Chitosan oligosaccharide improves intestinal function by promoting intestinal development, alleviating intestinal inflammatory response, and enhancing antioxidant capacity in broilers aged d 1 to 14.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) supplementation on intestinal development and functions, inflammatory response, antioxidant capacity and the related signaling pathways in broilers aged d 1 to 14. A total of 240 one-day old male Arbor Acres broilers (40.47 ± 0.30 g) were randomly allotted to 4 groups, and each group consisted of 6 replicate pens with 10 broilers per replicate. Broilers fed a basal diet supplementation with COS at 0 (CON group), 200 (COS200 group), 400 (COS400 group), and 800 mg/kg (COS800 group) for 14 d, respectively. Broilers in the COS supplementation groups had no significant effects on growth performance. Compared to the CON group, dietary COS supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of duodenum, jejunal lipase activity, duodenal and ileal villus surface area, and lower (P < 0.05) ileal amylase and alkaline phosphatase activity, and crypt depth. The expression level of duodenal glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), Na+-glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), peptide transporter 1 (PepT1), occludin, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), and interleukin-10 (IL-10), jejunal SGLT1, PepT1, occludin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and ileal SGLT1, PepT1, and fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1) was upregulated by COS. However, the expression level of duodenal FABP1 and TNF-α, jejunal GLUT1, ZO-1, TLR4, MyD88, nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65), and IL-1ß, and ileal GLUT1, NF-κB p65, and IL-1ß was downregulated by COS. Furthermore, dietary COS supplementation increased duodenal catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity, jejunal CAT and T-SOD activity, upregulated the expression level of duodenal nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), CAT, glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), and copper and zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), jejunal CAT, and ileal Nrf2, CAT, and GPX1. These results suggested that COS could promote intestinal development and functions in broilers aged d 1 to 14, which might be mediated by alleviating intestinal inflammatory response and enhancing antioxidant capacity.

Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Alginate Oligosaccharides Attenuate Heat Stress-Induced Impairment of Breast Meat Quality via Regulating Oxidative Stress, Metabolome and Ferroptosis in Broilers.

Selenium (Se) is an indispensable trace element with versatile functions in antioxidant defense in poultry. In our previous study, we synthesized a novel type of biogenic selenium nanoparticle based on alginate oligosaccharides (SeNPs-AOS), and found that the particles are sized around 80 nm with an 8% Se content, and the dietary addition of 5 mg/kg of SeNPs-AOS could effectively alleviate the deleterious effects of heat stress (HS) in broilers, but it is still unclear whether SeNPs-AOS can improve the meat quality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of SeNPs-AOS on breast meat quality in heat-stressed broilers, and explore the relevant mechanisms. Birds at the age of 21 days were randomly divided into four groups with six replicates per group (eight broilers per replicate) according to a 2 × 2 experimental design, using HS (33 ± 2 °C, 10 h/day vs. thermoneutral, TN, under 23 ± 1.5 °C) and SeNPs-AOS (5 mg/kg feed vs. no inclusion) as variables. The results showed that dietary SeNPs-AOS decreased the cooking loss (p < 0.05), freezing loss (p < 0.001), and shear force (p < 0.01) of breast muscle in heat-stressed broilers. The non-targeted metabolomics analysis of the breast muscle identified 78 differential metabolites between the HS and HS + SeNPs-AOS groups, mainly enriched in the arginine and proline metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, pantothenate, and CoA biosynthesis pathways (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, supplementation with SeNPs-AOS increased the levels of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the breast muscle (p < 0.05) in broilers under HS exposure. Additionally, SeNPs-AOS upregulated the mRNA expression of CAT, GPX1, GPX3, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), masculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma G (MafG), MafK, selenoprotein W (SELENOW), SELENOK, ferritin heavy polypeptide-1 (FTH1), Ferroportin 1 (Fpn1), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) (p < 0.05), while it downregulated Kelch-like ECH-associated pro-36 tein 1 (Keap1) and prostaglandin-endoperoxide Synthase 2 (PTGS2) expression (p < 0.05) in broilers under HS. These findings demonstrated that the dietary addition of SeNPs-AOS mitigated HS-induced oxidative damage and metabolite changes in the breast muscle of broilers, which may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway and selenoprotein synthesis. In addition, SeNPs-AOS upregulated the breast muscle gene expression of anti-ferroptosis-related molecules in broilers under HS, suggesting that SeNPs-AOS can be used as novel Se supplements against HS in broilers.

Composition Analysis and Nutritional Value Evaluation of Amino Acids in the Fruit of 161 Jujube Cultivars.

