Search Results (2,886)

Macadamia integrifolia husk (MIH) is a major byproduct of Macadamia integrifolia processing; however, there is limited information available on its rumen fermentation characteristics and associated bacterial communities when used as a feed for ruminants. This study evaluated the effects of different Bacillus subtilis (BS; ≥10¹³ CFU/g) inclusion levels on MIH using an in vitro technique. A total of six healthy goats (female, 7-month-old) with an average body weight of 15.20 ± 0.20 kg were selected as rumen fluid donors, and the rumen fluid was collected before morning feeding. Four BS inclusion levels were studied: a control group with 0 g/kg (CON), and three treatment groups supplemented with 1.5 g/kg (low dose, BSL), 3.0 g/kg (medium dose, BSM), and 4.5 g/kg (high dose, BSH) of BS. MIH supplemented with BS improved the gas production at all the observed incubation times (p < 0.05). The in vitro dry matter degradability was increased by 3.5%, 2.0%, and 3.1% in the BSL, BSM, and BSH groups, respectively, compared to the CON group at a 48 h incubation time (p = 0.049). The in vitro neutral detergent fiber degradability was increased by 6.0% and 7.8% in the BSL and BSM groups, respectively, compared to the CON group at a 48 h incubation time (p = 0.027). The in vitro acid detergent fiber degradability was increased by 11.7%, 16.8%, and 3.2% in the BSL, BSM, and BSH groups, respectively, compared with the CON group at the 48 h incubation time (p = 0.014). The concentrations of ammonia-N, microbial protein, total VFAs, acetate, propionate, butyrate, iso-butyrate, valerate, and iso-valerate were quadratically changed with increasing BS supplementation levels (p < 0.05). The relative abundances of Bacteroidota and Pseudomonadota were highest in the BSL group and lowest in the BSM group (p < 0.05), whereas Bacillota and Kiritimatiellota were highest in the BSH group and lowest in the BSL group (p < 0.05). Synergistota was highest in the BSM group and lowest in the BSH group (p < 0.05). The relative abundances of norank_p_Bacteroidota and norank_o_Bacteroidoles were highest in the BSL group, whereas they were lowest in the BSM group (p < 0.05). The relative abundances Hoyesella and Succinivibrio were highest in the BSL group, whereas they were lowest in the BSH group (p < 0.05). The relative abundances of Prevotella, Succiniclasticum, and Selenomonas were highest in the BSM group, whereas they were lowest in the BSL group (p < 0.05). These in vitro results indicate that supplementation with Bacillus subtilis could improve the utilization of MIH in goats, which is possibly associated with the altered rumen bacteria communities. The supplementation of 1.5 to 3.0 g/kg Bacillus subtilis (≥10¹³ CFU/g) on Macadamia integrifolia husk could improve its utilization as a feasible alternative feed for ruminants using an in vitro technique. Full article

Nanostructured catalysts have become a core component of energy conversion in electrocatalysis and photocatalysis; however, successfully translating their performance from laboratory scale to industrial applications remains a long-standing challenge. This paper provides a critical assessment of the field, systematically tracing the entire development trajectory from catalyst design to practical application. We focus on five major classes of catalysts—monometallic catalysts, bimetallic/multimetallic alloy catalysts, metal compound catalysts, carbon-based composite catalysts, and single-atom catalysts—and explore synthetic strategies for achieving precise structural control, including hydrothermal/solvothermal methods, electrodeposition, template-assisted and MOF-derived syntheses, high-temperature pyrolysis, and post-treatment defect engineering. This paper delves into the mechanisms and performance descriptors governing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), urea oxidation, photocatalytic water splitting, and CO₂ reduction. Based on the above analysis, this paper lays the mechanistic foundation for five core strategies to improve catalyst performance: morphology control, elemental doping, heterostructure and interface engineering, defect and vacancy engineering, and support modification. Furthermore, this paper provides an in-depth evaluation of the applications of these catalysts in water splitting, CO₂ valorization, fuel cells, metal–air batteries, and energy-saving electrolysis, with a particular focus on earth-abundant alternatives to precious metals. We argue that in many well-studied reactions, intrinsic activity may no longer be the primary bottleneck restricting their development; instead, the core challenge now lies in maintaining excellent catalytic performance under harsh and industrially relevant conditions, especially under high-current densities, impurity-containing feed systems, and long-term operating conditions. In response to this shift in research focus, this paper clearly identifies the key obstacles hindering the industrial application of catalysts and proposes practical directions for future research. Full article

