Effect Of Different Levels Research Articles

Cerebrospinal fluid α-synuclein adds the risk of cognitive decline and is associated with tau pathology among non-demented older adults

BackgroundThe role of α-synuclein in dementia has been recognized, yet its exact influence on cognitive decline in non-demented older adults is still not fully understood.MethodsA total of 331 non-demented individuals were included in the study from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Participants were divided into two distinct groups based on their α-synuclein levels: one with lower levels (α-synuclein-L) and another with higher levels (α-synuclein-H). Measurements included neuropsychiatric scales, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, and blood transcriptomics. The linear mixed-effects model investigated the longitudinal changes in cognition. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model were utilized to evaluate the effects of different levels of α-synuclein on dementia. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was utilized to investigate the biological pathways related to cognitive impairment. Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression models, and mediation analysis were employed to investigate the relationship between α-synuclein and neurodegenerative biomarkers, and their potential mechanisms affecting cognition.ResultsHigher CSF α-synuclein levels were associated with increased risk of cognitive decline and progression to dementia. Enrichment analysis highlighted the activation of tau-associated and immune response pathways in the α-synuclein-H group. Further correlation and regression analysis indicated that the CSF α-synuclein levels were positively correlated with CSF total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau) 181, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Mediation analysis further elucidated that the detrimental effects of CSF α-synuclein on cognition were primarily mediated through CSF t-tau and p-tau. Additionally, it was observed that CSF α-synuclein influenced CSF t-tau and p-tau181 levels via inflammatory pathways involving CSF TNFR1 and ICAM-1.ConclusionsThese findings elucidate a significant connection between elevated levels of CSF α-synuclein and the progression of cognitive decline, highlighting the critical roles of activated inflammatory pathways and tau pathology in this association. They underscore the importance of monitoring CSF α-synuclein levels as a promising biomarker for identifying individuals at increased risk of cognitive deterioration and developing dementia.

Effects of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens L., BSF) Larvae Addition on In Vitro Fermentation Parameters of Goat Diets

The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of different levels of BSF on rumen in vitro fermentation gas production, methane (CH4) production, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and volatile fatty acids (VFAs). The experiment comprised four treatments, each with five replicates. The control group contained no BSF (BSF0), and the treatment groups contained 5% (BSF5), 10% (BSF10), and 15% (BSF15) BSF, respectively. Results showed that at 3 h, 9 h, and 24 h, gas production in BSF5 and BSF10 was significantly higher than in BSF0 and BSF15 (p < 0.05). Gas production in BSF5 and BSF10 was higher than in BSF0, while gas production in BSF15 was lower than in BSF0. At 6 h and 12 h, CH4 emission in BSF15 was significantly lower than in the other three groups (p < 0.05). There were no differences in the pH of in vitro fermentation after BSF addition (p > 0.05). At 3 h, NH3-N levels in BSF10 and BSF15 were significantly higher than in BSF0 and BSF5 (p < 0.05). At 6 h, NH3-N levels in BSF5 and BSF10 were significantly higher than in BSF0 and BSF15 (p < 0.05). Acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and total VFAs in BSF0, BSF5, and BSF10 were significantly higher than in BSF15 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, gas production, CH4 emission, NH3-N, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and VFAs were highest in BSF5 and BSF10 and lowest in BSF15.

Study on the characteristics of glass fiber‐reinforced polymers from recycled wind turbine blades as reinforcement in particleboard

AbstractGlass fiber‐reinforced polymer (GFRP), extensively employed in diverse industries, generates considerable waste, especially from decommissioned wind turbine blades. Our research group has developed a new method of mechanical recovery for GFRP from wind turbine blades. In this study, waste GFRP was processed into a mixed particle size of 0.9–6 mm using a crusher and a screening machine, and then added as reinforcement materials to particleboards. The effects of different levels of four factors (GFRP addition, hot pressing temperature, hot pressing time, and binder dosage) on the properties of GFRP particleboards were evaluated by orthogonal experiments. The study results showed that the particleboards with 30 wt% GFRP improved modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and internal bonding strength (IB) by 74.94%, 42.28%, and 92.05%, respectively, compared to pure poplar particleboards. Moreover, GFRP particleboards demonstrated better water resistance and dimensional stability than commercial particleboards and excelled in thermal stability. Recycling GFRP waste from decommissioned wind turbine blades and incorporating it into particleboard production can reduce environmental pollution, increase the resource recovery utilization rate, and contribute to sustainable manufacturing practices.Highlights Low‐cost and efficient methods of recycling wind turbine blades were proposed. Recycled GFRP from wind turbine blades can be used as reinforcement for particleboard. The prepared particleboards have excellent physical and mechanical properties and are thermally stable. Determination of the optimal glass fiber‐reinforced polymer addition level in particleboard at 30 wt%.

