The antioxidant activity and metabolomic analysis of the supernatant of Streptococcus alactolyticus strain FGM.

Strain-specific probiotics can present antioxidant activity and reduce damage caused by oxidation. Streptococcus alactolyticus strain FGM (S. alactolyticus strain FGM) isolated from the chicken cecum shows potential probiotic properties which have been previously demonstrated. However, the antioxidant properties of S. alactolyticus strain FGM remain unknown. In this view, cell-free supernatant (CFS), intact cells (IC) and intracellular extracts (CFE) of strain FGM and 3 strains of Lactobacillus (LAB) were prepared, and their scavenging capacities against DPPH, hydroxyl radicals and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were compared in this study. The effects of strain FGM cell-free supernatant (FCFS) on NO production, activity of SOD and GSH-Px in RAW264.7 cells and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells were analyzed. The metabolites in the supernatant were quantitated by N300 Quantitative Metabolome. It was shown that the physicochemical characteristics of CFS to scavenge DPPH, hydroxyl radicals, and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were significantly stronger than that of IC and CFE in the strain FGM (P < 0.05), respectively 87.12% ± 1.62, 45.03% ± 1.27, 15.63% ± 1.34. FCFS had a promotional effect on RAW264.7 cells, and significantly elevated SOD and GSH-Px activities in RAW264.7 cells. 25 µL FCFS significantly promoted the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS, increased the activities of SOD and GSH-PX, and decreased the release of NO. Furthermore, among the differential metabolites of FCFS quantified by N300, 12 metabolites were significantly up-regulated, including lactic acid, indole lactic acid, linoleic acid, pyruvic acid etc., many of which are known with antioxidant properties. In conclusion, FCFS had good antioxidant properties and activity, which can be attributed to metabolites produced from strain FGM fermentation. It was further confirmed that S. alactolyticus strain FGM and its postbiotic have potential probiotic properties and bright application prospects in livestock and poultry breeding.

Synergistic Ni-W Dimer Sites Induced Stable Compressive Strain for Boosting the Performance of Pt as Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

Alloying Pt catalysts with transition metal elements is an effective pathway to enhance the performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but often accompanied with severe metal dissolution issue, resulting in poor stability of alloy catalysts. Here, instead of forming traditional alloy structure, we modify Pt surface with a novel Ni-W dimer structure by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The obtained NiW@PtC catalyst exhibits superior ORR performance both in liquid half-cell and practical fuel cell compared with initial Pt/C. It is discovered that strong synergistic Ni-W dimer structure arising from short atomic distance induced a stable compressive strain on the Pt surface, thus boosting Pt catalytic performance. This surface modification by synergistic dimer sites offers an effective strategy in tailoring Pt with excellent activity and stability, which provides a significant perspective in boosting the performance of commercial Pt catalyst modified with polymetallic atom sites.

Study on the Regeneration of Waste FCC Catalyst by Boron Modification.

Regeneration has been considered as an ideal way for the post-treatment of waste FCC catalyst (ECat). In this work, the degeneration mechanism of ECat was firstly researched and attributed to the increasing of strong acid sites accessibility of ECat in contrast with fresh FCC catalyst by adsorption FTIR. Based on the proposed degeneration mechanism, ECat was successfully regenerated through suitable weakening for strong acid sites by boron modification. Characterization and evaluation results suggested that, the strong acid sites of regenerated ECat (R-ECat) were apparently decreased by boron modification which had significantly improve the heavy oil catalytic cracking performance of R-ECat. Because of the excellent performance, R-ECat in this work could successfully substitute for partial fresh FCC catalyst in FCC unit, which would provide a practicable way for the reutilization of ECat.

Millimeter-scale magnetic implants paired with a fully integrated wearable device for wireless biophysical and biochemical sensing.

Implantable sensors can directly interface with various organs for precise evaluation of health status. However, extracting signals from such sensors mainly requires transcutaneous wires, integrated circuit chips, or cumbersome readout equipment, which increases the risks of infection, reduces biocompatibility, or limits portability. Here, we develop a set of millimeter-scale, chip-less, and battery-less magnetic implants paired with a fully integrated wearable device for measuring biophysical and biochemical signals. The wearable device can induce a large amplitude damped vibration of the magnetic implants and capture their subsequent motions wirelessly. These motions reflect the biophysical conditions surrounding the implants and the concentration of a specific biochemical depending on the surface modification. Experiments in rat models demonstrate the capabilities of measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viscosity, intracranial pressure, and CSF glucose levels. This miniaturized system opens the possibility for continuous, wireless monitoring of a wide range of biophysical and biochemical conditions within the living organism.

