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Embryonic nano lauric acid delivery modulates lipid metabolism, oxidative balance, and gut morphogenesis in broiler chicks
Abstract The in ovo-injection technique was employed as an early-life nutritional strategy to improve the health and productivity of birds by delivering nutrients and bioactive compounds directly to the developing embryo. This study explored the innovative use of in ovo administration of nano-lauric acid (NLA) as a strategy for the metabolic programming of broiler chicks. The goal was to improve hatchability, stimulate hepatic antioxidant activity, regulate growth-related genes, and support intestinal development in newly hatched chicks. A total of 400 fertile eggs from a 40-week-old Arbor Acres breeder flock were randomly divided into four treatment groups: a non-injected control group (CN), a vehicle-injected control group (CP; 0.1 mL of sterile distilled water), and two NLA-treated groups receiving either 2.5 mg/egg (NLA 2.5) or 5 mg/egg (NLA 5) of NLA, each dissolved in 0.1 mL of sterile distilled water. Injections were administered into the yolk sac on day 12 of incubation. Post-hatching, the hatchability percentage was recorded. Serum lipid profiles, hepatic redox status, and the expression level of hepatic genes, nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2), mitochondrial superoxide dismutase 2 (mt-SOD2), and insulin-like growth factors 1 and 2 (IGF-1 and IGF-2) were evaluated. Additionally, the intestinal morphology of the newly hatched chicks was examined. Hatchability % was significantly reduced in the NLA 5 group (80%) compared to the CN (98%), CP (97%), and NLA 2.5 (96%) groups. The findings showed that in ovo injection of NLA at 2.5 mg/egg was therefore identified as optimal, significantly improving lipid metabolism by reducing serum triglycerides, LDL, VLDL, and cholesterol, while increasing HDL cholesterol compared to controls ( P < 0.05). Hepatic antioxidant defense was significantly improved through the decrease of malondialdehyde (MDA) and increase of reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations ( P < 0.05). This enhancement was associated with the upregulation of NRF-2 and mt-SOD2 by (4.04; 3.69-folds, respectively) and stimulation of anabolic signaling genes IGF-1 and IGF-2 by (4.08 and 2.3-folds; respectively) ( P < 0.05). In addition, intestinal development has been significantly promoted via increased villus height and crypt depth ( P < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that in ovo NLA supplementation at 2.5 mg/egg effectively enhances lipid utilization, activates NRF2-mediated antioxidant pathways, and stimulates anabolic signaling. This targeted nutritional strategy proves to be a safe and effective method for pre-hatch metabolic programming, with significant potential to improve post-hatch health and performance in broilers.
Calculation of ultimate bearing capacity and analysis of bearing characteristics for pile group foundation to underlying offset cave
Based on the pile group effect and the principle of limit analysis, a equation is derived for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity of pile group foundations under the condition of offset karst caves beneath. Relying on the pile foundation project in the Guangzhou Baiyun District Science, this study conducts an analysis of the ultimate bearing capacity and bearing characteristics of pile group foundations under karst terrain conditions. The results indicate that an increase in the offset distance of the underlying karst cave leads to a higher ultimate bearing capacity of the pile group foundation. The results of the comparative analysis demonstrate that the proposed method for calculating the ultimate bearing capacity of pile groups is reliable. This method is suitable for evaluating the ultimate bearing capacity and performing safety checks of pile group foundations under the condition of offset karst caves.
Reply to: Neutron diffraction evidence of the 3-dimensional structure of Ba2MnTeO6 and misidentification of the triangular layers within the face-centred cubic lattice
A quantum leap at a time: In memory of Bruce D. Hammock
Distinguished Bruce D. Hammock (1947–2026) was a prolific scientist, gifted teacher, and extraordinary collaborator whose work transformed entomology, immunochemistry, and inflammation biology. Author of more than 1,500 peer-reviewed publications and collaborator with over 3,500 scientists worldwide, he combined scientific rigor with rare generosity and vision. His pioneering studies on juvenile hormone biology, immunochemical biomarkers of environmental exposure, and especially soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) reshaped understanding of inflammation and led to promising clinical therapies. A gifted communicator and mentor, Bruce, inspired generations of students and colleagues through his intellect, humility, and boundless enthusiasm. During the 28,635 days of his life, science and the world were richer for his presence.
