The quality of sintered ore, which serves as the primary raw material for blast furnace ironmaking, is directly influenced by the moisture in the sintering mixture. In order to improve the precision of water addition in the sintering process, this paper proposes an intelligent model for predicting water-filling volume based on Temporal Fusion Transformer (TFT), whose symmetry enables it to effectively capture long-term dependencies in time series data. Utilizing historical sintering data to develop a prediction model for the amount of mixing and water addition, the results indicate that the TFT model can achieve the R squared of 0.9881, and the root mean square error (RMSE) of 3.5951. When compared to the transformer, long short-term memory (LSTM), and particle swarm optimization–long short-term memory (PSO-LSTM), it is evident that the TFT model outperforms the other models, improving the RMSE by 8.5403, 6.9852, and 0.453, respectively. As an application, the TFT model provides an effective interval reference for moisture control in normal sintering processes, which ensures that the error is within 1 t. Full article

In order to investigate the diffusion mechanism of slurry in post-pile grouting, this study develops a formula for calculating the diameter and the climb height of the cement core of jet grouting (CCJG). This research conducts field orthogonal tests using a self-developed grouting nozzle to analyze the effects of disturbance pressure (DP), disturbance time (DT), grouting pressure (GP), and the water–cement ratio (W/C) on the dimensions and strength of the CCJG. The findings revealed that the theoretical formula for calculating the diameter of the CCJG deviates by approximately 8% from the field test results, confirming the formula’s validity. In addition, the DP and DT significantly influence the volume of the CCJG, displaying a linear increase with their augmentation. Conversely, the W/C and DP predominantly affect the CCJG’s strength. Notably, an increase in the W/C results in diminished strength, whereas an increase in the DP enhances it. In addition, soil reinforcement is achieved through replacement, mixing, and compaction as the grout flows outward from the center of the grouting hole. These insights offer a theoretical foundation and technical support for effective grouting construction practices. Full article

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a fatal astrocytic glioma with poor prognosis and treatment resistance. Repurposing potential FDA-approved drugs like anti-psychotics can address the concerns in a timely and cost-effective manner. Epidemiological studies have shown that patients with schizophrenic using anti-psychotics have a low incidence of GBM. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of atypical anti-psychotic Iloperidone (ILO) alone and in combination with Temozolomide (TMZ) against GBM. The study assessed the growth inhibitory effect of ILO, TMZ, and their combination (ILO + TMZ) on U-87MG and T-98G cell lines using an MTT assay. The drug interaction coefficient (CDI) was determined, and doses with synergistic effects were used for subsequent experiments, including migratory, invasion, and TUNEL assays. The expressions of DRD2, β-catenin, Dvl2, Twist, and Slug were assessed by RTq-PCR, whereas the β-catenin protein expression was also determined by immunocytochemistry. ILO (p < 0.05) and TMZ (p < 0.01) significantly inhibited the growth of U-87MG cells at all tested doses. The combination of 60 µM of both drugs showed synergistic activity with CDI < 1. The inhibition of migration and apoptosis was more pronounced in the case of combination treatment (p < 0.001). Inhibition of the invading cells was also found to be significant in ILO- and combination-treated groups (p < 0.001). ILO and combination treatment also significantly downregulated the expression of DRD2, while TMZ upregulated the expression (p < 0.001). The expressions of β-catenin (p < 0.001), Dvl2 (p < 0.001), Twist (p < 0.001), and Slug (p < 0.001) were also significantly downregulated in all treatment groups as compared to the vehicle control. The data suggest that ILO possesses strong growth inhibitory activity, possibly due to its effect on DRD2 and β-catenin expression and has the potential to be repurposed against GBM. Full article

Cities are ubiquitous and, though a novel phenomenon by evolutionary standards, provide a home for many species and exert particularly strong and novel selection pressures on them. They thus offer a unique opportunity to study rapid evolutionary processes. We conducted a scoping review of published studies documenting evolutionary processes in urban environments, focusing primarily on more recent work. Unfortunately, cities have not been attractive environments for biological research and thus remain poorly studied, despite slowly growing interest in recent years. Nonetheless, we found studies documenting the effects of mutation, genetic drift, and selection in cities. However, studies show some geographic bias and were not always as conclusive as might be desired. There is even support for incipient urban speciation. Evidence across the board is less abundant and less conclusive than desirable, suggesting the need for more data collection. The urban setting, with its stronger selection, more common intermixing, and abundance of both human and widespread potential non-human zoonosis hosts and human-associated species offers great opportunities to further document evolution in action and explore its conservation implications. Full article