Correlation Between MicroRNA by Extracellular Vesicle Mediated and Antiviral Effects of Interferon Omega in Feline Peripheral Blood.

Feline interferon omega (IFN-ω) has been proven to have high antiviral activity; however, its in-depth antiviral effects remain unknown. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been demonstrated to participate in the regulation of the immune response pathway for the body through various active substances, especially through the microRNA (miRNA) carried by them. In this study, we isolated EVs from feline peripheral blood by differential centrifugation, and further found that the content of IFN-ω in EVs increased continuously within 24 h after IFN-ω treatment, and a large number of miRNAs were significantly downregulated in EVs within 12 h after IFN-ω treatment. These significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were important for regulating changes in antiviral cytokines. This study reveals for the first time the correlation between EVs-mediated miRNA in feline peripheral blood and IFN-ω on antiviral immune response, which may provide strong data support for the development of novel antiviral nanomedicine and the research of the antiviral effects of IFN-ω.

Baicalin Protects Broilers against Avian Coronavirus Infection via Regulating Respiratory Tract Microbiota and Amino Acid Metabolism.

An increasing amount of evidence indicates that Baicalin (Bai, a natural glycosyloxyflavone compound) exhibits an antiviral effect against avian viruses. However, it remains unclear if the antiviral effect of Bai against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is exerted indirectly by modulating respiratory tract microbiota and/or their metabolites. In this study, we investigated the protection efficacy of Bai in protecting cell cultures and broilers from IBV infection and assessed modulation of respiratory tract microbiota and metabolites during infection. Bai was administered orally to broilers by being mixed in with drinking water for seven days. Ultimately, broilers were challenged with live IBV. The results showed that Bai treatment reduced respiratory tract symptoms, improved weight gain, slowed histopathological damage, reduced virus loads and decreased pro-inflammation cytokines production. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Bai treatment significantly inhibited Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) expression both in cell culture and cells of the trachea. Bai treatment reversed respiratory tract microbiota dysbiosis, as shown by 16S rDNA sequencing in the group of broilers inoculated with IBV. Indeed, we observed a decrease in Proteobacteria abundance and an increase in Firmicutes abundance. Metabolomics results suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway, amino acid and nicotinamide metabolism are linked to the protection conferred by Bai against IBV infection. In conclusion, these results indicated that further assessment of anti-IBV strategies based on Bai would likely result in the development of antiviral molecule(s) which can be administered by being mixed with feed or water.

Misdiagnosed gastric diverticulum as a left adrenal lesion on imaging.

Key Clinical Message: Gastric diverticulum in the posterior wall of the stomach is very rare, and it is easy to be misdiagnosed as a left adrenal mass on imaging. Therefore, we must consider the possibility of gastric diverticulum when diagnosing a left adrenal mass. Abstract: This paper reports a case of gastric diverticulum that was misdiagnosed as a left adrenal mass on abdominal enhanced CT. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy, but there was no mass in the left adrenal found during surgery. After the incision of the retroperitoneum, a cystic mass was found adjacent to the posterior gastric wall which turned out to be gastric diverticulum. This case suggests that gastric diverticulum, a rare disease, may be interpreted as an adrenal mass on imaging. Therefore, as a urologist, the gastric diverticulum must be excluded when CT suggests a mass in the left adrenal region.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli isolates from dairy cattle with endometritis in Gansu Province, China.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from dairy cattle with endometritis in China. The prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in sample was detected using ChromID ESBL agar, and genotyping of the ESBL producers was performed by PCR and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: The results revealed that the proportion of positive pathogens tested was 69.76% (180/258) in samples obtained from cows diagnosed with clinical endometritis, with E. coli accounting for 170 out of the 180 positive samples. The infection rate of isolated E. coli was 39.14% (101/258), and co-infections with other pathogens were prevalent. Furthermore, among the 158 E. coli isolates, 50 strains were identified as ESBL producers, with TEM and CTX-M prevalence rates at 78.00% and 32.00%, respectively. Drug sensitivity experiments indicated that 50 isolates of ESBL- producing E. coli were multidrug resistance (MDR), with 48.0% of them exhibiting positive results for both the class 1 integron gene and five gene cassettes associated with resistance to trimethoprim (dfr1 and dfrA17) and aminoglycosides (aadA1, aadA5, and dfrA1), respectively. CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrated a substantial prevalence and heightened level of antimicrobial resistance among ESBL-producing E. coli isolates derived from dairy cattle infected with endometritis in China.

