Biosafety assessment of laying hens fed different treatments of black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) under doxycycline stress.

The black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) is a resource insect that can utilize livestock and poultry feces. However, BSFs may also increase the risk of transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (AGRs) that are widespread in livestock and poultry farm environments. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the biosecurity risks of different BSF treatments in the laying chicken food chain using the "chicken manure-BSF-laying hens" model. Our results indicated that different BSF treatments significantly affected antibiotic residue, ARGs, MGEs, bacterial antibiotic resistance, and bacterial microbial community composition in the food chain of laying hens fed BSFs. These risks can be effectively reduced through starvation treatment and high-temperature grinding treatment. Comprehensive risk assessment analysis revealed that starvation combined with high-temperature milling (Group H) had the greatest effect.

Association of Subclinical Thyroid Dysfunction with Cognitive Impairment in Rats: The Role of Autophagy.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the effect of subclinical hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism on cognitive function in rats and the role of autophagy in this process. METHODS: Forty Wistar rats were randomized into normal control (NC), hyperthyroidism (Hyper), hypothyroidism (Hypo), subclinical hyperthyroidism (sHyper), and subclinical hypothyroidism (sHypo) groups. Cognitive function (spatial learning and memory) was tested by the Morris water maze test. Hippocampal histopathology was analyzed by H&E staining, and expression levels of caspase-3 in hippocampal CA1 neurons were measured. In addition, immunoblot analysis was performed to detect hippocampal autophagy-related proteins. RESULTS: Escape latency from day 1 to day 4 was significantly longer in the Hypo, Hyper, and sHyper groups than in the NC group (P < 0.01). In addition, the number of rats crossing the virtual platform was significantly lower in the Hypo, Hyper, and sHyper groups than in the NC group (P < 0.01). Compared with the NC group, all four groups had significantly lower residence time in the target quadrant (P < 0.05). Beclin-1 and LC3-II protein expression in hippocampal tissues was significantly higher in the Hyper and sHyper groups than in the NC group (P < 0.01). Beclin-1 and LC3-II protein expression in hippocampal tissues did not significantly differ between the sHypo group and NC group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical thyroid dysfunction in rats might lead to cognitive impairment. Subclinical hyperthyroidism might be associated with excessive activation of autophagy and hippocampal neuron damage and necrosis.

Development and validation of a mutation-annotated prognostic score for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after resection: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The value of existing prognostic models for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is limited. The inclusion of prognostic gene mutations would enhance the predictive efficacy. METHODS: In the screening cohorts, univariable Cox regression analysis was applied to investigate the effect of individual mutant genes on overall survival (OS). In the training set, multivariable analysis was performed to evaluate the independent prognostic roles of the clinicopathological and mutational parameters, and a prognostic model was constructed. Internal and external validations were conducted to evaluate the performance of this model. RESULTS: Among the recurrent mutations, only TP53 and KRASG12 were significantly associated with OS across all three screening cohorts. In the training cohort, TP53 and KRASG12 mutations in combination with seven other clinical parameters (tumor size, tumor number, vascular invasion, lymph node metastasis, adjacent invasion, CA19-9, and CEA), were independent prognostic factors for OS. A mutation-annotated prognostic score (MAPS) was established based on the nine prognosticators. The C-indices of MAPS (0.782 and 0.731 in the internal and external validation cohorts, respectively) were statistically higher than those of other existing models ( P <0.05). Furthermore, the MAPS model also demonstrated significant value in predicting the possible benefits of upfront surgery and adjuvant therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The MAPS model demonstrated good performance in predicting the OS of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients. It may also help predict the possible benefits of upfront surgery and adjuvant therapy.

The tigecycline resistance gene tetX has an expensive fitness cost based on increased outer membrane permeability and metabolic burden in Escherichia coli.

