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Dietary fiber is a substance that cannot be digested by endogenous digestive enzymes but can be digested by the cellulolytic enzymes produced by intestinal microorganisms. In the past, dietary fiber was considered an anti-nutrient component in diets because it could resist digestion by endogenous enzymes secreted by the intestine and has a negative effect on the digestion of energy-producing nutrients. However, due to its functional properties, potential health benefits to animals, and innate fermentability, it has attracted increasing attention in recent years. There are a plethora of studies on dietary fiber. Evidence suggests that dietary fiber can provide energy for pigs through intestinal microbial fermentation and improve sow welfare, reproductive performance, intestinal flora, and immunity. This is a brief overview of the composition and classification of dietary fiber, the mechanism of action and effects of dietary fiber on reproductive performance, intestinal microorganisms, and the immune index of the sow. This review also provides scientific guidance for the application of dietary fiber in sow production.

Some biologically active compounds isolated from sea cucumbers stimulate the body’s immune response by activating immune cells. Immune function is closely related to the integrity intestinal barrier and balanced gut microbiota. However, it is unknown whether the daily administration of holothurian wall hydrolysate (HWH) ameliorated intestinal dysbiosis and barrier injury induced by immunodeficiency. This study aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory effect and the underlying mechanism of HWH in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunocompromised mice. BALB/c mice received CTX (80 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) once a day for 3 days to induce immunodeficiency, and then they received the oral administration of HWH (80 or 240 mg/kg) or levamisole hydrochloride (LH, 40 mg/kg, positive control), respectively, once a day for 7 days. We utilized 16S rRNA sequencing for microbial composition alterations, histopathological analysis for splenic and colonic morphology, Western blotting for expressions of tight junction proteins (TJs), and quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR for measurements of pro-inflammatory cytokines. HWH attenuated the immune organ damage induced by CTX, increased the secretions of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and promoted the recovery of goblet cells and the production of TJs (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1) in the colon of the immunocompromised mice. Moreover, HWH promoted the growth of beneficial microorganisms such as Lactobacillus, Lachnospiraceae, Christensenellaceae, and Bifidobacterium, while it suppressed the populations of Ruminococcus, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. These results demonstrate that HWH elicits intestinal mucosal immunity, repairs the damage to intestinal mucosal integrity, and normalizes the imbalanced intestinal microbial profiles in immunocompromised mice. It may be helpful to identify the biological activities of HWH to support its potential use in new prebiotics, immunomodulatory agents, and medical additives for intestinal repair.

The objective of this study is to determine the relationship between learning engagement, academic motivation, and academic performance in undergraduate students and the importance of religion in determining the academic motivation and academic performance. A sample of 840 university students from different regions (provinces) of Pakistan is pooled through a convenient sampling technique. Engagement Versus Disaffection (EVD) and the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS) are administered for learning engagement and academic motivation, respectively. After applying analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson product-moment correlation analysis, and hierarchical regression, the findings of this research reveal that learning engagement and academic motivation have significant relationships with academic performance. Furthermore, it is also found that, in religiosity, academic motivation for both Muslims and non-Muslims do not induce learning engagement, but Muslim students have shown better academic performance than non-Muslims. This study can be beneficial for policymakers and practitioners to analyze the determinants of learning engagements and improve the academic performance of university students.

The Tiegelongnan Cu (Au, Ag) deposit in central Tibet contains more than 10 Mt of copper ranking 29th in the world. It is characterized by typical porphyry-epithermal alteration and mineralization. In order to improve the understanding of porphyry-epithermal copper deposit in Tibet, new zircon U-Pb age and sulfur isotope data along with published data in the Tiegelongnan are presented to investigate the formation and preservation mechanism. Ore-related intrusive rocks in the Tiegelongnan including Early Cretaceous (about 120 Ma) granodiorite porphyry and diorite porphyry are closely related to the northward subduction of Bangongco-Nujiang ocean. Sulfur mainly comes from deep magma, and ore-forming fluid is affected by both magmatic and meteoric water. The metallogenic setting of Tiegelongnan is consistent with those of Andean porphyry copper deposits in South America. The cover of the Meiriqiecuo Formation volcanic rocks, Lhasa-Qiangtang collision and India-Eurasian collision have significance in the preservation and uplift of the deposit. The formation, preservation and discovery of Tiegelongnan play an important role in exploration of ancient porphyry-epithermal deposits in Tibet.© 2022 China Geology Editorial Office.

Abstract Background Dietary fiber (DF) is often eschewed in swine diet due to its anti-nutritional effects, but DF is attracting growing attention for its reproductive benefits. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of DF intake level on oocyte maturation and uterine development, to determine the optimal DF intake for gilts, and gain microbial and metabolomic insight into the underlying mechanisms involved. Methods Seventy-six Landrace × Yorkshire (LY) crossbred replacement gilts of similar age (92.6 ± 0.6 d; mean ± standard deviation [SD]) and body weight (BW, 33.8 ± 3.9 kg; mean ± SD) were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatment groups (n = 19); a basal diet without extra DF intake (DF 1.0), and 3 dietary groups ingesting an extra 50% (DF 1.5), 75% (DF 1.75), and 100% (DF 2.0) dietary fiber mixture consisting of inulin and cellulose (1:4). Oocyte maturation and uterine development were assessed on 19 d of the 2nd oestrous cycle. Microbial diversity of faecal samples was analysed by high-throughput pyrosequencing (16S rRNA) and blood samples were subjected to untargeted metabolomics. Results The rates of oocytes showing first polar bodies after in vitro maturation for 44 h and uterine development increased linearly with increasing DF intake; DF 1.75 gilts had a 19.8% faster oocyte maturation rate and a 48.9 cm longer uterus than DF 1.0 gilts (P 0.1%) increased linearly or quadratically with increasing DF intake. Untargeted metabolic analysis revealed significant changes in serum metabolites that were closely associated with microbiota, including serotonin, a gut-derived signal that stimulates oocyte maturation. Conclusions The findings provide evidence of the benefits of increased DF intake by supplementing inulin and cellulose on oocyte maturation and uterine development in gilts, and new microbial and metabolomic insight into the mechanisms mediating the effects of DF on reproductive performance of replacement gilts.