Amino acids are an essential group of compounds involved in protein synthesis and various metabolic and immune reactions in the human body. Chinese jujubes (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) are an important fruit and medicinal plant which are native to China and have been introduced into around 50 countries. However, systematic research on the composition and content diversity of amino acids in the jujube is still lacking. In this experiment, the amino acid composition and the contents of the dominant amino acids in the fruit of 161 cultivars of jujube were determined by HPLC. Of the twenty-one kinds of amino acids detected, a total of fourteen kinds of amino acids were detected, of which eight kinds of amino acids were relatively high, including five essential amino acids (threonine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine) and three nonessential amino acids (glycine, alanine, and proline). However, the contents of the remaining six amino acids were relatively low (aspartic acid, glutamic acid, histidine, serine, arginine, and tryptophan). Therefore, the eight primary amino acids were used as the index to evaluate the amino acids of 161 jujube varieties. Proline accounts for 56.8% of the total amino acid content among the eight amino acids. The total content of the eight primary amino acids in most jujube varieties was 1-1.5 g/100 g, and the highest content of 'Zaoqiangmalianzao' was 2.356 g/100 g. The average content of proline was 6.01-14.84 times that of the other seven amino acids. According to the WHO/FAO revised model spectrum of ideal essential amino acids for humans, 19 cultivars met the E/T (essential amino acids/total amino acids) standard, and their values ranged from 35% to 45%; 12 cultivars meet E/NE (non-essential amino acids) ≥ 60%. All cultivars reached the requirement of BC (branched-chain amino acids)/E ≥ 40% with 15 cultivars over 68%. One hundred and fifty-seven cultivars reach the standard of BC/A (aromatic amino acids) ≈ 3.0~3.5. The amino acid ratio coefficient analysis showed that phenylalanine was the first limiting amino acid of all the jujube cultivars. The SRC (the score of amino acid ratio coefficient) values of 134 cultivars were between 50% and 70%, with 12 cultivars over 70%, indicating that jujube fruits are of high nutritional value in terms of amino acids. Based on the principal component analysis and comprehensive ranking of amino acid nutritional value, the top five cultivars were screened from the 161 ones tested, i.e., 'Tengzhouchanghongzao', 'Xinzhengxiaoyuanzao', 'Hanguowudeng', 'Xuputiansuanzao', and 'Lichengxiaozao'. This study established, firstly, a complete basic data analysis of amino acid content in jujube fruit which could be used to select germplasm resources suitable for developing functional amino acid food, and provide theoretical support for the high value utilization of amino acids in jujubes.

Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Phenolic and Flavonoid Compounds in Sour Jujube (Ziziphus. Acidojujuba Cheng et Liu) and Their Antioxidant Activities.

In order to comprehensively analyze the antioxidant substances in sour jujube, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoids contents (TFC) in different organs, including stem, leaf, flower, fruit pulp, and seed were analyzed for their contents and antioxidant activities. The results showed that leaves possessed significantly higher TPC and TFC (20.4 and 20.5 mg/g, respectively) than the other organs and have the highest antioxidant activity, which were also higher than the wild blueberry (A well-known for its high TPC). Subsequently, the variations in the antioxidant content and antioxidant activity of leaves were analyzed during leaf development. TPC in leaves sampled in may and august were significantly higher than that in other months, while the highest one was found in may. The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water fractions obtained from the main methanol extract of sour jujube leaves were evaluated for TPC and TFC and their antioxidant activity and it was found that ethyl acetate fraction displayed the highest TPC and TFC (184.5 and 193.3 mg/g, respectively), as well as the best antioxidant activity. In addition, using LC-MS and HPLC, ethyl acetate fraction was analyzed from qualitative and quantitative aspects; 31-one phenolic compounds, including catechin (33.0 mg/g), epigallocatechin (15.3 mg/g), quercetin 3-O-glucoside (11.4 mg/g), naringenin (6.7 mg/g), esculetin (4.8 mg/g), and chlorogenic acid (4.6 mg/g) were identified. Catechin, esculetin, epigallocatechin, chlorogenic acid, quercetin 3-O-glucoside, and naringenin exhibited high antioxidant activity. These results provide a theoretical basis for further study and utilization of flavonoid and polyphenols in sour jujube.

