Improving Broiler Health through Cecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Comprehensive Study on Growth, Immunity, and Microbial Diversity.

Cecal microbiota has emerged as a prominent intervention target for improving the production and welfare of poultry. This is essential for the overall health and performance of broiler chickens. The current study focused on investigating the effect of cecal microbiota transplantation (CMT) from healthy donor chickens on the growth performance, immunity, and microbial composition of newly hatched chicks and evaluated the effect of sample storage on the microbial diversity of the cecal samples. A healthy "Wannan Yellow Chicken line" was selected as the donor, and 180 1-day-old chicks from the same line were used as recipients for a 60-day feed trial. The chicks were randomly allocated to three groups (60 birds per group) with three replicates in each group. The three treatment groups were CMT-0 (control, normal saline solution), CMT-I (1:12 cecal content, normal saline supplemented with 10% glycerol), and CMT-II (1:6 cecal content, normal saline supplemented with 10% glycerol). The results of weight gain and absolute organ weight showed significant improvements in the CMT-II group compared with the CMT-0 group. Serum IgG level was significantly improved (p < 0.05) in CMT-I compared with that in the CMT-0. However, IL-6 levels increased in CMT-I and then significantly decreased in CMT-II. The cecal microbial diversity of CMT treatment was compared between two groups, fresh samples (FS) and stored samples at -80°C (SS). The results showed that beneficial taxa, such as Firmicutes and Verrucomicrobiota, were substantially more abundant in both CMT-I and CMT-II than in CMT-0 in both FS and SS. Microbial function analysis at levels 1, 2, and 3 showed improved metabolism, genetic information processing, cellular processes, environmental information processing, and organismal systems in CMT-I and CMT-II for both FS and SS groups. However, the SS group showed decreased microbial diversity and function. To conclude, cecal microbiota transplantation is a promising strategy for enhancing the productivity and health of broiler chickens.

The function of the gut microbiota-bile acid-TGR5 axis in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.

Imbalanced gut microbiota (GM) and abnormal fecal bile acid (BA) are thought to be the key factors for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we explore the influence of the GM-BA-Takeda G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5) axis on IBS-D. Twenty-five IBS-D patients and fifteen healthy controls were recruited to perform BA-related metabolic and metagenomic analyses. Further, the microbiota-humanized IBS-D rat model was established by fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) to investigate the GM-BA-TGR5 axis effects on the colonic barrier and visceral hypersensitivity (VH) in IBS-D. Finally, we used chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), an important BA screened out by metabolome, to evaluate whether it affected diarrhea and VH via the TGR5 pathway. Clinical research showed that GM associated with bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity such as Bacteroides ovatus was markedly reduced in the GM of IBS-D, accompanied by elevated total and primary BA levels. Moreover, we found that CDCA not only was increased as the most important primary BA in IBS-D patients but also could induce VH through upregulating TGR5 in the colon and ileum of normal rats. TGR5 inhibitor could reverse the phenotype, depression-like behaviors, pathological change, and level of fecal BSH in a microbiota-humanized IBS-D rat model. Our findings proved that human-associated FMT could successfully induce the IBS-D rat model, and the imbalanced GM-BA-TGR5 axis may promote colonic mucosal barrier dysfunction and enhance VH in IBS-D. IMPORTANCE: Visceral hypersensitivity and intestinal mucosal barrier damage are important factors that cause abnormal brain-gut interaction in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Recently, it was found that the imbalance of the gut microbiota-bile acid axis is closely related to them. Therefore, understanding the structure and function of the gut microbiota and bile acids and the underlying mechanisms by which they shape visceral hypersensitivity and mucosal barrier damage in IBS-D is critical. An examination of intestinal feces from IBS-D patients revealed that alterations in gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism underlie IBS-D and symptom onset. We also expanded beyond existing knowledge of well-studied gut microbiota and bile acid and found that Bacteroides ovatus and chenodeoxycholic acid may be potential bacteria and bile acid involved in the pathogenesis of IBS-D. Moreover, our data integration reveals the influence of the microbiota-bile acid-TGR5 axis on barrier function and visceral hypersensitivity.

