Evaluation and the mechanism of ShengXian and JinShuiLiuJun decoction in the treatment of silicotic fibrosis: An integrated network pharmacology, life omics, and experimental validation study.

BACKGROUND: Silicosis is a systemic disease characterized by extensive fibrosis due to prolonged exposure to silica dust, with rising incidence rates significantly impacting global public health. ShengXian and JinShuiLiuJun Decoction (SXD) is a Chinese medicinal preparation containing a variety of medicinal plants. It has shown notable clinical efficacy in treating silicotic fibrosis in China. However, the precise mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain unclear. This study integrates network pharmacology, multi-omics analysis, and experimental validation to investigate the potential mechanisms by which SXD treats silicotic fibrosis. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of SXD in treating silicotic fibrosis and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: HPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to identify the active components of SXD, and combined with network pharmacology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, the mechanism of SXD in treating silicotic fibrosis was explored from multiple perspectives. The therapeutic effect of SXD was assessed through HE staining, Masson staining, Micro CT imaging, pulmonary function tests, and hydroxyproline content in lung tissue. Finally, network pharmacology and multi-omics findings were validated using molecular docking. CETSA, immunofluorescence, SPR, and Western blotting were used to analyze key factors in the NF-κB pathway at the animal, cellular, and molecular levels. RESULTS: SXD treatment improved lung function in silicosis rats, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, collagen deposition, fibrosis and other pathological changes, and inhibited the protein expression of TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, and NF-κB in lung tissue. HPLC-Q-TOF-MS combined with network pharmacology identified key compounds such as Liquiritigenin, 3-Methoxynobiletin, Isomangiferin, Hesperidin, shogaol, and Ligustroflavone, which likely exert therapeutic effects through the TNF, IL-17, NF-κB, and TGF-ß signaling pathways. Transcriptomics and metabolomics results revealed that SXD up-regulated the expression of NF-κB pathway-related genes (NFKBIA, NFKBIZ) and key regulators of the retinol metabolism pathway, while down-regulating pro-inflammatory genes (IL1B, IL17A, IL6). Experimental findings confirmed that SXD suppressed the expression of NF-κB pathway-related proteins and upstream activators TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, as well as their receptors, in both lung tissue and cellular models. Additionally, SXD-containing serum had a direct, non-toxic effect on MRC-5 cells, effectively inhibiting collagen expression and TGF-ß secretion. SXD also had a positive effect on collagen production and extracellular matrix (ECM) aggregation in fibroblasts. Molecular dynamics studies showed that SXD directly binds to NF-κB and IκB. CONCLUSION: SXD exerts therapeutic effects on silicotic fibrosis by inhibiting NF-κB signaling transduction mediated by TNF-α, IL-17A, and IL-1ß, and suppressing fibroblast activation.

Development of an electrochemical sensor modified with gold nanoparticles for detecting fumonisin B1 in packaged foods.

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is naturally present in the environment and can easily contaminate packaged foods during processing, storage and transportation, thus posing a threat to human health. We have developed an enzyme-free FB1 detector for the detection of packaged foods, which provides rapid and sensitive detection of FB1 in food. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; 5-10 nm) were uniformly dispersed on screen-printed electrodes, which acted as an excellent catalytic oxidizer. The surface structure of the modified electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Differential pulse voltammetry demonstrated a good linear electrochemical response towards FB1 at concentrations ranging from 1 ng L-1 to 1 mg L-1 with a detection limit of 0.08 ng L-1. We employed the AuNPs-SPE sensor to detect FB1-spiked packaged meat products achieving recovery rates ranging from 89.7% to 113.3%.

Comprehensive foodomics analysis reveals key lipids affect aroma generation in beef.

Lipids are vital precursors to beef aroma compounds, but the exact lipid molecules influencing aroma generation remain unconfirmed. This study employs gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry and absolute quantitative lipidomics to identify beef's aroma and lipid profiles and to examine lipid alterations post-thermal processing. The aim is to understand the role of lipids in aroma generation during beef's raw-to-cooked transition. Eighteen key aroma compounds were identified as significant contributors to the aroma of beef. 265 lipid molecules were quantified accurately, and we found that triglycerides containing C18:1 or C18:2 chains, such as TG(16:0_18:1_18:1), TG(16:0_18:1_18:2), TG(16:0_16:1_18:1), as well as phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine containing PC(16:1e_20:4), PC(16:0e_20:4), PC(18:2e_18:2), and PE(16:1e_20:4), played important roles in the generation of key aroma compounds in beef. C18:1, C18:2, C18:3, and C20:4 were key substrates for the formation of aroma compounds. In addition, lysophosphatidylcholine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine containing unsaturated fatty acid chains may serve as important aroma retainers.