Algae-derived polysaccharides supplementation ameliorates heat stress-induced impairment of bursa of Fabricius via modulating NF-κB signaling pathway in broilers.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of dietary algae-derived polysaccharides (ADP) from Enteromorpha prolifera against heat stress (HS)-induced bursa of Fabricius injure in broilers, and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect. A total of 144 8-week-old male yellow-feathered broilers were randomly allocated into 3 treatments of 6 replicates each (8 broilers per replicate): thermoneutral zone group (TN, fed basal diet); heat stress group (HS, fed basal diet); heat stress + ADP group (HSA, basal diet supplemented with 1,000 mg/kg ADP). Broilers in TN group were raised at 23.6 ± 1.8°C during the whole study. Broilers in HS and HSA groups were exposed to 33.2 ± 1.5°C for 10 h/day. The experimental period lasted for four weeks. The results showed that HS and dietary ADP had no significant effects on bursa of Fabricius index (P > 0.05). HS exposure increased the apoptosis rate of bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05), and the apoptosis rate was reduced by dietary ADP (P < 0.05). Besides, broilers in HS and HSA groups had a lower glutathione-S transferase (GST) activity and total anti-oxidation capacity (T-AOC), whereas had a higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of bursa of Fabricius than those in TN group (P < 0.05). HS exposure elevated the concentration of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-4, and IL-6, while decreased the concentration of interferon-γ (INF-γ) and IL-2 (P < 0.05), and dietary inclusion of ADP reduced the IL-1ß level and increased the IL-2 level of bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05). Compared with TN group, broilers in HS and HSA groups had lower relative mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and GSTT1 in bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05). Additionally, HS exposure down-regulated the mRNA expression of inhibitor kappa B alpha (IκBα), IFN-γ, and IL-2, while up-regulated the mRNA expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05). However, dietary inclusion of ADP up-regulated the mRNA expression of IκBα and down-regulated the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65, TNF-α, and IL-6 in bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05). Furthermore, HS exposure increased the relative protein expression levels of total and nuclear NF-κB p65 (P < 0.05), but dietary ADP supplementation reduced the relative protein expression levels of total and nuclear NF-κB p65 in bursa of Fabricius (P < 0.05). Collectively, dietary ADP ameliorated the impairment of histology, cell apoptosis and immune balance in bursa of Fabricius of heat stressed broilers, which is involved in modulation of NF-κB signaling pathway.

Different Training Durations and Frequencies of Tai Chi for Bone Mineral Density Improvement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Tai Chi shows potential as a safe and cost-effective intervention to improve bone mineral density (BMD). However, the various effects caused by different training durations and frequencies have not been evaluated. This updated systematic review aims to explore the effectiveness of Tai Chi in attenuating bone mineral density loss based on different training durations and frequencies. METHODS: We conducted an extensive database search in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Data, and China Science and Technology Journal Database on randomized controlled trials that examined Tai Chi for BMD improvement. Two reviewers independently performed data screening and extraction. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. RESULTS: A total of 23 randomized controlled trials involving 1582 patients were identified. The aggregated results have shown significant benefits in favor of Tai Chi on BMD improvement in the lumbar spine (SMD = 0.36, 95% [0.13, 0.59], P=0.002), femoral neck (SMD = 0.40, 95% [0.16, 0.63], P=0.0009), femoral trochanter (SMD = 0.43, 95% CI [0.20, 0.66], P=0.0002), and Ward's triangle (SMD = 0.31, 95% [0.15, 0.48], P=0.002). Such favorable benefits in Tai Chi can only be seen when compared with the nonexercise group, and Tai Chi showed no significant improvement in BMD change when compared with other exercises group. Subgroup analyses showed various effects of BMD improvement based on different training durations and frequencies of Tai Chi. Tai Chi is effective in attenuating BMD loss with an intervention frequency of >4 days/week in the lumbar spine, with an intervention frequency of >4 days/week or an intervention duration of >10 months in the femoral neck, and with an intervention duration of >10 months or a frequency of ≤4 days/week in Ward's triangle. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that Tai Chi may have benefits in attenuating BMD loss. Different training durations and frequencies may result in variable effectiveness. Researchers should focus more on the training durations and frequencies of Tai Chi so that a more definitive claim can be made regarding the beneficial effects for BMD improvement.

The study on the clinical effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint catgut embedding guided by musculoskeletal ultrasound in the treatment of nerve root sciatica: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Nerve root sciatica (NRS) is a common orthopedic disease, which usually occurs between 20 and 40 years of age, and the incidence rate is increasing year by year and is being younger. The disease has no special effect of treatment, clinically generally taking the symptomatic treatment, such as taking short-term glucocorticoids, sedatives, analgesics, and so on. Long-term use of drugs will adversely affect the patient's gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidney function. The surgical treatment has a high risk of surgery, high cost, side effects, and other problems, so the choice of treatment method has always been a difficult problem in clinical and scientific research. The study shows that 90% of patients with sciatica can be cured by non-surgical treatment, so conservative therapy is often used in the treatment of sciatica, traditional Chinese medicine treatment methods in the treatment of NRS has been widely used, which has achieved good results, but there is no evidence of evidence-based medicine. Therefore, this study uses systematic evaluation to conduct the scientific evaluation of the clinical effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint catgut embedding guided by musculoskeletal ultrasound in the treatment of NRS, and provide evidence-based medical evidence support for the treatment of NRS. METHODS: Using the computer to retrieve the PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, WANFANG Database, and CBM. Using the subject words and terminology words to retrieve the Chinese-English database and retrieve a randomized controlled study on the clinical effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint catgut embedding guided by musculoskeletal ultrasound in the treatment of NRS, and the range of search time is January 1990 to January 2021. The searched literature is screened and evaluated by two researchers respectively according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. If there is disagreement, discussing it with the third researcher to determine the final inclusion of the literature. Using the RevMan 5.3 software to conduct the meta-analysis. RESULTS: This study will compare the effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint catgut embedding guided by musculoskeletal ultrasound in the treatment of NRS. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will be published in internationally influential academic journals to provide evidence-based medical evidence for the clinical effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine acupoint catgut embedding in the treatment of NRS. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study does not involve specific patients, and all research data comes from publicly available professional literature, so an ethics committee is not required to conduct an ethical review and approval of the study. OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/Q492E.

