Search Results (31)

The rumen and intestinal microbiota play a pivotal role in the digestion and absorption processes of ruminants. Elucidating the mechanisms by which gastrointestinal microbiota influence the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in ruminants is significantly important for enhancing feed utilization efficiency in these animals. In this study, RT-qPCR, 16S rRNA sequencing, and metabolomic techniques were systematically employed to compare the microbial community structures in the rumen, cecum, and rectum, as well as the differences in rumen metabolites between high- and low-FCR Tan sheep. The results showed that, compared to the HFCR group of Tan sheep, the LFCR group exhibited a significant reduction in unclassified_f__Selenomonadaceae, Blvii28_wastewater-sludge_group, and Papillibacter in the rumen; a significant increase in Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group and Sanguibacteroides; a significant reduction in unclassified_f__Peptostreptococcaceae, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, and Parasutterella in the cecum; a significant increase in norank_f__Bacteroidales_UCG-001; and a significant reduction in norank_f__Muribaculaceae, Blautia, and Turicibacter in the rectum. There is a significant positive correlation between Parasutterella in the cecum and three microorganisms, including unclassified_f__Selenomonadaceae, in the rumen. Additionally, Blvii28_wastewater-sludge_group was positively correlated with Lactobacillus. Furthermore, unclassified_f__Selenomonadaceae in the rumen was positively correlated with Turicibacter, unclassified_f__Peptostreptococcaceae, and Breznakia in the rectum. Blvii28_wastewater-sludge_group also showed positive correlations with Blautia, norank_f__Muribaculaceae, and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, while Papillibacter was positively correlated with Faecalitalea. The metabolomic results indicated that, compared to the HFCR group, 261 differential metabolites, including Phenylacetylglutamine and Populin, in the rumen of Tan sheep in the LFCR group were significantly downregulated, whereas 36 differential metabolites, including Glycyl-L-tyrosine, were significantly upregulated. Furthermore, the rumen microbe unclassified_f__Selenomonadaceae exhibited positive correlations with significantly differential metabolites such as L-tryptophan, Etiocholanolone glucuronide, N-acetyl-O-demethylpuromycin, and 6-deoxyerythronolide B. Blvii28_wastewater-sludge_group and Papillibacter also exhibited positive correlations with Icilin. High and low FCRs in the rumen of Tan sheep were investigated, especially in relation to unclassified_f__Selenomonadaceae, Blvii28_wastewater-sludge_group, and Papillibacter. Correlations can be seen with microorganisms such as Parasutatella and Lactobacillus in the cecum; Turicibacter, norank_f__Bacteroideales_UCG-001, and Blautia in the rectum; and metabolites such as L-tryptophan, Etiocholanolone glucuronide, and N-acetyl-O-demethylpuromycin. This reveals the role of microorganisms in the digestion and absorption of Tan sheep feed, thus providing a preliminary basis for further research on the microbial regulation of ruminant animal feed utilization and a theoretical basis for improving Tan sheep feed utilization efficiency. Full article

Antibiotic resistance has become a global health concern, driving the need for sustainable alternatives in animal husbandry. This study explores the potential of natural feed additives as a viable solution to enhance poultry growth and health while reducing reliance on antibiotics. Chinese herbal medicines and probiotics have been widely studied as green, healthy, and safe antibiotic alternatives in livestock and poultry production. A total of 120 chickens were randomly divided into four groups: a control group and three treatment groups supplemented with 1% Pulsatilla chinensis powder, 3% fresh Acer truncatum, or 1% Clostridium butyricum. The results showed that Pulsatilla chinensis powder significantly increased gamma-glutamylcysteine (p < 0.05), UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (p < 0.05), tyramine (p < 0.01), and leucine (p < 0.05). Acer truncatum notably altered cecal metabolites, including L-tyrosine (p < 0.05), α-ketoisovaleric acid (p < 0.01), myristoleic acid (p < 0.01), glutathione (p < 0.05), and PGA1 (p < 0.05). Clostridium butyricum modified cecal metabolites such as L-glutamine (p < 0.05), riboflavin (p < 0.05), L-Carnitine (p < 0.05), ergocalciferol (p < 0.01), and α-tocotrienol (p < 0.05). Full article

