A novel murine model of mania.

Neuropathological mechanisms of manic syndrome or manic episodes in bipolar disorder remain poorly characterised, as the research progress is severely limited by the paucity of appropriate animal models. Here we developed a novel mania mice model by combining a series of chronic unpredictable rhythm disturbances (CURD), which include disruption of circadian rhythm, sleep deprivation, exposure to cone light, with subsequent interference of followed spotlight, stroboscopic illumination, high-temperature stress, noise disturbance and foot shock. Multiple behavioural and cell biology tests comparing the CURD-model with healthy controls and depressed mice were deployed to validate the model. The manic mice were also tested for the pharmacological effects of various medicinal agents used for treating mania. Finally, we compared plasma indicators of the CURD-model mice and the patients with the manic syndrome. The CURD protocol produced a phenotype replicating manic syndrome. Mice exposed to CURD presented manic behaviours similar to that observed in the amphetamine manic model. These behaviours were distinct from depressive-like behaviours recorded in mice treated with a depression-inducing protocol of chronic unpredictable mild restraint (CUMR). Functional and molecular indicators in the CURD mania model showed multiple similarities with patients with manic syndrome. Treatment with LiCl and valproic acid resulted in behavioural improvements and recovery of molecular indicators. A novel manic mice model induced by environmental stressors and free from genetic or pharmacological interventions is a valuable tool for research into pathological mechanisms of mania.

Leptin Attenuates Fear Memory by Inhibiting Astrocytic NLRP3 Inflammasome in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Model.

Accumulating evidence suggests that the activation of nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contributes to the pathophysiology of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Astrocytes, the homeostatic cells of the central nervous system are intimately involved into pathophysiology of various mental disorders including PTSD. We demonstrated previously that leptin exerts neuroprotection and ameliorates chronic sleep deprivation-induced depressive-like behaviours. Here, we extended the study of therapeutic effects of leptin to PTSD model mice. We discovered that PTSD is associated with significant activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in astrocytes sorted from GFAP-GFP transgenic mice, while administration of leptin markedly suppressed the activation of astrocytic NLRP3 inflammasome. Leptin effectively improved PTSD-associated behavioural alterations including fear memory, cognitive impairments, and depressive-like behaviours. Therapeutic effects of leptin were mediated by the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in astrocytes. In addition, the PTSD-related activation of NLRP3 inflammasome impairs astrocytic mitochondria suppressing ATP synthesis and leading to an increased ROS production. Leptin reversed mitochondrial inhibition by stimulating STAT3 in astrocytes. We propose leptin as a novel candidate for the pharmacological treatment of PTSD.

Satellite-Based Estimates of Wet Ammonium (NH4-N) Deposition Fluxes Across China during 2011-2016 Using a Space-Time Ensemble Model.

Wet NH4-N deposition plays a significant role in the ecosystem safety in China, and thus it is highly imperative to estimate the national wet NH4-N deposition flux accurately. In this study, a new methodology named space-time ensemble machine-learning model was first applied to constrain the high-resolution NH4-N deposition fluxes over China based on the satellite data, assimilated meteorology, and various geographical covariates. A small gap between site-based cross-validation (CV) R2 value (0. 73) and 10-fold CV R2 value (0.76), along with remarkable improvement in predictive accuracy (0.76) compared with previous studies (0.61), demonstrated the strong prediction capability of the space-time ensemble model in data mining. The higher wet NH4-N deposition fluxes mainly occurred in North China Plain (NCP), Sichuan Basin, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong provinces, whereas other regions retained the lower values. In addition, the wet NH4-N deposition fluxes, removing the precipitation effect in some major developed regions (e.g., Beijing and Shanghai) of China, displayed gradual increases from 2011 to 2014, while they suffered from dramatic decreases during 2014-2016, which was due to the strict implementation of the Action Plan for Air Pollution Prevention and Control (APPC-AP). The high-quality NH4-N deposition data sets are greatly useful to assess the potential ecological risks.

NK Cells Alleviate Lung Inflammation by Negatively Regulating Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells.

Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) play an important role in orchestrating type II immune responses. However, the cellular mechanisms of group 2 innate lymphoid cell regulation remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that activated NK cells inhibited the proliferation of, as well as IL-5 and IL-13 production by, ILC2s in vitro via IFN-γ. In addition, in a murine model of ILC2 expansion in the liver, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, an NK cell-activating agent, inhibited ILC2 proliferation, IL-5 and IL-13 production, and eosinophil recruitment. Such effects of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid were abrogated in NK cell-depleted mice and in IFN-γ-deficient mice. Adoptively transferring wild-type NK cells into NK cell-depleted mice resulted in fewer ILC2s induced by IL-33 compared with the transfer of IFN-γ-deficient NK cells. Importantly, during the early stage of papain- or bleomycin-induced lung inflammation, depletion of NK cells resulted in increased ILC2 numbers and enhanced cytokine production by ILC2s, as well as aggravated eosinophilia and goblet cell hyperplasia. Collectively, these data show that NK cells negatively regulate ILC2s during the early stage of lung inflammation, which represents the novel cellular interaction between two family members of ILCs.

Characterization and acid-mobilization study for typical iron-bearing clay mineral.

In this study, iron speciation in five standard clay samples was characterized. Iron mobilization from these clays was then measured in acidic media. For comparison, a commercially available Arizona test dust (ATD) was also observed. The results showed that the free-Fe contents of clays were commonly lower than that of dust aerosols. The components of clays were dominant by the structural Fe held in the aluminosilicate lattice. The iron solubility of the clays were in the order of KGa-2 > SWy-2 > CCa-2 > IMt-2 > NAu-2. Based upon the Mössbauer spectrum and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, the Fe(II) fraction and the Fe/Si ratio of clay particles changed after dissolution, suggesting the total Fe solubility depended on the Fe atom states existing within the aluminosilicate lattice. The Fe in KGa-2 and SWy-2 was most likely substituted for alkaline elements as the interlayer ions held by ionic bonds in the aluminosilicate, which are more liable to dissolution. However, the Fe in NAu-2 was more likely to be bound by strong covalent bonds in aluminosilicate mineral, which is less soluble. The much highly soluble Fe in ATD was not only linked to the dissolution of an appreciable fraction of Fe(II), but also could be attributed to the fact that the Fe bonds in the clay fraction of ATD were mainly present as ionic bonds. The TEM images showed that reacted clay particles displayed less aggregate particles, with nanoparticle aggregates and the Fe/S-rich tiny particles attached to the remains.

Observations of atmospheric pollutants at Lhasa during 2014-2015: Pollution status and the influence of meteorological factors.

Atmospheric pollutants including SO2, NO2, CO, O3 and inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were monitored continuously from March 2014 to February 2015 to investigate characteristics of air pollution at Lhasa, Tibetan Plateau. Species exhibited similar seasonal variations except O3, with the peaks in winter but low valleys in summer. The maximum O3 concentration was observed in spring, followed by summer, autumn, and winter. The positive correlation between O3 and PM10 in spring indicated similar sources of them, and was assumed to be turbulent transport. Temperature was the dominant meteorological factor for most species in spring. High temperature accelerates O3 photochemistry, and favors air disturbance which is conductive to dust resuspension in spring. Relative humidity (RH) and atmospheric pressure were the main meteorological factors in summer. RH showed negative correlations with species, while atmospheric pressure posed opposite situation. Wind speed (WS) was the dominant meteorological factor in autumn, the negative correlations between WS and species indicated diffusion by wind. Most species showed non-significant correlations with meteorological factors in winter, indicating the dependence of pollution on source emission rather than restriction by meteorology. Pollution weather character indicated that emissions were from biomass burning and dust suspension, and meteorological factors also played an important role. Air stream injection from the stratosphere was observed during O3 pollution period. Air parcels from Southwest Asia were observed during air pollution period in winter. An enhancement in air pollutants such as O3 would be expected in the future, more attention should be given to countermeasures for prevention of air pollution in the future.

JSI-124 inhibits IgE production in an IgE B cell line.

IgE is a key effector molecule in atopic diseases; however, the regulation mechanisms of IgE production in IgE B cells remain poorly understood. In the present study, we demonstrate that JSI-124 (cucurbitacin I), a selective STAT3 inhibitor, selectively inhibits production of IgE by a human IgE B cell line, CRL-8033 cells, while does not affect the IgG production by IgG B cell lines. In the aspect of molecular mechanism, we found that Igλ, but not Ighe, gene expression was suppressed by JSI-124. The above effects of JSI-124 were not mediated by affecting cellular proliferation or apoptosis. Furthermore, multiple B cell differentiation-related genes expression was not significantly affected by JSI-124. Taken together, we demonstrate a potential strategy of therapeutically suppressing IgE production without affecting IgG production in atopic patients.

Urinary metabolite markers of precocious puberty.

