2015): Effects of fermented rapeseed meal on antioxidant functions, serum biochemical parameters and intestinal morphology in broilers, Food and Agricultural Immunology, ABSTRACT This trial was conducted to determine the effects of solid-state fermented rapeseed meal (FRSM) on antioxidant functions, serum biochemical parameters and intestinal morphology of broilers. The rapeseed meal (RSM) was fermented with Bacillus subtilis, Candida utilis and Enterococcus faecalis. One hundred and eighty-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into three treatments: a corn-soybean meal based diet and two experimental diets in which the control diet was supplemented with 10.9% RSM or 9.41% FRSM. Results showed that the fermentation process can effectively increase crude protein or small peptides level, and decrease crude fiber level, glucosinolate, isothiocyanate, tannin and phytic acid level in RSM. The levels of serum total antioxidative capacity, total superoxide dismutase, total protein, albumin and glucose of birds fed FRSM were higher than birds fed RSM on days 21 and 42. FRSM also improved the intestinal morphology of broilers. The results indicate that FRSM can be effectively applied in broiler diets. ARTICLE HISTORY

To quantitatively assess the effects of agricultural practices on methane (CH 4 ) emissions from rice fields, a two-year (2005/2006) field experiment with 2 3 factorial designs was conducted to assess the effects of three driving factors on CH 4 emissions in South China: continuously flooded (W0) and midseason and final drainages (W2), straw (S1) and nitrogen fertilizer (N1) applications and their controls (S0, N0). Results showed that averaged across all the treatments about 75 % of the seasonal total CH 4 occurred between the rice transplanting and booting stage, while constituted only 33 % of the seasonal total rice biomass during the same period. Averaged across the treatments in 2006, CH 4 emissions were substantially decreased by mid-season drainage up to 60 % (15.6 vs. 39.0 g m -2 ). The decreased CH 4 emissions represented almost all of the decrease in the total global warming potentials. Without straw incorporation CH 4 emissions substantially decreased up to 59 % (15.9 vs. 38.7 g m -2 ). The stimulating effects of straw were significantly greater for W0 than W2 treatment, being also greater in the 2005 than in the 2006 season. A significant inter-annual difference in CH 4 emissions was found when averaged across straw incorporation and N fertilizer applications for the W2 treatment (42.8 and 15.4 g m -2 in 2005 and 2006, respectively). Moreover, N fertilization has no significant effect on CH 4 emissions in this study. Our results demonstrate that although straw effects varied greatly with specific management, both straw managements and water regimes are equally important driving factors and thus being the most promising measures attenuating CH 4 emissions while achieving sustainable rice production.

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The zinc finger homeobox 3 (ZFHX3, also named ATBF1 for AT motif binding factor 1) is a transcription factor that suppresses prostatic carcinogenesis and induces neuronal differentiation. It also interacts with estrogen receptor ␣ to inhibit cell proliferation and regulate pubertal mammary gland development in mice. In the present study, we examined whether and how Zfhx3 regulates lactogenic differentiation in mouse mammary glands. At different stages of mammary gland development, Zfhx3 protein was expressed at varying levels, with the highest level at lactation. In the HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cell line, an in vitro model of lactogenesis, knockdown of Zfhx3 attenuated prolactin-induced ␤-casein expression and morphological changes, indicators of lactogenic differentiation. In mouse mammary tissue, knock-out of Zfhx3 interrupted lactogenesis, resulting in underdeveloped glands with much smaller and fewer alveoli, reduced ␤-casein expression, accumulation of large cytoplasmic lipid droplets in luminal cells after parturition, and failure in lactation. Mechanistically, Zfhx3 maintained the expression of Prlr (prolactin receptor) and Prlr-Jak2-Stat5 signaling activity, whereas knockdown and knock-out of Zfhx3 in HC11 cells and mammary tissues, respectively, decreased Prlr expression, Stat5 phosphorylation, and the expression of Prlr-Jak2-Stat5 target genes. These findings indicate that Zfhx3 plays an essential role in proper lactogenic development in mammary glands, at least in part by maintaining Prlr expression and Prlr-Jak2-Stat5 signaling activity.

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Solid state fermentation with different lignocellulolytic materials as inducers was used for lignocellulolytic enzyme production in this study. Pleurotus ostreatus strains were assessed by measuring laccase, CMCase, and xylanase activities. The secretion potential of the lignocellulolytic enzymes by wild and cultivated strains was analyzed for the first time. The wild and cultivated strain showed their unique capacities for secreting lignocellulolytic enzymes on solid-state fermentation with different lignocellulosic materials. The wild P. ostreatus strain preferred corncob for the secretion of laccase and xylanase activity, but the cultivated strain preferred poplar sawdust. The wild strain and cultivated strain showed a consistent preference for poplar sawdust for the secretion of CMCase activity. The wild strain was advantageous because it achieved the maximum hydrolytic enzyme activities within a short time period. Poplar sawdust and corncob were conducive to laccase secretion by the wild or cultivated strains and the rapid accumulation of laccase on solid-state fermentation. Additionally, continuous, stable laccase production was an extremely important advantage by solid-state fermentation of poplar sawdust, particularly in the wild strain. These findings are helpful in selecting the appropriate strain that corresponds to suitable lignocellulosic materials. The optimization of integrated industrial lignocellulolytic enzyme production can also be achieved.