[Progress of circulating tumor DNA methylation for gastric cancer screening and management].

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is cell-free DNA released by tumors or circulating tumor cells, containing abundant tumor-specific information that can serve as biomarkers for cancer early screening, monitoring, prognosis, and prediction of treatment response. This is particularly attractive in the field of gastric cancer, where high-quality screening, monitoring, and prediction methods are currently lacking. Gastric cancer exhibits significant tumor heterogeneity, with large differences in genetic and epigenetic characteristics among different subgroups. Methylated ctDNA has high sensitivity and specificity, which can help clarify tumor genotyping and facilitate the formulation of precise diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Furthermore, numerous studies have confirmed the unique advantages of methylated DNA in predicting treatment response, adjuvant therapy, and drug resistance assessment, which may be used in the future to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy regimens and improve patient chemotherapeutic response, and even treat multidrug resistance. However, there are several challenges associated with methylated ctDNA, such as low sensitivity and specificity at single-target sites, limited association between some gastric cancer subtypes and ctDNA, off-target risks, and the lack of large-scale and high-quality clinical research evidence. This review mainly summarizes current research on the methylation status of ctDNA in gastric cancer and connects these findings to early screening, recurrence monitoring, and potential treatment opportunities for gastric cancer. With advances in technology and the deepening of interdisciplinary research, ctDNA detection will reveal more disease information and become an essential foundation for gastric cancer research and precision medicine treatment.

Spatiotemporal Single-Photon Airy Bullets.

Uninhibited control of the complex spatiotemporal quantum wave function of a single photon has so far remained elusive even though it can dramatically increase the encoding flexibility and thus the information capacity of a photonic quantum link. By fusing temporal waveform generation in an atomic ensemble and spatial single-photon shaping, we hereby demonstrate for the first time complete spatiotemporal control of a propagation invariant (2+1)D Airy single-photon optical bullet. These correlated photons are not only self-accelerating and impervious to spreading as their classical counterparts, but can be concealed and revealed in the presence of strong classical stray light.

MRI-based radiomics for the diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To analyse the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based radiomics for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) by conducting a meta-analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search was performed to identify relevant English articles concerning the MRI-based radiomics diagnosis of TNBC (from the date of database establishment to November 2021). The pooled sensitivity (SEN), pooled specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio (LR+), negative likelihood ratio (LR-), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with 95% confidence interval (CI), summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) for the accuracy of MRI-based radiomics in the diagnosis of TNBC were calculated. The I2 test was used to assess heterogeneity and the source of heterogeneity was investigated by performing a meta-regression analysis. Publication bias was assessed using Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test. RESULTS: Six studies (1,223 patients) met the eligibility criteria. The pooled sensitivity and specificity were 0.72 and 0.91, respectively. The LR+ of the malignant ultrasonic features was 8.0, and the LR- was 0.31, revealing that MRI-based radiomics exhibited excellent ability to confirm or exclude TNBC. SROC curves showed that the AUC of the MRI-based radiomics diagnosis of TNBC was 0.88, indicating that MRI-based radiomics has good diagnostic value for TNBC. CONCLUSIONS: MRI radiomics is an excellent diagnostic tool with high specificity for the diagnosis of TNBC.

Quantum Interference between Photons and Single Quanta of Stored Atomic Coherence.

Essential for building quantum networks over remote independent nodes, the indistinguishability of photons has been extensively studied by observing the coincidence dip in the Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometer. However, indistinguishability is not limited to the same type of bosons. For the first time, we hereby observe quantum interference between flying photons and a single quantum of stored atomic coherence (magnon) in an atom-light beam splitter interface. We demonstrate that the Hermiticity of this interface determines the type of quantum interference between photons and magnons. Consequently, not only the bunching behavior that characterizes bosons is observed, but counterintuitively, fermionlike antibunching as well. The hybrid nature of the demonstrated magnon-photon quantum interface can be applied to versatile quantum memory platforms, and can lead to fundamentally different photon distributions from those occurring in boson sampling.