Background and Objectives: Pulmonary sequestration (PS) is a rare congenital lung anomaly with anomalous systemic arterial supply. Surgical resection is the standard treatment, but some children have contraindications. Endovascular embolization (EE) is an established alternative; published pediatric experience is limited, particularly in neonates. We report a two-centre experience with extended follow-up and quantitative hemodynamic data. Methods: Six pediatric patients (five male; median age 6 months, range 11 days to 4 years and 8 months) underwent EE for PS at two centres in Gdańsk, Poland, between 2020 and 2025. Contraindications to surgery were severe pulmonary arterial hypertension, high-output cardiac failure, low body weight with comorbidity, complex extralobar anatomy or refused parental consent. Procedures were performed under general anesthesia via right common femoral arterial access; device strategy was tailored to vessel anatomy. Results: Technical success was 100% with no procedural complications. Median feeding-artery diameter was 3.4 mm (range 2.1 to 5.3 mm). An Amplatzer-family vascular plug was used in five patients (83.3%), pushable platinum coils in two (33.3%) and Onyx-18 in one (16.7%); two had hybrid combinations and one underwent planned staged two-step embolization. Median procedural duration was 51 min. At median follow-up of 50 months (range 11 to 68), all patients showed sequester regression on imaging. Reverse cardiac remodelling occurred within five weeks in the patient with pre-procedural left ventricular dilation (Z-score +2.45 returning to normal); systolic pulmonary artery pressure fell from 35 to 40 to 17 mmHg within six weeks in the neonate treated at 11 days of life for high-output cardiac failure. No patient required surgical resection. Conclusions: Endovascular embolization is safe and effective in pediatric patients with pulmonary sequestration and contraindications to surgery, including neonates with comorbidity. Documented reverse cardiac remodelling and rapid hemodynamic improvement support its use in selected cases. Full article

Oat-based beverages are increasingly popular milk alternatives. However, the heat treatment required to ensure shelf stability is limited by rapid fouling formation on heated surfaces, reducing processing efficiency. Oat proteins, considered an important quality attribute of oat drinks, are suspected to play a key role in fouling initiation, but their specific contribution remains poorly understood. This study investigates the role of oat proteins in fouling formation during heat treatment on technical scale. Membrane filtration was applied and validated as sample preparation method for increasing the protein content. Fouling experiments were conducted using a previously validated fouling system with feed solutions containing different protein concentrations. Protein content was increased by filtration using 0.1, 0.8 and 1.4 µm ceramic membranes, yielding retentates with 10–21 g·100 g⁻¹ on a dry matter basis, and further enriched to >40 g·100 g⁻¹ through diafiltration. Fouling experiments (140 °C, 60 min) revealed a dependence of fouling formation on protein content in the feed solution. Fouling deposits were negligible at low protein concentrations (<2.5 g·100 g⁻¹), increased markedly between 8 and 14 g·100 g⁻¹, and reached a plateau at higher protein levels. Using oat supernatant or retentates, the protein content in the fouling correlated linearly with the protein content in the feed solution (R² = 0.98) but did not exceed ~25 g·100 g⁻¹, resulting in predominantly carbohydrate-based deposits. In contrast, diafiltered protein-enriched feed solutions produced larger, protein-dominated deposits. A conceptual model describing feed-dependent fouling mechanisms is proposed. Full article