This study analyzed the effects of male age and abstinence time on semen quality and explored the best abstinence time for Chinese males among different age groups. Semen parameters, including sperm kinetics, morphology, and DNA fragmentation index (DFI), were reviewed from 2952 men. Samples were divided into six age groups (≤25 years, 26–30 years, 31–35 years, 36–40 years, 41–45 years, and >45 years) and were divided into six groups according to different abstinence time (2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, and 7 days). The differences in semen quality between the groups were compared, and the effect of age and abstinence time on semen quality was analyzed. Significant differences were observed in semen volume, progressive motility (PR), and DFI among the age groups (all P < 0.05), and no significant differences were observed in sperm morphological parameters (all P > 0.05). There were significant differences in semen volume, PR, and DFI among different abstinence time groups (all P < 0.05) and no significant differences in sperm morphological parameters (all P > 0.05). Pearson analysis showed that male age and abstinence time were both significantly correlated with sperm kinetics and DFI (both P < 0.05), while no significant correlation was found with sperm morphological parameters (all P > 0.05). The box plots and histograms of men's age, abstinence time, and semen quality show that most semen quality parameters differ significantly between the 2 days and 7 days abstinence groups and other groups at different ages. Except for the sperm morphology parameters, sperm kinetic parameters and sperm DFI are linearly related to male age and abstinence time.

Juxtapleural nodules were excluded from the segmented lung region in the Hounsfield unit threshold-based segmentation method. To re-include those regions in the lung region, a new approach was presented using scale-invariant feature transform and gradient vector flow models in this study. First, the scale-invariant feature transform method was utilized to detect all scale-invariant points in the binary lung region. The boundary points in the neighborhood of a scale-invariant point were collected to form the supportive boundary lines. Then, we utilized a Fourier descriptor to obtain a character representation of each supportive boundary line. Spectrum energy recognizes supportive boundaries that must be corrected. Third, the gradient vector flow-snake method was presented to correct the recognized supportive borders with a smooth profile curve, giving an ideal correction edge in those regions. Finally, the performance of the proposed method was evaluated through experiments on multiple authentic computed tomography images. The perfect results and robustness proved that the proposed method could correct the juxtapleural region precisely.

Abstract Grain boundary (GB) migration is one of the most important phenomena in materials science, which plays a key role in modifying the microstructures and properties of polycrystalline ceramic materials. Understanding how GB migrates is thus a fundamental and critical issue for future ceramic material design. While the understanding of GB atomic structures has evolved significantly over the past several decades due to the progress of atomic‐resolution electron microscopy and atomistic simulation, the understanding of the atomistic grain boundary migration is still lacking. The present article briefly reviews our recent progress on the direct observation of atomistic GB migration in ceramic material by atomic‐resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Using Al2O3 as a model material, we found that the atomistic GB migration proceeds with atom shuffling accompanied by GB structural change and/or nucleation of disconnection, which is highly dependent on the GB atomic structures.

Habitat suitability assessment is the basis for wildlife conservation management and habitat restoration. It is a useful tool to understand the quality of wildlife habitat and its potential spatial distribution. In order to reveal the habitat suitability and connectivity of sambar (Rusa unicolor) to promote species and biodiversity conservation, this study collected records of sambar (Rusa unicolor) from over 2,000 camera traps in the forests of Southwest China in the past 5 years to assess the overall situation of their habitat. The results of the species distribution model revealed that the suitable habitat area for sambar in the five major mountain ranges (Minshan, Qionglai, Daxiangling, Xiaoxiangling, and Liangshan) in Southwest China is 18,231 km2, accounting for 17.02% of the total area. The most suitable habitat of sambar is primarily distributed in Qionglai, as well as the intersection areas of Daxiangling, Xiaoxiangling, and Minshan. The temperature annual range, temperature seasonality, elevation, and distance to road were important factors affecting the distribution of suitable habitat for sambar. Analysis of landscape pattern shows that there were 273 habitat patches, with a maximum patch area of 9,983 km2, accounting for 54.8% of the total suitable habitat area. However, the segmentation index and separation index of each habitat patch were 0.99 and 106.58, respectively, indicating a relatively high habitat fragmentation in the study area. The results of habitat connectivity analysis showed that the Qionglai mountains have the largest suitable habitat area and the highest connectivity among habitat patches. However, habitat connectivity between the five mountains is very low, suggesting that gene flow among these mountain ranges is probably limited. We therefore recommend strengthening protection of sambar and their habitat, with special attention to the establishment of corridors between the different mountain populations.