This study evaluated the effects of tea residue combined with complex enzymes on the growth performance, serum biochemistry, meat quality, and intestinal microbiota of Xiangling fattening pigs. A total of 120 healthy Xiangling fattening pigs, with an average weight of 47.93 kg (±15.28 kg), were randomly assigned to five treatment groups, each comprising four replicates of six pigs. The control group (CON) received a basal diet; the experimental groups received a diet containing 5.8% fermented tea residue as an alternative energy and protein source (dry matter basis) and mixed additional 0 (CZ), 200 (M200), 400 (M400), and 800 (M800) complex enzymes. The trial lasted for 83 days. The results showed that tea residue and complex enzymes failed to affect growth performance (p > 0.05). Tea residue reduced the serum aspartate aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase activities (p < 0.01), and complex enzyme supplementation lowered the total cholesterol levels and reduced the alanine aminotransferase activity (p < 0.05). Additionally, tea residue decreased the pH_24h and b*_1h values (p < 0.05), and complex enzyme supplementation increased the L*_24h value and pork shear force (p < 0.05). In terms of amino acid content, tea residue significantly elevated aspartic acid and inosine monophosphate (p < 0.05), and complex enzyme addition increased the glutamic acid, lysine, alanine, valine, tyrosine, isoleucine, leucine, and phenylalanine levels (p < 0.05). The 800 mg/kg complex enzyme group exhibited a reduction in the C10:0, C15:0, and C17:0 contents (p < 0.05). Microbial analysis showed that tea residue promoted the abundance of Oribacterium and Butyricicoccus, while enzyme supplementation enriched Eggerthellaceae, Oscillospirales, and Peptococcaceae. Overall, the combination of tea residue and complex enzymes improved the pork quality, enhanced metabolic health markers, and modulated the gut microbiota composition, with the 400 mg/kg enzyme dose (M400) achieving the most pronounced benefits. These findings suggest a potential feeding strategy for improving pork quality without compromising growth performance. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of early weaning (EW) on the growth performance, gastrointestinal development, serum parameters, and metabolomics of Hu sheep lambs. Twenty-four male Hu lambs were initially ewe-reared. A total of 12 lambs were weaned at 30 d of age (D30) as the EW group, and the remaining 12 lambs were weaned at 45 d of age (D45) as the control (CON) group. Serum samples were collected from six lambs per treatment on D30, D33, D36, and D45, and the lambs were slaughtered on D45 to collect the rumen and small intestine. The results showed that, compared with the CON group, the average daily gain (ADG), final body weight (p < 0.001), as well as average daily feed intake (ADFI) of lambs in the EW group significantly decreased in the first (p = 0.004) and second (p = 0.013) 5 days of treatment. Additionally, EW increased the ruminal weight and papillae length but reduced the duodenal villus height on D45 (p < 0.05). As for the serum parameters, the concentrations of glucose on D33, D36, and D45 (p < 0.001), and the IL-6 content on D45 (p = 0.018) were observed to be lower, while the levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA) (p = 0.027), IgG (p = 0.035), and IgM (p = 0.002) on the four ages were all higher in the EW group than those in CON group. Additionally, both treatment and age interactively affected the levels of GLU (p = 0.001), TP (p = 0.041), and IL-6 (p = 0.016). Additionally, the serum metabolomics analysis on D45 showed that the contents of 5-HT and arachidonic acid were increased, while L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, and L-glutamic acid were reduced in the EW group (p < 0.05). These differential metabolites were enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including inflammatory mediator regulation, protein digestion and absorption, and phenylalanine and tyrosine biosynthesis. The current results identify that EW at D30 decreased the growth performance (ADG and ADFI) of Hu lambs within two weeks post-weaning, which might be associated with impaired duodenal morphology and glucose metabolism. The serum metabolomics analysis revealed that EW altered the concentrations of 5-HT, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and arachidonic acid, which could serve as potential regulatory targets for modulating the health of EW Hu lambs. Full article