The Iberian barbel (Luciobarbus bocagei Steindachner, 1864) is a potamodromous species that displays migratory movements, with adults moving upstream during spring to spawn, followed by downstream migration in autumn by both adults and juveniles to feed and inhabit more productive river stretches. Increasing river fragmentation due to dam construction and operation causes a loss of connectivity and suitable habitat, which can affect this natural behaviour. In a tributary of River Douro, River Tua, a 108 m high dam, was recently built (i.e., Foz Tua dam in 2017) at only 1.1 km from the river mouth, leaving the upstream spawning area inaccessible. To evaluate the species behavioural response to this impact, a passive acoustic telemetry array was deployed in the study area, and between 2018 and 2023, 120 tagged fish had their movements tracked. The results showed two different behavioural profiles in the same population with migratory (42.5%) and resident (54.0%) individuals. During this period, a specific experimental study was developed to evaluate the response of a subset of 90 fish, captured upstream of the Foz Tua dam and translocated to an alternative downstream Douro tributary (River Pinhão, ~20 km downstream from River Tua). From these, 66.7% remained at the release site, whilst 23.3% returned to the river of origin, i.e., River Tua. From the returned fraction, 28.6% of the tagged fish maintained this migratory behaviour between both rivers in the following years. Generalized Additive Models were used for each of the two behavioural profiles observed in this study, to identify which environmental variables were associated with the presence of the tagged barbels downstream the Foz Tua dam. Ecological flow, temperature and day-period were some of the predictors explaining the use of this river stretch downstream of Foz Tua dam. This study substantially updates the available information regarding this species’ movement patterns at large spatial and temporal scales, contributing to enhancement of management and conservation programs for potamodromous species, in highly impounded and fragmented rivers. Full article

Edible insects are increasingly recognized as a viable alternative protein source, offering a potentially sustainable approach to addressing global food security challenges. This narrative review critically examines the nutritional composition, environmental advantages, techno-functional attributes, and potential applications of insect-based proteins within human food systems. Edible insects are characterized by high protein content, favourable essential amino acid profiles, and appreciable levels of key micronutrients, rendering them nutritionally comparable to conventional livestock-derived proteins. Moreover, insect production systems generally require substantially lower inputs of land, water, and feed, resulting in comparatively lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduced overall environmental burden. Despite these advantages, broader adoption remains constrained by challenges related to regulatory heterogeneity, food safety concerns, and limited consumer acceptance. Overall, the available evidence suggests that edible insects can function as a nutritionally adequate and environmentally sustainable complementary protein source; however, significant variability in nutrient composition, limitations in standardized safety assessment, and socio-cultural barriers currently restrict their large-scale integration into mainstream food systems. In addition, inconsistencies in analytical methodologies and reliance on in vitro data further complicate cross-study comparisons and translational relevance. Future research should focus on standardization of rearing and processing conditions, harmonization of evaluation frameworks (e.g., protein quality indices), comprehensive safety assessments, and well-designed clinical studies to validate nutritional and functional benefits, alongside the development of effective strategies to improve consumer acceptance and support regulatory alignment across regions. Full article

Heat-treatable aluminum alloys are widely used in aerospace and automotive industries for high-performance structural applications. However, their processing through conventional fusion-based additive manufacturing is limited by solidification-related defects, such as hot cracking, porosity, and elemental segregation. To overcome these limitations, friction-based additive manufacturing (FBAM) has emerged as a promising solid-state alternative. FBAM primarily includes friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM), additive friction stir deposition (AFSD), friction screw extrusion additive manufacturing (FSEAM), and friction rolling additive manufacturing (FRAM), which differ in feedstock form and process configuration. In these processes, feed material is consolidated through frictional heat generated below the melting temperature, enabling the formation of refined equiaxed microstructures while minimizing solidification defects. Despite these advantages, significant challenges persist in processing heat-treatable aluminum alloys, particularly the 2xxx, 6xxx, and 7xxx series. These include non-uniform microstructure and mechanical properties along the build direction; precipitation instability; process-induced defects, such as tunnel formation; and mechanical properties that are often inferior to those of the corresponding base materials (BMs). Reported FBAM builds generally exhibit equiaxed ultrafine grains below 1 μm; however, the strength and microhardness of heat-treated alloy builds commonly remain around 70–75% of the corresponding BM. Following post-heat treatment, microhardness can be nearly fully recovered, whereas UTS typically reaches about 80–85% of BMs, often with an associated ductility reduction of nearly 50%. This review critically analyzes research reported over the past decade on FBAM processing of heat-treatable aluminum alloys, covering FSAM, AFSD, FSEAM, and FRAM. The key challenges related to microstructural evolution and mechanical performance are systematically discussed for each alloy series. Furthermore, mitigation strategies proposed in the literature, including process parameter optimization, in-process cooling, post-heat treatment, and nanoparticle reinforcement (e.g., SiC, TiC, Ni and ZrO₂), are evaluated. Finally, existing research gaps are identified, and future directions are proposed to support the development of robust, scalable, and high-performance FBAM processes for heat-treatable aluminum alloys. Full article