The incidence of precocious puberty (PP, the appearance of signs of pubertal development at an abnormally early age), is rapidly rising, concurrent with changes of diet, lifestyles, and social environment. The current diagnostic methods are based on a hormone (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) stimulation test, which is costly, time-consuming, and uncomfortable for patients. The lack of molecular biomarkers to support simple laboratory tests, such as a blood or urine test, has been a long standing bottleneck in the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of PP. Here we report a metabolomic study using an ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-time of flight mass spectrometry. Urine metabolites from 163 individuals were profiled, and the metabolic alterations were analyzed after treatment of central precocious puberty (CPP) with triptorelin depot. A panel of biomarkers selected from >70 differentially expressed urinary metabolites by receiver operating characteristic and logistic regression analysis provided excellent predictive power with high sensitivity and specificity for PP. The altered metabolic profile of the PP patients was characterized by three major perturbed metabolic pathways: catecholamine, serotonin metabolism, and tricarboxylic acid cycle, presumably resulting from activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Treatment with triptorelin depot was able to normalize these three altered pathways. Additionally, significant changes in the urine levels of 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, indoleacetic acid, 5-hydroxytryptophan, and 5-hydroxykynurenamine in the CPP group suggest that the development of CPP condition may involve an alteration in symbiotic gut microbial composition.

Effects of Clostridium butyricum on Production Performance and Bone Development of Laying Hens.

Probiotics are safe, inexpensive, and effective feed additives, and Clostridium butyricum (CB) has been reported to regulate bone health in addition to having conventional probiotic effects. The bone health of laying hens is closely related to their production performance. Here, we investigated the effects of CB supplementation on the bone health and performance of laying hens. We added CB to the feed of green-shell laying hens, Luhua laying hens, and Hy-line Brown laying hens and examined changes in body weight, feed intake, egg production performance, and egg quality to determine the impact of CB on production performance. The impact of CB on the bones of laying hens was determined by analyzing the bone index, bone bending strength, bone calcium and phosphorus content, and bone mineral density. The study found that CB had little effect on the body weight and feed intake of laying hens. Feed additions of 108 and 109 CFU/kg CB can significantly increase the tibia index and bone mineral density of four-week-old green-shell laying hens. Feed additions of 107 and 108 CFU/kg CB can significantly increase the average egg weight, eggshell weight, and tibia index of 26-week-old Luhua laying hens, but 107 CFU/kg CB will reduce the egg production rate. Adding 108 CFU/kg CB to feed can significantly increase the average egg weight, eggshell weight, and tibia bending strength of 40-week-old Hy-line Brown laying hens. In summary, adding 108 CFU/kg CB is beneficial to the bone and production health of laying hens.

Pathogenicity of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella typhimurium Isolated from Ducks.

Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) is one of the most common Salmonella serotypes in epidemiological surveys of poultry farms in recent years. It causes growth retardation, mortality, and significant economic losses. The extensive use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of multi-drug resistance (MDR) in Salmonella, which has become a significant global problem and long-term challenge. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and features of S. typhimurium strains in duck embryos and cloacal swabs from large-scale duck farms in Shandong, China, including drug resistance and virulence genes and the pathogenicity of an S. typhimurium strain by animal experiment. The results demonstrated that a total of 8 S. typhimurium strains were isolated from 13,621 samples. The drug resistance results showed that three of the eight S. typhimurium strains were MDR with the dominant resistance profile of CTX-DX-CTR-TE-AMX-AMP-CAZ. In particular, the virulence genes invA, hilA, pefA, rck, and sefA showed high positive rates. Based on the analysis of the biological characteristics of bacterial biofilm formation and mobility, a strain of S. typhimurium with the strongest biofilm formation ability, designated 22SD07, was selected for animal infection experiments with broiler ducklings. The results of animal experiments demonstrated that infection with 22SD07 reduced body weight and bursa index but increased heart and liver indexes compared to the control group. Histological examination revealed desquamation of the intestinal villous epithelium, the presence of large aggregates of lymphocytes, and a decrease in goblet cells following infection. Furthermore, the expression of IL-10 was significantly increased in the liver at 3 dpi, while TNF-α was significantly increased in the spleen at 7 dpi. The above results indicate that S. typhimurium may pose a potential threat to human health through the food chain. This helps us to understand the frequency and characteristics of S. typhimurium in duck farms and emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen and implement effective continuous monitoring to control its infection and transmission.

