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Sensitive and selective determination of protein biomarkers remains a significant challenge due to the existence of various biomarkers in human body at a low concentration level. Therefore, new technologies were incessantly steered to detect tiny biomarkers at a low concentration level, yet, it is difficult to develop reliable, stable and sensitive detection methods for disease diagnostics. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a methodology to detect insulin in serum at low levels based on Ag nanoflower (AgNF) decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified micro-disk electrode arrays (MDEAs). The morphology of AgNF-rGO composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, the structure was analyzed using X-ray diffraction patterns and Raman spectra. The hybrid interface exhibited enhanced electrical conductivity when compared with its individual elements and had improved capturing ability for antibody–antigen binding towards insulin detection. In order to measure quantitatively the insulin concentration in PBS and human serum, the change in impedance (ΔZ) from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was analyzed for various concentrations of insulin in [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3−/4− redox couple. The electrode with adsorbed antibodies showed an increase in ΔZ for the addition of antigen concentrations over a working range of 1–1000 ng mL −1 . The detection limits were 50 and 70 pg mL −1 in PBS and human serum, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For label-free and direct detection of C-reactive protein (CRP), an impedimetric sensor based on an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode array functionalized with reduced graphene oxide-nanoparticle (rGO-NP) hybrid was fabricated and evaluated. Analytical measurements were performed to examine the properties of rGO-NP-modified ITO microelectrodes and to determine the influence upon sensory performance of using nanostructures modified for antibody immobilization and for recognition of CRP binding events. Impedimetric measurements in the presence of the redox couple [Fe(CN) 6 ] 3 −/4 − showed significant changes in charge transfer resistance upon binding of CRP. The impedance measurements were highly target specific, linear with logarithmic CRP concentrations in PBS and human serum across a 1 ng mL − 1 and 1000 ng mL − 1 range and associated with a detection limits of 0.06 and 0.08 ng mL − 1 respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A capacitive biosensor based on an interdigitated electrode (IDE) with nanoislands was developed for label-free detection of antigen-antibody interactions. To enable sensitive capacitive detection of protein adsorption, the nanoislands were fabricated between finger electrodes of the IDE. The effect of the nanoislands on the sensitive capacitive measurement was estimated using horseradish peroxidase (HRP) as a model protein. Additionally, a parylene-A film was coated on the IDE with nanoislands to improve the efficiency of protein immobilization. By using HRP and hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) as model analytes, the effect of the parylene-A film on the capacitive detection of protein adsorption was demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertically paired electrodes (VPEs) with multiple electrode pairs were developed for the enhancement of capacitive measurements by optimizing the electrode gap and number of electrode pairs. The electrode was fabricated using a conductive polymer layer of PEDOT:PSS instead of Ag and Pt metal electrodes to increase the VPE fabrication yield because the PEDOT:PSS layer could be effectively etched using a reactive dry etching process. In this study, sensitivity enhancement was realized by decreasing the electrode gap and increasing the number of VPE electrode pairs. Such an increase in sensitivity according to the electrode gap and the number of electrode pairs was estimated using a model analyte for an immunoassay. Additionally, a computer simulation was performed using VPEs with different electrode gaps and numbers of VPE electrode pairs. Finally, VPEs with multiple electrode pairs were applied for SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (NP) detection. The capacitive biosensor based on the VPE with immobilized anti-SARS-CoV-2 NP was applied for the specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 in viral cultures. Using viral cultures of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and CoV-strain 229E, the limit of detection (LOD) was estimated to satisfy the cutoff value (dilution factor of 1/800) for the medical diagnosis of COVID-19, and the assay results from the capacitive biosensor were compared with commercial rapid kit based on a lateral flow immunoassay. • Vertically paired electrodes (VPEs) were developed for the sensitive capacitive biosensor. • VPEs were fabricated using PEDOT:PSS and reactive dry etching process. • The sensitivity was increased according to electrode gap and number of electrode pairs. • The influence of electrode gaps and numbers of electrode pairs was computer simulated. • Detection of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein was presented for diagnosis of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A capacitive biosensor was developed by using a vertically paired ring-electrode for the non-labeled immunoassay. The vertically paired ring-electrode was prepared by sequential deposition and etching processes. Two electrodes were layered on glass substrate by sputtering of gold layers with thicknesses of 50nm and 100nm, and a parylene-C film with a thickness of 550nm was positioned between the electrode layers as a dielectric material by thermal deposition. The top layer was made by spin coating of SU-8. And then, the ring-electrodes were exposed at the wall of the layered structure by sequential etching processes. The fabricated electrodes were characterized by cyclic voltammetry of a well-known redox couple of 3,3'',5,5''-tetramethylbenzidine. The non-labeled detection of antigen–antibody interaction was demonstrated by using anti-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) antibodies and C-reactive protein (CRP) as model analytes. When the model analytes were bound to the vertically paired ring-electrode, the impedance change was measured during the immunoassay steps, and the measured impedance was analyzed by using a model circuit of the ring-electrode, and the capacitance was estimated to be dependent on the adsorption of analytes between the ring-electrodes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, we developed a new ultrasensitive capacitance sensor for detection of amyloid beta 1-40 (aβ40) protein (one of Alzheimer's disease core biomarkers) in human serum based on the high supramolecular recognition of the β-cyclodextrin/reduced graphene oxide (β-CD/RGO) nanohybrid toward the anti-aβ40 antibody molecule. The sensor was established by immobilizing specific anti-aβ40 antibody onto the β-CD/RGO nanohybrid functionalized on indium tin oxide micro-disk electrode (anti-aβ40/β-CD/RGO/ITO). Detection of aβ40 in the human serum (HS) using the sensor anti-aβ40/β-CD/RGO/ITO is carried out by capacitance measurement without a redox probe to prevent protein denaturation, serving as a convenient strategy for point-of-care diagnosis. In comparison with other studies, the sensor shows a very low limit of detection of 0.69 fg mL−1 in HS, demonstrating its ability for the ultrasensitive detection of aβ40. Using this sensor, the dissociation constant K D of the binding interaction between anti-aβ40 and aβ40 in HS is found to be 2.9 × 10−7 nM, indicating the high binding affinity of antibody–antigen and the suitability of the anti-aβ40/β-CD/RGO/ITO sensor for aβ40 protein detection. The good selectivity of the anti-aβ40/β-CD/RGO/ITO sensor in the presence of differential analytes was also performed in this paper. [Display omitted] • First development a capacitance sensor for ultrasensitive detection of aβ40 using supramolecular recognition. • The sensor (anti-aβ40/β-CD/RGO/ITO) was established through host–guest inclusion complex. • Avoiding the denaturation of protein during the detection using the capacitance sensor. • A very low LOD (0.69 fg mL-1) and low K D (2.9×10-7 nM) of aβ40 in human serum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A proof-of-concept for CGM based on a non-enzymatic MNEAs. • Electrodeposition of catalytic Pt-black on Au MNs for CGM in-vitro and in-vivo. • MNs showed a good dynamic range (1-20 mM) and detection limit (10 µM) in PBS. • The fabricated device showed a good stability as CGMS for 7 days in-vivo. Individuals with diabetes can considerably benefit from continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). Addressing this challenge, a proof-of-concept for a pain-free CGM was presented based on a highly porous platinum black (Pt-black)-modified non-enzymatic microneedle electrode arrays (MNEAs). Porous Pt-black was electrodeposited on microneedle substrates using potentiometry by employing a charge density of -2.5 mA cm˗2. The surface of the porous Pt-black-modified microneedles (MNs) was optimally packed using Nafion (Nf) biocompatible ionomer. The dimensions of the fabricated microneedles were 650 µm × 110 µm × 150 µm in height, width, and thickness, respectively. The surface morphology of the modified MNs was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The microneedle sensor showed a wide glucose dynamic range (1 − 20 mM) in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and artificial interstitial fluid (ISF) in-vitro with good sensitivities (PBS: 5.786 µA mM−1 cm−2, ISF: 4.380 µA mM−1 cm−2), detection limits (PBS: 10 µM, ISF: 22.5 µM), stability (2% lost at the end of 7 h), selectivity, reproducibility (2.32% RSD), and a response time of 2 s with good glucose recoveries in ISF (98%-102.5%). The device exhibited good stability (7 days) as a sensor in-vivo and lost its functional activity after 7 days due to electrode biofouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a global pandemic. However, a pharmacological cure has not been approved for NAFLD treatment. The greatest barriers to the development of new treatments are the ambiguous criteria among the NAFLD stages and the lack of quantitative methodologies for its disease assessment in a translatable preclinical model. In this study, we developed impedance assessment systems to quantify NAFLD progression in three-dimensional (3D) liver microtissue (hMT). The hMT model undergoing NAFLD represents clinical-like characteristics for a range of stages, such as lipid accumulation, cell ballooning, and stiffening. Each stage can be quantitatively assessed by an impedance system with microchannels under constant or dynamic pressure, depending on the relevant mechanical and morphological changes used in the clinical assessment of NAFLD. We determined a correlation between the impedance parameters and pathophysiological characteristics, such as gap widening and cytoplasmic deformation associated with NAFLD progression using bioimpedance simulation, showing hMTs struggling to return to normal states. In addition, we identified the relative stiffness to assess fibrogenesis from the correlation of resistance change and elongation length into the smaller channel of hMTs. We hope this methodology will have a significant impact on drug development by facilitating improved NAFLD assessment. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq. is a traditional Mongol medicine generally used to treat diabetes. To investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of Agriophyllum oligosaccharides (AOS) on liver injury in type 2 diabetic db/db mice. The db/db mice were divided into the model group (Model), metformin group (MET), high-dose AOS group (HAOS), and low-dose AOS group (LAOS). Nondiabetic littermate control db/m mice were used as the normal control group (Control). Mice in AOS groups were treated with AOS (380 or 750 mg/kg) daily, for 8 weeks. At 8 weeks, blood samples were collected to detect lipid and enzyme parameters concerning hepatic function, including alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Random blood glucose (RBG) test, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and oral maltose tolerance test (OMTT) were also conducted. Microscopy was used to observe morphological changes in the liver of AOS-treated groups. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression, including insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS-2), phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ, insulin receptor (INS-R), and Glut4. Furthermore, western blotting was performed to identify proteins, including phosphorylation of IRS-2 (p-IRS-2), PI3K, p-AKT, PPAR-γ, INS-R, and Glut4. Hepatic protein expression of p-IRS-2, PI3K, p-AKT, PPAR-γ, INS-R, and Glut4 was observed using immunohistochemical staining. AOS treatment significantly decreased RBG, OGTT, and OMTT in mice, as well as serum ALT and AST activities. AOS groups demonstrated significantly higher expressions of p-IRS-2, PI3K, PPAR-γ, p-AKT, INS-R, and Glut4 protein and IRS-2, PI3K, AKT, PPAR-γ, INS-R, and Glut4 mRNA in the liver tissue of db/db mice; the degeneration and necrosis of hepatocytes and formation of collagen fibres markedly reduced, improving the structural disorder in the liver. The results suggest that AOS could protect the liver in type 2 diabetes, in part by activating insulin in the INS-R/IRS2/PI3K/AKT/Glut4/PPAR-γ signal pathway, facilitating hepatocyte proliferation, and further reducing the blood glucose levels. Image 1 • AOS presented therapeutic effect of diabetic hepatopathy in mice. • AOS reduced blood glucose and alleviated diabetic liver injury. • AOS exhibited antidiabetic and hepatoprotective effects via regulating INS-R/IRS2/PI3K/AKT/Glut4/PPAR-γ pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a swift, label-free electrochemical biosensor designed for the precise on-site detection of Gram-positive bacteria via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The biosensor was prepared by electroplating the electrode surface with gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) on the gold-interdigitated wave-shaped electrode with a printed circuit board (Au-PCB) electrode, which plays a role in cost-effective and promising lab-on-a-chip microsystems and integrated biosensing systems. This was followed by the application of silica nanoparticle-modified vancomycin (SiNPs-VAN) that binds to Gram-positive bacteria and facilitates their detection on the AuNC-coated surface. The biosensor demonstrated remarkable sensitivity and specificity. It could detect as few as 10 2 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL of Staphylococcus aureus , 10 1 CFU/mL of Bacillus cereus , and 10 2 CFU/mL of Micrococcus luteus within 20 min. Additionally, SiNPs-VAN is also known for its high stability, low cost, and ease of preparation. It is effective in identifying Gram-positive bacteria in water samples across a concentration range of 10 2 -10 5 CFU/mL and shows selective identification of Gram-positive bacteria with minimal interference from Gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli . The ability of the biosensor to quantify Gram-positive bacteria aligns well with the results obtained from the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). These findings highlight the potential of electrochemical biosensors for the detection of pathogens and other biological entities, marking a significant advancement in this field.