A novel sodium-oxide-fluxed slag is applied in the aluminothermic reduction of manganese ore. The slag’s high Al₂O₃ solubility facilitates the recycling of Al₂O₃ through hydrometallurgical processes, where NaAlO₂ serves as a water-leachable compound. Aluminothermic reduction is gaining renewed interest as an alternative processing route for the circular economy. In addition, CO₂ emissions in aluminium production via the electrochemical Hall–Héroult process can be reduced if the process electricity is sourced from non-fossil fuels. The unique Na₂O-fluxed MnO₂ ore formulation includes a small quantity of carbon reductant to ensure rapid pre-reduction to MnO. This approach negates the need for a pre-roasting step. Feed mixture variations with different collector metal additions (Si, Cr, Cu) were made to improve alloy–slag separation efficiency. The collector metals may influence the chemistry of the slag. This work compares the phase chemistry of slags formed during aluminothermic reduction to equilibrium phase chemistries calculated for the Na₂O-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-MnO-CaO system. The slag phase morphology consists of distinct alumina-rich strands (1.5% to 2.1%) embedded within a Na₂O-SiO₂-Al₂O₃-MnO-CaO glass matrix. The alumina-rich strands appear molten, indicating that the processing temperatures were higher than their liquidus temperatures (1537 °C to 1655 °C), as high as 1921 °C and 2053 °C. These findings contribute to sustainable practices in the circular economy through the production of low-carbon ferro-manganese complex alloys. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of replacing 25% of wheat straw with dried carob (Ceratonia siliqua) leaves and twigs, either untreated or treated with 5% sodium hydroxide (NaOH), on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass traits, meat quality, blood metabolites, and rumen microbial populations in Assaf lambs. Twenty-four male lambs (2.5 months old; 29 ± 0.5 kg) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (n = 8): a control diet containing wheat straw as the sole roughage source, supplemented with a concentrate feed, a diet with 25% untreated carob leaves and twigs (UCL), and a diet with 25% NaOH-treated carob leaves and twigs (TCL). Following a 14-day adaptation period, lambs were fed the corresponding experimental diet for 14 weeks. Carob inclusion improved growth performance, with UCL lambs showing the highest average daily gain (214 g/d) compared with TCL (201 g/d) and control (160 g/d), resulting in improved feed conversion ratio (9.02 vs. 5.68 and 5.63, respectively) (p < 0.001). Blood urea nitrogen was reduced (p < 0.001) in UCL lambs (26.8 vs. 38.5 mg/dL in control), suggesting improved nitrogen retention. Digestibility responses differed between treatments (p < 0.001), as TCL increased dry matter digestibility to 72.6% compared with 65.4% (UCL) and 63.6% (control), indicating enhanced nutrient utilization following NaOH treatment. Both UCL and TCL increased (p < 0.001) carcass weights (up to 24.7 vs. 21.0 kg in control), while TCL achieved the highest dressing percentage (46.6% vs. 43.4%). Meat quality traits were generally unaffected in terms of color (lightness, redness, and yellowness) and water-holding capacity; however, shear force decreased from 33.6 N (control) to 30.0 N (TCL), indicating improved tenderness. Carob inclusion modified meat composition by increasing (p < 0.001) lipid content (12.0–12.2 vs. 9.6%) and improving fatty acid profile, with reduced saturated fatty acids (53.4–56.5 vs. 61.4%) and increased α-linolenic acid (2.04 vs. 1.58%), leading to a lower n-6/n-3 ratio (5.54–5.61 vs. 6.45). Rumen fermentation was also affected (p < 0.001), as carob diets increased total bacterial populations and reduced protozoal counts, suggesting shifts toward more efficient microbial activity. In conclusion, replacing 25% of wheat straw with carob leaves improved growth performance and feed efficiency, with untreated carob primarily enhancing nitrogen utilization and treated carob improving fiber digestibility and carcass yield. These findings support the use of carob by-products as a viable alternative feed resource, although responses depend on processing method and targeted production outcomes. Full article