Constructing Sequential Type II Heterojunction CQDs/Bi2S3/TiNbO Photoanode with Superior Charge Transfer Capability Toward Stable Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

Efficient charge transfer and light-trapping units are pivotal prerequisites in the realm of Ti-based photoanode photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. In this work, we successfully synthesized a ternary carbon quantum dots/Bi2S3 quantum dots/Nb-doped TiO2 nanotube arrays (CQDs/Bi2S3/TiNbO) composite photoanode for PEC water splitting. CQDs/Bi2S3/TiNbO composite photoanode exhibited a considerably elevated photocurrent density of 8.80 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode, which was 20.00 times better than that of TiO2 (0.44 mA cm-2). Furthermore, the CQDs/Bi2S3/TiNbO composite photoanode attested to exceptional stability, maintaining 92.54% of its initial current after 5 h of stability measurement. Nb-doping boosted the electrical conductivity, facilitating charge transfer at the solid-liquid interface. Moderate amounts of Bi2S3 quantum dots (QDs) and CQDs deposited on TiNbO provided abundant active sites for the electrolyte-photoanode interaction. Simultaneously, Bi2S3 QDs and CQDs synergistically functioned as light-trapping units to broaden the light absorption range from 396 to 530 nm, stimulating increased carrier generation within the composite photoanode. In comparison with pristine TiO, CQDs/Bi2S3/TiNbO photoanodes possessed a superior ability to promote interfacial reactions. This study may provide a strategy for developing high-performance Ti-based photoanodes with efficient charge transfer and light trapping units for highly driving solar-to-hydrogen conversion.

Major depressive disorder: hypothesis, mechanism, prevention and treatment.

Worldwide, the incidence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is increasing annually, resulting in greater economic and social burdens. Moreover, the pathological mechanisms of MDD and the mechanisms underlying the effects of pharmacological treatments for MDD are complex and unclear, and additional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for MDD still are needed. The currently widely accepted theories of MDD pathogenesis include the neurotransmitter and receptor hypothesis, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis hypothesis, cytokine hypothesis, neuroplasticity hypothesis and systemic influence hypothesis, but these hypothesis cannot completely explain the pathological mechanism of MDD. Even it is still hard to adopt only one hypothesis to completely reveal the pathogenesis of MDD, thus in recent years, great progress has been made in elucidating the roles of multiple organ interactions in the pathogenesis MDD and identifying novel therapeutic approaches and multitarget modulatory strategies, further revealing the disease features of MDD. Furthermore, some newly discovered potential pharmacological targets and newly studied antidepressants have attracted widespread attention, some reagents have even been approved for clinical treatment and some novel therapeutic methods such as phototherapy and acupuncture have been discovered to have effective improvement for the depressive symptoms. In this work, we comprehensively summarize the latest research on the pathogenesis and diagnosis of MDD, preventive approaches and therapeutic medicines, as well as the related clinical trials.

[Expression and regulation of the SOST gene].

Sclerostin(SOST), mainly expressed in osteocytes, is a negative regulator of bone formation. Hormones PTH and E2 inhibit the expression of the SOST gene. Transcription factors Osterix, Runx2, and Mef2c promote the SOST expression, while Sirt1 negatively regulates the SOST expression. In addition, the expression of the SOST gene is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and microRNA. Mutations in the SOST gene, which cause sclerosteosis and Van Buchem diseases, are associated with osteoporosis. Wnt and BMP are two important signaling pathways in bone metabolic regulation. SOST can regulate osteoblastic differentiation and bone formation by binding type I/II receptors and co-receptor LRP5/6 to inhibit BMP and Wnt signaling pathways. Suppression of SOST provides a new approach for osteoporosis treatment. This review covers the structure, function and expression regulation of the SOST gene, human disease association, mechanism in the regulation of bone metabolism and prospect in clinical application.

Impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the concentration and source apportionment of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) across India.