Ultrasensitive analyses of zearalenone in grain samples with a catalytic oxidation platform involving gold nanomaterials.

Zearalenone (ZEN) contamination in cereals poses a serious threat to human and animal health, yet existing rapid test methods still suffer from poor stability and low sensitivity. The studied sensor reduces inspection time while enabling applications for on-site grain inspection. Specifically, a ZEN detector that can sensitively detect ZEN content in grains was developed. Ion implantation is an effective method for modifying screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs; 5-10 nm) were uniformly implanted using screen-printed electrodes as a catalytic oxidation medium to generate an electrochemical sensor. The surface structure of the modified electrode was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results showed that differential pulse voltammetry had good linear electrochemical response to ZEN at 10 ng/kg to 10 mg/kg, with a detection limit of 1.1 ng/kg. We used AuNP-SPE sensors to detect ZEN in grain samples such as maize and oats.

The role of exosomal lncRNAs in acetaminophen-induced induced liver injury in SD rats.

Background: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a leading cause of drug development failures during clinical trials and post-market introduction. Current biomarkers, such as ALT and AST, lack the necessary specificity and sensitivity needed for accurate detection. Exosomes, which protect LncRNAs from RNase degradation, could provide reliable and easily accessible options for biomarkers. Materials and methods: RNA-sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed LncRNAs (DE-LncRNAs), followed by isolation of LncRNAs from plasma exosomes in this study. Exosome characterization was conducted by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), and Western blot (WB). Bioinformatics analysis included functional enrichment and co-expression network analysis. Five rat models were established, and quantitative real-time PCR was used to verify the specificity and sensitivity of two candidate exosomal LncRNAs. Results: The APAP-induced hepatocellular injury model was successfully established for RNA-sequencing, leading to the identification of several differentially expressed exosomal LncRNAs. Eight upregulated exosomal DE-LncRNAs were selected for validation. Among them, NONRATT018001.2 (p < 0.05) and MSTRG.73954.4 (p < 0.05) exhibited a more than 2-fold increase in expression levels. In hepatocellular injury and intrahepatic cholestasis models, both NONRATT018001.2 and MSTRG.73954.4 showed earlier increases compared to serum biomarkers ALT and AST. However, no histological changes were observed until the final time point. In the fatty liver model, NONRATT018001.2 and MSTRG.73954.4 increased earlier than ALT and AST at 21 days. By the 7th day, minor steatosis was evident in liver tissue, while the expression levels of the two candidate exosomal LncRNAs exceeded 2 and 4 times, respectively. In the hepatic fibrosis model, NONRATT018001.2 and MSTRG.73954.4 showed increases at every time point. By the 49th day, hepatocellular necrosis and fibrosis were observed in the liver tissue, with NONRATT018001.2 showing an increase of more than 8 times. The specificity of the identified exosomal DE-LncRNAs was verified using a myocardial injury model and they showed no significant differences between the case and control groups. Conclusion: NONRATT018001.2 and MSTRG.73954.4 hold potential as biomarkers for distinguishing different types of organ injury induced by drugs, particularly enabling early prediction of liver injury. Further experiments, such as siRNA interference or gene knockout, are warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms of these LncRNAs.

Epitaxy of Antimonene Thin Films with Screw Dislocations for the Application of Saturable Absorbers.

The exotic optoelectronic properties of antimonene, including strain-induced tunable bandgaps, broad nonlinear refractive response, etc., have evoked profound upsurges for decades. As the screw dislocations break the crystal symmetry and modify interlayer coupling, it is highly desirable to investigate the optical prospects of antimonene with screw dislocations. Herein, controllable epitaxy of spiral ß-antimonene is achieved on Fe3GaTe2 substrates. By fine-tuning growth temperatures, the evolutions of spiral ß-antimonene with non-centrosymmetric stacking are investigated via scanning tunneling microscopy. The effects of interfacial strain and dislocation motion during screw-dislocation-driven growth are also studied. Additionally, a modulation depth of 40.8% and mode locking at 1558 nm with a pulse width of 290 fs are observed in Er-doped pulsed fiber lasers generated with spiral Sb-based saturable absorbers, revealing superior performance that far outstrips reported Sb-based saturable absorbers to date. Our work sheds light on the preparation of Sb films with screw dislocations and demonstrates a promising approach toward fabricating ultrafast optical devices.