The field of bacteria-based cancer therapy, which focuses on the key role played by the prevalence of bacteria, specifically in tumors, in controlling potential targets for cancer therapy, has grown enormously over the past few decades. In this review, we discuss, for the first time, the global cancer situation and the timeline for using bacteria in cancer therapy. We also explore how interdisciplinary collaboration has contributed to the evolution of bacteria-based cancer therapies. Additionally, we address the challenges that need to be overcome for bacteria-based cancer therapy to be accepted in clinical trials and the latest advancements in the field. The groundbreaking technologies developed through bacteria-based cancer therapy have opened up new therapeutic strategies for a wide range of therapeutics in cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Achyranthes japonica extract (AJE) is derived from a medicinal plant Achyranthes japonica , known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. AJE contains multiple bioactive compounds, including saponins, triterpenoids, phytoecdysteroids, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and inokosterone. The aim of this investigation was to examine the impact of AJE as a phytogenic feed additive on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta microbial count, noxious gas emissions, breast meat quality in broilers. About three hundred and sixty, day-old broilers (Ross 308) were assigned into four treatments (five replication cages/treatment, and 18 birds/cage). Dietary treatments: CON, basal diet; 0.02% AJE, basal diet with 0.02%; 0.04% AJE, basal diet with 0.04% AJE, and 0.06% AJE, basal diet with 0.06% of AJE. Body weight gain increased linearly ( p < 0.05) through the inclusion of AJE during days 7 to 21, 21 to 35, as well as the entire experimental period. Besides, feed intake increased ( p < 0.05) linearly during days 21 to 35 and the entire experiment with the increased AJE doses in broiler diet. Dry matter digestibility was increased ( p < 0.05) linearly along with increasing amounts of AJE. With increasing AJE supplementation, nitrogen and energy utilization tended to improve ( p < 0.10). In summary, the addition of AJE in the corn-soybean meal diet led to higher body weight gain and increased feed intake as well as enhanced nutrient digestibility, among them the highest improvement was found in 0.06%-AJE indicating the acceptance of AJE as a phytogenic feed additive., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2024 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