Biomarkers prediction and immune landscape in ulcerative colitis: Findings based on bioinformatics and machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) presents diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. The primary objective of this study is to identify efficacious biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment, as well as acquire a deeper understanding of the immuneological characteristics associated with the disease. METHODS: Datasets relating to UC were obtained from GEO database. Among these, three datasets were merged to create a metadata for bioinformatics analysis and machine learning. Additionally, one dataset specifically utilized for external validation. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and random forest (RF) were employed to screen signature genes. The artificial neural network (ANN) model and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess the diagnostic performance of signature genes. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was applied to reveal the immune landscape. Finally, the relationship between the signature genes, immune infiltration, and clinical characteristics was investigated through correlation analysis. RESULT: By intersecting the result of LASSO, RF and WGCNA, 8 signature genes were identified, including S100A8, IL-1B, CXCL1, TCN1, MMP10, GREM1, DUOX2 and SLC6A14. The biological progress of this gene mostly encompasses acute inflammatory response, aggregation and chemotaxis of leukocyte, and response to lipopolysaccharide by mediating IL-17 signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Immune infiltration analysis shows 25 immune cells are significantly elevated in UC samples. Moreover, these signature genes exhibit a strong correlation with various immune cells and a mild to moderate correlation with the Mayo score. CONCLUSION: S100A8, IL-1B, CXCL1, TCN1, MMP10, GREM1, DUOX2 and SLC6A14 have been identified as credible potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and therapy of UC. The immune response mediated by these signature biomarkers plays a crucial role in the occurrence and advancement of UC by means of the reciprocal interaction between the signature biomarkers and immune-infiltrated cells.

Biological role of long non-coding RNA KCNQ1OT1 in cancer progression.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a type of RNAs that are more than 200 nucleotides without protein-coding potential. In recent years, more and more attention has been paid to the role of lncRNAs in cancer pathogenesis. LncRNA KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) is located on chromosome 11p15.5 with a total length of 91 kb and is highly expressed in various malignancies, which is closely related to tumor growth, lymph node metastasis, survival cycle and recurrence rate. In addition, KCNQ1OT1 is involved in the regulation of PI3K/AKT and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathways. In this review, the mechanism and related progress of KCNQ1OT1 in different cancers were reviewed. It was found that KCNQ1OT1 can stabilize mRNA expression through sponging miRNA, which not only induced tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, drug resistance, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inhibited cell apoptosis in vitro, but also promoted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo. Therefore, as a new biomarker and therapeutic target, KCNQ1OT1 has broad prospects for the diagnosis and treatment of different cancers.

Effects of green tea powder on production performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical parameters in laying hens.

The paper aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of green tea powder (GTP) on laying performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical parameters of laying hens. A total of 240 Jingfen No. 6 laying hens (age, 24 wk) were randomly allocated into 4 groups: control group (CON, basal diet), GTP0.5, GTP0.75, and GTP1.0 (basal diet included 0.5, 0.75, and 1.0% GTP, respectively). Each group has 5 replicates with 12 birds each. The feeding trial lasted 8 wk. The results showed that the hen-day egg production rate in GTP0.5 and GTP 0.75 group was higher than that of GTP1.0 group (P < 0.05), hen-day egg production rate in the GTP1.0 group was lower compared to the CON group (P > 0.05), the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the GTP0.75 group was lower than that in CON and GTP 1.0 group (P < 0.05) during the entire experimental period. Albumen height and Haugh unit were higher in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group compared to the CON group at d 56 (P < 0.05). At the end of experiment, plasma TG content in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group was lower than that in the CON group (P < 0.05), the T-CH concentration in the GTP0.5 and GTP0.75 group was lower compared to the CON group (P < 0.05), plasma LDL-C and CORT concentrations were decreased by dietary GTP supplementation (P < 0.05), the HDL-C and BUN concentrations in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group were higher than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). The antibody titers of H5N1 in the GTP0.75 and GTP1.0 group, and H7N9 in the GTP1.0 group were lower than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary GTP inclusion could affect laying performance, regulate lipid metabolism, and have no favorable influence on antibody titers of H5N1 and H7N9, herein, dietary 0.5% GTP inclusion is suggested for Jingfen No. 6 laying hens during the peak laying period.

CRISPR-activation screen identified potassium channels for protection against mycotoxins through cell cycle progression and mitochondrial function.