Effects of calcium peroxide on growth of Pontederia cordata and water quality

Combined chemical-biological methods play an important role in ecological restoration. However, it is still unknown whether the addition of calcium peroxide (CaO2) can promote the growth of Pontederia cordata (P. cordata) and the improvement of water quality. Effects of different levels of added CaO2 (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1, and 2 kg/m2) on P. Cordata growth and water quality were investigated. CaO2 promoted germination and tillering and increased the leaf number (p < 0.05) of P. cordata, but reduced leaf length. The plant height and leaf width increased only when the added CaO2 levels were 0.6 kg/m2 and 1 kg/m2, respectively. Adding 0.4–0.6 kg/m2 CaO2 had a cumulative effect on the biomass. High levels of added CaO2 (2 kg/m2) affected the physiology of P. cordata resulting in the most serious damage to cell membrane lipids, the lowest catalase activity, and the highest chlorophyll content. Adding CaO2 did not cause DO and pH of the water to be too high for a long time, but excessive CaO2 made TN and CODMn too high. Thus, 1 kg/m2 CaO2 was most conducive to the growth of P. cordata and the improvement of water quality.

Effect of Different Levels of Nitrogen on Growth, Yield and Productivity of Wheat (Triticum estivum L.) Cv. Koshan-02

The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels (0, 50, 70, 90 &amp; 110 kg N ha-1) of Nitrogen (N) on growth, yield and yield related parameters of wheat (cv. Koshan-02) in Kabul agro-climate condition at the Agricultural Research Farm of Kabul University, during spring 2020-21. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications, each replication consisted of five treatments. Total treatments were (15). The size of each plot was (2mx3m=6m2). The result of our study revealed that the plots treated with highest level (110 kg N ha-1) of N fertilizers produced the highest plant height (85.97cm). maximum number of grains spike-1 (35.74), the highest dry matter (3.937t ha-1), The highest number of tillers m-2 (152.76 m-2), 1000-grain weight (48.94g), grain yield (2891.1kg/ha) large spike length (10.52), number of grains spikelet-1 (2.98), Spikelet number spike-1 (11.54), followed by T4, T3 and T2. It was concluded that all treatments have ranked regarding their efficient effects as ((T5 (110 kg N ha-1&gt; T4 (90 kg N ha-1&gt; T3 (70 kg N ha-1&gt; T2 (50 kg N ha_1&gt; TControl) for all growth, yield and yield helping attributes such as plant height, number of grains spike-1, dry matter (kg ha-1), number of tillers plant-1, 1000-grain weight(g), grain yield (kg ha-1), spike length (cm), number of grains spikelet-1, number of spikelet spike-1, spike number m-2 and number of leaves plant_1. So, for obtaining aimed and desirable yield the application of (110 kg N ha-1) is recommended under research area conditions (Agro-Climatic Condition).