Background: Optimal gut health is important to maximize growth performance and feed efficiency in broiler chickens. A total of 1,365 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were randomly divided into 5 treatments groups with 21 replicates, 13 birds per replicate. The present research investigated effects of microbial muramidase or a precision glycan alone or in combination on growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility, total blood carotenoid content, intestinal villus length, meat quality and gut microbiota in broiler chickens. Treatments included: NC: negative control (basal diet group); PC: positive control (basal diet + 0.02% probiotics); MR: basal diet + 0.035% microbial muramidase; PG: basal diet + 0.1% precision glycan; and MRPG: basal diet + 0.025% MR + 0.1% PG, respectively., Results: MRPG group increased the body weight gain and feed intake (P < 0.05) compared with NC group. Moreover, it significantly increased total serum carotenoid (P < 0.05) and MRPG altered the microbial diversity in ileum contents. The MRPG treatment group increased the abundance of the phylum Firmicutes, and family Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Oscillospiraceae, Lactobacillaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae and decreased the abundance of the phylum Campilobacterota, Bacteroidota and family Bacteroidaceae. Compared with the NC group, the chickens fed MRPG showed significantly increased in duodenum villus length at end the trial., Conclusion: In this study, overall results showed that the synergetic effects of MR and PG showed enhancing growth performance, total serum carotenoid level and altering gut microbiota composition of broilers. The current research indicates that co-supplementation of MR and PG in broiler diets enhances intestinal health, consequently leading to an increased broiler production., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Glyconutrients help in the body's cell communication. Glyconutrients and synbiotics are promising options for improving immune function. Therefore, we hypothesized that combining synbiotics and glyconutrients will enhance pig nutrient utilization. 150 pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc), initially weighing 58.85 ± 3.30 kg of live body weight (BW) were utilized to determine the effects of synbiotics-glyconutrients (SGN) on the pigs' performance, feed efficiency, gas emission, pork traits, and composition of fatty acids. The pigs were matched by BW and sex and chosen at random to 1 of 3 diet treatments: control = Basal diet; TRT1 = Basal diet + SGN 0.15%; TRT2 = Basal diet + SGN 0.30%%. The trials were conducted in two phases (weeks 1-5 and weeks 5-10). The average daily gain was increased in pigs fed a basal diet with SGN ( p = 0.036) in weeks 5-10. However, the apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen, and gross energy did not differ among the treatments ( p > 0.05). Dietary treatments had no effect on NH 3 , H 2 S, methyl mercaptans, acetic acids, and CO 2 emissions ( p > 0.05). Improvement in drip loss on day 7 ( p = 0.053) and tendency in the cooking loss were observed ( p = 0.070) in a group fed basal diets and SGN at 0.30% inclusion level. The group supplemented with 0.30% of SGN had higher levels of palmitoleic acid (C16:1), margaric acid (C17:0), omega-3 fatty acid, omega-6 fatty acid, and ω-6: ω-3 ratio ( p = 0.034, 0.020, 0.025, 0.007, and 0.003, respectively) in the fat of finishing pigs. Furthermore, group supplemented with 0.30% of SGN improved margaric acid (C17:0), linoleic acid (C18:2n6c), arachidic acid (C20:0), omega 6 fatty acid, omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, unsaturated fatty acid, and monounsaturated fatty acid (p = 0.037, 0.05, 0.0142, 0.036, 0.033, 0.020, and 0.045, respectively) in the lean tissues of finishing pigs compared to pigs fed with the control diets. In conclusion, the combination of probiotics, prebiotics, and glyconutrients led to higher average daily gain, improved the quality of pork, and more favorable fatty acid composition. Therefore, these results contributed to a better understanding of the potential of SGN combinations as a feed additive for pigs., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2024 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

Background: The use of probiotics (PRO) in late gestation sow and their impact on progenies' performance during the post-weaning stage has received more attention from the researchers recently. This study aimed to analyze the effect of probiotic mixture (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis) on both sow and offspring's performance., Methods: First experiment (Exp.1) was conducted from the 100th day of gestation through to post-weaning. A total of twenty sows and their litters were assigned to one of two dietary treatments, Control (CON) based diet and PRO- CON+ 0.05% probiotic mixture. Dietary treatments were arranged in a split-plot pattern with sow and weaner treatment (CON and PRO diet) as the main and sub plot. Exp.2. E. coli challenge study was carried out two weeks after weaning with 40 piglets. Dietary treatments remained same while all pigs were orally administered with a 1.5 ml suspension of 1010 CFU of K88 strain of E. coli per ml., Result: PRO group sow showed significantly decreased backfat thickness difference and body weight difference after farrowing and at the end of weaning d21. The nutrient digestibility of PRO group sows was significantly higher at the end of weaning. Moreover, piglets born from PRO group sow showed higher weaning weight and tend to increase average daily gain at the end of d21. The addition of mixed probiotic in sow and weaner diet had suppressed the production of TNF-α and interleukin-6 in E. coli challenged pigs. The phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes in E. coli -challenged pigs were highly abundant while, the relative abundance of clostridium&#95;sensu&#95;stricto&#95;1 at genus level was significantly reduced by the inclusion of probiotic in both the sow and weaner diet. Also, taxonomic distribution analysis showed significantly lower prevalence of Clostridium and Brachyspira and higher prevalence of Lactobacilli in E. coli-challenged pigs that were born from PRO group sow and fed CON and PRO weaner diet., Conclusion: This study reveals that the inclusion of 0.05% mixed probiotics (Bacillus spp.) to both sow and their progenies diet would be more beneficial to enhance the post-weaning growth rate, gut health, and immune status of E. coli challenged pigs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Pinecone oil (PO) of Pinus koraiensis mainly contains α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene that may ameliorate animal well-being and growth performance. This study evaluated its effects on feed intake, milk composition and yield, serum parameters, and litter growth of sows. Twenty-seven pregnant sows (parity 2-4) were distributed to three dietary treatments. The trial started on Day 107 of gestation and ended on Day 21 of lactation. Sows were given either a basal diet or the basal diet + 200 or 400 mg/kg PO. Each treatment contained nine sows and each sow was considered an experimental unit. Results showed that the average daily gain and weaned body weight of piglets from the sows fed 400 mg/kg PO supplements were higher (p < 0.05) than the piglets from the control sows. Lactose content in colostrum samples and fat content in milk samples were higher (p < 0.05) in 400 mg/kg PO-treated sows, respectively, than those from the sows fed basal diet. Additionally, cortisol concentration and aspartate aminotransferase concentration in sow serum was lowered (p < 0.05) by 400 mg/kg PO on Day 21 of lactation. In conclusion, supplementation of 400 mg/kg PO during late gestation and lactation contributed to greater offspring growth performance, possibly by enhanced milk quality and alleviated maternal stress., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Quercetin (a predominant flavonoid) is considered to have antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. This trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of graded doses of quercetin (QS) on growth efficiency, nutrient retention, faecal score, footpad lesion score, tibia ash and meat quality. In a 32-day feeding test, a total of 576 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers (male) were allocated arbitrarily with an average body weight of 41 ± 0.5 g. The trial had four dietary treatments with eight repetitions of 18 birds per pen and a basal diet incorporating 0%, 0.02%, 0.04% and 0.06% of QS. As the QS dosage increased, body weight gain tended to increase linearly on Days 9-21 (p = 0.069) and overall period (p = 0.079). Similarly, feed intake increased (p = 0.009) linearly with the increasing doses of QS on Days 9-21. Likewise, there was a linear improvement in dry matter (p = 0.002) and energy (p = 0.016) digestibility after QS administration. Moreover, the inclusion of QS supplement (0%-0.06%) linearly increased (p = 0.012) tibia ash in broilers. However, the faecal score and footpad lesion score showed no significant outcome (p > 0.05). By giving broilers a graded amount of QS, the relative organ weights of breast muscle (p = 0.009) and spleen (p = 0.006) improved linearly, meat colour lightness increased (p = 0.015), redness tended to improve (p = 0.065) linearly and drip loss decreased (p = 0.015) linearly. The inclusion of QS in the graded-level diet led to improvements in growth efficiency, nutrient absorption, meat quality and tibia ash, which recommended it as a beneficial feed additive for the broiler., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This study aimed to show the effect of bile acid (BA) and xylanase (Xyl) supplementation on the growth, fat digestibility, serum lipid metabolites, and ileal digesta viscosity of broilers. A total of 720 1 d old male broilers were allocated to one of nine treatments with four replicates in each under a factorial design arrangement of three levels of BA (0 %, 0.25 %, and 0.50 %) and three levels of Xyl (0 %, 0.05 %, and 0.10 %) supplementation. The duration of the experiment was 35 d (7-42 d). Growth performance, blood lipids, fat digestibility, and ileal digesta viscosity were determined. The experimental treatments did not affect feed intake (FI) and weight gain (WG). Supplementation of BA or Xyl did not significantly ameliorate the feed conversion rate (FCR) ( p < 0.05 ). The addition of BA linearly increased fat digestibility. At 7-21 d of age, the addition of BA or Xyl had a significant ( p < 0.05 ) increase in serum cholesterol (Chol) but no significant difference for other serum lipid parameters in broiler chickens fed with Xyl in the starter and grower periods. However, the supplementation of 0.5 % BA at 7-21 d of age significantly increased the Chol and low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) levels. The results of this trial revealed that the supplementation of xylanases had a great effect on the degradation of arabinoxylan from wheat, which led to a relatively greater reduction in ileal digesta viscosity; it was also found that supplementation of BA significantly increased the concentration of serum lipid metabolites, whereas BA and Xyl supplementation linearly increased the fat digestibility of the birds fed wheat and tallow diets., Competing Interests: The contact author has declared that none of the authors has any competing interests., (Copyright: © 2023 Mohammed H. Alzawqari et al.)

