The objectives of this study were to screen probiotic characteristics of lactobacilli isolated from traditionally homemade koumiss products in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia of China, and to determine and compare the effect of the Lactobacillus strains in vivo on lipid metabolism in rats fed with a high-lipid diet. Three out of 68 strains of Lactobacillus isolated from the koumiss were screened for bile-salt resistance, acid tolerance, and different hypocholesterolemic properties. The cholesterol-lowering effects of the 3 screened strains were estimated in rats fed a high-lipid diet by determination of serum lipids, liver, and fecal cholesterol, fecal total bile acids, and short-chain fatty acids. After a 4-wk feeding period, in comparison with the control group, the groups LIP-1 and MG9-2 had a significant reduction in serum total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and significantly increased high-density lipoprotein, the group E7301 had similar effects on serum lipids, but the change was not significant. The groups LIP-1, MG9-2 and E7301 had a significant reduction in liver cholesterol content and an increase in fecal cholesterol content compared with the control group. Total bile acid excretion was significantly higher in rats fed MG9-2 than the other groups. Rats fed diets containing lactic acid bacteria strains had significantly higher propionic acid and butyric acid concentrations in the feces compared with the control. Results indicated that the 3 screened Lactobacillus strains were able to lower cholesterol in vitro, and reduce cholesterol effectively in vivo. The mechanisms behind the hypocholesterolemic effect of 3 strains are likely to be diverse and will need further investigation.

Our objective was to report of our first experience with transanal total mesorectal excision (TME) of rectal cancer using single-port equipment, a pure natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedure, and to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the technique. A patient with rectal cancer was selected according to preoperative evaluation criteria. Purse-string sutures were placed into the rectum distal to the tumor using the procedure of prolapse and hemorrhoids (PPH) anoscope. A full-thickness incision of the rectal wall was made circumferentially below the purse string and a three-channel cannula was inserted. The artificial orifice was insufflated. The entire mesorectum was dissected upward according to the principles of TME. Pneumoperitoneum was created by opening the rectouterine pouch. The sigmoid colon and its mesentery were dissected, and the inferior mesenteric vessels were ligated and divided. After dissection of a sufficient length of sigmoid colon, the PPH anoscope and the three-channel cannula were removed. The rectum and sigmoid colon were brought out through the anus. The tumor was resected. After removal of the specimens, a stapled end-to-end anastomosis was fashioned between the rectum and the sigmoid colon. Operative time was 300 min. The mesorectum was completely removed with negative distal and circumferential margin. The final pathological stage was pT3N1M0, with one positive lymph node (1/12). The patient recovered uneventfully after surgery. Pure-NOTES performed as transanal single-port laparoscopic TME for rectal cancer appears to be feasible and safe.

Angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activities in untreated koumiss and koumiss digested with ACE, pepsin, trypsinase, and chymotrypsin were compared and analyzed. Four novel ACE inhibitory peptides (P(I), P(K), P(M), and P(P)) were purified using ultrafiltration and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The classification study showed that these 4 peptides were of the true inhibitor type. The amino acid sequences of these peptides are YQDPRLGPTGELDPATQPIVAVHNPVIV, PKDLREN, LLLAHLL, and NHRNRMMDHVH, respectively. Their individual IC(50) (50% inhibitory concentration) values were as follows: 14.53+/-0.21microM, 9.82+/-0.37microM, 5.19+/-0.18microM, and 13.42+/-0.17microM. From sequence analysis, we determined that P(I) was part of beta-casein in mare's milk. The 3 peptides P(K), P(M), and P(P) did not correspond with any known milk protein. The results suggest that koumiss is rich in ACE inhibitory peptides, and the ACE inhibitors in koumiss are of the pro-drug type or a mixture of the pro-drug type and the true inhibitor type. These results may provide evidence about the beneficial effects of koumiss, especially on cardiovascular health.

Lactobacillus casei Zhang, isolated from koumiss in Inner Mongolia of China, is known from previous findings to be tolerant to bile salts. Bile salts secreted by mammals act as a natural antibacterial barrier and may serve as a component of innate immunity, as they have limited antagonistic effect against resident microflora. In this work, we compared the growth and protein expression patterns of L. casei Zhang with and without bile salts. Twenty-six proteins were found to be differentially expressed using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Peptide mass fingerprinting was used to identify these proteins. Further verification by using real-time, quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and bioinformatics analysis showed that the implicated pathways are involved with a complex physiological response under bile salts stress, particularly including cell protection (DnaK and GroEL), modifications in cell membranes (NagA, GalU, and PyrD), and key components of central metabolism (PFK, PGM, CysK, LuxS, PepC, and EF-Tu). These results provide insight on the protein expression pattern of L. casei under bile salts stress and offer a new perspective for the molecular mechanisms involved in stress tolerance and adaptation of bacteria.

Body weight and abdominal fat traits are complex and important economic traits that may benefit from the implementation of MAS. The objective of the current study was to identify QTL associated with BW and abdominal fat traits. The Northeast Agricultural University resource population was used in the current study. Body weight and abdominal fat weight were measured in the F2 population. A total of 369 F2 individuals produced from 4 F1 families, their parents, and F0 birds were genotyped by 23 fluorescent microsatellite markers on chromosome 1. A linkage map was constructed, and interval mapping was conducted to identify putative QTL. For BW, 10 QTL were identified at the 1% chromosome wide level, and these 10 QTL were grouped to 3 different regions; 2 QTL were identified at the 5% chromosome wide level, and these 2 QTL were grouped to 2 different regions; and 5 QTL were identified at the suggestive level, and these 5 QTL were grouped to 4 different regions. For the abdominal fat traits, 1 QTL was identified at the 1% chromosome wide level, 1 QTL was identified at the 5% chromosome wide level, and 2 QTL were identified at the suggestive level. The QTL for BW at 12 wk of age explained 13.51% of the phenotypic variance, and 2 QTL for abdominal fat weight explained 2.53 and 3.97% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. The present study identified chromosome regions harboring significant QTL affecting BW and abdominal fat traits. The results provide a useful reference for further candidate gene research and MAS for BW and abdominal fat traits.