Gray mold disease on bottle gourd caused by Cladosporium tenuissimum in China.

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Stand] is a widely cultivated succulent crop species. In December 2022, a serious bottle gourd disease occurred in the protected vegetable planting base of Xingguo County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China, with 85% of the 2,100 plants having gray mold disease-like symptoms, including gray spots on the infected fruit. They quickly expanded at suitable temperature and humidity, forming a gray mold layer with inward depressions, which spread to the fruit stem causing watery rot, and the flesh turned black and started to rot. To isolate the pathogen, fruits of the diseased plants were surface-disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 s, immersed in 0.1% HgCl2 for 1 min, rinsed thrice with sterile water, and cultured on a potato-dextrose agar (PDA) medium at 28°C. Mycelia from the diseased tissue were subcultured on fresh PDA medium to obtain pure cultures. After incubation at 25°C for 7 days, olive-green colonies (~2.5 mm·d-1) developed. Cultures developed numerous elliptical and limoniform conidia measuring 2.69~9.79 µm to 2.10~5.92 µm (average 5.62×3.12 µm) (n=20). The morphological characteristics of the pathogen resembled those of Cladosporium spp. Fungal genomic DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF-1α), and actin (ACT) regions were amplified with primers ITS1/4, TEF-728F/986R, and ACT-512F/783R, respectively, and sequenced (Bensch et al. 2012; Jo et al. 2018). Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis (BLAST) revealed that the ITS (accession no. OQ186729), ACT (OQ240962), and TEF-1α (OQ240963) sequences of isolate hjt4 shared the highest similarity (99-100%) with those of Cladosporium tenuissimum (accessions no. OM232068, OM256530, OM256526) (Duccio et al. 2015). A phylogenetic tree of the isolate hjt4 and its close relatives within Cladosporium was constructed using the MEGA X neighbor-joining method. The pathogen was identified as C. tenuissimum based on morphological and molecular characteristics. A specimen (JXAU-H2022982) was deposited at the Herbarium of the College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University. To confirm its pathogenicity, seven-day-old healthy bottle gourd fruits were disinfected with 75% ethanol, 1 mm-deep wounds were made with sterilized scalpels, and the plants were inoculated with PDA plugs (0.8 cm in diameter) containing actively growing mycelia of isolate hjt4. Plants inoculated with sterile PDA plugs served as controls. Each group contained three fruits, and the experiment was performed in triplicate. All fruits were incubated in a biochemical incubator at 28°C. After 3 days, the fruit surface shrank, and the flesh turned to a black colour and rotten, which rapidly spread to the branches. Control fruits did not develop any symptoms. Reisolated colonies showed the same morphological traits as those of the inoculation isolates, whereas no target colonies were isolated from the control fruits. The pathogen was previously reported to cause leaf blight disease in Coriandrum sativum (Zhou et al. 2022) and sooty spots on Cape gooseberry (Miyake et al. 2022), among others. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gray mold disease caused by C. tenuissimum on bottle gourd in China. The findings provide an important foundation for monitoring and controlling the spread of this disease.

Probiotic potential of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi M15 on sucralfate-induced constipation in mice.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential probiotic properties of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi®M15 (M15). This study examined the effects of M15 on sucralfate-induced constipation in a mouse model. The BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: the normal group (NOR) was without any treatment, while the constipation (CON), phenolphthalein (PHE), and probiotic (PRO) treatment groups were fed with sucralfate until the appearance of constipation symptoms. Afterward, the NOR and CON groups were given 1 ml saline orally every day until the end of the experiment; the PHE and PRO groups were given phenolphthalein or M15 suspension in 1 ml orally, respectively. Compared with the CON group, the fecal water content and intestinal peristalsis improved in the PRO group. Here, intake of M15 effectively attenuated sucralfate-induced constipation, recuperated colonic epithelial integrity, and increased serum levels of gastrointestinal excitatory neurotransmitters (motilin, gastrin, substance P). Analysis of the intestinal microbiota of mice by 16S rRNA metagenomic revealed an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Sclerotinia, Verrucosa and Proteus in the PRO group. Compared with the CON group, the constipation-induced intestinal microecological changes were partially recovered in the PHE and PRO groups. These results demonstrate that M15 enhanced gastrointestinal transit and alleviated in mice with sucralfate-induced constipation.