Designing and evaluating the acceptability of a psychosocial and socioeconomic support package for people with drug-resistant tuberculosis in Johannesburg, South Africa
Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a global health problem that presents multifaceted challenges to people living with the disease. These challenges lead to sub-optimal adherence in some DR-TB patients who are then not cured of their TB. Besides the challenges associated with taking treatment, many patients with DR-TB also have to contend with psychosocial and socioeconomic challenges. The objective of this study was to develop a psychosocial and socioeconomic intervention for people with DR-TB in Johannesburg, South Africa, and evaluate if they find it acceptable. Guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) and Perceptions and Practicalities Approach (PaPA) frameworks, and utilising a participatory research approach, We developed a support package with input from a qualitative needs assessment with DR-TB patients (n = 16) and family members (n = 8) and input from various stakeholders (n = 18), (health managers, clinicians and officials from social security departments). The support package was then evaluated for acceptability by patients who had successfully completed DR-TB treatment (n = 13) and their families (n = 6), using an exploratory qualitative method. Both successfully treated DR-TB patients and their family members found the intervention to be acceptable and believed it will reduce the barriers to retention in care that they faced during their treatment journey.
Above-canopy versus below-canopy nitrogen addition affects nitrate leaching and mineralization but not greenhouse gas fluxes in a sessile oak stand
Abstract Increasing nitrogen (N) deposition may alter soil N status and dynamics, as well as the emission of soil greenhouse gases (GHGs). Most of the experimental N manipulations performed so far have neglected the interaction with the canopy, which influences both quantity and quality of the N input into the soil. Here, we assess the effects of N fertilizer application method on N mineralization, and soil GHG fluxes. The experimental site is a sessile oak ( Quercus petraea L.) stand in Northern Italy and consists of a set of three plots, replicated three times. In each replication, one plot is not fertilized (control plot); one plot receives the fertilization on the forest floor (below-canopy treatment), and one plot receives the fertilization above the canopy (above-canopy treatment). After 5 years of experimental N applications, equal to 20 kg N ha −1 y −1 distributed equally five times during the vegetative season, net soil N mineralization was assessed with the in-situ soil core incubation method. Soil CO 2 flux was measured with a portable infra-red gas analyzer, while the soil CH 4 and N 2 O fluxes were assessed using static closed chambers. No treatment effect was evidenced on soil mineral N content. However, during the last two vegetative seasons, topsoil N leaching increased in the treatment below, and not in the treatment above. On the contrary, N mineralization was lower compared to the control only in the treatment below. These results indicate that the tree canopy can mitigate the effect of N deposition on soil N cycling, which may therefore have been overestimated in previous studies using ground N fertilization. On the other hand, differences in soil GHG fluxes among treatments were not significant, even when the effect of soil temperature and soil moisture was considered. Nevertheless, given the complex relationships between N depositions, soil N dynamics and GHG emissions, long-term investigation is needed to determine whether the presence of the forest canopy, and/or differences in forest type, can mitigate or delay N saturation in the medium to long term.
SEC3A acts as an effector of RabE1b to regulate auxin transport in arabidopsis
The establishment and architectural growth of terrestrial plants critically depend on polar auxin transport, a process primarily driven by the asymmetric distribution of PIN proteins within the plasma membrane. In Arabidopsis, the exocyst, an evolutionarily conserved octameric vesicle-tethering complex, orchestrates the recycling of PIN proteins, with subunits such as SEC6, SEC8, and EXO70A1 having established roles in this process. However, how the exocyst is mechanistically integrated into PIN recycling networks and the regulatory hierarchy remain unsolved. Here, SEC3A driven by pollen-specific ProLAT52 promoter was transformed into sec3a / + background, generating two independent pollen rescued ( PRsec3a ) mutant lines PRsec3a-1 and PRsec3a-2 , and enabling investigation of SEC3A function in sporophytic growth related to PIN protein dynamics. PRsec3a exhibited stunted primary root elongation, disrupted gravitropism, and reduced auxin accumulation. Notably, endocytic recycling of PIN1, PIN2, and BRI1 proteins from the Brefeldin A-induced compartments was compromised in PRsec3a . Furthermore, SEC3A was identified as an effector of the small GTPase RabE1b, defining a novel regulatory axis. Together, these findings advance the understanding of Exocyst-mediated membrane trafficking and its pleiotropic roles in plant development.
