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Based on the data of multiple Chinese household finance surveys, the interactive relationship between mobile payment, inclusive digital finance, and household consumption is discussed. It is found that mobile payment can directly and effectively improve household consumption, and the impact on hedonistic and developmental consumption is greater than survival consumption, which is conducive to upgrading household consumption. At the same time, mobile payment can indirectly promote basic and developmental consumer spending through digital inclusive financial mechanisms and weaken hedonistic consumer spending. The heterogeneity analysis found that the impact of mobile payment on household consumption was affected by income level, dependency structure, and regional attributes, and the low-income and high-income groups benefited more significantly, and the consumption promotion effect in the eastern and central regions was greater than that in the western and northeastern regions. Further research finds that with the improvement of income status, the promotion effect of mobile payment on consumption shows a marginal decreasing trend. It is recommended to continue to promote the popularization and application of mobile payment, accelerate the matching of supply and demand in the consumer market, formulate financial inclusion policies according to local conditions, and form a good interaction mechanism between mobile payment, digital finance, and household consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large language models (LLMs) have gained immense attention and are being increasingly applied in various domains. However, this technological leap forward poses serious security and privacy concerns. This paper explores a novel approach to data stealing attacks by introducing an adaptive method to extract private training data from pre-trained LLMs via backdooring. Our method mainly focuses on the scenario of model customization and is conducted in two phases, including backdoor training and backdoor activation, which allow for the extraction of private information without prior knowledge of the model's architecture or training data. During the model customization stage, attackers inject the backdoor into the pre-trained LLM by poisoning a small ratio of the training dataset. During the inference stage, attackers can extract private information from the third-party knowledge database by incorporating the pre-defined backdoor trigger. Our method leverages the customization process of LLMs, injecting a stealthy backdoor that can be triggered after deployment to retrieve private data. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed attack through extensive experiments, achieving a notable attack success rate. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our stealing attack in popular LLM architectures, as well as stealthiness during normal inference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we performed a quantitative analysis of 12 compounds derived from Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) and guava leaf extract (GE). In addition, we investigated the effects of mixed extract (ME) of PSE and GE (1:1) on piglets' gut microbiome and metabolome. A total of 200 piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Large Yorkshire, 21‐day‐old) were randomly assigned into two groups with five replicates of 20 piglets/pen having the same initial body weight. Piglets were fed a basal diet supplemented with ME at 0 (T0) or 200 mg/kg (T1) for 3 weeks. The quantitation results by ultraperformance liquid chromatography linked to triple‐quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry showed that vitexin 2‐O‐rhamnoside and pellitorine were the greatest abundant among six compounds detected in the PSE. In addition, quercetin, isoquercitrin and avicularin were found to be the richest of all detected compounds in the GE. Findings on experimental animals indicated that three differential metabolites, comprising L‐alanine, sarcosine and dihydrofolic acid, in T1 compared with T0 groups, have exactly opposite levels trends in serum and faeces. Moreover, two metabolic pathways (i.e., urea cycle and glutamate metabolism) differed significantly in the serum and faeces of piglets between T0 and T1 (p < 0.05). At the same time, T1 had significantly higher relative abundances of Agathobacter and Alloprevotella than T0 at genus level (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the genus Agathobacter correlated positively with carbamoyl phosphate (p < 0.01) and oxoglutaric acid (p < 0.05), and negatively with succinic acid (p < 0.01) and ornithine (p < 0.05). These four differential metabolites were also involved in the urea cycle and/or glutamate metabolism pathways. The results here indicated that the tested plant extract mixture represents a worthy feed additive with obvious antioxidative properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) changes caused by land use changes are still unclear, and understanding this response is essential for many environmental policies and land management practices. In this study, we investigated the temporal–spatial and vertical distribution characteristics of the SOCS in the Western Sichuan Plateau (WSP) using the sparrow search algorithm–random forest regression (SSA-RFR) models with excellent model applicability and accuracy. The temporal–spatial variations in the SOCS were modeled using 1080 soil samples and a set of nine environmental covariates. We analyzed the effect of land use changes on the SOCS in the WSP. The total SOCS increased by 18.03 Tg C from 1990 to 2020. The results of this study confirmed a significant increase in the SOCS in the study area since 2010. There was a 27.88 Tg C increase in the SOCS in 2020 compared to the total SOCS in 2010. We found that the spatial distribution of the SOCS increased from southeast to northwest, and the vertical distribution of the SOCS in the study area decreased with increasing soil depth. Forests and grasslands are the main sources of SOCS the total SOCS in the forest and grassland accounted for 37.53 and 59.39% of the total soil organic carbon (SOC) pool in 2020, respectively. The expansion of the wetlands, forest, and grassland areas could increase the SOCS in the study area. A timely and accurate understanding of the dynamics of SOC is crucial for developing effective land management strategies to enhance carbon sequestration and mitigate land degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Weaning stress is a major problem in the pig industry, causing high rates of diarrhea and poor performance in piglets. Cardamonin is a bioactive plant extract that possesses anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-viral properties. In this experiment, we investigated the effect of Cardamonin on intestinal barrier damage and inflammatory response caused by immune stress in piglets by establishing