Zearalenone (ZEA) exposure has carcinogenic effects on human and animal health by exhibiting intestinal, hepatic, and renal toxicity. At present, the underlying mechanisms on how ZEA induces apoptosis and damage to tissues still remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to identify genes that modulate the cellular response to ZEA using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas9 screening, and further validate novel gene functions to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying particular biological processes in vivo and in vitro. Two ZEA-resistant cell lines, designated Ov-KCNJ4 and Ov-KCNJ12, were yielded by CRISPR activation screening which had significant changes in ZEA resistance and growth rates. Results showed that ZEA could interact with the cell membrane proteins KCNJ4 and KCNJ12, inducing cell cycle arrest, disruption of DNA replication and base excision repair. Overexpression of KCNJ4 and KCNJ12 was involved in ZEA resistance by regulating cell cycle to neutralize toxicity, sustaining mitochondrial morphology and function via attenuating the damage from oxidative stress in the KCNJ4-mitoKATP pathway. In vivo experiments showed that AAV-KCNJ4 delivery significantly improved ZEA-induced renal impairment and increased antioxidative enzyme activity by improving mitochondrial function. Our findings suggest that increasing potassium channel levels may be a putative therapeutic target for mycotoxin-induced damage.

Microbial fermentation technology for degradation of saponins from peony seed meal.

Peony seed meal is a very important feed protein raw material with a high potential for development; however, the presence of some anti-nutritional factors, such as saponins, reduces its reusability. This study aimed to establish ideal microbial fermentation conditions for the degradation of saponins in peony seed meal for its subsequent use in poultry feed. First, saponins were extracted via two methods: ethanol extraction and reflux. Then, response surface methodology and orthogonal array testing were used to establish the optimal conditions for the degradation of saponins by (a) liquid fermentation of single bacteria, (b) liquid fermentation of compound bacteria, and (c) solid-state fermentation. The degradation efficiencies were 40.21% (±1.62), 59.82% (±1.54), and 69.31% (±2.95), respectively. The maximum degradation was obtained via solid-state fermentation, and the soluble protein content for this fermentation product was found to be 14% higher than that of unfermented peony seed meal.

Effects of Different-Sized Cages on the Production Performance, Serum Parameters, and Caecal Microbiota Composition of Laying Hens.

The effects of four different-sized cages­huge (HC), large (LC), medium (MC), and small (SC) cages­on the productive performance, serum biochemical indices, and caecal microbiota composition of Roman laying hens were investigated. At 44 weeks of age, a total of 450 hens were selected and allocated to the four groups, with six replicates each. Equal stocking density (0.054 m2 per bird) was maintained among the four groups throughout the experiment, and number of birds/cage changed for each treatment. After 2 weeks of preliminary trial, the formal experiment was performed from 46 to 60 weeks of age. The laying rate and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were determined daily, antibody titres were measured every 3 weeks, and serum biochemical parameters and caecal microbiota composition were analysed at 60 weeks of age. Compared to HC and SC, the higher laying rate and lower FCR in MC and LC indicated positive effects on egg production and feed efficiency, while SC showed the highest body weight gain (p < 0.05). With increasing cage size, the serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (T-CH) levels were reduced, and serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity improved, where birds raised in HCs had the lowest serum TG and T-CH and the highest GSH-Px activity. Twenty-nine different phyla and 301 different genera were detected in the caecal microbiota of birds in the four groups. Methanobrevibacter was significantly higher in the SC than in the other groups (p < 0.05). Faecalibacterium was most abundant in the MC compared with the other groups (p < 0.05) and was significantly positively correlated with serum GSH-Px concentration (R = 0.214, p = 0.0017). Lactobacillus was significantly less abundant in the LC and MC than in the HC and SC groups (p < 0.05) and was significantly positively correlated with body weight (R = 0.350, p = 0.0009) but negatively correlated with laying rate and FCR. In conclusion, MC were superior to HC and LC in improving feed conversion efficiency and caecal microflora composition compared to the SC. An appropriate increase in cage size is beneficial to laying hen production and health.

