Search Results (2,101)

This study investigates the effect of walnut green husk extract (WE) on gut microbiota, metabolites, and immune-antioxidant changes in fattening pigs through gut microbiota-metabolite interactions. A total of 60 healthy fattening pigs (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with an initial body weight of 65.2 ± 3.1 kg were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 30 per group): the control group (NC), which was fed a basal diet, and the WE group, which was fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.1% walnut green husk extract (WE). Dietary supplementation with 0.1% WE significantly increased the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Firmicutes, Lactobacillus) and reduced pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Proteobacteria, Shigella). Untargeted metabolomics identified 170 differentially accumulated metabolites, among which propionic acid—a key short-chain fatty acid with immunomodulatory effects—was significantly upregulated by 1.09-fold (p = 0.03) and showed a positive correlation with beneficial microbial abundances. These metabolites were enriched in glycerophospholipid and α-linolenic acid metabolism pathways, where eicosadienoic acid inhibited the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway for anti-inflammatory effects, and methyl cinnamate synergistically regulated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling with Lactobacillus. Serum analyses showed that WE significantly enhanced IgA, IgM, and IgG levels by 3.97-fold, 4.67-fold, and 4.43-fold (p < 0.01), reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration by 82.8% (p < 0.01), and trended to improve antioxidant capacity via glutamine. Mechanistically, WE promoted short-chain fatty acid production by beneficial bacteria, forming a “microbiota–metabolite–immunity” cascade to enhance lipid metabolism and alleviate intestinal inflammation. These findings highlight that WE provides multi-omics evidence for its application as a functional feed additive. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of simplified intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) parameters in distinguishing malignant from benign breast lesions, and to explore their association with clinicopathological features. Methods: This retrospective study included 108 women who underwent breast MRI with multi-b-value DWI (0, 20, 200, 500, 800 s/mm²). Of those 108 women, 73 had pathologically confirmed malignant lesions. IVIM maps (ADC_map, D, D*, and perfusion fraction f) were generated using IB-Diffusion™ software version 21.12. Lesions were manually segmented by radiologists, and clinicopathological data including receptor status, Ki-67 index, cancer type, histologic grade, and molecular subtype were extracted from medical records. Nonparametric tests and ROC analysis were used to assess group differences and diagnostic performance. Additionally, a binary logistic regression model combining D, D*, and f was developed to evaluate their joint diagnostic utility, with ROC analysis applied to the model’s predicted probabilities. Results: Malignant lesions demonstrated significantly lower diffusion parameters compared to benign lesions, including ADC_map (p = 0.004), D (p = 0.009), and D* (p = 0.016), indicating restricted diffusion in cancerous tissue. In contrast, the perfusion fraction (f) did not show a significant difference (p = 0.202). ROC analysis revealed moderate diagnostic accuracy for ADC_map (AUC = 0.671), D (AUC = 0.657), and D* (AUC = 0.644), while f showed poor discrimination (AUC = 0.576, p = 0.186). A combined logistic regression model using D, D*, and f significantly improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.725 (p < 0.001), with 67.1% sensitivity and 74.3% specificity. ADC_map achieved the highest sensitivity (100%) but had low specificity (11.4%). Among clinicopathological features, only histologic grade was significantly associated with IVIM metrics, with higher-grade tumors showing lower ADC_map and D* values (p = 0.042 and p = 0.046, respectively). No significant associations were found between IVIM parameters and ER, PR, HER2 status, Ki-67 index, cancer type, or molecular subtype. Conclusions: Simplified IVIM DWI offers moderate accuracy in distinguishing malignant from benign breast lesions, with diffusion-related parameters (ADC_map, D, D*) showing the strongest diagnostic value. Incorporating D, D*, and f into a combined model enhanced diagnostic performance compared to individual IVIM metrics, supporting the potential of multivariate IVIM analysis in breast lesion characterization. Tumor grade was the only clinicopathological feature consistently associated with diffusion metrics, suggesting that IVIM may reflect underlying tumor differentiation but has limited utility for molecular subtype classification. Full article

