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This study aimed to investigate the effects of curcumin on the expression of antioxidation-related genes in the liver and jejunum and caecum microorganisms of rabbits. A total of 160 IRA rabbits with similar body weight were randomised assigned to 4 groups. The control group received a basal diet, while the experimental groups were given diets supplemented with 50, 100, and 150 g/t curcumin, respectively. The pre-test period spanned 7 days, followed by a 21-day test period. Results revealed a significant upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) mRNA in the liver and jejunum due to curcumin (p

In the present work, cast iron was used as the carbon source to fabricate WC particle gradient-reinforced W–Cu composites. The results revealed that the surface layer of W–Cu composites after carbonization can be divided into a complete carbonization zone and core-shell structure transition zone, the thickness of the carbonized layer increased gradually with the extension of treatment time. In addition to the W phase and Cu phase, WC and Fe3W3C phases are formed in the surface layer. The hardness and compressive strength of the surface layer show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, and the arc erosion resistance of the surface layer gradually improves with the treatment time extending. The C atoms diffusion relationship between carbonization layer thickness (D), sintering temperature (T), and treatment time (t) of W–Cu composites with cast iron can be fitted as follows: D=1.9287×1013texp(‐929231RT).

Background: E-cigarette use remains high among adolescents, underscoring the need to identify targetable risk factors for intervention. This study examines associations between two social norms constructs (prevalence misperceptions and social acceptability) and at-risk status for e-cigarette use among Texas early adolescents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the CATCH My Breath study, which included n=1032 Texas sixth graders. Students who had ever used or were susceptible to using e-cigarettes were categorized as at-risk for long-term use. Susceptibility was measured using a 3-item index assessing curiosity, intentions, and receptivity to using e-cigarettes. Multi-level logistic regressions assessed associations between social norm constructs and at-risk status for the full and sex-stratified samples. Covariates were race, ethnicity, academics, household/peer tobacco use. Results: Overall, 36 % of 6th grade students were at-risk for e-cigarette use. Approximately 49 % of students overestimated peer e-cigarette use (“prevalence misperceptions”), and 43 % believed adolescent e-cigarette use is highly acceptable (“social acceptability”). Controlling for covariates, students with medium (aOR=1.89; 95 %CI=1.35–2.65) and high (aOR=1.98; 95 %CI=1.41–2.78) prevalence misperceptions had greater odds of being at-risk for e-cigarette use than those with low misperceptions. Students reporting medium (aOR=2.50; 95 %CI=1.66–3.76) and high (aOR=4.70; 95 %CI=3.21–6.90) social acceptability had greater odds of being at-risk for e-cigarette use than those reporting low acceptability. This association was stronger for females, relative to males. Conclusions: Greater prevalence misperceptions and social acceptability were associated with being at-risk for e-cigarette use among this sample of Texas early adolescents. Interventions should consider incorporating these social norms into intervention content.

IntroductionYeast peptides have garnered attention as valuable nutritional modifiers due to their potential health benefits. However, the precise mechanisms underlying their effects remain elusive. This study aims to explore the potential of yeast peptides, when added to diets, to mitigate lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal damage and microbiota alterations in rabbits.MethodsA total of 160 35-day-old Hyla line rabbits (0.96 ± 0.06 kg) were randomly assigned to 4 groups. These groups constituted a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement: basal diet (CON), 100 mg/kg yeast peptide diet (YP), LPS challenge + basal diet (LPS), LPS challenge +100 mg/kg yeast peptide diet (L-YP). The experiment spanned 35 days, encompassing a 7-day pre-feeding period and a 28-day formal trial.ResultsThe results indicated that yeast peptides mitigated the intestinal barrier damage induced by LPS, as evidenced by a significant reduction in serum Diamine oxidase and D-lactic acid levels in rabbits in the L-YP group compared to the LPS group (p

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of curcumin on the growth performance, slaughter performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, and digestive enzyme activity of meat rabbits. One hundred and sixty healthy weaned meat rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (forty replicates per group and one rabbit per replicate). The control group was fed a basal diet and the test groups (T1, T2 and T3) were fed diets supplemented with 50, 100 and 150 g/t curcumin in the basal diet, respectively. The study lasted for 28 days, including a pre-feeding period of 7 days and a formal trial period of 21 days. The results showed that diets supplemented with curcumin significantly increased rabbits’ body weight gain and average daily feed intake; Apparent digestibility of energy, crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, NDF and ADF; Jejunal villus height, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth; The activities of amylase and lipase in jejunal and caecal digesta and cellulase in caecal digesta; Caecal mucosal thickness, eviscerated dressing percentage, and dorsal and abdominal hair thickness (p

Ursolic acid (UA) has demonstrated significant immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effects; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to analyze the impact of UA on the gut microbiome, metabolome, and liver transcriptome, investigate UA’s role in maintaining gut immune homeostasis and liver health, and evaluate the potential contributions of gut microbes and their metabolites to these beneficial effects. Our findings indicate that UA enhances immune balance in the jejunum, fortifies intestinal barrier function, and promotes overall gut health. UA modulates the intestinal microbiota and its metabolic processes, notably increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Odoribacter and Parabacteroides, along with their metabolites, including ornithine and lactucin. Additionally, UA inhibits the expression of interleukin-1 receptor 1 (IL1R1) and calcium (Ca2+) voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit beta 2 (CACNB2) while enhancing the synthesis pathways of retinol and ascorbic acid, thereby exerting a protective influence on liver function. In summary, UA enhances intestinal immune homeostasis and promotes liver health, with these advantageous effects potentially mediated by beneficial bacteria (Odoribacter and Parabacteroides) and their metabolites (ornithine and lactucin).

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the alleviative effect of curcumin (CUR) on the diquat (DQ)-induced cecal injury in broilers. A total of 320 one-day-old Cobb broilers were selected and randomly divided into 4 treatments, namely control, DQ, CUR 100, and CUR150 groups. The control and DQ groups were fed a basal diet, while the CUR 100 and CUR150 groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 100 and 150 mg/kg CUR, respectively. Each group had 8 replicates, with 10 broilers per replicate. On day 21 of the experiment, 1 broiler was selected from each replicate and intraperitoneally injected 20 mg/kg body weight of DQ for DQ, CUR 100, and CUR 150 groups. Broilers in control group received equivalent volume of saline. Broilers were euthanized 48h postinjection for tissue sampling. The results showed that DQ injection could cause oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions in the cecum, affecting the fatty acid production and flora structure, thus leading to cecum damage. Compared with the DQ group, the activity of superoxide dismutase, the level of interleukin 10, acetic acid, and total volatile fatty, and the abundance of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, copper and zinc superoxide dismutase and catalase mRNA in the cecal mucosa of broilers in the CUR group increased significantly (P < 0.05). However, the levels of malondialdehyd, reactive oxygen species, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and the expression of cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the CUR group. In addition, CUR treatment alleviated the damage to the cecum and restored the flora structure, and Lactobacillus and Lactobacillaceae promoted the alleviative effect of CUR on DQ. In summary, CUR could alleviate the cecal injury caused by DQ-induced oxidative damage and inflammatory reactions by regulating the Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway and intestinal flora, thus protecting the cecum.