Livestock-derived tetX-positive Escherichia coli with tigecycline resistance poses a serious risk to public health. Fitness costs, antibiotic residues, and other tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs) are fundamental in determining the spread of tetX in the environment, but there is a lack of relevant studies. The results of this study showed that both tetO and tetX resulted in reduction in growth and an increased in the metabolic burden of E. coli, but the presence of doxycycline reversed this phenomenon. Moreover, the protection of E. coli growth and metabolism by tetO was superior to that of tetX in the presence of doxycycline, resulting in a much lower competitiveness of tetX-carrying E. coli than tetO-carrying E. coli. The results of RNA-seq showed that the increase in outer membrane proteins (ompC, ompF and ompT) of tetX-carrying E. coli resulted in increased membrane permeability and biofilm formation, which is an important reason for fitness costs. Overall, the increased membrane permeability and metabolic burden of E. coli is the mechanistic basis for the high fitness cost of tetX, and the spread of tetO may limit the spread of tetX. This study provides new insights into the rational use of tetracycline antibiotics to control the spread of tetX.

Mouse nerve growth factor suppresses neuronal apoptosis in valproic acid-induced autism spectrum disorder rats by regulating the phosphoinositide-3-kinase/serine/threonine kinase signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by deficits in social communication and restrictive behaviors. Mouse nerve growth factor (mNGF), a neurotrophic factor, is critical for neuronal growth and survival, and the mNGF treatment is considered a promising therapy for neurodegeneration. In light of this, we aimed to evaluate the effect of mNGF on neurological function in ASD. METHODS: An ASD rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of valproic acid (VPA). Social behavior, learning, and memory of the rats were measured. TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-end labeling and Nissl assays were performed to detect neuronal apoptosis and survival in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Apoptosis-related proteins and oxidative stress markers were detected. RESULTS: mNGF improved locomotor activity, exploratory behavior, social interaction, and spatial learning and memory in VPA-induced ASD rats. In the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, mNGF suppressed neuronal apoptosis, increased the number of neurons, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels, and decreased reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, TNF-α, and IL-1ß levels compared with the VPA group. In addition, mNGF increased the levels of Bcl-2, p-phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), and p-serine/threonine kinase (Akt), and decreased the levels of Bax and cleaved caspase-3, while the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 reversed these effects. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that mNGF suppressed neuronal apoptosis and ameliorated the abnormal behaviors in VPA-induced ASD rats, in part, by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of postplacental insertion of GyneFix postpartum intrauterine device among women undergoing cesarean section: A multicenter prospective cohort study in China.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness, safety, and acceptability of postplacental insertion of GyneFix postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) in women undergoing cesarean section (C-section). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a prospective cohort study at 14 hospitals in four eastern coastal provinces of China between September 2017 and November 2020. A total of 470 women who underwent C-section and consented to the postplacental insertion of GyneFix PPIUD were enrolled, and 400 completed the 12-month follow-up. Participants were interviewed in the wards after delivery and followed up at 42 days, and months 3, 6, and 12 after delivery. We used Pearl Index (PI) to measure the rate of contraceptive failure, life-table method to measure the rate of PPIUD discontinuation, including IUD expulsion, and Cox regression model to explore the risk factors associated with discontinuation of the device. RESULTS: Nine pregnancies were detected during the first year after GyneFix PPIUD insertion: seven were due to device expulsion and two occurred with PPIUD in situ. The PIs for overall 1-year pregnancy rate and pregnancies with IUD in situ were 2.3 (95% CI: 1.1-4.4) and 0.5 (95% CI: 0.1-1.9), respectively. The 6- and 12-month cumulative expulsion rates for PPIUD expulsion were 6.3% and 7.6%, respectively. The overall 1-year continuation rate was 86.6% (95% CI: 83.3-89.8). We did not identify any patient with insertion failure, uterine perforation, pelvic infection, or excess bleeding due to GyneFix PPIUD insertion. Women's age, education, occupation, previous history of C-section, parity, and breastfeeding were not associated with removal of GyneFix PPIUD in the first year of use. CONCLUSIONS: Postplacental insertion of GyneFix PPIUD is effective, safe, and acceptable for women undergoing C-section. Expulsion is the most common reason for GyneFix PPIUD discontinuation and pregnancy. The expulsion rate for GyneFix PPIUD is lower than that for framed IUDs, but more evidence is needed for a firm verdict.

[Size Distribution and Source Appointment of Road Particles During Winter in Tianjin].

