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An alternative hatching system known as hatch on-farm (HOF) provides early access to feed compared to hatch in hatchery (HH) system. Early feeding may promote favorable gut development, potentially improving intestinal health and broiler performance. Previous studies have assessed the effects of HOF on chick quality, welfare and performance, its impacts on gut health remain inconclusive. A total of 560 Ross 308 male chicks were reared until d 38, hatched either in a hatchery (n = 280) or on-farm (n = 280), with 14 replicates per system and 20 birds per pen. Production parameters were periodically monitored. Digestive and immune organ characteristics, intestinal permeability and histomorphology were assessed on d 7, 14, and 38. High-throughput qPCR analyzed 79 ileal genes regarding barrier integrity, immune function, nutrient transporters, gut hormones, metabolism, and oxidation. HOF chicks had higher d1 body weights than HH chicks (P < 001), but this advantage disappeared within first week, with no subsequent performance differences. HOF chickens demonstrated increased duodenal villus width on d 7 and 14, and increased ileal crypt depth and submucosal thickness on d 7 (P < 0.05). Relative bursal weight was higher on d 14 (P = 0.018) and tended to be higher on d 38 in HOF chickens (P = 0.094). Intestinal permeability remained unaffected (P > 0.05), while HH chicks showed upregulation of gut barrier genes such as MUC5ac on d 7 and CLDN2 and MUC2 on d 14 (P < 0.05). HH chicks also showed upregulation of nutrient transports including VDR on d 7 and SLC30A1 and SLC5A9 on d 38, and decreased expression of the appetite-suppressing hormone CCK on d 7 (P < 0.05). HOF chicks upregulated immune-related genes, including IL-8 on d 7, IL-6, IFN-γ, AVBD9 on d 14, and NOS2 on d 38 (P < 0.05), and the oxidation gene HIF1A on d 38 (P = 0.039). In conclusion, although the HOF showed only transient growth advantages, it enhanced mucosal morphology and modulated immunity, indicating improved intestinal health., 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 © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Hatch weight (HW) affects broiler growth and low HW (LHW) often leads to suboptimal performance. Sodium butyrate (SB) has been shown to promote growth through enhanced intestinal health. This study investigated how broilers with different HW responded to in ovo SB injection and whether SB could enhance gut health and performance in LHW chicks. Ross 308 broiler eggs were injected on incubation d 12 with physiological saline (control) or SB at 0.1% (SB1), 0.3% (SB3), or 0.5% (SB5). Post-hatch, male chicks from each treatment were categorized as high HW (HHW) or LHW and assigned to 8 groups in a 4 × 2 factorial design. Production parameters were recorded periodically. Intestinal weight, length, and gene expression related to gut barrier function and immune response were examined on d 14 and 42. Cecal microbiota dynamics and predicted functionality were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing., Results: SB treatments did not affect hatchability. HHW-control group exhibited consistently better weight gain and FCR than LHW-control group. SB dose-dependently influenced performance and gut health in both HW categories, with greater effects in LHW broilers at 0.3%. LHW-SB3 group attained highest body weight on d 42, exceeding controls but not significantly differing from HHW-SB3 group. LHW-SB3 group showed upregulation of gut-barrier genes CLDN1 in ileum, TJP1 in jejunum and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in both jejunum and ileum on d 14. Additionally, LHW-SB3 group upregulated mucin-producing MUC6 gene in ileum, while HHW-SB5 group increased pro-inflammatory IL-12p40 cytokine in caecum on d 42. LHW-SB3 group demonstrated shorter relative intestinal lengths, while HHW-SB5 had longer lengths. HHW-control group had higher bacterial diversity and growth-promoting bacteria while LHW-control group harbored the potential pathogen Helicobacter. SB reshaped gut microbiota biodiversity, composition, and predicted metabolic pathways in both HW categories. The LHW-SB3 group exhibited highest alpha diversity on d 14 and most beneficial bacteria at all timepoints. HHW-SB5 group presented increased pathogenic Escherichia-Shigella and Campylobacter on d 42., Conclusions: HW significantly affects subsequent performance and SB has differential effects based on HW. LHW chicks benefited more from 0.3% SB, showing improvements in growth, intestinal development, health, and gut microbiota characteristics., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The bird rearing and slaughter procedures followed the Ethics Committee guidelines and complied with the Polish Act on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (15 January 2015), implementing EU Directive 2010/63/EU. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Dietary supplementation with plant-based products may arise as part of an alternative strategy to using antibiotics as growth promoters in the poultry industry. Garlic powder (GP) possesses antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. The aim was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of GP on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of the Japanese quail. A total of 240, day-old mixed gender Japanese quail were assigned to 4 treatment groups, each group being replicated 4 times and containing 15 birds in each replication. Birds were provided with either a basal diet (control) or basal diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1% and 2% GP for 5 wk. At slaughter age, birds fed 1% GP had higher (P < 0.05) live weight and body weight gain when compared to the control. Supplementation with different levels of GP had no influence (P > 0.05) on feed intake, feed conversion ratio except 3rd wk, carcass traits and abdominal fat. Thiobarbituric acid, peroxide and pH values in breast meat of birds receiving GP (1% or 2%) after storage (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d) were lower (P < 0.05) than the birds in control. Furthermore, total psychrophilic bacteria count was lower in breast meat of birds supplemented with GP at any dose compared to the birds of control. Sensory characteristics such as color, aroma, juiciness and tenderness were observed significantly better (P < 0.05) in GP supplemented groups especially when fed 1% GP. In conclusion, supplementing the diet with 1% to 2% GP demonstrated growth-promoting effects and positively impacted meat quality, including sensory characteristics., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Variation in body weight (BW) within broiler flocks is a significant challenge in poultry production. Investigating differences in gut-related parameters between low (LBW) and high BW (HBW) chicks may provide insights into the underlying causes of BW heterogeneity. 908 day-old male broiler chicks were reared until d 7 and then ranked into LBW and HBW groups. Thereafter, performance parameters were compared between BW groups periodically. On d 7, 14, and 38, visceral organ characteristics, intestinal permeability, and duodenal and ileal histomorphology were examined. Expression profiles were analyzed for 79 ileal genes related to gut barrier function, immune function, nutrient transport, gut hormones, nutrient receptors, metabolism, and oxidation using high-throughput qPCR. Student's t-tests were performed to compare measurements. Multivariate statistics, including partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis, were applied to identify combinations of key genes discriminating BW groups, offering predictive capability for phenotypic variations. The HBW group remained heavier at each timepoint, which could be explained by higher feed intake. The HBW group had shorter relative small intestine length but higher villus height and villi height/crypt depth ratios. The LBW group demonstrated increased intestinal permeability on d 38. The LBW group showed upregulation of immune response genes including TNF-α on d 7 and CYP450 on d 38, while the HBW group showed higher AHSA1 and HSPA4 expressions on d 7. The LBW group had upregulation of the metabolism genes mTOR and EIF4EBP1 on d 7 and the satiety-induced hormone cholecystokinin on d 14, while the HBW group tended to increase expression of the hunger hormone ghrelin on d 38. Genes related to gut barrier function, nutrient transport, and oxidation categories were consistently upregulated in the HBW group. PLSR models revealed 4, 12, and 11 sets of key genes highly predictive of BW phenotypes on d 7, 14, and 38, respectively. These findings suggest that growth rates are linked to the intestinal size, structure, and function of broiler chickens, offering insights into the underlying mechanisms regulating BW., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Drought stress deteriorates agro-ecosystems and poses a significant threat to crop productivity and food security. Soil amended with biochar has been suggested to mitigate water stress, but there is limited knowledge about how biochar affects the physiology and vegetative growth of quinoa plants under soil water deficits. We grew three quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) varieties, Titicaca (V1), Quipu (V2), and UAFQ7 (V3) in sandy loam soil without (B0) and with 2% woodchip biochar (B2) under drought conditions. The drought resulted in significant growth differences between the varieties. V3 performed vegetatively better, producing 46% more leaves, 28% more branches, and 25% more leaf area than the other two varieties. Conversely, V2 displayed significantly higher yield-contributing traits, with 16% increment in panicle length and 50% more subpanicles compared to the other varieties. Woodchip biochar application significantly enhanced the root development (i.e., root biomass, length, surface, and projected area) and plant growth (i.e., plant height, leaf area, and absolute growth rate). Biochar significantly enhanced root growth, especially fresh and dry weights, by 122% and 127%, respectively. However, biochar application may lead to a trade-off between vegetative growth and panicle development under drought stress as shown for V3 grown in soil with woodchip biochar. However, V3B2 produced longer roots and more biomass. Collectively, we suggest exploring the effects of woodchip biochar addition to the soil on the varietal physiological responses such as stomatal regulations and mechanisms behind the increased quinoa yield under water stress conditions.