This study describes the fabrication and characteristics of microneedle array electrodes (MAEs) using Bismuth-Indium-Tin (Bi-In-Sn) alloys. The MAEs consist of 57 pyramid-shaped needles measuring 340 μm wide and 800 μm high. The fabrication process involved micromolding the alloys in a vacuum environment. Physical tests demonstrated that Bi-In-Sn MAEs have good mechanical strength, indicating their suitability for successful skin penetration. The electrode-skin interface impedance test confirmed that Bi-In-Sn MAEs successfully penetrated the skin. Impedance measurements revealed the importance of insulating the microneedle electrodes for optimal electrical performance, and a UV-curable Polyurethane Acrylate coating was applied to enhance insulation. Electrocardiogram measurements using the Bi-In-Sn MAEs demonstrated performance comparable to that of traditional Ag/AgCl electrodes, which shows promise for accurate data collection. Overall, the study demonstrates successful, minimally-invasive skin insertion, improved electrical insulation, and potential applications of Bi-In-Sn microneedle array. These findings contribute to advancements in microneedle technology for biomedical applications., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Electrochemical and impedimetric detection of nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOCs) in blood, urine, sweat, and saliva is widely used in clinical diagnosis. NOC detection is used to identify illnesses such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), cardiovascular complications, diabetes, cancer, and others. In recent years, nanomaterials have shown significant potential in the detection of NOCs using electrochemical and impedimetric sensors. This potential is due to the higher surface area, porous nature, and functional groups of nanomaterials, which can aid in improving the sensing performance with inexpensive, direct, and quick-time processing methods. In this review, we discuss nanomaterials, such as metal oxides, graphene nanostructures, and their nanocomposites, for the detection of NOCs. Notably, researchers have considered nanocomposite-based devices, such as a field effect transistor (FET) and printed electrodes, for the detection of NOCs. In this review, we emphasize the significant importance of electrochemical and impedimetric methods in the detection of NOCs, which typically show higher sensitivity and selectivity. So, these methods will open a new way to make embeddable electrodes for point-of-detection (POD) devices. These devices could be used in the next generation of non-invasive analysis for biomedical and clinical applications. This review also summarizes recent state-of-the-art technology for the development of sensors for on-site monitoring and disease diagnosis at an earlier stage.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is closely related to neurodegeneration, leading to dementia and cognitive impairment, especially in people aged > 65 years old. The detection of biomarkers plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and treatment of AD, particularly at the onset stage. Field-effect transistor (FET)-based sensors are emerging devices that have drawn considerable attention due to their crucial ability to recognize various biomarkers at ultra-low concentrations. Thus, FET is broadly manipulated for AD biomarker detection. In this review, an overview of typical FET features and their operational mechanisms is described in detail. In addition, a summary of AD biomarker detection and the applicability of FET biosensors in this research field are outlined and discussed. Furthermore, the trends and future prospects of FET devices in AD diagnostic applications are also discussed.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most frequently used food additives that endanger public health. The antioxidant, hyperlipidemic, and cytoprotective properties of Lepidium sativum seeds (LSS) as a natural remedy can minimize the harmful effects of MSG. This study investigated the potential protective effect of LSS against MSG-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Male albino Sprague Dawley rats ( n = 24) were equally divided into four groups for 30 days: the control group (G1) received a basal diet without supplement, group (G2) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) as a model group, group (G3) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) + LSS (30 g/kg b.w.), and group (G4) was fed a basal diet + MSG (30 g/kg b.w.) + LSS (60 g/kg b.w.). LSS enhanced serum alkaline phosphatase activity as well as total cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose levels. It can decrease peroxide content in serum lipids and inhibit glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase in hepatic cells. The dietary supplementation with LSS provided cytoprotection by enhancing the histoarchitecture of the liver and decreasing the number of apoptotic cells. Due to their antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties, LSS effectively protect against the hepatotoxicity of MSG. These findings are of the highest significance for drawing attention to incorporating LSS in our food industry and as a health treatment in traditional medicine to combat MSG-induced hepatic abnormalities.

Minerals is required small amounts among various nutrients, but it has a significant impact on sow longevity and reproduction performance. This study was carried out to see the beneficial effects of marine-derived Ca-Mg complex on the reproductive performance of sows during four-parity periods. Seventy-two gilts ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc), with an average body weight of 181 kg, were randomly allocated to three groups; CON (basal diet), 0.3LC (CON - MgO - 0.3% limestone + 0.4% Ca-Mg complex), and 0.7LC (CON - MgO - 0.7% limestone + 0.4% Ca-Mg complex). During parity 3 and 4, the expression level of SCD gene was lower in the umbilical cord of piglets born to 0.3LC and 0.7LC sows compared with the CON sows. During parity 2, 3 and 4, SLC2A2 and FABP4 gene expressions were higher in the umbilical cord of piglets born to 0.7LC sows and the placenta of sows from 0.3LC groups, respectively. Ca-Mg complex increased ( p < 0.05) Ca and Mg concentrations in sows and their piglets' serum as well as in colostrum regardless of parities. The serum vitamin D concentration was higher ( p < 0.05) in their first parity, whereas serum prolactin and estrogen concentrations were higher ( p < 0.05) during the fourth and third parity, respectively. The growth hormone concentrations were higher ( p < 0.05) in the piglets born to sows during the first and second parity. The fat and immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations in colostrum were higher ( p < 0.05) during the third and fourth parity, respectively. A reduction ( p < 0.05) in salivary cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine concentrations was observed in 0.3LC and 0.7LC sow groups compared with CON after farrowing regardless of parity, however before farrowing, a reduction in norepinephrine was observed. Before farrowing, the epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were higher ( p < 0.05) during the first and second parity. After farrowing, the concentration of these hormones was higher during the second parity. Taken together, sows' parity and dietary Ca-Mg complex supplementation influenced serum metabolites, colostrum nutrients, stress hormones as well as the gene expressions related to lipid and glucose metabolism., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2023 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