Enzymolytic soybean meal (ESBM) enriches free amino acids and small peptides, while mitigating anti-nutritional factors. Substituting soybean meal with ESBM enhances animal performance, though optimal piglet dietary supplementation levels vary. The present study aimed to assess the impact of ESBM on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidative capacity and intestinal health of weaned piglets. A total of 120 piglets (initial body weight, 7.0 ± 0.4 kg) were randomly allocated into 4 dietary groups, each comprising 5 replicates with 6 piglets per replicate. The control group received the basal diet, while the experimental groups were fed diets containing 2, 4% or 8% ESBM as a replacement for soybean meal over 28 days. Compared with the control group, piglets supplemented with 4% ESBM exhibited a significant increase (p

IntroductionHeat-killed probiotics, as a type of inactivated beneficial microorganisms, possess an extended shelf life and broader adaptability compared to their live counterparts. This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat-killed Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus, LA) - a deactivated probiotic on the growth performance, digestibility, antioxidant status, immunity and cecal microbiota of rabbits.MethodsTwo hundred weaned Hyla rabbits were randomly allocated into five equal groups (CON, L200, L400, L600, and L800). Over a 28-day period, the rabbits were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 200, 400, 600, and 800 mg/kg of heat-killed LA, respectively.ResultsResults revealed a significant reduction in the feed-to-gain ratio (F/G) in the L600 and L800 groups (p

Abstract Carvacrol (CAR) is a plant extract that has been reported to enhance antioxidant activity in animals. However, the effect of CAR on the intestinal health of rabbits is poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether CAR exerts protective effects on the intestinal health of rabbits following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge and whether these effects were mediated via the reduction of intestinal inflammation and the regulation of the intestinal flora. Intestinal damage was assessed in LPS-challenged rabbits treated or not with CAR. The serum levels of inflammatory factors were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Histopathological changes in the ileum and cecum were examined using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The relative gene expression levels of inflammatory factors and tight junction proteins in the rabbit cecum were determined by qRT-PCR. High-throughput sequencing analysis of the microbial 16S rRNA gene was performed using the Illumina NovaSeq Platform. The results showed that CAR can prevent intestinal inflammation and damage as well as mitigate gut dysbiosis in rabbits following LPS challenge. Our study provides a theoretical reference for the application of dietary CAR in rabbit production.

Objectives To describe the prevalence of school-based tobacco prevention programme exposure among adolescents in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and its association with psychosocial predictors of smoking.Design Analysis of pooled cross-sectional data.Setting Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), conducted in 38 LMICs.Participants This was a pooled analysis of data involving a total of 132 755 adolescent respondents to GYTS in 38 LMICs across Africa, Europe and Central/South America between 2014 and 2017.Exposure and outcome measures The primary independent variable for this study was self-reported exposure to school-based tobacco prevention programmes in the past year. Five psychosocial determinants of smoking were explored as outcomes: perceived addictiveness of nicotine, perceived harm of secondhand smoke exposure, support for restricting cigarette smoking at public indoor locations, support for restricting cigarette smoking at public outdoor areas and self-reported prediction of enjoying cigarette smoking. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between exposure to school-based tobacco prevention programmes and study outcomes, controlling for sociodemographic and smoking-related characteristics of respondents.Results Overall, 59.1% of adolescents in LMICs self-reported exposure to school-based tobacco prevention programmes. The country-specific prevalence of adolescent exposure to school-based tobacco interventions ranged from 24.9% in the Comoros to 99.3% in Turkmenistan. Exposure to school-based tobacco interventions was significantly associated with greater secondhand smoke harm perceptions (adjusted OR (AOR): 1.69; 95% CI: 1.69 to 1.70), perceptions of addictiveness (AOR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.36 to 1.37) and supporting tobacco use restrictions indoors (AOR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.69 to 1.70) and outdoors (AOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.59 to 1.60). Exposure to school-based tobacco interventions was associated with lower odds of anticipating enjoying cigarette smoking (AOR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.76 to 0.76).Conclusion Exposure to tobacco prevention programmes in schools is suboptimal in LMICs. Given the protective associations described in this study from school-based tobacco prevention programme exposure, it is imperative that national governments implement school-based programmes into ongoing tobacco control measures.

IntroductionTo examine if perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness of hookah and cigarettes impact the age of initiation of hookah and cigarettes, respectively, among US youth. Youth (12-17 years old) users and never users of hookah and cigarettes during their first wave of PATH participation were analyzed by each tobacco product (TP) independently. The effect of perceptions of (i) harmfulness and (ii) addictiveness at the first wave of PATH participation on the age of initiation of ever use of hookah was estimated using interval-censoring Cox proportional hazards models.MethodsUsers and never users of hookah at their first wave of PATH participation were balanced by multiplying the sampling weight and the 100 balance repeated replicate weights with the inverse probability weight (IPW). The IPW was based on the probability of being a user in their first wave of PATH participation. A Fay’s factor of 0.3 was included for variance estimation. Crude hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are reported. A similar process was repeated for cigarettes.ResultsCompared to youth who perceived each TP as “a lot of harm”, youth who reported perceived “some harm” had younger ages of initiation of these tobacco products, HR: 2.53 (95% CI: 2.87-4.34) for hookah and HR: 2.35 (95% CI: 2.10-2.62) for cigarettes. Similarly, youth who perceived each TP as “no/little harm” had an earlier age of initiation of these TPs compared to those who perceived them as “a lot of harm”, with an HR: 2.23 (95% CI: 1.82, 2.71) for hookah and an HR: 1.85 (95% CI: 1.72, 1.98) for cigarettes. Compared to youth who reported each TP as “somewhat/very likely” as their perception of addictiveness, youth who reported “neither likely nor unlikely” and “very/somewhat unlikely” as their perception of addictiveness of hookah had an older age of initiation, with an HR: 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67-0.83) and an HR: 0.55 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.63) respectively.DiscussionPerceptions of the harmfulness and addictiveness of these tobacco products (TPs) should be addressed in education campaigns for youth to prevent early ages of initiation of cigarettes and hookah.