Abstract Background Stroke is the major cause of adult neurocognitive disorders (NCDs), and presents a significant burden on both of the families and society. To improve the cerebral injury, we generated a blood–brain barrier penetrating peptide TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2, in which Ngn2 (Neurogenin2) is a classical preneural gene that enhances neurogenesis, and neural precursor cells survival and differentiation. We previously demonstrated that it has a short‐term protective effect against cerebral ischemia‐reperfusion injury. However, it is uncertain if TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 could promote neurogenesis to exhibit long‐term therapeutic impact. Methods and results In present study, TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 was administered for 14 or 28 days following bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAO). After confirming that TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 could cross the brain blood barrier and aggregate in the hippocampus, we conducted open field test, Morris water maze and contextual fear conditioning to examine the long‐term effect of TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 on cognition. We discovered that TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 significantly improved the spatial and contextual learning and memory on both days 14 and 28 after BCCAO, while TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 exhibited anxiolytic effect only on day 14, but had no effect on locomotion. Using western blot and immunofluorescence, TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 was also shown to promote neurogenesis, as evidenced by increased BrdU+ and DCX+ neurons in dentate gyrus. Meanwhile, TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 elevated the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor rather than nerve growth factor compared to the control group. Conclusions Our findings revealed that TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 could dramatically promote learning and memory in long term by facilitating neurogenesis in the hippocampus after global cerebral ischemia, indicating that TAT‐LBD‐Ngn2 may be an appealing candidate for treating poststroke NCD.

IntroductionThe effects of maternal addition of yeast cultures on offspring gut development and intestinal microorganisms are not yet known, so the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of maternal addition of yeast cultures to the diet of sows during late gestation and lactation on growth performance, antioxidant properties and intestinal microorganisms of offspring weaned piglets.Methods40 Landrace × Yorkshire sows (3–7 of parity) with similar backfat were randomly divided into two treatment groups: control diet (CON) and control diet +2.0 g/kg yeast culture (XPC), and the trial started on day 90 of gestation and ended on day 21 of lactation.ResultsThe results showed that maternal addition of yeast culture significantly increased weaned piglet weight and mean daily gain (p 0.05). Compared with the control group, the XPC group significantly increased the relative abundance of colonic chyme Bacteroidetes (p

BackgroundThe house-tree-person (HTP) drawing test has received growing attention from researchers as a common projective test. However, the methods used to select and interpret drawing indicators still lack uniformity.ObjectiveThis study aims to integrate drawing indicators into the process of screening for or classifying mental disorders by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of the application of the HTP test.MethodsA search of the following electronic databases was performed in May 2022: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, EBSCO, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang. Screening and checking of the literature were performed independently by two researchers. The empirical studies published on the use of the HTP test in mental disorders and studies providing specific data on the occurrence frequency of drawing characteristics were analyzed. A total of 30 studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 665 independent effect sizes and 6,295 participants. The strength of the association between drawing characteristics of the HTP test and the prevalence of mental disorders was measured by the ratio (OR) with a 95% CI. Publication bias was assessed using a funnel plot, Rosenthal’s fail-safe number (Nfs), and the trim and fill method.ResultsThe results revealed 50 drawing characteristics that appeared at least three times in previous studies, of which 39 were able to significantly predict mental disorders. The HTP test can be divided into the following four dimensions: house, tree, person, and the whole. These dimensions reflect the structure, size, and other characteristics of the picture. The results showed that the greatest predictor of mental disorders was the whole (OR = 4.20, p < 0.001), followed by the house (OR = 3.95, p < 0.001), the tree (OR = 2.70, p < 0.001), and the person (OR = 2.16, p < 0.001). The valid predictors can be categorized into the following four types: item absence, bizarre or twisted, excessive details, and small or simplified. The subgroup analysis showed that the affective-specific indicators included no motion, leaning house, and decorated roof; thought-specific indicators included excessive separation among items, no window, loss of facial features, and inappropriate body proportions; and common indicators of mental disorders included no additional decoration, simplified drawing, very small house, two-dimensional house, and very small tree.ConclusionThese findings can promote the standardization of the HTP test and provide a theoretical reference for the screening and clinical diagnosis of mental disorders.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of spray-dried porcine plasma protein (SDPP) or spray-dried chicken plasma protein (SDCP) supplementation in diets without the inclusion of antibiotics and zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, fecal score, and fecal microbiota in early-weaned piglets. A total of 192 healthy weaning piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire, 21 d old) were blocked by BW (6.53 ± 0.60 kg) and randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatments: negative control (NC, basal diet), positive control (PC), basal diet + ZnO at 2 g/kg and antibiotics at 0.8 g/kg), SDPP (containing 5% SDPP), and SDCP (containing 5% SDCP). The experiment lasted 14 d. The SDPP group had higher (P

ObjectiveCodonopsis Radix and Polygonati Rhizoma (CRPR) has a good hypoglycemic effect. The aims of the present study were to investigate the effect of CRPR on high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFHSD)- and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice as well as to investigate the involved mechanism.MethodsA T2DM mouse model was generated by combining HFHSD and STZ. After the model was established, normal and model groups received the same volume of normal saline intragastrically, and the negative control group was treated with metformin (200 mg/kg·BW). The low, medium, and high CRPR groups received four consecutive weeks of oral gavage with CRPR doses of 2.5, 5, and 10 g/kg·BW, respectively, during the course of the study. Body weight and fasting blood glucose (FBG) were measured on a weekly basis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISAs) were used to evaluate the serum and liver samples. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was utilized to observe the pathological status of the liver and pancreas. Western blot (WB) analysis was performed to evaluate the protein expression levels of PI3K, p-PI3K, AKT, and p-AKT.ResultsCompared to model mice, each treatment group had significantly elevated levels of FBG, total cholesterol (TC), and triacylglycerol (TG) (P

Abstract Deep autoencoder (AE) networks show a powerful ability for geochemical anomaly identification. Because of little contribution to the AE network, small probability samples (again, please check this) having comparatively high reconstructed errors can be recognized by the trained model as anomalous samples. However, different autoencoder networks have different abilities for anomaly identification. To test these methods for geochemical anomaly identification, we based our study on stream sediment data of the Cu‐Zn‐Ag metallogenic area in southwest Fujian province as samples. Three unsupervised deep learning models: the autoencoder (AE), multi‐convolutional autoencoder (MCAE), and fusion convolutional autoencoder (FCAE), were used to extract the combined structural, spatial distribution, and mixed features of multiple‐elements. The results showed that the anomalous area delineated by the FCAE model had the best consistency with the known copper mineral occurrences, followed by the MCAE and AE models, with area under the curve values (AUC) of 0.80, 0.78, and 0.61, respectively. FCAE and AE were insensitive to changes in convolution window size, while MCAE extracted more spatial distribution or mixed features. Overall, FCAE focused more on structural distribution or mixed features, combining the advantages of both MCAE and AE. Therefore, FCAE performed best among the three deep learning methods. This study provides a practical basis for selecting and constructing geochemical anomaly recognition models based on deep learning algorithms.

