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Abstract Background Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a life -threatening cerebrovascular disease, where early brain injury (EBI) stands as a primary contributor to mortality and unfavorable patient outcomes. Neuronal ferroptosis emerges as a key pathological mechanism underlying EBI in SAH. Targeting ferroptosis for therapeutic intervention in SAH holds significant promise as a treatment strategy. Methods SAH model was induced via intravascular puncture and quantitatively assessed the presence of neuronal ferroptosis in the early phase of SAH using FJC staining, Prussian blue staining, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) measurements. Hyaluronic acid-coated ursolic acid nanoparticles (HA-PEG-UA NPs) were prepared using the solvent evaporation method. We investigated the in vivo distribution of HA-PEG-UA NPs in SAH model through IVIS and fluorescence observation, and examined their impact on short-term neurological function and cortical neurological injury. Finally, we assessed the effect of UA on the Nrf-2/SLC7A11/GPX4 axis via Western Blot analysis. Results We successfully developed self-assembled UA NPs with hyaluronic acid to target the increased CD44 expression in the SAH-afflicted brain. The resulting HA-PEG-UA NPs facilitated delivery and enrichment of UA within the SAH-affected region. The targeted delivery of UA to the SAH region can effectively inhibit neuronal ferroptosis, improve neurological deficits, and prognosis in mice. Its mechanism of action is associated with the activation of the Nrf-2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway. Conclusions Brain-targeted HA-PEG-UA NPs was successfully developed and hold the potential to enhance SAH prognosis by limiting neuronal ferroptosis via modulation of the Nrf-2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signal. Graphical Abstract

Despite the advantage of neuroimaging-based machine learning (ML) models as pivotal tools for investigating brain-behavior relationships in neuropsychiatric studies, these data-driven predictive approaches have yet to yield substantial, clinically actionable insights for mental health care. A notable impediment lies in the inadequate accommodation of most ML research to the natural heterogeneity within large samples. Although commonly thought of as individual-level analyses, many ML algorithms are unimodal and homogeneous and thus incapable of capturing the potentially heterogeneous relationships between biology and psychopathology. We review the current landscape of computational research targeting population heterogeneity and argue that there is a need to expand from brain subtyping and behavioral phenotyping to analyses that focus on heterogeneity at the relational level. To this end, we review and suggest several existing ML models with the capacity to discern how external environmental and sociodemographic factors moderate the brain-behavior mapping function in a data-driven fashion. These heterogeneous ML models hold promise for enhancing the discovery of individualized brain-behavior associations and advancing precision psychiatry.

Abstract The aims of this study were to investigate the heavy metal pollution status and distribution and to analyze the relationships among metal concentrations of different links in the dairy production chain. Chromium (Cr), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) levels in water, fodder, milk, blood, hair, and feces samples collected from cows from five dairy farms in China were measured. The concentrations of Cr, As, Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn were 4.61–11.11, 0.06–0.46, 0.17–0.29, 2.84–4.23, 4.11–7.72, and 7.23–19.91 mg/kg in silage; 12.72–40.85, 0.76–2.40, 0.05–0.16, 4.73–9.16, 44.14–78.46, and 4148.51–4845.20 μg/L in milk; 33.59–60.73, 0.09–3.57, 0.29–1.78, 20.14–39.20, 821.34–1007.45, and 2665.10–4929.95 μg/L in blood; 0.59–1.06, 0.02–0.09, 0.08–0.11, 1.70–2.09, 6.45–8.64, and 9.73–1.56 mg/kg in hair; 31.75–296.35, 0.33–5.96, 0.18–0.53, 3.35–9.06, 12.27–41.39, and 56.54–196.34 mg/kg in feces, respectively. The concentrations of heavy metals in hair were higher than those in the other samples and when combined with the results from the silage and tissue samples, we can assume that cow's hair can be used as a biological indicator for heavy metal contamination in the dairy production chain.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common infl ammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been used in Asia as a treatment for UC and Puerariae Radix (PR) is a reliable anti-diarrheal therapy. The aims of this study were to investigate the protective effect of PR using the dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS)-induced UC model in mice and identify molecular mechanisms of PR action. The chemical constituents of PR via ultra-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and identifi ed potential PR and UC targets using a network pharmacology (NP) approach were obtained to guide mouse experiments. A total of 180 peaks were identifi ed from PR including 48 flavonoids, 46 organic acids, 14 amino acids, 8 phenols, 8 carbohydrates, 7 alkaloids, 6 coumarins and 43 other constituents. NP results showed that caspase-1 was the most dysregulated of the core genes associated with UC. A PR dose of 0.136 mg/g administered to DSS treated mice reversed weight loss and decreased colon lengths found in UC mice. PR also alleviated intestinal mucosal shedding, infl ammatory cell infi ltration and mucin loss. PR treatment suppressed upregulation of NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteases-1 (caspase-1), apoptosis-associated speck-like (ASC) and gasdermin D (GSDMD) at both the protein and mRNA expression levels. The addition of a small molecule dual-specifi city phosphatase inhibitor NSC 95397 inhibited the positive effects of PR. These results indicated that PR exerts a protective effect on DSS-induced colitis by inhibiting NLRP3 infl ammasome activation in mice.

Accurate estimation of turbulence field is of great importance in aerospace, and existing means of obtaining turbulence field is inadequate in terms of resolution or accuracy. Experimental measurements are accurate but often have a limited number of observation points, and numerical computations can obtain full-field data but the accuracy is difficult to guarantee. The data assimilation method integrates experimental observation and numerical simulation, which is an effective tool for flow field reconstruction. This paper explored the effectiveness of data assimilation method based on ensemble transform Kalman filter(ETKF) in spatial flow field reconstruction, and also discussed the reconstruction accuracy and computational efficiency of different iterative updates, namely ETKF-M and ETKF-D, which update state variables based on turbulence model and flow field data respectively. Using the ONERA M6 airfoil as a numerical example, the algorithm was experimented by combining the pressure measurement data from 271 pressure holes on the airfoil surface from the wind tunnel test. The results show that different iterative updates of ETKF method can effectively modify the prediction of the turbulence model, and the ETKF-D improves the computational efficiency by 83% compared with the ETKF-M. In addition, two groups of 1/4 experimental observation points at different locations were selected for assimilation experiments, and results with different accuracies were obtained. It indicates that the accuracy of reconstruction is closely related to the location and number of assimilated observation points.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent and aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults, known for its poor prognosis and resistance to conventional treatments. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) presents a significant challenge in delivering effective treatments. In this study, we developed a carrier-free, self-assembled nanosystem using genistein (GE), a naturally occurring isoflavone, to enhance therapeutic delivery across the BBB. GE nanoparticles (GE NPs) were synthesized via solvent emulsification evaporation, in uniform spherical particles (∼180 nm), stabilized by hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. The GE NPs demonstrated optimal physicochemical properties, including stability, high BBB permeability, prolonged circulation time. In vitro studies revealed that GE NPs inhibited GBM cell proliferation, induced apoptosis and suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by promoting the degradation of MMP9. In vivo, GE NPs significantly reduced tumor growth and extended survival in an orthotopic GBM mouse model, outperforming temozolomide treatment. Mechanistic analysis indicated that GE NPs inhibited the degradation of the extracellular matrix by targeting the catalytic domain of MMP9, thereby effectively suppressing the EMT of GBM. This research highlights the potential of GE NPs as a novel therapeutic approach for GBM, addressing drug delivery challenges while improving anti-tumor efficacy. Further optimization for enhanced tumor retention and exploration of combination therapies may improve clinical outcomes (Graphical Abstract).

