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To ensure the safe and efficient extraction of coal mines and reduce sudden roof accidents, this study proposes a novel multivariate long-term sequence mine pressure prediction model—the Empirical Mode Decomposition Linear Model (EMD–Mixer). Unlike most fixed-length single-feature mine pressure prediction models, this model first introduces the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method to separate periodic and trend components from the mine pressure signals. It then combines these with the Long-Term Forecasting Linear Layer (LTSF–Linear) to form a module for extracting temporal features. Additionally, a time and channel mixing strategy is designed, utilizing a channel feature module to handle multivariate mine pressure data and process nonlinear relationships. The final prediction results are obtained by adding the residuals of the time and channel module outputs to the input data. In the experiments, the historical window was set to 36 time units, and tests were conducted for prediction lengths of 24, 36, 48, and 60 time units. The results indicate that the EMD–Mixer model exhibits excellent performance and stability across short to medium-term prediction ranges. The model was compared with the LTSF–Linear, MTS–Mixer, and the commonly used Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model in mine pressure prediction. Four evaluation metrics were used to assess the prediction results: Mean Absolute Error (EMAE), Mean Squared Error (EMSE), Symmetric Mean Absolute Percentage Error (EsMAPE), and R-squared (R2). The results show that the EMD–Mixer model demonstrates higher prediction accuracy and stability across all metrics. The EMD–Mixer model is simple in structure, has strong generalization capabilities, and can more effectively adapt to multivariate mine pressure data of different levels in various scenarios. This provides an important research approach for the safe and efficient production of coal mines and the early warning of roof accidents.

This study investigated the parasitic selection preferences of female Trichogramma ostriniae on egg cards of different colors, considering the effects of inoculation time, generations, and learning experiences on wasp parasitism. The preferences of female T. ostriniae for oviposition were assessed across egg cards of different colors. Subsequent experiments identified the egg card background color most preferred by T. ostriniae and examined the influence of inoculation time, generations, and learning experiences on parasitism rates. The findings revealed a significant preference for T. ostriniae for yellow egg cards compared to other colors, with the highest parasitism rate observed on yellow and the lowest on red. Inoculation time had a significant effect on the parasitism of T. ostriniae on yellow egg cards, with the highest parasitism observed at 16h post-inoculation and a noticeable negative linear correlation with increasing inoculation time up to 48h (F = 8.73, P

Abstract Ground subsidence caused by extraction of longwall panels has always been a great concern all over the world. Conventional longwall mining system (CLMS) gives rise to wavy subsidence causing great damage to surface structures. A coal mine in Shanxi, China, utilizes a split-level longwall layout (SLL) for a sub-horizontal No. 8 coal seam to improve the cavability of mudstone interlayer and top coal. This layout, however, also produced unexpectedly favorable surface subsidence. Subsidence of No. 6 and No. 8 longwall panels was monitored while mining was conducted. Field instrumentation and numerical simulation were carried out. It is demonstrated that an asymmetric subsidence profile with stepped subsidence and cracks occurred on the tailgate side but relatively mild and smooth deformation on the other. Due to elimination of conventional parallelepiped gate pillar, No. 6 and No. 8 gobs were connected. Extraction of two SLL panels acted as one supercritical panel. The maximum possible subsidence was reached which lowers the likelihood of potential future secondary subsidence as underground gob fractures and voids have closed. Therefore, SLL is more favorable for post-mining land reuse as gobs are more consolidated underground.

Purpose: To analyze the diagnostic process, treatment, and post-operative outcomes of a unique case involving a late-onset (24 years post) traumatic corneal flap displacement after Laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery due to a plant-related trauma. with an emphasis on the accompanying extensive epithelial ingrowth beneath the flap. Observations: A 59-year-old male patient experienced corneal flap displacement 24 years post-LASIK due to a minor plant-related trauma. This case was complicated by extensive epithelial ingrowth beneath the flap, which was initially misdiagnosed with fungal keratitis. Upon identification of the actual cause, corneal flap repair surgery was performed, leading to partial vision recovery. Conclusions and importance: This case signifies the potential for LASIK flap displacement even decades post-surgery due to minor traumas and highlights the need for vigilance in diagnosing associated complications like epithelial ingrowth. It indicates the importance of ophthalmologists and clinicians being vigilant for such complications and necessitates their familiarity with basic management techniques or quick referral to a corneal refractive surgery specialist. This report of a 24-year interval between LASIK and traumatic flap displacement with epithelial ingrowth is one of the longest known. The case also demonstrates that patients with late flap displacement can regain significant visual acuity with timely and appropriate management.