Cyclin-dependent kinases 5 (Cdk5) is a special member of proline-directed serine threonine kinase family. Unlike other Cdks, Cdk5 is not directly involved in cell cycle regulation but plays important roles in nervous system functions. Under physiological conditions, the activity of Cdk5 is tightly controlled by p35 or p39, which are specific activators of Cdk5 and highly expressed in post-mitotic neurons. However, they will be cleaved into the corresponding truncated forms namely p25 and p29 under pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases and neurotoxic insults. The binding to truncated co-activators results in aberrant Cdk5 activity and contributes to the initiation and progression of multiple neurological disorders through affecting the down-stream targets. Although Cdk5 kinase activity is mainly regulated through combining with co-activators, it is not the only way. Post-translational modifications of Cdk5 including phosphorylation, S-nitrosylation, sumoylation, and acetylation can also affect its kinase activity and then participate in physiological and pathological processes of nervous system. In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of Cdk5 and its roles in a series of common neurological disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, anxiety/depression, pathological pain and epilepsy.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we compared the impacts of Bacillus subtilis PB6 (BS) and bacitracin methylene disalicylate (BMD) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, expression of tight connection protein, and cecal microbiota community of male ducks through a 42-d trial. Three-hundred and sixty male Cherry Valley meat-type ducklings (1-day-old) were distributed into 3 groups of 6 replicates: CON group (control, basal diet), BMD group (basal diet + 45 mg/kg BMD, active ingredient dose in the feed), and BS group (basal diet + 2 × 107 CFU/kg BS in the feed). Results showed that supplementing the diet with BS reduced the average daily feed intake (ADFI) during d 15 to 42 and d 1 to 42 compared with the CON group (P = 0.032). It also reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR) during d 15 to 42 and d 1 to 42 (P < 0.05) relative to the other groups. The ileal villus height (VH) and villus height /crypt depth ratio (V/C) were increased (P < 0.05) in both the BS and BMD groups, and the jejunal VH and V/C ratio were increased in the BS group (P < 0.05). Relative to the CON, BS supplementation was associated with numerical augmentation of goblet cells in the jejunal mucosa and upregulation of jejunal zonula occludens (ZO-1) and ileal mucin2 (P < 0.05) mRNA levels. Analysis showed a negative correlation between FCR (d 0–42) and VH, V/C, and the number of goblet cells in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Additionally, BMD or BS supplementation altered the alpha diversity of colonic microbiota (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that Butyricimonas, Enterobacteriaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Tannerellaceae were positively associated with the acetic acid and butyrate concentrations (P < 0.05). Taken together, the supplementation of BS in the diet of male ducks was conducive to reducing FCR by meliorating intestinal morphology, upregulating ZO-1 and mucin2 mRNA levels, regulating the abundance of microbiota, and metabolites, and having a greater effect than BMD supplementation.

Anthropogenic release of tritium from nuclear facilities is expected to increase significantly in the coming decades, which may cause radiation exposure to humans through the contamination of water and food chains. It is necessary and urgent to acquire detailed information about tritium in various environments for studying its behavior and assessing the potential radiation risk. In the atmosphere, although the passive sampling technique provides a low-cost and convenient way to characterize the dynamics of tritiated water vapor (HTO), a single, simple sampler configuration makes it difficult to collect sufficient and representative samples within the expected period from different environments. In this study, we systematically studied the impacts of sampler configurations on sampling performance and proposed a modifiable sampler design by scaling sampler geometry and adjusting absorbent to achieve different monitoring demands. The samplers were subsequently deployed at five sites in China and Germany for the field calibration and the measured results exhibited a good agreement between the adsorption process obtained in sites corrected with diffusion coefficient and the one calibrated in Shanghai. This suggests the feasibility of predicting sampling performance in the field based on known data. Finally, we developed a strategy for sampler modification and selection in different environments and demonstrated that using easily obtainable environmental data, our sampler can be optimized for any area without any time-consuming preliminary experiments. This work provides a scientific basis for establishing high-resolution atmospheric HTO database and expands the conventional empirical sampler design paradigm by demonstrating the feasibility of using quantitative indices for sampler performance customization.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement effects of milk powder (MK) and fish meal (FM) by enzymatic soybean (ESB) in diets on growth performance, immunological parameters, SCFAs production and gut microbiome of weaned piglets. Methods A total of 128 piglets with initial body weight at 6.95 ± 0.46 kg, were randomly assigned into 4 dietary treatments with 8 replicates per treatment and 4 piglets per replicate for a period of 14 d. Piglets were offered iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic diets as follows: CON diet with MK and FM as high quality protein sources, ESB plus FM diet with ESB replacing MK, ESB plus MK diet with ESB replacing FM, and ESB diet with ESB replacing both MK and FM. Results No significant differences were observed in growth performance among all treatments (P > 0.05). However, piglets fed ESB plus FM or ESB diet had increased diarrhea index (P

Rare-earth iron garnets are ferrimagnetic insulators commercially known for their large magneto-optical effect. Here, strain-gradient engineering is used to induce flexoelectricity in Sm3Fe5O12 films, achieving simultaneous remanent dielectric polarization and magnetization at room temperature.