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a life-threatening acute hemorrhagic cerebrovascular disease, with early brain injury (EBI) being the main cause of high mortality and severe neurological dysfunction. Oxidative stress plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of EBI. In this study, we synthesized antioxidant stress nanoparticles based on self-assembled oleanolic acid (OA) using the solvent volatilization method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed to analyze and understand the self-assembly mechanism of oleic acid nanoparticles (OA NPs). The TUNEL assay, Nissl staining, and brain water content measurements were conducted to investigate the impact of OA NPs on cortical neuronal injury. Additionally, Western blot analysis was performed to investigate the antioxidant stress mechanism of OA NPs. The result showed that OA NPs exhibited a spherical structure with an average diameter of 168 nm. The application of OA NPs in SAH has been found to contribute to the reduction of keap1 protein levels and an increase in the nuclear level of Nrf2. As a result, the transcription of antioxidant stress proteins, including HO1 and NQO1, is triggered. The activation of the antioxidant stress pathway by OA NPs ultimately leads to a decrease in neuron damage and an improvement in neurological dysfunction. In conclusion, we successfully designed and synthesized OA NPs that can efficiently target the site of SAH. These nanoparticles have demonstrated their potential as antioxidants for the treatment of SAH, offering significant clinical applications.

Dietary flavonoids are regarded as potent inhibitors of gut bacterial β-glucuronidase (β-GUS), although the precise structure-activity relationship between dietary flavonoids and β-GUS remains elusive. In this study, 24 dietary flavonoids of 6 common different structural types were selected as model molecules to investigate this relationship through enzymatic inhibition kinetics and molecular docking simulations. The findings revealed that delphinidin (1) and baohuoside I (16) exhibited robust inhibitory activities, while the formation of ionic bond and hydrogen bonds was found to play crucial roles in these interactions. Moreover, the core structure, position, and quantity of hydroxyl groups; type and number of glycosyls, and the presence of isopentenyl group all played pivotal roles in influencing inhibitory activities against β-GUS derived from Escherichia coli. These results offer valuable insights into the relationship between flavonoid structure and enzyme inhibition, which could prove invaluable for the development of novel drugs and flavonoid dietary supplements.

With the growing use of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for underwater exploration, efficient wireless charging solutions like inductive power transfer (IPT) are crucial for addressing power limitations. This paper presents a novel IPT system for USVs and introduces a systematic design approach for optimizing magnetic couplers. The proposed design addresses three critical challenges: misalignment tolerance, lightweight construction, and thermal safety, which are intricately linked through a magnetic field. In terms of misalignment, this paper demonstrates that the coil length is a key factor in determining misalignment tolerance. For a lightweight design, replacing the ferrite plate with ferrite bars can significantly reduce the weight of the coupler without causing core saturation. The design is further validated through a two-way coupled electromagnetic–thermal simulation. The results reveal that, with proper thermal management, the system avoids thermal risks in underwater environments compared to air. Finally, a 3 kW prototype is constructed and tested in fresh water, achieving 55 V and 50 A wireless charging at an 85.7% full-load dc-to-dc efficiency, thus confirming the practicality and performance of the design.

Abstract Silk fibroin (SF)‐based hydrogels are promising multifunctional adhesive candidates for real‐world applications in tissue engineering, implantable bioelectronics, artificial muscles, and artificial skin. However, developing conductive SF‐based hydrogels that are suitable for the micro‐physiological environment and maintain their physical and chemical properties over long periods of use remains challenging. Herein, we developed an ion‐conductive SF hydrogel composed of glycidyl methacrylate silk fibroin (SilMA) and bioionic liquid choline acylate (ChoA) polymer chains, together with the modification of acrylated thymine (ThyA) and adenine (AdeA) functional groups. The resulting polymeric ion‐conductive SF composite hydrogel demonstrated high bioactivity, strong adhesion strength, good mechanical compliance, and stretchability. The formed hydrogel network of ChoA chains can coordinate with the ionic strength in the micro‐physiological environment while maintaining the adaptive coefficient of expansion and stable mechanical properties. These features help to form a stable ion‐conducting channel for the hydrogel. Additionally, the hydrogel network modified with AdeA and ThyA, can provide a strong adhesion to the surface of a variety of substrates, including wet tissue through abundant hydrogen bonding. The biocompatible and ionic conductive SF composite hydrogels can be easily prepared and incorporated into flexible skin or epidermal sensing devices. Therefore, our polymeric SF‐based hydrogel has great potential and wide application to be an important component of many flexible electronic devices for personalized healthcare.

Heavy alcohol drinking is a major, preventable problem that adversely impacts the physical and mental health of US young adults. Studies seeking drinking risk factors typically focus on young adults who enrolled in 4-year residential college programs (4YCP) even though most high school graduates join the workforce, military, or community colleges. We examined 106 of these understudied young adults (USYA) and 453 4YCPs from the National Consortium on Alcohol and NeuroDevelopment in Adolescence (NCANDA) by longitudinally following their drinking patterns for 8 years from adolescence to young adulthood. All participants were no-to-low drinkers during high school. Whereas 4YCP individuals were more likely to initiate heavy drinking during college years, USYA participants did so later. Using mental health metrics recorded during high school, machine learning forecasted individual-level risk for initiating heavy drinking after leaving high school. The risk factors differed between demographically matched USYA and 4YCP individuals and between sexes. Predictors for USYA drinkers were sexual abuse, physical abuse for girls, and extraversion for boys, whereas 4YCP drinkers were predicted by the ability to recognize facial emotion and, for boys, greater openness. Thus, alcohol prevention programs need to give special consideration to those joining the workforce, military, or community colleges, who make up the majority of this age group.

Beef flavor profiles are strongly influenced by cooking methods and lipid composition. However, the effect of instant-boiling on the aroma of different beef slices was unclear. This study investigated the lipid profiles and instant-boiling volatile profiles of chuck tender (M. Supraspinatus), sirloin (M. Longissimus dorsi) and silverside (M. Biceps femoris). Quantitative lipidomics identified 336 lipid molecular species, of which 84–112 were quantitatively different among the three beef slices. Sirloin had lower phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylglycerol and free fatty acids than chuck tender and silverside. The unsaturated fatty acid acyl chains in phosphatidylethanolamine differed significantly. Solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-O-MS) identified hexanal, octanal, nonanal, decanal, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, (E)-2-undecenal, (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-pentylfuran and acetoin as the aroma-active compounds of instant-boiled beef. Unsaturated free fatty acids and phosphatidylglycerols with unsaturated fatty acid residues positively correlated with the aroma-active compounds and might be crucial in flavor differences among the three beef slices. These findings provide greater understanding of the lipid and instant-boiling aroma-active compound profiles in chuck tender, sirloin and silverside, and reflect the suitability of different beef slices for instant-boiling from the aroma perspective.