We investigated the effects of crude protein (CP) levels and exogenous enzymes on growth performance, meat quality, toxic gas emissions, and colonic microbiota community in 200 finishing pigs. Four groups corresponded to 4 diets: 16.74% CP (high-protein level, HP) and 14.73% CP (medium protein level, MP) diet supplemented with or without 1-g/kg multi-enzymes (ENZs, including 1000-U/kg protease, 2500-U/kg α-amylase, and 10,000-U/kg β-glucanase), using a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. After 7 weeks of trial, ENZs supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the average daily gain (ADG) of finishing pigs during weeks 4 to 7 and in the overall period and improved gross energy utilization. Dietary HP improved (P < 0.05) ADG during the overall period. The MP diet-treated pigs had higher intramuscular fat (IMF) content in the longissimus dorsi muscle (P < 0.01). ENZs supplementation to the MP diets lowered muscle IMF content (P < 0.01). Additionally, pigs fed the HP diet released (P < 0.05) more NH 3 and H 2 S in excrement. The HP diet enhanced (P < 0.05) intestinal microbial richness, represented by higher observed&#95; amplicon sequence variants and Chao1. Administration of ENZs to the HP diet increased (P < 0.05) the Shannon and Pielou's evenness. Dietary MP promoted Firmicutes proliferation. Supplementary HP diet increased the relative abundances of Spirochaetota, Verrucomicrobiota, Desulfobacterota, and Fibrobacterota (P < 0.05). Supplemental ENZ elevated (P < 0.05) Actinobacteriota and Desulfobacterota abundances. ENZ supplementation to the HP diet increased the abundances of Bacteroidota, Desulfobacterota, and Proteobacteria but lowered their abundances in the MP diet. Taken together, the HP diet or ENZs' supplements improved growth performance. Although the interaction between CP levels and ENZs had no effect on growth performance, it modulated colonic flora and muscle IMF content., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is one of the most important reactive oxygen species (ROS). Increased endogenous H 2 O 2 levels indicate oxidative stress and could be a potential marker of many diseases, including Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. However, consuming H 2 O 2- incorporated food has adverse effects on humans and is a serious health concern. We used salmon testes DNA with bio-inspired activated carbon (AC) as an electrocatalyst for developing a novel H 2 O 2 sensor. The phosphate backbone of DNA contains negatively charged oxygen groups that specifically attract protons from H 2 O 2 reduction. We observed a linearity range of 0.01-250.0 μM in the H 2 O 2 reduction peak current with a detection limit of 2.5 and 45.7 nM for chronoamperometric and differential pulse voltammetric studies. High biocompatibility of the sensor was achieved by the DNA, facilitating endogenous H 2 O 2 detection. Moreover, this non-enzymatic sensor could also help in the rapid screening of H 2 O 2 -contaminated foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To investigate the effect of bee venom (BV) as a natural growth promotor on growing rabbits as an alternative to antibiotics, sixty 35-day-old Californian male rabbits with an average body weight of 584 ± 9 gm were randomly divided into five equal groups as follows: The 2nd group received drinking water supplied with 10 mg Oxytetracycline (OXT), while the 3rd, 4th, and 5th groups received 2, 4 and 8 mg bee venom (BV)/kg body weight/day in drinking water, and the first group was served as a control group. The growth performance features were positively impacted by adding BV ( p  ≤ 0.01) compared to the control, whereas LBW and BWG increased and FI reduced. Significantly improved carcass characteristics ( p  ≤ 0.01) as a result of the BV supplementation. Blood characteristics showed a significant reduction ( p  ≤ 0.01) in liver enzyme activities and Cholesterol, Triglycerides, and Low-density lipoproteins Cholesterol (LDL) as affected by BV treatment; inversely, total protein and globulin were significantly increased ( p  ≤ 0.01). Similarly, BV had a positive effect ( p  ≤ 0.01) on anti-oxidant status (Total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)). In contrast, the lipid peroxidation biomarker (Malondialdehyde (MDA)) was significantly decreased. The immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) was significantly increased ( p  ≤ 0.01) by BV treatment. There was a positive effect of low BV levels on decreasing both cecum TBC and pathogenic bacterial count ( Salmonella spp., E.coli spp., Proteus spp., and Clostridia spp.) that was significant ( p  ≤ 0.01). In conclusion, BV can be a natural growth promoter to enhance growth performance traits, immunological and anti-oxidative responses, and reduce pathogenic bacteria in the hindgut of growing rabbits., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elkomy, Sadaka, Hassan, Shawky, El-Speiy, El-Beshkar, Wadaan, El-Tahan, Cho, Kim and El-Tahan.)

The study examined how adding phytase to nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) diets affected performance, egg quality, reproductive hormones, and plasma biochemical indices in 73- to 80-wk-old laying hens. Six treatments with 5 replicates of 18 Hy-Line brown laying hens each were randomly assigned. Three isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets containing consistent calcium levels (3.8%) were formulated to contain 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP, treated with or without phytase supplementation (1,000 FYT per kg feed, Ronozyme HiPhos-L, Aspergillus oryzae 6-phytase). The results showed that the addition of phytase to the diet containing 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased egg production by 1.50, 1.64, and 0.97%, respectively, and improved eggshell thickness. Also, use of phytase in the diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP increased the plasma concentration of albumin (ALB), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), phosphorus (P), and plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), plasma calcium (Ca), estradiol-17β (E2β), and luteinizing hormone (LH). In contrast, the egg weight, feed intake, egg mass, feed conversion ratio, albumen height, Haugh unit, yolk, and shell color were unaffected. It can be advisable to use phytase supplementation in an elderly laying hen's diet contain 0.25, and 0.30% NPP to improve shell quality and positively impact reproductive hormones leading to the persistence of egg production., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The primary purpose of this research is to determine the effect of Amino-Zn (AZn), Yucca schidigera extract (YE), and β-mannanase enzyme supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal gas emission, and immune response in pigs. A total of 180 crossbred pigs (6.57 ± 1 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments: CON-corn soybean meal (basal diet); TRT1-CON +1,000 ppm AZn + 0.07% yucca extract (YE) + 0.05% β-mannanase; and TRT2-CON +2,000 ppm AZn + 0.07% YE+ 0.05% β-mannanase for 22 weeks. Each treatment had 12 replicates with 5 pigs per pen. Pigs fed a diet supplemented with AZn, YE, and β-mannanase linearly increased ( p  < 0.05) BW and average daily gain at weeks 6, 12, 17, and 18. In contrast, the gain-to-feed ratio showed a linear increase ( p  < 0.05) from weeks 6 to 17 and the overall trial period. Moreover, the inclusion of experimental diets linearly decreased ( p  > 0.05) noxious gas emissions such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, acetic acid, carbon dioxide, and methyl mercaptans. The dietary inclusion of AZn, YE, and β-mannanase significantly increased the serological immune responses to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (MH) and foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV-O type) at the end of week 6 and porcine circovirus-2 (PCV-2) at week 19. Based on this result, we infer that the combination of AZn, YE, and β-mannanase supplement would serve as a novel in-feed additive to enhance growth performance and act as a boosting agent and immune stimulatory to increase the efficacy of swine vaccinations., Competing Interests: Authors BRL and NHK were employed by ZinexBio Corporation. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Sampath, Cho, Lee, Kim and Kim.)