a stress model of LPS. Compared with those of the LPS group, the intestinal mucosal morphology and expression of tight junction proteins in the cardamonin group were improved, along with the inflammation response. Furthermore, certain intestinal microbiota and inflammation-related metabolites showed a significant correlation. The results indicate that the administration of Cardamonin can effectively improve intestinal mucosal barrier damage and inflammatory response induced by LPS by regulating the composition and metabolism of intestinal microbiota, with a better effect observed at a dosage of 6 mg/kg. The primary factor leading to elevated rates of diarrhea and decreased performance in piglets is immunological stress. The regulation of immune stress through the intestinal flora is a crucial mechanism to consider. In total, 30 weaned piglets were randomly allocated to five groups: the basal diet group (Control), basal diet + lipopolysaccharides group (LPS), basal diet + 250 μg/kg 6-Formylindolo [3,2-b] carbazole + LPS group (FICZ), basal diet + 3mg/kg Cardamonin + LPS group (LCDN), and basal diet + 6mg/kg Cardamonin + LPS group (HCDN/CDN). The results showed that compared with those of the LPS group, the expression of tight junction proteins (occludin; claudin-1) in the FICZ group was significantly increased, and the mRNA levels of IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). HCDN treatment had a better effect on LPS-induced intestinal barrier damage in this group than it did in the LCDN group. HCDN treatment leads to a higher villus height (VH), a higher ratio of villi height to crypt depth (V/C), higher tight junction proteins (ZO-1; occludin), and higher short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In addition, correlation analyses showed that Succinivibrio was positively correlated with several SCFAs and negatively correlated with prostaglandin-related derivatives in the FICZ group and CDN group (p < 0.05). In summary, Cardamonin alleviates intestinal mucosal barrier damage and inflammatory responses by regulating the intestinal microbiota and its metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aims to investigate the effects of maternal dietary supplementation with ornithine on productive performance and placental angiogenesis of sows. We found that maternal dietary supplementation with 0.15% ornithine increased the average birth weight of piglets and intestinal development of suckling piglets. In addition, Orn facilitated placental angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). These results indicated that dietary supplementation with 0.15% ornithine is an effective strategy to improve the productive performance of sows. The blood vessels of the placenta are crucial for fetal growth. Here, lower vessel density and ornithine (Orn) content were observed in placentae for low-birth-weight fetuses versus normal-birth-weight fetuses at day 75 of gestation. Furthermore, the Orn content in placentae decreased from day 75 to 110 of gestation. To investigate the role of Orn in placental angiogenesis, 48 gilts (Bama pig) were allocated into four groups. The gilts in the control group were fed a basal diet (CON group), while those in the experimental groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% Orn (0.05% Orn group), 0.10% Orn (0.10% Orn group), and 0.15% Orn (0.15% Orn group), respectively. The results showed that 0.15% Orn and 0.10% Orn groups exhibited increased birth weight of piglets compared with the CON group. Moreover, the 0.15% Orn group was higher than the CON group in the blood vessel densities of placenta. Mechanistically, Orn facilitated placental angiogenesis by regulating vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A). Furthermore, maternal supplementation with 0.15% Orn during gestation increased the jejunal and ileal villi height and the concentrations of colonic propionate and butyrate in suckling piglets. Collectively, these results showed that maternal supplementation with Orn promotes placental angiogenesis and improves intestinal development of suckling piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore excellent silage production through co-ensiling whole-plant cassava and corn stalk, and different ratios of whole-plant cassava (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%, fresh-matter basis) co-ensiled with corn stalk were analyzed based on the silage bacterial community, function profile, and microbial ecological network features. The results demonstrated that co-ensiling 30% whole-plant cassava with 70% corn stalk could be considered an efficient mode of production. The mixed silage showed great quality, as reflected by the reduced pH value and concentrations of acetic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia nitrogen and the enhanced lactic acid concentration, V-score, and nutritional value compared with corn stalk ensiled alone. Meanwhile, co-ensiling restricted the undesirable bacterial Acetobacter fabarum of corn stalk and Pseudomonas aeruginosa of whole-plant cassava and raised the abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such as Levilactobacillus brevis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus harbinensis, etc. Besides that, the predicted functions of the bacterial community showed large differences in mixed silage compared with whole-plant cassava or corn stalk ensiled alone. Moreover, the analysis of co-occurrence networks showed that mixed silage affected microbial network features, module numbers, and bacterial relative abundances and weakened the complexity and stability of the networks compared with whole-plant cassava single silage. Furthermore, silage microbial community composition had a huge impact on the network properties, and undesirable Pseudomonas aeruginosa played a crucial role in the complexity and stability. Overall, this study revealed the characteristics of whole-plant cassava with corn stalk mixed-silage microbial communities and co-occurrence network modules, complexity, and stability and partly clarified the microbial mechanism of co-ensiling for producing high-quality silage. The findings of this study have important implications for deeply understanding the ensiling process and precisely regulating silage fermentation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the Commission on Food Additives recognize lycopene as a Class A nutrient, but relatively few systematic studies have been conducted on lycopene regulation of antioxidant and meat quality improvement and intestine microbiota in poultry. This study investigated the dietary lycopene from the effects on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. Compared with the control group, the dietary lycopene increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed conversion ratio in the experimental groups; the drip loss24h were decreased in breast muscles in the group treated with 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene; the