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Self-supervised learning models, such as Wav2vec 2.0, extract efficient features for speech processing applications including speech emotion recognition. In this study, we propose a Dimension Reduction Module (DRM) to apply to the output of each transformer block in the Wav2vec 2.0 model. Our DRM consists of an attentive average pooling, a linear layer with a maxout activation function, and a linear layer that reduces the number of dimensions to the number of classes. Subsequently, we propose two methods, classifier combination and feature fusion, to generate the final decision using DRM outputs. In the Classifier Combination method, the outputs of each DRM are fed to a distinct Additive Angular Margin (AAM) softmax loss function. This constructs an individual classifier for each DRM. Then, the outputs of these classifiers are combined using five different statistical methods. In the Feature Fusion method, the outputs of the DRMs are concatenated, and an attention mechanism is applied to them. Then, the attended outputs are fed to an AAM-Softmax loss function, which is used for training all DRMs in addition to the attention mechanism. The proposed models have been evaluated on the EMODB, IEMOCAP, and ShEMO datasets. Our best method, the Attention-based Feature Fusion, has obtained unweighted accuracies of 94.80% on EMODB, 74.00% on IEMOCAP, and 80.60% on ShEMO, which are competitive with the best baseline methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current trial was designed to evaluate the positive impacts of different feed additives singly or in combination on the growth performance, nutritional parameters, intestinal histology, and gene expression of some growth and fat metabolism-related genes in the liver tissue of Nile tilapia. The experimented fish were allocated into eight groups in a glass aquarium (10 fish/aquarium in triplicate) with Pediococcus acidilactici, nanozeolites, and/or medium-chain fatty acid additives. The studied treatments were control (T0), nanozeolite (T1), Pediococcus (T2), medium-chain fatty acid (T3), nanozeolite + Pediococcus (T4), nanozeolite + medium-chain fatty acid (T5), Pediococcus + medium-chain fatty acid (T6), and nanozeolite + Pediococcus + medium-chain fatty acid (T7). The results of the growth and nutritional parameters (i.e., final body weight, total weight gain, feed intake, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio) of tilapia-fed diets supplemented with Pediococcus, nanozeolites, and medium-chain fatty acids improved, but the combination of these additives was significantly more effective. Moreover, expression of growth hormone receptor 1 gene was upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) in T7 fish when compared with T0, other groups showing intermediate values. Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 was upregulated (P ≤ 0.05) in T5, T6, and T7 fish when compared with the other groups. The expression of the fatty acid-binding protein was higher in T6 and T7 fish (P ≤ 0.05) when compared with T0, T1, and T3 fish. In conclusion, combined additives had significant effects on improving growth and regulating growth-related genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish is an important source of animal food for humans because it contains essential nutrients that are easily absorbed by the body. However, the intensification of aquaculture can be harmful to the fish, making them more susceptible to reduced diseases and slow growth. The excessive use of antibiotics is a major concern as it can lead to the accumulation of antibiotic residue in the fish. As a result, many countries have banned the use of antibiotics in fish feed. Phytobiotics, derived from various plant sources, have gained importance as additives in fish feeds and are seen as a promising alternative to antibiotics due to the presence of various bioactive compounds that have the potential to enhance fish production and health. The bioactive compounds present in plant sources such as essential oils, microalgae, seaweed, medicinal plants, and seeds, like Aloe vera and licorice, offer a wide range of beneficial effects in promoting growth, antimicrobial activity, antioxidant properties, and immunostimulant. The main topics of this review highlighted the various sources of phytobiotics, their mode of action, their effects on growth performance, and their therapeutic effects in fish. While phytobiotics have low bioavailability, exposure to them has shown positive effects on organs and several tissues in fish. This present article is also designed to provide an insightful information about the administration of phytobiotics and its bioavailability in fish. Furthermore, this review offers an intuitive knowledge regarding various methods for extracting the phytobiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed available data regarding the benefits of feed additives for mitigation of ammonia toxicity in fish. We first emphasized the toxic effects of ammonia and the pathways involved in ammonia metabolism in fish. Then, we focused on the roles of different dietary additives on internal ammonia detoxification and/or to counteract the negative effects of ammonia toxicity. A wide range of feed additives has been studied for their benefits in fish under ammonia exposure. Most of these studies focused on the improvement of fish health and growth performance by these additives, but neglected underlying mechanisms of these effects as well as ammonia detoxification. It is necessary to monitor internal ammonia, urea, amino acids levels, ammonia/urea excretion, and enzymes involved in ureagenesis and glutamine formation along with health-related parameters (e.g., antioxidant, immunological, and growth responses) in the future studies to fulfil the knowledge gap. Moreover, the future researches should consider the route of ammonia and supplements administration to obtain reliable and practical data. A little evidence shows that dietary nutrients may interact to change the results of dietary supplementation on ammonia toxicity remediation, which must be considered in the future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Camellia oleifera meal (COM), a primary byproduct of oil-tea processing, often being discarded or used as a low-grade fertilizer due to its low value. The underutilization has become a significant bottleneck hindering the high-quality development of the oil-tea industry. In this study, the production of antibiotic-free feed additives through the solid-state fermentation of COM by Acremonium terricola was investigated. Our findings revealed that a saponin concentration of 5 mg/mL significantly enhanced the production of cordycepic acid (70.4 mg/g), ergosterol (3.32 mg/g), and chitin (110 mg/g) by A. terricola. This concentration also promoted chitin production and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and Na+/K+-ATPase, thereby maintaining cellular homeostasis and energy balance in A. terricola. Solid-state fermented rice bran (RB), wheat bran (WB), and desaponificated COM (containing 2.6 mg/100 g of tea saponin) were all found to be beneficial for increasing the production of cordycepic acid and ergosterol. The blend of COM, RB, and WB in the ratio of 15:65:20 was particularly advantageous for the production and accumulation of cordycepic acid and ergosterol, yielding 1.54 and 1.43 times, 1.27 and 1.37 times, and 1.98 and 5.52 times more than those produced by WB, RB, and COM alone, respectively.Meantime, the difference in contents of sugar and protein in A. terricola cultures (ATCs) using combination were not significant compared to RB and WB. These results indicated that COM can partially replace foodstuffs or food by-products to prepare antibiotic-free feed additives by A. terricola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reed sawdust is a kind of paper mill waste with high cellulose and hemicellulose content. To promote the rational use of resources, it is essential to make full use of waste resources and transform them into new values. In this work, reed sawdust was pretreated with liquid hot water (LHW) at 170 °C for 30 min. A total of 39.00 g/L glucose was obtained after enzymatic saccharification of cellulose at 50 °C, 20 FPU/g-reed sawdust cellulase, 25% (w/v) reed sawdust, in 5 replenishments. When the fermentation was performed 96 h, the medium contained xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) 11.74 g/L and biomass 15.21 g/L, in which lipid was 4.14 g/L. After spray drying, feed additives containing 29.17% XOS and 10.29% docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can be prepared. In particular, the hemicellulose and cellulose in reed sawdust are creatively used at the same time without separation, which greatly reduces the cost of purification in traditional processes and provides a new way for the high-value transformation of sawdust resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymes are biological catalysts that accelerate chemical reactions by reducing their activation energy. Enzymes specific environmental conditions to function optimally. Additive molecules and compounds, such as organic solvents, ionic liquids, and deep eutectic solvents, have crucial effects on enzyme behavior by changing activity and stability. However, finding and testing different additives is an expensive process that requires specialists, laboratory equipment, and chemical compounds. Machine learning, which has been present in all fields of science and technology in recent years, is one of the ways to find a suitable additive for our desired enzyme without doing a time-consuming experimental process. In this manuscript, we introduce ADDZYME, a machine learning-based software, to predict the effect of additives on enzyme activity. ADDZYME utilizes an ensemble of extremely randomized trees models alongside physicochemical descriptors to make a prediction. To ease usage, ADDZYME is accompanied by a graphical user interface. ADDZYME is freely available on www.github.com/miladrayka/addzyme for further experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of macroalgae as feed additives has attracted great interest in past years because of their nutritional, immunostimulant, antiviral, antibacterial, and growth-promoting properties. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the use of dry biomass of macroalgae Ulva ohnoi in the diets of Penaeus vannamei post-larvae cultured in a biofloc system on growth performance, post-larvae microbiology, and resistance to thermal shock. U. ohnoi was included in the diets at three levels (0, 0.5, and 2% inclusion) and added to diets to replace kaolin. Post-larvae (0.068 ± 0.01 g) were cultured for 46 days in 60-L tanks at a density of 2000 post-larvae m−3 and fed six times daily. Shrimp fed with 0.5% of Ulva ohnoi in the diet showed a significantly higher final mean weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate than those in the control group. The post-larvae fed with the diet containing 2.0% of U. ohnoi exhibited a significantly higher total heterotrophic bacteria count than the post-larvae of the control group. Considering that the performance of shrimp fed with diets containing U. ohnoi was similar, the inclusion of 0.5% is recommended because shrimp growth was higher in this inclusion compared with the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the intervention of herbal plants in the fish diet has drawn a lot of interest due to their unique nutritional value and pharmacological properties. To assess the impact of dietary incorporation of Egyptian mallow, Malva parviflora leaves powder (MPLP), a 10-week feeding trial was carried out on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The assessment encompassed the effects on growth, digestive/absorptive efficiency, biochemical, and immuno-antioxidant responses. Four treatments containing a total of 200 fish (n = 50 fish/treatment; five replicates/treatment; 10 fish/replicate) with an average weight of 37.50 ± 0.22 g (means ± SE) were randomly assigned. The MPLP was added to the basal diet at 0 (control diet, MPLP0), 5 (MPLP5), 10 (MPLP10), and 15 (MPLP15) g/kg diet concentrations and served to the fish for 10 weeks. After the trial, the fish were exposed to pathogenic yeast (Candida albicans) and bacterium (Streptococcus agalactiae) infection. Results displayed that MPLP-incorporated diets significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the growth, intestinal digestive enzymes (amylase and lipase), and intestinal morphometrics (villous length and width and goblet cell count). The increases were in a level-dependent way, and the MPLP15 diet showed the highest values. Dietary MPLP notably (P < 0.05) enhanced growth hormone and declined leptin hormone, glucose, and cholesterol levels. Moreover, the immunological (serum bactericidal activity, myeloperoxidase, and complement 3) and antioxidant (catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidant capacity) biomarkers were augmented in the MPLP-fed groups in a level-dependent way (P < 0.05). Fifteen days post-infection with C. albicans and S. agalactiae, the survival rates among the infected fish enhanced as dietary MPLP levels rose; the MPLP15 group had the highest survival rates (90.91 and 81.82%), respectively. Overall, dietary MPLP intervention can boost the growth, digestive capacity, disease resistance, and immune-antioxidant status of Nile tilapia. These positive effects may contribute to a sustainable aquaculture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Survival of probiotics in processed feed can be affected not only by feed processing techniques but also by factors such as storage and gastrointestinal transit of ingested feed. This study investigates the effect of free and spray-dried Bacillus subtilis (BS) in oat β-glucan microcapsules on growth performance, hematology, intestinal microbiota, histology, and immunology of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. A total of 400 tilapia were randomly stocked into 25 aquaria in a randomized experimental design and fed one of the following diets: (C) control diet (without synbiotics); (0.1%S) 1g kg−1 diet of unloaded microcapsules and 2.7 × 109 of free BS CFU kg−1 diet; (0.2%S) 2 g kg−1 diet of unloaded microcapsules and 5.4 × 109 of free BS CFU kg−1 diet; (0.1%SM) 1g of microcapsules loaded with 2.7 × 109 BS CFU kg−1 diet; and (0.2%SM) 2g of microcapsules loaded with 5.4 × 109 BS CFU kg−1 diet. After a 60-day feeding trial, fish fed 0.2%SM showed the highest growth performance and best feed utilization compared to fish fed free probiotics and control diet. Intestinal villi were longer, and the submucosa layer was thicker in fish fed both free and microencapsulated probiotics than the control group. Fusobacteriota, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidota were the dominant phyla across all samples accounting for more than 90% of the gut microbiota. No differences were registered in hematological parameters. Phagocytic activity was enhanced in fish fed both 0.2%S and 0.2%SM diets. Microencapsulation has the potential to protect B. subtilis and may constitute a valuable approach for enhancing the viability of probiotics as additives for fish feeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper shows the effect of introducing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AG10 biomass into quail feed. Quails that received a probiotic feed additive for seven weeks demonstrated a significant improvement in such economic indicators as the dynamics of live weight, the mass of gutted carcasses and feed consumption per kg of gain. Using the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence libraries sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq platform, shifts in the microbiota of the cecum have been detected, which may contribute to improving the morphological and physiological parameters of quails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining cleaner and more sustainable ecosystems by mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock through dietary manipulation is in demand. This study was aimed to assess the effect of Moringa oleifera seeds and probiotics (Pediococcus acidilactici BX-B122 and Bacillus coagulans BX-B118) as feed supplements on GHG production and fermentation profile from steers and sheep. The treatments included diets containing 0, 6, 12, and 18% of M. oleifera seeds meal and a mixture of probiotic bacteria (0.2 ml/g of diet). Total biogas production, CH4, CO, and H2S emission from animals (up to 48 h), rumen fermentation profile, and CH4 conversion efficiency were recorded using standard protocols. Results showed interaction among M. oleifera seeds and probiotics on asymptotic biogas production and total biogas production up to 48 h (P < 0.05). The rate of CH4 emission in steers was reduced from 0.1694 to 0.0447 ml/h using 6 and 18% of M. oleifera seeds (P < 0.05). Asymptotic CO and the rate of CO production were increased (P < 0.05) by supplementing different doses of M. oleifera seeds and probiotics. Adding 12% of M. oleifera seeds and probiotics reduced H2S production from 0.0675 to 0.0112 ml H2S/g DM (at 48 h of fermentation) in steers. In sheep, the additives mitigated H2S production from 0.0364 to 0.0029 ml H2S/g DM (at 48 h of fermentation), however there were not interaction (P = 0.7744). In addition, M. oleifera seeds and probiotics reduced the pH level and dry matter degradability (DMD) in steers and sheep (P < 0.0001) showing a positive impact on CH4:ME and CH4:OM (in steers) and CH4:SCFA (in sheep), while the interaction was not significant (P > 0.05) for CH4:SCFA (in steers) and CH4:ME and CH4:OM (in sheep). In conclusion, the interaction of M. oleifera seeds and probiotics in the feeding diet reduced GHG emissions and affected the fermentation profile of steers and sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Garlic (Allium sativum) can improve the fish's immune system and modulate the gut microbiota composition, vital in host nutrition and health. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of garlic addition in formulated food on the taxonomic composition of the California yellowtail (Seriola dorsalis) intestinal microbiota, a marine fish with aquaculture potential. California yellowtail juveniles were fed diets with different garlic powder concentrations (4%, 10%, and 25%) for 30 days. Extraction and quantification of genomic DNA from two intestine sections (foregut and hindgut) were performed. Subsequently, the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene from the samples was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq technology. The QIIME2 bioinformatics suite was used for the taxonomic assignment of the sequences and further statistics. Functions were predicted using PICRUSt2 and LefSe (MicrobiomeAnalyst Platform). As a result, the structure of the intestinal microbiota was modified in both intestine fractions, particularly at higher garlic concentrations. The Gammaproteobacteria class was the most abundant group in both intestine tissues, while Bacteroidia, Bacilli, Thermoleophilia, and Acidimicrobia decreased as garlic concentration increased. Changes in the predicted functions also accompanied changes in the taxonomic structure of the intestinal microbiota; briefly, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, and pentose phosphate pathways tended to decrease with increasing garlic concentration; in addition, several other functions, including protein and lipids metabolism and synthesis of biomolecules, were decreased as the garlic concentration increased. Our results suggest that dietary garlic supplementation induced changes in the structure and functionality of the gut microbiota in a dose-response manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effect of Chlorella vulgaris on growth performance, feed consumption, body composition, and immune response of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) against Vibrio parahaemolyticus infection. Shrimps (4.00 ± 0.04 g) were divided into five groups (3 replicates/20 each) in 15 hapa (1 m3) and cultured for 56 days with five C. vulgaris experimented diets at five different concentrations (0, 15, 20, 25, and 30 g/kg feed). Growth performance, feed utilization, biomass, and body composition (protein, lipid, and ash) were analyzed and revealed significant increase (P < 0.05) in shrimp fed the high C. vulgaris diet. Additionally, the survival rate of shrimp in all experimental feeds was improved, but was not significant. Shrimp fed with C. vulgaris at different concentrations showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher antioxidant activity. The study showed that shrimp fed with a concentration of 30 g/kg C. vulgaris in the diet showed significantly (P < 0.05) highest disease resistance against the pathogen tested. Hence, dietary C. vulgaris might be used to improve growth performance, feed utilization, body composition, and immune biomarker responses, leading to disease resistance in cultured shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed additives in fish rations improve feed efficiency, increase the growth rate of fisheries, and play a significant role in the immunoprophylactic control of infections in aquaculture. This study aims to evaluate the hematological and biochemical effects of Spirulina, PoultryStar®, and colistin on Cyprinus carpio, as well as the histopathological alteration caused in the liver and intestine of C. carpio fed with these additives. One hundred and eighty C. carpio fish were grouped into six groups of thirty fish each for the purpose of the experiment. Group A was fed a diet without any additives, and this served as the control group. Groups B and C were fed diets that contained 1% and 2% of Spirulina, respectively. PoultryStar® at 1% and 2% was added to the diet fed to fish in groups D and E, respectively, while group F was fed a diet that contained 3000 IU of colistin. Blood samples were collected and subjected to hematological and biochemical assays for the evaluation of hemato-biochemical indices. Liver and intestine samples from each experimental group were subjected to histopathological analysis. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the hematological and biochemical indices of the different groups of fish. The histopathologic examination of the liver and intestine samples of C. carpio treated with Spirulina, PoultryStar®, and colistin revealed variable pathological alterations. Findings from this study showed that Spirulina and PoultryStar® could be used in aquaculture, and studies should be conducted to further determine the prospects of colistin in pisciculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice protein, a high-quality protein, contains all of its essential amino acids, and its amino acid composition is consistent with the ideal pattern recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization. Rice protein-derived products as feed additives have rather low added value. Rice protein hydrolysates (RPHs) are valuable products that can be generated from underutilized rice protein. In the RPH, oligopeptide-enriched RPH and its oligopeptides have been proposed as superior candidates for improving absorption and bioavailability and have potential broad application. Thus, this review outlines the absorption behavior, bioactivity, and preparation of rice oligopeptides. The structure-bitterness relationships and debittering of these materials are discussed in detail, as are their safety and allergenicity. Additionally, the applications of rice oligopeptides in the food and pharmaceutical industries as functional ingredients are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rumen microbiology has made a significant contribution to the discovery of biodegradation processes, which convert nutrients into energy for ruminants. Therefore, understanding the enzymatic potential in the rumen of different animal species is essential for developing efficient microbial feed additives. The aim of this study was to isolate enzyme-producing bacteria (EPBs) from the rumen of the Balochi camel (Camelus dromedarius) and Cashmere goat (Capra hircus) as potential additives for animal feed. The EPBs were screened based on the hydrolysis of carboxyl methyl cellulose, tannin, starch, and bovine serum albumin. The isolates were then subjected to enzyme activity assays and molecular characterization. Additionally, they were evaluated for their antagonistic effects, antibiotic susceptibility, and growth in acidic, bile, and saline media. Thirteen enzyme-producing strains were identified in the rumen of the camels and goats, belonging to the genera Klebsiella, Escherichia, Raoultella, Enterobacter and Pectobacterium. The highest and lowest tannase activities were recorded for Escherichia coli GHMGHE41 (10.46 Um/l−1) and Raoultella planticola GHMGHE15 (1.83 Um/l−1), respectively. Enterobacter cloacae GHMGHE18 (2.03 U/ml) was the most effective cellulolytic isolate, compared to Klebsiella strains (1.05 Um/l−1). The highest protease producer was Klebsiella pneumoniae GHMGHE13 (3.00 U/ml−1), while Escherichia coli GHMGHE17 (1.13 U/ml−1) had the lowest activity. Klebsiella pneumoniae GHMGHE13 (1.55 U/ml−1) and Enterobacter cloacae GHMGHE19 (1.26 U/ml−1) were the highest and lowest producers of amylase, respectively. The strains exhibited mixed responses to antibiotics and remained stable under stressful conditions. These findings indicate that ruminal EPBs have the potential to be used in animal feed, pending further in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agribusiness corporations primarily involved in providing livestock feed—colloquially known as the "ABCD" (Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Bunge, Cargill, and the Louis Dreyfus Company)—have begun to enter the fishing industry around the world. I argue that this recent entry of agribusiness multinationals in aquaculture, focusing particularly on Cargill, arises to take advantage of strategic opportunities to proliferate, or create links with respect to feed production and development within value chains. Concerning such opportunities, as I document, Cargill first leveraged its access to cheap, overproduced grains in the 1990s, developing ways to insert corn and soy into what it calls "aquafeed." Next, the multinational firm began proliferating links within fishing industry value chains in the form of introducing new technical assistance services, as well as creating feed supplements and additives. As I explain, these efforts to proliferate links in the supply chain exist as opportunities to charge rents, or surplus profits, which is possible because Cargill retains the right to control the new products and services. An additional link in the chain includes how the corporation has expanded its role in the global food system from its past as an intermediary, to engaging consumers in direct ways by attempting to create their preferences. I conduct my analysis of Cargill's corporate strategy by focusing on reporting from the fishing industry publication, Aquafeed News, detailing developments from 2000 through 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread used organoarsenicals have drawn attention for decades due to their potential environment risks. In this study, a heterogeneous system of goethite/oxalate irradiated using UVA light (λ = 365 nm) was applied for the removal of ASA, a kind of organoarsenicals used in animal feeding operations as additives, from the aqueous phase through photodegradation. Results showed that the presence of 5 mM of oxalate significantly enhanced the photodegradation efficiency of ASA in the 0.1 g/L of goethite suspended system from 28 to ~100% within 180 min reaction at pH 5. Acid conditions favored the photoreaction rate, compared with neutral and basic conditions. This reaction process was also influenced by the initial concentration of oxalate and ASA. Furthermore, the mechanism study was conducted by quenching experiments and revealed the important roles of ·OH in the degradation of ASA in the goethite/oxalate/UVA system. By analyzing the reaction products, both inorganic arsenic (As(III) and As(V)) and ammonia were detected during the photodegradation of ASA. These findings help to gain a better understanding of the geochemical behavior of ASA in surface water and can also provide a potential treatment method for the organoarsenicals contaminated water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