The wide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has significantly influenced human activities around the world, providing a unique opportunity to investigate the response of air pollution to anthropogenic emission reduction. Compared with numerous studies on conventional air pollutants, atmospheric ammonia (NH3) that has matched sources from both anthropogenic and natural emissions has been rarely investigated. Here we assess impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on ambient NH3 variation across India, one of the most severe NH3 pollution region in the world. The role of meteorology in shaping emission contribution to NH3 pollution and respective contribution of each emission source to ambient NH3 before and after the COVID-19 outbreak were investigated using the XGBoost algorithm coupled with WRF-Chem model. Results showed that ambient NH3 concentrations in the seven major cities (Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata and Mumbai) decreased by 2.1-53.8 % whereas in Ahmedabad increased by 20.3 % during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Obvious decrease in NH3 in Indo-Gangetic Plain (-17.1 %) was mainly driven by favorable meteorology, whereas the slight decline in NH3 in South India was mainly driven by epidemic-related emission control (-8.56 %). Source appointment results showed that the contribution of industrial emission (Ind) to ambient NH3 in most megacities showed a decreasing trend (between 11 % and 26 %) during the lockdown period. However, the reduction effect was mostly compensated by increasing contributions (15-25 %) of residential emission (Res) or agricultural soil emission (Ags). Particularly, in Ahmedabad and Lucknow ambient NH3 increased by 20.3 % and 12 % during the lockdown period, the reduction effect of Ind on ambient NH3 (-23 % and -11 %, respectively) was absolutely compensated by enhanced contribution of Res (24 %) and Ags (12 %), respectively. Our results highlight the importance of eliminating residential and agricultural NH3 emissions especially in North India.

The influence of family function on online prosocial behaviors of high school students: A moderated chained mediation model.

The frequency of cyberbullying incidents is gradually increasing, and the seriousness of the consequences is gradually becoming more prominent. Previous studies have shown that cyberbullying bystander behaviors play an important role in reducing cyberbullying. This study aims to explore the mechanisms that high school students' family function, empathy, and social support levels how to affect their implementation of online prosocial behaviors when they act as cyberbullying bystanders. The study was conducted in 1961 high school students (M = 16.84 years; SD = 1.08) in China. Results found that family function promotes online prosocial behaviors through (a) empathy, (b) social support, and (c) chain mediating path of empathy and social support. There were interactions between gender and family function as well as social support, which played a moderating role in the paths of family function and online prosocial behaviors and social support and online prosocial behaviors, respectively. We investigated how family function affected online prosocial behaviors in high school students and how empathy and social support worked to promote them to carry out online prosocial behaviors.

Comparative Analysis between Salmonella enterica Isolated from Imported and Chinese Native Chicken Breeds.

Salmonella enterica is considered a significant threat to the global poultry industry and public health. In recent decades, antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica has attracted increasing concern throughout the world. However, limited information is available on Salmonella enterica among different breeds of breeder chickens. Thus, this study aimed to compare the prevalence, serotype distribution, emergence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), antimicrobial resistance, and genetic resistance mechanisms in Salmonella enterica among different breeds of breeder chickens. A total of 693 samples (dead embryos, cloacal swabs, water, feed, environmental swabs, and meconium of newly hatched chicks) were selected and cultured for Salmonella from four breeder chicken farms in Shandong province, China, representing one imported and three native breeds, and the isolates were further serotyped. Of the Salmonella isolates, susceptibility to 11 antimicrobials of 5 classes, ESBL screening, and the presence of 21 antimicrobial resistance genes were determined in the present study. Overall, 94 (13.6%) isolates were recovered, which were divided into 3 serotypes (Salmonella Pullorum (n = 36), Salmonella Thompson (n = 32), and Salmonella Enteritidis (n = 26)). The results showed that the prevalence of Salmonella enterica isolates from the imported breeds was higher compared with the three domestic breeds. Eight of the ninety-four isolates were ESBL-positive strains, which were recovered from a domestic breed chicken farm. These eight ESBL-producing isolates were serotyped to Pullorum. Surprisingly, Salmonella Enteritidis (S. enteritidis) and S. pullorum were simultaneously isolated from a single dead embryo observed among one native breed. Meanwhile, among the Salmonella isolates, 53.2% (50/94) were multidrug-resistant strains, and 44.7% (42/94) of the isolates presented resistance to at least five antibiotics. Nearly all of the isolates (97.9%, 92/94) were resistant to at least one antimicrobial; one isolate of S. Thompson was resistant to seven antimicrobial agents belonging to four different classes. The carriage rate of three resistance genes (tetA, tetB, and sul1) among isolates from the imported breeds (87%, 70%, and 65.2%) was higher than that in those from domestic breeds (35.2%, 36.6, and 14.1%). To our knowledge, this is the first report of ESBLs-producing Salmonella isolated from a Chinese native breed of breeder chickens. Our results also highlight that a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica contamination is widespread among different breeds of breeder chickens, which is a major risk of food-borne diseases and public health.

A comprehensive review on oat milk: from oat nutrients and phytochemicals to its processing technologies, product features, and potential applications.