Combined Toxicity Evaluation of Ochratoxin A and Aflatoxin B1 on Kidney and Liver Injury, Immune Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota Alteration Through Pair-Feeding Pullet Model.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are often co-contaminated, but their synergistic toxicity in poultry is limitedly described. Furthermore, the traditional ad libitum feeding model may fail to distinguish the specific impact of mycotoxins on the biomarkers and the indirect effect of mildew on the palatability of feed. A pair-feeding model was introduced to investigate the specific effect and the indirect effect of the combined toxicity of OTA and AFB1, which were independent and dependent on feed intake, respectively. A total of 180 one-day-old pullets were randomly divided into 3 groups with 6 replicates, and each replicate contained 10 chicks. The control group (Group A) and the pair-feeding group (Group B) received the basal diet without mycotoxin contamination. Group C was administrated with OTA- and AFB1-contaminated feed (101.41 µg/kg of OTA + 20.10 µg/kg of AFB1). The scale of feeding in Group B matched with the feed intake of Group C. The trial lasted 42 days. Compared with the control group, co-contamination of OTA and AFB1 in feed could adversely affect the growth performance (average daily feed intake (ADFI), body weight (BW), average daily weight gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and shank length (SL)), decrease the relative weight of the spleen (p < 0.01), and increase the relative weight of the kidney (p < 0.01). Moreover, the reduction of feed intake could also adversely affect the growth performance (BW, ADG, and SL), but not as severely as mycotoxins do. Apart from that, OTA and AFB1 also activated the antioxidative and inflammation reactions of chicks, increasing the level of catalase (CAT), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) while decreasing the level of IL-10 (p < 0.01), which was weakly influenced by the feed intake reduction. In addition, OTA and AFB1 induced histopathological changes and apoptosis in the kidney and liver as well as stimulated the growth of pernicious bacteria to cause toxic effects. There were no histopathological changes and apoptosis in the kidney and liver of the pair-feeding group. The combined toxicity of OTA and AFB1 had more severe effects on pullets than merely reducing feed supply. However, the proper reduction of the feed intake could improve pullets' physical health by enriching the bacteria Lactobacillus, Phascolarctobacterium, Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Barnesiella.

Shenling Baizhu Powder Alleviates TNBS-Induced Colitis in Rats by Improving Intestinal Epithelial Permeability and Inhibiting Inflammation Through the TLR5/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway.

Aim of the study: To evaluate the protective effect and mechanism of shenling baizhu powder (SBP) on TNBS-induced colitis. Methods: Rats were given TNBS to establish the model of colitis and subsequently treated with different doses of SBP or mesalamine (MES). In addition, the expression of the TLR5/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and critical targets of the intestinal mucosal barrier was detected by immunochemical analysis techniques. Results: SBP significantly ameliorated the symptoms of TNBS-induced colitis in rats and reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. SBP could effectively strengthen epithelial barrier integrity in TNBS-induced colitis by increasing the secretion of mucin and tight junction and inhibiting apoptosis. Furthermore, we identified the crucial role of the TLR5/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in exerting the therapeutic effect of SBP. Conclusion: The results of our study suggest that SBP has therapeutic effects on TNBS-induced colitis and potential value in treating and maintaining remission of colitis.

Effect of fermented corn by-products on production performance, blood biochemistry, and egg quality indices of laying hens.

Residual wastes can be fermented by using probiotics to formulate a well-balanced diet for poultry. The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of fermented feed (FF) formulated by the supplementation of probiotics into corn by-products, on the production performance of laying hens. A total of 468 49-wk-old Hy-Line Brown chickens were randomly allocated into four treatments with 3 replicates, control group (basal diet), group I (4% FF, w/w), group II (8% FF, w/w), and antibiotic group (flavomycin, 50 mg/kg). Laying hens were housed in 3-tier cages (28 × 48 cm × 48 cm) and the temperature was maintained at 21 °C. The birds were fed 4.56 kg of feed to each group twice a day. Compared with the control group, the egg production and feed intake in the FF groups increased significantly. Egg weight in group I was higher than that of group II and antibiotic (P < 0.01) while that in group II was lower than control (P < 0.05). The feed-to-egg ratio of FF groups compared with control was decreased (P < 0.05). Eggshell strength and egg shape index in group II were decreased significantly when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Yolk color, albumen height (AH), and Haugh unit (HU) in FF groups were improved compared with the control group and antibiotic group (P < 0.01). Yolk triglyceride level was significantly reduced in group II, compared with group I. These results indicated that the FF has no adverse effects and has beneficial effects on production performance and egg quality parameters of laying hens.

Feed costs the major portion of poultry industry which is estimated to be 60% to 70%. The current study focused to add the fermented agro-industrial by product most of which were waste residues to the laying hen's diet. The result showed beneficial effects, which proved that fermentation is a good method to improve the nutritional quality of feed raw materials, which is beneficial to the gastrointestinal health of the poultry. The study elaborated the potential of waste residues to be used as a kind of functional feed ingredient, which can enhanced the production parameters and egg quality indices of poultry.

