90 and d 180 for treatments H, HT, SBH, and SBHT (P ≤ 0.01). Concentrations of ADF also increased among all treatments (P ≤ 0.05). Concentrations of CP increased from d 0 to d 90 for HT and SB treatments (P ≤ 0.01), increased from d 90 to d 180 for the SBT treatment (P ≤ 0.02), increased from d 0 to d 180 for the SBH treatment (P ≤ 0.03), and decreased from d 90 to d 180 for the SB treatment (P ≤ 0.01). The data suggests that sugar beets may be ensiled with hay or soybean meal, with or without a liquid mold inhibitor, without negatively impacting nutrient quality or preservation characteristics of the ensiled mixture.

Comparison among four immobilization devices for whole breast irradiation with Helical Tomotherapy

PurposeTo evaluate the repositioning accuracy of 4 immobilization devices (ID) used for whole breast Helical Tomotherapy treatments: arm float with VacFix® (Par Scientific, Denmark), all-in-one® (AIO®) system (Orfit, Belgium), MacroCast thermoplastic mask (Macromedics, The Netherlands) and BlueBag® system with Arm-Shuttle (Elekta, Sweden). Materials and methodsTwenty four women with breast cancer with PTV including the breast/chest wall and lymph nodes were involved in this study (6 women per group). Pretreatment registration results were first collected using automatic bone registration + manual adjustment on the vertebra followed by independent registrations on different ROIs representing each treated area (axillary, mammary chain, clavicular, breast/chest wall). The differences in translations and rotations between reference registration and the above mentionned ROIs were calculated. A total of 120 MVCT images were analyzed. ResultsSignificant differences were found between IDs (p < 0.0001), ROIs (p = 0.0002) and the session number (p < 0.0001) on the observed shifts, when examining 3D translation vectors. 3D-vectors were significantly lower for the BlueBag® than for the VacFix® or for the AIO® (p < 0.0001), but differences were not significant compared to the mask (p = 0.674). Finally, setup margins were overall smaller for the BlueBag® than for other IDs, with values ranging from 1.53 to 1.91 mm on the mammary chain area, 4.52–6.07 mm on the clavicular area, 2.71–4.62 mm on the axillary area, and 3.39–5.10 mm on the breast. ConclusionWe demonstrated in this study that the BlueBag® combined with arm shuttle is a robust solution for breast and nodes immobilization during HT treatments.

Use of gallic acid and hydrolyzable tannins to reduce methane emission and nitrogen excretion in beef cattle fed a diet containing alfalfa silage1,2.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different forms of hydrolyzable tannin [HT; source (chestnut, CN; tannic acid, TA); subunit (gallic acid, GA)] on apparent total-tract digestibility, methane (CH4) production, and nitrogen (N) utilization in beef cattle fed an alfalfa silage-based diet. Eight ruminally cannulated heifers with an initial BW of 480 ± 29.2 kg (mean ± SD) were used in a double 4 × 4 Latin square experiment. The experiment consisted of four 28-d periods (14-d adaptation, 14-d measurements) and a 7-d washout between periods. The animals received a basal diet with 19.8% CP (DM basis) content containing 75% alfalfa silage, 20% barley silage, and 5% supplement (DM basis) with or without different forms of HT. The dietary treatments were as follows: control (no HT), GA (1.5% of diet DM), TA (1.5% of diet DM), and CN (2% of diet DM). Animals were fed 95% of their ad libitum intake during the measurement phase. Total fecal excretion was collected for 4 d, CH4 was measured for 72 h using respiration chambers, and ruminal fermentation variables and plasma urea N (PUN) concentration were measured on 2 nonconsecutive days before and after feeding. The restricted DM (DMI; 10.79 ± 1.076 kg/d) and nutrient intakes did not differ (P ≥ 0.22) among treatments. Furthermore, apparent DM digestibility (60.3 ± 0.86%) was not affected (P = 0.20) by treatment, but CP digestibility decreased for TA and CN compared with control and GA treatments (63.1 vs. 69.0%; P < 0.001). Total VFA concentration tended (P = 0.089) to increase for GA compared with control and TA (134 vs. 125 and 126 mM) and intermediate for CN (129 mM). The PUN concentration was lower for all HT treatments compared with control (196 vs. 213 mg/L; P = 0.02). Both TA and CN increased the proportion of N excreted in feces and decreased the proportion in urine compared with control and GA (43.9% vs. 37.8% and 56.1% vs. 62.2%; respectively; P < 0.001). However, the proportion of urea N in urinary N decreased for all HT treatments compared with control (47.2% vs. 51.2%; P = 0.02). Also, GA tended to decrease CH4/DMI (20.4 vs. 22.3 g/kg DMI; P = 0.07) and decreased the proportion of GE intake emitted as CH4 (5.16 vs. 5.71%; P = 0.04) compared with control. Thus, among the different forms of HT applied to a high-protein alfalfa silage-based diet, both TA and CN had no effect on CH4 production, but decreased CP digestibility and shifted N excretion from urine to feces, whereas GA (i.e., HT subunit) decreased CH4 production and decreased the proportion of urea N in urinary N in beef cattle without affecting CP digestibility. Thus, feeding the HT subunit, GA, has the potential to decrease environment impact of ruminants (lower CH4 and ammonia emissions), without decreasing animal performance.