Supplementation with Iron in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Two Randomized Crossover Trials.

Rationale: Iron deficiency, in the absence of anemia, is common in patients with idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and is associated with a worse clinical outcome. Oral iron absorption may be impeded by elevated circulating hepcidin concentrations. The safety and benefit of parenteral iron replacement in this patient population is unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of parenteral iron replacement in PAH. Methods: In two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 12-week crossover studies, 39 patients in Europe received a single infusion of ferric carboxymaltose (Ferinject) (1,000 mg or 15 mg/kg if weight <66.7 kg) or saline as placebo, and 17 patients in China received iron dextran (Cosmofer) (20 mg iron/kg body weight) or saline placebo. All patients had idiopathic or heritable PAH and iron deficiency at entry as defined by a serum ferritin <37 µg/L or iron <10.3 µmol/L or transferrin saturations <16.4%. Results: Both iron treatments were well tolerated and improved iron status. Analyzed separately and combined, there was no effect on any measure of exercise capacity (using cardiopulmonary exercise testing or 6-minute walk test) or cardiopulmonary hemodynamics, as assessed by right heart catheterization, cardiac magnetic resonance, or plasma NT-proBNP (N-terminal-pro hormone brain natriuretic peptide) at 12 weeks. Conclusions: Iron repletion by administration of a slow-release iron preparation as a single infusion to patients with PAH with iron deficiency without overt anemia was well tolerated but provided no significant clinical benefit at 12 weeks. Clinical trial registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01447628).

Protective effects of dietary betaine on intestinal barrier function and cecal microbial community in indigenous broiler chickens exposed to high temperature environment.

High temperature environment causes reduction in productivity in broilers by disrupting the intestinal barrier function. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of dietary betaine on intestinal barrier function and cecal microbial community in indigenous broilers (Huaixiang chickens) exposed to high temperature environment. A total of 144 5-week-old male broilers (average initial body weight of 401.62 ± 9.51 g) were randomly allocated to three treatments for 10 weeks feeding trial; each treatment contained six replicates with eight birds per replicate. The three treatments included normal temperature control group (NT, fed basal diet, 26 ± 1 °C), high temperature control group (HT, fed basal diet, 32 ± 1 °C for 8 h/day), and HT group supplemented 1000 mg/kg betaine (HTB). The results showed that high temperature environment reduced the Occludin, Claudin-4, and ZO-1 expressions in duodenal mucosa (P < 0.05). Dietary betaine improved the Claudin-4 and ZO-1 expressions of duodenal mucosa (P < 0.05). In jejunal mucosa, HT group had lower Occludin, Claudin-1, Claudin-4, and ZO-1 expressions than NT group (P < 0.05). Compared with HT group, HTB group had higher Occludin and ZO-1 expression (P < 0.05). In ileal mucosa, the relative mRNA expression of ZO-1 in HT group was lower than those in NT group (P < 0.01), and dietary betaine (HTB group) improved ZO-1 expression compared with HT group (P < 0.05). Based on the results of 16S rRNA sequencing, the enriched and dominant microbials in NT group are Epsilonbacteraeota, Bacteroidetes, and Gammaproteobacterial, the enriched and dominant microbial in HT group is Muribaculaceae, and Firmicutes is the enriched and dominant microbial in HTB group. Taken together, the findings revealed that dietary betaine improved the intestinal barrier function and cecal microbial community in indigenous broilers under high ambient temperature.

Heat stress alters serum lipid metabolism of Chinese indigenous broiler chickens-a lipidomics study.