Impact of chitosan extracted from shrimp shells on the shrinkage and mechanical properties of cement-based composites using dendritic fibrous nanosilica.

Dendritic fibrous nanosilica (DFNS) was functionalized using microcrystalline chitosan, derived from shrimp exoskeletons, to act as a robust anchor, resulting in DFNS@Chitosan. In order to prevent the restacking of chitosan sheets, the supramolecular polymerized chitosan not only served as a spacer but was also incorporated into cement-based composites. The physical-chemical characteristics of DFNS@Chitosan were assessed through various analytical techniques such as TEM, SEM, TGA, FTIR, AFM, XPS, and EDX. The potency and auto-induced contraction of Cement-based composite materials fortified with DFNS@Chitosan were probed. The incorporation of DFNS@Chitosan resulted in an increase in both compressive and interfacial stretching potency of the cement-based composites. Furthermore, the presence of DFNS@Chitosan effectively inhibited the occurrence of auto-induced contraction in the cement-based paste. This research endeavor is anticipated to promote an alternative utilization of DFNS and shrimp waste shells in the development of sustainable building materials.

A signature of seven hypoxia-related lncRNAs is a potential biomarker for predicting the prognosis of melanoma.

Melanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer and has a high mortality rate once metastasis occurs. Hypoxia is a universal characteristic of the microenvironment of cancer and a driver of melanoma progression. In recent years, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted widespread attention in oncology research. In this study, screening was performed and revealed seven hypoxia-related lncRNAs AC008687.3, AC009495.1, AC245128.3, AL512363.1, LINC00518, LINC02416 and MCCC1-AS1 as predictive biomarkers. A predictive risk model was constructed via univariate Cox regression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Patients were grouped according to the model risk score, and Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to compare survival between groups. Functional and pathway enrichment analyses were performed to compare gene set enrichment between groups. Moreover, a nomogram was constructed with the risk score as a variable. In both the training and validation sets, patients in the low-risk group had better overall survival than did those in the high-risk group (P<0.001). The 3-, 5- and 10-year area under the curve (AUC) values for the nomogram model were 0.821, 0.795 and 0.820, respectively. Analyses of immune checkpoints, immunotherapy response, drug sensitivity, and mutation landscape were also performed. The results suggested that the low-risk group had a better response to immunotherapeutic. In addition, the nomogram can effectively predict the prognosis and immunotherapy response of melanoma patients. The signature of seven hypoxia-related lncRNAs showed great potential value as an immunotherapy response biomarker, and these lncRNAs might be treatment targets for melanoma patients.

Chromosome-level genome provides insights into environmental adaptability and innate immunity in the common dolphin (delphinus delphis).

The common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is widely distributed worldwide and well adapted to various habitats. Animal genomes store clues about their pasts, and can reveal the genes underlying their evolutionary success. Here, we report the first high-quality chromosome-level genome of D. delphis. The assembled genome size was 2.56 Gb with a contig N50 of 63.85 Mb. Phylogenetically, D. delphis was close to Tursiops truncatus and T. aduncus. The genome of D. delphis exhibited 428 expanded and 1,885 contracted gene families, and 120 genes were identified as positively selected. The expansion of the HSP70 gene family suggested that D. delphis has a powerful system for buffering stress, which might be associated with its broad adaptability, longevity, and detoxification capacity. The expanded IFN-α and IFN-ω gene families, as well as the positively selected genes encoding tripartite motif-containing protein 25, peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1, and p38 MAP kinase, were all involved in pathways for antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic mechanisms. The genome data also revealed dramatic fluctuations in the effective population size during the Pleistocene. Overall, the high-quality genome assembly and annotation represent significant molecular resources for ecological and evolutionary studies of Delphinus and help support their sustainable treatment and conservation.

Super-Ionic Conductor Soft Filler Promotes Li+ Transport in Integrated Cathode-Electrolyte for Solid-State Battery at Room Temperature.