Burn Effects on Soil Aggregate Stability and Water Repellency of Two Soil Types from East and North Tunisia

ABSTRACTTo date, evidence of the potential effects of burning practices on soil properties in Tunisia is limited. In order to address this issue, we carried out laboratory investigations of the effects of burning on soil aggregate stability (AS) and water repellency (WR) of a clayey and a sandy loam Fluvisol soils. The treatments included low (100°C, LT), medium (300°C, MT) and high (600°C, HT), heating temperatures. Unburned (0°C, UB) soil samples were used as a control. Two breakdown mechanisms, fast wetting (FW) and mechanical breakdown (MB), were used for the measurement of AS. The latter is expressed by calculating the mean weight diameter (MWD). The water drop penetration time (WDPT) was used to evaluate the soil WR. The results showed that the unburned clayey and sandy loam soils are poorly aggregated. The HT and MT treatments significantly (p < 0.05) increased MWD of both soils, compared to UB samples, following the FW stability test. A lesser increase of MWD was observed with the MB test. The LT treatment did not significantly (p < 0.05) affect the soils AS. For the unburned clayey soil, the FW and MB tests gave significantly (p < 0.05) different MWDs . In contrast, the unburned sandy loam soil had similar MWDs under both tests. As for water repellency, the sandy loam soil was initially wettable and the clayey soil slightly water repellent. Burning treatments did not affect the sandy loam soil behavior but caused a decrease of clayey soil WR.

Feasibility and safety assessment of magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU)-mediated mild hyperthermia in pelvic targets evaluated using an in vivo porcine model

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and assess safety parameters of magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU)-mediated hyperthermia (HT; heating to 40–45 °C) in various pelvic targets in a porcine model in vivo.Methods: Thirteen HT treatments were performed in six pigs with a commercial MRgHIFU system (Sonalleve V2, Profound Medical Inc., Mississauga, Canada) to muscle adjacent to the ventral/dorsal bladder wall and uterus to administer 42 °C (±1°) for 30 min (±5%) using an 18-mm target diameter and 100 W power. Feasibility was assessed using accuracy, uniformity, and MR-thermometry performance-based metrics. Safety parameters were assessed for tissues in the targets and beam-path by contrast-enhanced MRI, gross-pathology and histopathology.Results: Across all HT sessions, the mean difference between average temperature (Tavg) and the target temperature within the target region-of-interest (tROI, the cross-section of the heated volume at focal depth) was 0.51 ± 0.33 °C. Within the tROI, the temperature standard deviation averaged 1.55 ± 0.31 °C, the average 30-min Tavg variation was 0.80 ± 0.17 °C, and the maximum difference between Tavg and the 10th- or 90th-percentile temperature averaged 2.01 ± 0.44 °C. The average time to reach ≥41 °C and cool to ≤40 °C within the tROI at the beginning and end of treatment was 47.25 ± 27.47 s and 66.37 ± 62.68 s, respectively. Compared to unheated controls, no abnormally-perfused tissue or permanent damage was evident in the MR images, gross pathology or histological analysis.Conclusions: MRgHIFU-mediated HT is feasible and safety assessment is satisfactory for treating an array of clinically-mimicking pelvic geometries in a porcine model in vivo, implying the technique may have utility in treating pelvic targets in human patients.

TomoTherapy treatments of multiple brain lesions: an in-phantom accuracy evaluation

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy which can be obtained with helical TomoTherapy® (HT, Accuray) systems in the case of multiple intracranial targets treatments. Set-up accuracy was measured, for different registration options and MegaVoltage CT (MVCT) slice thickness, by applying known misalignments to an ad-hoc developed phantom. End-to-end (E2E) tests were performed to assess the delivery accuracy in phantoms containing multiple targets by using radiochromic films: measured dose distribution centroids were compared with physical and calculated target positions on axial and coronal planes. A Gamma index analysis was carried out on planned and measured planar dose maps. The bone and tissue algorithm with the fine MVCT reconstruction grid gave the best results among the automatic options. The most accurate registration modality resulted to be the manual one with a sub-voxel accuracy shifts and a capability in the detection of rotations within 0.3°. For the E2E along the coronal plane (six targets), a mean deviation between measured dose distribution centroids and physical barycenters of 0.6 mm (range 0.1 mm–1.3 mm) was observed. Along the axial plane (five targets), a mean deviation of 1.2 mm (range 0.7 mm–2.1 mm) was found for the centroids shifts. Gamma index (5%, 1 mm, local) passing rates higher than 87.5% between planned and delivered dose distributions were measured. These results demonstrate that multiple brain lesion HT treatments are feasible with an accuracy at least comparable to frameless linac-based delivery, when a set-up capable to assure angular corrections and a reliable patient immobilization is employed.