Heat stress (HS) by high-temperature environment reduced the production performance of poultry and caused losses to the breeding industry. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of HS on serum lipidomics in Chinese indigenous slow-growing broiler chickens (Huaixiang chickens). A total of 40 8-week-old female Huaixiang chickens were randomly allocated to two groups, including normal temperature (NT, fed basal diet) and HS (fed basal diet), and each group consisted of five replicates with four birds per replicate. NT and HS groups were exposed to 21.3 ± 1.2 °C and 32.5 ± 1.4 °C for 4 weeks, respectively. Serum lipidomics in broilers was determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics. The results indicated that there were significant differences in metabolic spectra between the groups, and a total of 17 differential metabolites were screened. Compared with NT group, HS group reduced the serum ceramide (cer) (d18:1/22:0), cer (d18:1/24:1), cer (d20:2/22:2), lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC) (18:0), phosphatidylcholine (PC) (18:0/20:4), PC (15:0/23:4), PC (18:0/22:6), PC (18:2/18:2), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (18:1/18:1), polyethylene terephthalate (PEt) (37:3/8:0), phosphatidylglycerol (PG) (32:1/16:2), phosphatidyl methyl ethanolamine (PMe) (19:3/13:0), PMe (26:1/9:0), sphingomyelin (SM) (d16:0/18:1), triglycerides (TG) (18:0/18:1/18:2), and TG (19:4/21:6/21:6) levels [variable importance in the projection (VIP > 1 and P < 0.05)], while HS group increased serum PC (17:0/17:0) content (VIP > 1 and P < 0.05). Also, metabolic pathway analysis showed that the pathways of glycerolphospholipid, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid metabolism, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored biosynthesis were changed (P < 0.05). In conclusion, HS led to the disorders of serum lipid metabolism in broilers, and mainly downregulated serum content of phospholipids. These findings provide novel insights into the effects of HS on serum lipidomics in indigenous slow-growing chickens.

Sodium butyrate as an effective feed additive to improve performance, liver function, and meat quality in broilers under hot climatic conditions.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate (SB) supplementation on growth performance, liver function, antioxidant capacity, carcass characteristics, and meat quality in broilers under hot climatic conditions. A total of 288 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments as follow: CON, control diet without SB; T1, control diet with 300 mg/kg SB; T2, control diet with 600 mg/kg SB; and T3, control diet with 1,200 mg/kg SB. Each treatment had 6 replication pens and 12 broilers per pen. The results indicated that the BW on day 35; ADG from day 1 to 21, day 22 to 35, and day 1 to 35; and ADFI from day 22 to 35 linearly (P < 0.05) increased with SB supplementation. Interestingly, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase content in serum were linearly (P < 0.05) decreased by SB supplementation. There was linear (P < 0.05) improvement in activity of superoxide dismutase and catalase in the liver, whereas the content of malondialdehyde was linearly (P < 0.05) decreased with the inclusion of SB. Increasing SB level linearly (P < 0.05) increased CP composition and decreased drip loss percentage on day 1 and 3 of breast muscle. Furthermore, there was linear (P < 0.05) improvement in activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, whereas the content of malondialdehyde showed decreasing trend (P < 0.10) with the inclusion of SB in breast muscle. In conclusion, SB can be used as an effective feed additive to improve growth performance, liver function, and meat quality of broilers under hot climatic conditions.

The Electric Shock during Acupuncture: A Normal Needling Sensation or a Warning Sign.

The electric shock has been proposed as one of the new needling sensations in recent years. In acupuncture sensation scales, the electric shock is included by ASS and SNQS, but not SASS, MASS, and C-MMASS. Some scholars argue that the electric shock is a normal needling sensation, but some researchers do not agree with this view. This problem has not been resolved due to a lack of evidence from basic research. Literature and research point out that the electric shock is caused by inserting a needle into the nerve directly. A question of considerable scientific and practical interest is whether the electric shock should be a normal needling sensation. In this article, we review the historical documentation of the needling sensation and the process of formulating and improving acupuncture sensation scales to suggest that the electric shock may not be a normal needling sensation. Secondly, we collected and analyzed cases of nerve injury caused by acupuncture accompanied by the electric shock and why acupuncture caused the electric shock without nerve injury. It suggests that there may be a correlation between the electric shock and peripheral nerve injury, and acupuncture manipulation is an essential factor in adverse acupuncture events. Finally, we put forward that the electric shock during acupuncture is a warning sign that the peripheral nerve may be injured, rather than a normal needling sensation. In the future, we hope to have experimental studies on the mechanism of the electric shock or observational studies on the correlation between the electric shock and peripheral nerve injury to verify.