ABSTRACT: This study purposed to investigate the alleviating effect of dietary curcumin supplementation on oxidative stress in the liver of broilers induced by diquat. One-day-old Cobb broilers (400) were selected and randomly divided into 5 groups, with 8 replicates and 10 broilers per replicate. The control group and the diquat group were fed the basal diet, while the curcumin supplementation groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with different amounts of curcumin (50, 100, and 150 mg/kg). On d 21 of the test, 1 broiler was randomly selected from each replicate and intraperitoneally injected with 20 mg/mL of diquat solution at a dose of 1 mL/kg BW or equivalent physiological saline (for the control group). After 48 h of feeding, the selected broilers were slaughtered for analysis. The results show that diquat treatment reduced the antioxidant capacity of the liver, caused oxidative stress, and affected its lipid metabolism. However, diet supplementation using curcumin completely or partially reversed the effect of diquat on the liver of broilers. The blood alanine aminotransferase activity, total bilirubin and total protein levels, and liver Caspase-3 mRNA abundance in broilers were lower or significantly lower in the curcumin supplementation group than in the diquat group (P < 0.05). The curcumin supplementation groups had significantly higher total antioxidant capacity activity but significantly lower malondialdehyde in the liver of broilers than the diquat group (P < 0.05). The blood triglyceride level of broilers was lower or significantly lower in the curcumin supplementation groups than in the diquat group (P < 0.05). The activities of cetyl coenzyme A carboxylase in the liver were significantly lower in the 150 mg/kg curcumin supplementation groups than in the DQ group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary curcumin supplementation could ameliorate the effects of diquat-induced oxidative stress on the antioxidant capacity, tissue morphology, and lipid metabolism of the liver of broilers, thus protecting the liver. The recommended dosage for broiler diets is 100 to 150 mg/kg curcumin.

Abstract Background Research on mental health disparities by race-ethnicity in the United States (US) during COVID-19 is limited and has generated mixed results. Few studies have included Asian Americans as a whole or by subgroups in the analysis. Methods Data came from the 2020 Health, Ethnicity, and Pandemic Study, based on a nationally representative sample of 2,709 community-dwelling adults in the US with minorities oversampled. The outcome was psychological distress. The exposure variable was race-ethnicity, including four major racial-ethnic groups and several Asian ethnic subgroups in the US. The mediators included experienced discrimination and perceived racial bias toward one’s racial-ethnic group. Weighted linear regressions and mediation analyses were performed. Results Among the four major racial-ethnic groups, Hispanics (22%) had the highest prevalence of severe distress, followed by Asians (18%) and Blacks (16%), with Whites (14%) having the lowest prevalence. Hispanics’ poorer mental health was largely due to their socioeconomic disadvantages. Within Asians, Southeast Asians (29%), Koreans (27%), and South Asians (22%) exhibited the highest prevalence of severe distress. Their worse mental health was mainly mediated by experienced discrimination and perceived racial bias. Conclusions Purposefully tackling racial prejudice and discrimination is necessary to alleviate the disproportionate psychological distress burden in racial-ethnic minority groups.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the alleviative effect of quercetagetin (QG) on zearalenone (ZEN)-induced liver injury in rabbits.Methods: Ninety 41-day-old healthy Hyla rabbits were randomly assigned into three groups, including a control (fed with basic diet), ZEN addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 μg/kg ZEN), and ZEN + QG addition group (fed with basic diet + 600 μg/kg ZEN + 100 mg/kg QG), with 30 rabbits per group. The duration of the experiment was 28 days.Results: The results revealed no significant differences in the average daily gain, average daily feed intake, the gain to feed ratio and the liver, kidney and spleen organ indexes (p > 0.05) between the rabbits across the three groups. However, the sacculus rotundus index of the rabbits in the control group was significantly higher than that in the ZEN + QG group (p < 0.05). The intake of ZEN-contaminated diet also significantly increased the activities or levels of alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin, malondialdehyde, and interleukin-4 (IL-4) and enhanced the abundance of kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3 (Caspase-3) mRNA in the blood or liver tissue in ZEN group, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). On the contrary, the activities or levels of immunoglobulin A, complement 3, total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase, interleukin-10, and the abundance of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Supplementing the diet with QG still maintained significantly higher levels of TBA and IL-4, and the abundance of GSH-Px, HSP70, IL-4, and Caspase-3 mRNA in the blood and liver of rabbits in the ZEN + QG group than in the control group (p < 0.05). At the same time, the other indicators were restored to levels in the control group (p > 0.05).Discussion: In conclusion, QG alleviated the ZEN-induced oxidative damage and liver injury caused by inflammatory reaction through the Keap1-Nrf2-antioxidant response element (ARE) signal pathway, which protected the liver. This study revealed the alleviative effect of QG on the hepatotoxicity of ZEN in rabbits for the first time, providing a new perspective for applying QG and developing a ZEN antidote.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is considered the most toxic carcinogenic compound, and exposure to AFB1 is highly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different doses of AFB1 on growth performance and the liver of rabbits, as well as explore its underlying mechanisms. A total of eighty 30-day-old meat rabbits were randomly divided into four treatments. The control group was fed a pollution-free diet, while the AFL, AFM, and AFH groups were fed contaminated diets containing 13 μg/kg, 19 μg/kg, and 25 μg/kg of AFB1, respectively. The results showed that AFB1 had detrimental effects on the production performance of rabbits, resulting in decreased weight gain. Additionally, AFB1 exposure was associated with increased activity of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), as well as decreased levels of total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) in the serum. AFB1 induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) while inhibiting the activity of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activity in liver tissues. AFB1 decreased the mRNA transcription and protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase quinone-1 (NQO-1). AFB1 not only decreased the contents of cytochrome P4501A2 (CYP1A2), cytochrome P4502A6 (CYP2A6) and cytochrome P4503A4 (CYP3A4) but also increased the content of AFB1-DNA adducts in the liver. Furthermore, AFB1 enhanced the expression of cytochrome c (cyt-c), caspase-9, caspase-3, and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), while inhibiting the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Therefore, we demonstrated that AFB1 triggered apoptosis in rabbit hepatocytes via mediating oxidative stress and switching on the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, and decreased rabbit performance.

Introduction: There is currently evidence suggesting that ursolic acid may exert a favorable influence on both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant impact. Nevertheless, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of ursolic acid have not been systematically evaluated. Consequently, this study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis regarding the impact of ursolic acid on markers of inflammatory and antioxidant activity in both animal models and in vitro systems.Methods: The search encompassed databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, up until May 2023. All eligible articles in English were included in the analysis. Standard mean difference (SMD) was pooled using a random-effects model, and the included studies underwent a thorough assessment for potential bias.Results: The final review comprised 31 articles. In disease-model related studies, animal experiments have consistently shown that ursolic acid significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory parameters IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in mouse tissues. In vitro studies have similarly showed that ursolic acid significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory parameters IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. Our results showed that ursolic acid could significantly elevate SOD and GSH levels, while significantly reducing MDA levels in animal tissues. The results of in vitro studies shown that ursolic acid significantly increased the level of GSH and decreased the level of MDA.Discussion: Findings from both animal and in vitro studies suggest that ursolic acid decreases inflammatory cytokine levels, elevates antioxidant enzyme levels, and reduces oxidative stress levels (graphical abstract). This meta-analysis furnishes compelling evidence for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of ursolic acid.