rGO/BC nanocomposite aerogels exhibit recyclable adsorption of organic solvents and oils with enhanced flame resistance
Familiar story structures possess an evolutionary edge in memory
Human beings demonstrate a universal impulse to share and consume stories. Over generations of transmission, within and across cultures, stories have evolved to develop regularities in their internal structures. Here, we investigated how two features of story structure – coherence and familiarity – impact recall as participants retold a story 5 days in a row. We predicted that familiar and coherent structures would be more stable over retellings. We measured stability using two novel story similarity measures of the (1) degree of structural change within storytellers, and (2) similarity in remembered structure across storytellers. Study 1 first validated our story similarity measure. Studies 2 and 3 then tracked the evolution of stories that varied in coherence and familiarity, respectively, using novel stories adapted from the popular “Cinderella” structure. Results showed that all stories became more structurally stable across retellings, with stories moving in a consistent direction ( i.e. , towards a consistent final form). However, retellings of a story with a more coherent and familiar structure showed both greater stability within and similarity across minds than retellings of a story with an incoherent (Study 2) or unfamiliar structure (Study 3). Thus, using novel tools to measure story evolution, our findings suggest that familiarity and coherence of a story structure offered it an advantage in memory, both within and across minds.
Study on the effect of solid particle proppant on fracture support and flow conductivity in coal seam
Correction: Identification of transposable elements and satellite DNA in the Neotropical species Drosophila amaguana from the Ecuadorian Andean Forests
Discordance in gender role attitudes between spouses and its relationship with the risk biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases: a couple-level analysis
Abstract Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is prevalent among older adults, but studies often focus on individual spouses rather than couple dynamics. This study examines how interplay between spouses—specifically discordance in gender role attitudes—relates to CVD risk biomarkers, using couple-matched data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (KSHAP) on 308 older married couples (616 individuals). Actor-partner interdependence models (APIM) reveal that discordant gender role attitudes are significantly associated with higher CVD risk markers—higher systolic blood pressure, higher triglycerides (TG), lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and a higher TG: HDL-C ratio—among wives only. These associations persist after adjusting for individual-level risk factors, including marital quality, sociodemographics, health behaviors, and depressive symptoms. However, no significant association is found with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Two groups of wives are identified as being at the greatest risk for CVD: traditional wives with egalitarian husbands and egalitarian wives with traditional husbands.
Oral and rectal colonization of Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in one long-term care facility and changes in professional oral hygiene care: Cross-sectional and interventional study
The spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria is a global threat. Our previous study investigated oral colonization by Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in long-term care facilities. In this study, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the oral cavity of bedridden severely dependent elderly residents were investigated and the relationship of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria with oral and systemic status was clarified. In addition, the effect of professional oral care on antimicrobial-resistant bacteria colonization was investigated. This was a cross-sectional study followed by an interventional study. Fifty-seven residents were randomly assigned to screening for the presence of Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria with 3 rd -generation cephalosporin or carbapenem-resistance methods and the presence of oral and rectal MRSA using respective selective plates. Epidemiological data were collected from clinical records. The interventional study was conducted on 23 subjects who presented with Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria or S. aureus in the cross-sectional study. The interventions included professional oral care once a week for 8 weeks in addition to daily oral care. Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria colonization before and after the intervention was compared. Among 57 subjects, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria were isolated from oral samples of 29 subjects and from rectal samples of 44 subjects. Among 29 subjects with oral antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and MRSA were isolated from 21 and 17 subjects, respectively. Logistic regression analysis of the independent variables revealed that Non-oral nutritional intake was significantly related to Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria positivity. In the interventional study, professional oral care failed to eliminate of oral antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in most subjects. This study showed that subjects with Non-oral nutritional intake had significantly higher rates of oral Gram-negative antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. These findings concluded that a short-term professional oral management has a limited capacity to eliminate antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Our results provide important information for the control of infections caused by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the oral cavity.