The incidence and risk factors of unplanned removal of peripherally inserted central catheters among adult patients: A multi-centre cohort study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: (i) To estimate the national incidence of unplanned removal of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in China. (ii) To explore the associated risk factors to provide evidence for the prevention. DESIGN: A multi-centre prospective cohort study. METHODS: A representative sample of 3222 Chinese adult patients with successful PICC insertion was recruited for the PICC Safety Management Research (PATH) using a two-stage cluster sampling method from December 2020 to June 2022. Sixty hospitals from seven Chinese provinces representing all geographical regions were selected. Demographic information and PICC characteristics were collected using a standard online case report form. Risk factors for the unplanned removal of PICCs were assessed using a cause-specific hazard model and verified using a sub-distribution hazard model. STROBE guidelines were followed in reporting this study. RESULTS: Three thousand one hundred and sixty-six patients were included in the final analysis with a mean age of 59 years and a total of 344,247 catheter days. The incidence of unplanned removal was 10.04%. Female, with thrombosis history, PICC insertion due to infusion failure, valved catheter and double-lumen catheter were risk factors, whereas longer insertion and exposure length were protective factors in the cause-specific hazard model. Higher BMI became an independent risk factor in the sub-distribution hazard model. CONCLUSIONS: Unplanned removal of PICCs is a serious clinical challenge in China. Our findings call for prevention strategies targeting the identified risk factors. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Our study characterised the epidemiology of unplanned removal of PICCs among Chinese adult inpatients, highlighting the need for prevention among this population and providing a basis for the formulation of relevant prevention strategies. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patients contributed through sharing their information required for the case report form. Healthcare professionals who provide direct care to the patient at each medical centre contributed by completing the online case report form.

Synergistic anti-infectious bronchitis virus activity of Phillygenin combined Baicalin by modulating respiratory microbiota and improving metabolic disorders.

Phillygenin (PHI) and Baicalin (Bai) are the major chemical ingredients extracted from Forsythia suspensa and Scutellaria baicalensis, respectively. The mixture of Forsythia suspensa and Scutellaria baicalensis according to the theories of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, compounded formulation can effectively exert heat-clearing and detoxifying effect, but the synergistic anti-IBV activity of PHI combined with Bai was unclear. Here, the protection of PHI combined with Bai on avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) M41 infection and the change of respiratory microbiota and metabolomics profiles in broilers that infected with IBV were investigated. According to the experimental findings, the combination of PHI and Bai effectively alleviated broilers' slowing-growth weight and respiratory symptoms. This was accompanied by a reduction in viral copies and histopathological changes, as well as an increase of antiviral protein (G3BP1) level in tracheas and anti-IBV antibody levels in serum. In addition, 16s RNA sequencing revealed that IBV infection significantly changed respiratory microbiota composition at different taxonomic levels and respiratory metabolism composition in broilers. Interestingly, PHI combined with Bai modulated the composition of respiratory microfloras, especially the abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillaceae were upregulated, as well as the abundance of Proteobacteria was downregulated. The metabolomics results indicated that PHI combined with Bai involved in glucose, lipids, amino acids and nucleotide metabolism during IBV infection. In summary, PHI combined with Bai exhibited a synergistic effect on preventing infectious bronchitis (IB), with the protection being closely associated with the composition of respiratory microbiota and metabolites. Therefore, adding the mixture of PHI and Bai to the chicken drinking water is recommended to prevent and control IB in clinical.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Flexible Sensors and Actuators for Biomedicine.

Flexible sensors and actuators typically rely on functional materials with low Young's moduli or ultrathin geometries [...].

Cordyceps militaris Solid Medium Extract Alleviates Lipoteichoic Acid-Induced MH-S Inflammation by Inhibiting TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3 Pathways.