The significant role of traffic emissions mixed from various sources in urban air pollution has been widely recognized. However, the corresponding contributions to the roadside particle distribution are poorly understood due to the mixed impacts of various sources. Particle number concentrations of different sizes at the roadside in Nankai District of Tianjin were continuously monitored using a portable aerosol particle spectrometer during the morning rush hour (07:30-09:20) from Nov. 9, 2018 to Jan. 6, 2019. Characteristic and influencing factors of particle size distributions were discussed combined with temperature and relative humidity data, while potential sources of particles at the roadside were identified based on size distribution analysis. The results showed that the average total particle number concentrations were 502 cm-3, and the concentrations of the accumulation mode and coarse mode were 500 cm-3 and 2 cm-3, respectively. The distribution of number concentrations at the roadside was unimodal and primarily concentrated at 0.25-0.50 µm, with peak sizes at 0.28-0.30 µm. The same distribution trend of particle number concentration and difference in the concentration in the same segment size were observed at different periods. Vehicle activity level was the main influencing factor of road particulate matter concentration on different weekdays; the probability of the high value of road particulate matter concentration was reduced by a reasonable combination of the vehicle tail numbers. Temperature and relative humidity were both found to be positively correlated with the number concentration of particles. With the increase in temperature and relative humidity, the total and peak particle number concentration showed an overall upward trend. In addition, the peak particle size increased from 0.28-0.30 µm to 0.35-0.40 µm when relative humidity was higher than 80%. Three sources, including road dust, brake and tire wear, and the aging particles from vehicle exhaust, were identified using positive matrix factorization in this study. Road dust contributed 8.6% of the total number concentration, which mainly consisted of particles with sizes above 5.00 µm. Brake and tire wear contributed 2.8% of the total number concentration of particles with a size range of 0.80-4.00 µm. The aging particles from vehicle exhaust contributed the most (88.5%), with a peak at 0.25-0.65 µm. The sources of roadside particles were mainly related to vehicle activity, whereas temperature and relative humidity also affected the particle number size distribution.

TCHis mitigate oxidative stress and improve abnormal behavior in a prenatal valproic acid-exposed rat model of autism.

Troxerutin is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects in nerve impairment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of troxerutin and cerebroprotein hydrolysate injections (TCHis) on prenatal valproic acid (VPA)-exposed rats. The VPA was administered to pregnant rats on gestational day 12.5 to induce a model of autism. The offspring were given the treatment of TCHis on postnatal day (PND) 21-50. On PND 43-50, the behavioral analysis of offspring was performed after the treatment of TCHis for 1 h. On PND 50, the offspring were harvested and the brains were collected. The hippocampus and prefrontal cortex were isolated for relevant biochemical detections. The administration of TCHis increased pain sensitivity and improved abnormal social behaviors in prenatal VPA-exposed rats. Prenatal exposure of VPA induced neuronal loss and apoptosis, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and promoted oxidative stress in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, whereas these effects were reversed by the postnatal treatment of TCHis. In addition, postnatal administration of TCHis ameliorated mitochondrial function in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of prenatal VPA-exposed rats. This study concluded that postnatal treatment of TCHis reduced oxidative stress and ameliorated abnormal behavior in a prenatal VPA-induced rat model of autism.

Isolated scaphoid dislocation: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Isolated dislocations of the scaphoid are extremely rare types of injuries, commonly associated with severe ligament disruptions, and are occasionally misdiagnosed. Treatment options for dislocations of the scaphoid mainly include closed reduction, with or without internal fixation, and open reduction with ligament repair. CASE SUMMARY: A 59-year-old male worker sustained a twisting trauma of his right wrist, caused by a moving belt while he was operating a machine. When he presented at our emergency department, the patient complained of swelling, tenderness, and restriction of movement of the right wrist. Radiographs confirmed a primary complex partial radial dislocation of the scaphoid and some chip fractures of the capitate and hamate. Closed reduction with K-wire internal fixation was performed with the assistance of arthroscopy, and an excellent prognosis was achieved. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopy-assisted reduction is a minimally invasive method to reduce the dislocated scaphoid and maintain the blood supply.

