Development of a horizontal transmission model to assess the effects of exposure to pathogenic E. cecorum during the hatching phase in broiler chickens.

Due to the emergence of virulent Enterococcus cecorum (EC) in young broiler chicken flocks, the transmissibility of EC during late embryogenesis needs to be defined. The purpose of the present study was to develop a horizontal transmission model to simulate exposure to virulent EC during the hatching phase. In Exp 1, EC5, EC7, or EC11B (∼10 CFU/embryo) was administered to a subset of the embryos, deemed seeders, by in ovo injection into the amniotic cavity at day 19 of embryogenesis.

Utilizing the apical-out enteroids model to investigate intestinal glucose transport, barrier function, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses in broiler chickens.

Introduction: Conventional 2D intestinal epithelial cell lines have been widely used in investigating intestinal functions, yet with limitations in recapitulating the gut physiology of chickens. A recently established chicken enteroid model with apical-out nature and the presence of leukocyte components represents intestinal mucosal functions. The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate basic gut nutrient transport and barrier functions in this model and 2) identify the model's effectiveness in studying inflammation and oxidative stress responses.

Screening and selection of eubiotic compounds possessing immunomodulatory and anti-Clostridium perfringens properties.

Eubiotics are water and/or feed additives used in poultry to promote gut health and control enteric burden of pathogens, including Clostridium perfringens. While several eubiotic compounds (ECs) are being introduced commercially, it is essential to devise an in vitro model to screen these compounds to assess their immunomodulatory and antimicrobial properties prior to their testing in vivo. A chicken macrophage cell-line (MQ-NCSU) was used to develop an in vitro model to screen the immunological and anti-C.

Deoxynivalenol and fumonisin predispose broilers to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis lameness.

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is the most critical animal health and welfare issue facing the broiler industry worldwide. It is estimated that 1 to 2% of bird condemnation at marketing age is caused by BCO lameness, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in annual losses. Fast-growing broilers are prone to mechanical stress that triggers bacterial translocation across epithelial barriers into the bloodstream, followed by bacterial colonization in the growth plate of long bones, and eventually, bone necrosis and lameness.

Impact of social networks on fertilizer use efficiency in China: Evidence from kiwifruit production in Shaanxi province.

Improving fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) is an effective way to reduce the fertilizer use and non-point source pollution in agriculture production in China. Existing research related to fertilizer use efficiency ignores the impact of famers' social networks, which can significantly affect the fertilizer use and its efficiency. This paper analyzed the impact of social networks on fertilizer use efficiency and the mediator effect of green fertilization technology adoption, based on the calculation of fertilizer use efficiency of 569 kiwifruit farmers in Shaanxi province of China surveyed in 2021 by using stochastic frontier method.

The Zonulin-transgenic mouse displays behavioral alterations ameliorated via depletion of the gut microbiota.

The gut-brain axis hypothesis suggests that interactions in the intestinal milieu are critically involved in regulating brain function. Several studies point to a gut-microbiota-brain connection linking an impaired intestinal barrier and altered gut microbiota composition to neurological disorders involving neuroinflammation. Increased gut permeability allows luminal antigens to cross the gut epithelium, and via the blood stream and an impaired blood-brain barrier (BBB) enters the brain impacting its function.

Assay considerations for fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d): an indicator of intestinal permeability in broiler chickens.

Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FITC-d) is being used as an indicator of intestinal paracellular permeability in poultry research. Especially with the industry moving toward antibiotic-free production, intestinal function and integrity issues have been a research focus. An increasing number of scientific conference abstracts and peer-reviewed journal publications have shown that 4-kDa FITC-d is an efficient marker candidate for measurement of intestinal permeability and can be applied in broiler research.

Caregivers: the potential infection resources for the sustaining epidemic of hand, foot, and mouth disease/herpangina in Guangdong, China?

Background: Although several measures have been taken to control hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina (HA), these two diseases have been prevalent in China for 10 years with high incidence. We suspected that adults' inapparent infection might be the cause of the continued prevalence of HFMD/HA infection in mainland China.

Methods: To explore the role of adults (especially caregivers) in the transmission process of HFMD/HA among children, 330 HFMD/HA cases and 330 healthy children (controls) were selected for a case-control study.

Retrospective study identifies infection related risk factors in close contacts during COVID-19 epidemic.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the risk of infection of children with that of adults and to explore risk factors of infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by following up close contacts of COVID-19 patients.

Method: The retrospective cohort study was performed among close contacts of index cases diagnosed with COVID-19 in Guangzhou, China. Demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms and exposure information were extracted.

Zearalenone (ZEN) in Livestock and Poultry: Dose, Toxicokinetics, Toxicity and Estrogenicity.

One of the concerns when using grain ingredients in feed formulation for livestock and poultry diets is mycotoxin contamination. Aflatoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin, trichothecene (deoxynivalenol, T-2 and HT-2) and zearalenone (ZEN) are mycotoxins that have been frequently reported in animal feed. ZEN, which has raised additional concern due to its estrogenic response in animals, is mainly produced by (), , , , and , and often co-occurs with deoxynivalenol in grains.

Lack of effective home quarantine: The cause of the continuing prevalence of hand, foot, and mouth disease in China?

Background: Home quarantine as a non-pharmaceutical measure is a key strategy for preventing the spread of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) and herpangina (HA). However, the status of home quarantine remains unclear. This study aimed to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of the HFMD and HA by investigating the situation and determining the factors influencing home quarantine in children with HFMD or HA.

Risk Factors Associated with Dengue Virus Infection in Guangdong Province: A Community-Based Case-Control Study.

Dengue fever (DF) is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that is now an epidemic in China, Guangdong Province, in particular and presents high incidence rates of DF. Effective preventive measures are critical for controlling DF in China given the absence of a licensed vaccination program in the country. This study aimed to explore the individual risk factors for the dengue virus infection in Guangdong Province and to provide a scientific basis for the future prevention and control of DF.

Predicting interstate motor carrier crash rate level using classification models.

Ensuring safe operations of large commercial vehicles (motor carriers) remains an important challenge, particularly in the United States. While the federal regulatory agency has instituted a compliance review-based rating method to encourage carriers to improve their safety levels, concerns have been expressed regarding the effectiveness of the current ratings. In this paper, we consider a crash rate level (high, medium, and low) rather than a compliance review-based rating (satisfactory, conditional satisfactory, and unsatisfactory).

Dengue Infection Spectrum in Guangzhou: A Cross-Sectional Seroepidemiology Study among Community Residents between 2013 and 2015.

The majority of dengue virus infections are asymptomatic, which could potentially facilitate the transmission of dengue fever and increase the percentage of sever dengue fever manifestations. This cross-sectional study explored the sero-prevalence of dengue virus infection in Guangzhou to clarify the infection spectrum. In total, 2085 serum samples were collected from residents of 34 communities.