Integrated Analysis of the Effects of Cecal Microbiota and Serum Metabolome on Market Weights of Chinese Native Chickens.

The gut microbiota plays an important role in the physiological activities of the host and affects the formation of important economic traits in livestock farming. The effects of cecal microbiota on chicken weights were investigated using the Guizhou yellow chicken as a model. Experimental cohorts from chickens with high- (HC, n = 16) and low-market-weights (LC, n = 16) were collected. Microbial 16S rRNA gene sequencing and non-targeted serum metabolome data were integrated to explore the effect and metabolic mechanism of cecal microbiota on market weight. The genera Lachnoclostridium, Alistipes, Negativibacillus, Sellimonas, and Ruminococcus torques were enriched in the HC group, while Phascolarctobacterium was enriched in the LC group (p < 0.05). Metabolomic analysis determined that pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), luvangetin (2H-1-benzopyran-6-acrylic acid), and menadione (vitamin K3) were significantly higher in HC serum, while beclomethasone dipropionate (a glucocorticoid) and chlorophene (2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol) were present at higher levels in the LC group. The microbes enriched in HC were significantly positively correlated with metabolites, including pantothenic acid and menadione, and negatively correlated with beclomethasone dipropionate and chlorophene. These results indicated that specific cecal bacteria in Guizhou yellow chickens alter the host metabolism and growth performance. This study provides a reference for revealing the mechanism of cecal microbe actions that affect chicken body weight.

The TAED/H2O2/NaHCO3 system as an approach to low-temperature and near-neutral pH bleaching of cotton.

A low-temperature and near-neutral pH bleaching system was conceived for cotton by incorporating TAED, H2O2 and NaHCO3. The TAED/H2O2/NaHCO3 system was investigated and optimized for bleaching of cotton using a central composite design (CCD) combined with response surface methodology (RSM). CCD experimental data were fitted to create a response surface quadratic model (RSQM) describing the degree of whiteness of bleached cotton fabric. Analysis of variance for the RSQM revealed that temperature was the most significant variable, followed by [TAED] and time, while [NaHCO3] was insignificant. An effective system was conducted by adding 5.75 g L(-1) TAED together with H2O2 and NaHCO3 at a molar ratio of 1:2.4:2.8 and applied to bleaching of cotton at 70 °C for 40 min. Compared to a commercial bleaching method, the TAED/H2O2/NaHCO3 system provided cotton with comparable degree of whiteness, slightly inferior water absorbency and acceptable dyeability, but had competitive advantage in protecting cotton from severe chemical damage in bleaching.

A critical reinvestigation of the TAED-activated peroxide system for low-temperature bleaching of cotton.

There exists a misunderstanding on the TAED-activated peroxide system in the textile industry that H(2)O(2) used in excess of the stoichiometric amount could produce an addition effect on bleaching of cotton under alkaline conditions. In this study, a critical reinvestigation was carried out on the TAED-activated peroxide system for bleaching of cotton. It was found that the TAED-activated peroxide system achieved its best performance under near-neutral pH conditions. No addition effect was observed when an excessive amount of H(2)O(2) was used under alkaline conditions, which is probably due to the base-catalyzed bimolecular decomposition of peracetic acid and the nucleophilic attack by H(2)O(2) on peracetic acid. NaHCO(3) was shown to be a desired alkaline agent for maintaining near-neutral pH for the TAED-activated peroxide system. This study provides new insight into the application of the TAED-activated peroxide system for low-temperature bleaching of cotton under more environmentally benign conditions.