Abstract Achievement of national climate targets and the corresponding costs would entirely depend on regional actions within the country. However, because of substantial inequalities and heterogeneities among regions, especially in developing economies, aggressive or uniform actions may exacerbate inequity and induce huge economic losses, which in turn challenges the national climate pledges. Hence, this study extends prior research by proposing economically optimal strategies that can achieve national climate targets and ensure the greatest local and national benefits as well as regional equality. Focusing on the biggest developing country China, we find this strategy can avoid up to 1.54% of cumulative GDP losses for approaching carbon neutrality, and more than 90% of regions would obtain economic gains compared either with existing independently launched targets or with the uniform strategy that all regions achieve peak carbon emissions before 2030. We also provide optimal carbon mitigation pathways to regional peak carbon, carbon intensity and energy consumption.

Abstract Fungi are dependent on animal manure as a cultivation medium and may be vulnerable to feed‐derived β‐agonist contamination. To test whether β‐agonists incorporated in animal feed can transport into fungi through manure, a greenhouse study was conducted with Tricholoma gambosum grown in a culture medium amended with medicated cattle manure. Cattle were orally administrated with a single (ractopamine, 670.0 μg/kg BW/day) or a mixture of β‐agonists (clenbuterol, ractopamine, and salbutamol at the doses of 5.3, 223.3, and 50.0 μg/kg BW/day, respectively) for 28 days. Three batches of T. gambosum were harvested. A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry‐based method was developed to quantify the number of β‐agonists taken up by T. gambosum from animal manure. The analytical recoveries for β‐agonists were between 66.61% and 91.78% with relative standard deviations between 1.70% and 12.18%, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.3 ng/g. The ractopamine residues in T. gambosum from batch 1 were 1.3 ng/g and were below the LOQ in batches 2 and 3 in the single treatment group. In the mixed treatment group, ractopamine concentrations were 0.42 and 0.50 ng/g in batches 1 and 2, respectively, and the salbutamol concentration was 1.94 ng/g in batch 1, while clenbuterol was undetectable in all three batches. These results indicated that the β‐agonists transferred to T. gambosum in trace amounts and presented a limited risk to consumers.

The emergence of safe and functional eggs for consumer acceptance has gained focus. The production of carotenoid-enriched eggs has received attention due to its multifunctional biological properties. Nutritional modification of laying hens’ diet can be a strategy to produce such eggs. This review presents the chemistry of carotenoids in nature and eggs, the accumulation process of carotenoids into eggs, and the functions of carotenoids in eggs. Our findings showed that carotenoids can be deposited into the egg and contribute to improving its nutritive value. The biosynthesis, chemical structure, and metabolism pathways of carotenoids lead to the deposition of carotenoids into eggs in their original or metabolized forms. Also, some factors modulate the efficiency of carotenoids in fowls before accumulation into eggs. Carotenoid-enriched eggs may be promising, ensuring the availability of highly nutritive eggs. However, further studies are still needed to comprehend the full metabolism process and the extensive functions of carotenoids in eggs.

This study examined how adding extruded highland barley flour (EHBF) affects the thermomechanical properties of wheat flour dough and the overall quality of fresh wet noodles. EHBF increased the gel strength and pasting temperature of wheat flour compared to regular highland barley flour. Moreover, higher EHBF levels reduced dough development time and stability time. EHBF improved the color and springiness of fresh wet noodles and decreased their cooking time and light transmittance relative to the color and springiness of the noodles in the control group. Notably, noodles with 20% EHBF showed a compact microstructure and received the highest sensory evaluation score. Adding EHBF lowered the estimated glycemic index of fresh wet noodles by reducing rapidly digestible starch and increasing slowly digestible starch and resistant starch contents. Thus, EHBF is a promising functional ingredient for enhancing the quality of fresh wet noodles.

A wide range of research has illustrated that carotenoids play a key role in human health through their versatile beneficial biological functions. Traditionally, the majority dietary sources of carotenoids for humans are obtained from vegetables and fruits, however, the contribution of animal-derived foods has attracted more interest in recent years. Livestock products such as eggs, meat, and milk have been considered as the appropriate and unique carriers for the deposition of carotenoids. In addition, with the enrichment of carotenoids, the nutritional quality of these animal-origin foods would be improved as well as the economic value. Here, we offer an overview covering aspects including the physicochemical properties of carotenoids, the situation of carotenoids fortified in livestock products, and the pathways that lead to the deposition of carotenoids in livestock products. The summary of these important nutrients in livestock products will provide references for animal husbandry and human health.

ABSTRACT: In this study, we evaluated the enrichment efficiency of lutein in eggs and its function in preventing fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) in aged laying hens. Five groups of laying hens (65 wk old) were fed basal diets supplemented with 0, 30, 60, 90, or 120 mg/kg of lutein. The supplementation period lasted 12 wk followed by 2 wk of lutein depletion in feed. The results revealed that lutein efficiently enriched the egg yolks and improved their color with a significant increase in relative redness (P < 0.001). Lutein accumulation increased in the egg yolk until day 10, then depletion reached a minimum level after 14 d. Overall, zeaxanthin content in all the groups was similar throughout the experimental period. However, triglycerides and total cholesterol were significantly decreased in the liver (P < 0.05) but not significantly different in the serum (P > 0.05). In the serum, the lipid metabolism enzyme acetyl-CoA synthetase was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), whereas dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 was not significantly different (P > 0.05), and there was no statistical difference of either enzyme in the liver (P > 0.05). Regarding oxidation and inflammation-related indexes, malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factors alpha, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1 beta were decreased, whereas superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity increased in the liver (P < 0.001). The function of lutein for the same indexes in serum was limited. It was concluded that lutein efficiently enriched the egg yolk of old laying hens to improve their color and reached the highest level on day 10 without being subject to a significant conversion into zeaxanthin. At the same time, lutein prevented liver steatosis in aged laying hens by exerting strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions, but also through the modulation of lipid metabolism, which may contribute to reducing the incidence of FLHS in poultry.