Composite polymer solid electrolytes (CPEs), possessing good rigid flexible, are expected to be used in solid-state lithium-metal batteries. The integration of fillers into polymer matrices emerges as a dominant strategy to improve Li+ transport and form a Li+-conducting electrode-electrolyte interface. However, challenges arise as traditional fillers: 1) inorganic fillers, characterized by high interfacial energy, induce agglomeration; 2) organic fillers, with elevated crystallinity, impede intrinsic ionic conductivity, both severely hindering Li+ migration. Here, a concept of super-ionic conductor soft filler, utilizing a Li+ conductivity nanocellulose (Li-NC) as a model, is introduced which exhibits super-ionic conductivity. Li-NC anchors anions, and enhances Li+ transport speed, and assists in the integration of cathode-electrolyte electrodes for room temperature solid-state batteries. The tough dual-channel Li+ transport electrolyte (TDCT) with Li-NC and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) demonstrates a high Li+ transfer number (0.79) due to the synergistic coordination mechanism in Li+ transport. Integrated electrodes' design enables stable performance in LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2|Li cells, with 720 cycles at 0.5 C, and 88.8% capacity retention. Furthermore, the lifespan of Li|TDCT|Li cells over 4000 h and Li-rich Li1.2Ni0.13Co0.13Mn0.54O2|Li cells exhibits excellent performance, proving the practical application potential of soft filler for high energy density solid-state lithium-metal batteries at room temperature.

Ketamine and its enantiomers for depression: a bibliometric analysis from 2000 to 2023.

Ketamine has demonstrated rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, marking its emergence as an innovative treatment of depression. Despite the growing number of preclinical and clinical studies exploring the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis in this field has yet to be conducted. This study employs bibliometric methods and visualization tools to examine the literature and identify key topics related to the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers. We sourced publications on the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database, covering the period from 2000 to 2023. Tools such as VOSviewer, CiteSpace and the R package "bibliometrix" were utilized for visual analysis. The study included 4,274 publications, with a notable increase in publications peaking in 2022. Co-occurrence analysis highlighted two primary research focal points: the efficacy and safety of ketamine and its enantiomers in treating depression, and the mechanisms behind their antidepressant effects. In conclusion, this analysis revealed a significant increase in research on the antidepressant effects of ketamine and its enantiomers over the past two decades, leading to the approval of esketamine nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression. The rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine have spurred further studies into its mechanisms of action and the search for new antidepressants with fewer side effects.

Interfacial Electronic Modulation of Mo5N6/Ni3S2 Heterojunction Array Boosts Electrocatalytic Alkaline Overall Water Splitting.

Bifunctional electrocatalysts with excellent activity and durability are highly desirable for alkaline overall water splitting, yet remain a significant challenge. In this contribution, palm-like Mo5N6/Ni3S2 heterojunction arrays anchored in conductive Ni foam (denoted as Mo5N6-Ni3S2 HNPs/NF) are developed. Benefiting from the optimized electronic structure configuration, hierarchical branched structure and abundant heterogeneous interfaces, the as-synthesized Mo5N6-Ni3S2 HNPs/NF electrode exhibits remarkably stable bifunctional electrocatalytic activity in 1 m KOH solution. It only requires ultralow overpotentials of 59 and 190 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm-2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 m KOH solution, respectively. Importantly, the overall water splitting electrolyzer assembled by Mo5N6-Ni3S2 HNPs/NF exhibits an exceptionally low cell voltage (1.48 V@10 mA cm-2) and outstanding durability, surpassing most of the reported Ni-based bifunctional materials. Density functional theory (DFT) further confirms the heterostructure can optimize the Gibbs free energies of H and O-containing intermediates (OH, O, OOH) during HER and OER processes, thereby accelerating the catalytic kinetics of electrochemical water splitting. The findings provide a new design strategy toward low-cost and excellent catalysts for overall water splitting.