The cyberphysical systems of smart cities are facing increasingly severe attack situations, and traditional separate protection methods are difficult to effectively respond to. It is urgent to coordinate public safety and cybersecurity protection. However, the integration of the two faces many challenges and is a very promising research field. The aim of this study is to investigate technical approaches for the synergy between public safety and cybersecurity. This paper proposes a smart city safety protection model inspired by the human immune mechanism. It was found that through a three-line defense architecture similar to the human immune mechanism, and with the help of certain algorithms and functional middleware modules, public safety and cybersecurity protection components can be dynamically combined to achieve collaboration. This work has verified through experiments a valuable path to effectively resist complicated attack threats intertwined with public safety and cybersecurity factors. Full article

The essence of drug delivery is to use an appropriate carrier that delivers the active substance to the appropriate pathogenic site at a specific time. This study aims to develop a novel drug carrier characterized by the controlled and targeted release of risedronate (RSD). The search for new routes to deliver RSD is important because oral delivery has many disadvantages. The carrier proposed in this work is composed of gelatin, polyphosphates, and zinc. The zinc contained in the carrier is responsible for coordinating the drug. The resulting material releases RSD in a controlled manner. The rate of delivery of the substance to the body depends on the pH of the environment. This study investigated the delivery of RSD in a neutral environment, where the process exhibited a prolonged and consistent release rate. This process has also been studied in an acidic environment, which accelerates the release of the drug. Mixed-environment studies were also conducted. Initially, the drug was released in a neutral environment, and then the conditions rapidly changed to acidic. In this case, the carrier demonstrated high stability and controlled release, adapting the rate of drug release to the prevailing environmental conditions. The presented results indicate the great potential of the new gelatin-based carrier in the delivery of risedronate. Full article

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple crop widely cultivated by small farmers in tropical countries. However, despite the low level of technology required for its management, it can be affected by several diseases, with anthracnose as the main threat. There is little information about the main species of Colletotrichum that infect cassava in Brazil. Thus, the objective of this work was to study the diversity, prevalence and virulence of Colletotrichum species that cause anthracnose in cassava leaves in northern Brazil. Twenty municipalities of the Pará and Tocantins states were selected, and leaves with symptoms were collected in those locations. Pure cultures were isolated in the laboratory. Species were identified using phylogenetic analyses of multiple loci, and their pathogenicity, aggressivity and virulence levels were assessed. Our results showed the greatest diversity of Colletotrichum associated with anthracnose in cassava plants of the “Formosa” cultivar in the Tocantins and Pará states. We determined the presence of Colletotrichum chrysophilum, C. truncatum, C. siamense, C. fructicola, C. plurivorum, C. musicola and C. karsti, with C. chrysophilum as the most aggressive and virulent. Our findings provide accurate identifications of species of Colletotrichum causing anthracnose in cassava crops, which are of great relevance for cassava breeding programs (e.g., the search for genotypes with polygenic resistance since the pathogen is so diverse) and for developing anthracnose management strategies that can work efficiently against species complexes of Colletotrichum. Full article

The realization of efficient and accurate detection of biomolecules has become a key scientific issue in the field of life sciences. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, electrochemical sensors constructed from the superior physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials show faster and more accurate detection. Among nanomaterials, two-dimensional conductive MOF (2D cMOF) is considered to be a star material in electrochemical sensors due to its remarkable conductivity, high porosity, and stability. In this paper, a Cu₃(HHTP)₂/SPE electrochemical sensor for the detection of ascorbic acid (AA) was constructed by modifying 2D cMOF (Cu₃(HHTP)₂) on the surface of the screen-printed electrode (SPE). The sensor exhibited excellent catalytic activity in the detection of AA, with a lower detection limit of 2.4 μmol/L (S/N = 3) and a wide linear range of 25–1645 μmol/L. This high catalytic activity can be attributed to the abundant catalytic sites in Cu₃(HHTP)₂ and the rapid electron transfer between Cu⁺ and Cu²⁺, which accelerates the oxidation of AA. This work lays a foundation for the subsequent development of MOFs with special electrochemical catalytic properties and the integration of 2D cMOF into intelligent electrical analysis devices. Full article