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Cordyceps militaris solid medium extract (CME) and cordycepin (COR) on LTA-induced inflammation in MH-S cells and their mechanisms of action. In this study, the establishment of an LTA-induced MH-S inflammation model was determined, the CCK-8 method was used to determine the safe concentration range for a drug for COR and CME, the optimal concentration of COR and CME to exert anti-inflammatory effects was further selected, and the expression of inflammatory factors of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-18, and IL-6 was detected using ELISA. The relative expression of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, IL-10, TLR2 and MyD88 mRNA was detected using RT-PCR, and the IL-1ß, IL-18, TLR2, MyD88, NF-κB p-p65, NLRP3, pro-caspase-1, Caspase-1 and ASC protein expression in the cells were detected using Western blot; immunofluorescence assay detected the expression of Caspase-1 in MH-S cells. The results revealed that both CME and COR inhibited the levels of IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α in the supernatants of LTA-induced MH-S cells and the mRNA expression levels of IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-6, TNF-α, TLR2 and MyD88, down-regulated the LTA-induced IL-1ß, IL-18, TLR2 in MH-S cells, MyD88, NF-κB p-p65/p65, NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, and caspase-1 protein expression levels, and inhibited LTA-induced caspase-1 activation in MH-S cells. In conclusion, CME can play a therapeutic role in LTA-induced inflammation in MH-S cells via TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3, and may serve as a potential drug for bacterial pneumonia caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Integrative Transcriptomics and Proteomics Analysis Reveals Immune Response Process in Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus-1-Infected Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) causes bovine viral diarrhea-mucosal disease, inflicting substantial economic losses upon the global cattle industry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are the central hub for immune responses during host-virus infection and have been recognized as crucial targets for BVDV infection. In order to elucidate the dynamics of host-BVDV-1 interaction, this study harnessed RNA-seq and iTRAQ methods to acquire an extensive dataset of transcriptomics and proteomics data from samples of BVDV-1-infected PBMCs at the 12-h post-infection mark. When compared to mock-infected PBMCs, we identified 344 differentially expressed genes (DEGs: a total of 234 genes with downregulated expression and 110 genes with upregulated expression) and 446 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs: a total of 224 proteins with downregulated expression and 222 proteins with upregulated expression). Selected DEGs and DEPs were validated through quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and parallel reaction monitoring. Gene ontology annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis underscored the significant enrichment of DEGs and DEPs in various immunity-related signaling pathways, including antigen processing and presentation, complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, among others. Further analysis unveiled that those DEGs and DEPs with downregulated expression were predominantly associated with pathways such as complement and coagulation cascades, the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Conversely, upregulated DEGs and DEPs were chiefly linked to metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, complement and coagulation cascades, and the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway. These altered genes and proteins shed light on the intense host-virus conflict within the immune realm. Our transcriptomics and proteomics data constitute a significant foundation for delving further into the interaction mechanism between BVDV and its host.

Observing Discrete Blocking Events at a Polarized Micro- or Submicro-Liquid/Liquid Interface.

Single-entity collisional electrochemistry (SECE), a subfield of single-entity electrochemistry, enables directly characterizing entities and particles in the electrolyte solution at the single-entity resolution. Blockade SECE at the traditional solid ultramicroelectrode (UME)/electrolyte interface suffers from a limitation: only redox-inactive particles can be studied. The wide application of the classical Coulter counter is restricted by the rapid translocation of entities through the orifice, which results in a remarkable proportion of undetected signals. In response, the blocking effect of single charged conductive or insulating nanoparticles (NPs) at low concentrations for ion transfer (IT) at a miniaturized polarized liquid/liquid interface was successfully observed. Since the particles are adsorbed at the liquid/liquid interface, our method also solves the problem of the Coulter counter having a too-fast orifice translocation rate. The decreasing quantal staircase/step current transients are from landings (controlled by electromigration) of either conductive or insulating NPs onto the interface. This interfacial NP assembly shields the IT flux. The size of each NP can be calculated by the step height. The particle size measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) is used for comparison with that calculated from electrochemical blocking events, which is in fairly good agreement. In short, the blocking effect of IT by single entities at micro- or submicro-liquid/liquid interface has been proven experimentally and is of great reference in single-entity detection.

Controllable Spin-Orbit Torque Induced by Interfacial Ion Absorption in Ta/CoFeB/MgO Multilayers with Canted Magnetizations.

Electrically generated spin-orbit torque (SOT) has emerged as a powerful pathway to control magnetization for spintronic applications including memory, logic, and neurocomputing. However, the requirement of external magnetic fields, together with the ultrahigh current density, is the main obstacle for practical SOT devices. In this paper, we report that the field-free SOT-driven magnetization switching can be successfully realized by interfacial ion absorption in perpendicular Ta/CoFeB/MgO multilayers. Besides, the tunable SOT efficiency exhibits a strong dependence on interfacial Ti insertion thicknesses. Polarized neutron reflection measurements demonstrate the existence of canted magnetization with Ti inserted, which leads to deterministic magnetization switching. In addition, interfacial characterization and first-principles calculations reveal that B absorption by the Ti layer is the main cause behind the enhanced interfacial transparency, which determines the tunable SOT efficiency. Our findings highlight an attractive scheme to a purely electric control spin configuration, enabling innovative designs for SOT-based spintronics via interfacial engineering.