Comparison of five diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rat models in the brain-gut-microbiota axis.

The brain-gut-microbiota (BGM) axis is known to be essential for diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). In order to evaluate the effects of IBS-D rat models (the central sensitization model, the peripheral sensitization model and the compound model) on the BGM axis, five models were induced in Wistar rats with 4% acetic acid (AD, dissolved 0.4 ml of AD in 9.6 ml of ultrapure water) + wrap restrain stress (WRS), 4% AD, colorectal distention (CRD), WRS, and neonatal maternal separation (NMS). Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scale scores and the moisture content of feces (MCF) were evaluated on the day of completing modeling. Body weight was measured every 7 days during modeling. Brain gut peptides, cytokine levels, the activity of spinal cord neurons, intestinal mucosal barrier function, and gut microbiota were determined after induction of IBS-D. We found intervention with 4% AD + WRS, 4% AD, CRD, WRS, and NMS induced a similar course of effects on the BGM axis. Among the five models, AWR scores (60 mmHg, 80 mmHg) were all increased. The levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, corticotropin-releasing factor, substance P, and calcitonin gene-related protein in serum rapidly increased, whereas that of neuropeptide Y decreased. C-fos in the spinal cord showed increased neuronal activity. The intestinal permeability was increased and the composition and structure of gut microbiota were changed. In conclusion, the five models could cause changes in BGM axis, but the 4% AD + WRS model was closer to the changes BGM axis of post-inflammatory models of IBS-D.

Clinical evidence of acupuncture and moxibustion for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Acupuncture and moxibustion have been widely used in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). But the evidence that acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS reduction of symptom severity and abdominal pain, and improvement of quality of life is scarce. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), and unpublished sources were searched from inception until June 30, 2022. The quality of RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. The strength of the evidence was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system (GRADE). Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to determine whether the participants in the included trials had reached optimal information size and whether the cumulative data was adequately powered to evaluate outcomes. Results: A total of 31 RCTs were included. Acupuncture helped reduce the severity of symptoms more than pharmaceutical drugs (MD, -35.45; 95% CI, -48.21 to -22.68; I 2 = 71%). TSA showed the cumulative Z score crossed O'Brien-Fleming alpha-spending significance boundaries. Acupuncture wasn't associated with symptom severity reduction (SMD, 0.03, 95% CI, -0.25 to 0.31, I 2 = 46%), but exhibited therapeutic benefits on abdominal pain (SMD, -0.24; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.01; I 2 = 8%) compared to sham acupuncture. Moxibustion show therapeutic benefits compared to sham moxibustion on symptom severity (SMD, -3.46, 95% CI, -5.66 to -1.27, I 2 = 95%) and abdominal pain (SMD, -2.74, 95% CI, -4.81 to -0.67, I 2 = 96%). Acupuncture (SMD, -0.46; 95% CI, -0.68 to -0.24; I 2 = 47%) and the combination of acupuncture and moxibustion (SMD, -2.00; 95% CI, -3.04 to -0.96; I 2 = 90%) showed more benefit for abdominal pain compared to pharmacological medications as well as shams. Acupuncture (MD, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.46-7.67; I 2 = 79%) and moxibustion (MD, 6.97; 95% CI, 5.78-8.16; I 2 = 21%) were more likely to improve quality of life than pharmaceutical drugs. Conclusion: Acupuncture and/or moxibustion are beneficial for symptom severity, abdominal pain and quality of life in IBS. However, in sham control trials, acupuncture hasn't exhibited robust and stable evidence, and moxibustion's results show great heterogeneity. Hence, more rigorous sham control trials of acupuncture or moxibustion are necessary. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=262118, identifier CRD42021262118.

Effects of dietary fermented peony seed dreg on the laying performance, albumen quality, antioxidant capacity, and n-3 PUFA-enriching property of laying hens.

