Existing data on folate status and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis are scarce. We prospectively examined whether serum folate concentrations at diagnosis were associated with liver cancer-specific survival (LCSS) and overall survival (OS) among 982 patients with newly diagnosed, previously untreated HCC, who were enrolled in the Guangdong Liver Cancer Cohort (GLCC) study between September 2013 and February 2017. Serum folate concentrations were measured using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Cox proportional hazards models were performed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI by sex-specific quartile of serum folate. Compared with patients in the third quartile of serum folate, patients in the lowest quartile had significantly inferior LCSS (HR = 1·48; 95 % CI 1·05, 2·09) and OS (HR = 1·43; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·99) after adjustment for non-clinical and clinical prognostic factors. The associations were not significantly modified by sex, age at diagnosis, alcohol drinking status and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage. However, there were statistically significant interactions on both multiplicative and additive scale between serum folate and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels or smoking status and the associations of lower serum folate with worse LCSS and OS were only evident among patients with CRP > 3·0 mg/l or current smokers. An inverse association with LCSS were also observed among patients with liver damage score ≥3. These results suggest that lower serum folate concentrations at diagnosis are independently associated with worse HCC survival, most prominently among patients with systemic inflammation and current smokers. A future trial of folate supplementation seems to be promising in HCC patients with lower folate status.

The study reported in this Research Communication was carried out to examine how parity and milking time affected donkey milk yield under a typical Chinese production system. Eighteen Jiangyue breed donkeys with good health condition, aged between 6 and 9 years, and with parities 3 and 4, were selected. Milk production was measured commencing from the fourth week post-foaling, with a total data collection of 170 d in milk (lactation length). Mean milk yield of the donkeys used in this study was 3·0 kg/donkey/d. Results showed milk yield decreased with days in milk from 3·3 kg/donkey/d at the start of the study, to 2·2 kg/donkey/d by the end of the 170 d. Parity 3 donkeys produced 22% more milk than parity 4 donkeys (3·3 kg/donkey/d vs 2·7 kg/donkey/d). The information provided by this study should aid producers in estimating the expected milk yields from individual donkey, and better predict milk yield over the course of a production cycle.

The present study was conducted to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D both in juvenile Jian carp (Cyprinus carpio var. Jian) in vivo and in enterocytes in vitro. In primary enterocytes, exposure to 10 mg lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/l increased lactate dehydrogenase activity in the culture medium (P<0·05) and resulted in a significant loss of cell viability (P<0·05). LPS exposure increased (P<0·05) the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8), which was decreased by pre-treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25D3) in a dose-dependent manner (P<0·05). Further results showed that pre-treatment with 1,25D3 down-regulated Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (Myd88) and NF-κB p65 mRNA expression (P<0·05), suggesting potential mechanisms against LPS-induced inflammatory response. In vivo, intraperitoneal injection of LPS significantly increased TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 mRNA expression in the intestine of carp (P<0·05). Pre-treatment of fish with vitamin D3 protected the fish intestine from the LPS-induced increase of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 mainly by downregulating TLR4, Myd88 and NF-κB p65 mRNA expression (P<0·05). These observations suggest that vitamin D could inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory response in juvenile Jian carp in vivo and in enterocytes in vitro. The anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D is mediated at least in part by TLR4-Myd88 signalling pathways in the intestine and enterocytes of juvenile Jian carp.

Surface properties affect the attachment of micro- and macroscopic marine organisms. The current study examined the settlement response of the mussel Mytilus coruscus plantigrades to natural biofilms formed on surfaces of different wettability. The percentages of plantigrade settlement were not influenced by the biofilms formed on variously wettable surfaces in the short term, but after 10 days, the plantigrade settlement rates decreased on biofilms formed on lower wettability surfaces. In general, lower wettability of the surfaces resulted in the decrease of the dry weight, bacterial and diatom density and the thickness of natural biofilms when compared to high wettability surfaces. In contrast, chlorophyll-a concentration in biofilms was independent of the initial wettability of the surfaces. Comparative cluster analysis of bacterial denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis patterns revealed that high variability existed between the bacterial community on high wettability surfaces and that on low wettability surfaces. Thus, surface wettability affects the formation of natural biofilms, and this variation in biofilms developed on different wettability surfaces may explain the discrepancy in their corresponding inducing activities on M. coruscus plantigrade settlement. This finding provides new insight into interactions between mussel settlement, biofilm characteristics and surface properties.

Ammonia (AOH), dimethylamine (DME) and triethanolamine (TEA) as precipitants were used to prepare Pt-SO42-/ZrO2 catalysts, and the crystalline structures, textural structures and surface acid properties of the catalyst samples were characterized and n-hexane hydroisomerization activity over the samples were investigated. DME and TEA as the precipitants would delay the crystallization process. The organic amines were difficult to remove during the washing process, leading to the rinsing times increase, which probably decreased the catalyst BET area. Super Lewis acid sites in SZ catalysts would play very important roles in catalytic hydroisomerization activity.

Mature porcine oocytes containing first polar bodies (Pb I) were obtained by in vitro culture of follicle oocytes from ovaries obtained from a local abattoir, and zygotes with second polar bodies (Pb II) were grown after in vitro fertilization of the mature oocytes. Extrusion, biological activity and morphology of Pb I and Pb II were statistically analysed. Polar bodies were isolated and collected from oocytes by enzyme digestion or micromanipulation. Their vigour under different preservation conditions was analysed and evaluated using a Trypan blue staining method. The results showed that 66.7% of the oocytes extruded Pb I after 40 h of in vitro mature culture of oocytes, and 49.7% of the zygotes extruded Pb II 20 h after in vitro fertilization. The efficiency of isolation of Pb II by micromanipulation significantly exceeded that by enzyme digestion, the Pb I and Pb II isolated by micromanipulation presenting with good vigour and normal morphology (95.3% versus 58.9%). The survival rates of Pb I and Pb II were 63.3% and 93.1% for 4 h at 39°C, 85.0% and 72.9% for 40 h at 4°C, and over 95.0% and 84.6% for less than 7 days at −20°C. In comparison with the above preservation conditions for Pb I and Pb II, the results for cryopreservation were best, with rates of survival as high as 89.1% for Pb I and 87.9% for Pb II for preservation periods of over a month, and rates of normal morphology of 97.8% and 95.7%, respectively. The Pb I and Pb II could be isolated and preserved effectively, for use in further research on the recombination of oocytes and zygotes.

The developmental functions of oocytes of three strains of mice (Kunming, ICR and C57BL/6-Tg(CAG-EGFP)C14-Y01-FM131Osb) recombined with the nuclei of first polar bodies (Pbs I) were explored. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) from the mice were collected after superovulation, then Pbs I were obtained from the COCs by 2% pronase treatment. The survival of Pbs I under different temperatures was identified by morphology and trypan blue staining. Later, the polar body I (Pb 1) nucleus and a little cytoplasm was injected into each oocyte, the nuclei of which had been enucleated by micromanipulation. Oocytes recombined with Pbs I were fertilized, then cultured in vitro in order to observe their further development. The results showed that the vigour of Pbs I was maintained for 12–14 h after superovulation, and was still maintained after 48 h at 4 °C. A total of 13 out of 117 recombined oocytes from Kunming and ICR mice, as well as 3 out of 38 recombined oocytes from C57BL/6-Tg(CAG-EGFP)C14-Y01-FM131Osb mice, developed into two-cell embryos. The experiments confirmed that mouse oocytes recombined with the nuclei of Pbs I could maintain fertilization and development. These results present valuable references for further utilization of genetic resources for farm animals