Dietary chitosan oligosaccharides alleviate heat stress-induced intestinal oxidative stress and inflammatory response in yellow-feather broilers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) on intestinal permeability, morphology, antioxidant status, and inflammatory response in heat-stressed broilers. A total of 108 thirty-five-day-old Chinese yellow-feather broilers (body weight 470.31 ± 13.15 g) were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments as follows: CON group, basal diet and raised under normal temperature (24°C); HS group, basal diet and raised under cycle heat stress (34°C from 10:00-18:00 and 24°C for the rest time); HSC group, basal diet with 200 mg/kg COS supplementation and raised under cycle heat stress. Each treatment had 6 replication pens and 6 broilers per pen. Compared with the CON group, heat stress decreased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of duodenum and jejunum; the relative length and villus height (VH) of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum; the ileum VH to crypt depth ratio; duodenum mucosal catalase (CAT) activity; and jejunum mucosal glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and CAT activity, whereas it increased (P < 0.05) serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity and D-lactate acid (D-LA) content, duodenum and jejunum mucosal malondialdehyde (MDA) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) content, and ileum mucosal tumor necrosis factor-α content. Compared to the HS group, dietary COS supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the relative length of duodenum, jejunum, and ileum; the VH of jejunum and ileum; and duodenum and jejunum mucosal GSH-Px activity, whereas it decreased (P < 0.05) serum DAO activity and D-LA concentration and duodenum and jejunum mucosal MDA and IL-1ß content. These results suggested that dietary COS supplementation had beneficial effects on intestinal morphology by increasing jejunum and ileum VH; permeability by decreasing serum DAO activity and D-LA content; antioxidant capacity by decreasing duodenum and jejunum mucosal MDA content and by increasing duodenum and jejunum GSH-Px activity; and inflammatory response by decreasing duodenum and jejunum mucosal IL-1ß content.

Auricular Acupressure in Patients with Hypertension and Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of auricular acupressure in patients with hypertension and insomnia is controversial. This systematic review aims to explore the effectiveness of auricular acupressure in reducing blood pressure and improving sleep in this population. METHODS: We conducted an extensive database search in Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Ovid LWW, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database, Wanfang Data, and China Science and Technology Journal Database on randomized controlled trials published from inception to November 2019 that compared auricular acupressure with a control or comparison group on blood pressure control and sleep improvement. Two reviewers independently conducted data screening and extraction. Study quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Meta-analyses were performed on blood pressure, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the efficacy rate of diagnostic and therapeutic criteria for traditional Chinese medicine syndromes (DTCTCMS), and the efficacy rate of guidelines for traditional Chinese medicine (new drug) clinical research (GTCMCR) by Revman 5.3.0. RESULTS: A total of 18 randomized controlled trials with 1685 patients were identified. Compared with a control or comparison group, pooled meta-analyses showed that auricular acupressure significantly improved systolic blood pressure (MD = -15.05, 95% CI (-18.49, -11.61), P < 0.00001), diastolic blood pressure (MD = -8.41, 95% CI (-11.33, -5.48), P < 0.00001), PSQI (MD = -2.37, 95% CI (-4.64, -0.10), P=0.04), the efficacy rate of DTCTCMS (RR = 1.63, 95% CI (1.16, 2.28), P=0.004), and the efficacy rate of GTCMCR (RR = 1.25, 95% CI (1.12, 1.38)). CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated a favorable effect of auricular acupressure to reduce blood pressure and improve sleep in patients with hypertension and insomnia. Further studies to better understand the acupoints and intervention times of auricular acupressure are warranted.

Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies for COVID-19 Based on "The Diagnosis and Treatment Program for Coronavirus Disease-2019" from Chinese Authority.

In December 2019, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) broke out in Wuhan and other places. Seven versions of the Diagnosis and Treatment Program for Coronavirus Disease-2019 successively issued by the Chinese government have designated traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a necessary medical strategy. Based on the changes in TCM diagnosis and treatment strategies in these seven versions of Diagnosis and Treatment Program for Coronavirus Disease-2019, this paper collected data reported by the Chinese government media; analyzed the understanding of the etiology, pathogenesis, syndrome differentiation, treatment methods, and prescriptions of COVID-19 by TCM and evaluated the clinical efficacy of TCM strategies. COVID-19 is associated with TCM disease of pestilence, and its pathogenesis can be summarized as an "epidemic pathogen invading the body, followed by entering the internal organs and transforming into heat, resulting in pathogen trapping in the interior and healthy qi collapsing, and deficiency of qi and yin". Pathological processes should be emphasized in syndrome differentiation. The manifestations of qi deficiency and yin deficiency are exhibited during the recovery period. TCM strategies represented by Qing Fei Pai Du Tang have shown apparent advantages in improving symptoms, promoting virus clearance, and shortening hospitalization, as well as surprising efficacy of zero patient progressing from mild to severe cases in a TCM cabin hospital. Clinical data illustrate the effectiveness of TCM strategies proposed by the Chinese government. This major epidemic may bring new opportunities for TCM development.