Differences in horseshoe materials may have effects on gait that could change perceived esthetic qualities. Objective information regarding effects of shoeing on gait characteristics of horses is scant. The aim of this study was to determine differences in gait characteristics for horses under various experimental shoeing conditions (barefoot, aluminum shoes, steel shoes) on two surfaces (asphalt and soft footing) using body- and hoof-mounted sensors. We hypothesized that shoeing would affect hoof arc height during early (arc height a) and late (arc height b) swing phases but would not affect other gait variables. Twelve healthy, adult, client-owned horses were evaluated at a trot on asphalt and soft footing under the three experimental shoeing conditions. No significant (p < 0.05) effects of shoeing were detected for gait symmetry (Q score), mediolateral hoof deviation, stride length, or midstance, breakover, swing, and landing stride phase times. Hoof arc height a was significantly (p < 0.001) lower for aluminum versus steel shoes for right and left forelimbs on asphalt and soft footing. Hoof arc height b was significantly higher for aluminum versus steel shoes on soft footing for left (p < 0.001) and right (p = 0.02) forelimbs. Findings indicate that shoe weights affect early and late swing phase hoof heights differently. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether measured hoof arc height changes affect subjective esthetics of gait. Full article

This study aimed to assess how sex and age influence the physicochemical and technological properties of the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle in Botucatu rabbits. Ten samples were used from each experimental group (females and males 3 and 12 months old). Color (L*, a*, and b*), pH, water-holding capacity, cooking weight loss, shear force, percentage of collagen (soluble, insoluble, and total), myofibrillar fragmentation index, sarcomere length, cholesterol concentrations, lipid oxidation, and chemical composition were evaluated. Sex influenced (p < 0.05) the chemical composition of the meat; young females presented meat with a higher concentration of lipids and cholesterol than males of the same age; however, the opposite results were obtained with the meat of 12-month-old rabbits. Age also influenced the meat’s characteristics: older rabbits had meat with more intense red and yellow colors and longer sarcomere length. In terms of chemical composition, 12-month-old rabbits had higher protein and lower soluble collagen and mineral matter compared to younger rabbits. Overall, age impacted the physicochemical properties, with older rabbits exhibiting more opaque, reddish meat, higher insoluble collagen, and lower moisture content. In addition, the influence of sex, especially on the chemical composition of meat in rabbits, must be emphasized. Full article

Protein purification is often performed for various applications. However, enzyme purification processes typically involve multiple steps that reduce yield and increase production costs. To overcome these challenges, we developed a novel three-step process to purify a lipase from whole sardine viscera (WSV), leveraging protein properties and the structural affinity of lipases for dye ligands. A crude extract of the viscera (CEV) was obtained by grinding the whole viscera in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0, Solution B) followed by centrifugation (6000× g; 30 min, 0 °C). Lipolytic activity (3.3 U/mg) was recorded only in the supernatant. The purification process began with ammonium sulfate fractionation (30–50% saturation), increasing lipolytic activity in the precipitate (PF30-50) to 32.9 U/mg. PF30-50 was then ultrafiltered using a 30 KDa MWCO membrane, where 5% of semi-purified lipases (SPLSV) was retained with an activity of 156.5 U/mg (UF30). Finally, the SPLSV was injected into a column packed with dye ligand affinity adsorbent, pre-equilibrated with 1.0 M ammonium sulfate in buffer A. The WSV lipase was eluted using a step gradient to progressively reduce salt concentration. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a single band of purified lipase from sardine viscera (PLSV) corresponding to a molecular weight of 123.4 kDa, with a specific activity of 266.4 U/mg. The combination of ammonium sulfate precipitation, ultrafiltration, and dye-ligand affinity chromatography provides a scalable and reproducible approach with potential industrial relevance, particularly in biocatalysis and waste valorization contexts. Full article

Due to the growing environmental burden of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), there is an increasing concern regarding the reproductive hazards posed by synthetic estrogens, particularly diethylstilbestrol (DES). However, the precise mechanisms by which DES disrupts uterine endocrine function and immune homeostasis leading to pregnancy failure remain unclear. Given that wild rodents serve as key reservoirs for zoonotic diseases such as plague, reproductive interventions targeting their pregnancy processes hold significant ecological implications for disease control. In this study, female mice in estrus were randomly divided into four experimental groups, receiving DES at doses of 0 (control), 0.02 (low), 0.2 (medium), and 2 mg/kg (high), respectively. For five consecutive days, mice were injected subcutaneously on a daily basis, with the goal of examining DES-related alterations in hormone secretion and local immune responses within the uterus and spleen. It was found that high-dose DES treatment significantly increased maternal body weight and spleen weight during early pregnancy (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, reproductive function declined progressively with increasing doses, as indicated by decreased ovarian and uterine weights, fewer embryos, and extended estrous cycle duration (p < 0.05). Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that high-dose DES markedly reduced uterine gland density at day P5, accompanied by epithelial vacuolar degeneration and nuclear pyknosis. The proportion of uterine glands relative to total uterine area also decreased significantly with increasing DES doses. Moreover, DES inhibited lymphocyte proliferation in both the uterus and spleen in a dose-dependent fashion, with ConA- and LPS-induced proliferation rates decreasing by 0.78–30.70% and 1.91–18.20%, respectively (p < 0.05). The proinflammatory cytokine IL-2 was significantly elevated by DES, whereas the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-4 showed a notable decrease (p < 0.05). DES administration notably decreased uterine expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen. In contrast, the numbers of B-cell lymphoma 2- and Bcl-2-associated X protein-positive cells rose, along with upregulated levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Furthermore, DES impaired antioxidant defenses in both the uterus and spleen, evidenced by the decreased activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, reduced total antioxidant capacity, and elevated malondialdehyde levels. This study elucidates the multifaceted mechanisms by which DES impairs the early gestational reproductive environment, filling a critical knowledge gap regarding its interference with the uterus–immune axis, and expands the current understanding of the ecotoxicological impacts of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Full article