Shockwaves from fuel-air explosive (FAE) cloud explosions may cause significant casualties. The ground overpressure field is usually used to evaluate the damage range of explosion shockwaves. In this paper, a finite element model of multi-sources FAE explosion is established to simulate the process of multiple shockwaves propagation and interaction. The model is verified with the experimental data of a fourfold-source FAE explosion, with the total fuel mass of 340 kg. Simulation results show that the overpressure fields of multi-sources FAE explosions are different from that of the single-source. In the case of multi-sources, the overpressure fields are influenced significantly by source scattering distance and source number. Subsequently, damage ranges of overpressure under three different levels are calculated. Within a suitable source scattering distance, the damage range of multi-sources situation is greater than that of the single-source, under the same amount of total fuel mass. This research provides a basis for personnel shockwave protection from multi-sources FAE explosion.

Abnormally raised circulating bile acids (BA) during pregnancy threat fetal and offspring health. Our previous study has identified sulfated progesterone metabolites (PMSs) in part account for dysregulation of maternal BA homeostasis during pregnancy, however, limited intervention strategies to remedy increased serum BA through PMSs during pregnancy are available. The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of manipulating BA homeostasis and progesterone metabolism through steering gut microbiota. A total of 19 pregnant sows were randomly treated with standard diet or vancomycin-supplemented diet, to investigate the intercorrelation of PMSs, intestinal microbiota, and maternal BA metabolism from day 60 of gestation (G60) until farrowing (L0). Pregnant mice orally gavaged with epiallopregnanolone sulfate (PM5S) or vehicle and nonpregnant mice were sampled and further analyzed to verify the effect of PM5S on maternal BA metabolism. The present study revealed that oral vancomycin reduced maternal fasting serum total BA (TBA) levels and postprandial serum TBA levels at day 90 of gestation (G90). BA profile analysis showed the decreased TBA after vancomycin treatment was attributed to the decrease of primary BA and secondary BA, especially hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA). By using newly developed UPLC-MS/MS methods, we found vancomycin increased fecal excretion of allopregnanolone sulfate (PM4S) and PM5S during late gestation and thus maintaining the relative stability of serum PM4S and PM5S, which play an important role in BA metabolism. Further study in mice showed that pregnant mice have higher serum and liver TBA levels compared with nonpregnant mice, and PM5S administration induced higher gallbladder TBA levels and TBA pool in pregnant mice. In addition, after oral vancomycin, the continuously decreased Parabacteroides genus, potentially enriched with genes encoding steroids sulfatase, may explain the increased fecal PMSs excretion in pregnant sows. Taken together, our study provides the evidence that pregnancy-induced elevation of BA levels in sow is likely regulated by manipulation of gut microbiota, which offer new insights into the prevention and treatment of disrupted BA homeostasis during pregnancy by targeting specific microbiota.

PurposeThe association between overall physical activity (PA) and life satisfaction has been confirmed in adolescents. However, the associations between different forms of PA at various intensities and life satisfaction are under-studied. This study aimed to explore the association between vigorous PA (VPA) and life satisfaction, and whether the associations vary by gender and age.MethodsUsing data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HSBC) investigation, the research samples of 11- to 15-year-old adolescents were included for further. The information on VPA was collected via two self-reported questions, including frequency per week and hours per week. Life satisfaction was assessed by a ladder of 0–10 scores, with being higher indicating better life satisfaction. Logistic models were carried out to analyse the association between VPA and life satisfaction among adolescents, and results were presented with odd ratio (OR) and associated 95% confidence interval.ResultsAmong the 214,080 (49.2% male) adolescents studied, both boy and girl participants reporting higher frequency of VPA per week were more likely to be associated with higher life satisfaction (e.g., in boys, VPA for every day: OR = 1.054; in girls: VPA for every day: OR = 1.047). More hours of VPA was also associated with better life satisfaction in adolescents (in overall sample, 7 h or more: OR = 1.178).ConclusionsIn conclusion, this research provided evidence on the roles of VPA on life satisfaction among adolescents aged 11–15. Considering life satisfaction is regarded as an indicator of adolescents' psychological health development, our study supports and extends the evidence for the importance of VPA in adolescence.

One purified neutral polysaccharide fraction was obtained from the rhizome of Polygonatum sibiricum by DEAE ion exchange and gel chromatography. Structure elucidation was performed by methanolysis, methylation, FT-IR, and NMR. The results indicated that PSP-NP was composed of 1,4-β-D-Gal,1, 4, 6-β-D-Gal, T-α-D-Man,1, 4-α-D-Glc, and T-α-D-Glc with a molecular weight of 43.0 kDa. We supplied this polysaccharide to aged mice and found it is of benefits to intestinal functions, as indicated by better tissue integrity and motility, improved oxidative stress and inflammation, reduced intestinal permeability and serum LPS level, as well as balanced gut microbial composition and short-chain fatty acids production. These results display a novel Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide to improve the intestinal function of aged mice, which provides pieces of evidence for its further development and utilization.