The study aimed to examine the multi-organs toxicity of zearalenone on prepubertal gilts. A total of 48 (Landrace × Yorkshire) prepubertal gilts were randomly divided into 4 groups with 12 replicates in each group. The control group were fed with basal diet, the experimental groups were fed test diets supplemented with 0, 200, 800 and 1600 μg/kg zearalenone in the basal diet. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The results showed that the average daily feed intake of prepubertal gilts in each group had no significant change (p > .05). Diets supplemented with zearalenone significantly reduced the serum immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, follicle stimulating hormone concentrations and total antioxidant capacity activity of prepubertal gilts (p < .05). Diets supplemented with zearalenone significantly increased the vulva area, the serum concentration of interleukin-4 and activities of alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase of prepubertal gilts (p < .05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of zearalenone has no obvious effect on the average daily feed intake of prepubertal gilts. However, it can increase its vulva area, produce reproductive toxicity, cause liver damage, reduce the serum immunoglobulin concentrations and antioxidant capability and disrupt the secretion of sex hormones.HIGHLIGHTS Dietary supplementation of zearalenone significantly increases the vulva area of prepubertal gilts. Dietary supplementation of zearalenone significantly increases serum ALT and ALP activities of prepubertal gilts. Dietary supplementation of zearalenone reduce serum immunoglobulin levels and antioxidant capability of prepubertal gilts. Dietary supplementation of zearalenone decreased the secretion of FSH of prepubertal gilts. Zearalenone exerts its toxic effects in multiple ways simultaneously.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of enzymolytic soybean meal (ESBM) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, serum biochemical parameters, immunity, carcase performance and meat quality of Rex rabbits. One hundred and twenty healthy weaned Rex rabbits were randomly divided into four groups (30 replicates per group and one rabbit per replicate). The control group was fed the basal diet and the ESBM treated groups (T1, T2 and T3) were fed 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% ESBM instead of the equivalent amount of soybean meal (SBM) in the basal diet, respectively. The study lasted 61 days, including a pre-feeding period of 5 days and a formal trial period of 56 days. Compared with the control group, the feed to weight ratio was significantly decreased in both T2 and T3 groups (p 0.05). In conclusion, the replacement of SBM with ESBM (1.5%) in the diet can reduce the feed to weight ratio, increase the activity of some digestive enzymes, improve carcase performance, and enhance immunity of Rex rabbits.HIGHLIGHTS ESBM improved growth performance, gastrointestinal digestive enzyme activity and carcase performance of Rex rabbits. ESBM increased serum lysozyme activity and albumin content of Rex rabbits. ESBM could be used as a new kind of feed additive for Rex rabbits.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of enzymolytic soybean meal (ESBM) on antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology and caecal microbiota in Rex rabbits. One-hundred-twenty 40-day-old healthy Rex rabbits were randomly divided into four groups with thirty replicates in each group and one rabbit per replicate. The control group was fed the basal diet and the ESBM treated groups (T1, T2 and T3) were fed 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% ESBM instead of the equivalent amount of soybean meal (SBM) in the basal diet, respectively. The study lasted 61 days, including a pre-feeding period of 5 days and a formal trial period of 56 days. Compared with the control group, the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver, as well as total antioxidant capacity were significantly increased in the T3 group (p 0.05). Compared with the control group, the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-013 was increased significantly in both T2 and T3 groups (p

Abstract Background In camels, nasopharyngeal myiasis is caused by the larvae of Cephalopina titillator, which parasitize the tissues of nasal and paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. C. titillator infestation adversely affects the health of camels and decreases milk and meat production and even death. However, the C. titillator infestation in Bactrian camels has not been widely studied. Methods The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and risk factors of C. titillator in Bactrian camels of northwestern Xinjiang. Suspected larvae recovered from infested camels were evaluated for C. titillator by microscopy and polymerase chain reaction. Nucleotide sequences of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) and cytochrome b (CYTB) genes from the C. titillator of camels were aligned from the NCBI database. Furthermore, the gross and histopathological alterations associated with C. titillator infestation were evaluated via pathological examination. Results Of 1263 camels examined 685 (54.2%) camels were infested with suspected C. titillator larvae. Different larval stages were topically detected in the nasal passages and pharynx of the camel heads. Microscopy analysis of the pharyngeal mucosa tissue revealed necrotic tissue debris and some inflammatory cells. Molecular detection of the larval COX1 and CYTB genes indicated that pathogen collected in Bactrian camels was C. titillator. The epidemiological study demonstrated that the prevalence rate of C.titillator infestation was significantly higher in camels of Bestierek Town Pasture (67.2%) and Karamagai Town Pasture (63.6%) compared to Kitagel Town Pasture (38.7%) and Qibal Town Pasture (35.8%) (P 0.05). The prevalence was higher in warm (64.2%) than that in cold (48.4%) seasons (P 10 (61.1%) years old compared to those of aged

Background: Home-based self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may be an alternative for women not attending clinic-based cervical cancer screening. Methods: We assessed barriers to care and motivators to use at-home HPV self-sampling kits during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of a randomized controlled trial evaluating kit effectiveness. Participants were women aged 30–65 and under-screened for cervical cancer in a safety-net healthcare system. We conducted telephone surveys in English/Spanish among a subgroup of trial participants, assessed differences between groups, and determined statistical significance at p