Optimizing harvest time and oil production requires accurate olive fruit quality characterization. Traditional chemical methods are costly and tedious, leading to poor monitoring resolution and reliance on subjective visual assessments. While spectroscopy offers a non-destructive alternative, standard equipment remains complex and prohibitively expensive for smallholder farmers. To address this, we propose a methodology using a custom-made, low-cost multispectral device. Built upon the AS7265x board, the system acquires 18 spectral bands in the visible and near-infrared range (410–940 nm). We used these spectral data to feed artificial neural network (ANN) models for estimating the quality of intact olives. During a two-season field experiment, we monitored ripening to acquire spectral signatures and ground-truth values for oil content per fresh weight (OCFW), oil content per dry matter (OCDM), moisture (M), and titratable acidity (TA). External validation showed high accuracy for OCFW (R²p = 0.86), OCDM (R²p = 0.86), and M (R²p = 0.89), proving the system’s reliability. However, TA estimation showed lower performance (R²p = 0.21), indicating limited spectral correlation. These findings pave the way for affordable, real-time smart farming tools for olive quality monitoring. Full article

Mineral scaling on carbon electrodes remains a critical limitation to the long-term performance of capacitive deionization (CDI) systems treating hard and alkaline waters. In this study, alternating polarization (AP) is investigated as an in situ electrochemical regeneration strategy to reverse cathodic scaling in flow-through CDI treating a feed containing 5 mM NaCl, 5 mM NaHCO₃, and 2.5 mM CaCl₂ under three modes: conventional cycling (control), delayed AP introduced after fouling developed, and immediate AP implemented from the first cycle. Under conventional operation, cathodic scaling reduced the salt adsorption capacity (SAC) to 5.9 ± 0.2 mg/g, increased cathode mass from 0.208 ± 0.004 g (pristine) to 0.353 ± 0.054 g, and decreased specific capacitance to 28 ± 2 F/g, accompanied by extensive pore blockage and carbonate deposition observed by SEM and BET measurements. Application of delayed AP restored electrode functionality, increasing SAC to 8.9 ± 0.6 mg/g and specific capacitance to 56 ± 2 F/g while reducing the cathode mass to 0.212 ± 0.007 g and removing surface precipitates. The immediate AP operation reduced the extent of scale formation from cycle 1, maintaining SAC at 8.4 ± 0.2 mg/g throughout operation, with stable physical and electrochemical properties. These improvements are attributed to periodic polarity reversal, which induces alternating alkaline and acidic microenvironments at the electrode surface and promotes the electrochemical dissolution of carbonate phases during anodic polarization. Overall, this work establishes AP as a simple, chemical-free operational strategy for both preventing and reversing cathodic mineral scaling, thereby enabling sustained CDI performance and mitigating capacity loss over the tested operational periods in complex water matrices. Full article

Plants can provide natural enemies with alternative food resources that enhance their performance in addition to prey consumption. Extrafloral nectaries attract beneficial insects by supplying nectar in exchange for pest suppression, although other arthropods may also benefit. This study aimed to characterize the extrafloral nectar composition of bottle gourd, Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standley (Cucurbitaceae), a host plant of Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae), and to evaluate the effects of its carbohydrate profile on key biological parameters of this predator. Extrafloral nectar was chemically characterized for carbohydrate and amino acid composition, and laboratory bioassays were conducted to assess the effects of a sugar solution of the extrafloral nectar carbohydrate profile when provided with two factitious food sources, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs and Artemia sp. (Anostraca: Artemiidae) cysts. Female egg production, nymphal development and food source consumption were evaluated. Chemical analysis revealed that bottle gourd extrafloral nectar consisted primarily of glucose, fructose, sucrose and melezitose, while serine was the dominant amino acid. Four essential amino acids were also detected. Sugar supplementation did not affect nymphal development rate but significantly reduced factitious food consumption. Significant differences in egg production were observed among feeding regimes. Sugar supplementation did not affect egg production when E. kuehniella eggs were provided, but significantly increased egg production when Artemia cysts were used as food source. These results indicate that extrafloral nectar carbohydrates can function as effective supplementary nutritional resources for N. tenuis, particularly when lower-quality factitious food sources are used. These findings enhance our understanding of plant–predator nutritional interactions and suggest that extrafloral nectar-derived components warrant further evaluation for incorporation into mass rearing protocols. Full article