196 Effects of zinc source and level in low ABC-4 diets on nursery pig growth performance and fecal dry matter

Abstract Incorporating pharmacological levels of Zn in nursery pig diets is a well-recognized practice for reducing post-weaning diarrhea, enhancing growth performance, and enhancing gut health. We hypnotized that the use of a specific form of ZnO (small aggregates and agglomerated particles; SAAP), which provides a greater antibacterial property than standard ZnO, could be added at reduced levels without compromising piglet performance. This study aimed to explore the effects of different levels of SAAP Zn source (HiZox, Animine, France) in low ABC-4 diets with low or high CP content. A total of 360 weanling barrows [DNA 200 × 400, initial body weight (BW) = 5.9 ± 0.4 kg] were used in a 38-d experiment. Pigs were randomly assigned to pens (5 pigs/pen) and pens assigned to 1 of 6 treatments with 12 pens/treatment. The experiment consisted of phase 1 from d 0 to 10, phase 2 from d 11 to 24, and phase 3 from d 25 to 38. Treatments consisted in a negative control (NC), which had 150 ppm of Zn (HiZox) throughout the experiment and the remaining treatments were: positive control (PC) containing 3,000 ppm (phase 1) and 2,000 ppm (phase 2) of Zn provided by ZnO; low-HiZox containing 500 ppm (phase 1) and 300 ppm (phase 2) of Zn; low-HiZox-low-CP was similar to low-HiZox but contained less CP (19.3%) than the NC, PC, low and high-HiZox diets (21.3%); high-HiZox containing 800 ppm (phase 1) and 500 ppm (phase 2) of Zn; and high-HiZox-low-CP was similar to high-HiZox but contained 19.3% CP. In phase 3, all pigs were fed a common diet containing 150 ppm of Zn (HiZox) and high CP. For the experimental period (d 0 to 24), average daily gain (ADG; quadratic, P = 0.007) and average daily feed intake (ADFI; quadratic, P = 0.018) increased as HiZox increased (Table). Pigs fed high-HiZox-low-CP had poorer gain to feed ratio (G:F; P &amp;lt; 0.05) than NC, PC, low-HiZox, and high-HiZox. Additionally, in both experimental and overall periods, pigs fed diets with low CP had decreased G:F (P = 0.043) than those fed the same Zn levels but with high CP. Overall, pigs fed high-HiZox-low-CP had decreased G:F than pigs fed high-HiZox only (732 vs. 761 g/kg, respectively; P &amp;lt; 0.05), with other treatments intermediate. For fecal dry matter (DM), pigs fed low CP diets had greater (P = 0.008) DM compared with pigs fed high CP. Thus, the inclusion of HiZox at 800 and 500 ppm in phases 1 and 2, respectively, in a low-ABC-4 diet might be a strategy to reduce the use of pharmacological levels of Zn from ZnO in nursery diets.

110 Effects of increasing levels of soybean meal in nursery diets on growth performance and fecal dry matter of 10 to 25 kg pigs

Abstract With the recent Renewable Fuel Standard Program developed by the Environmental Protection Agency, soybean oil is expected to be in record demand by the fuel energy industry. As a result, there will be the potential opportunity for increased usage of soybean meal (SBM) in swine diets. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of SBM in late nursery diets on growth performance and fecal dry matter (DM). In Exp. pigs [n = 1,266; DNA 241 × 600; initial body weight (BW) = 10.1 ± 0.27 kg] were fed 1 of 4 dietary treatments which were corn-based with SBM levels of 25.0, 28.9, 32.5, or 36.2%. In Exp. pigs (n = 2,340; DNA 241 × 600; initial BW = 13.5 ± 0.29 kg) were fed 1 of 5 dietary treatments which were corn-based with SBM levels of 25.0, 28.9, 32.5, 36.2, or 40.0%. Both experiments lasted 21 d with 14 replicate pens/treatment and 4 or 5 pigs/pen. At d 21 and 26 postweaning for Exp. 1 and 2, respectively, pens of pigs were randomly allotted to treatments in a randomized complete block design with BW as the blocking factor. Additions of SBM replaced feed-grade amino acids to form experimental diets, and all diets were formulated to be nearly isocaloric with SBM NE considered to be 100% of corn NE. Dietary additions of feed-grade AA were adjusted to meet or exceed NRC (2012) AA requirements in relation to Lys for Ile, Met, Cys, Thr, Trp, and Val. In Exp. 1, increasing SBM from 25.0 to 36.2% decreased average daily gain (ADG; linear, P = 0.012), average daily feed intake (ADFI; linear, P &amp;lt; 0.001), and final BW (linear, P = 0.021), with the greatest change occurring when SBM increased from 28.9 to 32.5% (Table). No evidence for difference between treatments was observed for gain to feed ratio (G:F; P = 0.729). Fecal DM decreased (linear, P &amp;lt; 0.006) as SBM increased in the diet at d 7, but not on d 21. In Exp. 2, starting with a heavier initial BW, increasing SBM from 25.0 to 40.0% decreased ADFI (linear, P = 0.017), with the greatest change occurring when SBM increased from 32.5 to 36.2%. However, no evidence for treatment differences (P ≥ 0.198) was observed for ADG, final BW, or G:F. Fecal DM decreased (linear, P ≤ 0.046) at d 7 and 21 as SBM increased in the diet. In conclusion, feeding greater than 28.9% SBM for nursery pigs starting at 10 kg BW does compromise performance, but when pigs are closer to 13.5 kg BW, greater SBM diets did not affect ADG or G:F. Also, increasing the level of SBM reduced fecal DM more markedly a week after the transition to high SBM diets compared with 3 wk after the start of treatment feeding.