l-Threonine is an important feed additive with the third largest market size among the amino acids produced by microbial fermentation. The GRAS (generally regarded as safe) industrial workhorse Corynebacterium glutamicum is an attractive chassis for l-threonine production. However, the present l-threonine production in C. glutamicum cannot meet the requirement of industrialization due to the relatively low production level of l-threonine and the accumulation of large amounts of by-products (such as l-lysine, l-isoleucine, and glycine). Herein, to enhance the l-threonine biosynthesis in C. glutamicum, releasing the aspartate kinase (LysC) and homoserine dehydrogenase (Hom) from feedback inhibition by l-lysine and l-threonine, respectively, and overexpressing four flux-control genes were performed. Next, to reduce the formation of by-products l-lysine and l-isoleucine without the cause of an auxotrophic phenotype, the feedback regulation of dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DapA) and threonine dehydratase (IlvA) was strengthened by replacing the native enzymes with heterologous analogues with more sensitive feedback inhibition by l-lysine and l-isoleucine, respectively. The resulting strain maintained the capability of synthesizing enough amounts of l-lysine and l-isoleucine for cell biomass formation but exhibited almost no extracellular accumulation of these two amino acids. To further enhance l-threonine production and reduce the by-product glycine, l-threonine exporter and homoserine kinase were overexpressed. Finally, the rationally engineered non-auxotrophic strain ZcglT9 produced 67.63 g/L (17.2% higher) l-threonine with a productivity of 1.20 g/L/h (108.0% higher) in fed-batch fermentation, along with significantly reduced by-product accumulation, representing the record for l-threonine production in C. glutamicum. In this study, we developed a strategy of reconstructing the feedback regulation of amino acid metabolism and successfully applied this strategy to de novo construct a non-auxotrophic l-threonine producing C. glutamicum. The main end by-products including l-lysine, l-isoleucine, and glycine were almost eliminated in fed-batch fermentation of the engineered C. glutamicum strain. This strategy can also be used for engineering producing strains for other amino acids and derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lianhua-Qingwen (LHQW) stands as a compound herbal remedy renowned for its efficacy in addressing pandemic viral ailments like COVID-19. The production of LHQW capsules, however, generates substantial residues, contributing to environmental strain and resource squandering. To counteract this, we have devised a meticulously orchestrated co-fermentation approach, christened as "precise fermentation, PF". This entails a well-coordinated interplay of enzyme, Saccharomyces, and Lactobacillus under precisely controlled temperatures, designed to maximize the utilization of these remnants as invaluable feed additives. The genesis of PF involves an initial phase of sterile liquid-state fermentation (LF) of the residues. This expeditiously establishes the suitability of the evaluated microbial agents, with Lactobacillus plantarum SK3494 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae emerging as the most promising candidates based on criteria including viable cell number, pH, reducing sugar (RS) and protein contents. Subsequent to this, a sterile solid-state fermentation (SF) of the residues was executed, evaluating the degradation potency of a high-temperature-tolerant enzyme blend, Aspergillus niger, and Bacillus subtilis. This investigation revealed the rapid and bountiful liberation of RS through the enzyme cocktail treatment. Guided by these insights, a SF-based PF was formulated under unsterile conditions, structured as follows: (1) enzyme cocktail-mediated soluble sugar release (0.5%, 50 °C, 2 days); (2) S. cerevisiae (106 CFU/g, 30 °C, 1 days); (3) L. plantarum (106 CFU/g, 40 °C, 4 days)-based medicinally active metabolites enrichment. In a comprehensive evaluation, PF outperformed spontaneous fermentation (SF) and other conventional methods for disposing of medicinal herbal residues (MHR). This superiority is reflected in heightened concentrations of total sugar, RS, total antioxidant activity, and total polyphenol content. Furthermore, PF yielded an enrichment of flavonoids such as tectoridin, tricetin, isorhamnetin, apigenin, naringenin, and more. The present study introduces and elucidates the concept of precise fermentation, marking a pioneering advancement in the comprehensive utilization of MHR for augmenting feed supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A feeding method suitable for rearing octopuses was investigated by preparing basic feed (ground crab or squid meat) enclosed within a collagen casing. Growth was compared between basic feed sealed in the casing and feed provided without a casing. No difference in growth was observed when the feed was squid, but with crab meat, both feeding efficiency and weight gain rate tended to be improved by encasement. When feeding on encased feed, octopuses were observed to feed not only by consuming the entire casing membrane, but also by eating only the edible portion inside the casing. Feed that was about to be eaten by octopuses was collected and measured for the enzyme activity associated with the feed, detecting protease activity, which is considered to be derived from the posterior salivary glands. It was concluded that encasement of feed in a collagen membrane not only improves the retention of soft feed materials within the membrane, but also suppresses the dispersal of enzymes when the octopus feeds, thus enabling the octopus to feed more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this work is the flaw-free, industrial-scale production of biological additive manufacturing of tissue constructs (Bio-AM). In pursuit of this goal, the objectives of this work in the context of extrusion-based Bio-AM of bone tissue constructs are twofold: (1) detect flaw formation using data from in-situ infrared thermocouple sensors; and (2) prevent flaw formation through preemptive process control. In realizing the first objective, data signatures acquired from in-situ sensors were analyzed using several machine learning approaches to ascertain critical quality metrics, such as print regime, strand width, strand height, and strand fusion severity. These quality metrics are intended to capture the process state at the basic 1D strand-level to the 2D layer-level. For this purpose, machine learning models were trained to classify and predict flaw formation. These models predicted print quality features with accuracy nearing 90%. In connection with the second objective, the previously trained machine learning models were used to preempt flaw formation by changing the process parameters (print velocity) during deposition—a form of feedforward control. With the feedforward process control, strand width heterogeneity was statistically significantly reduced, reducing the strand width difference between strand halves to less than 50 µm. Using this integrated process monitoring, detection, and control approach, we demonstrate consistent, repeatable production of Bio-AM constructs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeromonas is the main pathogen causing bacterial diseases in fish. The disadvantages of chemical drugs to control fish diseases have been highlighted, and it is urgent to find an eco-friendly control method. In this study, an actinomycete strain with antibacterial activity against fish pathogenic bacteria was screened from soil samples. Combined with morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and gyrB gene and whole genome comparison analysis, it was identified as a new strain of Streptomyces enissocaesilis, named Streptomyces enissocaesilis L-82. The strain has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against fish pathogens. A substance with a mass-to-charge ratio of 227.20 [M + H] + was isolated and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. It was presumed to be a derivative of 5-dimethylallylindole-3-acetonitrile. The strain is safe and non-toxic to crucian carp, and can stably colonize crucian carp and inhibit the proliferation of A. hydrophila. After feeding the feed containing 1 × 108 CFU/mL strain concentration, the weight growth rate and specific growth rate of crucian carp increased, the activity of ACP and SOD in serum increased, and the survival rate of crucian carp increased after challenge. Genome-wide analysis showed that the strain had strong ability to metabolize and tolerate extreme environments. And has a strong potential for disease resistance. Therefore, the strain is expected to be developed as a feed additive for fish farming. Key points: • The new Streptomyces enissocaesilis L-82 has a broad spectrum and stable antibacterial activity and meets the safety standards of feed additives. • Strain L-82 can colonize crucian carp, improve the growth, antioxidant, and immune performance of the host, and improve the survival rate after being infected with A. hydrophila. • Genome-wide analysis suggests that the strain has great disease resistance potential and is expected to be developed as a feed additive for fish culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) are two of the most devastating and economically significant pathogens affecting pig populations worldwide. Administration of a combination of vaccines against swine pathogens has been demonstrated to be as efficacious as the administration of single vaccines. In this study, we developed and tested a novel bivalent subunit vaccine against CSFV and PCV2. The safety and efficacy of this vaccine were demonstrated in mice and specific pathogen-free (SPF) piglets. In addition to investigating the serological responses after immunization, challenge studies with both viruses were also conducted. The results showed that this CSFV/PCV2 bivalent vaccine elicited a high level of neutralizing antibodies against both viruses and provided protection in challenge studies. In conclusion, the CSFV/PCV2 bivalent vaccine is safe and effective against CSFV or PCV2 challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of bacterial additives on immune response, intestinal microbiota, and survival of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei was evaluated. Bacillus licheniformis BCR 4–3 and Vibrio parahaemolyticus