Publications by authors named "FangXiong Shi"

Bamboo powder, a novel ingredient, is gaining recognition for its potential as a dietary supplement in poultry feed. This study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented bamboo powder (FBP) on antioxidant status, gut hormone activities, intestinal digestive enzyme activities, gut morphological structure, gastrointestinal development, and the expression of nutritional transporter genes in dwarf yellow-feather broiler chickens. A total of 600 healthy 1-day-old chicks were allocated randomly into two groups, with 10 replicates per group and 30 chicks in each replicate.

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Background: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral disease with a Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) of 10-40 %. It spreads from livestock to humans primarily through tick bites. It is crucial to monitor the peak months of this endemic disease in Afghanistan.

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lncRNA (long non-coding RNA) has been confirmed to be associated with growth, development, cell proliferation, and other biological processes. This study explored the potential role and dynamic change process of lncRNAs and related ceRNA (competitive endogenous RNA) networks in skeletal muscle development of the Yangtze River Delta White (YDW) goat, and to analyze the differences in muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality levels of goats at different growth stages. In this study, we compared the expression profiles of lncRNAs in the of the YDW goats at different stages of growth and development by RNA sequencing.

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Background: Distiller's grains are a by-product of liquor production with a higher yield than liquor. Developing and utilizing distiller's grains well could alleviate the problem of scarce feed resources. Our present experiment was conducted with 6000 yellow-feathered broilers to study the effects of adding distiller's grains yeast cultures (DGYC) to the diet on growth performance and immunity of broilers.

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The continuous increasing demand for egg quality and quantity, and the expanding market share have enabled the egg industry to achieve significant benefits through genetic improvement. This study aims to estimate the genetic parameters and explore selectable breeding traits in the purebred Rhode Island Red (RIR) and White Leghorn (WL), which are 2 high-yielding layer breeds, and better understand their underlying genetic basis and accelerate genetic progress. The DMU software was utilized to analyze 12 egg quality traits, including egg length (EL), egg width (EW), egg shape index (ESI), egg weight (EWT), albumen height (AH), yolk color (YC), Haugh unit (HU), yolk weight (YW), albumen weight (AW), albumen-to-egg weight ratio (AWR), yolk-to-albumen ratio (YAR), and yolk-to-egg weight ratio (YWR).

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Metabolic disorders in maternal generation during the late egg-laying period have adverse effects on neonatal development. The study was conducted to clarify the effects of maternal feeding of hawthorn-leaf flavonoid (HF) on the microbial community and intestinal development of chicks. Breeder hens were fed a basic corn-soybean diet, while the treatment groups were supplemented with 30 or 60 mg/kg HF.

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The development of skeletal muscle is a crucial factor in determining the meat yield and economic benefits of broiler production. Recent research has shown that mulberry leaves and their extracts can be used to significantly improve the growth performance of livestock and poultry. The present study aims to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of skeletal muscle development in broiler offspring by dietary mulberry-leaf flavonoids (MLF) supplementation from the perspective of maternal effect theory.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at how fermented bamboo powder (FPB) affects the health and growth of special chickens called dwarf yellow-feathered broilers.
  • The researchers divided 600 baby chicks into two groups: one group got regular food, and the other group got the same food but with added FPB for a certain number of days.
  • The chickens that ate the FPB grew better, had healthier gut hormones, and showed improvements in their gut structure compared to the regular food group.
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Background: Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are commonly used in sweetened foods and beverages; however their role in metabolic regulation is still not clear. In this experiment, we used guinea pigs as an animal model to study the effect of NNS on body growth and intestinal health by modifying gut microbiota and hypothalamus-related proteins.

Results: For a 28-day feeding experiment a total of 40 guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups, one control (CN) group and three treatments, in which three NNS were added to the diet: rebaudioside A (RA, 330 mg kg), sodium saccharin (SS, 800 mg kg), and sucralose (TGS, 167 mg kg), respectively.

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  • - Genistein helps granulosa cells survive during nutrient deprivation by activating autophagy and inhibiting apoptosis pathways, making it a potential aid in preventing follicular atresia.
  • - In an in vitro study, genistein treatment at micromolar levels significantly reduced apoptosis rates in porcine granulosa cells compared to control conditions.
  • - The study found that genistein increased the autophagic marker LC3II and promoted AMPK activation, indicating its role in enhancing cell survival through specific signaling pathways.
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Introduction: Diabetes and thyroid dysfunction often co-exist. One autoimmune disorder always invites another and it has been reported that such co-morbid ailments always become detrimental to the health of the patients.

Materials And Methods: In our previous work, we elucidated the interactions of diabetes and hypothyroidism on testicular development and spermatogenesis.

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Background: Dietary supplementation with trace elements zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) could promote intestinal development and improve intestinal health. There are, however, few studies examining the possibility that maternal original Zn, Fe and Mn could regulate intestinal development and barrier function in the offspring. This study aimed to investigate how the intestinal growth and barrier function of breeder offspring were affected by collagen peptide-chelated trace elements (PTE; Zn, Fe, Mn).