Based on the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, the transient analytical solution of the steel shell immersed tunnel under the protection of fireproof board was deduced and verified through fire test. Then, the variation of the maximum temperature of the bottom steel shell with the thickness and thermal conductivity of the fireproof board was analyzed and suggestions on the selection of fireproof boards were given. Finally, a fitting formula for the maximum temperature of bottom steel shell was proposed. The results show that: (1) When the thermal contact resistance of the steel-concrete interface and the thermal resistance of cavity are 0.01 m2 °C/W and 0.02 m2 °C/W respectively under the case of 25 mm thick fireproof board, the variation of the analytical solution is consistent with test results, and the peak value is similar. (2) Based on the three-dimensional diagram of d -λ-T, with 300 °C as the fire resistance limit of structure, the range of the fireproof board parameters is obtained: when λ reaches 0.14 and 0.4 respectively, d shall not be less than 10 mm and 28.38 mm (3) The scatter points obtained from analysis were fitted using quadratic polynomials and linear functions respectively. Considering the accuracy and simplicity, the linear fitting formula is given as T = 275.66–7.41*d+644.6*λ.

ABSTRACT: Leg disorders have become increasingly common in broilers, leading to lower meat quality and major economic losses. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3) on bone development by comparing growth performance, tibial parameters, Ca and P contents of tibial ash, bone development-related indicators’ level, and cecal short-chain fatty acids in Cobb broilers. All birds were divided into four treatment groups, which birds fed either a basal diet (Con), basal diet + 75 mg chlortetracycline/kg (Anti), basal diet + C. butyricum at 109 CFU/kg (Cb), basal diet + C. butyricum at 109 CFU/kg and 25-OH-D3 at 25 μg/kg (CbD), or basal diet + 25-OH-D3 at 25 μg/kg (CD). Our results suggest that the dietary supplementation in Cb, CbD, and CD significantly increased the body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG), and reduced the feed-to-weight ratio (F/G) at different stages of growth (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation in Cb, CbD, and CD prolonged (P < 0.05) the behavioral responses latency-to-lie (LTL) time, reduced (P < 0.05) the levels of osteocalcin (BGP) and peptide tyrosine (PYY), and increased (P < 0.05) serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA). Treatment with Cb increased (P < 0.05) the levels of acetic acid, isobutyric acid, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid compared with those in Con group. The cecal metagenome showed that Alistipes spp. were significantly more abundant in Cb, CbD, and CD groups (P < 0.05). A total of 12 metabolic pathways were significantly affected by supplementation, including the signaling pathways of glucagon, insulin, and PI3K-AKT; primary and secondary bile acid biosynthesis; and P-type Ca 2+ transporters (P < 0.05). Hence, the CbD supplementation modulates bone metabolism by regulating the mediators of gut–brain axis, which may inform strategies to prevent leg diseases and improve meat quality in broilers.

The depth of coal mining in the central and eastern China is increasing, the ground pressure is high, the roadway deformation and burst risk is great. Gob-side entry with slender gate pillar (GESGP) is constantly adopted to improve surrounding rock environment. In order to grasp ground pressure behavior of the gob-side entry and develop targeted surrounding rock control measures, field observation and numerical simulation have been carried out against a case of GESGP of 3 m pillar in a ultra thick coal seam of a 800 m cover depth. The results show that: ① Fragmentation and deformation of surrounding rock on the coal pillar side are larger than the other side. Fragmentation and deformation of pillar at the gob side is larger than the other; Although the buried depth is great, the gob is settled and a large amount of overburden load is sustained by it, so the stress is sufficiently transferred to the deep rocks; ② The deformation of the gob-side entry is asymmetrical, the roof sags more on the pillar side than the other, pillar rib top and solid coal side rid middle are greater with deformation occurring mostly at shallow part; ③ Gob is the “escape” passage for entry deformation which is good for slow release of deformation energy and reduction of burst; ④ The range of the pressure relief area is expanded from triangle before excavation to parallelogram after excavation, also the location of the stress concentration area is shifted to the upper right of the entry; ⑤ Interface of the first/second shear failure planes on the pillar and the high stress zone on the upper right of the entry are the key targeted control zones. The surrounding rock control system was put forward that coal pillar reinforcement based on multiple plastic zone development cycles and precise destress of high stress zone. The research can provide research foundation and scientific basis for the adjacent panels and other similar deep and inclined extra-thick coal seams.