Accumulation of copper (Cu) in soils devoted to intensive agriculture due to anthropogenic additions is becoming a significant threat to plant productivity. Biological inoculants may play an important role in alleviating toxic effects of heavy metals on plants. The plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii has demonstrated the ability to reduce harmful impacts of heavy metals on crops. This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of seed inoculation with biofilm produced by this bacterium to mitigate the severity of Cu toxicity on tomato. In the laboratory, first, B. subtilis was cultivated under increased Cu concentrations. Then, germination of inoculated and non-inoculated tomato seeds was tested for Cu concentrations of 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm. Next, a greenhouse experiment was conducted for four months to assess the effects of both inoculation and excess 150 ppm Cu in the substrate. The studied treatments included control, no inoculation and Cu surplus, inoculation and no Cu surplus, and inoculation plus Cu surplus. In the laboratory, first, the bacterium’s ability to grow in a liquid medium containing Cu was confirmed. Thereafter, we verified that the germination of non-inoculated seeds was negatively affected by Cu, with higher concentrations leading to a more detrimental effect. However, seed inoculation with biofilm mitigated the adverse impact of Cu on germination. Under greenhouse conditions, excess Cu significantly reduced root dry weight, tomato number, and tomato yield compared with the control, whereas shoot dry weight, plant height, leaf area, and soluble solid concentration (Brix index) did not experience significant changes (p < 0.05). However, seed inoculation mitigated the toxic effects of excess Cu, significantly enhancing all the aforementioned plant parameters, except plant height. Seed inoculation also significantly reduced the Cu contents in the fruits of tomato plants growing in the metal contaminated substrate. The biofilm of the B. subtilis strain used demonstrated its effectiveness as a bioinoculant, attenuating the detrimental effects induced by a substrate with excess Cu. Full article

The article presents the results of the first successful synthesis of degradable microbial copolymers of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyvalerate [P(3HB-co-3HV)] by the wild-type strain C. necator B-10646 using waste fish oil (WFO) obtained from the heads of Sprattus sprattus balticus. Samples of copolymers with 3HV monomer contents from 11.9 to 59.7 mol.% were synthesized with fractional and controlled feeding of potassium valerate, a precursor of 3HV monomers, into the bacterial culture. Samples synthesized on WFO with different contents of 3HV monomers had a reduced degree of crystallinity (36.5% and below), and close average molecular weight (390–573 kDa), with polydispersity of 2.6–3.0, and retained thermal stability, with a gap between the melting point and the thermal degradation temperature of over 100 °C. The thermal behavior of the samples, including the kinetics of exothermic crystallization and spherulite formation, was studied. Demonstrating the possibility of using WFO for the effective synthesis of P(3HB-co-3HV) with macroinclusions of 3HV monomers without deterioration of their properties is important for expanding the raw material base, reducing costs and increasing the availability of these promising bioplastics. Full article

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a highly toxic secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus species. Its extensive contamination of animal feed and human food poses significant health hazards to livestock and humans, with hepatotoxicity being a primary concern. This study investigated the protective effect of baicalin on AFB1-induced liver injury in ducklings. In the first experiment, ducklings were administered AFB1 at doses of 0, 6, 12, or 24 μg/kg body weight/day for 7 days to identify the optimal concentration for establishing a model of AFB1-induced growth performance and liver injury. Administration of AFB1, particularly at the higher doses (12 and 24 μg/kg body weight/day), significantly reduced growth performance and induced structural and functional liver injury (p < 0.05). In a second experiment, ducklings were administered AFB1 (12 μg/kg body weight/day) with or without baicalin (25–100 mg/kg body weight/day) for 7 days. Dietary baicalin significantly increased the serum albumin level; reduced the serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels; improved growth performance; and ameliorated structural and functional liver injury in ducklings exposed to AFB1 (p < 0.05). The results indicate that dietary baicalin alleviates AFB1-induced liver injury and growth performance decline in ducklings. Hence, baicalin could serve as a potential feed additive to reduce the harmful effects of AFB1 in the poultry breeding industry. Full article