Alzheimer's disease has taken the spotlight as a neurodegenerative disease which has caused crucial issues to both society and the economy. Specifically, aging populations in developed countries face an increasingly serious problem due to the increasing budget for patient care and an inadequate labor force, and therefore a solution is urgently needed. Recently, diverse techniques for the detection of Alzheimer's biomarkers have been researched and developed to support early diagnosis and treatment. Among them, electrochemical biosensors and electrode modification proved their effectiveness in the detection of the Aβ biomarker at appropriately low concentrations for practice and point-of-care application. This review discusses the production and detection ability of amyloid beta, an Alzheimer's biomarker, by electrochemical biosensors with SAM support for antibody conjugation. In addition, future perspectives on SAM for the improvement of electrochemical biosensors are also proposed and discussed.

The present study explored the influence of supplemental herbal mixtures on cow milk production, quality, and blood parameters in dairy cows under high ambient temperatures. Thirty Holstein cows were randomly assigned into three experimental groups of 10 each. The first control group was supplied with the commercial basal diet, whereas two treatment groups were provided with the commercial basal diet supplemented with 50 and 100 g/head/day of the herbal mixture, respectively. The results showed that the mixture of herbal supplementation did not influence weekly milk production. Milk total fat, triglyceride, and total protein values were not affected ( p < 0.05) in cows fed on basal diets supplemented with herbal mixture; however, milk cholesterol was decreased significantly by 100 mg/head/day of the herbal mixture. On the other hand, lactose has increased significantly by adding 100 mg/head/day of herbal mixture. Furthermore, the total cholesterol level in serum was decreased by adding 100 mg/head/day of the herbal mixture, while plasma prolactin, cortisol, GOT, and GPT were unaffected. Regarding fatty acids (C18, C18:1 (c9), 18:1 (c11), 18:2 (c9, c12), 18:2 (t9, t12), and CLA (c9, t11)), there was no significant variation between the groups. Meanwhile, both C19:00 and 18:3 (c6, c9, and c12) were noticeably higher ( p < 0.05) in the group that received 100gm, followed by 50 mg, compared to the control. In conclusion, the supplement with a herbal mixture positively affected milk quality by decreasing total cholesterol and increasing lactose, milk fatty acid profile by increasing unsaturated fatty acids content, and plasma cholesterol levels., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Saleh, Soliman, Yousef, Eweedah, El-Sawy, Shukry, Wadaan, Kim, Cho and Eltahan.)

Advancing low-cost and user-friendly innovations to benefit public health is an important task of scientific and engineering research. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), electrochemical sensors are being developed for low-cost SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, particularly in resource-limited settings. Nanostructures with sizes ranging from 10 nm to a few micrometers could deliver optimum electrochemical behavior (e.g., quick response, compact size, sensitivity and selectivity, and portability), providing an excellent alternative to the existing techniques. Therefore, nanostructures, such as metal, 1D, and 2D materials, have been successfully applied in in vitro and in vivo detection of a wide range of infectious diseases, particularly SARS-CoV-2. Electrochemical detection methods reduce the cost of electrodes, provide analytical ability to detect targets with a wide variety of nanomaterials, and are an essential strategy in biomarker sensing as they can rapidly, sensitively, and selectively detect SARS-CoV-2. The current studies in this area provide fundamental knowledge of electrochemical techniques for future applications.

We comparatively evaluated the antibacterial effects of non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) on oral microcosm biofilms. Oral microcosm biofilms, which are derived from inoculation with human saliva, were cultured on 48 hydroxyapatite disks for 6 days. The prepared biofilms were divided into three different daily treatment groups: distilled water for 1 min, 0.12% chlorhexidine (CHX) for 1 min, and NTAPP for 5 min. Using a quantitative light-induced fluorescence-digital camera, the red fluorescence intensity of the biofilms was measured as red/green ratios (Ratio R/G ) before and after treatment. Total and aciduric bacteria were counted as colony-forming units. Using live/dead bacterial staining, bacterial viability was calculated as the Ratio G/G+R . Ratio R/G was approximately 0.91-fold lower in the NTAPP group than in the CHX group on day 1 of treatment ( p = 0.001), and approximately 0.94-fold lower on both days 2 and 3 ( p < 0.001). The number of total bacteria was higher in the NTAPP group than in the CHX group, but not significantly different. The number of aciduric bacteria was lowest in the CHX group ( p < 0.001). However, bacterial viability was lowest in the NTAPP group. Restricted bacterial aggregation was observed in the NTAPP group. These findings suggest that NTAPP may more effectively reduce the pathogenicity of oral microcosm biofilms than 0.12% CHX.

This study aimed to apply transcriptomics to determine how Molor-Dabos-4 (MD-4) protects healthy rats against indomethacin (IND)-induced gastric ulcers and to identify the mechanism behind this protective effect. Rats were pretreated with MD-4 (0.3, 1.5, or 3 g/kg per day) for 21 days before inducing gastric ulcers by oral administration with indomethacin (30 mg/kg). Unulcerated and untreated healthy rats were used as controls. Effects of the treatment were assessed based on the ulcer index, histological and pathological examinations, and indicators of inflammation, which were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transcriptomic analysis was performed for identifying potential pharmacological mechanisms. Eventually, after identifying potential target genes, the latter were validated by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After pretreatment with MD-4, gastric ulcers, along with other histopathological features, were reduced. MD-4 significantly (p < 0.05) increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in ulcers and reduced pepsin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels. RNA-seq analysis identified a number of target genes on which MD-4 could potentially act. Many of these genes were involved in pathways that were linked to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant responses, and other protective mechanisms for the gastric mucosa. qRT-PCR showed that altered expression of the selected genes, such as Srm, Ryr-1, Eno3, Prkag3, and Eef1a2, was consistent with the transcriptome results. MD-4 exerts protective effects against IND-induced gastric ulcers by reducing inflammatory cytokines and pepsin and increasing the expression of SOD levels. Downregulation of Srm, Ryr-1, Eno3, Prkag3, and Eef1a2 genes involved in regulating arginine and proline metabolism, calcium signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, oxytocin signaling pathway, and legionellosis are possibly involved in MD-4-mediated protection against gastric ulcers.

Objective: A feeding trial was carried out to determine the effect of dietary inclusion of silymarin seed extract on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta microbiota, excreta gas emission, blood profiles, and meat quality in broilers., Methods: A total of 1,088 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks (mixed-sex) with an initial body weight of 42.34±0.82 g, were randomly allocated into 1 of 4 dietary treatments with 17 replicates of 16 chicks per cage and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06% of silymarin., Results: The inclusion of silymarin supplementation linearly increased the body weight of broilers during days 7 to 21 and 1 to 35 days. On day 35, broilers fed a diet containing graded levels of silymarin supplementation linearly increased the nutrient digestibility of dry matter, gross energy, and nitrogen and cecal Lactobacillus counts (p = 0.038). While silymarin supplement linearly reduced the methyl mercaptans (p = 0.039) and acetic acid (p = 0.007) emission in broilers. No significant effects were observed on the blood profile. Relative weights of organs such as breast muscle, bursa of fabricius were increased (linear effect, p<0.05), water holding capacity was enhanced by increasing the silymarin level from 0% to 0.06%. A linear reduction (p>0.05) in drip loss from meat samples during days 1, 3, 5, and 7 by the addition of graded level of silymarin to the diet., Conclusion: An increasing level of silymarin supplementation to the diet of broiler would be beneficial to enhance growth performance, nutrient digestibility, excreta microflora, blood profile, and meat quality traits.