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  • - The study investigates how free grazing habits of camels near industrial areas lead to the bioaccumulation of toxic heavy metals, specifically lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), in their tissues.
  • - Samples were collected from 30 bull camels and analyzed for heavy metal presence, with findings showing significant decreases in testes weight and testosterone levels at the industrial site compared to non-industrial sites.
  • - Histological analyses revealed structural damage in the testes from the industrial site, confirming that exposure to Pb and Cd adversely affects camel reproductive function, which is crucial for developing effective management strategies.
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  • T1R3 is a taste receptor in mammals that helps recognize sweet and umami flavors and is important for nutrient absorption and hormone regulation.
  • In this study, inhibiting T1R3 led to decreased expression of steroidogenic enzymes and significantly reduced levels of various hormones including testosterone in Leydig cells.
  • Conversely, activating T1R3 with substances like saccharin sodium increased hormone levels and cAMP accumulation, indicating that T1R3 is crucial for steroid hormone production in testes.
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The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Lycopene and L-Carnitine, individually or in combination, on various physiological and molecular factors related to intestinal health and absorption ability in Roosters, such as intestinal morphology, serum biochemical parameters, genes involved in Lycopene uptake, nutritional transport genes, and tight junction genes. The findings of the study revealed that the combination of L-Carnitine and Lycopene supplementation had been found to increase the serum concentration levels of TP and ALB. Interestingly, the relative mRNA expression of genes responsible for Lycopene uptakes, such as and , was higher in the LC group compared to other groups.

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In Brief: The apoptosis of granulosa cells (GCs) is the main reason for porcine follicular atresia. This study provides a novel mechanism for peroxynitrite anion-mediated GC apoptosis and follicular atresia in porcine ovary.

Abstract: Granulosa cells play a crucial role in the development of follicles, and their cell apoptosis in the porcine ovary is a major contributor to follicular atresia.

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  • The study examined how dietary curcumin affects testicular oxidative damage in breeder roosters caused by hydrogen peroxide (HO).
  • Thirty-two roosters were split into four groups, with some receiving curcumin and others facing HO challenges.
  • Results revealed that curcumin reduced abnormal sperm rates, improved testis health, boosted testosterone levels, and countered oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity and reversing negative changes in gene expression related to reproduction and stress response.
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For the male genetic materials to reach and fertilize the egg, spermatozoa must contend with numerous environmental changes in a complex and highly sophisticated process from generation in the testis, and maturation in the epididymis to capacitation and fertilization. Taste is an ancient chemical sense that has an essential role in the animal's response to carbohydrates in the external environment and is involved in the body's energy perception. In recent years, numerous studies have confirmed that taste signaling factors (taste receptor families 1, 2 and their downstream molecules, Gα and PLCβ2) are distributed in testes and epididymis tissues outside the oral cavity.

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The intestinal immune function of chickens is limited during the early growing stage. Maternal nutritional intervention has been suggested to affect the innate immunity of offspring. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal stevioside supplementation on the intestinal immune function of chicken offspring.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study was conducted to assess how dietary Folic acid (FA) affects the reproductive performance of aged broiler breeder roosters, specifically looking at semen quality and testicular health.
  • Results showed that FA supplementation significantly improved semen quality metrics such as volume, concentration, motility, and integrity in aged roosters, along with positive changes in testicular structure and function.
  • The research also indicated that FA enhanced spermatogenesis-related gene expression and influenced testicular autophagy through the mTOR-signaling pathway, demonstrating its potential benefits for aging roosters' reproductive health.
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Eggshell quality is subject to a significant decline in the late laying period, which results in huge economic losses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary mulberry-leaf flavonoids (MF) on the eggshell quality of aged breeder hens. A total of 270 (60-week-old) Qiling breeder hens were randomly assigned to 3 treatments with supplemental dietary MF doses (0, 30, and 60 mg/kg).

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Mulberry-leaf flavonoids (MF), extracted from mulberry leaves, exert antioxidant and hypolipidemic effects. The purpose of this experimental study was to investigate the effects of dietary MF on the ovarian function and liver lipid metabolism of aged breeder hens. We used 270 (60-weeks-old) Qiling breeder hens randomly assigned in 3 treatments with supplemental dietary MF doses (0, 30, 60 mg/kg).

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Article Synopsis
  • Hawthorn-leaves flavonoids (HF) show antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol-lowering effects and were studied for their impact on aged breeder hens' reproductive performance and liver metabolism.
  • A study with 270 hens divided into three dietary groups revealed that HF significantly enhanced egg-laying and hatching rates, reduced harmful lipid levels, and increased estrogen levels in the serum.
  • Additionally, a higher dose of HF improved ovarian health by increasing primordial follicles and promoting antioxidant enzyme activity, ultimately suggesting that HF supports reproductive function in older hens.
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The effects of saccharin, as a type of sweetener additive, on the metabolism and development of mammals are still controversial. Our previous research revealed that saccharin sodium (SS) promoted the feed intake and growth of guinea pigs. In this experiment, we used the guinea pig model to study the physiological effect of SS in the microbiota-gut-hypothalamus axis.

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Our previous study showed that dietary stevioside supplementation could alleviate intestinal mucosal damage induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in broiler chickens. However, it remains unknown whether feeding stevioside to breeder hens could exert similar biological functions in their offspring. The present study aimed to investigate whether maternal dietary stevioside supplementation could prevent LPS-induced intestinal mucosal damage and alteration of gut microbiota in chicken offspring.

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