The dietary inclusion of phytogenic feed additives to improve the performance and health of sows is considered to be safe, effective and environmentally friendly, thus gaining growing popularity among new strategies. This study was designed with three trials aimed to determine the effective supplemental levels of Scutellaria baicalensis and Lonicera japonica mixed extracts (SLE) in sow diets based on production performance and explore its related mechanisms of action based on serum metabolites, antioxidant capacity, and immune profile of sows and nursing piglets. Trials 1 and 2 were conducted to determine the effective dose and ratio of SLE by supplementation of various proportions and doses of SLE to sows diets from the late pregnancy to weaning, with litter performance at farrowing and weaning and disease conditions being evaluated. Trial 3 was conducted to further explore the mechanisms of action of SLE as evaluated by serum immunity and antioxidants indices in late gestation and lactation sows. The results of trials 1 and 2 showed that dietary supplementation of 1.0 g/kg SLE (50% S. baicalensis extract, 30% L. japonica extract, and 20% wheat bran fiber as carrier) enhanced the number of piglets born alive, litter birth weight, litter weight gain, and average daily feed intake of sows during lactation, while decreased diarrhea of suckling piglets. In Trial 3, compared with the control group, dietary SLE supplementation increased (P < 0.05) sow serum glucose (GLU), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), prolactin (PRL) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) concentrations, and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activities at the farrowing, and increased (P < 0.05) sow serum prolactin, leptin, and insulin concentrations at d 14 of lactation. Fat concentrations in sow colostrum and in milk on day 14 of lactation, both IgA and IgG concentrations in colostrum, and both IL-10 and IgA concentrations in piglet serum at d 14 of lactation were all increased (P < 0.05) following dietary SLE supplementation. Altogether, dietary supplementation with the appropriate levels of SLE promoted health and growth of suckling piglets, which was associated with the improvement of maternal metabolism and transmission of antibodies.

Chinese herbal medicines offer a rich source of anti-cancer drugs. Differences between the pharmacology of Chinese herbal medicines and modern synthetic chemicals hinder the development of drugs derived from herbal products. To address this challenge, novel omics approaches including transcriptomics, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, and microbiomics have been applied to dissect the pharmacological benefits of Chinese herbal medicines in cancer treatments. Numerous Chinese herbal medicines have shown potential anti-tumor effects on different gastrointestinal (GI) cancers while eliminating the side effects associated with conventional cancer therapies. The present study aimed to provide an overview of recent research focusing on Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancer treatment, based on omics approaches. This review also illustrates the potential utility of omics approaches in herbal-derived drug discovery. Omics approaches can precisely and efficiently reveal the key molecular targets and intracellular interaction networks of Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancer treatment. This study summarizes the application of different omics-based approaches in investigating the effects and mechanisms of Chinese herbal medicines in GI cancers. Future research directions are also proposed for this area of study.

The effects of Rhodotorula benthica culture (RBC) and antibiotics (AB) on the growth performance, nutrients digestibility, morphological indicators, and colonic microbiota of weaning piglets were explored. Ninety-six (Duroc × Landrace × Large) weaned piglets (21-day-old) weighing 7.7 ± 0.83 kg, were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments. They were fed with basal diet (CON), basal diet + 25 mg/kg bacitracin zinc + 5 mg/kg colistin sulfate (AB), 5 g/kg reduction in soybean meal of basal diet + 5 g/kg RBC (RBC1), or 10 g/kg reduction in soybean meal of basal diet + 10 g/kg RBC (RBC2). The results showed that dietary RBC1 improved the body gain/feed intake (G/F) of weaned piglets than the CON diet, and the RBC2 diet improved the average daily gain and G/F than CON and AB diets from days 15 to 28 (P < 0.05). Supplementation of RBC2 improved the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy in weaned piglets compared to controls from days 15 to 28 (P < 0.05). Dietary AB, RBC1, and RBC2 enhanced the ileal villus height (VH) and VH/crypt depth (CD), and these two indicators were greater in the RBC2-treated piglets than in the AB- and RBC1-treated piglets (P < 0.05). The activity of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) was enhanced by dietary AB, RBC1, and RBC2 (P < 0.05). Serum glutathione (GSH) concentration was elevated by dietary RBC1 and RBC2 (P < 0.05). According to 16S rRNA sequence analysis, AB- and RBC2-treated piglets had a higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lachnospiraceae in the colon digesta, and more abundant Lactobacillus was found in RBC1-treated piglets, as compared to the CON group. Additionally, RBC2 supplementation increased the α diversity [Chao1, PD-whole-tree, and observed operational taxonomic units (OTUs)] compared to the CON group. Taken together, the dietary RBC improved the growth performance of weaned piglets. In addition, 10 g/kg of RBC2 in the diet achieved better effects on higher ADG, ileal villi morphology, and stronger antioxidant capacity than dietary AB and RBC1 in weaning piglets.

IntroductionPericardial thrombosis that complicates pericardial bleeding is a life-threatening emergency in interventional cardiology, and surgery remains the only definitive treatment option. We report the first case of successful intrapericardial thrombus aspiration using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter in the early stage of pericardial thrombosis.Case reportA 76-year-old woman with non-valve atrial fibrillation underwent percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure for secondary prevention of stroke. A 24-mm Watchman device was deployed under fluoroscopic guidance. Post-deployment angiography revealed LAA perforation, which led to the rapid onset of cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis was performed and the deep-seated device was redeployed at a more proximal position to seal the distal perforation. Pericardial bleeding was controlled after the drainage of 400 ml of blood. However, the patient re-developed cardiac tamponade following a period of stability. The patient was diagnosed with early-stage pericardial thrombosis based on echocardiographic findings of a hypoechoic effusion in the pericardial space. Thrombus aspiration using a pigtail catheter and long sheath failed; however, we performed successful intrapericardial thrombus aspiration using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter. We drained 120 ml of sludge-like blood, and the patient underwent successful conservative management without surgical intervention.ConclusionThis case report highlights the potential usefulness of a percutaneous intrapericardial thrombus aspiration technique using a dedicated thrombus aspiration catheter in selected patients with early-stage pericardial thrombosis, as a less invasive alternative to cardiac surgery.