Abstract Background Growth-promoting antibiotics have been banned by law in the livestock and poultry breeding industry in many countries. Various alternatives to antibiotics have been investigated for using in livestock. Epimedium (EM) is an herb rich in flavonoids that has many beneficial effects on animals. Therefore, this study was planned to explore the potential of EM as a new alternative antibiotic product in animal feed. Methods A total of 720 1-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres Plus) were randomly divided into six groups and fed basal diet (normal control; NC), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; CTC), and basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg EM extract for 6 weeks (EM100, EM200, EM400 and EM800 groups). The growth performance at weeks 3 and 6 was measured. Serum, intestinal tissue and feces were collected to assay for antioxidant indexes, intestinal permeability, lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles, microbial composition, and expression of intestinal barrier genes. Results The average daily feed intake in CTC group at 1–21 d was significantly higher than that in the NC group, and had no statistical difference with EM groups. Compared with NC group, average daily gain in CTC and EM200 groups increased significantly at 1–21 and 1–42 d. Compared with NC group, EM200 and EM400 groups had significantly decreased levels of lipopolysaccharide and D-lactic acid in serum throughout the study. The concentrations of lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and SCFAs in feces of birds fed 200 mg/kg EM diet were significantly higher than those fed chlortetracycline. The dietary supplementation of chlortetracycline and 200 mg/kg EM significantly increased ileal expression of SOD1, Claudin-1 and ZO-1 genes. Dietary supplemented with 200 mg/kg EM increased the relative abundances of g_NK4A214_group and Lactobacillus in the jejunal, while the relative abundances of Microbacterium, Kitasatospora, Bacteroides in the jejunal and Gallibacterium in the ileum decreased. Conclusion Supplementation with 200 mg/kg EM extract improved the composition of intestinal microbiota by regulating the core bacterial genus Lactobacillus, and increased the concentration of beneficial metabolites lactic acid and SCFAs in the flora, thereby improving the antioxidant capacity and intestinal permeability, enhancing the function of tight junction proteins. These beneficial effects improved the growth performance of broilers. Graphical Abstract

ABSTRACT: β-Carotene, because it is the precursor of vitamin A and has versatile biological roles, has been applied as a feed additive in the poultry industry for a long time. In this study, we investigated the deposition and bioconversion of β-carotene in laying hens. A total of 600 Hy-line brown laying hens at 40 wk of age were randomly divided into 5 dietary treatments, each group's dietary supplemental levels of β-carotene were 0, 15, 30, 60, 120 mg/kg feed, and the vitamin A levels were all 8,000 IU/kg. After 14-wk trial, samples were collected, then carotenoids and different forms of vitamin A were detected using the novel method developed by our laboratory. We found that dietary β-carotene treatment had no significant effects on laying hens’ production performance and egg quality (P > 0.05), except the yolk color. The deposition of β-carotene in the body gradually increased (P < 0.01) with the supplemental dose, whereas the contents of lutein and zeaxanthin decreased (P < 0.05). When the β-carotene supplemental level was above 30 mg/kg in the diet, the different forms of vitamin A in in serum, liver, ovary, and yolks were increased compared to the control group (P < 0.05). However, these indicators decreased when the additional dose was 120 mg/kg. Moreover, the mRNA levels of the genes involved in β-carotene absorption, bioconversion, and negative feedback regulation in duodenal mucosa and liver were upregulated after long-term feeding (P < 0.05). Histological staining of the ovaries indicated that the deposition of β-carotene led to a lower rate of follicle atresia (P < 0.05), and this positive effects may be related to the antioxidant function of β-carotene, which caused a reduction of oxidation products in the ovary (P < 0.05). Altogether, β-carotene could accumulate in laying hens intactly and exert its biological functions in tissue. Meanwhile, a part of β-carotene could also be converted into vitamin A but this bioconversion has an upper limit and negative feedback regulation.

Oxidative stress causes gut dysfunction and is a contributing factor in several intestinal disorders. Intestinal epithelial cell survival is essential for maintaining human and animal health under oxidative stress. 18beta-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) is known to have multiple beneficial effects, including antioxidant activity; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms have not been well established. Thus, the present study evaluated the therapeutic effects of GA on H2O2-induced oxidative stress in intestinal porcine epithelial cells. The results showed that pretreatment with GA (100 nM for 16 h) significantly increased the levels of several antioxidant enzymes and reduced corresponding intracellular levels of reactive oxidative species and malondialdehyde. GA inhibited cell apoptosis via activating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway, as confirmed by RNA sequencing. Further analyses demonstrated that GA upregulated the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt and the protein level of B cell lymphoma 2, whereas it downregulated Cytochrome c and tumor suppressor protein p53 levels. Moreover, molecular docking analysis predicted the binding of GA to Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor 1, a primary membrane receptor, to activate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Collectively, these results revealed that GA protected against H2O2-induced oxidative damage and cell apoptosis via activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, suggesting the potential therapeutic use of GA to alleviate oxidative stress in humans/animals.

As direct evaluation of a mouse model of human neurodevelopment, adolescent and young adult mice and humans underwent MR diffusion tensor imaging to quantify age-related differences in microstructural integrity of brain white matter fibers. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was greater in older than younger mice and humans. Despite the cross-species commonality, the underlying developmental mechanism differed: whereas evidence for greater axonal extension contributed to higher FA in older mice, evidence for continuing myelination contributed to higher FA in human adolescent development. These differences occurred in the context of species distinctions in overall brain growth: whereas the continued growth of the brain and skull in the murine model can accommodate volume expansion into adulthood, human white matter volume and myelination continue growth into adulthood within a fixed intracranial volume. Appreciation of the similarities and differences in developmental mechanism can enhance the utility of animal models of brain white matter structure, function, and response to exogenous manipulation.

Gas chromatography-orbitrap-mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-MS) was used to identify the compositions of three different sources of chili essential oil, turmeric essential oil, citronella essential oil and fennel essential oil. The content of each component was calculated by the peak area normalization method. Through the forward/reverse matching degree and retention index (RI) of the library comparison, the unknown compound could be confirmed together. The electronic nose technology was used to rapidly analyze the volatile components of essential oils. To compare the antioxidant capacity of essential oils in vitro, DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging rate and total antioxidant capacity were measured. The results showed that 33 compounds have been identified in chili essential oil Guarea kunthiana A. The major components were capsaicinoids; 95 compounds have been identified in turmeric essential oil,the major components were sesquiterpenoids such as curcumene and longifolene; 137 compounds had been identified in citronella essential oil,the major components were citronellol, citronellol and alpha-humulene etc.; 56 compounds had been identified in fennel essential oil the major component was transanisole. The analysis of the electronic nose radar chart showed that the W1W, W2W and W5S play a key role in distinguishing the volatile gases from different sources of essential oils. According to the results of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging rate and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), the antioxidant activity from strong to weak were turmeric essential oil, citronella essential oil, chili essential oil and fennel essential oil. Among them, turmeric essential oil from the third source had the strongest antioxidant activity. The IC50 values of DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activity and FRAP value were 1020.99 μL/L, 464 μL/L and 44.72 μmol Trolox/mL, respectively. The volatile components of the essential oils have been comprehensively analyzed by GC-Orbitrap-MS, which provided theoretical basis and research ideas for the further development of essential oils in food industry.