Effects of essential oil/palygorskite composite on performance, egg quality, plasma biochemistry, oxidation status, immune response and intestinal morphology of laying hens.

The current study aimed to assess the effects of different levels of essential oil/palygorskite composite (EO-PGS) supplementation on performance, egg quality, oxidative status, immunity and intestinal morphology of laying hens. A total of 480 laying hens aged 65 wk were randomly assigned into 4 groups (6 replicates of 20 hens each). Hens were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0 (control diet), 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS for 56 d. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA. Results showed that birds fed with diet supplemented with EO-PGS had increased the egg production (P < 0.05) more than birds fed with control diet. The yolk index and shell thickness were increased in 0.75 and 1.0 g/kg EO-PGS groups at d56 (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in plasma biochemical parameters among all groups. Compared with the control group, supplementation of EO-PGS increased the immunoglobulin-G and interleukin-2 levels in plasma (P < 0.05). The total antioxidant capacity in plasma and liver, the plasma catalase concentration, the activity of total superoxide dismutase in the liver and the activity of glutathione peroxidase in the spleen were increased in the EO-PGS groups (P < 0.05). The concentration of malondialdehyde in the liver was decreased with the increasing level of EO-PGS (P < 0.05). The crypt depth of ileum and duodenum of birds fed with EO-PGS supplemented diet had a tendency to decrease (0.05

[A cohort study on the correlation between alanine aminotransferase trajectories and new-onset metabolic fatty liver disease].

Objective: To explore the correlation between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) trajectories and new-onset metabolic fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of MAFLD. Methods: The study cohort was composed of 3 553 subjects who met the inclusion criteria in the cohort study of the Henan physical examination population. According to the ALT levels of the subjects' physical examination from 2017-2019, three different ALT trajectory groups were determined by R LCTMtools, namely low-stable group, medium-stable group, and high-stable group. The incidence of MAFLD during physical examination in 2020 was followed up, the cumulative incidence rate in each group was calculated by product-limit method, and Cox proportional hazards regression model analyzed the correlation between different ALT trajectories and new-onset MAFLD. Results: The incidence rate of MAFLD parallelly increased with the increase of ALT locus, which was 6.93%, 15.42%, and 19.05%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, such as gender, waist circumference, blood pressure, BMI, fasting blood sugar, and blood lipid by Cox proportional hazards regression model, the risks of MAFLD in ALT medium-stable and the high-stable group were still 1.422 times (95%CI:1.115-1.813) and 1.483 times (95%CI:1.040-2.114) of low-stable ALT group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The risk of MAFLD parallelly increases with the increase of ALT level in the normal long-term range. it is necessary to carry out the intervention for MAFLD with long-term average high value to avoid the progress of MAFLD disease to achieve the early prevention on MAFLD.

SU(2)-in-SU(1,1) Nested Interferometer for High Sensitivity, Loss-Tolerant Quantum Metrology.

We present experimental and theoretical results on a new interferometer topology that nests a SU(2) interferometer, e.g., a Mach-Zehnder or Michelson interferometer, inside a SU(1,1) interferometer, i.e., a Mach-Zehnder interferometer with parametric amplifiers in place of beam splitters. This SU(2)-in-SU(1,1) nested interferometer (SISNI) simultaneously achieves a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), sensitivity beyond the standard quantum limit (SQL) and tolerance to photon losses external to the interferometer, e.g., in detectors. We implement a SISNI using parametric amplification by four-wave mixing (FWM) in Rb vapor and a laser-fed Mach-Zehnder SU(2) interferometer. We observe path-length sensitivity with SNR 2.2 dB beyond the SQL at power levels (and thus SNR) 2 orders of magnitude beyond those of previous loss-tolerant interferometers. We find experimentally the optimal FWM gains and find agreement with a minimal quantum noise model for the FWM process. The results suggest ways to boost the in-practice sensitivity of high-power interferometers, e.g., gravitational wave interferometers, and may enable high-sensitivity, quantum-enhanced interferometry at wavelengths for which efficient detectors are not available.