Pharmacokinetic Study of Ultrasmall Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles HY-088 in Rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: HY-088 injection is an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticle (USPIOs) composed of iron oxide crystals coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) on the surface. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and mass balance of HY-088 injection. METHODS: The pharmacokinetics of [55Fe]-HY-088 and [14C]-HY-088 were investigated in 48 SD rats by intravenous injection of 8.5 (low-dose group), 25.5 (medium-dose group), and 85 (high-dose group) mg/100 µCi/kg. Tissue distribution was studied by intravenous injection of 35 mg/100 µCi/kg in 48 SD rats, and its tissue distribution in vivo was obtained by ex vivo tissue assay. At the same time, [14C]-HY-088 was injected intravenously at a dose of 25.5 mg/100 µCi/kg into 16 SD rats, and its tissue distribution in vivo was studied by quantitative whole-body autoradiography. [14C]-HY-088 and [55Fe]-HY-088 were injected intravenously into 24 SD rats at a dose of 35 mg/100 µCi/kg, and their metabolism was observed. RESULTS: In the pharmacokinetic study, [55Fe]-HY-088 reached the maximum observed concentration (Cmax) at 0.08 h in the low- and medium-dose groups of SD rats. [14C]-HY-088 reached Cmax at 0.08 h in the three groups of SD rats. The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of [55Fe]-HY-088 and [14C]-HY-088 increased with increasing dose. In the tissue distribution study, [55Fe]-HY-088 and [14C]-HY-088 were primarily distributed in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes of both female and male rats. In the mass balance study conducted over 57 days, the radioactive content of 55Fe from [55Fe]-HY-088 was primarily found in the carcass, accounting for 86.42 ± 4.18% in females and 95.46 ± 6.42% in males. The radioactive recovery rates of [14C]-HY-088 in the urine of female and male rats were 52.99 ± 5.48% and 60.66 ± 2.23%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Following single intravenous administration of [55Fe]-HY-088 and [14C]-HY-088 in SD rats, rapid absorption was observed. Both [55Fe]-HY-088 and [14C]-HY-088 were primarily distributed in the liver, spleen, and lymph nodes. During metabolism, the radioactivity of [55Fe]-HY-088 is mainly present in the carcass, whereas the 14C-labeled [14C]-HY-088 shell PAA is eliminated from the body mainly through the urine.

Microplastics Prevalence in Different Cetaceans Stranded along the Western Taiwan Strait.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution is of global concern, which poses serious threats to various marine organisms, including many threatened apex predators. In this study, MPs were investigated from nine cetaceans of four different species, comprising one common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), two pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps), one ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens), and five Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) stranded along the western coast of the Taiwan Strait from the East China Sea based on Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis. Mean abundances of 778 identified MPs items were 86.44 ± 12.22 items individual-1 and 0.43 ± 0.19 items g-1 wet weight of intestine contents, which were found predominantly to be transparent, fiber-shaped polyethylene terephthalate (PET) items usually between 0.5 and 5 mm. The abundance of MPs was found at a slightly higher level and significantly correlated with intestine contents mass (p = 0.0004*). The MPs source was mainly likely from synthetic fibers-laden sewage discharged from intense textile industries. Our report represents the first study of MPs in pelagic and deep-diving cetaceans in China, which not only adds baseline data on MPs for cetaceans in Asian waters but also highlights the further risk assessment of MPs consumption in these threatened species.

Effect of plasma exosome lncRNA on isoproterenol hydrochloride-induced cardiotoxicity in rats.

Isoprenaline hydrochloride (IH) is a ß-adrenergic receptor agonist commonly used in the treatment of hypotension, shock, asthma, and other diseases. However, IH-induced cardiotoxicity limits its application. A large number of studies have shown that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) regulates the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether abnormal lncRNA expression is involved in IH-mediated cardiotoxicity. First, the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat myocardial injury model was established. Circulating exosomes were extracted from the plasma of rats and identified. In total, 108 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and 150 DE mRNAs were identified by sequencing. These results indicate that these lncRNAs and mRNAs are substantially involved in chemical cardiotoxicity. Further signaling pathway and functional studies indicated that lncRNAs and mRNAs regulate several biological processes, such as selective mRNA splicing through spliceosomes, participate in sphingolipid metabolic pathways, and play a certain role in the circulatory system. Finally, we obtained 3 upregulated lncRNAs through reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) verification and selected target lncRNA-mRNA pairs according to the regulatory relationship of lncRNA/mRNA, some of which were associated with myocardial injury. This study provides valuable insights into the role of lncRNAs as novel biomarkers of chemical-induced cardiotoxicity.