Elaeagnus angustifolia L. can attract adult Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis (Motschulsky), and kill their offspring by gum secretion in oviposition scars. This plant has the potential to be used as a dead-end trap tree for ALB management. However, there is a limited understanding of the attraction ability and biochemical defense response of E. angustifolia to ALB. In this study, we conducted host selection experiments with ALB and then performed physiological and biochemical assays on twigs from different tree species before and after ALB feeding. We analyzed the differential metabolites using the liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer method. The results showed that ALB’s feeding preference was E. angustifolia > P.× xiaohei var. gansuensis > P. alba var. pyramidalis. After ALB feeding, the content of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, flavonoids, and tannins decreased significantly in all species. In three comparison groups, a total of 492 differential metabolites were identified (E. angustifolia:195, P.× xiaohei var. gansuensis:255, P. alba var. pyramidalis:244). Differential metabolites were divided into overlapping and specific metabolites for analysis. The overlapping differential metabolites 7-isojasmonic acid, zerumbone, and salicin in the twigs of three tree species showed upregulation after ALB feeding. The specific metabolites silibinin, catechin, and geniposide, in E. angustifolia, significantly increased after being damaged. Differential metabolites enriched in KEGG pathways indicated that ALB feeding activated tyrosine metabolism and the biosynthesis of phenylpropanoids in three tree species, with a particularly high enrichment of differential metabolites in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in E. angustifolia. This study provides the metabolic defense strategies of different tree species against ALB feeding and proposes candidate metabolites that can serve as metabolic biomarkers, potentially offering valuable insights into using E. angustifolia as a control measure against ALB. Full article

Citric acid by-products in animal feed pose a sustainability challenge. Bacillus species are commonly used for fermenting and improving the nutritional quality of feedstuffs or by-products. An experiment was conducted to enhance the nutritional value of citric acid by-products through fermentation with Bacillus subtilis I9 for animal feed. The experiment was carried out in 500 mL Erlenmeyer flasks with 50 g of substrate and 200 mL of sterile water. Groups were either uninoculated or inoculated with B. subtilis I9 at 10⁷ CFU/mL. Incubation occurred at 37 °C with automatic shaking at 150 rpm under aerobic conditions for 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Inoculation with B. subtilis I9 significantly increased Bacillus density to 9.3 log CFU/mL at 24 h (p < 0.05). CMCase activity gradually increased, reaching a maximum of 9.77 U/mL at 72 h. After 96 h of fermentation with inoculated B. subtilis I9, the citric acid by-product exhibited a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in crude fiber by 10.86%, hemicellulose by 20.23%, and cellulose by 5.98%, but an increase in crude protein by 21.89%. Gross energy decreased by 4% after inoculation with B. subtilis in comparison to the uninoculated control (p < 0.05). Additionally, the non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) degradation due to inoculation with B. subtilis I9 significantly reduced (p < 0.05) NSP by 24.37%, while galactose, glucose, and uronic acid decreased by 22.53%, 32.21%, and 18.11%, respectively. Amino acid profile content increased significantly by more than 12% (p < 0.05), including indispensable amino acids such as histidine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine and dispensable amino acids like alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, and tyrosine. Furthermore, citric acid by-products inoculated with B. subtilis I9 exhibited changes in the cell wall structure under scanning electron microscopy, including fragmentation and cracking. These results suggest that fermenting citric acid by-products with B. subtilis I9 effectively reduces dietary fiber content and improves the nutritional characteristics of citric acid by-products for use in animal feed. Full article