Increased risk of end-stage renal disease in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs, including the kidneys. There is a lack of long-term renal prognosis studies on patients with SSc. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with SSc. METHOD: We designed a prospective cohort study based on the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. Patients with SSc and a non-SSc control group were selected from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2013. The SSc cohort and control group were matched on the propensity score in a 1:2 ratio. The primary outcome was development of ESRD. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to assess the effects of SSc on ESRD. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, we enrolled 2012 patients in the SSc group and 4024 patients in the control group. During a mean follow-up of 6.5 years, 86 individuals [SSc group, n = 41 (2.04%); control group, n = 45 (1.12%)] had developed ESRD. The risk of ESRD in the SSc group was approximately two times higher than that in the control group [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39-3.24]. Subgroup analysis revealed that the higher risk of ESRD was predominantly in males (HR = 4.14, 95% CI 1.97-8.71) and the younger population (HR = 7.09, 95% CI 2.31-21.80). CONCLUSION: There was a significantly higher risk of ESRD among SSc patients than among the general population, with males and younger generations being the most vulnerable groups.

[Effect of early-life antibiotic exposure on allergic symptoms in children aged 6-11 months and 18-23 months based a birth cohort study].

Objective: To analyze the associations between prenatal and 1-year-old exposure to antibiotics and allergic symptoms in children aged 6-11 months and 18-23 months. Methods: In this study, a prospective birth cohort study was adopted. A total of 2 122 pregnant women were enrolled in Maternal and Child Health Care Center of Ma'anshan from June 2015 to June 2016, and they were followed up from the beginning of pregnancy to children's 24 months of age. Excluding 564 pairs of mothers and children who were lost to follow-up or with incomplete information on the use of antibiotics and children's allergic symptoms, a total of 1 558 pairs of mothers and children were included in the analysis of this study. The parents and children's general demographic information, early-life antibiotic exposure and other data were collected, the information about allergic symptoms in children aged 6-11 months and 18-23 months were investigated by reference to the "International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)". The univariate and multivariate binary unconditional logistic regression model was used to was used to estimate associations between the effects of early-life antibiotic exposure on allergic symptoms in 2-year-old children. Results: The antibiotic usage rate of pregnant women during pregnancy was 3.4% (53), and the antibiotic usage rates of children between 0 to 2 months, 3 to 5 months, and 6 to 11 months were separately 15.2%(237), 15.5%(242) and 17.3%(269). The total prevalence of allergic diseases in children aged 6 to 11 months was 24.1% (375 children), and the total prevalence of allergic diseases in children aged 18 to 23 months was 22.0% (342 children). After adjust parental (maternal) education level, family monthly income per capita, parental (maternal) allergy history, parental (maternal) age at pregnancy, mother's Body Mass Index (BMI) before pregnancy, exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy, delivery method, child gender, birth weight, preterm birth, the use of antibiotics when children were 3-5 months old (RR=1.61,95%CI:1.19-2.17) and 6-11 months old (RR=1.43,95%CI:1.06-1.93) were the risk factors for allergic symptoms at 6-11 months of age; and the use of antibiotics when children were 0-2 months old (RR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.03-1.95), 3-5 months old (RR=1.54, 95%CI: 1.12-2.11) and 6-11 months old (RR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.17-2.14) were the risk factors for allergic symptoms at 18-23 months of age. Conclusion: Children's exposure to antibiotics within 1 year of age was a risk factor for allergic symptoms in children aged 6-11 months and 18-23 months, children should avoid unnecessary antibiotic use in infancy.

[Masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer for smile reanimation in adults].