Effect of Different Levels of Humic Acid and Salicylic Acid on Yield ParameterS and Yield of Cowpea (Vigna Unguiculata)

An investigation was carried out at Narendra Deva University of Agriculture &amp; Technology, Faizabad (U.P.) during Kharif season of 2013 to find out the effect of different levels of humic acid and salicylic acid on yield contributing parameters and yield of cowpea. The design of the experiment was Randomized Block Design and comprises of six treatments replicated thrice. The maximum pod per plant was recorded with T5 (Foliar spray of humic acid (26 ml/liter water) and 0.2% salicylic acid at 35, 55 and 65 DAS) while minimum number of pods per plant recorded in T2 (Foliar spray of humic acid (26 ml/liter water) at 25 DAS and 0.2% salicylic acid 55 DAS). Maximum pod length (75.92 cm), Maximum number of seed per pod (13.67) and 100 seed weight (13.29 g) was recorded in T5, followed by T4. The maximum seed yield per plant of 13.10 g and harvest index (42.28 %) was reported with the application of humic acid @ (26 ml/liter water) and 0.2% salicylic acid at 35, 55 and 65 DAS.

Effect of different levels of integrated nutrient management in mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Effect of different levels of integrated nutrient management in mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Effect of level of sedation on outcomes in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review of clinical trials with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis

Sedation is routinely administered to critically ill patients to alleviate anxiety, discomfort, and patient-ventilator asynchrony. However, it must be balanced against risks such as delirium and prolonged intensive care stays. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of sedation in critically ill adults. Systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) of randomised clinical trials including critically ill adults admitted to the intensive care unit. CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS, and Web of Science were searched from their inception to 13 June 2023. Risks of bias were assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Aggregate data were synthesised with meta-analyses and TSA, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. This study is registered with PROSPERO: CRD42023386960. Fifteen trials randomising 4352 patients were included, of which 13 were assessed high risk of bias. Meta-analyses comparing lighter to deeper sedation showed no evidence of a difference in all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR) 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.83-1.06; p=0.28; 15 trials; moderate certainty evidence), serious adverse events (RR 0.99, CI 0.92-1.06; p=0.80; 15 trials; moderate certainty evidence), or delirium (RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.94-1.09; p=0.78; 11 trials; moderate certainty evidence). TSA showed that when assessing mortality, a relative risk reduction of 16% or more between the compared interventions could be rejected. The level of sedation has not been shown to affect the risks of death, delirium, and other serious adverse events in critically ill adult patients. While TSA suggests that additional trials are unlikely to significantly change the conclusion of the meta-analyses, the certainty of evidence was moderate. This suggests a need for future high-quality studies with higher methodological rigor. None.

Research on a Real-Time Prediction Method of Hull Girder Loads Based on Different Recurrent Neural Network Models

Real-time prediction of hull girder loads is of great significance for the safety of ship structures. Some scholars have used neural network technology to investigate hull girder load real-time prediction methods based on motion monitoring data. With the development of deep learning technology, a variety of recurrent neural networks have been proposed; however, there is still a lack of systematic comparative analysis on the prediction performance of different networks. In addition, the real motion monitoring data inevitably contains noise, and the effect of data noise has not been fully considered in previous studies. In this paper, four different recurrent neural network models are comparatively investigated, and the effect of different levels of noise on the prediction accuracy of various load components is systematically analyzed. It is found that the GRU network is suitable for predicting the torsional moment and horizontal bending moment, and the LSTM network is suitable for predicting the vertical bending moment. Although filtering has been applied to the original noise data, the prediction accuracy still decreased as the noise level increased. The prediction accuracy of the vertical bending moment and horizontal bending moment is higher than that of the torsional moment.