IPNGS16 cultures were spray-dried. Inulin, probiotics, and postbiotics of Bacillus (SPB) and postbiotics of Vibrio (PVp) were added to the commercial feed. An experiment with three treatments in triplicate was performed during 19 days. The growth was not affected by the additives but survival of animals was significantly higher as compared to control group. The expression of SOD, crustin, and penaeidin4 in PVp-treated animals was significantly higher compared to the control but lysozyme expression did not change. The phyla, families, and genera that predominated in the white shrimp intestine were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Rhodobacteraceae, Vibrionaceae, Pseudoalteromonadaceae, Vibrio, Ruegeria, and Phaeobacter. The Vibrio genus decreased significantly in SPB and PVp treatments, compared to the control. The control, SPB, and PVp shared 294 OTUs. No changes were observed in the alpha and beta diversity. The metabolic activity of Vibrio and Roseobacter was higher in the control compared to SPB and PVp, whereas for Phaeobacter and Ruegeria, it decreased. Feed additives increase survival and modulated the immune response and gut microbiota of the white shrimp, so they can be used in commercial farms to increase production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel liquid chromatographic method for the measurement of essential oils within animal feed additives was developed and applied. The simple and effective extraction protocol described yielded analyte recoveries more than 90% for cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, carvacrol, capsaicin, and dihydrocapsaicin for the feed additives tested. These five analytes were separated with a peak resolution of more than 1 on a C-18 reversed phase column yielding between 500 000–2 000 000 theoretical plates per meter. UV absorption detection at 210 nm provided limits of detection of approximately 1 µg of analyte per gram of solution for all analytes. Limits of quantitation were approximately 4 µg of analyte per gram of solution. Results indicated that while capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin were present at conserved levels within feed additives tested (0.2 and 0.05%, respectively), the content of cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and carvacrol varied considerably. The new method will find use within the emerging field of targeted nutrition for increasing gains for ruminants and poultry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Feed additives represents a valid tool in animal nutrition to improve animal performance and livestock productivity under a sustainable perspective; however, there is a paucity of information about their comprehensive metabolomic and bioactive profiles. Objective: In this study, we tested the ability of an untargeted metabolomics approach to discriminate nine commercial feed additives and unique blends of botanical extracts used in both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition, according to their phytochemical profiles and different in vitro bioactive properties. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Orbitrap mass spectrometry and multivariate statistics were combined to search for potential markers, in order to better discriminate the different commercial samples. Results: Several phytochemicals were identified, namely alkaloids, phenolics, organosulfurs, and terpenoids. The polyherbal formulation Zigbir was the best source of phytochemicals, accounting for a cumulative total content of phytochemicals equal to 3.03 mg Eq./g, being particularly abundant in terpenoids, stilbenes, phenolic acids, and small-molecular-weight phenolics. Multivariate statistics allowed to group the different products in 2 bioactive subclusters. The diterpenoid andrographolide recorded the highest abundance in Zigbir and Sangrovit. The most predictive biomarkers were: piperine, isoquercitrin, 6-methylthiohexyldesulfoglucosinolate, 6-methylumbelliferone, benzoic acid, (+)-(1R,2R)-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol, and piperitenone. Flavonoids were highly correlated with both in vitro antioxidant and enzyme inhibition assays. Conclusions: Our findings provide new insights into the comprehensive phytochemical composition of commercial feed additives and blend of botanical extracts used for both ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition. A great importance of polyphenols in relation to the biological activities was detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the effects of phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) on the growth performance, gut microbial community, and microbial metabolic functions in weaned piglets via a combined 16S rRNA gene amplicon and shotgun metagenomics approach. A controlled trial was conducted using 200 pigs to highlight the significant influence of PFAs on gut microbiota dynamics. Notably, the treatment group revealed an increased gut microbiota diversity, as measured with the Shannon and Simpson indices. The increase in diversity is accompanied by an increase in beneficial bacterial taxa, such as Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, and Prevotella, and a decline in potential pathogens like Clostridium sensu stricto 1 and Campylobacter. Shotgun sequencing at the species level confirmed these findings. This modification in microbial profile was coupled with an altered profile of microbial metabolic pathways, suggesting a reconfiguration of microbial function under PFA influence. Significant shifts in overall microbial community structure by week 8 demonstrate PFA treatment's temporal impact. Histomorphological examination unveiled improved gut structure in PFA-treated piglets. The results of this study indicate that the use of PFAs as dietary supplements can be an effective strategy, augmenting gut microbiota diversity, reshaping microbial function, enhancing gut structure, and optimising intestinal health of weaned piglets providing valuable implications for swine production. Key points: • PFAs significantly diversify the gut microbiota in weaned piglets, aiding balance. • Changes in gut structure due to PFAs indicate improved resistance to weaning stress. • PFAs show potential to ease weaning stress, offering a substitute for antibiotics in piglet diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of functional feed additives is an important approach to both, prevent and fight, viral diseases in aquaculture. In this regard, microalgae-derived products, and, more specifically, microalgal exopolysaccharides (EPSs), have attracted attention, since multiple biotechnological applications are being described for these molecules. Furthermore, depending on culture conditions, the composition and, therefore, properties of EPSs can vary. In the present study, the antiviral activity of EPSs from Tetraselmis suecica and Porphyridium cruentum cultured under autotrophic and heterotrophic conditions has been evaluated in vitro against Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Virus (VHSV), an important pathogen in fish farming. Results showed that EPSs from both species have anti-VHSV activity. T. suecica EPSs from autotrophic cultures showed the strongest effect, since both, adsorption and post-adsorption phases of the VHSV multiplication cycle were affected. In contrast, both, autotrophic and heterotrophic P. cruentum EPSs showed anti-VHSV activity only after the adsorption phase. These results pave the way to use these EPSs to fight VHSV infections, and animate to evaluate the EPS antiviral activity against other viral pathogens relevant to the aquaculture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, transport and magnetic properties of La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 with additives of ZrO2 and Bi2O3 were investigated and the results are presented. The studied samples showed a ferromagnetic-to-paramagnetic phase transition around 383 K, and a sharp transition was observed for the La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/Bi2O3 sample. A soft ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature was observed in all the La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 samples: however, the sample with bismuth oxide additive exhibited higher saturation magnetization and an enhanced magnetocaloric effect. In addition to a metal–insulator transition, a broad peak was observed in the ferromagnetic metallic region due to inhomogeneities arising from the antiferromagnetic interactions in the samples, and this disappeared with the application of a magnetic field. Positive magnetoresistance was observed for ZrO2 added to La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 for temperatures greater than 200 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are of major concern due to their health benefits. Fermented food products comprise variable LAB demonstrating probiotic properties. Discovering and evaluating new probiotics in fermented food products poses a global economic and health importance. Therefore, the present work aimed to investigate and evaluate the probiotic potentials of LAB strains isolated from Egyptian fermented food. In this study, we isolated and functionally characterized 100 bacterial strains isolated from different Egyptian fermented food sources as probiotics. Only four LAB strains amongst the isolated LAB showed probiotic attributes and are considered to be safe for their implementation as feed or dietary supplements. Additionally, they were shown to exert antimicrobial activities against pathogenic bacteria and anticancer effects against the colon cancer cell line Caco-2. The Enterococcus massiliensis IS06 strain was exclusively reported in this study as a probiotic strain with high antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-colon cancer activity. Hitherto, few studies have focused on elucidating the impact of probiotic supplementation in vivo. Therefore, in the current study, the safety of the four strains was tested in vivo through the supplementation of rats with potential probiotic strains for 21 days. The results revealed that probiotic bacterial supplementation in rats did not adversely affect the general health of rats. The Lactiplantibacillus plantarum IS07 strain significantly increased the growth performance of rats. Furthermore, the four strains exhibited increased levels of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione in vivo. Consistently, all strains also showed high antioxidant activity of the superoxide dismutase enzyme in vitro. Overall, these findings demonstrated that these isolated potential probiotics harbor desirable characteristics and can be applied widely as feed additives for animals or as dietary supplements for humans to exert their health benefits and combat serious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the nutritional value and antimicrobial activities of Thalassiosira weissflogii and Tetraselmis sp. concentrates. The study also ascertained the effect of microalgae supplemented diets on the growth and survival of Penaeus vannamei post larvae (PL 18, mean weight: 19.714 ± 1.62 mg). Microalgae concentrates were prepared by flocculation, and the proximate composition showed no significant difference in the crude protein content between these species (T. wesissflogii: 43.07 ± 1.78%; Tetraselmis sp. 42.11 ± 2.55%; p > 0.05). However, the crude lipid content of T. weissflogii was significantly (p < 0.05) higher (20.11 ± 1.02%) than that of Tetraselmis sp. (10.56 ± 0.27%). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) polyunsaturated fatty acid was found in Tetraselmis sp. compared to T. weissflogii. Significantly higher inhibition against Vibrio parahaemolyticus was shown by the Tetraselmis extract compared to that of T. weissflogii. Further, a 42-day feeding trial was conducted with three different inclusions of T. weissflogii (THA) and Tetraselmis sp. (TET) concentrates in P. vannamei nursery diet (0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g kg−1 of diet). Significantly higher (p < 0.05) average body weight (ABW) was observed in TET0.5, TET1.0, TET1.5, THA1.0 and THA1.5 compared to the control. The highest ABW was recorded in TET1.0 (0.96 ± 0.02 g), which was significantly higher than all other treatments. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) weight gain was observed in TET1.0 (0.94 ± 0.02 g) compared to the rest of the diets. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) average daily gain was observed in TET1.0 (22.48 ± 0.55 mg day−1). Haematological parameters of P. vannamei fed with microalgae concentrates were higher than those of the control group. The gut microbial analysis showed a significant reduction in total Vibrio count in the animals fed with 1% and 1.5% Tetraselmis or Thalassiosira compared to other treatments. These results indicated the beneficial effect of growth and better antimicrobial property to withstand against the common pathogenic microbe and thus indicating the beneficial effect in the early life stages of shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of ellagotannins on the activity of peptidases of the intestinal mucosa and chyme of trout was studied. Experimental groups of fish were fed with an additive based on ellagotannins (with an active substance content of 0.38, 0.76, and 1.14 g/kg of food). Sampling was carried out in eight individuals from each group before the experiment and on days 15, 30, 45, and 60. The study showed that ellagotannins have a stimulatory effect on the activity of peptidases. The maximum increase in the enzymatic activity in the experimental groups compared with the control group was recorded on day 45 of the experiment. A more significant increase in the activity of peptidases of the intestinal mucosa compared with chyme was established. It is concluded that ellagotannins stimulate the initial stage of cleavage of protein components of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid breeding employs heterosis, which could potentially improve the yield and quality of a crop. Genomic selection (GS) is a promising approach for the selection of quantitative traits in plant breeding. The main objectives of this study are to (i) propose a GS-based approach to identify potential parental lines and superior hybrid combinations from a breeding population, which is composed of hybrids produced by a half diallel mating design; (ii) develop a software package for users to carry out the proposed approach. An R package, designated EHPGS, was generated to facilitate the employment of the genomic best linear unbiased model considering additive plus dominance marker effects for the hybrid performance evaluation. The R package contains a Bayesian statistical algorithm for calculating genomic estimated breeding value (GEBVs), GEBV-based specific combining ability, general combining ability, mid-parent heterosis, and better-parent heterosis. Three datasets that have been published in literature, including pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), maize (Zea mays), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), were reanalyzed to illustrate the use of EHPGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synbiotics are employed as feed additives in animal production as an alternate to antibiotics for sustaining the gut microbiota and providing protection against infections. Dairy calves require a healthy diet and management to ensure a better future for the herd of dairy animals. Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of synbiotics formulation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal bacterial count, metabolites, immunoglobulins, blood parameters, antioxidant enzymes and immune response of pre-ruminant Murrah buffalo calves. Twenty-four apparently healthy calves (5 days old) were allotted into four groups of six calves each. Group I (control) calves were fed a basal diet of milk, calf starter and berseem with no supplements. Group II (SYN1) calves were fed with 3 g fructooligosaccharide (FOS) + Lactobacillus plantarum CRD-7 (150 ml). Group III (SYN2) calves were fed with 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 (100 ml), whereas calves in group IV (SYN3) received 9 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 (50 ml). The results showed that SYN2 had the highest (P < 0.05) crude protein digestibility and average daily gain compared to the control. Fecal counts of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacterium were also increased (P < 0.05) in supplemented groups as compared to control. Fecal ammonia, diarrhea incidence and fecal scores were reduced in treated groups while lactate, volatile fatty acids and antioxidant enzymes were improved compared to the control. Synbiotic supplementation also improved both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses in buffalo calves. These findings indicated that synbiotics formulation of 6 g FOS + L. plantarum CRD-7 in dairy calves improved digestibility, antioxidant enzymes, and immune status, as well as modulated the fecal microbiota and decreased diarrhea incidence. Therefore, synbiotics formulation can be recommended for commercial use in order to achieve sustainable animal production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forest genetic improvement programs for non-domesticated species, limited knowledge of kinship can compromise or make the estimation of variance components and genetic parameters of traits of interest unfeasible. We used mixed models and genomics (in the latter, considering additive and non-additive effects) to evaluate the genetic architecture of 12 traits in juçaizeiro for fruit production. A population of 275 genotypes without genetic relationship knowledge was phenotyped over three years and genotyped by whole genome SNP markers. We have verified superiority in the quality of the fits, the prediction accuracy for unbalanced data, and the possibility of unfolding the genetic effects into their additive and non-additive terms in the genomic models. Estimates of the variance components and genetic parameters obtained by the additive models may be overestimated since, when considering the dominance effect in the model, there are substantial reductions in them. The number of bunches, fresh fruit mass of bunch, rachis length, fresh mass of 25 fruits, and amount of pulp were strongly influenced by the dominance effect, showing that genomic models with such effect should be considered for these traits, which may result in selective improvements by being able to return more accurate genomic breeding values. The present study reveals the additive and non-additive genetic control of the evaluated traits and highlights the importance of genomic information-based approaches for populations without knowledge of kinship and experimental design. Our findings underscore the critical role of genomic data in elucidating the genetic control architecture of quantitative traits, thereby providing crucial insights for driving species' genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the beneficial dietary effects of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) on sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) and the optimum dietary level of MOS. Juvenile sea cucumbers (initial mean weight of 1.50 ± 0.00 g, N = 225) were fed once daily for 60 days in tanks with aerated seawater (3 tanks/diet; 15 inds/tank) on feeds supplemented with 0 g/kg (M0), 4 g/kg (M1), 8 g/kg (M2), 12 g/kg (M3), and 16 g/kg (M4) MOS. The results showed that 4 g/kg of MOS in feeds significantly improved the growth performance of sea cucumber. There was a positive linear and quadratic correlation between the total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity and dietary MOS level (linear, P = 0.043, R2 = 0.279; quadratic, P = 0.009, R2 = 0.545). Compared with the control group, 8 g/kg MOS significantly increased the protease (PRO) and amylase (AMS) activities (P < 0.05). Quadratic regression was observed between PRO and dietary MOS level (P = 0.022, R2 = 0.470). Moreover, M2 diets significantly increased the muscular thickness and width of mucosal folds of sea cucumber than in the M0 group (P < 0.05). Base on the quadratic regression between muscular thickness and dietary MOS level was also observed , the optimal level of MOS for intestinal muscular thickness 8 g/kg. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the diversity and relative abundance of microorganisms. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes represented the most abundant phyla in each sample. There was a positive correlation between the expression of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) (P = 0.015, R2 = 0.503) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) (HSP90a: P = 0.016, R2 = 0.496; HSP90b (linear, P = 0.049, R2 = 0.266; quadratic, P = 0.015, R2 = 0.505)) with dietary MOS levels. However, a negative correlation was observed for the expression of major yolk protein (MYP) and proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) and dietary MOS levels. The present results showed that dietary MOS supplementation enhanced the antioxidant capacity and immunity, increased the abundance and diversity of intestinal microbiota, improved intestinal morphology, and enhanced thermal stress tolerance of sea cucumber. The optimal dietary MOS concentration was 4−8 g/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feed cost is the largest component in shrimp farming which accounts for more than 50% of the operational cost. The moisture content of the feed should be less than 12% to prevent spoilage and to extend the shelf life of the feed. Though there are many dryers for drying agriculture products, a low-cost indigenous design is not available for drying shrimp feeds. Hence, a portable drying unit for shrimp feed has been designed, fabricated, and evaluated for its drying efficacy for the usage of small-scale shrimp farmers. The solar dryer is based on the principle of flat plate solar collector and greenhouse effect. The dryer unit was fabricated with 3 decks of metal mesh with trays. The whole structure is enclosed in a polycarbonate housing with glass material as a thermal collector to concentrate solar energy thus combining greenhouse heating and concentrated thermal collection for drying. Evaluation trials were conducted to monitor the temperature profile, loss on drying, and moisture removal rate of the shrimp feeds as per the standard methodology. Moreover, the drying performance was evaluated by comparing it with oven and the traditional sun drying. Properties of the feeds dried with different drying methods were compared. The developed portable solar dryer was evaluated to be efficient for shrimp feed drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrimers, a new class of nanomaterials, are receiving more attention in various fields. In this study, by combining the advantages of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimer with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and bismuth sulfide (Bi2S3), we came to design a new composite and its application for electrochemical sensors was investigated for the first time. As a new approach in the preparation of the composite, PAMAM was used for the first time to increase the surface of Bi2S3 with rGO, which ultimately led to an increase in the active surface area of the sensor (5 times compared to the bare electrode). For the first time, we used the sonochemical method for interaction between PAMAM with Bi2S3 and rGO, which was a simpler and faster method to prepare the composite. The purposeful design of the composite was done by using the experimental design method to obtain the optimum composition of components. The new nanocomposite was successfully applied for simple and sensitive electrochemical sensing of salbutamol for controlling the health of food. Salbutamol is used as a prohibited additive in animal and poultry feed. The sensor has good sensitivity (35 times increase compared to the bare electrode) and a low detection limit (1.62 nmol/L). Moreover, it has acceptable selectivity, good repeatability (1.52–3.50%), good reproducibility (1.88%), and satisfactory accuracy (recoveries: 84.6–97.8%). An outstanding feature of the sensor is its broad linear range (5.00–6.00 × 102 nmol/L). This sensor is well suited for the determination of salbutamol in milk, sausage, and livestock and poultry feed samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roxarsone (ROX), a feed additive widely used worldwide, was degraded into toxic products in the natural environment. Advanced oxidation processes (AOP) based on nonradicals used for the degradation of ROX had not been reported. Herein, resorcinol–formaldehyde resins (RFs) produced by a simple high-temperature hydrothermal method had efficient photocatalytic properties to produce H2O2. FeOOH quantum dots (QDs) act as the activator and electron shuttle to decompose H2O2 to produce 1O2. RFs decorated with FeOOH quantum dots (RFs-FeQDs) were successfully synthesized and completely remove ROX with a rate of 0.03649 min−1 under simulated sunlight. Otherwise, the 99.42% arsenic-containing portion that shed from Roxarsone was eventually converted to As(V) and in-situ adsorbed by FeOOH quantum dots. The experiment data showed that ·OH, O2·− and 1O2 participated in the degradation and 1O2 was the dominant reactive species. Moreover, the systems have excellent reusability and stability over a wide pH range. This study provided a new strategy for photocatalytic production of 1O2 to remove the ROX from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methionine is the only one of the essential amino acids that contain sulfur, widely used as a feed additive in agriculture. In this study, the availability of 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate was confirmed as the main limitation in the complex multibranched biosynthetic pathway of L-methionine. The cycle of one-carbon units was thoroughly investigated and modified to supply 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate for L-methionine production, such as enhancing the supply of precursor, expediting the conversion rate of the cycle, introducing exogenous serine hydroxymethyltransferase and increasing pool size of one-carbon units carrier. The final strain MYA/pAmFA-4 was able to produce 20.89 g/L L-methionine by fed-batch fermentation, which was the highest titer reported in the literatures. This study is instructive for other metabolites biosynthesized needing one-carbon units or having a complex multibranched biosynthetic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraction of olive oil through a two-stage centrifugation process produces a large amount of phytotoxic waste known as alperujo. This research was performed to bioconvert alperujo into enriched ruminant feed by pretreatment with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) or/and live yeasts (LY). These additives were used in a completely randomized design with 3 EFE doses (0, 4, and 8 µl/g dry matter) and 3 LY doses (0, 4, and 8 mg/g dry matter) in a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Fermented alperujo with both EFE doses converted some of their hemicellulose and cellulose to simple sugars and increased bacterial abundance in the rumen. As a result, it shortens the lag time of rumen fermentation, increases the rate and amount of rumen fermentation, and improves digestibility. This improvement provides additional energy that can be used by ruminants to produce milk and by rumen microbiota to produce short-chain fatty acids. Fermented alperujo with a high dose of LY decreased their antinutritional compounds and reduced their high content of lipid. In the rumen, this waste became rapidly fermentable, and rumen bacteria became more abundance. Fermented alperujo with a high dose of LY + EFE accelerated rumen fermentation and improved rumen digestibility, energy available for milk production, and short-chain fatty acids compared to the use of LY or EFE alone. This synergistic interaction between these two additives increased protozoa abundance in rumen and the ability of rumen microbiota to bioconvert ammonia–nitrogen to microbial protein. Ultimately, fermentation alperujo with EFE + LY is a good strategy with minimum investment for a social sustainable economy and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Straw composting is not only a process of decomposition and re-synthesis of organic matter, but also a process of harmless treatment, avoiding air pollution caused by straw burning. Many factors, including raw materials, humidity, C/N, and microbial structure, may determine the composting process and the quality of final product. In recent years, many researches have focused on composting quality improvement by adding one or more exogenous substances, including inorganic additives, organic additives, and microbial agents. Although a few review publications have compiled the research on the use of additives in composting, none of them has specifically addressed the composting of crop straw. Additives used in straw composting can increase degradation of recalcitrant substances and provide ideal living surroundings for microorganism, and thus reduce nitrogen loss