This technology is highly suitable for detecting and tracking multi-skeletal targets in the field of aerial refueling. The paper presents a target feature responder based on K-means clustering, used for categorizing samples and training models. It employs a decision function to optimize the localization region across various classifier detection and tracking algorithms for targets. Additionally, a state judgment module scores the classifiers based on target state and depth information, which allows for adaptive selection of the classifier. To address the issue of missing target information, the method incorporates a stereo-vision-based mechanism to complete the localization region. This approach effectively handles challenges related to target appearance deformation, significant scale variations, motion blur, and occlusions.

In order to address the issue of rapid growth of program space in SQUARES, which led to low efficiency in program synthesis, a program space reducer based on deep neural network (DNN) was introduced into the SQUARES framework.A given ＆lt;Queried tables, Query result＆gt; pair was represented as a 2D tensor which was used as input for a DNN.And the output of the DNN was the relevance vector of the target SQL statement synthesis rules.Based on the output of the DNN, the last N rules with weak correlation to the target SQL statement were eliminated, thereby shrinking the program search space and improving the system synthesis efficiency.The architecture of DNN, the method of generating training datasets, and the training process of DNN were described in detail.Furthermore, experimental comparisons between PSR-SQUARES and other representative SQL reverse synthesis systems were conducted.The results show that the overall performance of PSR-SQUARES is superior to other synthesis systems to varying degrees, with the average synthesis time reduced from 251 s in SQUARES to 130 s and the target program synthesis success rate increased from 80% to 89%.

Abstract Background A report of a Brittle cornea syndrome (BCS) case with bluish scleral discoloration, keratoglobus, and myopia based on multimodal imaging modalities including in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) and scheimpflug corneal densitometry analysis. Case presentation A 36-year-old Chinese female patient presented with significant bluish discoloration of the sclera in both eyes, extreme corneal thinning with increased corneal curvature, increased central corneal densitometry, and nystagmus. She also had scoliosis, severe osteoporosis, and thyroid disease. Conclusions Timely diagnosis, early detection, and detailed follow-up are essential for BCS. There has been no report of a BCS evaluation performed by IVCM and corneal densitometry methods thus far in the literature. Furthermore, multimodal imaging can offer a more comprehensive view of BCS and contribute to a deeper understanding of the disease. Interestingly, this is a rare case of BCS in an adult with good vision, an intact cornea, and nystagmus.

Abstract Background Dietary bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) are rarely used in poultry production, and it is unknown whether they influence meat texture profile, perceived color, or microstructure. Results A total of 720 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were supplemented with a basal diet with 20 mg bacitracin/kg, 50 mg BLFs/kg, or 250 mg BLFs/kg or without additions. Data showed that the dietary BLFs significantly (P

Introduction: Many early postmenopausal women experience hot flashes (HFs). Electroacupuncture (EA) is a safe and effective therapy for menopause-related symptoms. However, there are few rigorous clinical trials on this topic. This randomized controlled trial is designed to explore the feasibility and efficacy of EA in the treatment of early postmenopausal HF. Methods: This study is a randomized, controlled trial involving 72 early postmenopausal patients. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to the EA or sham acupuncture (SA) group. The acupuncture points that will be used are Hegu (LI4), Fuliu (KI7), Taixi (KI3), Shenshu (BL23), Guanyuan (CV4), and Sanyinjiao (SP6). Participants in each group will receive 18 acupuncture sessions over 6 weeks (three times per week). The primary outcome is the hot-flash score at the end of the 6 week of intervention. Secondary outcome measures are the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Menopause-Specific Quality of Life, Menopause Rating Scale, Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Score Scale, and estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and anti-Mullerian hormone levels. Safety will be assessed at every visit. Conclusion: This prospective trial will evaluate the efficacy of EA in the treatment of HFs among early postmenopausal women. Our results will provide additional knowledge for clinicians in the treatment of HFs.