New insights into the role of dietary marine-derived polysaccharides on productive performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and jejunal morphology in late-phase laying hens.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary marine-derived polysaccharides (MDP) from seaweed Enteromorpha on productive performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and jejunal morphology in late-phase laying hens. A total of 240 Lohmann white laying hens (62 wk of age) were assigned to 4 dietary treatments that included MDP at concentrations of 0, 1,000, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg for 6 wk. Each treatment had 6 replicates with 5 cages (2 birds/cage). The results showed that dietary MDP quadratically improved egg production (P < 0.05) during 5 to 6 wk and 1 to 6 wk. There was a linear reduction in cracked egg rate (P < 0.05) with dietary MDP levels increased during 3 to 4 wk and 1 to 6 wk. After 4 wk of feeding trial, the egg shell thickness, yolk color, and Haugh unit showed a linear increase (P < 0.05) in response to increasing dietary MDP levels. Besides, the egg shell breaking strength, egg shell thickness, yolk color, and Haugh unit were improved linearly (P < 0.05) by dietary MDP at the end of the experiment. Moreover, dietary MDP showed a linear and quadratic reduction in serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05) at the end of third week. At the end of experiment, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in serum was increased quadratically (P < 0.05) by dietary MDP, and dietary MDP quadratically improved the liver catalase (CAT) activity (P < 0.05) and linearly enhanced jejunal CAT activity (P < 0.05), whereas linearly decreased jejunal MDA concentration (P < 0.05). Furthermore, supplemental MDP linearly improved the villus height (P < 0.05) and quadratically increased villus height/crypt depth ratio (P < 0.05) of jejunum. However, dietary MDP had no effect on jejunal trypsin, amylase, and protease activity (P > 0.10). Taken together, these findings provided new insights into the role of MDP in improving the productive performance, egg quality, antioxidant capacity, and jejunal morphology of late-phase laying hens.

Sodium butyrate as an effective feed additive to improve growth performance and gastrointestinal development in broilers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate (SB) supplementation on growth performance, the development of gastrointestinal tract and immune organs (thymus, spleen and bursa of fabricius), and serum antibody titer after Newcastle disease (ND) vaccination in broilers. The total of 288 1-day-old broilers were randomly allocated to four groups with six replications according to initial body weight. Four treatment groups were designed as follows and fed the indicated diets: CON, basal diet; T1, basal diet supplemented with 0.3 g/kg SB; T2, basal diet supplemented with 0.6 g/kg SB; T3, basal diet supplemented with 1.2 g/kg SB. During days 1-21, broilers fed the T2 diet had higher (p < .05) average daily gain (ADG) than broilers fed the CON diet. On day 21, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase (p < .05) in relative weight of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum weight of duodenum, jejunum and ileum), pancreas and thymus, and linear increase (p < .05) in relative length of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum length of duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and caeca. Meanwhile, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase in the antibody titer against ND on days 14, 21, 28 and 35. In conclusion, dietary SB supplementation improved the development of gastrointestinal by increasing the relative weight and length, as well as enhanced the immune response of ND vaccine.

[Effect of ginsenoside Rg_1 in delaying premature ovarian failure induced by D-gal in mice through PI3K/Akt/mTOR autophagy pathway].

The aim of this paper was to study the role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3 K), protein kinase B(Akt) and mamma-lian target of rapamycin(mTOR) in the inhibition of premature ovarian failure induced by D-galactose(D-gal) in mice model by ginsenoside Rg_1(Rg_1). Fifty-four female SPF BALB/c mice were randomly divided into PBS group, D-gal group, and Rg_1 group. In the D-gal group, D-galactose(200 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) was injected subcutaneously into the neck and back for 42 days. In the PBS group, an equal amount of phosphate buffered saline(PBS) was injected into the neck and back for 42 days. In addition to the therapy of D-gal group, Rg_1 group was given Rg_1(20 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)) through intraperitoneal injection since the 15 th day for 28 days, at the same time, the D-gal group and the PBS group were also given an equal amount of PBS through intraperitoneal injection since the 15 th day for 28 days. After the treatment, the estrous cycle changes of the mice were detected, and the ovarian SA-ß-Gal staining was used to detect the changes of ovarian aging. Western blot was used to detect the changes in protein expressions of PI3 K, Akt, mTOR, S6 k, LC3-Ⅱ and P16~(INK4 a). Fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the changes in mRNA expressions of PI3 K, Akt, mTOR, S6 k, LC3-Ⅱ and P16~(INK4 a). According to the findings, compared with the PBS group, the D-gal group began to show estrous cycle disorder in the 3 rd week,the ovarian SA-ß-Gal staining positive granulosa cells increased in the D-gal group, the expression of senescence marker P16~(INK4 a) increased, while the expression of autophagy signaling molecule LC3-Ⅱ decreased. After treatment with Rg_1, the positive rate of ovarian SA-ß-Gal staining in Rg_1 group decreased, the expression level of autophagy signaling molecule LC3-Ⅱ in Rg_1 group was higher than that in D-gal group, while the expression level of senescence marker P16~(INK4 a) was lower than that in D-gal group. Compared with the PBS group, the protein and mRNA expressions of PI3 K, Akt, mTOR and S6 k in the D-gal group were up-regulated, the protein expressions of Akt, mTOR and S6 k in the Rg_1 group were up-regulated, and the mRNA expressions of PI3 K and mTOR were up-regulated. After treatment with Rg_1, the protein expressions of PI3 K, Akt, mTOR and S6 k in the Rg_1 group were lower than those in the D-gal group, while the mRNA expressions of Akt, mTOR and S6 k in the Rg_1 group were lower than those in the D-gal group. The finding ssuggested that Rg_1 has the effect in delaying ovarian premature failure in D-gal-induced mouse models, and PI3 K/Akt/mTOR autophagy signaling pathways play an important role.