Background: Variations in body weight (BW) remain a significant challenge within broiler flocks, despite uniform management practices. Chicken growth traits are influenced by gut microbiota, which are in turn shaped by early-life events like different hatching environments and timing of first feeding. Chicks hatched in hatcheries (HH) experience prolonged feed deprivation, which could adversely impact early microbiota colonization. Conversely, hatching on-farm (HOF) allows early feeding, potentially fostering a more favorable gut environment for beneficial microbial establishment. This study investigates whether BW differences among broilers are linked to the disparities in gut microbiota characteristics and whether hatching systems (HS) impact the initial microbial colonization of broilers differing in BW, which in turn affects their growth patterns. Male Ross-308 chicks, either hatched in a hatchery or on-farm, were categorized into low (LBW) and high (HBW) BW groups on day 7, making a two-factorial design (HS × BW). Production parameters were recorded periodically. On days 7, 14, and 38, cecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) and microbiota composition and function (using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing and PICRUSt2) were examined., Results: HOF chicks had higher day 1 BW, but HH chicks caught up within first week, with no further HS-related performance differences. The HBW chicks remained heavier attributed to higher feed intake rather than improved feed efficiency. HBW group had higher acetate concentration on day 14, while LBW group exhibited higher isocaproate on day 7 and isobutyrate on days 14 and 38. Microbiota analyses revealed diversity and composition were primarily influenced by BW than by HS, with HS having minimal impact on BW-related microbiota. The HBW group on various growth stages was enriched in VFA-producing bacteria like unclassified Lachnospiraceae, Alistipes and Faecalibacterium, while the LBW group had higher abundances of Lactobacillus, Akkermansia and Escherichia-Shigella. HBW microbiota presented higher predicted functional potential compared to the LBW group, with early colonizers exhibiting greater metabolic activity than late colonizers., Conclusions: Despite differences in hatching conditions, the effects of HS on broiler performance were transient, and barely impacting BW-related microbiota. BW variations among broilers are likely linked to differences in feed intake, VFA profiles, and distinct microbiota compositions and functions., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Surface roughness is an important factor to consider when evaluating the loads of surface runoff caused by road-deposited sediment (RDS) wash-off and creating management solutions for this occurrence in metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, the implications of surface roughness on RDS development and escape remain unclear due to a paucity of experimental evidence distinguishing the significance of surface roughness. This research aimed to differentiate the impact of surface roughness on RDS accumulation and wash-off by employing paired asphalt, rainfall simulation designs, and concrete road surfaces. Our findings indicated that normal asphalt surfaces are typically rougher than typical concrete surfaces because they frequently contain deeper depressions. Compared to concrete surfaces, asphalt surfaces typically retain more RDS, a higher proportion of coarse aggregates, more RDS wash-off loads, and a lower proportion of wash-off. Surface roughness has varying impacts on the RDS motilities of particulates of varying sizes during rainy runoff; nevertheless, the settleable particles (40-150 μm) were more noticeably impacted by it. The first flush effect also seemed to be more pronounced on surfaces with lower roughness. Hence, surface roughness has a significant impact on how RDS builds on and is washed off of various road aspects.