miR-615 facilitates porcine epidemic diarrhea virus replication by targeting IRAK1 to inhibit type III interferon expression.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) in the Coronavirus family is a highly contagious enteric pathogen in the swine industry, which has evolved mechanisms to evade host innate immune responses. The PEDV-mediated inhibition of interferons (IFNs) has been linked to the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in virus-host interactions and IFN-I regulation. However, the mechanism by which the PEDV regulates IFN during PEDV infection has not yet been investigated in its natural target cells. We here report a novel mechanism of viral immune escape involving miR-615, which was screened from a high-throughput sequencing library of porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) infected with PEDV. PEDV infection altered the profiles of miRNAs and the activities of several pathways involved in innate immunity. Overexpression of miR-615 increased PEDV replication, inhibited IFN expression, downregulated the NF-κB pathway, and blocked p65 nuclear translocation. In contrast, knockdown of miR-615 enhanced IFN expression, suppressed PEDV replication, and activated the NF-κB pathway. We further determined that IRAK1 is the target gene of miR-615 in IECs. Our findings show that miR-615 suppresses activation of the NF-κB pathway by suppressing the IRAK1 protein and reducing the generation of IFN-IIIs, which in turn facilitates PEDV infection in IECs. Moreover, miR-615 inhibited PEDV replication and NF-κB pathway activation in both IECs and MARC-145 cells. These findings support an important role for miR-615 in the innate immune regulation of PEDV infections and provide a novel perspective for developing new treatments.

Breed differences in the expression levels of gga-miR-222a in laying hens influenced H2S production by regulating methionine synthase genes in gut bacteria.

BACKGROUND: The microbiota in the cecum of laying hens is crucial for host digestion, metabolism, and odor gas production. The results of recent studies have suggested that host microRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression of the gut microbiota. In the present study, the expression profiles of host-derived miRNAs in the cecal content of two laying hen breeds; Hy-line Gray and Lohmann Pink, which have dissimilar H2S production, were characterized; and their effects on H2S production by regulating the expression of gut microbiota-associated genes were demonstrated. RESULTS: The differential expression of microbial serine O-acetyltransferase, methionine synthase, aspartate aminotransferase, methionine-gamma-lyase, and adenylylsulfate kinase between the two hen breeds resulted in lower H2S production in the Hy-line hens. The results also revealed the presence of miRNA exosomes in the cecal content of laying hens, and an analysis of potential miRNA-target relationships between 9 differentially expressed miRNAs and 9 differentially expressed microbial genes related to H2S production identified two methionine synthase genes, Odosp_3416 and BF9343_2953, that are targeted by gga-miR-222a. Interestingly, in vitro fermentation results showed that gga-miR-222a upregulates the expression of these genes, which increased methionine concentrations but decreased H2S production and soluble sulfide concentrations, indicating the potential of host-derived gga-miR-222a to reduce H2S emission in laying hens. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study reveal both a physiological role by which miRNAs shape the cecal microbiota of laying hens and a strategy to use host miRNAs to manipulate the microbiome and actively express key microbial genes to reduce H2S emissions and breed environmentally friendly laying hens. Video Abstract.

Protection by microRNA-7a-5p Antagomir Against Intestinal Mucosal Injury Related to the JNK Pathway in TNBS-Induced Experimental Colitis.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence shows that microRNA-7a-5p (miR-7a-5p) plays an important role in regulating the inflammatory process in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). How miR-7a-5p contributes to this process is poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to examine whether miR-7a-5p regulates 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced inflammatory responses via the JNK pathway. METHODS: Colitis was induced in male mice by intracolonic administration of TNBS; mice were divided into 3 groups: normal control (NC), TNBS, and miR-7a-5p antagomir-treated group. Inflammatory responses were estimated by disease activity index (DAI) and histological scores. The relative expressions of miR-7a-5p and tight junction protein, ZO-1, were detected by RT-qPCR. Western blot assays were used to estimate the level of JNK pathway proteins and ZO-1. After miRNA-antagomir injection, the extent of colonic tissue injury and expression levels of ZO-1 and JNK in intestinal tissue were compared. RESULTS: miR-7a-5p and p-JNK expression were higher in the intestinal tissue of the TNBS group as compared to NC. Inhibition of the expression of miR-7a-5p resulted in significantly decreased expression of p-JNK but increased expression of ZO-1 and promoted the recovery of intestinal mucosa. CONCLUSION: This work demonstrates a correlation between the JNK pathway and miR-7a-5p in TNBS-induced experimental colitis in mice, which may provide a new research direction for the treatment of IBD.