The present study aimed to standardize germinated oat extracts (GOEs) by profiling avenanthramides (AVNs) and phenolic acids and evaluate their neuroprotective effects against Aβ_1-42-induced cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. GOEs were standardized to contain 1652.56 ± 3.37 µg/g dry weight (dw) of total AVNs, including 468.52 ± 17.69 µg/g AVN A, 390.33 ± 10.26 µg/g AVN B, and 641.22 ± 13.89 µg/g AVN C, along with 490.03 ± 7.83 µg/g dw of ferulic acid, using a validated analytical method. Treatment with AVN C and GOEs significantly inhibited Aβ_1-42-induced cytotoxicity (p < 0.05). Furthermore, both AVNs and GOEs markedly reduced Aβ_1-42-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in SH-SY5Y cells, showing significant scavenging activity at concentrations of 25 μg/mL (AVNs) and 50 μg/mL (GOEs) (p < 0.05). RT-PCR analysis revealed that AVNs and GOEs effectively downregulated the expression of inflammation- and apoptosis-related genes triggered by Aβ_1-42 exposure. These findings suggest that GOEs rich in AVNs may serve as a potential functional ingredient for enhancing memory function through the inhibition of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Full article

Chemical fertilizers pose significant risks to both human health and the environment. To investigate the effect of substituting nitrogen fertilizer with vermicompost tea on wheat yield, shoot chemical constituents, and grain quality under clay-loam soil conditions, two field experiments were conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. A split-plot design in randomized complete blocks with three replications was employed. Vermicompost tea was assigned to the main plots, while wheat cultivars were assigned to the subplots. The cultivars were evaluated under four treatments involving partial substitution of mineral nitrogen (recommended dose of nitrogen (RDN%, 190 kg N ha⁻¹): a control (90% of RDN + 25 kg vermicompost tea), 80% of RDN + 37.5 kg vermicompost tea, and 70% of RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. Nitrogen fertilizer (RDN%) was applied at rates of 190 (control), 170 (90%), 150 (80%), and 130 (70%) kg N ha⁻¹. The results indicated that partially substituting mineral nitrogen with vermicompost tea significantly increased grain weight/Ha, chlorophyll A, chlorophyll B, carotenoids, nitrogen, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) content in shoots, as well as ash, crude protein, crude fiber, total sugar, and N, P, and K content in wheat grains. The grain weight/Ha of the Sakha-95, Giza-171, and Sads-14 cultivars increased by 38.6%, 33.5%, and 39.3%, respectively, when treated with 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea. The combination of the Sads-14 cultivar and 70% RDN + 50 kg vermicompost tea resulted in the highest values for grain weight/ha (9.43 tons ha⁻¹), chlorophyll A (1.39 mg/g), chlorophyll B (1.04 mg/g), N (5.08%), P (1.63%), and P (2.43%) content in shoots. The same combination also improved ash (2.89%), crude fiber (2.84%), and K (6.05%) content in grains. In conclusion, the application of vermicompost tea in conjunction with chemical fertilizers offers a viable alternative to using chemical fertilizers alone, promoting sustainable agricultural practices and improving wheat production. It is recommended that mineral nitrogen fertilizer be partially replaced with vermicompost tea to enhance both the productivity and grain quality of wheat while minimizing environmental pollution. Full article

To evaluate the response of broiler breeder hens submitted to different amino acid intakes of methionine+cystine, lysine, and threonine, and to determine the coefficients for egg output and body weight for maintenance. Three studies were performed using 160 broiler breeder hens housed individually in metabolic cages. A summit diet and a nitrogen-free diet were formulated. The levels ranged from 1.79 to 7.13, 2.49 to 8.3, and 2.04 to 6.79 g/kg of methionine+cystine, lysine, and threonine, respectively. The variables measured were feed intake, amino acid intake, rate of lay, egg weight, and egg output. The broken line model was used to evaluate the responses. It was verified that higher values of the rate of lay, egg weight, and egg output were observed for the higher concentrations of amino acids studied. A significant difference was observed for the variables rate of lay, egg weight, egg output, and body weight (p < 0.05) for the three amino acids evaluated. The amount of each amino acid required to produce one gram per egg was estimated at 12.4 mg, 14.5 mg, and 11.2 mg for methionine+cystine, lysine, and threonine, respectively. The values estimated by coefficient b that represent the amino acid for maintenance requirement were methionine+cystine, lysine, and threonine of 30.2, 32.2, and 42.4 mg/kg BW, respectively. The coefficients may be used to design additional models to study requirements nutrition in broiler breeders, allowing a better understanding of how these birds respond to different dietary amino acids. Full article