Introduction: It is of great importance to seek agro-industrial byproducts that can serve as unconventional or alternative feedstuffs for poultry, especially those that are substitutive sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), as this will contribute to alleviating feed shortage pressure and improving poultry performance and product quality. In this study, the effects of dietary fermented peony seed dreg (FPSD) on the production performance of hens and fatty acid composition of meat and egg yolk were evaluated. Methods: A total of 480 54-week-old Xinyang chickens were divided into 5 groups: control (basal diet); 5% peony seed dreg (PSD); and 5%, 7% and 9% FPSD, and each group consisted of 6 replicates with 16 birds per replicate. Production performances were recorded daily, and egg quality, serum parameters, antibody titers and fatty acid profile in the muscle and yolk were measured at 64 weeks of age. Results and discussion: Egg production, feed conversion ratio and egg albumen quality were improved (p < 0.05) by 5% and 7% FPSD groups compared to 5% PSD and the control diet. Immune status was not influenced by PSD, but antibody titres against H7N9 and ND were improved by FPSD diets during most of the experimental periods. Dietary 5% and 7% FPSD increased (p < 0.05) serum high density lipoprotein concentrations and glutathione peroxidase actives. Total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in meat and yolk increased gradually, while the total saturated fatty acids (SFA) and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio decreased gradually with increasing dietary FPSD levels. In conclusion, up to 7% dietary FPSD has the potential use to be utilized as a supplement in Xinyang laying hen diets to produce n-3 PUFA-enriched meat and eggs and positively affect production performance and health status.

Different Non-cage Housing Systems Alter Duodenal and Cecal Microbiota Composition in Shendan Chickens.

Housing systems are among the most important non-genetic factors affecting hen production performance and intestinal microbes. With increased interest in animal welfare, cage-free laying hen housing systems have become common, providing behavioral freedom and health benefits. The present study aimed to compare the effects of plastic net housing system (NRS) and floor litter housing system (LRS) on the composition and function of the duodenal and cecal microbiota in Shendan chicken, one of the most popular laying hen strains in China. The associations between the differential microbiota abundance and production traits and intestinal morphological parameters were determined. Compared with the LRS, the NRS improved the laying rate (p < 0.05) and increased the villus height (VH) of the duodenum (p < 0.05) and the VH-to-crypt depth ratio (VCR) of the cecum (p < 0.05). Alpha diversity analysis showed that LRS chickens had a significantly higher diversity and richness than NRS chickens. Beta diversity analysis demonstrated differences in the microbiota composition based on housing systems. Within the cecum, Proteobacteria and Kiritimatiellaeota were significantly more abundant in the LRS than in the NRS (p < 0.05), while Bacteroidetes were significantly less abundant in the LRS (p < 0.05). Phascolarctobacterium and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 were significantly less abundant in the LRS (p < 0.05) compare to the NRS. Within the duodenum, Lactobacillus was significantly less abundant in the LRS (p < 0.05) than in the NRS, while Pseudomonas was significantly more abundant in the LRS (p < 0.05). Cecal Phascolarctobacterium and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 were significantly positively correlated with eggshell strength (R = 0.608, p < 0.01) and egg weight (R = 0.526, p < 0.05), respectively. Duodenal Lactobacillus was significantly positively correlated with VH and VCR (R = 0.548 and 0.565, p < 0.05), while Pseudomonas was significantly negatively correlated with the Haugh unit (R = -0.550, p < 0.05). In conclusion, there are differences in the cecal and duodenal microbiota compositions of Shendan laying hens reared in different non-cage housing systems, and the NRS was superior to the LRS in improving the laying performance and intestinal morphology and microecological environment.

Heterogeneous Effects of Health Insurance on Rural Children's Health in China: A Causal Machine Learning Approach.

This paper investigates the impact of Urban and Rural Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URRBMI) on the health of preschool and school-age children in rural China using data from the 2018 wave of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS). We employ the propensity score matching approach and causal forest to evaluate impacts. Results show that the URRBMI has significantly improved the health status of preschool children. However, the health improvement of school-age children by URRBMI is only limited to obese children, and this effect is not significant. In addition, this paper identifies important variables related to heterogeneity through the causal forest and evaluates the heterogeneity of the impact of URRBMI on the health of two types of children. For preschool children, we find disadvantaged mothers (i.e., with lower wealth, lower educated, or in rural areas) benefit more from the URRBMI. No significant heterogeneity is found for the school-age children. Our study demonstrates the power of causal forest to uncover the heterogeneity in policy evaluation, hence providing policymakers with valuable information for policy design.

Determination of bacterial abundance and communities in the nipple drinking system of cascading cage layer houses.