Correlating subword articulation with lip shapes for embedding aware audio-visual speech enhancement.

In this paper, we propose a visual embedding approach to improve embedding aware speech enhancement (EASE) by synchronizing visual lip frames at the phone and place of articulation levels. We first extract visual embedding from lip frames using a pre-trained phone or articulation place recognizer for visual-only EASE (VEASE). Next, we extract audio-visual embedding from noisy speech and lip frames in an information intersection manner, utilizing a complementarity of audio and visual features for multi-modal EASE (MEASE). Experiments on the TCD-TIMIT corpus corrupted by simulated additive noises show that our proposed subword based VEASE approach is more effective than conventional embedding at the word level. Moreover, visual embedding at the articulation place level, leveraging upon a high correlation between place of articulation and lip shapes, demonstrates an even better performance than that at the phone level. Finally the experiments establish that the proposed MEASE framework, incorporating both audio and visual embeddings, yields significantly better speech quality and intelligibility than those obtained with the best visual-only and audio-only EASE systems.

Microbial Diversity and Community Variation in the Intestines of Layer Chickens.

The intestinal microbiota is increasingly recognized as an important component of host health, metabolism and immunity. Early gut colonizers are pivotal in the establishment of microbial community structures affecting the health and growth performance of chickens. White Lohmann layer is a common commercial breed. Therefore, this breed was selected to study the pattern of changes of microbiota with age. In this study, the duodenum, caecum and colorectum contents of white Lohmann layer chickens from same environment control farm were collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing to explore the spatial and temporal variations in intestinal microbiota. The results showed that the diversity of the microbial community structure in the duodenum, caecum and colorectum increased with age and tended to be stable when the layer chickens reached 50 days of age and the distinct succession patterns of the intestinal microbiota between the duodenum and large intestine (caecum and colorectum). On day 0, the diversity of microbes in the duodenum was higher than that in the caecum and colorectum, but the compositions of intestinal microbes were relatively similar, with facultative anaerobic Proteobacteria as the main microbes. However, the relative abundance of facultative anaerobic bacteria (Escherichia) gradually decreased and was replaced by anaerobic bacteria (Bacteroides and Ruminococcaceae). By day 50, the structure of intestinal microbes had gradually become stable, and Lactobacillus was the dominant bacteria in the duodenum (41.1%). The compositions of dominant microbes in the caecum and colorectum were more complex, but there were certain similarities. Bacteroides, Odoribacter and Clostridiales vadin BB60 group were dominant. The results of this study provide evidence that time and spatial factors are important factors affecting the intestinal microbiota composition. This study provides new knowledge of the intestinal microbiota colonization pattern of layer chickens in early life to improve the intestinal health of layer chickens.

Combined the GABA-A and GABA-B receptor agonists attenuates autistic behaviors in a prenatal valproic acid-induced mouse model of autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an immensely challenging developmental disorder characterized primarily by two core behavioral symptoms of social communication deficits and restricted/repetitive behaviors. Investigating the etiological process and identifying an appropriate therapeutic target remain as formidable challenges to overcome ASD due to numerous risk factors and complex symptoms associated with the disorder. Among the various mechanisms that contribute to ASD, the maintenance of excitation and inhibition balance emerged as a key factor to regulate proper functioning of neuronal circuitry. In this study, we employed prenatally exposed to valproic acid (VPA) to establish a validated ASD mouse model and found impaired inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABAergic) neurotransmission through a presynaptic mechanism in these model mice, which was accompanied with decreased GABA release and GABA-A and GABA-B receptor subunits expression. And acute administration of individual GABA-A or GABA-B receptor agonists partially reversed autistic-like behaviors in the model mice. Furthermore, acute administration of the combined GABA-A and GABA-B receptor agonists palliated sociability deficits, anxiety and repetitive behaviors in the animal model of autistic-like behaviors, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of above cocktail in the treatment of ASD.