jejunum villous height was increased in the groups treated with 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene; 13,223 OTUs were identified, each representing a microbial species, and the control group; the Unclassified-f-Ruminococcaceae relative abundance was increased in the groups treated with 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene. In this study, the 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene improved the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. This study provided a theoretical basis for the application of lycopene in poultry production. The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of dietary lycopene on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. We randomly divided five hundred and seventy-six one-day-old male broilers into four groups each with six replicates and 24 chickens in each replicate. The control group (CG) was fed the basal diet, and the other groups were given powder lycopene of 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene (LP10, LP20, and LP30, respectively). Compared with the control group, (1) the dietary lycopene increased (p = 0.001) the average daily gain and decreased (p = 0.033) the feed conversion ratio in the experimental groups; (2) the glutathione peroxidase enzyme contents in LP20 were higher (p =< 0.001) in myocardium; (3) the crude protein contents were higher (p = 0.007) in the group treated with 30 mg/kg dietary lycopene; (4) the jejunum villous height was higher (p = 0.040) in LP20; (5) the Unclassified-f-Ruminococcaceae relative abundance was significantly higher (p = 0.043) in LP20. In this study, adding 20 mg/kg dietary lycopene to the broiler chickens' diets improved the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, meat quality, intestine histomorphology, and cecal microbiota in broiler chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium graminearum produces zearalenone (ZEA), a mycotoxin that is widely found in food and feed products and is toxic to humans and livestock. Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) inhibits F. graminearum, and Oroxylin A appears to be a major antifungal compound in PSE. The aim of this study is to quantify the Oroxylin A content in PSE using UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS, and to investigate the antagonistic activity of Oroxylin A against F. graminearum and its inhibitory effect on ZEA production. The results indicate that Oroxylin A inhibits both fungal growth and ZEA production in a dose-dependent manner. Oroxylin A treatment downregulated the mRNA expression of zearalenone biosynthesis protein 1 (ZEB1) and zearalenone biosynthesis protein 2 (ZEB2). The metabolomics analysis of F. graminearum mycelia indicated that the level of ribose 5-phosphate (R5P) deceased (p < 0.05) after Oroxylin A treatment (64–128 ng/mL). Moreover, as the Oroxylin A treatment content increased from 64 to 128 ng/mL, the levels of cis-aconitate (p < 0.05) and fumarate (p < 0.01) were upregulated successively. A correlation analysis further showed that the decreased R5P level was positively correlated with ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression, while the increased cis-aconitate and fumarate levels were negatively correlated with ZEB1 and ZEB2 expression. These findings demonstrate the potential of Oroxylin A as a natural agent to control toxigenic fungi and their mycotoxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) foliage is a byproduct of cassava production characterized by high biomass and nutrient content. In this study, we investigated the effects of cassava foliage on antioxidant capacity, growth performance, and immunity status in goats, as well as rumen fermentation and microbial metabolism. Twenty-five Hainan black goats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 5 per group) and accepted five treatments: 0% (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4), and 100% (T5) of the cassava foliage silage replaced king grass, respectively. The feeding experiment lasted for 70 d (including 10 d adaptation period and 60 d treatment period). Feeding a diet containing 50% cassava foliage resulted in beneficial effects for goat growth and health, as reflected by the higher average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and better feed conversion rate (FCR), as well as by the reduced serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine (CRE), and triglycerides (TG). Meanwhile, cassava foliage improved antioxidant activity by increasing the level of glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and lowering malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, feeding cassava foliage was also beneficial to immunity status by enhancing complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM). Furthermore, the addition of dietary cassava foliage also altered rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial community composition, and metabolism. The abundance of Butyrivibrio_2 and Prevotella_1 was elevated, as were the concentrations of beneficial metabolites such as butyric acid; there was a concomitant decline in metabolites that hindered nutrient metabolism and harmed host health. In summary, goats fed a diet containing 50% cassava foliage silage demonstrated a greater abundance of Butyrivibrio_2, which enhanced the production of butyric acid; these changes led to greater antioxidant capacity, growth performance, and immunity in the goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study assessed the effect of Piper sarmentosum extract addition on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and metabolism of growing chickens. It was found that dietary supplementation with Piper sarmentosum extract could enhance the anti-inflammatory capacity and intestinal mucosal barrier function of growing chickens. In the poultry industry, there is an urgent need to evaluate and introduce natural, effective, and safe alternatives for synthetic antibiotics, which have been banned in most countries. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, and metabolism of growing chickens. A total of 400 seven-day-old female chicks were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments, each of which consisted of five replicates and twenty birds each. The four experimental treatments were fed a basal diet containing 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg PSE/kg (BC, PSE1, PSE2, and PSE3 groups), respectively. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that dietary supplementation with PSE had no significant effects on the final body weight, average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and the ratio of ADFI to ADG (F/G) (p > 0.05). Compared with the BC group, dietary supplementation with 200–300 mg/kg PSE increased the villus height in the jejunum and ileum of chickens (p < 0.05). The PSE-treated groups significantly increased the mRNA expression of Occludin, ZO-1, and Claudin-1 in the ileal mucosa of chickens (p < 0.05). In addition, a significant decrease in ileal TNF-α and IL-8 mRNA expression (p < 0.05) and a significant increase in IL-22 (p < 0.05) were observed in the PSE2 treatment compared to the BC group. Additionally, three gut metabolites (i.e., citrate, isocitrate, and spermine) showed significant differences among treatments (p < 0.05) and were involved in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the transfer of acetyl groups into mitochondria, and spermidine and spermine biosynthesis, respectively. In conclusion, the findings obtained here indicate that supplemental PSE can enhance the anti-inflammatory capacity and intestinal mucosal barrier function of chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the early period of the Joseon Dynasty, the government undertook currency reform at both central and local levels to promote currency exchange and restructure market order. Drawing on historical sources and utilizing game theory methodologies, this study examines the challenges of state governance and the dynamics of central-local relations during this era. The findings suggest that the establishment of the Joseon Dynasty's governance system arose from the rulers' deliberate decisions; however, it was also driven by the necessity to reconcile the development of productive forces with the superstructure. The study highlights the impact of the "official" issue on communication efficiency between central and local authorities, which contributed to the currency reform's failure. Consequently, the central government's regulation and control over local regions, as well as its ability to govern the aspirations of grassroots populations, emerged as crucial factors for successful national governance. This research provides valuable insights into the academic value and significance of historical state governance practices and informs contemporary centrallocal relations and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Fusarium graminearum is a toxic fungus that affects food and feed crops. Piper sarmentosum extract (PSE) is a potential source of anti-mildew natural products for the food and feed industry due to its various pharmacological properties. In this study, we evaluated the antifungal activity and untargeted metabolomics analysis of PSE against F. graminearum. Methods and results Antifungal activity was evaluated using the mycelium growth rate method. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of PSE was performed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that PSE (1 and 2 mg ml-1) possesses inhibitory activity against F. graminearum , and a total of 17 compounds that including 8 alkaloids, 3 phenols, 3 lipids, and 3 organic acids might be the antifungal markers in PSE. Metabolomics analysis further revealed that PSE could significantly increase the levels of guanosine, guanine, adenosine, and L -isoleucine in fungi, which are related to purine and L -isoleucine metabolic pathways. Conclusions PSE is a promising anti-mildew agent that inhibits the growth of F. graminearum in food and feed. PSE (1 and 2 mg ml-1) may exert antifungal properties by inhibiting fungal purine nucleotide synthesis and enhancing the level of L -isoleucine compared with the control groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission and infectivity of COVID-19 have caused a pandemic that has lasted for several years. This is due to the constantly changing variants and subvariants that have evolved rapidly from SARS-CoV-2. To discover drugs with therapeutic potential for COVID-19, we focused on the 3CL protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2, which has been proven to be an important target for COVID-19 infection. Computational prediction techniques are quick and accurate enough to facilitate the discovery of drugs against the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. In this paper, we used both ligand-based virtual screening and structure-based virtual screening to screen the traditional Chinese medicine small molecules that have the potential to target the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. MD simulations were used to confirm these results for future in vitro testing. MCCS was then used to calculate the normalized free energy of each ligand and the residue energy contribution. As a result, we found ZINC15676170, ZINC09033700, and ZINC12530139 to be the most promising antiviral therapies against the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake ice phenology is an indicator of past and present climate, it is sensitive to regional and global climate change. In the past few decades, the climate of Central Asia has changed significantly due to global warming and anthropogenic activities. However, there are few studies on the lake ice phenology in Central Asia. In this study, the lake ice phenology of 53 lakes in Central Asia were extracted using MODIS daily LST products from 2002 to 2020. The results show that MODIS-extracted lake ice phenology is generally consistent with Landsat-extracted and AVHRR-extracted lake ice phenology. Generally, lakes in Central Asia start to freeze from October to December. The trends in the lake ice phenology show strong regional differences. Lakes distributed along the Kunlun Mountains show overall delayed trends in all lake ice phenology variables, while lakes located in southwestern Central Asia show clear advancing trends in the freeze-up start dates (7.06 days) and breakup end dates (6.81 days). Correlations between the phenology of lake ice and local and climatic factors suggest that the ice breakup process and the duration of its complete coverage depend more on heat, while precipitation mainly affects the freezing time of the ice. Wind speed mainly affects the time of completely frozen of ice. In general, the breakup process is more susceptible to climatic factors, while local factors have strong influences on the freeze-up process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are continuous homozygous segments from the common ancestor of parents. Evaluating ROH pattern can help to understand inbreeding level and genetic basis of important traits. In this study, three representative cattle populations including Leiqiong cattle (LQC), Lufeng cattle (LFC) and Hainan cattle (HNC) were genotyped using the Illumina BovineHD SNPs array (770K) to assess ROH pattern at genome wide level. Totally, we identified 26,537 ROH with an average of 153 ROH per individual. The sizes of ROH ranged from 0.5 to 53.26Mb, and the average length was 1.03Mb. The average of FROH ranged from 0.10 (LQC) to 0.15 (HNC). Moreover, we identified 34 ROH islands (with frequency > 0.5) across genome. Based on these regions, we observed several breed-specific candidate genes related to adaptive traits. Several common genes related to immunity (TMEM173, MZB1 and SIL1), and heat stress (DNAJC18) were identified in all three populations. Three genes related