Risk factors for post­retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in patients with common bile duct stones: A meta­analysis.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has become a common treatment method for common bile duct stones. However, ERCP is also associated with a high risk of post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis (PEP). Identification of risk factors is essential for reducing the incidence of PEP. The present study aimed to summarize the risk factors for PEP by performing a meta-analysis. Therefore, studies published between 2000 and 2022 were screened in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Digital Periodicals and the Weipu Database, with no language restrictions. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Stata 17.0 software was utilized for the meta-analysis of 14 possible risk factors. Overall, 15 high-quality studies were included into the present meta-analysis. The results showed that female [odds ratio (OR), 1.42; 95% CI, 1.23-1.64), age <60 years (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.06-2.21), difficult intubation (OR, 4.87; 95% CI, 2.73-8.68), ≥3 cannulation attempts (OR, 9.64; 95% CI, 4.16-22.35), cannulation time ≥10 min (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.67-3.35), history of pancreatitis (OR, 2.95; 95% CI, 1.06-5.51), pancreatic duct visualization (OR, 3.63; 95% CI, 2.47-5.34) and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (OR, 5.72; 95% CI, 1.80-18.24) are potential risk factors for PEP (P<0.05). In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggests that PEP can be affected by several risk factors, particularly the technique-related factors such as the frequency and time of cannulation. Therefore, effective precautions should be taken as early as possible to reduce the incidence of PEP.

Enrichment efficiency of lutein in eggs and its function in improving fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in aged laying hens.

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.

Antimicrobial resistance and genomic characteristics of Salmonella from broilers in Shandong Province.

Introduction: The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Salmonella, which is a genus of important zoonotic pathogens, has aroused great public health concern worldwide. Methods: In this study, 167 strains of Salmonella were isolated from 947 samples from broiler farms, slaughterhouses, and markets in Shandong Province. Antibiotic sensitivity testing was performed, and 70 strains of Salmonella were screened out by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate serotypes, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), the prevalence of class 1 integrons, the plasmid carriage rate, and phylogenetic characteristics and for multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Results: The results showed that the 167 isolates showed the highest resistance to ampicillin (AMP, 87.4%), sulfamethoxazole (SF, 87.4%), compound sulfamethoxazole (SXT, 81.4%), nalidixic acid (NAL, 80.2%), and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (A/C, 77.8%). All the strains were sensitive to meropenem (MEM), and 91.0% of the isolates were MDR strains. We screened a total of 45 ARGs, with the highest detection rate observed for the tetracycline (TET) resistance gene tet (A) (81.4%). A total of 21 types of plasmid replicons were detected in Salmonella, of which IncX1 was the most common (74.3%), and 62.9% of the isolates carried a class 1 integron. In addition, a total of 11 different serotypes were detected, with S. enteritidis as the predominant serovar., followed by S. infantis and S. Newport. Twelve different sequence types (STs) were detected, among which ST11 was the main type. There was a strong correspondence between serotypes and STs. We also found that S. Indiana and S. Kentucky had extremely high rates of resistance to ciprofloxacin (CIP) and third-generation cephalosporins. System-wide genome analysis showed the occurrence of long-distance transmission across fields. Conclusion: In conclusion, the detection of multidrug resistance and isolates carrying multidrug resistance genes is the main problem, and emergency strategies should be implemented to address this issue.

Conjugation Length-Dependent Raman Scattering Intensity of Conjugated Polymers.

Polydiacetylenes, as a class of conjugated polymers with alternating conjugated C═C and C≡C bonds, have emerged as a promising probe material for biomedical Raman imaging, given their ultrastrong Raman scattering intensity. However, the relationship between the structure, especially the molecular length of polydiacetylenes, and their Raman scattering intensity remains unclear. In this work, a series of water-soluble polydiacetylenes, namely poly(deca-4,6-diynedioic acid) (PDDA) with different molecular weights (MWs), is prepared through controlled polymerization and degradation. The ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectroscopic and Raman spectroscopic studies on these polymers reveal that the Raman scattering intensity of PDDA increases nonlinearly with the MW. The MW-Raman scattering intensity relationship in the polymerization process is completely different from that in the degradation process. In contrast, the Raman scattering intensity increases more linearly with the maximal absorbance of the polymer, and the relationship between the Raman scattering intensity and the maximal absorbance of PDDA in the polymerization process is consistent with that in the degradation process. The Raman scattering intensity of PDDA hence exhibits a better dependence on the effective conjugation length of the polymer, which should guide the future design of conjugated polymers for Raman imaging applications.