Silkie chicken, an important chicken breed with high medicinal and nutritional value, has a long history of being used as a dietary supplement in China. However, the compounds with health-promoting effects in Silkie chickens remain unclear. In the present study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of metabolic and lipidomic profiles to identify the characteristic bioactive compounds in Silkie chickens, using a common chicken breed as control. The results showed that the levels of 13 metabolites including estradiol, four lipid subclasses including cardiolipin (CL), eight lipid molecules, and three fatty acids including docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6) were significantly increased in Silkie chickens, which have physiological activities such as resisting chronic diseases and improving cognition. These characteristic bioactive compounds have effects on meat quality characteristics, including improving its water-holding capacity and umami taste and increasing the content of aromatic compounds and phenols. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two chicken breeds revealed the regulatory network for these characteristic bioactive compounds. Fifteen DEGs, including HSD17B1, are involved in the synthesis of characteristic metabolites. Eleven DEGs, including ELOVL2, were involved in the synthesis and transport of characteristic lipids and fatty acids. In summary, we identified characteristic bioactive compounds in Silkie chickens, and analyzed their effects on meat quality characteristics. This study provided important insight into Silkie chicken meat as a functional food.

Melanin as a natural pigment widely exists in animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. In vivo and in vitro tests have proven that melanin has a variety of health-promoting effects, such as antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect, liver and gastrointestinal tract protection effect. Melanin can be extracted from animal and plant by-products or produced by microbial fermentation, involving five extraction and purification methods, with their own positive and negative aspects. Melanin can be added to a variety of foods as natural colorant and preservative, with high safety and almost no toxicity. This article focuses on melanin’s source classification, health benefits, extraction technology and applications in food products to explore the potential of it as a functional food ingredient.

Sheep breed has a major influence on characteristics of meat quality and intramuscular fat (IMF), however, studies into the relationship between sheep breed and meat quality traits rarely consider the large variation in IMF within breed. In this study, groups of 176 Hu and 76 Tan male sheep were established, weaned at 56 days old, with similar weights, and representative samples were selected based on the distribution of IMF in each population, to investigate variations in meat quality, IMF and volatile compound profiles between breeds. Significant differences were observed in drip loss, shear force, cooking loss, and color coordinates between Hu and Tan sheep (p

ABSTRACT: We investigated the effects of astaxanthin supplementation on the egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and ovarian aging of aged laying hens. Six groups of 68-wk-old Hy-line brown laying hens with six replications each, fifteen chickens in each replicate were fed for 12 wk. The control group was fed a basal diet, the positive control group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg vitamin E, and the experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 15 mg/kg, 30 mg/kg, 45 mg/kg, or 60 mg/kg astaxanthin (Ax15, Ax30, Ax45, and Ax60, respectively). The results showed that astaxanthin accumulated in the egg yolks and improved egg yolk color (P < 0.01) and Haugh unit (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the experimental groups a higher number of follicles in the ovary and a lower rate of atresia (P < 0.01). Astaxanthin increased the expression of nuclear factor e2-related factor 2 (NRF2) in the ovary (P < 0.05), enhanced the antioxidant capacity of aged laying hens (P < 0.05), and reduced cellular apoptosis (P < 0.05). In addition, astaxanthin improved serum reproductive hormone levels (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and progesterone) (P < 0.05) with a maximum value observed in Ax60. However, astaxanthin had no effects on estrogen level (P > 0.05). The expression of FSHR and CYP11A1 increased in the follicular granulosa cells (P < 0.05). Therefore, astaxanthin prevented ovarian aging by improving the antioxidant capacity of laying hens and promoting the production of reproductive hormones. The declining reproductive performance of laying hens in the late laying period may be improved with astaxanthin supplementation.

Adipose tissue plays an important role in systemic energy metabolism, and its dysfunction can lead to severe metabolic disorders. Various cells in adipose tissue communicate with each other to maintain metabolic homeostasis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are recognized as novel medium for remote intercellular communication by transferring various bioactive molecules from parental cells to distant target cells. Increasing evidence suggests that the endocrine functions of adipose tissue and even the metabolic homeostasis are largely affected by different cell-derived EVs, such as insulin signaling, lipolysis, and metabolically triggered inflammation regulations. Here, we provide an overview focused on the role of EVs released by different cell types of adipose tissue in metabolic diseases and their possible molecular mechanisms and highlight the potential applications of EVs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Moreover, the current EVs-based therapeutic strategies have also been discussed. This trial is registered with NCT05475418.

Abstract Background The immune system is one aspect of health that is affected by dietary selenium (Se) levels and selenoprotein expression. Spleen is an important immune organ of the body, which is directly involved in cellular immunity. However, there are limited reports on Se levels and spleen health. Therefore, this study established a Se-deficient pig model to investigate the mechanism of Se deficiency-induced splenic pathogenesis. Methods Twenty-four pure line castrated male Yorkshire pigs (45 days old, 12.50 ± 1.32 kg, 12 full-sibling pairs) were divided into two equal groups and fed Se-deficient diet (0.007 mg Se/kg) or Se-adequate diet (0.3 mg Se/kg) for 16 weeks. At the end of the trial, blood and spleen were collected to assay for erythroid parameters, the osmotic fragility of erythrocytes, the spleen index, histology, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, Se concentrations, the selenogenome, redox status, and signaling related inflammation and apoptosis. Results Dietary Se deficiency decreased the erythroid parameters and increased the number of osmotically fragile erythrocytes (P

The presence of confounding effects is one of the most critical challenges in using deep learning to advance discovery in medical imaging studies. Here, the authors introduce an end-to-end approach for deriving features invariant to confounding factors as inputs to prediction models.

The emission allocation strategies of global scenarios do not specify the potential benefits from extra climate mitigation efforts. Here the authors show that compared to the current Nationally Distributed Contributions, the proposed self-preservation strategy might generate 126–616 trillion dollars of additional benefits by 2100.

Suitable protein sources are essential requirements for piglet growth and health. Typically, intestinal microbiota co-develops with the host and impact its physiology, which make it more plastic to dietary protein sources at early stages. However, the effects of fermented soybean meal (FSB) and fish meal (FM) on foregut and hindgut microbiota, and their relationship with nutrient digestion and host health remain unclear. In this study, we identified interactions between ileac and colonic microbiota which were reshaped by FSB and FM, and assessed host digestibility and host health in a piglet model. Eighteen weaned piglets (mean weight = 8.58 ± 0.44 kg) were divided into three dietary treatments, with six replicates/treatment. The level of dietary protein was 16%, with FSB, FM, and a mixture of fermented soybean meal and fish meal (MFSM) applied as protein sources. During days 1–14 and 1–28, diets containing MFSM generated higher piglet body weight and average daily gain, but lower feed to weight gain ratios when compared with the FM diet (P < 0.05). Piglets in MFSM and FM groups had lower apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of crude protein (CP) compared with the FSB group (P < 0.05). Serum immunoglobulins (IgM and IgG) in MFSM and FM groups were significantly higher on day 28, but serum cytokines (interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α) were significantly lower than the FSB group on days 14 and 28 (P < 0.05). When compared with FSB and FM groups, dietary MFSM significantly increased colonic acetic acid and butyric acid levels (P < 0.05). Compared with the FM and MFSM groups, the FSB diet increased the relative abundance of ileac Lactobacillus and f_Lactobacillaceae, which were significant positively correlated with CP ATTD (P < 0.05). Compared with the FSB group, the relative abundance of f_Peptostreptococcaceae and Romboutsia in MFSM or FM groups were increased and were significant positively correlated with total carbohydrate (TC) ATTD (P < 0.05). Piglets fed FSB had higher α-diversity in colonic microbiota when compared with other groups (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of colonic unidentified_Clostridiales and Romboutsia in MFSM and FSB groups were significantly higher than in the FM group (P < 0.05). Dietary MFSM or FM increased the relative abundance of colonic Streptococcaceae and Streptococcus, but decreased the relative abundance of Christensenellaceae when compared with the FSB group (P < 0.05). These bacteria showed a significantly positive correlation with serum cytokine and immunoglobulin levels (P < 0.05). Therefore, dietary FSB improved CP digestibility by increasing the relative abundance of ileac f_Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus, while dietary MFSM benefited TC digestibility by increasing f_Peptostreptococcaceae and Romboutsia. Dietary MFSM and FM enhanced immunoglobulin secretion by increasing colonic f_Streptococcaceae and Streptococcus prevalence, while dietary FSB promoted cytokine production by increasing microbiota diversity and Romboutsia and Christensenellaceae. Our data provide a theoretical dietary basis for young animals using plant and animal protein sources.