Copper supplements are prominent antibiotic alternatives in livestock production, but their excessive use poses environmental risks, necessitating safer substitutes. Potassium diformate (KDF), an organic acid salt, has shown potential as a feed additive, yet its effectiveness in copper-unsupplemented diets remains unclear. This study compared the effects of copper glycinate (Cu_Gly) and KDF on weaned piglets fed a copper-unsupplemented basal diet. Forty-five Meishan piglets were allocated to a control group (basal diet), a Cu_Gly group (basal diet + 60 mg/kg Cu_Gly), or a KDF group (basal diet + 10 g/kg KDF). The KDF group exhibited a lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the control group. Although no significant differences in average daily gain were observed, KDF supplementation significantly enhanced immune function by increasing plasma IgG and decreasing IgM, IL-6, and IL-1 levels compared to the control. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that the Control group was enriched with pathogenic genera (Staphylococcus, Escherichia-Shigella, Brevibacterium) in the ileum and cecum. Cu_Gly supplementation enriched Bacillus, Longispora, and Terrisporobacterin the ileum, while KDF increased the abundance of beneficial taxa (TM7, Nesterenkoniain the ileum; Lachnospiraceae_UCG-007 in the cecum). Correlation analysis showed that the abundances of Escherichia-Shigella and Staphylococcus were negatively correlated with IgG but positively correlated with IgM and IL-6. Cecal Lachnospiraceae_UCG-007 (enriched in the KDF group) was negatively correlated with IL-1. In summary, KDF improved feed efficiency and demonstrates superior immunomodulatory effects compared to Cu_Gly. The enrichment of bacteria linked to metal resistance in the Cu_Gly group suggested a potential drawback not associated with KDF. Therefore, KDF represented a viable and sustainable alternative to copper supplements, offering a combination of improved gut health, enhanced immunity, and a reduced environmental risk profile. Full article

Botanical insecticides have re-emerged as promising tools within Integrated Pest Management (IPM) due to their biodegradability, chemical diversity, and potential compatibility with resistance management strategies. Although frequently considered safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides, growing evidence indicates that these compounds may also affect non-target organisms, particularly bees. This review discusses the selectivity of botanical insecticides toward pollinators by integrating historical perspectives, mechanisms of action, ecotoxicological effects, and current limitations in risk assessment approaches. Botanical insecticides may induce both lethal and sublethal effects, including alterations in behavior, locomotion, feeding, development, reproduction, and physiology across different bee groups. We also demonstrate that most available studies remain concentrated on Apis mellifera, adult workers, and acute laboratory assays, while important pollinator groups and chronic exposure scenarios remain poorly explored. Furthermore, current regulatory protocols are still largely based on models developed for synthetic pesticides. Expanding ecotoxicological approaches is therefore essential to improve pollinator safety assessments and support more sustainable pest management strategies. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of partially replacing wheat bran with poplar wood composite fiber (PWCF) on growth performance, immune status, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), and gut microbial composition in growing pigs. A total of 140 healthy crossbred (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) growing pigs with an initial body weight of 47.25 ± 0.49 kg were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments, with five replicates per treatment and fourteen pigs per replicate. The control (CT) group was fed a corn–soybean meal-based diet containing wheat bran and rice bran meal, whereas the experimental group received the same diet in which 2% wheat bran was replaced by PWCF. The experiment lasted for 60 days. Compared with the CT group, replacing wheat bran with PWCF did not affect body weight, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, or average daily gain on days 30 or 60 (p > 0.05). In addition, no negative effects were observed on ATTD of nutrients and serum immunoglobulin A (IgA), IgG, and IgM levels at either time point, indicating that PWCF can serve as a suitable partial substitute for wheat bran in growing pig diets. However, it could regulate nitrogen metabolism by reducing blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration and the BUN/creatinine ratio, as well as decreasing total free amino acids in serum (p < 0.05). In addition, the antioxidant capacity can be transiently improved by increasing catalase activity. Gut microbiota analysis showed that the replacement significantly increased the relative abundances of Treponema, the Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group and Prevotellaceae_UCG-001 (p < 0.05). These changes suggest that PWCF modulates gut microbiota and enriches fiber-degrading bacterial populations. Overall, substituting wheat bran with PWCF did not impair growth performance, immunity, or digestibility, while altering microbial community composition. These findings support the potential application of PWCF as an alternative fiber source, contributing to greater diversity in feed formulation. Full article