BackgroundPerimenopausal insomnia (PMI) has a high global incidence, which is common in middle-aged women and is more severe than nonmenopausal insomnia. Effective treatments with fewer side effects and more consistent repeatable results are needed. Acupuncture, a therapy based on traditional Chinese medicine, is safe and may be effective for PMI. It is widely accepted in Western countries, and evidence supports the use of acupuncture as a main or supplementary therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also used to improve sleep quality. It has structured sessions and has been recommended as a first-line treatment for insomnia (cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia [CBT-I]) by the American Association of Physicians. However, few randomized controlled trials have been conducted to compare the effectiveness of these 2 therapies. This study will be performed in perimenopausal women with insomnia to determine the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) versus CBT-I. ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the preliminary effectiveness and safety of EA and CBT-I for PMI through a randomized controlled noninferiority study design. MethodsThis study is designed as an assessor-blinded, noninferiority, randomized controlled trial. A total of 160 eligible participants with PMI will be randomly divided into 2 groups to receive either EA or CBT-I. Participants in the EA group will receive electroacupuncture for 8 weeks. The intervention will be delivered 3 times weekly for a total of 12 sessions and 2 times weekly for the next 4 weeks. Meanwhile, participants in the control group will undergo CBT-I (once a week) for 8 weeks. Treatment will use 7 main acupoints (GV20, DU24, EX-HN3, EX-HN18, EX-CA1, RN6, and RN4) and an extra 4 acupoints based on syndrome differentiation. The primary outcome is the Insomnia Severity Index. The secondary outcome measures are the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; Menopause-Specific Quality of Life; Menopause Rating Scale; Hamilton Depression Scale; Hamilton Anxiety Scale; hot flash score; and the level of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone in serum. Sleep architecture will be assessed using polysomnograms. ResultsParticipants are currently being recruited. The first participant was enrolled in January 2023, marking the initiation of the recruitment phase. The recruitment process is expected to continue until January 2025, at which point data collection will commence. ConclusionsThis trial represents a pioneering effort to investigate the efficacy and safety of EA and CBT-I as interventions for PMI. It is noteworthy that this study is conducted solely within a single center and involves Chinese participants, which is a limitation. Nonetheless, the findings of this study are expected to contribute valuable insights for clinicians engaged in the management of PMI. Trial RegistrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300070981; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=194561 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/51767

IntroductionFlax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an economically important crop due to its oil and fiber. However, it is prone to various diseases, including pasmo caused by the fungus Septoria linicola.MethodsIn this study, we conducted field evaluations of 445 flax accessions over a five-year period (2012–2016) to assess their resistance to pasmo A total of 246,035 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used for genetic analysis. Four statistical models, including the single-locus model GEMMA and the multi-locus models FarmCPU, mrMLM, and 3VmrMLM, were assessed to identify quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) associated with pasmo resistance.ResultsWe identified 372 significant QTNs or 132 tag QTNs associated with pasmo resistance from five pasmo resistance datasets (PAS2012–PAS2016 and the 5-year average, namely PASmean) and three genotypic datasets (the all SNPs/ALL, the gene-based SNPs/GB and the RGA-based SNPs/RGAB). The tag QTNs had R2 values of 0.66–16.98% from the ALL SNP dataset, 0.68–20.54%from the GB SNP dataset, and 0.52–22.42% from the RGAB SNP dataset. Of these tag QTNs, 93 were novel. Additionally, 37 resistance gene analogs (RGAs)co-localizing with 39 tag QTNs were considered as potential candidates for controlling pasmo resistance in flax and 50 QTN-by-environment interactions(QEIs) were identified to account for genes by environmental interactions. Nine RGAs were predicted as candidate genes for ten QEIs.DiscussionOur results suggest that pasmo resistance in flax is polygenic and potentially influenced by environmental factors. The identified QTNs provide potential targets for improving pasmo resistance in flax breeding programs. This study sheds light on the genetic basis of pasmo resistance and highlights the importance of considering both genetic and environmental factors in breeding programs for flax.