Adzuki bean is widely consumed in East Asia. Although the positive effects of its biologically active ingredients on obesity have been confirmed, the role of whole cooked adzuki bean in preventing obesity and the relationship between the effects and gut microbiota remain unclear. Mice were fed either a low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) with or without 15% cooked adzuki bean for 12 weeks. Cooked adzuki bean significantly inhibited weight gain and hepatic steatosis, reduced high levels of serum triacylglycerol (TG), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alleviated systemic inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia in mice fed a HFD. Importantly, cooked adzuki bean regulated gut microbiota composition, decreased the abundance of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacteria (Desulfovibrionaceae,Helicobacter,and Bilophila), and HFD-dependent taxa (Deferribacteraceae, Ruminiclostridium_9, Ruminiclostridium, Mucispirillum, Oscillibacter, Enterorhabdus, Tyzzerella, Anaerotruncus, Intestinimonas, unclassified_f_Ruminococcaceae, Ruminiclostridium_5, and Ruminococcaceae), and enriched Muribaculaceae, norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Anaeroplasma, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, and Lachnospiraceae to alleviate inflammation and metabolic disorders induced by HFD. These findings provide new evidence for understanding the anti-obesity effect of cooked adzuki bean.

Pingwei San (PWS) has been used for more than a thousand years as a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for treating spleen-deficiency diarrhea (SDD). Nevertheless, the exact mechanism by which it exerts its antidiarrheal effects remains unclear. The objective of this investigation was to explore the antidiarrheal efficacy of PWS and its mechanism of action in SDD induced by Rhubarb. To this end, UHPLC-MS/MS was used to identify the chemical composition of PWS, while the body weight, fecal moisture content, and colon pathological alterations were used to evaluate the effects of PWS on the Rhubarb-induced rat model of SDD. Additionally, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry were employed to assess the expression of inflammatory factors, aquaporins (AQPs), and tight junction markers in the colon tissues. Furthermore, 16S rRNA was utilized to determine the impact of PWS on the intestinal flora of SDD rats. The findings revealed that PWS increased body weight, reduced fecal water content, and decreased inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon. It also promoted the expression of AQPs and tight junction markers and prevented the loss of colonic cup cells in SDD rats. In addition, PWS significantly increased the abundance of Prevotellaceae, Eubacterium_ruminantium_group, and Tuzzerella, while decreasing the abundance of Ruminococcus and Frisingicoccus in the feces of SDD rats. The LEfSe analysis revealed that Prevotella, Eubacterium_ruminantium_group, and Pantoea were relatively enriched in the PWS group. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that PWS exerted a therapeutic effect on Rhubarb-induced SDD in rats by both protecting the intestinal barrier and modulating the imbalanced intestinal microbiota.

Localization of defect sites is a major challenge for surgical repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. Here, we report a case in which we applied a 3-dimensional (3D) printed model to accurately identify the defect sites and facilitate the successful repair of a cranial CSF leak. A 37-year-old female patient diagnosed with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma suffered CSF rhinorrhea and severe bacterial meningitis. Lumbar drainage and antibiotic administration failed to control the condition. In addition to high resolution computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, we applied a 3D printed model of the skull to improve the understanding of the osseous destruction at the skull base and aid in accurately localizing the defect sites of the right middle fossa. Accordingly, a right temporalis pedicled flap combined with an autogenous fascia lata flap was applied to cover the defect sites. The leak stopped postoperatively, and meningitis was relieved by enhanced antibacterial treatment. As a complement to high resolution computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, a 3D printed model may improve localization of complex defect sites and surgical planning by allowing preoperative visualization of the skull condition.

Interest in polyphenols has grown due to their beneficial effect on diabetes attenuation. Millets are ancient crops that are rich in polyphenols and used for both food and feed. They are grown worldwide and are adapted to production under dry, hot conditions. The polyphenols found in millets have anti-diabetic properties. However, millet is usually consumed after being processed by heating, germination, fermentation, and other processing methods, which may alter polyphenol content and thus affect their anti-diabetic potential. This mini-review profiles the effects of different processing methods on millet polyphenols and how changes in millet polyphenols affect the hypoglycemic effect of millet. Future studies are needed to compare the anti-diabetes potential of millet polyphenols before and after processing and to explore ways to minimize polyphenol losses and thus maintain their hypoglycemic effect in final products.

Background Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has been successfully applied in treating lymphoma malignancies, but not in solid tumors. CD47 is highly expressed on tumor cells and its overexpression is believed to inhibit phagocytosis by macrophages and dendritic cells. Given the antitumor activity against preclinical model of CD47-blocking to induce the innate and adaptive immune system in the tumor microenvironment, here we developed a CAR-T cell secreting CD47 blocker signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα)-Fc fusion protein (Sirf CAR-T) to boost CAR-T cell therapeutic effect in solid tumor therapy.Methods Murine T cells were transduced to express a conventional anti-Trop2 CAR and Sirf CAR. The expression of SIRPα-Fc fusion protein in the supernatant of CAR-T cells and its effect on macrophage phagocytosis were tested in vitro. In vivo antitumor efficacy of CAR-T cells was evaluated in immunocompetent mice and analysis of the tumor microenvironment in the tumor-bearing mice was performed.Results We found that Sirf CAR-T cells dramatically decreased tumor burden and significantly prolonged survival in several syngeneic immunocompetent tumor models. Furthermore, we found that Sirf CAR-T cells induced more central memory T cells (TCM) and improved the persistence of CAR-T cells in tumor tissue, as well as decreased PD-1 expression on the CAR-T cell surface. In addition, we demonstrated that Sirf CAR-T cells could modulate the tumor microenvironment by decreasing myeloid-derived stem cells as well as increasing CD11c+ dendritic cells and M1-type macrophages in tumor tissue.Conclusions In summary, our findings indicate that CD47 blocker SIRPα-Fc enhances the antitumor efficacy of CAR-T cells and propose to block CD47/SIRPα signaling effect on CAR-T cells function, which could provide a new strategy for successful cancer immunotherapy by rationalizing combination of CD47 blocker and CAR-T cell therapy.