In the present work, six biochars were produced from the pyrolysis of poultry manure at 400 °C and 600 °C (PM-B-400 and PM-B-600), and their post-modification with, respectively, iron chloride (PM-B-400-Fe and PM-B-600-Fe) and potassium permanganate (PM-B-400-Mn and PM-B-600-Mn). First, these biochars were deeply characterized through the assessment of their particle size distribution, pH, electrical conductivity, pH at point-zero charge, mineral composition, morphological structure, and surface functionality and crystallinity, and then valorized as biofertilizer to grow spring barley at pot-scale for 40 days. Characterization results showed that Fe- and Mn-based nanoparticles were successfully loaded onto the surface of the post-modified biochars, which significantly enhanced their structural and surface chemical properties. Moreover, compared to the control treatment, both raw and post-modified biochars significantly improved the growth parameters of spring barley plants (shoot and root length, biomass weight, and nutrient content). The highest biomass production was obtained for the treatment with PM-B-400-Fe, owing to its enhanced physico-chemical properties and its higher ability in releasing nutrients and immobilizing heavy metals. These results highlight the potential use of Fe-modified poultry manure-derived biochar produced at low temperatures as a sustainable biofertilizer for soil enhancement and crop yield improvement, while addressing manure management issues. Full article

Manganese (Mn) excess and low pH often coexist in some citrus orchard soils. Little information is known about the underlying mechanism by which raising pH reduces Mn toxicity in citrus plants. ‘Sour pummelo’ (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) seedlings were treated with 2 (Mn2) or 500 (Mn500) μM Mn at a pH of 3 (P3) or 5 (P5) for 25 weeks. Raising pH mitigated Mn500-induced increases in Mn, iron, copper, and zinc concentrations in roots, stems, and leaves, as well as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron, and zinc distributions in roots, but it mitigated Mn500-induced decreases in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and boron concentrations in roots, stems, and leaves, as well as nutrient imbalance. Raising pH mitigated Mn500-induced necrotic spots on old leaves, yellowing of young leaves, decreases in seedling growth, leaf chlorophyll concentration, and CO₂ assimilation (A_CO2), increase in root dry weight (DW)/shoot DW, and alterations of leaf chlorophyll a fluorescence (OJIP) transients and related indexes. Further analysis indicated that raising pH ameliorated Mn500-induced impairment of nutrient homeostasis, leaf thylakoid structure by iron deficiency and competition of Mn with magnesium, and photosynthetic electron transport chain (PETC), thereby reducing Mn500-induced declines in A_CO2 and subsequent seedling growth. These results validated the hypothesis that raising pH reduced Mn toxicity in ‘Sour pummelo’ seedlings by (a) reducing Mn uptake, (b) efficient maintenance of nutrient homeostasis under Mn stress, (c) reducing Mn excess-induced impairment of thylakoid structure and PEPC and inhibition of chlorophyll biosynthesis, and (d) increasing A_CO2 and subsequent seedling growth under Mn excess. Full article

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC), characterized by chronic intestinal inflammation, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and immune imbalance demands novel ameliorative strategies beyond conventional approaches. Methods: In this study, the probiotic properties of Lactobacillus paracaseiL21 (L. paracaseiL21) and its ability to ameliorate colitis were evaluated using an in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal crypt epithelial cell (IEC-6) model and an in vivo dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC mouse model. Results: In vitro, L. paracaseiL21 decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8) while increasing anti-inflammatory IL-10 levels (p < 0.05) in LPS-induced IEC-6 cells, significantly enhancing the expression of tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1), thereby restoring the intestinal barrier. In vivo, both viable L. paracaseiL21 and its heat-inactivated postbiotic (H-L21) mitigated weight loss, colon shortening, and disease activity indices, concurrently reducing serum LPS and proinflammatory mediators. Interventions inhibited NF-κB signaling while activating HIF1α/AhR pathways, increasing IL-22 and mucin MUC2 to restore goblet cell populations. Gut microbiota analysis showed that both interventions increased the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria (Lactobacillus, Dubococcus, and Akkermansia) and improved faecal propanoic acid and butyric acid levels. H-L21 uniquely exerted an anti-inflammatory effect, marked by the regulation of Dubosiella, while L. paracaseiL21 marked by the Akkermansia. Conclusions: These results highlight the potential of L. paracaseiL21 as a candidate for the development of both probiotic and postbiotic formulations. It is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the management of UC and to drive the development of the next generation of UC therapies. Full article