This study investigates the impact of lignin on the durability and performance of polypropylene-based biocomposites (PP–flax and PP–pine) under environmental stresses such as UV radiation and moisture. The findings indicate that pine fibres, with their higher lignin content, are significantly more resistant to thermal degradation than flax fibres. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that lignin influences crystallinity and melting temperatures across the composites, with variations corresponding to fibre type. Acoustic emissions analysis revealed that increasing the lignin content in pine fibres effectively reduces surface microcracks under UV exposure. Overall, these results underscore the importance of fibre composition in improving the performance and longevity of biocomposites, making them better suited for durable construction applications. Full article

We investigated the reaction kinetics and initial chemical conditions in the production of silicon alloys, employing aluminum as the reductant for calcium silicate slag, to enhance process economics and scalability to industrial levels. The apparent kinetics and transient chemical conditions were studied by immersing solid aluminum into molten slag, allowing the reaction to proceed for varying durations without external agitation, before quenching the reaction for chemical and microscopic analyses of the resulting silicon alloy and slag. The majority of the conversion was observed within the first 15 s at 1650 °C, driven by significant chemical interactions and interfacial turbulence introduced upon aluminum immersion. For Al-SiO₂ stoichiometries ranging from 0.5 to 1.2, the slag phase reaction conformed to first-order kinetics during the initial two minutes, when it approached equilibrium. The mass transfer coefficients for Al₂O₃ were estimated at 1–2 × 10⁻⁴ m/s, comparable to those for SiO₂ and CaO. A constant mass transfer coefficient could not be established for stoichiometries of 1.6 and 2, as these deviated from the standard slag mass transfer relationship and did not adhere to established relationships. Despite near-complete reactions, alloy–slag mixing was extensive, decreasing with lower stoichiometry values. Full article

Background: Sleep is a complex phenomenon that affects several aspects of life, including cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Sleep disturbances, especially during adolescence, can negatively impact emotional regulation, making it a critical factor in targeting psychopathology. Methods: This study explores the interplay between emotional dysregulation (ED) and sleep patterns in a sample of 90 adolescent patients by means of self- and parent-rated clinical measures. Results: Our findings reveal a bidirectional relationship between ED and sleep problems. Adolescents with higher affective instability experience poorer sleep quality, while those with worse sleep quality exhibit higher internalizing problems. Additionally, emotional reactivity is associated with disrupted circadian rhythms. Conclusions: These results emphasize the significance of addressing sleep problems in the context of psychopathology treatment, potentially leading to improved outcomes. Further research is needed to determine the most effective treatment strategies, including nonpharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Understanding the intricate relationship between sleep problems and emotion regulation offers insights for more targeted and effective treatment approaches for youths struggling with ED. Full article

In addressing the critical role of emotional context in patient–clinician conversations, this study conducted a comprehensive sentiment analysis using BERT, RoBERTa, GPT-2, and XLNet. Our dataset includes 185 h of Greek conversations focused on hematologic malignancies. The methodology involved data collection, data annotation, model training, and performance evaluation using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and specificity. BERT outperformed the other methods across all sentiment categories, demonstrating its effectiveness in capturing the emotional context in clinical interactions. RoBERTa showed a strong performance, particularly in identifying neutral sentiments. GPT-2 showed promising results in neutral sentiments but exhibited a lower precision and recall for negatives. XLNet showed a moderate performance, with variations across categories. Overall, our findings highlight the complexities of sentiment analysis in clinical contexts, especially in underrepresented languages like Greek. These insights highlight the potential of advanced deep-learning models in enhancing communication and patient care in healthcare settings. The integration of sentiment analysis in healthcare could provide insights into the emotional states of patients, resulting in more effective and empathetic patient support. Our study aims to address the gap and limitations of sentiment analysis in a Greek clinical context, an area where resources are scarce and its application remains underexplored. Full article