Effect of Different Organic Manures on Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) Production in Central Region of Punjab, India

The present investigation was carried out at Experimental Farm of the Department of Agriculture, Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India during summer season, 2018. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and fourteen treatments having basal dose of FYM @ 15 t ha-1 except in control. The present study was done to find out the effect of different levels of organic manures i.e. poultry manure and vermi-compost on the production of the chilli (Capsicum annuum L.).All the growth parameter i.e. plant height (cm), plant spread (cm), number of leaves plant-1, number of branches plant-1, days to 1st flowering, days to 50% flowering and yield attributes such as number of fruits plant-1, average fresh fruit weight (g), fruit length (mm), fruit breadth (mm), yield plant-1(g) were found maximum in treatment 12 (T12) which was carried out at 25% FYM+25% Poultry manure+50% Vermi-compostamong all the treatments which was statistically at par with treatment T14(50% Poultry manure+25% FYM+25% Vermi-compost) and T2 (RDF @ N-75, P-30, K-30 kg ha-1) in most of the attributes but the control (T0)shown the poor results in all the attributes. These results suggested that the optimum production of chilli can be obtained with application of 25% FYM+25% Poultry manure+50% Vermi-compost.

Effect of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation lower-extremity cannulation on intra-arterial flow characteristics, oxygen content, and thrombosis risk

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the effects of lower-extremity cannulation on the intra-arterial hemodynamic environment, oxygen content, blood damage, and thrombosis risk under different levels of veno-arterial (V-A) ECMO support. MethodsComputational fluid dynamics methods were used to investigate the effects of different levels of ECMO support (ECMO flow ratios supplying oxygen-rich blood 100–40 %). Flow rates and oxygen content in each arterial branch were used to determine organ perfusion. A new thrombosis model considering platelet activation and deposition was proposed to determine the platelet activation and thrombosis risk at different levels of ECMO support. A red blood cell damage model was used to explore the risk of hemolysis. ResultsOur study found that partial recovery of cardiac function improved the intra-arterial hemodynamic environment, with reduced impingement of the intra-arterial flow field by high-velocity blood flow from the cannula, a flow rate per unit time into each arterial branch closer to physiological levels, and improved perfusion in the lower extremities. Partial recovery of cardiac function helps reduce intra-arterial high shear stress and residence time, thereby reducing blood damage. The overall level of hemolysis and platelet activation in the aorta decreased with the gradual recovery of cardiac contraction function. The areas at high risk of thrombosis under V-A ECMO femoral cannulation support were the aortic root and the area distal to the cannula, which moved to the descending aorta when cardiac function recovered to 40–60 %. However, with the recovery of cardiac contraction function, hypoxic blood pumped by the heart is insufficient in supplying oxygen to the front of the aortic arch, which may result in upper extremity hypoxia. ConclusionWe developed a thrombosis risk prediction model applicable to ECMO cannulation and validated the model accuracy using clinical data. Partial recovery of cardiac function contributed to an improvement in the aortic hemodynamic environment and a reduction in the risk of blood damage; however, there is a potential risk of insufficient perfusion of oxygen-rich blood to organs.