Plant-based milk alternatives have become increasingly desirable due to their sustainability and the increased consumer awareness of health. Among many varieties of emerging plant-based milk, the smooth texture and flavor of oat milk make it spread rapidly around the world. Furthermore, as a sustainable source of diet, oats can provide rich nutrients and phytochemicals. Issues on the stability, sensory properties, shelf life, and nutritional quality of oat milk have been highlighted in published studies. In this review, the processing techniques, quality improvement, and product features of oat milk are elaborated, and the potential applications of oat milk are summarized. Besides, the challenges and future perspectives of oat milk production in the future are discussed.

Research Note: Effect of a live Salmonella Enteritidis vaccine against Salmonella Pullorum infection in breeder chickens.

Salmonella Pullorum is one of the most important avian pathogenic bacteria due to widespread outbreaks accompanied by high mortality. It has been demonstrated that the Salmonella Enteritidis live vaccine strain Sm24/Rif12/Ssq is able to induce cross-immunity protection against Salmonella Gallinarum and Salmonella Infantis, however, it is unknown whether this vaccine is effective against Salmonella Pullorum infection. In the present study, the Hubbard parent chickens were orally administrated this vaccine at 1-day-old, 40-day-old, and 131-day-old respectively, and challenged by Salmonella Pullorum at 157-day-old to evaluate the protective effect of the Salmonella Enteritidis live vaccine strain Sm24/Rif12/Ssq. After each vaccination, the vaccine strain could be recovered from cloacal swabs within a week, whereas no vaccine strain was re-isolated from environmental samples throughout the experiment. Vaccination for the breeder chickens with Salmonella Enteritidis Sm24/Rif12/Ssq could relieve swollen liver (P = 0.0066) caused by Salmonella Pullorum infection and decrease Salmonella Pullorum colonization level in spleen (P = 0.0035), whereas no significant difference was found in the bacterial counts of liver, ovary and oviduct of vaccinated chickens. These results suggested that the Salmonella Enteritidis live vaccine strain Sm24/Rif12/Ssq was high safety and effective against Salmonella Pullorum infection to a certain extent.

Research on land cover type classification method based on improved MaskFormer for remote sensing images.

High-resolution remote sensing images have the characteristics of wide imaging coverage, rich spectral information and unobstructed by terrain and features. All of them provide convenient conditions for people to study land cover types. However, most existing remote sensing image land cover datasets are only labeled with some remote sensing images of low elevation plain areas, which is highly different from the topography and landscape of highland mountainous areas. In this study, we construct a Qilian County grassland ecological element dataset to provide data support for highland ecological protection. To highlight the characteristics of vegetation, our dataset only includes the RGB spectrum fused with the near-infrared spectrum. We then propose a segmentation network, namely, the Shunted-MaskFormer network, by using a mask-based classification method, a multi-scale, high-efficiency feature extraction module and a data-dependent upsampling method. The extraction of grassland land types from 2 m resolution remote sensing images in Qilian County was completed, and the generalization ability of the model on a small Gaofen Image Dataset (GID) verified. Results: (1) The MIoU of the optimised network model in the Qilian grassland dataset reached 80.75%, which is 2.37% higher compared to the suboptimal results; (2) the optimized network model achieves better segmentation results even for small sample classes in data sets with unbalanced sample distribution; (3) the highest MIOU of 72.3% is achieved in the GID dataset of open remote sensing images containing five categories; (4) the size of the optimized model is only one-third of the sub-optimal model.

Whole-Genome Sequencing Analysis of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella Isolated from Breeder Poultry Farm Sources in China, 2020-2021.

Non-typhoidal salmonellosis is a dangerous foodborne disease that causes enormous economic loss and threatens public health worldwide. The consumption of food, especially poultry or poultry products, contaminated with non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is the main cause of human salmonellosis. To date, no research has identified the molecular epidemiological characteristics of NTS strains isolated from breeder chicken farms in different provinces of China. In our study, we investigated the antimicrobial resistance, phylogenetic relationships, presence of antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes, and plasmids of NTS isolates recovered from breeder chicken farms in five provinces of China between 2020 and 2021 by using a whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach and phenotypic methods. All sequenced isolates belonged to six serovars with seven sequence types. Nearly half of the isolates (44.87%) showed phenotypic resistance to at least three classes of antimicrobials. Salmonella enterica serotype Kentucky harbored more antimicrobial resistance genes than the others, which was highly consistent with phenotypic resistance. Furthermore, the carried rate of 104 out of 135 detected virulence genes was 100%. Overall, our WGS results highlight the need for the continuous monitoring of, and additional studies on, the antimicrobial resistance of NTS.