Being a key source of animal food, millet production has been sharply increasing over the last few years in order to cope with the dietary requirements of the ever-increasing world population. It is a splendid source of essential nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat, minerals, vitamins, and also some other bioactive compounds that eventually help through multiple biological activities, including antioxidant, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-cholesterol, anti-hypertensive, anthropometric effects and regulation of gut microbiota composition. These bioactive compounds, nutrients, and functions of cereal grains can be affected by processing techniques such as decortication, soaking, malting, milling, fermentation, etc. This study discusses the nutritional and functional properties of millet-incorporated foods and their impact on health, based on around 150 articles between 2015 and 2022 from the Web of Science, Google Scholar, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Breeding Bid Survey (BBS), and FoodData Central (USDA) databases. Analyzing literature reviews, it is evident that the incorporation of millet and its constituents into foodstuffs could be useful against undernourishment and several other health diseases. Additionally, this review provides crucial information about the beneficial features of millet, which can serve as a benchmark of guidelines for industry, consumers, researchers, and nutritionists.

Wireless charging systems (WCSs) are considered very appropriate to recharge underwater surface vehicles (USVs) due to their safe, flexible, and cost-effective characteristics. The small depth of immersion of USVs allows a WCS operated at an mm-level distance using a dock. Resultant tight coupling between the transmitter and receiver is conducive to high power, yet faces a challenge to alleviating misalignment sensitivity. In addition, considering USVs’ endurance, the weight of a WCS should be strictly limited. In this paper, a 6.0 kW underwater WCS is analyzed, designed, and optimized, which achieves a good balance of power capacity, misalignment tolerance, and onboard weight. A multi-receiving-coil structure is employed, which is crucial to large misalignment tolerance. On this basis, two types of coils adapting the hull shape of USV, viz., curved and quasi-curved coils, are devised and compared in case the hydrodynamic performance of USV is degraded. Finally, the weight of receiver is effectively reduced using bar-shaped ferrite without sacrificing the power capacity of WCSs. The results indicate a merely 8.73% drop in coupling coefficient with misalignment ranging from 0 to 100 mm. Moreover, ferrite use is reduced by 40.48 kg compared to a ferrite sheet, which accounts for 50.28% weight of the receiver.

Butyrate provides energy for colonocytes and is a functional metabolite that mitigates weanling piglet stress. However, its effects and mechanisms remain largely unknown. We established a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory stress piglet model to examine how butyrate mechanisms impacted piglet intestinal histology, microbiota, and inflammation. We randomly assigned 18 crossbred male piglets to three treatment groups: CON, LPS, and BT-LPS. Coated butyrate was supplemented in the BT-LPS feed for 21 days. On days 19 and 21, piglets in LPS and BT-LPS groups were challenged with LPS at 100 μg/kg body weight. Dietary butyrate improved LPS-injured intestinal histology by significantly increasing jejunal and ileal villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratios, and decreasing histological scores. LPS challenge activated hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and nuclear factor-κB, and enhanced interleukins (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12), tumor necrosis factor-α, and also downstream inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2, but decreased anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10, IL-13). Most molecule levels were significantly reversed by butyrate administration. When compared with the CON or LPS groups, the BT-LPS group had a higher relative abundance of jejunal Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Clostridiaceae, Lactobacillus, and Prevotella but a lower abundance of Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, and Escherichia–Shigella. Phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states and correlation analyses suggested these bacteria contributed to butyrate-alleviating jejunal inflammation and infectious diseases. Butyrate-based diets significantly reduced apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways by downregulating apoptotic caspase 3 mRNA levels. Diets also altered enterocyte metabolism in the jejunum by upregulating peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor α expression but downregulating carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 level when compared with CON or LPS groups. Butyrate supplementation improved immunity homeostasis, generated beneficial shifts in microbial communities, improved enterocyte energy metabolism, and prevented apoptosis to protect intestinal histology from LPS-induced injury.

ABSTRACT: Long-term and graded dose of astaxanthin supplementation in laying hen's diet was assessed for egg fortification. Five groups of laying hens with 8 replications each were fed for 24 wk with diet supplemented astaxanthin at 0 mg/kg (control), 7.1 mg/kg, 14.2 mg/kg, 21.3 mg/kg, and 42.6 mg/kg (Basal, A7, A14, A21, and A42, respectively). The performance of laying hens, egg quality, astaxanthin concentration as well as conversion efficiency and geometric isomers proportion in yolks were assessed on wk 8 and 24. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear and quadratic regression analyses were used to evaluate the dose effect. In parallel, the Student's t test compared the values between wk 8 and wk 24 of test within a group. Overall, the results revealed that neither production performance nor egg physical quality was affected by astaxanthin dose level and feeding duration. Following the supplementation dose, the redness of yolks (a*) increased (P < 0.001). But, the a* score in A42 (23.48) was just 3-folds the a* score in A7 (8.89). Concentration of astaxanthin in eggs was dose-level dependent showing a linear relationship (P < 0.001) with a slight declination observed in all groups on wk 24 compared to wk 8. The deposition rate of astaxanthin into egg yolk was higher in A21 and A42. The proportion of geometric isomers in egg yolk were not affected by the feeding duration. As the supplementation dose increased, all-trans isomer proportion gradually decreased in the egg yolk, while 13-cis isomer proportion rose. It was concluded that astaxanthin is an efficient carotenoid for egg fortification, which can be supplemented in diet up to 42.6 mg/kg for 24 wk without compromising the performance of laying hens or physical quality of eggs. This appreciably affects the egg yolk color and confers a better accumulation of total astaxanthin and cis isomers into eggs as the supplementation dose increases.

We recruited 1,631 middle and high school students to explore the relationship between personality traits and school bullying, and the moderated and mediating roles of self-concept and loneliness on this relationship. Results showed that (1) neuroticism had a significant positive predictive effect on being bullied, extroversion had a significant negative predictive effect on being bullied, and agreeableness had a significant negative predictive effect on bullying/being bullied; (2) loneliness played a mediating role between neuroticism and bullied behaviors, extroversion and bullying behaviors, and agreeableness and bullying/bullied behaviors; (3) self-concept played a moderating role on the mediation pathway of loneliness on neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness and bullying behaviors. Therefore, to reduce the frequency of school bullying among adolescents, we should not only reduce their levels of loneliness but also improve their levels of self-concept.