The influence of molasses (M) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (LR) on fermentation products, microbial communities, and metabolites in big-bale alfalfa silage was investigated. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was harvested at the third growth stage during the flowering stage in the experimental field of Linhui Grass Company from Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. An alfalfa sample without additives was used as a control (C). M (20 g/kg) and LR (10⁶ cfu/g) were added either alone or in combination. Alfalfa was fermented for 7, 14, and 56 d. Lactic acid content in the M, LR, and MLR groups increased, whereas the pH value and butyric acid, 2,3-butanediol, and ethanol contents decreased compared to those of C group after 7, 14, and 56 d of fermentation. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to estimate the results. The LR group exhibited increased Lactobacillus abundance, whereas the M and MLR groups showed increased Weissella abundance compared to the C group. The relative contents of amino acids (tyrosine, isoleucine, threonine, arginine, valine, and citrulline) in the M and MLR groups were higher than those in the C group. During fermentation, the M, LR, and MLR groups showed decreased phenylalanine, isoleucine, and ferulic acid contents. Amino acids such as isoleucine and L-aspartic acid were positively correlated with Lactobacillus but negatively correlated with Weissella. In conclusion, combining high-throughput sequencing and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry during anaerobic alfalfa fermentation can reveal new microbial community compositions and metabolite profiles, supporting the application of M, LR, and MLR as feed fermentation agents. Full article

Whole crop corn silage (WCCS) been an important source of roughage for confined ruminants. However, at the silage feed-out phase, the rise in temperature and relative humidity under aerobic conditions breeds the production of undesirable microorganisms, such as yeast and mold. In order to investigate the conservation characteristics and aerobic stability underlying the effects of additives in whole crop corn silage (WCCS), whole crop corn (WCC) at the milk-ripe stage was ensiled with Lentilactobacillus (L.) buchneri (LB) and different proportions of Artemisia argyi (AA) for 90 days (d) at room temperature, respectively, and aerobic exposure after 90 d fermentation was also conducted. The study found that AA as an additive improved the fermentation quality and enhanced aerobic stability of WCCS, for which the addition of 60% AA increased the lactic acid fermentation rate, with the lactic acid concentration at the end of aerobic exposure significantly higher than in all other treatment groups, at 98.21 g/kg DM (p < 0.01), which decreased the relative abundance of none wanted microorganisms and reduced the content of fungal toxins (p < 0.05). After 90 d of fermentation, LB also increased the organic acids and reduced the pH compared with control, thereby improving fermentation quality. Furthermore, we also discovered that the relative abundance of Candida within the 60% AA was the highest. Candida have the ability to convert WSC into organic acids and lower pH, thus improving the quality of silage. Particularly, 60% AA could improve the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of silage through the biosynthetic pathways of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, as well as by participation in the hydrolysis of glycoside hydrolases (GHs). Unexpectedly, the addition of AA was found to reduce the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes. WCC, ensiled with 60% AA, exhibited excellent fermentation quality and aerobic stability, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanisms of AA which improve the quality of WCCS during the aeration phase. Full article