The GaoFen6 (GF-6) satellite, equipped with a wide full-swath (WFV) sensor, offers high spatial resolution and extensive coverage, making it widely utilized in agricultural and forestry classification, land resource monitoring, and other fields. Accurate on-orbit radiometric calibration of GF-6/WFV is crucial for these quantitative applications. Currently, the absolute radiometric calibration of GF-6/WFV relies primarily on vicarious calibration conducted by the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA). However, annual vicarious calibration may not adequately capture the radiometric performance of GF-6/WFV due to performance degradation. Therefore, increasing the frequency of on-orbit radiometric calibration throughout the lifetime of GF-6/WFV is essential. This study proposes a method for conducting long-term cross-radiometric calibrations of GF-6/WFV by taking the multispectral imager (MSI) onboard the Sentinel-2 satellite as a reliable reference sensor and the sites from RadCalNet as reference ground targets. Firstly, we conducted 62 on-orbit cross-radiometric calibrations of GF-6/WFV since its launch by tracking with the Sentinel-2/MSI sensor after correcting the discrepancy spectrum and solar zenith angle. Then, validation of cross-radiometric calibration results against RadCalNet products indicated an average absolute relative error between 3.55% and 4.64%. Cross-validation with additional reference sensors, including Landsat-8/OLI and MODIS, confirmed the reliability of calibration, demonstrating relative differences from GF-6/WFV of less than 5%. Furthermore, the overall uncertainty of the cross-radiometric calibration was estimated to be from 4.08% to 4.89%. Finally, trend analysis of the time-series radiometric performance was also conducted and revealed an annual degradation rate ranging from 0.57% to 2.31%. This degradation affects surface reflectance retrieval, introducing a bias of approximately 0.0073 to 0.0084. Our findings highlight the operational effectiveness of the proposed method in achieving long-time-series on-orbit radiometric calibration and degradation monitoring of GF-6/WFV. The study also demonstrates that the radiometric performance of GF-6/WFV is relatively stable and suitable for further quantitative applications, especially for long-term monitoring applications.

Few countries have approved SARS-CoV-2 booster doses in children and adolescents due to insufficient evidence about the safety and interval vaccination. Here, the authors assess the safety and immunogenicity of a homologous booster dose of CoronaVac in a cohort of 3–17 year olds.

Background: Acute lung injury (ALI) remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Novel therapies interfering with the inflammatory response has been an area of focus for infectious disease treatment. Punicalin has shown strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties; however, its effect in ALI has not been previously explored. Purpose: To investigate the effects of punicalin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI and explore the underlying mechanisms. Methods: LPS (10 mg/kg) was administered intratracheally to create the ALI model in mice. Punicalin (10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally shortly after LPS to investigate survival rate, lung tissue pathological injury, oxidative stress, levels of inflammatory cytokines in BALF and lung tissue, neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation and its effects on NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. In vitro studies were performed to evaluate the inflammatory cytokine release and NET formation in LPS-induced (1 μg/ml) and punicalin-treated mouse neutrophils derived from the bone marrow. Results: In vivo, punicalin reduced mortality, lung injury score, lung wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio, protein concentrations in BALF and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in lung tissues, and increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in lung tissues of LPS-induced ALI mice. Increased secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the BALF and the lungs of ALI mice was reversed by punicalin, whereas IL-10 was upregulated. Neutrophil recruitment and NET formation were also decreased by punicalin. Inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways was observed in punicalin-treated ALI mice. In vitro co-incubation with punicalin (50 μg/ml) inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines and NET formation in LPS-treated neutrophils derived from mouse bone marrow. Conclusion: Punicalin reduces inflammatory cytokine production, prevents neutrophil recruitment and NET formation, and inhibits the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in LPS-induced ALI.

Abstract Background To evaluate and compare the changes in intraocular pressure and anterior eye segment biometrics during and after wearing two types of commonly used swimming goggles. Methods In a cross-sectional study, a total of 40 healthy adults aged between 18 and 60 years old were selected to wear two kinds of common swimming goggles (ocular socket and orbital goggles). Intraocular pressure and anterior segment biometry were evaluated before wearing, at 2 and 5 min of wearing, and at 5 min after removing the goggles. Intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal front keratometry values (K1, K2, Km), central corneal thickness (CCT), central anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), and anterior chamber angle (ACA) were measured. Results The IOP at 2 min (21.0 ± 2.2 mmHg) and 5 min (21.2 ± 2.3 mmHg) was significantly higher than before wearing goggles (17.7 ± 2.1 mmHg). The IOP after the goggles were removed and at 5 min after the goggles were removed was 18.4 ± 2.3 mmHg and 17.7 ± 2.1 mmHg, respectively. ACV, ACD, and ACA values all decreased while the googles were worn. After the goggles were removed, these changes gradually returned to baseline values, with no significant difference in the values before and after. Conclusion This study proves that wearing orbital goggles can lead to an acute increase in IOP and a slight decrease in ACV, ACD, and ACA. However, once the goggles are removed, these indicators return to baseline levels, showing that wearing orbital goggles has no significant lasting effect on IOP and anterior segment parameters.

Thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes have proven their unrivaled value, as they can combine the advantages of different materials and furnish membranes with improved selectivity and permeability. The development of TFN membranes has been severely limited by the poor dispersion of the nanoparticles and the weak adhesion between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. In this study, to address the poor dispersion of nanoparticles in TFN membranes, we proposed a new combination of m-ZIF-8 and m-HNTs, wherein the ZIF-8 and HNTs were modified with poly (sodium p-styrenesulfonate) to enhance their dispersion in water. Furthermore, the hydropathic properties of the membranes can be well controlled by adjusting the content of m-ZIF-8 and m-HNTs. A series of modified m-ZIF-8/m-HNT/PAN membranes were prepared to modulate the dye/salt separation performance of TFN membranes. The experimental results showed that our m-ZIF-8/m-HNT/PAN membranes can elevate the water flux significantly up to 42.6 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1, together with a high rejection of Reactive Red 49 (more than 80%). In particular, the optimized NFM-7.5 membrane that contained 7.5 mg of HNTs and 2.5 mg of ZIF-8 showed a 97.1% rejection of Reactive Red 49 and 21.3% retention of NaCl.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the important staple foods for human consumption and livestock use. As a complex quality trait, free amino acid (FAA) content in rice is of nutritional importance. To dissect the genetic mechanism of FAA level, five amino acids’ (Val, Leu, Ile, Arg, and Trp) content and 4,325,832 high-quality SNPs of 448 rice accessions were used to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with nine different methods. Of these methods, one single-locus method (GEMMA), seven multi-locus methods (mrMLM, pLARmEB, FASTmrEMMA, pKWmEB, FASTmrMLM, ISIS EM-BLASSO, and FarmCPU), and the recent released 3VmrMLM were adopted for methodological comparison of quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) detection and identification of stable quantitative trait nucleotide loci (QTLs). As a result, 987 QTNs were identified by eight multi-locus GWAS methods; FASTmrEMMA detected the most QTNs (245), followed by 3VmrMLM (160), and GEMMA detected the least QTNs (0). Among 88 stable QTLs identified by the above methods, 3VmrMLM has some advantages, such as the most common QTNs, the highest LOD score, and the highest proportion of all detected stable QTLs. Around these stable QTLs, candidate genes were found in the GO classification to be involved in the primary metabolic process, biosynthetic process, and catalytic activity, and shown in KEGG analysis to have participated in metabolic pathways, biosynthesis of amino acids, and tryptophan metabolism. Natural variations of candidate genes resulting in the content alteration of five FAAs were identified in this association panel. In addition, 95 QTN-by-environment interactions (QEIs) of five FAA levels were detected by 3VmrMLM only. GO classification showed that the candidate genes got involved in the primary metabolic process, transport, and catalytic activity. Candidate genes of QEIs played important roles in valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation (QEI_09_03978551 and candidate gene LOC_Os09g07830 in the Leu dataset), tryptophan metabolism (QEI_01_00617184 and candidate gene LOC_Os01g02020 in the Trp dataset), and glutathione metabolism (QEI_12_09153839 and candidate gene LOC_Os12g16200 in the Arg dataset) pathways through KEGG analysis. As an alternative of the multi-locus GWAS method, these findings suggested that the application of 3VmrMLM may provide new insights into better understanding FAA accumulation and facilitate the molecular breeding of rice with high FAA level.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Bacillus licheniformis (BL) on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, ileal morphology, intestinal fecal short-chain fatty acids, and microflora of weaned piglets challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Piglets were assigned into three groups: basal diet (Con), a basal diet with added 109 CFU B. licheniformis/kg (BLl), and a basal diet with added 1010 CFU B. licheniformis/kg (BLh). On day 28, BLh piglets were intraperitoneally injected with LPS (CBL) and sterilized saline water (BL), Con piglets were injected with LPS (LPS) and sterilized saline water (Con), with the injections being administered for three consecutive days. The average daily gain significantly increased from day 1 to day 28 and the feed: gain ratio decreased with BL supplementation compared with the Con group. Supplementation with BLl and BLh reduced the diarrhea rate in piglets. Serum catalase activity increased and malondialdehyde concentration decreased in the CBL treatment group compared with the LPS treatment group. Both BL and CBL treatments increased the ileal villus length/crypt depth ratio compared with Con and LPS treatments. BL administration significantly increased colonic propionic and isobutyric acid concentrations compared with Con treatment. Both BL and CBL piglets had significantly increased fecal acetic, propionic, and butyric acid levels compared with LPS piglets. Analysis of the colonic microbial metagenome showed that Prevotella species were the predominant bacteria in piglets treated with BL and CBL. The CBL-treated piglets had higher scores for lysine biosynthesis, arginine biosynthesis, sulfur relay system, and histidine metabolism. BL-treated piglets had higher scores for glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-keratan sulfate, oxidative phosphorylation, and pyruvate and carbon metabolism.