[Distribution Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Elements Bonded with PM2.5 and PM10 in Linyi].

To investigate the pollution characteristics and sources of elements bonded with PM2.5 and PM10 in Linyi, PM2.5 and PM10 sample collections were carried out simultaneously in Linyi from December 2016 to October 2017, and 23 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), with the enrichment factor method and PMF employed to determine the source apportionment. The results indicated that the dominant elements in PM2.5 and PM10 were recognized as Si, Ca, Al, Fe, K, Na, and Mg, accounting for 92.93% and 94.61% of the total measured elements, respectively. The concentrations of 18 elements (excluding Ti, Ni, Mo, Cd, and Mg) were highest in winter and spring, and lowest in summer and autumn. Si, Al, Ca, K, and Na showed the highest levels in spring, mainly distributed in coarse particles; Cu, Zn, Pb, and Sb showed the highest levels in winter, mainly distributed in fine particles. The enrichment factor results showed that the enrichment of Cd, Sb, and Bi was significant, mainly originated by anthropogenic sources such as coal combustion, industrial production, and waste incineration. Based on the analysis results of PMF, coal, and copper smelting, municipal waste incineration, fugitive dust, vehicle emissions, and industrial sources were the main sources of elements in PM2.5, accounting for 22.64%, 7.49%, 41.22%, 14.71%, and 13.94%, respectively. For PM10, fugitive dust, coal and copper smelting, vehicle emissions, and industrial sources were the main sources of elements, contributing 55.47%, 19.80%, 7.48%, and 12.83%, respectively. Our results suggested that the main contributors to particulate matter pollution in Linyi during the sampling period were fugitive dust, and coal and copper smelting.

Correlations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in FABP4 and meat quality and lipid metabolism gene expression in Yanbian yellow cattle.

FABP4 is a candidate gene for carcass and meat quality traits in livestock and poultry. However, the effects of FABP4 have not been examined in the Yanbian yellow cattle, an economically important local cattle breed in China. In this study, we characterized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FABP4 in this cattle breed and their associations with meat quality traits. Six SNPs (referred to as SNP1-6) were identified in FABP4 by direct sequencing and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The six SNPs were significantly correlated with meat quality traits. In particular, the GG and GA genotypes of SNP1 were significantly associated with water and fat contents and GG and AA genotypes of SNP1 were significantly associated with protein contents (P < 0.05). The fat content and marbling in heterozygous individuals at SNP2-6 were significantly higher than those in wild-type or mutant individuals (P < 0.05), while protein content was significantly higher in wild-type and mutant individuals than in heterozygous individuals (P < 0.05). A gene expression analysis indicated that the lipid metabolism-related genes FABP4, PPARγ, ANGPTL4, and LPL show similar expression patterns with respect to FABP4 genotypes, with the highest levels in wild-type individuals and the lowest levels in mutants. In conclusion, FABP4 SNPs can be used for marker-assisted selection in Yanbian yellow cattle breeding.

[Characterization of PM10 and PM2.5 Source Profiles for Emissions from Nonmetal Mineral Products Manufacturing Processes].

In view of the insufficient source profiles for emissions from nonmetal mineral products manufacturing processes in China, a dilution sampling system was used to collect PM10 and PM2.5 samples from glassmaking, ceramics, and firebrick manufacturing sources between February and June of 2017. The characteristics of 50 chemical components in the samples were studied to identify source profiles. The results showed that the dominant composition of particulate matter in glassmaking plant profiles was Na, with percentages ranging from 9.2% to 18.5%. Ceramics profiles were enriched in Al, Si, Ca, and Fe, with percentages ranging from 1.7% to 8.7%. Refractory brick and shale manufacturing process profiles were characterized by high abundances of SO42- (36.9%-48.1%) and NH4+ (7.7%-17.0%). Chemical components in the source profiles varied with the different fuel types and desulfurization, denitrification, and dedusting methods. The coefficients of divergence (CD) between PM2.5 and PM10 from the same process were similar except for the results from the shale manufacturing process (CD values>0.3), thus indicating that the elements profiles of PM2.5 might be similar to those in PM10. Profiles of the same particle size from different processes were significantly different from one another, with CD values ranging from 0.42 to 0.76. The CD values for float glass and medicinal glass, and the CD values for the two ceramic enterprises were relatively small. The distributions of weighted differences (R/U ratios) were used to compare the differences of components between the source profiles, and results showed that the identified components for glass manufacturing, ceramic manufacturing, fireproof bricks, and page rock bricks were Na and As, Al and Ti, NO3- and NH4+, and SO42- and NH4+, respectively.