Carbohydrate is the most common macronutrient consumed across all phases of the diet and acts as a potential regulator in modulating the gut microbiota in animals. However, the influences of dietary non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) to neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in different ratios on gut microbiota, metabolites, intestinal immunity, and growth performance have not been fully explored. A total of 135 healthy weaned rabbits (45.1 ± 0.7 d of age) with an average body weight of 1.08 ± 0.07 kg were randomly divided into five groups. Under the same other nutrient levels, rabbits were fed diets with NFC/NDF ratios of 0.7 (T1), 1.0 (T2), 1.3 (T3), 1.6 (T4), and 1.9 (T5). During the 28-day experiment, T3 rabbits showed the highest final body weight and the lowest feed-to-weight ratio than T5 rabbits (P < 0.05) but no significant difference with T1 or T2 rabbits. The expression of cecal pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β and TNF-α was increased in the T4 and T5 than in those of other groups (P < 0.05). Conversely, the tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin) were decreased to varying degrees in the T4 and T5 groups. The pH value in the cecal digesta of T5 rabbits was lower than that of T1, T2, and T3 (P < 0.05), while the concentration of volatile fatty acids and propionate was higher than those of T1, T2, and T3 rabbits (P < 0.05). In terms of gut microbiota, at the phylum level, the relative burden of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria in T2 rabbits was the highest (P < 0.05), and the relative burden of Proteobacteria in T5 rabbits was higher than that of other groups (P < 0.05). At the genus level, the relative burden of Ruminococcus was higher in T2 and T3 rabbits than that of other groups, and T5 rabbits have the lowest relative burden of Ruminococcus. Combination analysis showed that cecal metabolites were positively associated with fermentation-related phenotypes and the burden of Firmicutes (P < 0.05). In conclusion, different dietary NFC/NDF ratios can affect the intestinal immune response and growth performance of rabbits, and there was a positive effect when dietary NFC/NDF = 1.0–1.3.

Aims To identify, visualize, and describe the prevalence of within-product patterns of tobacco use behaviors for e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and hookah (TP) by 3 age groups (ie, 12-14-year-old, 15-17-year-old, and 18-20-year-old) with U.S. nationally representative data. Methods In 2014-2015, never users of each (TP) and age group were followed-up longitudinally between 2015-2019 using five transition states: non-susceptible to (TP) use, susceptible to (TP) use, ever (TP) use, past 30-day (TP) use, and discontinued past 30-day (TP) use. Sankey diagrams were used to graphically visualize patterns in tobacco use behaviors across time. Results Among 12-14-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 7% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 9.4% first reported past 30-day use by 2018-2019; 5.8% initiated ever cigarette use and 3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use by 2018-2019; and, 4.5% initiated ever hookah use and 1.0% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Among 15-17-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 4.2% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 9.0% first reported past 30-day use by 2018-2019; 4.5% initiated ever cigarette use and 3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use by 2018-2019; and, 4.5% initiated ever hookah use and 2.4% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Among 18-20-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 3.2% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 3.6% first reported past 30-day e-cigarette use by 2018-2019; 3.0% initiated ever cigarette use and 2.3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use; and, 2.8% initiated ever hookah use and 1.0% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Conclusions From 2014 to 2019, onset and progression of e-cigarette, cigarette, and hookah use occurred more frequently in 12-14 and 15-17-year-old than in young adults 18-20-year-old.

When assessing the link between nature exposure and social-emotional or proximal outcomes of children, few studies have included the psychological connection to nature as a mediating variable. We determined the association between children's connection to nature and their overall social-emotional learning (SEL) skills, self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. The final study sample of children ages 8–10 (n = 138) originated from three elementary schools serving majority economically disadvantaged Latino households in communities with relatively low access to nature in Austin, Texas, United States, in 2019. SEL skills originated from a survey administered annually by the school district. Output from ordinary least squares regression models in which nature connection was measured using the Connection to Nature Index and that adjusted for gender, race, ethnicity, grade, and school found children's connection to nature was directly associated with higher overall SEL skills (β = 0.29; 95% CI [0.13, 0.45]; p = 0.001); self-awareness (β = 0.46; 95% CI [0.29, 0.64]; p = 0.001); self-management (β = 0.34; 95% CI [0.09, 0.60]; p = 0.009); and relationship skills (β = 0.39; 95% CI [0.10, 0.68]; p = 0.009). Results suggest children's connection to nature may positively impact their SEL skills. We recommend developing nature-based SEL interventions with explicit focus on strengthening children's psychological connection to nature.

Quercetagetin (QG) is gaining increased attention as a potential alternative to in-feed antioxidants due to its antioxidant activity. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with QG on nutrient digestibility, intestinal morphology, immunity, and antioxidant capacity of broilers. Four hundred 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned into 4 groups with 10 replicates in each group and 10 broilers in each replicate. The four dietary treatments included the basal diet supplemented with 0, 3.2, 4.8, or 6.4 mg/kg QG. The results showed that dietary supplementation with QG significantly promoted the broilers' apparent digestibility of phosphorus (P < 0.05), increased the villus height in jejunum and ileum, and reduced the crypt depth in jejunum and ileum, which significantly increased the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum (P < 0.05). The dietary supplementation with QG also significantly enhanced the immunoglobulin G (IgG) and complement 4 (C4) levels in the blood (P < 0.05), the activity of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum, jejunum mucosa, and ileum mucosa, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the serum and liver (P < 0.05), and significantly up-regulated the kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), nuclear factor E2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mRNA expression levels in the jejunum mucosa, ileum mucosa, and liver tissues of broilers. Therefore, supplementing broilers' diets with QG can enhance the apparent digestibility of phosphorus, improve the structure and morphology of jejunum and ileum, promote immunity, and increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the antioxidantive capacity through the Nrf2/antioxidant response element (ARE) signaling pathway mediated by Keap1.

Introduction Youth perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness of e-cigarettes may impact the age that they initiate e-cigarette use, but this has not been investigated previously. Methods Youth (12-17 years old) never e-cigarette users at their first wave of PATH participation (waves 1-3, 2013-2016) were included. PATH questions on absolute perceptions of e-cigarette harmfulness and addictiveness were used as exposures. Interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the impact of perceptions of harmfulness, and perceptions of addictiveness on (i) the age of initiation of e-cigarette use and (ii) age of first reporting past 30-day e-cigarette use, while controlling for covariates. Results Youth who perceive e-cigarettes as having no/little harm had increased risk of initiating both ever e-cigarette use (AHR = 2.04; 95%CI = 1.74-2.40) and past 30-day e-cigarette use (AHR = 2.64; 95%CI = 2.07-3.37) at earlier ages compared to youth who perceive e-cigarettes as having a lot of harm. Youth who perceive the likelihood of becoming addicted to e-cigarettes to be very/somewhat unlikely had increased risk of an earlier age of both ever (AHR = 1.28; 95%CI = 1.07-1.52) and past 30-day (AHR = 1.36; 95%CI = 1.04-1.79) e-cigarette initiation compared to youth who perceived the likelihood of becoming addicted to e-cigarettes to be somewhat/very likely. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of communicating to youth the potential for health harms and addiction from e-cigarette use in prevention and intervention campaigns, as those with the lowest perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness had the earliest ages of e-cigarette initiation.