Inflammatory bowel disorder is accompanied by the destruction of immunity homeostasis, gut microbiota perturbation, and chronic inflammatory liver diseases. Butyrate is known as a primary energy source for colonocytes and functional substances for mitigating pathological features of colitis. However, it is still unclear whether butyrate alleviates colitis progression by regulation of microbiota and metabolism in the gut–liver axis. In the present study, we aimed to determine the role of microbiota and metabolism of the gut–liver axis in ameliorating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced colitis in piglets using protected butyrate administration. Eighteen crossbred male piglets were weaned at 30 days old and were randomly allocated to three treatments, with CON (basal diet), LPS (basal diet + LPS), and BT-LPS (basal diet + 3.0 g/kg protected butyrate + LPS). On days 19 and 21, piglets in the LPS and BT-LPS groups were intraperitoneally challenged with LPS at 100 μg/kg body weight. Butyrate administration significantly decreased LPS-induced rise in the clinical score of piglets and colonic histological scores and reduced the susceptibility to LPS-induced severe inflammatory response by decreasing proinflammatory (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) cytokines. Butyrate supplementation accelerated the prevalence of Faecalibacterium and Lactobacillus by enhancing the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle of colonocytes. Dietary supplementation with protected butyrate significantly targeted increased concentrations of butyric acid in the colon and portal venous circulation, and enhanced the TCA cycle in the gut–liver axis by mobilizing amino acid and vitamin B group as a coenzyme. Meanwhile, during this progress, LPS increased fatty acid synthesis that was reversed by butyrate treatment, which was reflected by decreased acylcarnitines. Butyrate-reshaped colonic microbial community and metabolism in the gut–liver axis contributed to morphology integrity and immunity homeostasis by promoting anti-inflammatory (IL-10 and TGF-β) cytokines and suppressing inflammatory mediator hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and its downstream response elements cyclooxygenase 2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. These results identified the pivotal role of colonic microbiota and metabolism in the gut–liver axis for alleviating inflammatory progression and possible therapeutic targets.

The application of data-driven deep learning to identify sex differences in developing brain structures of pre-adolescents has heretofore not been accomplished. Here, the approach identifies sex differences by analyzing the minimally processed MRIs of the first 8144 participants (age 9 and 10 years) recruited by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. The identified pattern accounted for confounding factors (i.e., head size, age, puberty development, socioeconomic status) and comprised cerebellar (corpus medullare, lobules III, IV/V, and VI) and subcortical (pallidum, amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampus, insula, putamen) structures. While these have been individually linked to expressing sex differences, a novel discovery was that their grouping accurately predicted the sex in individual pre-adolescents. Another novelty was relating differences specific to the cerebellum to pubertal development. Finally, we found that reducing the pattern to a single score not only accurately predicted sex but also correlated with cognitive behavior linked to working memory. The predictive power of this score and the constellation of identified brain structures provide evidence for sex differences in pre-adolescent neurodevelopment and may augment understanding of sex-specific vulnerability or resilience to psychiatric disorders and presage sex-linked learning disabilities.

Background and aims: Lung cancer patients suffer from deterioration in their physical and psychological function, which exerts a negative influence on their quality of life (QOL). Telemedicine has been proven to be an effective intervention for patients with several chronic diseases. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy of telemedicine in improving QOL in lung cancer patients. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched for randomized controlled trials that investigated the effectiveness of telemedicine in lung cancer patients. Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.1 were used to perform data analysis. Results: Our meta-analysis included eight clinical trials with a total of 635 lung cancer patients. The results showed that the telemedicine group had significantly higher QOL than the usual care group [standard mean difference (SMD) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29–1.63, I 2 = 91%]. In addition, the telemedicine group had lower anxiety (SMD −0.44, 95% CI −0.66 to −0.23, I 2 = 3%) and depression scores (SMD −0.48, 95% CI −0.91 to −0.05, I 2 = 66%) than the usual care group. However, no significant differences were found in fatigue and pain outcomes between the two groups. Conclusion: Telemedicine may be an effective method of improving QOL in lung cancer patients and the further development and use of telemedicine care is recommended.

Selenium (Se) intake disequilibrium is associated with many human diseases (e.g., Keshan disease and type 2 diabetes). To understand the mechanism of Se deficiency-induced hepatic pathogenesis, a pure line pig model was established by feeding a diet with either 0.07 mg/kg Se or 0.3 mg/kg Se for 16 weeks. The hepatic metabolome, lipidome, global proteome, and whole transcriptome were analyzed. Se deficiency causes a redox imbalance via regulation of selenoproteins at both the mRNA and protein level, and blocks the glutathione anti-oxidant system along with enhanced glutathione synthesis and catabolism. The Warburg effect was observed by enhanced activation of the glycolysis and phosphate pentose pathways. The tricarboxylic acid cycle was dysfunctional since the preliminary metabolites decreased and shifted from using glycolysis origin substrates to a glutamine catabolism-preferred metabolic mode. The reprogrammed central carbon metabolism induced widely restrained lipid synthesis. In addition, a Se deficiency initiated inflammation by activating the NF-κB pathway through multiple mechanisms. These results identified the potential metabolic vulnerability of the liver in response to a Se deficiency-induced redox imbalance and possible therapeutic or intervention targets.

Abstract Large-scale deformations of a tubular object, or generalized cylinder, are often defined by a target shape for its center curve, typically using a parametric target curve. This task is non-trivial for free-form deformations or direct manipulation methods because it is hard to manually control the centerline by adjusting control points. Most skeleton-based methods are no better, again due to the small number of manually adjusted control points. In this paper, we propose a method to deform a generalized cylinder based on its skeleton composed of a centerline and orthogonal cross sections. Although we are not the first to use such a skeleton, we propose a novel skeletonization method that tries to minimize the number of intersections between neighboring cross sections by means of a relative curvature condition to detect intersections. The mesh deformation is first defined geometrically by deforming the centerline and mapping the cross sections. Rotation minimizing frames are used during mapping to control twisting. Secondly, given displacements on the cross sections, the deformation is decomposed into finely subdivided regions. We limit distortion at these vertices by minimizing an elastic thin shell bending energy, in linear time. Our method can handle complicated generalized cylinders such as the human colon.

Peripheral administration of the E. coli endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to rats promotes secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and in previous studies was associated with transient enlargement of cortical volumes. Here, resiquimod (R848) was administered to mice to stimulate peripheral immune activation, and the effects on brain volumes and neurometabolites determined. After baseline scans, 24 male, wild-type C57BL mice were triaged into three groups including R848 at low (50 μg) and high (100 μg) doses and saline controls. Animals were scanned again at 3 h and 24 h following treatment. Sickness indices of elevated temperature and body weight loss were observed in all R848 animals. Animals that received 50 μg R848 exhibited decreases in hippocampal N-acetylaspartate and phosphocreatine at the 3 h time point that returned to baseline levels at 24 h. Animals that received the 100 μg R848 dose demonstrated transient, localized, volume expansion (~5%) detectable at 3 h in motor, somatosensory, and olfactory cortices; and pons. A metabolic response evident at the lower dose and a volumetric change at the higher dose suggests a temporal evolution of the effect wherein the neurochemical change is demonstrable earlier than neurostructural change. Transient volume expansion in response to peripheral immune stimulation corresponds with previous results and is consistent with brain swelling that may reflect CNS edema.