Objective: To investigate the outcomes of masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer for smile reanimation in adults and to explore surgical indications. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 37 patients (11 males, 26 females, with (40.3±12.7) years old)who underwent masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer for smile reanimation between 2016 and 2017 was performed. Patient-reported quality of life (facial clinimetric evaluation, FaCE), physician-reported facial function (eFACE facial grading scale), and oral commissure excursion were compared preoperatively and postoperatively. SPSS 11.0 software was used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty-seven patients were followed up in one year after surgery. Significant postoperative improvements were demonstrated for commissure excursion with smile (preoperatively: (-1.2±3.1) mm, postoperatively: (6.1±3.5) mm, t=-31.1, P<0.01), ipsilateral FaCE (preoperatively: (29.4±14.1), postoperatively: (57.6±23.4), t=-38.1, P<0.01), eFACE score (Composite score t=-35.8, Static score t=-29.1, Dynamic score t=-41.3,Midface score t=-43.9, all P<0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Masseter nerve-innervated free gracilis muscle transfer is an good option for dynamic smile reanimation in adult patients who have undergone treatment for long-standing facial paralysis.

Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) restores intestinal dysbacteriosis to alleviate upregulated inflammatory cytokines triggered by femoral diaphyseal fracture in adolescent rodent model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of femoral shaft fracture on systemic inflammation and gut microbiome in adolescent rats and evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and its regulation of intestinal flora, as well as illustrate the mechanism by which LGG ameliorates the inflammatory response and restores intestinal dysbacteriosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats of 5 to 6 weeks of age were subjected to a standard femoral shaft fracture and internally fixed with LGG supplementation in advance or on the same day of injury or with saline solution for 1 week. The levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and CRP were assessed using standard protocols. Furthermore, gut microbiota composition was analyzed in the fecal samples using 16S rDNA gene sequencing, and the relationship between gut microbiota variation and inflammatory response was tested. RESULTS: The serum indices of the above-mentioned inflammatory cytokines were significantly increased, and the gut microbial balance was significantly disturbed in adolescent rats by diaphyseal fractures of the femur and surgery. Moreover, L. rhamnosus strains manipulated the gut microbiota by decreasing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and increasing that of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, which in turn increased the levels of IL-10 and alleviated the levels of IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α. CONCLUSIONS: LGG exhibited anti-inflammatory effects by alleviating the inflammatory response and regulating the gut microbiota in adolescent rats who underwent skeletal fracture and surgery. Our results suggested that the L. rhamnosus strains could be considered as an alternative dietary supplement for the prevention or treatment of skeletal injury and its associated complications.

[Investigation on awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge among residents going to Africa in Taizhou City].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge among people going to Africa in Taizhou City, to provide insights into the development of control measures for imported schistosomiasis. METHODS: During the period from July to October, 2019, a face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among people that had gone to African countries between 2015 and 2018 and return to China now, including awareness of schistosomiasis control knowledge, type of living and drinking water and contact with river and lake water. RESULTS: A total of 573 peoples going to Africa were investigated, and 572 eligible questionnaires were recovered. Among the 572 people interviewed, senior high school and above was the predominant education level (509 people, 89.0%), labor was the predominant aim (543 people, 94.9%), and Angola (52.3%) and Algeria (15.9%) were predominant destiny countries. There were 7.2% of the interviewees hearing about African schistosomiasis, 19.8% knowing infections by contact with infested water, and 36 people with a history of contact with river and lake water. In addition, 270 interviewees used running water as drinking water and 276 used running water as living water. CONCLUSIONS: The awareness rate of schistosomiasis control knowledge is low among people going to Africa in Taizhou City. Health education pertaining to schistosomiasis control is required to be improved among those going to Africa in Taizhou City to increase the awareness of schistosomiasis prevention and avoid parasitic infections.

[Pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational diabetes and different indicators of childhood obesity at the age of four: a prospective cohort study].