and promote humus formation, etc. This review's objective is to critically evaluate the impact of various additives on straw composting process, and analyze how these additives enhance final quality of composting. Furthermore, a vision for future perspectives is provided. This paper can serve as a reference for straw composting process optimization and composting end-product improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, risk factors, and prevention of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD), as well as risk factors and consequences of OCD among professional cleaners. Methods: A systematic review following PRISMA guidelines was performed using Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. Results: Thirty-nine studies containing over 109.000 participants were included in the review. The prevalence of OCD varied between 2.2% and 30.1%. Main occupational risk factors for developing OCD among cleaners included wet work and irritants in cleaning products (bleach, chlorine, ammonia, multi-use-cleaning) and skin contact to metal. The most common contact allergies included rubber, biocides, nickel/cobalt, and perfumes. Other risk factors were inconsistent use of protective gloves and low educational level. Consequences associated with OCD included significant impairment in quality of life, tendency to have unscheduled absence from work, sick leave, increased rate of disability, and recognized degree of injury. Only one prevention study has been published investigating the effect of an educative course in skin-protective behavior in cleaners. The study reported a higher degree of knowledge of skin protection, a decrease in the severity of hand eczema, and a shift toward fewer daily hand washings at follow-up after 3 months. Conclusion: Our study proves that OCD is common in cleaners, and the main risk factors included wet work, irritants, and contact allergies, as well as inconsistent use of protective gloves and low educational level. More focus and a greater number of studies are needed on skin protection in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthodontic facemasks are extraoral orthodontic appliances that influence maxillary and mandibular development in children with skeletal Class III malocclusion. While a facemask is most effective in patients before the growth spurt, skin irritation is common during the treatment. Therefore, this retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence and pattern of such skin changes and identify their possible associated risk factors. We included 177 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion who underwent facemask therapy. Patient age and sex, orthodontic parameters expressing the severity of malocclusion, the presence of complaints in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) areas, and the level of patient cooperation were evaluated. Additionally, the severity and onset time of skin reactions were further analyzed. The results indicated that 43.5% of patients developed skin changes typical of irritant contact dermatitis. Skin irritation was significantly associated with the presence of TMJ complaints and female sex. Furthermore, skin irritation was more common in younger patients. Clinicians should pay special attention to the skin areas that come into contact with the appliance during each follow-up visit to detect potential problems. Moreover, patients and their parents should be given adequate information about the possibility, prevention, and management of skin problems during facemask therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L-tryptophan has been used as a feed additive for swine and poultry and as a nutrient supplement for humans. However, some impurities in l-tryptophan have been reported as causative components of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome. Therefore, from a safety perspective, it is important to analyze meat samples for these impurities. This study aims to develop an analytical method for the simultaneous detection of l-tryptophan impurities in meat products using LC–MS/MS. Among the various impurities, detection methods for (S)-2-amino-3-(5-hydroxy-1H-indol-3-yl)propanoic acid (5-hydroxytryptophan) (HTP), 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA), 3a-hydroxy-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydropyrrolo-[2,3-b]-indole-2-carboxylic acid (PIC), and 1,1′-ethylidenebistryptophan (EBT) and 2-(3-indoylmethyl)-l-tryptophan (IMT) were developed. The developed method allowed simultaneous determination of these four impurities in 5 min. No interferences from the matrix were observed, and the method showed good sensitivity to each analyte. The method detection limit and limit of quantification in meat matrices were below 11.2 and 35.7 μg/kg, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the genetics of susceptibility to peach leaf curl, a worldwide disease that affects both crop yield and plant longevity, was investigated using a progeny 'Dofi-84.364' that is highly resistant to the agent Taphrina deformans, as well as 8 cultivars and 2 selections obtained at the University of Florence. Heritability and combining ability were estimated by comparing parent and offspring leaf curl scores of 20 families. The broad-sense heritability of the trait was high (H2Cullis = 0.65). Variance components of the general (GCA) and specific (SCA) effects showed that in the genetic determination of this trait both additive parental effects and interactive effects are important. However, the magnitude of SCA was lower than GCA possibly indicating a preponderance of additive genes controlling susceptibility to leaf curl disease. As expected, the resistant selection 'Dofi-84.364' proved to be a donor of low susceptibility to leaf curl in peach. Progeny tests are relevant to improve the chance to obtain genotypes less susceptible to leaf curl disease. In this trial, both additive and non-additive genetic effects were found to be important, with a greater contribution of additive effects to total genetic effects. Consequently, there may be a good opportunity to advance in T. deformans tolerance by crossing cultivars that have been selected for their phenotypic value and not only for their combining ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post Weaning Diarrhea (PWD) is the most important multifactorial gastroenteric disease of the weaning in pig livestock. Phytogenic (PHY) natural extracts are largely studied as alternatives to antibiotic treatments in combating the global concern of the antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of innovative phytogenic premix with or without short and medium chain fatty acids (SCFA and MCFA) in O138 Escherichia coli challenged piglets. Twenty-seven weaned piglets were allotted into four groups fed different diets according to the following dietary treatments: CTRL (n = 13) group fed basal diet, PHY1 (n = 7) fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.2% of phytogenic premix, PHY2 (n = 7) fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.2% of phytogenic premix added with 2000 ppm of SCFA and MCFA. After 6 days of experimental diet feeding, animals were challenged (day 0) with 2 × 109 CFU of E. coli and CTRL group was divided at day 0 into positive (challenged CTRL + ; n = 6) and negative control group (unchallenged CTRL-; n = 7). Body weights were recorded at -14, -6, 0, 4 and 7 days and the feed intake was recorded daily. E. coli shedding was monitored for 4 days post-challenge by plate counting. Fecal consistency was registered daily by a four-point scale (0–3; diarrhea > 1) during the post-challenge period. Tissue samples were obtained for gene expression and histological evaluations at day 7 from four animals per group. Lower average feed intake was observed in CTRL + compared to PHY2 and CTRL during the post-challenge period. Infected groups showed higher E. coli shedding compared to CTRL- during the 4 days post-challenge (p < 0.01). PHY2 showed lower frequency of diarrhea compared to PHY1 and CTRL + from 5 to 7 days post-challenge. No significant alterations among groups were observed in histopathological evaluation. Duodenum expression of occludin tended to be lower in challenged groups compared to CTRL- at 7 days post-challenge (p = 0.066). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of PHY plus SCFA and MCFA revealed encouraging results for diarrhea prevention and growth performance in weaned piglets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental exposure constantly changes with time and various interactions that can affect health outcomes. Machine learning (ML) or deep learning (DL) algorithms have been used to solve complex problems, such as multiple exposures and their interactions. This study developed predictive models for cause-specific mortality using ML and DL algorithms with the daily or hourly measured meteorological and air pollution data. The ML algorithm improved the performance compared to the conventional methods, even though the optimal algorithm depended on the adverse health outcomes. The best algorithms were extreme gradient boosting, ridge, and elastic net, respectively, for non-accidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality with daily measurement; they were superior to the generalized additive model reducing a mean absolute error by 4.7%, 4.9%, and 16.8%, respectively. With hourly measurements, the ML model tended to outperform the conventional models, even though hourly data, instead of daily data, did not enhance the performance in some models. The proposed model allows a better understanding and development of robust predictive models for health outcomes using multiple environmental exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]