Jichuan decoction alleviates constipation by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway: an integrated network pharmacology and experimental study
Design and evaluation of low-cost, DIY programmable tissue processor for solvent exchange in biological sample preparation
Imaging techniques are fundamental tools in biology for examining cell growth and responses to the environment. Many tissues require fixing, staining, and/or clearing before they can be visualized under a microscope. However, these protocols, such as those using propidium iodide (PI), a fluorescent cationic stain widely used across biological specimens including plant, mammalian, and bacterial, often require laborious dehydration and rehydration steps to facilitate stain penetration. These stepwise solvent exchanges, for example, by passing tissues through a graded ethanol series, are time-consuming and manually intensive. While automated tissue processors offer an alternative, they are outside of the budget for many labs. Here, we present an open-source, low-cost (~$400) automated tissue processor that performs sequential dehydration and rehydration of biological tissues, significantly reducing hands-on labor. The processor is made of readily available, standardized parts and includes custom software that allows users to define and save protocols. We demonstrate the use of the processor by automating a multi-day PI staining protocol across multiple plant species, tissue morphologies, and users, and by comparing tissue quality with hand-processed samples. Our design provides a low-cost, accessible alternative to expensive commercial tissue processors, offering a practical solution for a wide range of biology laboratories.
Investigation and enhancement of stress-dependent compliance characteristics in deep in-situ stress measurements based on anelastic strain recovery (ASR) method
Single-cell transcriptomic profiling of C. elegans Q neuroblast lineage during migration and differentiation
Proper migration and differentiation of neuroblasts into neurons are essential for the development of a healthy nervous system. In this context, the asymmetrical migration of Caenorhabditis elegans Q neuroblasts provides a powerful model for studying the genetic aspects of neuronal migration in vivo at single-cell resolution. We isolated Q lineage cells at various stages of development using FACS and employed single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the migration and differentiation of these neuroblasts. We created a robust transcriptomic differentiation map of the Q neuroblast lineage and used established markers to identify each cell in the lineage. Our results revealed novel genes not previously described in these cells and linked the expression of known genes to specific stages of Q lineage progression. Furthermore, functional enrichment and imaging provided evidence that the parent Q cells are initially specified with an epithelial-like identity and undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition during the early stages of migration. We also identified novel Wnt-related expression, including left-right asymmetric expression of cwn-1 and cwn-2 , and the involvement of the Wnt/β-catenin asymmetry pathway in the Q lineage. Our work offers a high-resolution view of neuroblast development, showcasing the power of single-cell transcriptomics to reveal stage-specific regulatory programs.
Deep learning–based basilar artery wall and lumen segmentation from 1-mm MR vessel wall imaging
Predicting short-term mortality in severe cirrhosis: An interpretable machine learning model integrating routine clinical indicators
Background The critical need for precise risk stratification in severe liver cirrhosis is underscored by its substantial 30-day mortality rates, demanding reliable tools to guide clinical interventions. Objective To establish a machine learning-driven prognostic model for short-term mortality prediction in decompensated cirrhosis through comprehensive analysis of critical care data. Methods This retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,044 carefully curated cases from the MIMIC-IV database, randomly divided into training (n = 740) and validation (n = 304) sets. We developed a machine learning model incorporating multidimensional clinical parameters, with rigorous evaluation and internal validation. Short-term survival was analyzed via bootstrap-validated Cox proportional hazards regression. Prognostic heterogeneity across international normalized ratio (INR)-based strata was examined. Results The final prediction model incorporated eight significant predictors: age (OR 1.051, 95% CI 1.033–1.070), INR (OR 1.423, 95%CI 1.231–1.644), creatinine (OR 1.171, 95%CI 1.071–1.208), platelets (OR 0.995, 95%CI 0.993–0.997), white blood cell (OR 1.116, 95%CI 1.078–1.155), total bilirubin (OR 1.027, 95%CI 1.002–1.052), peptic ulcer (OR 0.336, 95%CI 0.134–0.845), and Aspartate Aminotransferase/Alanine Aminotransferase (AST/ALT) (OR 1.508, 95%CI 1.294–1.757). The model demonstrated excellent discrimination with an AUC of 0.846 in the training cohort. Cox regression analysis confirmed these findings and identified additional associations with aspartate aminotransferase and red blood cell levels. Furthermore, the indicators within the model provide accurate predictions for the clinical outcomes of patients suffering from severe cirrhosis. Subgroup analysis revealed significant mortality variations across different INR ranges ( P < 0.001). Conclusions Our prediction model identifies high-risk cirrhotic patients and highlights critical prognostic factors, offering clinicians a valuable tool for risk stratification and timely intervention. The strong correlation between laboratory markers, complications, and outcomes underscores the importance of close monitoring in this population. However, our model is an initial step, effective within the ICU but requiring external, multi-center studies to broaden its clinical applicability, which is a clear priority for our future work.