Objective: To examine the relationship between pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational diabetes (GDM) and different indicators of childhood obesity at the age of 4. Methods: Based on Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study, singleton children who were born in Ma'anshan of Anhui province from October 2013 to April 2015, were followed for 4 years, consecutively. During the first questionnaire survey, data including pre-pregnancy weight, height and socio-demography were collected. During 24-28 week of gestation, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test was conducted for them. Childhood height, weight, waist circumference and body composition were measured at the age of 4. Comparisons between groups were performed using chi-square test, analysis of variance or t-test. The relationship between pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity, GDM and childhood obesity-related characteristics were analyzed by logistic regression model and generalized linear model analysis. Results: The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in children at the age of 4 were 13.08% and 6.03%, respectively. After adjustment for characteristics related to mothers and their children, significantly increased risk of obesity (OR=3.27, 95%CI: 2.15-4.98), larger waist circumference (OR=2.32, 95%CI: 1.72-3.14) and higher waist-to-weight ratio (OR=2.29, 95%CI: 1.73-3.02) were seen in the offspring of women with pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity. Body composition (skeletal muscle, body fat, body fat percentage) of the offspring were strongly correlated with pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity of the mothers (P<0.05). Maternal GDM was associated with higher risk of childhood obesity (OR=1.78, 95%CI: 1.14-2.79), on mothers without GDM during pregnancy. However, neither larger waist circumference, or higher waist-to-weight ratio seemed to increase the risk. Moreover, maternal GDM was not associated with body composition measures (skeletal muscle, body fat, body fat percentage). Conclusion: Pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal GDM were independent risk factors for obesity in 4-year-old children, and pre-pregnancy BMI was correlated with various indicators of body composition in children.

[Clinicopathological characteristics of NTRK-rearranged mesenchymal tumors in childhood].

Objective: To investigate the clinical and pathological features of pediatric NTRK-rearranged tumors. Methods: Four NTRK-rearranged soft tissue tumors and one renal tumor at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Singapore KK Women's and Children's Hospital from January 2017 to September 2019 were identified. Pan-TRK immunohistochemistry, and the ALK and ETV6 gene break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridizations (FISH) were performed. NTRK gene rearrangement was detected using sequencing-based methods. Results: There were 3 males and 2 females in this study. The patients were between 3 months and 13 years of age. Histologically, the tumors were infiltrative spindle cell tumors with variable accompanying inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemistry showed positive reactivity for pan-TRK in all tumors, with nuclear staining for NTRK3 fusion, and cytoplasmic staining for NTRK1 fusion. The molecular testing revealed NTRK gene fusions (one each of TPM3-NTRK1, ETV6-NTRK3 and DCTN1-NTRK1, and two cases of LMNA-NTRK1). Two patients were receiving larotrectinib. The others were are well without disease, with follow-up durations of 9 to 29 months. Conclusions: NTRK-rearranged mesenchymal tumors from soft tissue sites and kidney are identified. A novel DCTN1-NTRK1 fusion is described. Pan-TRK immunohistochemistry is useful for diagnosis. NTRK-targeted therapy may be an option for unresectable, recurrent or metastatic cases.

Suppression of p38/HBP1 pathway alleviates hyperosmotic stress-induced senescent progression of chondrocyte senescence.

This study aims to explore the effect of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and its downstream target HMG-box transcription factor 1 (HBP1) in the chondrocyte (CH) senescence caused by hyperosmotic stress. Human cartilage tissue with or without osteoarthritis (OA) were collected to detect the differential expression of p38 and HBP1 by Western blot. CHs were isolated from cartilage without OA and used the hyperosmotic medium to accelerate CH senescence in vitro. A p38 inhibitor and siRNA were used to mediate the expression of p38 and HBP1. The viability of CHs was determined by cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay. CH-related mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunofluorescence was also used to detect collagen II and beta-galactosidase expression. Senescent cells were increased in both OA cartilage and hyperosmotic stress treatment with a marked upregulation of p38 and HBP1. Suppression of p38 activation reversed the hyperosmotic stress-induced CH senescence and led to an inhibition of HBP1, p16, Runx-2, MMP-13, collagen X expression, and an upregulation of collagen II and SOX-9 expression. Moreover, the silencing of HBP1 also played a protective effect on CH senescence. The suppression of the p38/HBP1 pathway alleviates the hyperosmotic stress-induced senescent progression of CHs.

[Application of the pathological classification of "CCCG-WT-2016" (2019 revision) for treatment of Wilms tumors].