Dietary supplementation with different alternative to in-feed antibiotic improves growth performance of broilers during specific phases.

The effects of substituting Bacillus subtilis, Astragalus membranaceus, and enzymes for aureomycin to improve the growth performance of broilers during specific phases were studied to develop alternatives to in-feed antibiotics and decrease drug residues in meat food and antibiotic resistance. Six hundred one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to 5 groups. Broilers in the control group were supplied with basal diets (CT), and those in the remaining 4 groups were supplied with feed containing aureomycin premix (AU), B. subtilis powder (BS), A. membranaceus root powder (AM), and enzyme compound powder (EN), respectively. Compared to the control group, broilers in the other groups exhibited better growth performance during different phases. Microbial analysis of cecal contents suggested that treatment with BS or EN significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria but inhibited Escherichia coli or Clostridium welchii; however, these bacteria were suppressed by AU treatment except C. welchii. The digestibility of the feed in vitro was significantly enhanced by adding BS or EN to the feed, consistent with findings for growth performance. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 3 additives could improve the growth performance of broilers during specific phases. Future studies should focus on designing suitable schedules to partially replace in-feed antibiotics.

Genome Analysis and Safety Assessment of Achromobacter marplatensis Strain YKS2 Strain Isolated from the Rumen of Yaks in China.

Achromobacter marplatensis strain YKS2 isolated from the yak rumen has the feature of producing cellulose. This study aims to analyze the genome and safety of strain YKS2 in vivo, considering its future research and application prospects. The genome of strain YKS2 was sequenced and used for genomic in silico studies. The administration of strain YKS2 in three doses was carried out on mice for 3 days of oral and 7 days of clinical observation tests. The BW, FI, organ indices, gut microbiota, and histological appearances of organs and intestines, along with hematological parameters and serum biochemistry, were measured in mice. The chromosome size of strain YKS2 was 6,588,568 bp, with a GC content of 65.27%. The 6058 coding sequences of strain YKS2 without plasmid were predicted and annotated and have multiple functions. The mice in all groups were alive, with good mental states and functional activities. Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the three dose groups on BW, FI, hematological parameters (WBC, LYM, etc.), and serum biochemistry (ALB, ALT, etc.). No abnormalities were observed in the main visceral organs, intestinal tissue, and V/C value in groups. However, the IEL number of duodenum and gut microbiota diversity (Shannon's index) in the high-dose group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). Besides, the low dose of strain YKS2 also significantly affected the bacterial abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and desulphurizing Bacteroidetes at the phylum level. There was no significant effect at genus levels in groups. In conclusion, the study revealed the genome and potential functional genes of strain YKS2, which is beneficial to understanding the features of the A. marplatensis strain and proved strain YKS2 to be without acute toxicity to mice. However, a long-term feeding toxicity experiment in vivo should be performed to further ensure its potential application value strain in the animal industry.

Deterministic Magnetization Switching via Tunable Noncollinear Spin Configurations in Canted Magnets.

Spin obit torque (SOT) driven magnetization switching has been used widely for encoding consumption-efficient memory and logic. However, symmetry breaking under a magnetic field is required to realize the deterministic switching in synthetic antiferromagnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), which limits their potential applications. Herein, we report all electric-controlled magnetization switching in the antiferromagnetic Co/Ir/Co trilayers with vertical magnetic imbalance. Besides, the switching polarity could be reversed by optimizing the Ir thickness. By using the polarized neutron reflection (PNR) measurements, the canted noncollinear spin configuration was observed in Co/Ir/Co trilayers, which results from the competition of magnetic inhomogeneity. In addition, the asymmetric domain walls demonstrated by micromagnetic simulations result from introducing imbalance magnetism, leading to the deterministic magnetization switching in Co/Ir/Co trilayers. Our findings highlight a promising route to electric-controlled magnetism via tunable spin configuration, improve our understanding of physical mechanisms, and significantly promote industrial applications in spintronic devices.