Perioperative stroke is defined as a brain infarction of ischemic or hemorrhagic etiology that occurs during surgery or within 30 days after surgery. However, identifying perioperative stroke is challenging. Thus, the discovery and validation of neurological biomarkers for perioperative stroke are urgently needed. Neurofilament forms part of the neuronal cytoskeleton and is exclusively expressed in neurons. After disease-related neuroaxonal damage occurs, neurofilament light chain protein is released into the cerebrospinal fluid and blood. Blood neurofilament light chain has recently been shown to serve as a potential marker of interest during the perioperative period. Therefore, the aim of the present review was to give an overview of the current understanding and knowledge of neurofilament light chain as a potential biomarker of perioperative stroke.

Study objectivePrehabilitation is analogous to marathon training and includes preoperative preparation for exercise, as well as nutrition and psychology. However, evidence-based recommendations to guide prehabilitation before colorectal surgery are limited. We aimed to evaluate the effect of prehabilitation on the postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing colorectal surgery.DesignThis study is a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies reporting the effect of prehabilitation strategies versus standard care or rehabilitation in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. The primary outcomes were overall postoperative complications and length of hospital stay (LOS), and the secondary outcome was functional capacity (measured using the 6-min walk test [6MWT]) at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery.Main resultsFifteen studies with 1,306 participants were included in this meta-analysis. The results showed no significant reduction in the number of overall postoperative complications (risk ratio = 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.79–1.31; p = 0.878) or LOS (standardized mean difference = 0.04; 95% CI = −0.11 to 0.20; p = 0.589) in patients who underwent colorectal surgery with or without prehabilitation strategy. Additionally, there were no significant differences in the functional capacity estimated using the 6MWT at 4 and 8 weeks postoperatively.ConclusionsPrehabilitation did not significantly affect the number of postoperative complications, LOS, or functional capacity of patients undergoing colorectal surgery. Whether prehabilitation should be recommended deserves further consideration.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=290108, identifier CRD42021290108

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of Yucca saponin (YSa), Yucca schidigera (YS), and Quillaja Saponaria (QS) on growth performance, nitrogen metabolism, immune ability, antioxidant capability, and intestinal flora of yellow-feather broilers. This study randomly divided a total of 480 1-day yellow-feather broilers into 4 treatment groups. Factors in the 4 groups included CON group (basic diet), YSa group (basic diet mixed with 500 mg/kg YSa), YS group (basic diet mixed with 500 mg/kg YS), and QS group (basic diet mixed with 500 mg/kg QS). Throughout the 56-day study period, YSa, YS, and QS groups had higher average daily gain in broilers than the CON group (p < 0.01). The YS group had a lower feed gain ratio (F: G) in broilers than the CON group (p < 0.05). YSa, YS, and QS showed increased serum immunoglobin A (IgA), immunoglobin Y (IgY), immunoglobin M (IgM), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels; enhanced acetic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid levels of cecal content; and reduced contents of ammonia nitrogen, urea nitrogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum in broilers (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Lachnoclostridium in the QS group was decreased compared with that in the CON group (p < 0.05). Higher IgA and IgY sera contents were observed in the YS group compared to the YSa and QS groups (p < 0.05). In contrast with the QS group, the serum IL-6 concentration of the YS group was reduced (p < 0.05). In conclusion, YSa, YS, and QS promoted growth performance, nitrogen metabolism, immunity, antioxidant capability, and intestinal flora in broilers. Through the comparison of YSa, YS, and QS, it was found that YS is more suitable as a feed additive to ameliorate the healthy growth of broilers.