Mulberry leaves, a common traditional Chinese medicine, represent a potential nutritional strategy to improve the fat profile, also known as the lipo-nutrition, of pork. However, the effects of mulberry leaves on pork lipo-nutrition and the microorganisms and metabolites in the porcine gut remain unclear. In this study, multi-omics analysis was employed in a Yuxi black pig animal model to explore the possible regulatory mechanism of mulberry leaves on pork quality. Sixty Yuxi black pigs were divided into two groups: the control group (n = 15) was fed a standard diet, and the experimental group (n = 45) was fed a diet supplemented with 8% mulberry leaves. Experiments were performed in three replicates (n = 15 per replicate); the two diets were ensured to be nutritionally balanced, and the feeding period was 120 days. The results showed that pigs receiving the diet supplemented with mulberry leaves had significantly reduced backfat thickness (p < 0.05) and increased intramuscular fat (IMF) content (p < 0.05) compared with pigs receiving the standard diet. Lipidomics analysis showed that mulberry leaves improved the lipid profile composition and increased the proportion of triglycerides (TGs). Interestingly, the IMF content was positively correlated with acyl C18:2 and negatively correlated with C18:1 of differential TGs. In addition, the cecal microbiological analysis showed that mulberry leaves could increase the abundance of bacteria such as UCG-005, Muribaculaceae_norank, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, and Limosilactobacillus. Simultaneously, the relative levels of L-tyrosine-ethyl ester, oleic acid methyl ester, 21-deoxycortisol, N-acetyldihydrosphingosine, and mulberrin were increased. Furthermore, we found that mulberry leaf supplementation significantly increased the mRNA expression of lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid-binding protein 4, and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ in muscle (p < 0.01). Mulberry leaf supplementation significantly increased the mRNA expression of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (p < 0.05) while significantly decreasing the expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase in backfat (p < 0.05). Furthermore, mulberry leaf supplementation significantly upregulated the mRNA expression of hormone-sensitive triglyceride lipase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (p < 0.05) in backfat. In addition, mulberry leaf supplementation led to increased serum leptin and adiponectin (p < 0.01). Collectively, this omic profile is consistent with an increased ratio of IMF to backfat in the pig model. Full article

This study focused on exploring the metabolomic profiles of crossbred beef cattle with varying levels of residual feed intake (RFI), a measure of feed efficiency in beef cattle. Sixty-seven crossbred growing beef steers (BW = 277 ± 29.7 kg) were subjected to a high-forage total mixed ration for 64 days to determine their RFI phenotypes. At the end of the 64d feeding trial, beef steers were divided into two groups based on their RFI values: low (or negative)-RFI beef steers (n = 28; RFI = −1.08 ± 0.88 kg/d) and high (or positive)-RFI beef steers (n = 39; RFI = 1.21 ± 0.92 kg/d). Blood samples were collected, and plasma samples were analyzed using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, resulting in the identification of 50 metabolites. The study found a distinct metabolomic signature associated with RFI status. Eight metabolites, including amino acids (tyrosine, glycine, valine, leucine, and methionine) and other compounds (dimethyl sulfone, 3-hydroxy isovaleric acid, citric acid, creatine, and L-carnitine), showed differential abundance between low- and high-RFI groups. Specifically, tyrosine, glycine, and dimethyl sulfone exhibited significant specificity and sensitivity, which produced a discriminatory model with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.7, making them potential markers for RFI. A logistic regression model incorporating these biomarkers effectively distinguished between high- and low-RFI steers, with a threshold cutoff point of 0.48, highlighting a distinctive metabolite profile associated with efficient nutrient utilization in low-RFI cattle. The logistic regression model, incorporating these biomarkers, holds promise for accurately categorizing RFI values, providing insights into the metabolic basis of feed efficiency in beef cattle. Full article