BackgroundPerceptions of cigar products' harmfulness and addictiveness in youth are associated with subsequent cigar product initiation, but their association on the age of initiation of cigar product use is unknown.MethodsThe association of perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness at youth's first wave of PATH participation (waves 1 or 2 in years 2013–2015) on the age of initiation of (i) ever. (ii) past 30-day, and (iii) fairly regular use of any cigar products (cigarillos, filtered cigars, or traditional cigars) during the followed-up in PATH waves 2–4 (2014–2017) was estimated using weighted interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models. Also, the association of the interaction between perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness and the age of initiation of any cigar use are reported. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported.ResultsAmong youth who had ever heard of cigar products, youth who perceived cigars to be “low-medium harmfulness and low-medium addictiveness” had 60% (HR: 1.60, 95%CI: 1.36–1.89) higher hazard risk to initiate ever cigar product use at an earlier age, and had 46% (HR:1.46, 95%CI: 1.14–1.86) higher hazard risk to initiate past 30-day cigar product use at younger ages than those who perceived cigars to be “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.” Moreover, youth who perceived cigars to be “low-medium harmfulness and high addictiveness” had 33% (HR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.15–1.53) higher hazard risk to initiate ever cigar product use at younger ages than those who perceived cigars to be “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.” Youth who reported “high harmfulness and low-medium addictiveness” (HR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07–0.83) had 76% lower hazard risk to initiate fairly regular use of cigar products at younger ages compared to youth who reported “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.”ConclusionsPrevention and awareness campaigns should reinforce the unique potential for harm and addiction of cigar products to curb cigar product initiation among US youth.

This experiment aimed to establish the effects of zearalenone (ZEN) on ovarian development in prepubertal gilts through the growth hormone axis [growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) / growth hormone (GH) / growth hormone receptor (GHR)]. In a 40-day experiment, 48 Landrace × Yorkshire crossbred prepubertal gilts were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments, including a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 400 (T1), 800 (T2), and 1,600 (T3) μg/kg ZEN. The ovary index of T2 (P = 0.058) and T3 (P = 0.065) increased compared to the control group. Besides, histopathological examination revealed that ZEN promoted the development of ovaries and follicles. The GHR content, relative expression levels of GHR, janus activated kinase 2 (JAK2) mRNA, and mean optical density of GHR in the ovaries of prepubertal gilts in the T2 experimental group increased significantly at P < 0.05 compared to the control group. The T3 group had significantly higher GHR content, relative JAK2 expression levels, and signal transducer and activator of transcriptions 3 (STAT3) mRNA. In conclusion, ZEN enhances the biological effect of GH, promotes the development of the ovary (follicle), and exerts reproductive toxicity by increasing the expression level of GHR, JAK2, and STAT3 mRNA ovary and immune intensity of GHR protein.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of gaseous hydrogen sulphide on growth performance and cecal microbial diversity in weaning pigs. A total of 24 weaning pigs (Landrace × Yorkshire × Duroc; average body weight = 8.55 ± 0.68 kg；weaning at 28 days) were selected and randomly divided into four groups (six replicates in each group). The piglets were exposed to hydrogen sulphide (0, 5, 10 and 15 mg/m3) during the experiment period, which lasted 28 days in four controlled environmental chambers. The results showed that exposure to hydrogen sulphide reduced the average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and increased the diarrhoea rate of piglets. Hydrogen sulphide could increase the abundance and diversity of intestinal microbiota. The abundance of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria increased and Bacteroides decreased in the treatment groups. Five biomarkers, such as Eubacterium_1coprostanoligenes, Clostridiales, Phascolarctobacterium, Acidaminococcaceae and Ruminococcaceae_UCG_002 were selected by Lefse analysis. Our results reveal that hydrogen sulphide damaged the growth performance and destroyed the microbial bacteria balance of weaning pigs. The concentrations of hydrogen sulphide should fall below 5 mg/m3.

SignificanceYoung adults, especially those who identify as racial/ethnic minorities, are legal targets of the tobacco industry. Cigarillo initiation is a risk among these vulnerable groups. Estimating the age of initiation of cigarillo use among young adults may inform the timing of prevention interventions.MethodsWeighted interval-censored survival analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) young adult (ages 18-24 at their first wave of adult participation) annual datasets were conducted (2013-2017). Young adult never cigarillo users (n = 7,101; represents N = 24,023,488) at their first wave of adult participation (2013-2016) were followed-up through 2014-2017 to estimate the age of initiation of ever, past 30-day and fairly regular cigarillo use outcomes. Differences by sex and by race/ethnicity, accounting for previous use of other tobacco products and marijuana and blunt use, were assessed using weighted interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsAmong PATH young adults, by age 21, 5.8% initiated ever cigarillo use, 4.1% initiated past 30-day cigarillo use, and 1.4% initiated fairly regular cigarillo use. By age 26, 15% initiated ever cigarillo use, and 10.4% initiated past 30-day cigarillo use. Males had higher risk of initiating ever (AHR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.37-1.95) and past 30-day cigarillo use (AHR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.32-2.06) at earlier ages than females. Non-Hispanic Blacks had higher risk of initiating ever (AHR: 2.81, 95% CI: 2.26-3.50), past 30-day (AHR: 4.88, 95% CI: 2.95-5.09) and fairly regular cigarillo use (AHR: 4.62, 95% CI: 2.70-7.93) at earlier ages than non-Hispanic Whites. Hispanics had higher risk of initiating past 30-day cigarillo use at earlier ages than non-Hispanic Whites (AHR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.12-2.03). Non-Hispanic Other race (i.e., Asian, multiracial, etc.) had lower risk of initiating ever (AHR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.28-0.65) and past 30-day cigarillo use (AHR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.63) at earlier ages than Non-Hispanic Whites.ConclusionAlong with those aged 21 and younger, interventions should target young adults over the age of 21, specifically males, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic young adults, to stall initiation and progression of cigarillo use behaviors.