Today, BaFBr crystals activated by europium ions are used as detectors that store absorbed energy in metastable centers. In these materials, the image created by X-ray irradiation remains stable in the dark for long periods at room temperature. As a result, memory image plates are created, and they are extended to other types of ionizing radiation as well. Despite significant progress towards X-ray storage and readout of information, the mechanisms of these processes have not been fully identified to date, which has hindered the efficiency of this class of phosphors. In this study, using photoluminescence (PL), optical absorption (OA), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), the luminescence of oxygen vacancy defects to BaFBr crystals irradiated with 147 MeV ⁸⁴Kr and 24.5 MeV ¹⁴N ions at 300 K to fluences (10¹⁰–10¹⁴) ion/cm² was investigated. BaFBr crystals were grown by the Shteber method on a special device. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis revealed the presence of Ba, Br, F, and O. The effect of oxygen impurities present in the studied crystals was considered. The analysis of the complex PL band, depending on the fluence and type of ions, showed the formation of three types of oxygen vacancy defects. Macrodefects (tracks) and aggregates significantly influence the luminescence of oxygen vacancy defects. The creation of hillocks and tracks in BaFBr crystals irradiated with 147 MeV ⁸⁴Kr ions is shown for the first time. Raman spectra analysis confirmed that BaFBr crystals were amorphized by 147 MeV ⁸⁴Kr ions due to track overlap, in contrast to samples irradiated with 24.5 MeV ¹⁴N ions. Raman and absorption spectra demonstrated the formation of hole and electron aggregate centers upon swift heavy ions irradiation. Full article

Psoriasis is a common chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder. Sophora flavescens Alt. (S. flavescens) has been widely acknowledged in the prevention and treatment of psoriasis. Kushenol F (KSCF) is a natural isopentenyl flavonoid extracted from the root of S. flavescens. We aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of KSCF on imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice. A mouse model of psoriasis was induced with 5% IMQ for 5 days, and the mice were given KSCF dermally for 5 days. Changes in skin morphology, the psoriasis area, the severity index (PASI), and inflammatory factors of psoriasis-like skin lesions were evaluated. Metabolites in the psoriasis-like skin lesions were analyzed with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry followed by a multivariate statistical analysis to identify the differential metabolites and metabolic pathway. The results of the present study confirmed that KSCF significantly reduced PASI scores, epidermal thickening, and epidermal cell proliferation and differentiation. KSCF also reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the injured skin tissues while increasing IL-10 content. KSCF significantly regulated metabolites in the skin samples, and a total of 161 significant metabolites were identified. These differential metabolites involved sphingolipid and linoleic acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Collectively, KSCF inhibited the inflammatory response to prevent IMQ-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions in mice by call-backing the levels of 161 endogenous metabolites and affecting their related metabolic pathways. KSCF has the potential to be developed as a topical drug for treating psoriasis symptoms. Full article

In the study, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) were used as alternatives to traditional chemical solvents for the extraction of polyphenols from Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Nine NADESs were tested for the first time and compared with ethanol and water (traditional solvents) regarding the extraction of phenolic compounds from E. angustifolia L. These solvents were particularly effective at extracting polyphenols, whose low water solubility usually requires high amounts of organic solvents. The solvent based on choline chloride and malonic acid provided optimal results and was selected for further optimization. The effects of material-to-liquid ratio, ultrasound time, and ultrasound temperature on the extraction efficiency were studied through single-factor experiments. These parameters were optimized by Box–Behnken design using response surface methodology. The optimal conditions identified were 49.86 g/mL of material-to-liquid ratio, 31.10 min of ultrasound time, and 62.35 °C of ultrasound temperature, resulting in a high yield of 140.30 ± 0.19 mg/g. The results indicated that the NADES extraction technique provided a higher yield than the conventional extraction process. The antioxidant activity of the extract of polyphenols from E. angustifolia L. was determined, and UPLC–IMS–QTOF–MS was used to analyze the phenolic compounds in it. The results revealed that the scavenging ability of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil and 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) extracted by NADES was higher than that of polyphenols extracted by water and ethanol. Furthermore, a total of 24 phenolic compounds were identified in the extract. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which a green and efficient NADES extraction method has been used to extract bioactive polyphenols from E. angustifolia L., which could provide potential value in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food additives. Full article