In this study, three acidic polysaccharides from different plant parts of Codonopsis pilosula var. Modesta (Nannf.) L. T. Shen were obtained by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration chromatography, and the yields of these three polysaccharides were different. According to the preliminary experimental results, the antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides from rhizomes and fibrous roots (CLFP-1) were poor, and was thus not studied further. Due to this the structural features of polysaccharides from roots (CLRP-1) and aerial parts (CLSP-1) were the object for this study and were structurally characterized, and their antioxidant activities were evaluated. As revealed by the results, the molecular weight of CLRP-1and CLSP-1 were 15.9 kDa and 26.4 kDa, respectively. The monosaccharide composition of CLRP-1 was Ara, Rha, Fuc, Xyl, Man, Gal, GlcA, GalA in a ratio of 3.8: 8.4: 1.0: 0.8: 2.4: 7.4: 7.5: 2.0: 66.7, and Ara, Rha, Gal, GalA in a ratio of 5.8: 8.9: 8.0: 77.0 in for CLSP-1. The results of structural elucidation indicated that both CLRP-1 and CLSP-1 were pectic polysaccharides, mainly composed of 1, 4-linked galacturonic acid with long homogalacturonan regions. Arabinogalactan type I and arabinogalactan type II were presented as side chains. The antioxidant assay in IPEC-J2 cells showed that both CLRP-1 and CLSP-1 promoted cell viability and antioxidant activity, which significantly increase the level of total antioxidant capacity and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and decrease the content of malondialdehyde. Moreover, CLRP-1 and CLSP-1 also showed powerful antioxidant abilities in Caenorhabditis elegans and might regulate the nuclear localization of DAF-16 transcription factor, induced antioxidant enzymes activities, and further reduced reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde contents to increase the antioxidant ability of Caenorhabditis elegans. Thus, these finding suggest that CLRP-1 and CLSP-1 could be used as potential antioxidants.

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone predominantly released in the liver, has emerged as a critical endocrine signal of dietary protein intake, but its role in the control of estrous cyclicity by dietary protein remains uncertain. To investigated the role of FGF21 and hypothalamic changes in the regulation of estrous cyclicity by dietary protein intake, female adult Sprague-Dawley rats with normal estrous cycles were fed diets with protein contents of 4% (P4), 8% (P8), 13% (P13), 18% (P18), and 23% (P23). FGF21 liver-specific knockout or wild-type mice were fed P18 or P4 diets to examine the role of liver FGF21 in the control of estrous cyclicity. Dietary protein restriction resulted in no negative effects on estrous cyclicity or ovarian follicular development when the protein content was greater than 8%. Protein restriction at 4% resulted in decreased bodyweight, compromised Kiss-1 expression in the hypothalamus, disturbed estrous cyclicity, and inhibited uterine and ovarian follicular development. The disturbed estrous cyclicity in rats that received the P4 diet was reversed after feeding with the P18 diet. Liver Fgf21 mRNA expressions and serum FGF21 levels were significantly increased as dietary protein content decreased, and loss of hepatic FGF21 delayed the onset of cyclicity disruption in rats fed with the P4 diet, possibly due to the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-1. Collectively, severe dietary protein restriction results in the cessation of estrous cyclicity and ovarian follicle development, and hepatic FGF21 and hypothalamic Kiss-1 were partially required for this process.

Dietary oxidized fat contains harmful materials such as hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde (MDA). Excessive oxidized fat intake during pregnancy and lactation not only leads to maternal body injury but also damages offspring health. Our previous study demonstrated that vitamin D (VD) had antioxidative capability in sows. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal VD and inulin supplementation in oxidized oil diet on the growth performance and oxidative stress of their offspring. Sixty 5-month-old C57BL/6N female mice were randomly divided into five groups: Control group (basal diet, n = 12), OF group (oxidized-soybean-oil-replaced diet, n = 12), OFV group (oxidized-soybean-oil-replaced diet + 7000 IU/kg VD, n = 12), OFI group (oxidized-soybean-oil-replaced diet + 5% inulin, n = 12) and OFVI group (oxidized-soybean-oil-replaced diet + 7000 IU/kg VD + 5% inulin, n = 12). Mice were fed with the respective diet during pregnancy and lactation. The offspring were then slaughtered on day 21 of age at weaning. Results showed that a maternal oxidized oil diet impaired body weight and liver weight gain of offspring during lactation compared to the control group, while maternal VD, inulin or VD and inulin mixture supplementation reversed this effect. In addition, the activity of T-AOC in the liver of offspring was lower in the OF group than that in the control group, but could be restored by maternal VD and inulin mixture supplementation. Furthermore, the gene expression of both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as Il-6, Tnfα and Il-10, in offspring liver were downregulated by a maternal oxidized oil diet compared with the control group, but they were restored by maternal VD or VD and inulin mixture supplementation. The expressions of Vdr and Cyp27a1 were decreased by a maternal oxidized oil diet compared with the control group, while they could be increased by VD or VD and inulin mixture supplementation. Conclusion: maternal oxidized oil diet intake could impair the growth performance by inducing oxidative stress, but this can be relieved by maternal VD and inulin supplementation.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary multi-enzyme (multi-carbohydrase and phytase complex, MCPC) supplementation on digestibility, growth performance, bone mineralization, and carcass yield and traits in growing–finishing pigs fed diets with adequate or deficient net energy (NE), amino acids (AA), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels. A total of 576 crossbred [Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire)] barrows (~25 kg) were fed one of the six diets till live weight approached 130 kg. Basal diets included a positive control (PC), negative control 1 (NC1) and 2 (NC2), while another three diets were prepared by adding MCPC to the three basal diets. The final body weight was lower (p < 0.05) in NC2 than in NC1 and PC treatments, while overall feed intake and feed-gain ratio were higher (p < 0.05) in NC1 and NC2 than in PC treatment. The NC2 treatment showed lower (p < 0.05) carcass weight but higher (p < 0.05) lean meat percentage than the PC treatment. The apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of gross energy (GE), crude protein (CP) and AA was decreased (p < 0.05) or tended (p < 0.10) to decrease in NC1 and/or NC2 diets compared with a PC diet. MCPC supplementation improved (p < 0.05) AID of Ca, P and AA (Lys, Leu, Val, Phe, Gly, Tyr and Pro), apparent total-tract digestibility (ATTD) of GE, CP, bone strength, Ca, and P retention. In conclusion, MCPC supplementation improved nutrient digestibility, bone mineralization, and growth performance of fattening pigs, regardless of the nutritional level of the basal diet.