Background: As one of the most harmful gases in the livestock house, ammonia is recognized as an environmental stressor by Environmental Protection Agency (United States). The study aimed to explore the effect of ammonia on hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis of rabbits. A total of ninety two-month-old female IRA rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, and were kept in animal environment control rooms for four weeks at college of animal science and technology, Hebei Agricultural University (Baoding, China). The rabbits in the control group were kept under ammonia concentration of

Introduction Initiation of tobacco products is increasing in young adulthood. This study prospectively estimated the age of onset of susceptibility to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and cigarillos among young adults, which is a cognitive precursor to initiation. Methods Secondary data analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study of US adults. Young adults (18-24 years) who were non-susceptible to each tobacco product (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and cigarillos) at waves 2 or 3 were followed-up into waves 3-4 to prospectively estimate the age of onset of susceptibility to each tobacco product. Weighted interval-censored survival methods and interval-censored Cox regression models were implemented to estimate the age of onset of susceptibility, and to estimate differences in the hazard function by sex and by race/ethnicity, while controlling for the total number of other tobacco products ever used at their first wave of participation in PATH. Results By age 21, 16.5%, 16.0%, 12.6%, 12.4%, and 5.9% of young adults reported onset of susceptibility to hookah, e-cigarettes, cigarillos, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco, respectively. Among young adults who were non-susceptible to each tobacco product at waves 2 or 3, the highest increase in onset of susceptibility occurred between ages 18 and 19 for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and hookah, while the highest increase in onset of susceptibility occurs between ages 22 and 23 for cigarillos. Young adult males had increased risk of onset of susceptibility to cigarillos and smokeless tobacco at earlier ages than young adult females. Differences in onset of susceptibility to each tobacco product were also observed by race/ethnicity among young adults. Conclusions With the changing landscape of tobacco products, monitoring the age of onset of susceptibility of tobacco product use among non-susceptible young adults longitudinally is critical to prevent initiation. Communication and education campaigns tailored to address differences in susceptibility among young adults by tobacco product and sociodemographic factors will be useful.

ObjectivesTo prospectively estimate the age of cigarette initiation among young adults (18-24 years old) who were never cigarette users at their first wave of adult study participation overall, by sex, and by race/ethnicity given recent increases in cigarette initiation occurring in young adulthood.MethodsSecondary analyses were conducted using the PATH restricted-use adult datasets among young adult never users of cigarettes in waves 1-3 (2013-2016) with outcomes followed-up in waves 2-4 (2014-2017). Interval censoring survival methods were used to estimate the age of initiation of (i) ever, (ii) past 30-day, and (iii) fairly regular cigarette use. Among never cigarette users when they first entered the adult study, interval censoring Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore differences in the estimated age of initiation of the three cigarette use outcomes by sex and by race/ethnicity, controlling for the effect of previous e-cigarette use and the total number of other tobacco products ever used (0-5 products) before cigarette initiation outcomes.ResultsAmong the young adults who were never cigarette users at their first wave of adult participation, the highest increase in cigarette initiation occurred between 18 and 19 years old. By age 21, 10.6% (95% CI: 9.5-11.7) initiated ever cigarette use, 7.7% (95% CI: 6.1-8.1) initiated past 30-day of cigarette use, and 1.9% (95% CI: 1.4-2.5) initiated fairly regular cigarette use. After controlling for other tobacco products: (a) males were 83% more likely to initiate past 30-day cigarette use at earlier ages than females; (b) Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Black young adults had increased risk to initiate past 30-day cigarette use at earlier ages than Non-Hispanic White young adults (62% and 34%, respectively).ConclusionsThe substantial amount of cigarette initiation among young adults reinforces the need for prevention strategies among this population. Although, interventions are needed for all young adult populations, strategies should target 18-21-year-olds, with potentially differential prevention targets by sex and by race/ethnicity.

ObjectiveTo prospectively estimate the age of initiation of ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular hookah use among young adults (ages 18-24) overall, by sex, by race/ethnicity, and to explore the association of prior use of other tobacco products with these hookah use behaviors.MethodsSecondary data analyses of the first four waves (2013-2017) of the PATH study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study of US young adults. Young adult never hookah users at the first wave of adult participation in PATH waves 1-3 (2013-2016) were followed-up into waves 2-4 (2014-2017) to estimate the age of initiation of three outcomes: (i) ever use, (ii) past 30-day use, and (iii) fairly regular hookah use. Weighted interval-censoring Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the differences in the estimated age of initiation by sex and by race/ethnicity while controlling for the total number of other tobacco products ever used at participants' first wave of PATH participation. In addition, to examine if prior use of other tobacco products was associated with the age of hookah initiation behaviors, six additional Cox models are reported for each hookah initiation behaviors.ResultsThe largest increase in hookah use occurred between ages 18 and 19: 5.8% for ever use and 2.7% for past 30-day hookah use. By age 21, 10.5%, 4.7% and 1.2% reported initiation of ever, past 30-day and fairly regular hookah use, respectively. There were statistically significance differences in the age of initiation of hookah use behaviors by race/ethnicity.ConclusionEducational interventions should target young adults before the age of 21, focusing efforts specifically on males, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics, to stall initiation and progression of hookah use behaviors.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of ammonia on growth performance, lipid metabolism and intestinal flora of rabbits. A total of 150 female IRA rabbits (35-days-old) were randomly divided into three groups including 0 ppm (CG), 10 ppm (LAC) and 30 ppm ammonia (HAC) groups for a period of 28 days. The average daily weight gain (ADG) of rabbits was significantly reduced in LAC (-17.11%; p < 0.001) and HAC groups (-17.46%; p < 0.001) as compared with the CG. Serum concentration of high density lipoprotein (HDL) and glucose (Glu) were increased in LAC (+80.95%; +45.99; p < 0.05) and HAC groups (+219.05%; +45.89; p < 0.001), while apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) was decreased in LAC (-58.49%; p < 0.001) and HAC groups (-36.92%; p < 0.001). The structural integrity of cecum was damaged, and the thickness of mucosa and serosa were significantly decreased in LAC and HAC. The acetate, butyrate and propionate level of cecal chyme were reduced in HAC group (-21.67%; -19.82%; -30.81%; p < 0.05). Microbial diversity and burden of Firmicutes were significantly decreased, while that of pathogenic bacteria, such as Bacteroidetes, Clostridium and Proteobacteria were increased in ammonia treated groups. Spearman's correlation confirmed that burden of Ruminococcaceae_NK4A214_group showed significantly negative correlation with acetic acid (r = -0.67; p < 0.001) while Barnesiellaceae_unclassified showed significantly positive correlation with propionic acid (r = 0.50; p < 0.001). In conclusion, ammonia treatment was responsible for an imbalance of intestinal flora, which affected lipid metabolism and damaged intestinal barrier of rabbits, resulting in low growth performance due to lipid metabolism dysfunction.

IntroductionThere is a lack of research prospectively estimating the age of e-cigarette initiation in U.S. young adults.MethodsSecondary analysis of PATH young adults across 2013-2017 (waves 1-4) were conducted. We prospectively estimated age of initiation of: ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular e-cigarette use using weighted interval-censoring survival analyses. Interval-censoring Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, and previous use of six other tobacco products (cigarettes, traditional cigars, filtered cigars, cigarillos, hookah, and smokeless tobacco) were fitted for each of the three e-cigarette initiation outcomes.ResultsAmong never e-cigarette users, by age 21, 16.8% reported ever use, 7.2% reported past 30-day use, and 2.3% reported fairly regular e-cigarette use. Males had increased risk of initiating ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular e-cigarette use at earlier ages compared to females. Hispanic young adults had increased risk of initiating ever and past 30-day e-cigarette use at earlier ages compared to Non-Hispanic White young adults. Previous use of other tobacco products before e-cigarette initiation increased the risk of an earlier age of e-cigarette initiation.ConclusionPrevention and education campaigns should focus on young adults in order to alleviate the public health burden of initiating e-cigarette use at earlier ages.