Objective: Corydalis bungeana (CB) is a well-used medicinal herb in Mongolian folk medicine and has been traditionally applied as an antiobesity agent. However, the evidence-based pharmacological effects of CB and its specific metabolic alterations in the obese model are not entirely understood. This study aimed to utilize untargeted metabolomic techniques to identify biomarkers and gain mechanistic insight into the serum metabolite alterations associated with weight loss and lipid metabolism in obese rats., Methods: A high-fat high-sugar (HFHS) diet was used to induce obese models in rats. CB extract was orally gavaged at 0.18, 0.9 and 1.8 g/kg doses for six weeks, and feed intake, body weight, fat pad weight, and blood indexes were measured. Blood serum metabolites were evaluated by gas chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS)., Results: The results showed that compared with the obese group, the administration of CB extract caused significant decreases in body weight ( P  < 0.05), feed intake, Lee's index, and perirenal, mesenteric, epididymal fat weight. CB extract also reduced blood triglyceride and total cholesterol levels ( P  < 0.05) of obese rats. Metabolomic findings showed that nine differential metabolites, including pyruvic acid, D -glucuronic acid, malic acid, dimethylglycine, oxoglutaric acid, pantothenic acid, sorbitol acid, fumaric acid and glucose 6-phosphate were identified under CB treatment and altered metabolic pathways such as TCA cycle, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis., Conclusion: This study demonstrated weight loss and lipid lowering effects of CB on HFHS diet-induced obese rats and identified nine metabolites as potential biomarkers for evaluating the favorable therapeutic mechanism of CB via regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2022 Tianjin Press of Chinese Herbal Medicines. Published by ELSEVIER B.V.)

The core intention to undertake this experiment for a period of 21 days is to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) supplemented diet on the performance and blood metabolites of sows and their litters. Sows weighing 208.5 ± 18.34kg and their neonates were used. From day 114 of gestation to 21st day of lactation(weaning), ten multiparous sows (n = 5/treatment) (Landrace x Yorkshire) were assigned randomly into one of two treatments: CON (basal diet) and TRT (CON + 0.05% SA). There was no significant difference in the body weight, backfat thickness, backfat loss, and body condition score in SA treated sows compared to sows fed the CON diet. However, the bodyweight of sow was dramatically reduced by an average of 16kg from farrowing to weaning time. The dietary inclusion of SA in the sow diet slightly improved the survival rate ( p = 0.065) and showed a higher body weight ( p = 0.009) in piglets. However, there was no significant difference in red blood cell, Fe, Hematocrit, and Hb concentrations between CON and TRT sows' groups, but the total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) was significantly reduced in sows from the TRT group compared with the CON group from the beginning to weaning. The outcome of this trial shows that dietary addition of SA on sows diet from early lactation could increase the birth weight and TIBC of neonates at the end of the trial., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported, (© Copyright 2022 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of Silybum marianum seed (SMS) extract on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, fecal noxious gas emission, and hematology parameters in weaned piglets. A total of 120, 21-day-old weaned piglets ([Yorkshire × Landrace] × Duroc) were randomly assigned to 3 groups based on the average initial body weight (6.46 ± 0.45 kg). There were 8 replicate pens per treatment and 5 pigs (mixed sex) per pen. The experimental period was 42 days. Dietary groups included a basal diet, and a basal diet supplemented with 0.05% or 0.10% SMS extract. Feeding weaned piglets with SMS extract containing diet significantly increased average daily gain and average daily feed intake. Additionally, the supplementation of SMS extract had no significant effects on nutrient digestibility, serum hematology, and fecal noxious gas emission parameters. We considered that the supplementation of SMS extract had positive effects on the voluntary feed intake in weaned piglets, thus improving growth performance., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2022 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

Diagnosis of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is important because of the emergence and global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used to diagnose COVID-19, but it is time-consuming and requires sending samples to test centers. Thus, the need to detect antigens for rapid on-site diagnosis rather than PCR is increasing. We quantified the nucleocapsid (N) protein in SARS-CoV-2 using an electro-immunosorbent assay (El-ISA) and a multichannel impedance analyzer with a 96-interdigitated microelectrode sensor (ToAD). The El-ISA measures impedance signals from residual detection antibodies after sandwich assays and thus offers highly specific, label-free detection of the N protein with low cross-reactivity. The ToAD sensor enables the real-time electrochemical detection of multiple samples in conventional 96-well plates. The limit of detection for the N protein was 0.1 ng/mL with a detection range up to 10 ng/mL. This system did not detect signals for the S protein. While this study focused on detecting the N protein in SARS-CoV-2, our system can also be widely applicable to detecting various biomolecules involved in antigen-antibody interactions.

Background: The rate of protein accretion and growth affect amino acid requirements in young animals. Differences in amino acid metabolism contribute to individual variations in growth rate. This study aimed at determining how amino acid needs may change with growth rates in broiler chickens. Experiment 1 consisted of testing amino acid choices in two chicken groups with extreme growth rates (the slowest -SG- or fastest -FG- growing birds in a flock). Essential (EAA) (methionine, lysine and threonine) or non-essential (NEAA) (alanine, aspartic acid and asparagine) amino acids were added to a standard control feed (13.2 MJ/kg; 21.6% crude protein). The chickens were offered simultaneous access to the control feed and a feed supplemented with one of the two amino acid mixes added at 73% above standard dietary levels. Experiment 2 consisted of the selection of the bottom 5 SG and top 5 FG chickens from a flock of 580 to study differences in amino acid metabolism using the proventriculus representing gut sensing mechanism. In this experiment, transcriptomic, proteomic, and genomic analyses were used to compare the two groups of chickens., Results: SG preferred NEAA, while they rejected EAA supplemented feeds (P < 0.05). However, FG rejected NEAA (P < 0.05), and they were indifferent to EAA supplemented feed (P > 0.05). Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses identified 909 differentially expressed genes and 146 differentially abundant proteins associated with differences in growth rate (P < 0.05). The integration of gene expression and protein abundance patterns showed the downregulation of sensing and transport of alanine and glucose associated with increased alanine catabolism to pyruvate in SG chickens., Conclusion: Dietary preferences for NEAA in the SG group are associated with a potential cytosolic depletion of alanine following an upregulation of the catabolism into TCA cycle intermediates., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Ixeris chinensis (Thunb.) Nakai (IC) is a folk medicinal herb used in Mongolian medical clinics for the treatment of hepatitis and fatty liver diseases even though its pharmacological mechanism has not been well characterized. This study investigated the hepatoprotective mechanism of IC on mice with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by integrating gut microbiota and metabolomic analysis. A high-fat diet (HFD) was used to develop nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, after which the mice were treated with oral IC (0.5, 1.5 and 3.0 g/kg) for 10 weeks. HFD induced NAFLD and the therapeutic effects were characterized by pathological and histological evaluations, and the serum indicators were analyzed by ELISA. The gut microbial and metabolite profiles were studied by 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analysis, respectively. The results showed that the administration of IC resulted in significant decreases in body weight; liver index; serum biomarkers such as ALT, TG, and LDL-C; and the liver inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that administration of IC extract altered both the composition and abundance of the gut microbiota. Untargeted metabolomic analysis of liver samples detected a total of 212 metabolites, of which 128 were differentially expressed between the HFD and IC group. IC was found to significantly alter the levels of metabolites such as L-glutamic acid, pyridoxal, ornithine, L-aspartic acid, D-proline, and N4-acetylaminobutanal, which are involved in the regulation of glutamine and glutamate, Vitamin B6 metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolic pathways. Correlation analysis indicated that the effects of the IC extract on metabolites were associated with alterations in the abundance of Akkermansiaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Muribaculaceae. Our study revealed that IC has a potential hepatoprotective effect in NAFLD and that its function might be linked to improvements in the composition of gut microbiota and their metabolites.