Abstract In this paper, we investigate a six-dimensional smooth thick braneworld model which contains a compact extra dimension and an infinite large one. The braneworld is generated by a real scalar field with a ϕ 6 potential and the bulk is an asymptotically AdS6 spacetime. The geometry achieves the localization of the free U(1) gauge field, which is a problem in five-dimensional Randall-Sundrum-like models. In addition, we analyze the stability of the braneworld system and the localization of the graviton.

Sperm and seminal plasma are rich in leucine, and leucine can promote the protein synthesis. This property makes it an interesting amino acid to increase sperm quality of human and livestock spermatogenesis. The goal of this study was to explore the effects of dietary leucine supplementation on testicular development and semen quality in boars from weaning to 10 months of age. 30 pure-bred, weaned Duroc boars (8.0 ± 1.0 kg) were randomly divided into two groups: control group (CON; fed the basal diet) and leucine group (LEU; fed the basal diet supplemented with 1.2% leucine); then, their body weight and testicular volume were recorded every 4 weeks. Testes were collected for histological and genes expression analysis from 150-day-old boars. Semen was collected and analyzed. Amino acids contents of blood plasma, seminal plasma, sperm, and testes were determined. Dietary supplementation with leucine increased the testicular volume and weight of boars, compared with CON. Sperm viability, sperm count per ejaculation, and average curve speed of sperm in leucine-supplemented boars were increased. Furthermore, leucine supplementation increased the blood plasma and seminal plasma leucine concentrations, and enhanced the gene expressions of branch chain amino acid transaminase, protein kinase B, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and cyclinb1 in the testes. Interestingly, the expressions of the p-mTOR and mTOR proteins in the testes were also upregulated. Thus, dietary leucine supplementation increased leucine absorption and utilization in the testes, promoted testicular development, and improved semen quality of boars, partly through the mTOR signaling pathway.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, which can be induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and multiple factors, is associated with numerous intestinal diseases. The organic selenium source 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid (HMSeBA), has been proved to decrease intestinal inflammation and autophagy by improving the expression of selenoproteins. However, it remains unclear whether HMSeBA could alleviate intestinal ER stress by decreasing excessive production of ROS products. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of maternal HMSeBA supplementation on the regulation of intestinal ER stress of their offspring and the regulatory mechanism. Sows were supplemented with HMSeBA during gestation and jejunal epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells were treatment with HMSeBA. Results showed that maternal HMSeBA supplementation significantly upregulated mRNA level of selenoprotein S (SELS) in the jejunum of newborn and weaned piglets compared with the control group, while decreased the gene expression and protein abundance of ER stress markers in the jejunum of LPS challenged weaned piglets. In addition, HMSeBA treatment significantly increased the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and SELS, while decreased ROS level and the expression of ER stress markers induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in IPEC-J2 cells. Furthermore, knockdown of GPX4 did not enhance the ERS signal induced by H2O2, but the lack of GPX4 would cause further deterioration of ER stress signal in the absence of SELS. In conclusion, maternal HMSeBA supplementation might alleviate ROS induced intestinal ER stress by improving the expression of SELS and GPX4 in their offspring. Thus, maternal HMSeBA supplementation might be benefit for the intestinal health of their offspring.

Selenium (Se) is assumed to promote the follicle development by attenuating oxidative stress. The current study was developed to evaluate the effects of dietary 2-hydroxy-4-methylselenobutanoic acid (HMSeBA) supplementation on the follicle development in vivo and on the function of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in vitro. Thirty-six gilts were randomly assigned to fed control diet (CON), Na2SeO3 diet (0.3 mg Se/kg) or HMSeBA diet (0.3 mg Se/kg). The results showed that HMSeBA and Na2SeO3 supplementation both increased the total selenium content in liver and serum compared with control, while HMSeBA increased the total selenium content in liver compared with Na2SeO3 group. HMSeBA tended to increase the total selenium content in ovary compared with control. HMSeBA and Na2SeO3 supplementation both increased the weight of uteri in gilts at the third estrus. Moreover, HMSeBA supplementation down-regulated the gene expression of growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) and bone morpho-genetic protein-15 (BMP-15) in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). HMSeBA supplementation decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum, liver and ovary, increased activity of T-AOC in liver, TXNRD in ovary and GPX in serum, liver and ovary, while up-regulated the liver GPX2, SOD1 and TXNRD1, ovarian GPX1 gene expression. In vitro, HMSeBA treatment promoted GCs' proliferation and secretion of estradiol (E2). HMSeBA treatment increased the activity of T-AOC, T-SOD, GPX, TXNRD and decreased MDA content in GCs in vitro. Meanwhile, HMSeBA treatment up-regulated SOD2 and GPX1 gene expression in GCs in vitro. In conclusion, HMSeBA supplementation is more conducive to promoting follicle development by antioxidant pathway.