SignificanceEarly age of initiation of tobacco use is associated with sustained tobacco use and lower rates of smoking cessation. Although much is known about age of initiation of cigarette use, much less is known about the age of initiation of cigar product use among youth.MethodsSurvival analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health youth annual datasets (ages 12-17) from 2013 to 2017 were conducted for any cigar product use, cigarillos or filtered cigars, and traditional cigars across four cigar use outcomes, age of initiation of: susceptibility to use, ever use, past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use. An interval censoring survival method was implemented to estimate the probability of each outcome for age of initiation of each cigar product overall. Differences in age of initiation by sex and race/ethnicity were assessed using weighted Cox proportional hazards models for interval-censored data.ResultsFor each outcome across the three cigar products, striking increases in the probability of initiation begin before 17 years old. For cigarillo or filtered cigars, males had a higher risk of onset of susceptibility to use, initiating ever use, and initiating past 30-day use at earlier ages than females. Compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Other had lower risk of initiating ever use and past 30-day use at earlier ages. Non-Hispanic Black youth had higher risk of initiating past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use than Non-Hispanic White youth at earlier ages. Similar findings are reported for any cigar use and traditional cigar use.ConclusionDevelopmentally and culturally appropriate cigar use interventions and communication campaigns should be provided to youth before 17 years of age to prevent the onset and progression of cigar products. Regulatory policies that reduce appeal of all cigar products should be implemented to curb cigar initiation among youth.

Summary: Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes are commonly recognized as oncoproteins based on their activation by tumor-promoting phorbol esters. However, accumulating evidence indicates that PKCs can be inhibitory in some cancers, with recent findings propelling a shift in focus to understanding tumor suppressive functions of these enzymes. Here, we report that PKCα acts as a tumor suppressor in PI3K/AKT-driven endometrial cancer. Transcriptional suppression of PKCα is observed in human endometrial tumors in association with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. In murine models, loss of PKCα is rate limiting for endometrial tumor initiation. PKCα tumor suppression involves PP2A-family-dependent inactivation of AKT, which can occur even in the context of genetic hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT signaling by coincident mutations in PTEN, PIK3CA, and/or PIK3R1. Together, our data point to PKCα as a crucial tumor suppressor in the endometrium, with deregulation of a PKCα→PP2A/PP2A-like phosphatase signaling axis contributing to robust AKT activation and enhanced endometrial tumorigenesis. : Hsu et al. find that PKCα is frequently lost in human and murine endometrial tumors and that PKCα deficiency enhances PI3K/AKT-driven endometrial neoplasia. PKCα suppresses aberrant AKT activity via a PP2A family phosphatase-dependent mechanism. Thus, PKCα loss appears to cooperate with PI3K/AKT perturbations to hyperactivate AKT and promote endometrial tumorigenesis. Keywords: PKC, PKCα, tumor suppression, endometrium, endometrial cancer, AKT, PI3K, PTEN, PP2A family, Id1

The Streamlining Tasks & Roles to Expand Treatment and Care for HIV (STRETCH) program was developed to increase the reach of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV/AIDS patients in Sub-Saharan Africa by training nurses to prescribe, initiate, and maintain ART. Fairall and colleagues conducted a cluster-randomized trial to determine the effects/impact of STRETCH on patient health outcomes in South Africa between 2008 and 2010. The purpose of our replication study is to evaluate Fairall and colleagues' findings. We conducted push button and pure replication studies and measurement and estimation analyses (MEA). Our MEA validates the original findings: (1) overall, time to death did not differ between intervention (STRETCH) and control (ART) patients; (2) in a subgroup analysis of patients with CD4 counts of 201-350 cells per μL, the intervention group patients had a 30% lower risk of death than those in the control group, when controlling for baseline characteristics; (3) in a subgroup analysis of patients with CD4 counts of ≤200 cells per μL, time to death did not differ between the two groups; and (4) rates of viral suppression one year after enrollment did not differ between the intervention and control groups. This set of results have more caveats in the MEA. Although the intervention did not lead to improvements in the main outcomes, the effectiveness of STRETCH was proven to be similar to standard care while increasing the pool of prescribers, expanding their geographical range, and improving the quality of care for patients. Therefore, our analyses support the implementation of task shifting of antiretroviral therapy from doctors to trained nurses, which enhances confidence in the implementation of the intervention program and policymaking not only in South Africa but also in other developing countries that have similar circumstances.

Rex rabbits have a unique fur structure with a variety of different coat colours. In this study, we analysed variability in the agouti signalling protein (ASIP) gene in Rex rabbits with different coat colours (castor, red, blue, chinchilla, otter and black). Three alleles at this locus were identified: A, light-bellied agouti (wild type), in castor and chinchilla Rex; at, black and tan, in otter, castor and chinchilla Rex; and a, black non-agouti, in black, red, blue, castor and chinchilla Rex rabbits. Two missense mutations, two synonymous substitutions and one indel were the identified polymorphisms associated to these three alleles, as already described by others. Gene expression of the ASIP gene was also evaluated in different tissues from animals of the six coat colours. Agouti signalling protein expression was always observed in all tissue/coat colour combinations.

Objective. To compare the difference of imprinting status of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene in villus between normal embryo development group and abnormal embryo development group and to investigate the relationship between karyotype and the imprinting status of IGF-II gene. Methods. A total of 85 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were divided into two groups: one with abnormal embryo development (n=38) and the other with normal embryo development (n=47). Apa I polymorphism of IGF-II gene in chorionic villus was assayed with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The relationship between chromosomal abnormal karyotype and IGF-II gene imprinting status was analyzed by primary cell culture and G-banding chromosomal karyotype analysis. Results. IGF-II imprinting loss rate was higher in the abnormal embryo development group than the normal embryo development group (44.7% versus 31.6%), but without significant difference (P>.05). The percentage of abnormal chromosomes of chorionic villus in the abnormal embryo development group was 42.5%, in which IGF-II imprinting loss rate reached 64.7%. No abnormal karyotypes were found in the normal embryo development group. However, there was significant difference in IGF-II imprinting loss rate between two groups (P>.05). Conclusion. During weeks 6–10 of gestation, abnormal embryonic development is correlated with chromosomal abnormalities. The imprinting status of IGF-II gene played important roles in embryonic development, and imprinting loss might be related to chromosomal abnormalities.