Publications by authors named "Bichen Zhao"

Retained placenta (RP) is a common reproductive disorder with complex etiology and pathogenesis, affecting approximately 8% of dairy cows during the periparturient period. Macrophages constitute 20% to 25% of all leukocytes at the maternal-fetal interface and coordinate several processes critical for fetal membrane expulsion, including tissue remodeling, induction of apoptosis in damaged cells, and immune activation. This study aimed to investigate the morphological changes at the maternal-fetal interface, as well as the quantity, distribution, and polarization of caruncle macrophages in cows with and without RP.

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The vasa vasorum (VV) have gathered considerable interest over the last decade due to its role in vascular wall biology and pathology; however, while the coronary VV are relatively well studied, the anatomy of peripheral VV, such as those of the aorta, remains poorly described, hampering knowledge of their role in peripheral vascular diseases. Through careful retrieval of the porcine thoracic aorta and successful microthrombi removal, the thoracic aorta was perfused with BriteVu™ followed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning to image the VV and obtain a 3D reconstruction. We used commercially available software and its thresholding algorithms.

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Weaning stress causes substantial economic loss in the swine industry. Moreover, weaning-induced intestinal barrier damage and dysfunction of the gut-liver axis are associated with reduced growth performance in piglets. Metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water (AMW) has shown potential therapeutic effects on gastrointestinal disorders; however, the mechanisms involved and their overall effects on the gut-liver axis have not been explored.

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In clinical mastitis of dairy cows, the abnormal accumulation of apoptotic cells (ACs) and subsequent secondary necrosis and inflammation pose significant concerns, with macrophage-mediated efferocytosis, crucial for ACs clearance, remaining unexplored in this context. In nonruminants, MER proto-oncogene tyrosine kinase (MERTK) receptors are essential for efferocytosis and A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) is thought to play a role in regulating MERTK integrity. This study aimed to delineate the in situ role of efferocytosis in clinical mastitis, with a particular focus on the interaction between MERTK and ADAM17 in bovine macrophages.

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Subclinical ketosis (SCK) is highly prevalent and easily overlooked, with insidious and slow progression of hepatic injury, often characterized by an imbalance in immune homeostasis. In nonruminants, macrophage polarization plays an important regulatory role in hepatic lipid accumulation, fibrosis, and inflammatory processes. Thus, we aimed to investigate the status of hepatic macrophage polarization in SCK cows and to corroborate its association with liver injury and inflammation.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Research showed that cows with fatty liver had lower CAV1 levels and higher indicators of ER stress, along with increased fatty acid synthesis proteins compared to healthy cows.
  • * An in vitro study indicated that treating liver cells with free fatty acids (FFA) decreased CAV1 abundance and ER stress proteins while increasing proteins related to fatty acid synthesis, suggesting a potential connection between CAV1, ER stress, and fat metabolism.
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Background: Subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) causes an increase in endotoxin, which can induce immune and inflammatory responses in the ruminal epithelium of dairy cows. In non-ruminants, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major bioactive ingredient of green tea, is well-known to alleviate inflammation. Whether EGCG confers protection against SARA-induced inflammation and the underlying mechanisms are unknown.

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Stress-induced intestinal epithelial injury (IEI) and a delay in repair in infancy are predisposing factors for refractory gut diseases in adulthood, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Hence, it is necessary to develop appropriate mitigation methods for mammals when experiencing early-life stress (ELS). Weaning, as we all know, is a vital procedure that all mammalian newborns, including humans, must go through.

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Optimal intestinal health and functionality are essential for animal health and performance, and simultaneously intestinal nutrient transporters and intestinal peptides are also involved in appetite and feed intake control mechanisms. Given the potential of essential oil (EO) in improving animal performance and improving feed palatability, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation of cinnamaldehyde and carvacrol could improve performance and appetite of nursery pigs by modulating intestinal health and microbiota. Cinnamaldehyde (100 mg/kg), carvacrol (100 mg/kg), and their mixtures (including 50 mg/kg cinnamaldehyde and 50 mg/kg carvacrol) were supplemented into the diets of 240 nursery pigs for 42 d, and data related to performance were measured.

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Background: Stress, herd transfer, and food changes experienced by nursery and fattening pigs can lead to reduced performance, reduced digestion and absorption, and impaired intestinal health. Given the role of essential oils in relieving stress and improving animal welfare, we hypothesized that essential oils may improve pig performance via promoting gut health and gut homeostasis laid by EOs supplementation during nursery continuously impacts performance in fattening pigs.

Results: A total of 100 piglets (Landrace × Large White; weighted 8.

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Background And Aims: Fatty streaks initiating the formation of atheromatous plaque appear in the tunica intima. The tunica media is not known to be a nidus for lipid accumulation initiating atherogenesis. We assessed changes to the tunica media in response to a micro-injury produced in the pig aorta.

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Congenital adhesions are rare findings in adults. We present a case of appendicitis in a middle-aged male with extensive congenital adhesions of the terminal ileum to the right lateral abdominal wall. The small bowel mesentery completely obscured the inflamed appendix.

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Introduction: Diarrhea has the fourth-highest mortality rate of all diseases and causes a large number of infant deaths each year. The maternally separated (MS) piglet (newly weaned piglet) is an excellent model to investigate the treatment of diarrhea in infants. Drinking alkaline mineral water has the potential to be therapeutic in gastrointestinal disorders, particularly diarrhea, but the supporting evidence from system studies and the mechanisms involved have yet to be reported.

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Stress or stress-induced intestinal disturbances, especially diarrhea, are the main triggers for inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Diarrhea and intestinal inflammatory disease afflict patients around the world, and it has become a huge burden on the global health care system. Drinking sodium metasilicate-based alkaline mineral water (SM-based AMW) exerts a potential therapeutic effect in gastrointestinal disorders, including gut inflammation, and diarrhea, but the supportive evidence on animal studies and mechanism involved remain unreported.

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The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of drinking water alkaline mineral complex (AMC) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology, inflammatory response, immunity, antioxidant defense system, and barrier functions in weaned piglets. In a 15-d trial, 240 weaned piglets (9.35 ± 0.

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In the modern poultry industry, newly hatched chicks are unavoidably transported from the hatching to the rearing foster. Stress caused by multiple physical and psychological stressors during transportation is particularly harmful to the liver. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) possesses multiple benefits against hepatic metabolic disorders.

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Dairy cows with fatty liver exhibit hepatic lipid accumulation and disturbances in fatty acid oxidation and lipid transport. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a lipid phosphatase, regulates intrahepatic fatty acid oxidation and lipid transport in mice. Whether PTEN play a role in fatty acid oxidation and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly in calf hepatocytes are unknown.

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