Ecomorphodynamics of oyster reefs and their influence on oyster reef morphology

Over 85 % of oyster reefs have been lost globally due to disease, overharvesting, global warming, and pollution. Consideration of the ecosystem services provided by healthy oyster reefs (e.g., coastal protection, water purification and carbon burial) has driven recent research and restoration efforts worldwide. However, hydrodynamic studies, specifically looking at the effects of different levels of wave exposure on the ecomorphodynamics of oyster reefs, are scarce. In this study, we consider oyster reefs in microtidal estuaries under different levels of relative wave exposure to determine how hydrodynamics may shape reef morphology and how reef morphology affects wave dissipation. We quantify oyster reef morphology through spatial analysis, using morphometrics and spatial density and relate these to the ability of oyster reefs to dissipate wave energy. Field campaigns were undertaken at three microtidal sites in southeast Australia with different hydrodynamic exposure and morphology: Gamay (Botany Bay), Port Hacking and Crookhaven River. We found that reef morphology and orientation is related to estuarine hydrodynamic conditions and thus we propose an ecomorphodynamic model with a continuum of morphologies from sparse reefs aligned perpendicular to the tidal currents and incoming waves (patch reefs), through broken up barriers semi-aligned or obliquely to the tidal flows (string reefs), to the total barrier that exists under the lowest hydrodynamic conditions (fringing reefs). The highest dissipative ability of locally generated wind waves occurred at Crookhaven (patch reef, 165 kW/m2), and lowest at Gamay (string reef, 11.66 kW/m2). Our results suggest that reef morphology, and orientation to currents and waves, influence wave dissipation, and that hydrodynamic conditions in turn influence reef morphology. These findings are important to inform future reef restoration under increasingly severe climate change conditions to optimise ecosystem services on restored oyster reefs.

Effect of Fresh Pudina (Mentha arvensis) Leaves Paste with Water on the Performance of Broilers

An experiment was conducted on 45-day-old broiler chicks reared up to five weeks of age to investigate the Effect of Pudina leaves paste on the Growth and Performance of Broilers. 45-day-old Broiler chicks were randomly divided into five groups with four sub-groups of 4 chicks. The control (first) group received a standard broilers diet. Chicks in, the second, third, fourth and fifth groups received standard broilers supplemented with Pudina leaves paste 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0 g, respectively. Results revealed that there was a significant effect of different levels of Pudina leaves paste on body weight, feed intake and gain in weight of broilers. The feed efficiency of broilers was also improved on feed supplemented with Pudina leaves paste.

The digestion profiles of lipids with different unsaturated levels under the treatment of different intestinal bacteria

Multiple lines of evidences have been demonstrated intestine microbiota could impact the digestion profiles of lipids. In the present study, the effects of different levels of unsaturation in lipids on their digestion patterns under specific gut microbial communities were examined. The results indicated that the different intestinal bacteria does not affect the final free fatty acid content. The most obvious change was found in rapeseed oil with Escherichia fergusonii, and the lowest change was found in linseed oil groups with Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Relatively, the digestive rate of palm oil was affected by the bacteria more easily, when compared with other lipids. The higher the unsaturated level of lipids, the less affected by bacteria during the digestion process. Meanwhile, the relative contents of glycerides among groups revealed obvious differences, which reflected that lipid digestion was severely influenced by different bacteria. The changes in lipid digestion profiles might be attributed to some secondary bile acids, amino acids and their derivatives, and organic acids.

Effect of different levels of single cell protein and probiotic microorganisms on performance, immunological responses, and intestinal histology in laying hens

Effect of different levels of single cell protein and probiotic microorganisms on performance, immunological responses, and intestinal histology in laying hens

Effects of Na2CO3 simulated alkali stress on tradeoff strategies of individual and clonal traits of Leymus chinensis&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;&amp;#8203;

Alkali stress is a significant challenge across the globe which is posing serious threat to crop production and food security. This study was carried out to study the effect of different levels of alkali stress on growth and physiological traits of Leymus chinensis. The study was comprised of different levels of alkali stress; control (CK; 0 mmol&amp;middot;L-1), 25 and 50&amp;nbsp;mmol&amp;middot;L-1. The results showed that imposition of 50 mmol&amp;middot;L-1 alkali stress substantially reduced the photosynthetic capacity, relative water contents and accumulation of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in plant parts. Further, 50 mmol&amp;middot;L-1 alkali stress also reduced the above and below ground biomass, and severely inhibited the root growth. Moreover, increase in concentration of alkali stress inhibited clone components, tillering, tillering bud, and internode bud of Leymus chinensis. In conclusion the increasing concentration of alkali stress can reduce the growth and biomass production and nutrient accumulation of Leymus chinensis.