Water quality is critical for egg production and animal health in commercial layer housing systems. To investigate microbial contamination in nipple drinking system in layer houses, the bacterial abundance and communities in water pipes and V-troughs on different tiers (e.g., 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th tiers) of a layer house with 8 overlapping cage tiers were determined using qRT-PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. The water bacterial abundance (i.e., genome 16S rDNA copy number, WBCN) in water pipes and V-troughs did not significantly differ among tiers, but they were 46.77 to 1905.46 times higher in V-troughs than that in water pipes (P < 0.05) for each tier. Illumina sequencing obtained 1,746,303 effective reads from 24 water samples in V-troughs of 4 tiers (six samples from each tier). Taxonomic analysis indicated that the 1st and 5th tiers were predominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, while the 3rd and 7th tiers were predominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The top four genera were Acinetobacter, Streptococcus, Rothia and Comamonas among measured tiers. The high bacterial abundance and bacterial OTUs of water in the V-troughs reflect poor water quality, which may adversely affect growth and health of laying hens. Therefore, it is suggested that water quality in the V-tough should be checked more frequently in commercial layer houses.

Do Social Pension Schemes Promote the Mental Health of Rural Middle-Aged and Old Residents? Evidence From China.

As China experiences rapid aging, the mental health of older rural adults has become a major public health concern. Among other social insurance programs, the New Rural Social Pension (NRSP) scheme was established to replace part of the income for old-age rural residents in China. This article employs survey data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2015 and 2018 to investigate the impact of a pension on depression in middle-aged and old residents. Our results show that the pension scheme not only reduces the depressive symptoms of the rural residents but keeps down the prevalence rate of depression. Among the subscribers of the pension scheme, the pensioners benefit more from enrolling in the pension scheme than the contributors in terms of depression alleviation. The impact of pension on depression displays heterogeneity; female residents, residents in central China, and/or those from lower income households are found to be positively affected. It is also confirmed that a pension scheme contributes to easing depression via reduced labor supply, better family support, and more consumption expenditure. JEL Classification: H55, I18, I38.

New bisabolane-type phenolic sesquiterpenoids from the marine sponge Plakortis simplex.

Six new bisabolane-type phenolic sesquiterpenoids, including plakordiols A-D (1-4), (7R, 10R)-hydroxycurcudiol (5) and (7R, 10S)-hydroxycurcudiol (6) were isolated from the marine sponge Plakortis simplex collected from the South China Sea. Their structures were determined based on extensive analysis of spectroscopic data. Their configurations were assigned by coupling constant analysis, NOESY correlations, and the modified Mosher's method. Furthermore, their cytotoxic and antibacterial activities were evaluated.

Effects of Different Non-Cage Housing Systems on the Production Performance, Serum Parameters and Intestinal Morphology of Laying Hens.

This study investigated the effects of plastic-net housing system (NRS) and floor-litter housing system (LRS) on the production performance, serum parameters and intestinal morphology of Shendan laying hens. A total of 1200 30-week-old hens were randomly allocated to the NRS and LRS groups, each of which included five replicates with 120 chickens in each replicate. The experiment was conducted from 32 to 40 weeks of age. Indoor airborne parameters were measured every 2 weeks, and indoor ground contamination was measured monthly. The laying rate and mortality of hens were recorded daily, and egg quality traits and serum parameters were measured every 2 weeks. At 40 weeks of age, four birds per replicate from each experimental group were selected for intestinal morphological observation. The results showed that the airborne bacteria number in the LRS was significantly higher than that in the NRS (p < 0.05) for most of the experimental period (except at 32 and 38 weeks of age), and the bacterial numbers on the surfaces of the floor and floor eggs in the LRS were approximately 10 times higher than those in the NRS (p < 0.05). Compared with the LRS, the NRS improved the laying rate (p < 0.05), reduced serum malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < 0.05) and corticosterone (CORT) concentrations and increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, indicating favourable effects on antioxidative status. The NRS was significantly associated with an increased villus height (VH), villus height to crypt depth ratio (VCR) in the small intestine (p < 0.05) and increased VCR in the caecum (p < 0.05). Overall, the lower rate of bacterial contamination in the NRS than in the LRS indicated better environmental hygiene. The NRS enhanced the laying performance and antioxidant capacity of hens and was superior to the LRS in improving intestinal health. The current findings support the advantages of the NRS for the health and welfare of Shendan chickens during the peak laying period.