Yupingfeng polysaccharides enhances growth performance in Qingyuan partridge chicken by up-regulating the mRNA expression of SGLT1, GLUT2 and GLUT5.

The ban on the use of antibiotic in feed encouraged nutritionists to using alternatives to maintain growth performance and intestinal function of broilers. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Yupingfeng polysaccharides (YP) supplementation on growth performance and expression of SGLT1, GLUT2 and GLUT5 in Qingyuan partridge chicken. Experiment 1: a total of 540 chickens were randomly allocated to five groups with six replication. Dietary treatments were: (1) CON (control group), basal diet; (2) T1, CON + 0.5 g kg-1 YP; (3) T2, CON + 1 g kg-1 YP; (4) T3, CON + 2 g kg-1 YP; (5) T4, CON + 4 g kg-1 YP. Experiment 2, a total of 162 were randomly allocated to three groups with three replication. Dietary treatments were: (1) CON, basal diet; (2) T1, CON + 0.5 g kg-1 YP; (3) T2, CON + 1 g kg-1 YP. From days 1 to 14 and overall, chicken fed T1 diet had higher ADG. On day 42, there was increased villus height of jejunum in T1 group. On days 14 and 28, there was decreased villus height of duodenum and jejunum in T2 group. In duodenum, the expression of SGLT1 (days 21, 35 and 42), GLUT2 (days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42) and GLUT5 (days 7, 14, 21 and 28) was increased with YP supplementation. In jejunum, the expression of SGLT1 (days 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35), GLUT2 (days 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42) and GLUT5 (days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42) was increased with YP supplementation. In ileum, the expression of SGLT1 (days 7, 21, 35 and 42), GLUT2 (days 7, 14, 21 and 42) and GLUT5 (days 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42) was increased with YP supplementation. Dietary YP supplementation improves growth performance and expression of SGLT1, GLUT2 and GLUT5 in intestine.

Inhibition of the RhoA/Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase-1 pathway is involved in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on pulmonary arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Recent research has shown that statins improve pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but their mechanisms of action are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of RhoA/ROCK1 regulation in the therapeutic effects of simvastatin on PAH. METHODS: For in vivo experiments, rats (N = 40) were randomly assigned to four groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline (MCT), and MCT + simvastatin. The MCT group and MCT + simvastatin groups received proline dithiocarbamate (50 mg/kg, i.p.) on the first day of the study. The MCT + simvastatin group received simvastatin (2 mg/kg) daily for 4 weeks, after which pulmonary arterial pressure was measured by right heart catheterization. The protein and mRNA levels of Rho and ROCK1 were measured by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and PCR. For in vitro experiments, human pulmonary endothelial cells were divided into seven groups: control, simvastatin, monocrotaline pyrrole (MCTP), MCTP + simvastatin, MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate, MCTP + simvastatin + farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP). After 72 h exposed to the drugs, the protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 were measured by Western blot and PCR. RESULTS: The MCT group showed increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure, marked vascular remodeling, and increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the other groups (P < 0.05). In vitro, the MCTP group showed a marked proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, as well as increased protein and mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1 compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. The MCTP + simvastatin + mevalonate group, MCTP + simvastatin+ FPP group, and MCTP + simvastatin + FPP + GGPP group showed increased mRNA levels of RhoA and ROCK1, as well as increased protein levels of RhoA, compared to the MCTP + simvastatin group. CONCLUSIONS: Simvastatin improved vascular remodeling and inhibited the development of PAH. The effects of simvastatin were mediated by inhibition of RhoA/ROCK1. Simvastatin decreased RhoA/ROCK1 overexpression by inhibition of mevalonate, FPP, and GGPP synthesis.