Objective: To describe our experiences in application of the 2019 revision of "CCCG-WT-2016" for the diagnosis of Wilms tumors. Methods: Ninety-one cases of Wilms tumor diagnosed at Shanghai Children's Medical Center from January 2015 to December 2018 were collected. All cases were reviewed by two senior pathologists, including one from China and the other from Singapore, according to the 2019 revision of "CCCG-WT-2016." Results: The specimens were obtained by core biopsy (n=21), primary nephrectomy (n=41), post-chemotherapy nephrectomy/resection (n=18), or biopsy/resection of metastatic/relapse/post-chemotherapy metastatic lesion(s) (n=11). The specimens of core biopsy and primary nephrectomy (n=62) all had favorable histology.Twelve post-chemotherapy nephrectomy cases were subdivided into three risk groups: low risk (n=0), intermediate risk (n=10) and high risk (n=2). Six post-chemotherapy resection cases were subdivided into 3 risk groups:low risk (n=0), intermediate risk (n=5) and high risk (n=1). The remaining 11 cases were comprised of metastatic, relapse, and post-chemotherapy metastatic lesions. The concordance rate of the two senior pathologists was 100%(91/91). Conclusions: The 2019 revision of "CCCG-WT-2016" is clearly written and easy to use. It can serve as the basis of accurate classification for clinical treatment.

[Genomic analysis of a 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) strain in the first COVID-19 patient found in Hangzhou].

Objective: To understand the viral genomic characteristics of a 2019-novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) strain in the first COVID-19 patient found in Hangzhou, China. Methods: Viral RNA was extracted in throat swab and sputum sample of the patient and was performed real-time reverse transcription PCR detection and obtained viral genome by high-throughput sequencing method. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using 29 2019-nCoV genomes and 30 ß-coronavirus genomes deposited in NCBI GenBank. Fifteen genomes from Wuhan were grouped by mutation sites and others were identified by Wuhan's or specific mutation sites. Results: A 29 833 bp length genome of the first 2019-nCoV strain in Hangzhou was obtained, covering full length of the coding regions of coronavirus. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the genome was closest to the genome of a bat SARS-like coronavirus strain RaTG13 with an identity of 96.11% (28 666/29 826). Among the genes between two genomes, E genes were highly conserved (99.56%), while S genes had lowest identity (92.87%). The genome sequence similarities among 29 strains from China (Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Shenzhen), Japan, USA, and Finland, were all more than 99.9%; however, some single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in some strains. Conclusion: The genome of Hangzhou 2019-nCoV strain was very close to the genomes of strains from other cities in China and overseas collected at early epidemic phase. The 2019-nCoV genome sequencing method used in this paper provides an useful tool for monitoring variation of viral genes.

The effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis and montmorillonite on the intestinal health status in laying hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects and combinational effects of Bacillus subtilis (BS) and montmorillonite (MMT) on laying performance, gut mucosal oxidation status, and intestinal immunological and physical barrier functions of laying hens. Three hundred sixty laying hens (29-week-old) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (n = 6) for 10 wk as follows: (1) basal diet; (2) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg; (3) the basal diet plus 0.5 g MMT/kg; and (4) the basal diet plus 5 × 108 cfu BS/kg and 0.5 g MMT/kg. Dietary supplementation with BS increased egg production and egg mass, the activities of catalase (CAT) and total superoxide dismutase in the intestinal mucosa, and villus height and villus height-to-crypt depth ratio of the jejunum (P < 0.05) but downregulated the mRNA expression levels of toll-like receptor 4 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in the duodenum and jejunum, interleukin 1 beta in the duodenum, and nuclear factor kappa B P65 (NF-κB P65) and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with MMT increased egg production and egg mass, the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A in the duodenum, and the occludin mRNA expression level in the jejunum (P < 0.05) but reduced feed conversion ratio, malondialdehyde concentration in the duodenum and jejunum, and the mRNA expression level of MyD88 in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In addition, there was an interaction effect between BS and MMT supplementation on the CAT activity and the MyD88 mRNA expression level in the duodenum and the mRNA expression level of occludin in the jejunum (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary BS and MMT and their combination may improve the intestinal health status of laying hens, which may contribute to the increase in hens' laying performance.