Xylanase Supplement Enhances the Growth Performance of Broiler by Modulating Serum Metabolism, Intestinal Health, Short-Chain Fatty Acid Composition, and Microbiota.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of xylanase supplementation in a wheat-based diet on growth performance, short-chain fatty acids, intestinal health, microbial composition, and serum metabolism. A total of 1200 male chicks were randomly assigned to four wheat-based diet treatments: Group C (adding 0 mg/kg of xylanase), Group L (adding 50 mg/kg of xylanase), Group M (adding 100 mg/kg of xylanase), and Group H (adding 150 mg/kg of xylanase). The experiment lasted for 56 days. The results indicated that Group H broilers experienced a decreased feed-to-gain ratio throughout the study period. Additionally, dietary supplementation with xylanase led to an increase in the physical barrier, as indicated by increased VH and VH/CD in the gut (p < 0.05). Furthermore, levels of D-lactic acid and endotoxin were reduced. Xylanase supplementation also increased the abundance of Muc-2, ZO-1, and Occludin (p < 0.05). Moreover, xylanase supplementation enhanced the activity of sucrase and maltase in the duodenum (p < 0.05), which may be attributable to the upregulation of the abundance of SI and MGA (p < 0.05). Furthermore, xylanase addition promoted propionic acid produced by specific bacteria, such as Phascolarctobacterium, and influenced the microbial composition to some extent, promoting intestinal health. Additionally, 150 mg/kg of xylanase supplementation increased the amino acid, peptide, and carbohydrate content and upregulated the metabolism of amino acids related to histidine, cysteine, methionine, and other pathways (p < 0.05). These findings suggest adequate xylanase supplementation can enhance nutritional digestibility and absorption, improve growth performance, stimulate endogenous enzyme activity, optimize intestinal morphology and barrier function, and positively influence acid-producing bacteria and amino acid metabolic pathways.

Effect of Different Levels of Extruded Coffee (Coffea arabica) Pulp Flour on the Productive Performance and Intestinal Morphometry of Cobb 500 Broiler Chickens.

Coffee pulp is a by-product of the coffee industry. Due to conventional management techniques, it represents a severe environmental problem due to its negative impact on the soil (anaerobic fermentation and pH changes), water sources (the infiltration of pollutants into streams, acidification of water sources, and modification of microorganisms), and biodiversity (soil microbiology, fish, crustaceans, and other vertebrates). Therefore, it is essential to develop protocols for the treatment of this waste so that it can be used again in other productive activities under the circular economy approach. This means that all the waste from a production process can be reused, can generate value for the benefit of the producer, and, in turn, mitigate the environmental impact. The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of 5 levels of wheat bran (WB) with extruded coffee pulp flour (ECPF) as an alternative to a conventional fiber source in broiler finisher diets. A total of 300 Cobb 500 chickens in the finishing phase were assessed in the study, grouped in 5 treatments: T1, a conventional diet or control treatment (100% WB and 0% ECPF), T2 (75% WB and 25% ECPF), T3 (50% WB and 50% ECPF), T4 (25% WB and 75% ECPF), and T5 (0% WB and 100% ECPF). Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and intestinal morphometry (villus length: VL, villus width: VW, crypt depth: CD, villus height/crypt depth ratio: V/C, and villus surface area: VSA) were evaluated at the level of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Feed intake decreased correspondingly as the ECPF in the diet was increased, with statistical differences (p < 0.01) between their averages; the most significant weight gain (834.61 g) was evidenced with the T2 treatment, this being statistically different (p < 0.01) from T4 and T5; similarly, the best FCR (1.58) was evidenced with the T2 treatment, followed by the control treatment T1 (with 1.64); however, they were not statistically different (p > 0.05). All treatment results were similar to the VL control samples in the three intestinal portions, except for the T5 in the jejunum, which showed statistical differences from the control. In VW, the treatment results were similar to the control samples of the jejunum and ileum; however, in the duodenum, the T5 results showed the highest value (172.18 μm), being statistically different (p < 0.05) from the other treatments being evaluated. For CD, it was only in the duodenum that the T2 and T3 treatments were similar to the control. Likewise, for V/C in the duodenum, only the T2 results were similar to the control. There was no significant difference in the VSA among the different treatment groups. T2 showed better production parameters without altering the intestinal villi. In conclusion, ECPF is a potential input for use to replace up to 25% of WB in the feed of broilers in the finishing phase.