Flavonoids exhibit various bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral properties. Methylated flavonoids are particularly significant due to their enhanced oral bioavailability, improved intestinal absorption, and greater stability. The heterologous production of plant flavonoids in bacterial factories involves the need for enough biosynthetic precursors to allow for high production levels. These biosynthetic precursors are malonyl-CoA and l-tyrosine. In this work, to enhance flavonoid biosynthesis in Streptomyces albidoflavus, we conducted a transcriptomics study for the identification of candidate genes involved in l-tyrosine catabolism. The hypothesis was that the bacterial metabolic machinery would detect an excess of this amino acid if supplemented with the conventional culture medium and would activate the genes involved in its catabolism towards energy production. Then, by inactivating those overexpressed genes (under an excess of l-tyrosine), it would be possible to increase the intracellular pools of this precursor amino acid and eventually the final flavonoid titers in this bacterial factory. The RNAseq data analysis in the S. albidoflavus wild-type strain highlighted the hppD gene encoding 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase as a promising target for knock-out, exhibiting a 23.2-fold change (FC) in expression upon l-tyrosine supplementation in comparison to control cultivation conditions. The subsequent knock-out of the hppD gene in S. albidoflavus resulted in a 1.66-fold increase in the naringenin titer, indicating enhanced flavonoid biosynthesis. Leveraging the improved strain of S. albidoflavus, we successfully synthesized the methylated flavanones hesperetin, homoeriodictyol, and homohesperetin, achieving titers of 2.52 mg/L, 1.34 mg/L, and 0.43 mg/L, respectively. In addition, the dimethoxy flavanone homohesperetin was produced as a byproduct of the endogenous metabolism of S. albidoflavus. To our knowledge, this is the first time that hppD deletion was utilized as a strategy to augment the biosynthesis of flavonoids. Furthermore, this is the first report where hesperetin and homoeriodictyol have been synthesized from l-tyrosine as a precursor. Therefore, transcriptomics is, in this case, a successful approach for the identification of catabolism reactions affecting key precursors during flavonoid biosynthesis, allowing the generation of enhanced production strains. Full article

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) on liver oxidative damage and energy metabolism in immune-stressed broilers. In total, 312 broilers were divided into 4 groups (saline, LPS, SAEE, and LAEE). Broilers in the saline and LPS groups were fed a basal diet; the SAEE and LAEE groups had an added 0.01% AEE in their diet. Broilers in the LPS and LAEE groups were injected with lipopolysaccharides, while the saline and SAEE groups were injected with saline. Results showed that AEE increased the body weight, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, as well as decreasing the feed conversion ratio of immune-stressed broilers. AEE protects against oxidative damage in immune-stressed broiler livers by elevating the total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione S-transferase alpha 3 (GSTA3) and glutaredoxin 2 (GLRX2) expression, while decreasing malondialdehyde content. AEE lessened inflammation by reducing prostaglandin-F2α production and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1β) expression. AEE decreased oxidative phosphorylation rates by increasing succinic acid levels and lowering both adenosine diphosphate (ADP) levels and ceroid lipofuscinosis neuronal 5 (CLN5) expression. AEE modulated the metabolism of phenylalanine, tyrosine, lipids, and cholesterol by reducing the phenyllactate and L-arogenate levels, lowering dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) and apolipoprotein A4 (APOA4) expression, and increasing phenylpyruvic acid and dopa decarboxylase (DDC) expression. In summary, AEE can effectively alleviate liver oxidative damage and energy metabolism disorders in immune-stressed broilers. Full article

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea [L.] Gaud.), a nutritious animal feed, is rich in protein and produces a variety of secondary metabolites that increase its palatability and functional composition. Ethylene (ETH) is an important plant hormone that regulates the growth and development of various crops. In this study, we investigated the impact of ETH sprays on the growth and metabolism of forage ramie. We explored the mechanism of ETH regulation on the growth and secondary metabolites of forage ramie using transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Spraying ramie with ETH elevated the contents of flavonoids and chlorogenic acid and decreased the lignin content in the leaves and stems. A total of 1076 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 51 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in the leaves, and 344 DEGs and 55 DEMs were identified in the stems. The DEGs that affect phenylpropanoid metabolism, including BGLU41, LCT, PER63, PER42, PER12, PER10, POD, BAHD1, SHT, and At4g26220 were significantly upregulated in the leaves. Ethylene sprays downregulated tyrosine and chlorogenic acid (3-O-caffeoylquinic acid) in the leaves, but lignin biosynthesis HCT genes, including ACT, BAHD1, and SHT, were up- and downregulated. These changes in expression may ultimately reduce lignin biosynthesis. In addition, the upregulation of caffeoyl CoA-O-methyltransferase (CCoAOMT) may have increased the abundance of its flavonoids. Ethylene significantly downregulated metabolites, affecting phenylpropanoid metabolism in the stems. The differential 4CL and HCT metabolites were downregulated, namely, phenylalanine and tyrosine. Additionally, ETH upregulated 2-hydroxycinnamic acid and the cinnamyl hydroxyl derivatives (caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid). Cinnamic acid is a crucial intermediate in the shikimic acid pathway, which serves as a precursor for the biosynthesis of flavonoids and lignin. The ETH-decreased gene expression and metabolite alteration reduced the lignin levels in the stem. Moreover, the HCT downregulation may explain the inhibited lignin biosynthesis to promote flavonoid biosynthesis. In conclusion, external ETH application can effectively reduce lignin contents and increase the secondary metabolites of ramie without affecting its growth and development. These results provide candidate genes for improving ramie and offer theoretical and practical guidance for cultivating ramie for forage. Full article