to immunity (UGP2), development (PURA) and reproduction (VPS54) were detected in both HNC and LQC. Notably, we identified several breed-specific genes related to sperm development (BRDT and SPAG6) and heat stress (TAF7) in HNC, and immunity (CDC23 and NME5) and development (WNT87) in LFC. Our findings provided valuable insights into understanding the genomic homozygosity pattern and promoting the conservation of genetic resources of Chinese indigenous cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The current work was to assess the effect of vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) extract (AGE) addition on the meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolome of Wenchang broilers. It was found that diet addition with AGE could enhance the quality and flavor of Wenchang broiler. This study investigates the effects of vine tea (Ampelopsis grossedentata) extract (AGE) on meat quality, gut microbiota and cecal content metabolites of Wenchang broilers. A total of 240 female Wenchang broilers aged 70 days were randomly allocated into four groups with five replicates of twelve broilers each. Broilers were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with AGE at 0 (T1), 0.2% (T2), 0.4% (T3) and 0.6% (T4) until 124 days of age. The whole feeding trial lasted 54 days. Results suggest that the content of total triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in serum of broilers are linearly reduced with dietary AGE supplementation (p < 0.05). The T3 and T4 groups had higher (p < 0.05) a* value in thigh and breast muscles than the T1 group. Additionally, the dietary supplementation of AGE decreased the shear force and drip loss of both thigh and breast muscles linearly (p < 0.05). Compared with the T1 group, AGE supplementation increased the levels of inosine monophosphate (IMP) significantly (p < 0.05) in both the thigh and breast muscles. Furthermore, an increase (p < 0.05) in the total unsaturated fatty acid (USFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acid (USFA: SFA) in both the thigh and breast muscles in the T3 group was observed. Higher abundance of Bacteroidota (p < 0.05) and lower abundance of Firmicutes (p < 0.05) were observed in the T3 group. The abundance of Faecalibacterium was significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in the T3 group compared with the T1 group. Cholesterol sulfate and p-cresol sulfate were identified as differential metabolites between the T1 and T3 groups. It suggested that 0.4% of AGE supplementation significantly downregulated the levels of p-cresol sulfate and cholesterol sulfate (p < 0.05) and the hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGR) activity compared with the control. Our present study demonstrates that dietary supplementation with AGE can improve the quality and flavor by increasing the IMP and PUFA content in the muscle of Wenchang broilers. Furthermore, dietary AGE supplementation with 0.4% can regulate the cholesterol metabolism of Wenchang broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Dietary intervention is an important approach to improve intestinal function of weaned piglets. Phytogenic and herbal products have received increasing attention as in‐feed antibiotic alternatives. This study investigated the chemical composition of guava leaf extract (GE) by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS/MS). Meanwhile, we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with GE on diarrhea in relation to immune responses and intestinal health in weaned piglets challenged by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). RESULTS: In total, 323 characterized compounds, which including 91 phenolic compounds and 232 other compounds were identified. Animal experiment results showed that the supplementation of 50–200 mg kg−1 of GE in the diet could reduce diarrhea incidence, increase activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total anti‐oxidant capacity in the serum (P < 0.05), decrease the levels of interleukin 1β, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α in the serum or jejunum mucosa (P < 0.05), and increase villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05) in the jejuna of piglets challenged by oral ETEC compared with negative control group (NC). Meanwhile, diet supplementation with 50–200 mg kg−1 GE reduced the levels of D‐lactate, endothelin‐1 and diamine oxidase in the serum, and increased the expression of zonula occludens‐1, Claudin‐1, Occludin and Na+/H+ exchanger 3 (P < 0.05) in the jejuna mucosa of piglets challenged by ETEC compared with the NC. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that GE could attenuate diarrhea and improve intestinal barrier function of piglets challenged by ETEC. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the protective effects of dietary resveratrol (RES) supplementation against oxidative stress in piglets, a total of 30 weaned piglets (aged 28 + 2 d) were randomly divided into five treatments (n = 6): C group (basal diet), NC group (basal diet + diquat challenge), and basal diet containing either 10, 30, or 90 mg/kg of RES administered to piglets injected with diquat. The trail lasted 21 d. On day 15 after the initiation of treatment, piglets were intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg body weight (BW) diquat or the same amount of saline. The feed intake and faecal consistency were recorded daily. Blood samples were collected for antioxidative, immune parameters and cytokines analysis. RES addition showed a negative tendency (p =.052) on faecal score during the pre-challenge period. Diquat challenge reduced the growth performance and induced oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of piglets (p <.05). However, the growth performance was improved, and faecal score was decreased in 90 mg/kg RES groups (p <.05). Compared with the NC group, addition of 90 mg/kg RES increased activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and reduced malonaldehyde (MDA), cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH) concentration (p <.05). Moreover, supplementation with 90 mg/kg RES increased serum concentration of interleukin-4 (IL-4) (p <.05) but decreased serum tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p <.05). In conclusion, the study indicated that RES showed overwhelming advantage in reducing diarrhoea and attenuating the oxidative stress of piglets challenged with diquat. Dietary resveratrol supplementation improved growth performance and reduce diarrhoea of piglets challenged with diquat. The protective effects of dietary resveratrol supplementation against oxidative stress and inflammation in diquat-challenged piglets were confirmed. The experimental results provide theoretical and practical value for further research on the antioxidant mechanisms of resveratrol in weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cu2ZnSn (SSe), (CZTSSe) thin films were synthesized by different