Carbon dots (CDs) provide distinctive advantages of strong fluorescence, good photostability, high water solubility, and outstanding biocompatibility, and thus are widely exploited as potential imaging agents for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. Imaging is absolutely necessary when discovering the structure and function of cells, detecting biomarkers in diagnosis, tracking the progress of ongoing disease, treating various tumors, and monitoring therapeutic efficacy, making it an important approach in modern biomedicine. Numerous investigations of CDs have been intensively studied for utilization in bioimaging-supported medical sciences. However, there is still no article highlighting the potential importance of CD-based bioimaging to support various biomedical applications. Herein, we summarize the development of CDs as fluorescence (FL) nanoprobes with different FL colors for potential bioimaging-based applications in living cells, tissue, and organisms, including the bioimaging of various cell types and targets, bioimaging-supported sensing of metal ions and biomolecules, and FL imaging-guided tumor therapy. Current CD-based microscopic techniques and their advantages are also highlighted. This review discusses the significance of advanced CD-supported imaging-based in vitro and in vivo investigations, suggests the potential of CD-based imaging for biomedicine, and encourages the effective selection and development of superior probes and platforms for further biomedical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest with this study., (Copyright © 2022 Le Minh Tu Phan and Sungbo Cho.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing quercetin extracted from Sophora japonica flower (QS) to the diet of broiler chicks on their growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, cecal microbiota, serum lipid profiles, relative organ weight, and breast muscle quality., Methods: A total of 1,088 1-day-old broiler chicks (mixed sex) were randomly assigned to four groups based on the initial body weight (43.00±0.29 g). The experimental period was 35 days (starter, days 0 to 7; grower, days 7 to 21; finisher, days 21 to 35). There were 17 replicate cages per treatment and 16 birds per cage. Dietary treatments consisted of birds receiving basal diet without quercetin as the control group and treatment groups consisted of birds fed basal diet supplemented with 0.2, 0.4, or 0.6 g/kg QS., Results: With the increase of the QS dosage, body weight gain during days 0 to 7 (p = 0.021), 7 to 21 (p = 0.010), and 1 to 35 (p = 0.045), feed intake during days 0 to 7 (p = 0.037) and 1 to 35 (p = 0.025), apparent dry matter digestibility (p = 0.008), apparent energy retention (p = 0.004), cecal lactic acid bacteria counts (p = 0.023), the relative weight of breast muscle (p = 0.014), pH value from breast muscle (p<0.001), and the water holding capacity of breast muscle (p = 0.012) increased linearly, whereas the drip loss from breast muscle (p = 0.001) decreased linearly., Conclusion: The addition of QS in the diet of broiler chicks had positive effects on the breast muscle yield and breast muscle quality, and improved the dry matter digestibility and energy retention by increasing cecal beneficial bacteria counts, thus improving growth performance.

The self-assembled monolayer (SAM) is the most common organic assembly utilized for the formation of the monolayers of alkane-thiolates on gold electrode, resulting in a wide range of applications for the modified SAM on gold in various research areas. This study examined the desorption of a SAM that was developed on the gold surface of an interdigitated chain-shaped electrode (the ICE, a unique electrode design, was fabricated by our group) with the goal of determining the most efficient strategy of SAM removal for the ICE to be re-used. A simple and proficient solution-based cleaning procedure was applied for the removal of a SAM on the gold surface of the ICE by using a sodium borohydride solution within short-term treatment, resulting in efficiency for the recovery of the originally electrochemical characteristic of ICE of 90.3%. The re-use of ICE after the removal process was confirmed by the successful re-deposition of a SAM onto the electrode surface, resulting in the high efficiency percentage of 90.1% for the reusability of ICE with the SAM modification. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) were used as tools to investigate the changes in the electrode interface at each stage of the SAM removal and the electrode recycling. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were employed, being powerful spectrum techniques, for the characterization of the bonding structure and chemical state of the bare ICE and the modified ICE at each treatment step. Based on the comprehensive discussion of analytical chemistry from the obtained EIS and CV data in this study, we confirmed and proved the effectiveness of this promising method for the removal of a SAM from the ICE and the re-use of ICE in the field of material deposition, with the aims of saving money, improving experimental handling, and protecting the environment.

This study investigated the effect of a synergistic blend of free and buffered organic acid (FMP) on the performance of piglets born to sows supplemented with a blend of short- and medium-chain organic acids (SGG) during the late gestation and lactation period. A total of 150 multiparous sows (n = 50/treatment, Landrace × Yorkshire) were blocked (2.4 parity) and assigned to 1 of 3 dietary treatments: CON - corn-soybean meal-based basal diet, SGG-Low - CON+ 1.5 kg/ton SGG, and SGG-High - CON + 3kg/ton SGG. During weaning, 600 piglets (6.72 ± 0.5kg) which weaned from sows supplemented with 3 levels of SGG were allocated to 2 weaner diets (Control and FMP - 3kg/ton) following 3 × 2 factorial arrangement. Supplemental effects on performance were measured at d0-d21 and d 21-42, and the entire period. Pigs fed with FMP and born to sows supplemented with SGG-High gained more weight and ate more ( p < 0.05) compared with those in the CON group in both phases, and with SGG-Low in the second phase. Over the entire post-weaning period, piglets born to sows supplemented with SGG-Low and SGG-High had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and body weight (BW) ( p < 0.05). Regardless of sow treatment, pigs fed with an FMP diet had higher ADG ( p < 0.001), BW ( p = 0.045), and a lower feed conversion ratio ( p = 0.033). Also, feeding FMP diets reduced the fecal Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens counts at d42. The current study indicates that sows fed SGG supplement had a positive carry-over effect on the post-weaning growth rate, and FMP supplement enhances the growth performance and reduced the number of C. perfringens and E. coli . Thus, the application of 3 kg/ton of SGG in sows' diet and subsequent feeding of piglets with FMP would be an effective strategy to improve growth rate and reduce pathogenic bacteria in post-weaned piglets., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2022 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

We investigated the level of amyloid beta (Aβ) in nasal secretions of patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia (ADD) using interdigitated microelectrode (IME) biosensors and determined the predictive value of Aβ in nasal secretions for ADD diagnosis. Nasal secretions were obtained from 35 patients with ADD, 18 with cognitive decline associated with other neurological disorders (OND), and 26 cognitively unimpaired (CU) participants. Capacitance changes in IMEs were measured by capturing total Aβ (ΔC tAβ ). After 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazinepropanesulfonic acid (EPPS) was injected, additional capacitance changes due to the smaller molecular weight Aβ oligomers disassembled from the higher molecular weight oligomeric Aβ were determined (ΔC oAβ ). By dividing two values, the capacitance ratio (ΔC oAβ /ΔC tAβ ) was determined and then normalized to the capacitance change index (CCI). The CCI was higher in the ADD group than in the OND (p = 0.040) and CU groups (p = 0.007). The accuracy of the CCI was fair in separating into the ADD and CU groups (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.718, 95% confidence interval = 0.591-0.845). These results demonstrate that the level of Aβ in nasal secretions increases in ADD and the detection of Aβ in nasal secretions using IME biosensors may be possible in predicting ADD.

In this study, we have provided a novel analytical integration between hydrogel-based cell chip and Electric Cell-substrate Impedance Sensing (ECIS) technique to apply to a high-throughput, real-time cell viability assay and drug screening. For simulating the drug diffusion model, we have developed a hydrogel-based tissue-mimicking structure with microfluidic channel, without unwanted flow, to generate a gradient concentration with long-term stability. Along the gradient line, four individual micro-electrodes were installed to record the impedance signal changes, which result from the cell viability under drug effects. By watching for cellular impedance changes, we successfully estimated the cytotoxicity of the treatment corresponding to the various concentration values of stimuli, generated by the diffusion process along the channel. Reliable IC50 values and time-dose relationships were also achieved. With the feature of real-time monitoring capability, the advantages of non-invasion, label-free detection, time saving and simple manipulation, our integrative device has become a promising high throughput cell-based on-chip platform for cell viability assay and drug screening., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)