The consumption of bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) as novel dietary antioxidants has increased owing to their beneficial biological and pharmacological functions. This study assessed the in vivo effects of BLFs on antioxidant capacity, as well as caecal microbiota, serum metabolome, and health status. The Gallus gallus domesticus model and the oral administration approach were used with four treatment groups (basal diet, basal diet with 20 mg bacitracin/kg, basal diet with 50 mg BLF/kg, and basal diet with 250 mg BLF/kg). Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry analysis indicated that vitexin, fumaric acid, orientin, isoorientin, and p-coumaric acid were the predominant BLF components. From days 1 to 21, BLF increased the average daily gain and decreased the feed:gain of broilers. Moreover, BLF enhanced the serum antioxidant capacity and immune responses. Further, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that BLF modulated the caecal microbial community structure, which was dominated by Betaproteobacteriales, Erysipelatoclostridium, Parasutterella, Lewinella, Lactobacillus, and Candidatus Stoquefichus in BLF broilers. Among the 22 identified serum metabolites in BLF broilers, sphinganine, indole-3-acetaldehyde retinol, choline, 4-methylthio-2-oxobutanoic acid, and L-phenylalanine were recognised as biomarkers. In summary, BLFs appeared to modulate the caecal microbiome, alter the serum metabolome, and indirectly improve antioxidant capacity and health status.

Separating finer particles from raw fly ash is a popular method to produce high-performance admixture of concrete. However, the supply of separated fly ash is obviously behind the demand and the residue fly ash is difficult to be disposed. Ground fly ash is another method to improve the particle size and reactivity, but the change of particle morphology during grinding may affect the rheological properties of cement paste and concrete, which limits the application of ground fly ash in concrete projects. In this study, the raw fly ash, separated fly ash, and ground fly ash of the same particle size range were studied and the particle morphology was analyzed by Image-Pro Plus process and spherical particles proportion calculation. On this basis, the fluidity and rheological properties of cement paste with different fly ash content were tested and the mechanism was discussed by packing density and zeta potential analysis. The results showed that the total amount of spherical particles in fly ash-cement paste system was reduced due to the spherical particles of ground fly ash being destroyed during the grinding process. Thus, compared with the separated fly ash of similar particle size range, the fluidity of ground fly ash was significantly decreased while the yield stress and plastic viscosity increased significantly, which indicated that the rheological properties of fly ash cement paste are closely related to the particle morphology of fly ash. The results provide theoretical basis and technology support to the application of ground fly ash.

We aimed to investigate the effects of Clostridium butyricum-, Bacillus subtilis-, and Bacillus licheniformis-based potential probiotics on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, immune responses, and caecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial structure in broiler chickens. Three treatment groups containing a total of 1200 one-day-old AA broilers were included: birds fed with a basal diet only (Con), birds fed with added 1010 probiotics cfu/kg (ProL), and birds fed with added 1011 probiotics cfu/kg (ProH). The dietary probiotics significantly improved the final and average body weights and serum immunoglobulins A, M, and Y. The probiotics also enhanced the ileal morphology and improved the caecal acetate, butyrate, and propionate contents. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that dietary compound probiotics modulated the caecal microflora composition as follows: (1) all birds shared 2794 observed taxonomic units; (2) treatment groups were well separated in the PCA and PCoA analysis; (3) the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Barnesiella, Odoribacter, [Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group], [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, and Butyricimonas significantly varied between treatments. The compound probiotics improved the growth performance, serum immune responses, the ratio of ileal villus height to crypt depth, and major caecal SCFAs in broiler chickens. The dietary C. butyricum-, B. subtilis-, and B. licheniformis-based probiotics improved overall broiler health and would benefit the poultry industry.