Quinoa's germplasm evaluation is the first step towards determining its suitability under new environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to introduce suitable germplasm to the lowland areas of the Faisalabad Plain that could then be used to introduce quinoa more effectively to that region. A set of 117 quinoa genotypes belonging to the USDA quinoa collection was evaluated for 11 phenotypic quantitative traits (grain yield (Y), its biological and numerical components plus phenological variables) in a RCBD during two consecutive growing seasons at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan under mid-autumn sowings. Genotypic performance changed across the years, however most phenotypic traits showed high heritability, from 0.75 for Harvest Index (HI) to 0.97 for aerial biomass (B) and Y. Ordination and cluster analyses differentiated four groups dominated by genotypes from: Peru and the Bolivian Highlands (G1); the Bolivian Highlands (G2); the Ballón collection (regarded as a cross between Bolivian and Sea Level (Chilean) genotypes) plus Bolivian Highlands (G3); and Ballón plus Sea Level (G4), this latter group being the most differentiated one. This genetic structure shared similarities with previous groups identified using SSR markers and G×E data from an international quinoa test. G4 genotypes showed the highest Y associated with higher B and seed numbers (SN), while HI made a significant contribution to yield determination in G2 and seed weight (SW) in G3. G1 and G2 showed the lowest Y associated with a lower B and SN. Moreover, SW showed a strongly negative association with SN in G2. Accordingly, G4 followed by G3 are better suited to the lowland areas of Faisalabad plain and the physiological traits underlying yield determination among genotypic groups should be considered in future breeding programs.

Bio-inspired Topographically Mediated Surfaces (TMSs) based on high aspect ratio nanostructures have recently been attracting significant attention due to their pronounced antimicrobial properties by mechanically disrupting cellular processes. However, scalability of such surfaces is often greatly limited, as most of them rely on micro/nanoscale fabrication techniques. In this report, a cost-effective, scalable, and versatile approach of utilizing diamond nanotechnology for producing TMSs, and using them for limiting the spread of emerging infectious diseases, is introduced. Specifically, diamond-based nanostructured coatings are synthesized in a single-step fabrication process with a densely packed, needle- or spike-like morphology. The antimicrobial proprieties of the diamond nanospike surface are qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed and compared to other surfaces including copper, silicon, and even other diamond surfaces without the nanostructuring. This surface is found to have superior biocidal activity, which is confirmed via scanning electron microscopy images showing definite and widespread destruction of E. coli cells on the diamond nanospike surface. Consistent antimicrobial behavior is also observed on a sample prepared seven years prior to testing date., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Conversion and storage of solar energy into fuels and chemicals by artificial photosynthesis has been considered as one of the promising methods to address the global energy crisis. However, it is still far from the practical applications on a large scale. Nanoarray structures that combine the advantages of nanosize and array alignment have demonstrated great potential to improve solar energy conversion efficiency, stability, and selectivity. This article provides a comprehensive review on the utilization of nanoarray structures in artificial photosynthesis of renewable fuels and high value-added chemicals. First, basic principles of solar energy conversion and superiorities of using nanoarray structures in this field are described. Recent research progress on nanoarray structures in both abiotic and abiotic-biotic hybrid systems is then outlined, highlighting contributions to light absorption, charge transport and transfer, and catalytic reactions (including kinetics and selectivity). Finally, conclusions and outlooks on future research directions of nanoarray structures for artificial photosynthesis are presented., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

This study aimed to genotype the polymorphism (c.654G > A) in the exon 3 of the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene (IGF1R) and to analyze its association with growth, body size, slaughter and meat quality traits in Colored Polish Merino sheep. In total, 67 traits were analyzed. The IGF1R polymorphism was genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method. The MIXED procedure of the SAS software was used to assess the genotypic effects of the polymorphism (c.654G > A) on production traits of interest. The IGF1R c.654G > A genotypes were found to have a significant effect on the average daily gain between the 56th and 78th day of life, cold carcass, leg part, leg cut, fore shank, and kidney weights, as well as eye of loin depth, intramuscular fat content, and water-holding capacity of meat. The results suggest that the studied polymorphism may provide useful information for marker-assisted selection for increased meat performance in Colored Polish Merino sheep., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The WHO has declared COVID-19 illness a global health concern which is caused by 2019-nCoV, causing severe respiratory tract infections in humans. Transmissibility among individual to individual have been reported through droplets and probably also via contaminated surfaces and hands. Human coronaviruses can persist on inanimate surfaces such as plastic, glass, fibers and metals up to nine days. 2019-nCoV remains infectious in air for 3 h and on inanimate surfaces such as cardboard, copper, plastic and steel up to 24, 4, 72 and 48 h respectively. Disinfectant activity of various biocidal agents against coronaviruses like ethanol (62-71%), sodium hypochlorite (0.1%) and hydrogen peroxide (0.5%) can be regarded effective against 2019-nCoV as well. As no vaccine and antiviral therapies have been discovered for 2019-nCoV, prevention of further spread will viable option to control the ongoing and future outbreaks., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe author declares that there is no conflict of interest., (© Indian Virological Society 2020.)