[Emission Characteristics of Exhaust PM and Its Carbonaceous Components from China â ¢ to China â £ Diesel Vehicles in Shenyang].

Diesel vehicles were the primary source of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) emitted by motor vehicles. To study the emission factors and carbon components of PM2.5 and PM10 from diesel vehicles in Shenyang, exhaust PM samples were collected from 15 diesel vehicles including small, medium, and large passenger vehicles, and light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks under China Ⅲ and China Ⅳ emission standards. This was undertaken using a dilution channel sampling system, and the carbon components were also analyzed. The results showed that the average distance-based PM2.5 and PM10 emission factors for diesel vehicles under China Ⅲ were (0.193±0.092) g·km-1 and (0.338±0.305) g·km-1, respectively, and for China Ⅳ were (0.085±0.038) g·km-1 and (0.100±0.042) g·km-1, respectively. This shows that the PM emission factors decreased significantly with the improvement of emission standards. Under the same emission standards, emission factors increased with the increase of vehicle passenger volume or cargo capacity. TC (total carbon) was the main component of the emissions from diesel vehicles. The mass fraction of TC under China Ⅳ (23%-48%) was significantly lower than under China Ⅲ (29%-70%). The mass fraction of elemental carbon (EC) for all types of diesel vehicles was greater than organic carbon (OC). The OC/EC value was 0.70±0.29, and the OC/EC value for diesel vehicles under China Ⅳ was lower than under China Ⅲ. The total mileage of passenger vehicles was significantly higher than that of trucks, resulting in higher fuel consumption. The mass fraction of OC and EC in passenger vehicles was higher than for trucks under the same emission standards. EC2 (elemental carbon which was measured at temperatures of 700℃) was the highest carbon content of diesel vehicles under China Ⅲ and China Ⅳ emission standards, which can be used in the identification of diesel vehicles in source apportionment studies.

The microbiota structure in the cecum of laying hens contributes to dissimilar H2S production.

BACKGROUND: Host genotype plays a crucial role in microbial composition of laying hens, which may lead to dissimilar odor gas production. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship among layer breed, microbial structure and odor production. RESULTS: Thirty Hy-Line Gray and thirty Lohmann Pink laying hens were used in this study to determine the impact of cecal microbial structure on odor production of laying hens. The hens were managed under the same husbandry and dietary regimes. Results of in vivo experiments showed a lower hydrogen sulfide (H2S) production from Hy-Line hens and a lower concentration of soluble sulfide (S2-) but a higher concentration of butyrate in the cecal content of the Hy-Line hens compared to Lohmann Pink hens (P < 0.05), which was consistent with the in vitro experiments (P < 0.05). However, ammonia (NH3) production was not different between genotypes (P > 0.05). Significant microbial structural differences existed between the two breed groups. The relative abundance of some butyrate producers (including Butyricicoccus, Butyricimonas and Roseburia) and sulfate-reducing bacteria (including Mailhella and Lawsonia) were found to be significantly correlated with odor production and were shown to be different in the 16S rRNA and PCR data between two breed groups. Furthermore, some bacterial metabolism pathways associated with energy extraction and carbohydrate utilization (oxidative phosphorylation, pyruvate metabolism, energy metabolism, two component system and secretion system) were overrepresented in the Hy-Line hens, while several amino acid metabolism-associated pathways (amino acid related enzymes, arginine and proline metabolism, and alanine-aspartate and glutamate metabolism) were more prevalent in the Lohmann hens. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that genotype of laying hens influence cecal microbiota, which in turn modulates their odor production. Our study provides references for breeding and enteric manipulation for defined microbiota to reduce odor gas emission.