Effects of dietary inclusion of high- and low-tannin faba bean (Vicia faba L.) seeds on microbiota, histology and fermentation processes of the gastrointestinal tract in finisher turkeys

This study evaluated the effects of dietary replacement of soybean meal (SBM) with graded levels of faba bean (FB) seeds with high or low tannin content (HT or LT) on the gastrointestinal function and growth performance of turkeys at 13–18 weeks of age. Hybrid Converter turkeys were distributed into 7 treatments corresponding to 7 different finisher diets: a control wheat-soybean meal-based (FB0) diet and experimental diets where SBM was partially replaced with HT or LT seeds at 100, 200 and 300 g/kg. Each treatment comprised 210 turkeys, with seven replicate pens and 30 birds per pen. The LT treatment decreased jejunal crypt depth (vs. FB0; P = 0.049) and the experimental factors had no significant effect on the analysed caecal histological parameters. In comparison with the FB0 diet, diets containing HT and LT FB contributed to an increase in the total bacterial counts (P = 0.001 and P = 0.033) and Bacteria domain (P = 0.001 and P = 0.060), and a decrease in the counts of Bacteroides (P = 0.002 and P = 0.013). Diets containing LT FB reduced the abundance of Salmonella bacteria, relative to the FB0 diet (P = 0.011) and diets with HT FB (P = 0.023). The LT treatment decreased the counts of total bacteria and Bacteria domain (P = 0.005), in comparison with the HT treatment. The highest ileal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were observed in response to the LT200 diet. LT diets stimulated increased SCFA production in the caeca, relative to the FB0 diet (P = 0.022), and the opposite effect was noted when HT and SBM dietary treatments were compared. In comparison with HT diets, LT diets led to a desirable increase in the concentrations of all major fatty acids (acetic, propionic and butyric) in the caecal contents. It can be concluded that FB seeds enhanced fermentation processes in the gastrointestinal tract of turkeys. In comparison with HT FB, LT seeds improved selected parameters of intestinal function, including a decrease in the counts of Salmonella bacteria (P = 0.023), increased SCFA production (including butyrate; P = 0.001), and a decrease in the pH of intestinal digesta (P = 0.105). In conclusion, both LT and HT FB seeds, the latter containing up to 7.1 g/kg tannins, can be included in finisher turkey diets at up to 300 g/kg as a safe and effective substitute for SBM.

High Temperature Induced Anthocyanin Inhibition and Active Degradation in Malus profusion.

The red fleshed fruits of Malus profusion represent gradual color loss during high temperature in summer, potentially due to active degradation of anthocyanin. The objective of this study was to examine both physiological and molecular evidence of anthocyanin degradation. Malus crabapple fruits were exposed to either room temperature (RT = 18 ± 2°C: 25 ± 2°C) or high temperature (HT = 33 ± 2°C: 25 ± 2°C) regimens (12 h: 12 h) under hypoxic (2%) or normoxic (21%) oxygen levels. The results showed that the concentration of cyanidin 3-galactoside (cy-3-gal) was dramatically reduced following HT treatments due to a significant down-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes (MpCHS, MpDFR, MpLDOX, MpUFGT, and MpMYB10). Among other repressor MYBs, MpMYB15 expression was high following HT treatment of the fruit. HT led to the generation of a substantial concentration of H2O2 due to enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), methane dicarboxylic aldehyde (MDA) content and cell sap pH value. Similarly, transcript levels of MpVHA-B1 and MpVHA-B2 were reduced which are involved in the vacuolar transportation of anthocyanin. The enzymatic degradation of anthocyanin was eventually enhanced coupled with the oxidative activities of peroxidase (POD) and H2O2. Conversely, the RT treatments potentially enhanced anthocyanin content by stabilizing physiological attributes (such as MDA, H2O2, and pH, among others) and sustaining sufficient biosynthetic gene expression levels. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that the transcription of MpPOD1, MpPOD8 and MpPOD9 genes in fruit tissues was up-regulated due to HT treatment and that hypoxic conditions seems more compatible with the responsible POD isoenzymes involved in active anthocyanin degradation. The results of the current study could be useful for understanding as well as elucidating the physiological phenomenon and molecular signaling cascade underlying active anthocyanin degradation in Malus crops.