liquid phase precursors. The re-sults showed that the activity of Zn source in the precursors directly affects the properties of CZTSSe crystal materials. It was found by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope that the zinc source provided by hydrazine, S powder and zinc powder was not easy to form nuclei, and the reaction temperature was higher, but it was easy to form large crystals. The energy conversion rate of CZTSSe crystal was 6.21 %. The zinc source provided by dry ice, N2H4 and zinc powder was easy to form nuclei, but the subsequent reaction of crystal growth was difficult and not easy. The energy conversion of CZTSSe crystal was only 5.50%. The effects of different Zn precursors on the structure, crystal size and conversion of CZTSSe thin films were revealed, and the mechanism was preliminarily discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have demonstrated a 1.3 W green laser using a V-shaped intracavity frequency doubling 1036 nm semiconductor disk laser. The beam quality of the fundamental and second harmonic generation (SHG) laser is investigated. It has been found that the output lasers at the fundamental and SHG wavelength both suffer from reduced beam quality along with power scaling. The measured beam profile is elliptical under high power operation. In order to improve the SHG laser beam, an intracavity aperture is employed to control the mode characteristics of fundamental frequency light. By fine-tuning the aperture, a nearly circular beam profile with improving beam quality and brightness is realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficiency, threshold characteristics, and the stability of spectral beam combining (SBC) of diode laser array had been studied based on different output couplers (OC). It was found that the lower OC reflectivity, lower internal loss, and shorter cavity-length of emitter were helpful for the realization of high efficiency SBC in an external cavity. However, too low OC reflectivity would also result in an unstable combining with the characteristic of side lobes appeared in far-field and the degraded efficiency. The influence of OC reflectivity on threshold current, lasing spectra, and the beam quality of SBC was investigated and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effects of weaning age on intestinal mucosal morphology, expressions of tight junction proteins and inflammatory cytokines, as well as secretory IgA (sIgA) of Wuzhishan piglets, a total of 96 piglets at 1-day old with an average body weight of 0.56 ± 0.07 kg were randomly divided into four treatments with four replicates per treatment and 6 pigs per replicate. Piglets in those four treatments were weaned at the age of 21(21W), 28(28W), 35 (35W) and 42 (42W) days, respectively. Blood sample was collected for determining plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate at 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days old. The jejunum and ileum segments were collected for morphology analysis, and mucosa samples were collected for Real-time PCR and sIgA measurements at 56 days old. The results showed that: compared with the 21W groups, piglets in 35W and 42W groups significantly decreased DAO activity and D-lactate level at 28 to 35 days and 56 days old (p < .05), increased mRNA levels of occludin and zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal and ileal mucosa (p < .05) and claudin in ileal mucosa (p < .05) and reduced the sIgA contents in jejunum and ileum (p < .05) at 56 days old. By contrary, the intestinal mucosal morphology and mRNA levels of cytokines in jejuna and ileal mucosa at 56 days old were not significantly different among the treatments (p > .05). Results suggest that weaning at 35 or 42 days old may be beneficial to intestinal barrier function, whereas weaning at 21 days old promoted sIgA expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the application of heat pipes in thermal management for high-power semiconductor lasers. The heat pipe cooling systems are used for heat dissipation in high-power semiconductor lasers. These systems are used instead of water cooling machines to realize a compact and lightweight laser module. The n-shaped heat pipe cooling system, which consists of eight 6 mm copper heat pipes with sintered powder wicks, can easily handle a heat load of up to 73 W from a single-laser unit. The fabricated U-shaped heat pipe cooling system, which consists of ten 12 mm copper heat pipes with sintered powder wicks, can easily handle a heat load of up to 300 W from five laser units. The optical power of the multi-laser module cooled by the U-shaped heat pipe cooling system reaches 210 W. These results indicate that high-power semiconductor lasers can be cooled using heat pipe cooling systems instead of water cooling machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of α-lipoic acid (LA) on the carcase characteristics, antioxidant capability and meat quality of Hainan black goat were investigated in the present study. Thirty goats (10.71 ± 0.42 kg) were randomly assigned with three levels of LA in the concentration diet (0, 300, 600 mg/kg). The goats fed for 70 days. The results showed that goats fed the diet containing 600 mg/kg LA had a significantly (p < .05) higher ADG and better feed conversion rate (FCR) compared with goats offered the basal diet without LA. There were no differences in carcase characteristics among the three treatments. For antioxidant enzymes, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and catalase (CAT) in serum significantly increased (p < .05) in goats fed with 600 mg/kg LA at day 70. The concentration of malondiadehhyde (MDA) was significantly lower (p < .05) in serum of goats that received 600 mg/kg LA than in the goats fed diet without LA. Addition level of LA had no significant impact on pH and intramuscular fat (IMF) oflongissimus dorsi muscle tissue (LM) and semimembranosus muscle tissue (SM) in the goats (p > .05). However, increasing additional LA in the diet caused a decrease on drip loss and WBSF (p < .05). Treatment of goats with 600 mg/kg of LA has the lowest drip loss and WBSF. These results indicate that diet supplementation with LA may enhance antioxidant capability, improved the growth performance and meat quality in Hainan black goats. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To study the anticoccidial effect of Piper sarmentosum extracts (PSE) in experimental broiler coccidiosis, 270 one-day-old Wenchang broiler chickens were randomly assigned to six groups, each with three replicates ( n = 15). The six groups were blank control group (BC), negative control group (NC), positive control group (PC), and another three PSE addition groups. Chickens in three control groups were fed a basal diet without PSE supplementation. Chickens in the three PSE addition groups were fed a basal diet supplemented with PSE at 100 (T100), 200 (T200), and 300 (T300) mg/kg of feed, respectively. At 15 days of age, chickens in group NC, PC, and three PSE addition groups were challenged with an oral dose of 1 × 10 Eimeria tenella oocysts each chick. Chickens in group PC were fed with diclazuril solution in water for 5 days after 48 h with oocysts inoculation. The results showed that PSE and diclazuril improved growth performance and significantly ( P < 0.05) decreased oocysts per gram in inoculated broiler chickens. PSE and diclazuril significantly ( P < 0.05) decreased nitric oxide at 6 and 9 days post-inoculation relative to the NC group, respectively. At 6 and 9 days post-inoculation, PSE supplementation at 200 mg/kg in the diet increased concentration of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) ( P < 0.05). PSE supplementation at 200 mg/kg in the diet significantly ( P < 0.05) increased mRNA expressions of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the cecum of chickens at 9 days post-inoculation relative to the BC and NC group. The current results showed the anticoccidial properties, and beneficial effect on intestinal mucosa damage of PSE in broiler chickens that had been challenged by coccidiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to determine the effect of increasing dietary levels of turmeric rhizome extract (TRE) on performance, carcass characteristics, antioxidant capability and meat quality of Wenchang broiler chickens. Three hundred, 1-day-old Wenchang broiler chickens were brooded together for 2 weeks, then randomly allocated into four treatments with five replicates of 15 birds each. Birds were fed a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with TRE at 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg for 12 weeks. The results revealed that a TRE-supplemented diet had no significant effect (P>0.05) on the body weight, although birds fed a diet with TRE at 100 and 200 mg/kg had higher average daily weight gains and average daily feed as compared to controls from 9 to 12 week (P<0.05). Also, the addition of TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg had a better feed conversion ratio compared to controls from week 9 to 12 (P<0.05). Dietary supplementation with TRE at 300 mg/kg increased the breast muscle weight ratio (P<0.05). Meanwhile, dietary supplementation with TRE at 100 to 300 mg/kg reduced the abdominal fat ratio (P<0.05), compared to that of the control group. TRE increased enzymatic activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, and reduced malondiadehhyde concentrations, compared to the control group. Dietary TRE supplementation at 300 mg/kg decreased the drip loss in both breast muscle and thigh muscles, compared with the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, dietary TRE supplementation enhanced antioxidant capability, growth performance, breast muscle weight ratio, and reduced the abdominal fat ratio of Wenchang broiler chickens [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effects of the nutritional levels of diets on meat quality and related gene expression in Hainan black goat. Twenty-four goats were divided into six dietary treatments and were fed a concentrate-based diet with two levels of crude protein ( CP) (15% or 17%) and three levels of digestive energy ( DE) (11.72, 12.55 or 13.39 MJ/kg DM) for 90 days. Goats fed the concentrate-based diet with 17% CP had significantly ( P < 0.05) higher average daily gains ( ADG) and better feed conversion rates ( FCR). The pH 24h value tended to decrease ( P < 0.05) with increasing DE levels. The tenderness of Longissimus dorsi muscle ( LD) and Semimembranosus muscle ( SM) reduced with increasing CP levels ( P < 0.05). With increasing DE levels, tenderness was increased ( P < 0.05). The heart fatty acid-binding protein ( H- FABP) mRNA expression levels in LD and SM increased with increasing DE levels ( P < 0.05), but decreased with increasing CP levels ( P < 0.05). The calpastatin ( CAST) and μ-calpain mRNA expressions levels in LD and SM were affected significantly ( P < 0.05) by CP and DE levels in the diet. Therefore, the nutritional levels of diets affect meat quality and expression levels of genes associated with meat quality in Hainan black goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small heat shock proteins 9 and 10 (HSPB9 and HSPB10) are two testis-specific expressed sHsps. The objective of this study was to investigate the mRNA expression profile of HSPB9 and HSPB10 in goat testis among the different seasons, ages, and environmental temperatures. Allocation of the two sHsps was also performed by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the transcript levels of HSPB9 and HSPB10 were extremely high in the testis (P<0.01). The relative expression of HSBP9 and HSPB10 in testis showed a tendency to increase with age and then is maintained at the constant level after sexual maturity. HSPB9 and HSPB10 have significantly higher expression in the breeding season  (P<0.05) and hot season (P<0.01). Both HSPB9 and HSPB10 were found to be upregulated by high-temperature stress in testis (P<0.05), and the expressions of Hsp70 and Hsp90 were also increased simultaneously (P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry analysis localized HSPB9 expressed in spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and round spermatids and HSPB10 expressed in the elongate spermatids. In epididymis, strongly staining signal of HSPB10 was detected in pseudostratified columnar epithelium. In conclusion, the two testis-specific sHsps are closely related to male reproduction and heat tolerance. The results could provide valuable data for the further studies on HSPB9 and HSPB10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the nutritive value of 10 varieties of stylo ( Stylosanthes guianensis) in Hainan province, China, based on chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility. Chemical composition of the varieties averaged 10.5% crude protein, 2.6% ether extract, 47.4% neutral detergent fiber, 39.7% acid detergent fiber and 0.59% total tannins. In vitro dry matter digestibility averaged 61.4%. The Relative Feed Value quality standard of individual varieties was grade 2 or higher, with the highest values for 'TPRC90028' and 'Reyan No. 2.' The results show that the stylo varieties have suitable nutritive values for livestock in tropical regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effects of different nutrition levels of diets on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Hainan black goat. Twenty-four goats were divided into six diet treatments, which consisted of two levels of crude protein (CP; 15 and 17 %) and three levels of digestive energy (DE; 11.72, 12.55, and 13.39 MJ/kg). The results revealed that 17 % CP significantly ( P < 0.05) increased ADG and improved FCR compared with 15 % CP. Therefore, the CP levels of diet affected growth performance. CP and DE levels in the diet had no significant effects ( P > 0.05) on carcass characteristics of the goats. The mRNA expression levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 in muscle tissues increased with increasing CP and DE levels ( P < 0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of rare earth elements (REE) on feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and urinary purine derivatives (PDs) in sheep. Eight sheep (44.58±2.9 kg of body weight) fitted with ruminal cannulas were used in a replicated 4×4 Latin square design 20-day experiment. Sheep were fed a basal diet containing 100, 200 and 300 mg REE-citrate per kg dry matter (DM). Mixture of REE mainly consisted of cerium (56.8%), lanthanum (35.0%) and praseodymium (6.5%). Ruminal pH value was linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) decreased, and ammonia N concentration (9.73 to 11.83 mg/100 mL) was quadratically (P<0.05) decreased, whereas total volatile fatty acids concentration was linearly increased with increasing REE supplementation (P<0.05). The ratio of acetate to propionate was linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) decreased due to increase of propionate concentration (P<0.05). In situ ruminal neutral detergent fibre (aNDF) degradation of Leymus chinensis was improved (P<0.01), but the in situ ruminal crude protein (CP) degradation of soybean meal was decreased by feeding REE (P<0.01). Moreover, digestibility of DM, organic matter, aNDF, acid detergent fibre and CP in the total tract and urinary excretion of PD were also linearly (P<0.01) and quadratically (P<0.01) increased with increasing REE addition. In conclusion, supplementation of the basal diet with REE improved rumen fermentation and feed digestion in sheep. It was suggested that REE stimulated rumen microbial activity, digestive microorganisms or enzyme activity in a dose-dependent manner. The optimum supplemental dose of REE was about 200 mg/kg dietary DM in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic activities and climate change affect the type, structure and function of ecosystems, resulting in important changes in vegetation net primary productivity (NPP). Therefore, in this study we used the vegetation photosynthesis model (VPM) to reveal the spatiotemporal variations in NPP in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2019. The impacts of climate change and anthropogenic activities on NPP changes were quantified and separated by the residual analysis-control variables (RES-CON) method. The results showed that the average NPP in Xinjiang increased by 17.77% from 2000 to 2019. Anthropogenic activities and climate change generally had a positive impact on NPP from 2000 to 2019. The most important anthropogenic activity was land use and land cover (LULC) transformation from grass to arable land, which significantly increased vegetation productivity. Regarding climate change, precipitation has played a significant role in promoting the productivity of vegetation. Overall, the average contribution of climate change (temperature and precipitation) to NPP variation (21.44%) is much greater than the contribution of anthropogenic activities (3.46%), but in areas where anthropogenic activities occur, the average contribution of anthropogenic activities to NPP variation (75.01%) is much greater than the average contribution of climate change (15.53%). Where there are no anthropogenic activities, the average contribution of climate change to NPP variation is 21.72%. In summary, anthropogenic activities are the main driver of NPP variation in areas where anthropogenic activities occur, while the total area in Xinjiang where climate change is the most important driver is larger than the total area where anthropogenic activities are the dominant driver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  A new SNP located in IGF-2 gene of Wuzhishan pig was detected while a C → T silent mutation at position 17 of exon 8 was detected by Single-Strand Conformational Polymorphism (SSCP). The value of polymorphism information content (PIC) indicated that this locus had intermediate polymorphism information content (0.25 P P = 0.024), withers height (P = 0.037) and chest girth (P = 0.025) in 10-month-old generation group were very remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The inbred strain of miniature pig is an ideal model for biomedical research due to its high level of homozygosity. Our results from multidimensional scaling, admixture, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the inbred Wuzhishan pig (WZSP), with its unique genetic properties, can be utilized as a novel genetic resource for pig genome studies. Inbreeding depression and run of homozygosity (ROH) analyses revealed an average of 61 and 12 ROH regions in the inbred and non-inbred genomes of WZSPs, respectively. ROH number, length, and distribution across generations indicate the impacts of recombination and demography on ROHs in these WZSPs. Finally, we detected 56 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing constant heterozygosity with heterozygosity (He) = 1 across six generations in inbred pigs, while only one was found in the non-inbred population. Among these SNPs, we observed nine SNPs located in swine RefSeq genes, which were found to be involved in signaling and immune processes. Together, our findings indicate that the inbred-specific pattern of homozygosity and heterozygosity in inbred pigs can offer valuable insights for elucidating the mechanisms of inbreeding in farm animals. The inbred strain of miniature pig is an ideal model for biomedical research due to its high level of homozygosity. In this study, we investigated genetic diversity, relatedness, homozygosity, and heterozygosity using the Porcine SNP60K BeadChip in both inbred and non-inbred Wuzhishan pigs (WZSPs). Our results from multidimensional scaling, admixture, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the inbred WZSP, with its unique genetic properties, can be utilized as a novel genetic resource for pig genome studies. Inbreeding depression and run of homozygosity (ROH) analyses revealed an average of 61 and 12 ROH regions in the inbred and non-inbred genomes of WZSPs, respectively. By investigating ROH number, length, and distribution across generations, we further briefly studied the impacts of recombination and demography on ROH in these WZSPs. Finally, we explored the SNPs with higher heterozygosity across generations and their potential functional implications in the inbred WZSP. We detected 56 SNPs showing constant heterozygosity with He = 1 across six generations in inbred pigs, while only one was found in the non-inbred population. Among these SNPs, we observed nine SNPs located in swine RefSeq genes, which were found to be involved in signaling and immune processes. Together, our findings indicate that the inbred-specific pattern of homozygosity and heterozygosity in inbred pigs can offer valuable insights for elucidating the mechanisms of inbreeding in farm animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]