The emergence and global spread of bacterial resistance to currently available antibiotics underscore the urgent need for new alternative antibacterial agents. Recent studies on the application of nanomaterials as antibacterial agents have demonstrated their great potential for management of infectious diseases. Among these antibacterial nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials (CNMs) have attracted much attention due to their unique physicochemical properties and relatively higher biosafety. Here, a comprehensive review of the recent research progress on antibacterial CNMs is provided, starting with a brief description of the different kinds of CNMs with respect to their physicochemical characteristics. Then, a detailed introduction to the various mechanisms underlying antibacterial activity in these materials is given, including physical/mechanical damage, oxidative stress, photothermal/photocatalytic effect, lipid extraction, inhibition of bacterial metabolism, isolation by wrapping, and the synergistic effect when CNMs are used in combination with other antibacterial materials, followed by a summary of the influence of the physicochemical properties of CNMs on their antibacterial activity. Finally, the current challenges and an outlook for the development of more effective and safer antibacterial CNMs are discussed., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Severe charge recombination in solar water-splitting devices significantly limits their performance. To address this issue, we design a frustum of a cone nanograting configuration by taking the hematite and Au-based thin-film photoanode as a model system, which greatly improves the photoelectrochemical water oxidation activity, affording an approximately 10-fold increase in the photocurrent density at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode compared to the planar counterpart. The surface plasmon polariton-induced electric field in hematite plays a dominant role in efficiency enhancement by facilitating charge separation, thus dramatically increasing the incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) by more than 2 orders of magnitude in the near band gap of hematite. And the relatively weak electric field caused by light scattering in the nanograting structure is responsible for the approximate maximum 20-fold increase in IPCE within a broadband wavelength range. Our scalable strategy can be generalized to other solar energy conversion systems.

This study reports one dimensional lithium hexaoxotungstate (Li 6 WO 6 ), with a diameter in the range of 200-500 nm, as a novel anode material for lithium-ion batteries. The electrochemical performance of lithium hexaoxotungstate was investigated and a discharge capacity of 705 mA h g -1 was achieved after 50 cycles, along with an excellent rate capability. The 1D morphology of the material is believed to provide excellent transport properties, resulting in a high rate capability. The remarkable electrochemical performance of the Li 6 WO 6 nanowires indicates that this new class of anode holds a lot of promise for future deployment in energy storage devices., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

In this paper, lithium hexaoxotungstate (Li 6 WO 6 ) nanowires were synthesized via facile solid-state reaction and were tested for CO 2 capture applications at both low (<100 °C) and high temperatures (>700 °C). Under dry conditions, the nanowire materials were able to capture CO 2 with a weight increment of 12% in only 60 s at an operating temperature of 710 °C. By contrast, under humidified ambience, Li 6 WO 6 nanowires capture CO 2 with weight increment of 7.6% at temperatures as low as 30-40 °C within a time-scale of 1 min. It was observed that the CO 2 chemisorption in Li 6 WO 6 is favored in the oxygen ambience at higher temperatures and in the presence of water vapor at lower temperatures. Nanowire morphology favors the swift lithium supply to the surface of lithium-rich Li 6 WO 6 , thereby enhancing the reaction kinetics and lowering time scales for high capacity adsorption. Overall, high chemisorption capacities, superfast reaction kinetics, wide range of operating temperatures, and reasonably good recyclability make 1-D Li 6 WO 6 materials highly suitable for various CO 2 capture applications.