This study investigates the chemical composition of soyhulls (SHs) as an alternative feed ingredient and their effect on nutrient and amino acid (AA) digestibility in laying hens during peak production. A total of 200 golden brown hens (28 weeks old) were subjected to random allocation across 5 dietary treatments: a corn–soybean meal (SBM) reference diet and 4 test diets with 25% SHs from different mills (SH1, SH2, SH3, and SH4). Each treatment was replicated four times with ten birds per replicate. Digesta samples were collected during three phases (28–32, 32–36, and 36–40 weeks of age) to measure apparent metabolizable energy (AME), the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of nutrients, and the standard ileal digestibility (SID) of AAs. The SBM diet had 30.0% crude protein (CP) and 3.78% crude fiber (CF), while the SH diets had 21.0 to 21.5% CP and 11.6% CF. The findings revealed that the AME was lower (p < 0.05) with SH diets (2404 kcal/kg) compared to the SBM diet (2627 kcal/kg) in all three phases. The SH diets had a lower AID of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ash, ether extract (EE), and crude fiber (CF) than the SBM diet by an average of 2.88, 2.25, 4.93, 4.99, and 3.36%, respectively. The AID of nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was higher in the SH diets than the SBM diet by 3.42% in all three phases (p < 0.05). The SH diets had lower uric acid excretion (about 66.93 mg/100 mL) than the SBM diet (about 76.43 mg/100 mL) on average in all three phases. The SH diets had a lower SID of arginine, histidine, isoleucine, lysine, cysteine, valine, and tyrosine than the SBM diet by 2 to 10%, while the SID of methionine was higher in the SH diets than the SBM diet by 2.2% on average in all three phases (p < 0.05). The SH from Sadiq Brother Feed (SH1) had the highest AME and AID of DM, ash, CP, EE, CF, and the SID of AA among the SH diets. These results indicate that SH can partially replace SBM in laying hen diets, but the source and quality of SH should be considered. Full article

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver malignancy. The hypervascular nature of the majority of HCCs and the peculiar vascular derangement occurring during liver carcinogenesis underscore the importance of angiogenesis in the development and progression of these tumors. Indeed, several angiogenic molecular pathways have been identified as deregulated in HCC. The hypervascular nature and the peculiar vascularization of HCC, as well as deregulated angiogenic pathways, represent major therapeutic targets. To a large extent, intra-arterial locoregional treatments (transarterial-(chemo)embolization) rely on tumor ischemia caused by embolization of tumor feeding arteries, even though this may represent the “primum movens” of tumor recurrence through the activation of neoangiogenesis. Considering systemic therapies, the currently available tyrosine kinase inhibitors (sorafenib, regorafenib, cabozantinib and lenvatinib) and monoclonal antibodies (ramucirumab and bevacizumab, in combination with the anti-PD-L1, atezolizumab) primarily target, among others, angiogenic pathways. Considering the importance of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis and treatment of liver cancer, in this paper, we aim to review the role of angiogenesis in HCC, addressing the molecular mechanisms, available antiangiogenic therapies and prognostic biomarkers in patients receiving these treatments. Full article