Proton therapy has emerged as a crucial tool in the treatment of head and neck and skull-base cancers, offering advantages over photon therapy in terms of decreasing integral dose and reducing acute and late toxicities, such as dysgeusia, feeding tube dependence, xerostomia, secondary malignancies, and neurocognitive dysfunction. Despite its benefits in dose distribution and biological effectiveness, the application of proton therapy is challenged by uncertainties in its relative biological effectiveness (RBE). Overcoming the challenges related to RBE is key to fully realizing proton therapy’s potential, which extends beyond its physical dosimetric properties when compared with photon-based therapies. In this paper, we discuss the clinical significance of RBE within treatment volumes and adjacent serial organs at risk in the management of head and neck and skull-base tumors. We review proton RBE uncertainties and its modeling and explore clinical outcomes. Additionally, we highlight technological advancements and innovations in plan optimization and treatment delivery, including linear energy transfer/RBE optimizations and the development of spot-scanning proton arc therapy. These advancements show promise in harnessing the full capabilities of proton therapy from an academic standpoint, further technological innovations and clinical outcome studies, however, are needed for their integration into routine clinical practice. Full article

Nuclear hormone receptors exist in dynamic equilibrium between transcriptionally active and inactive complexes dependent on interactions with ligands, proteins, and chromatin. The present studies examined the hypothesis that endogenous ligands activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPARβ/δ) in keratinocytes. The phorbol ester treatment or HRAS infection of primary keratinocytes increased fatty acids that were associated with enhanced PPARβ/δ activity. Fatty acids caused PPARβ/δ-dependent increases in chromatin occupancy and the expression of angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4) mRNA. Analyses demonstrated that stearoyl Co-A desaturase 1 (Scd1) mediates an increase in intracellular monounsaturated fatty acids in keratinocytes that act as PPARβ/δ ligands. The activation of PPARβ/δ with palmitoleic or oleic acid causes arrest at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle of HRAS-expressing keratinocytes that is not found in similarly treated HRAS-expressing Pparb/d-null keratinocytes. HRAS-expressing Scd1-null mouse keratinocytes exhibit enhanced cell proliferation, an effect that is mitigated by treatment with palmitoleic or oleic acid. Consistent with these findings, the ligand activation of PPARβ/δ with GW0742 or oleic acid prevented UVB-induced non-melanoma skin carcinogenesis, an effect that required PPARβ/δ. The results from these studies demonstrate that PPARβ/δ has endogenous roles in keratinocytes and can be activated by lipids found in diet and cellular components. Full article

The basic idea from which the working hypothesis for this study started is the fact that the only systemic disease today that is clearly linked to periodontal disease by biochemical mechanisms is diabetes mellitus, as well as the clinical finding that diabetes causes a number of specific periodontal changes. Highlighting the biochemical markers of inflammation during periodontal disease in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is the main aim of the study. To achieve this objective, we used the human ELISA kit from Boster Biological Technology Co., Ltd. (Pleasanton, CA, USA), for the detection of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8 and TNF-α. The data analysis shows that plasma levels of these cytokines are associated with the progression of periodontitis. In conclusion, we can state that the involvement of immunological markers is evident in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease. Full article

Perturbation bounds are powerful tools for investigating the phenomenon of insensitivity to perturbations, also referred to as stability, for stochastic and deterministic systems. This perspective article presents a focused account of some of the main concepts and results in inequality-based perturbation theory for finite state-space, time-homogeneous, continuous-time Markov chains. The diversity of perturbation bounds and the logical relationships between them highlight the essential stability properties and factors for this class of stochastic processes. We discuss the linear time dependence of general perturbation bounds for Markov chains, as well as time-independent (i.e., time-uniform) perturbation bounds for chains whose stationary distribution is unique. Moreover, we prove some new results characterizing the absolute and relative tightness of time-uniform perturbation bounds. Specifically, we show that, in some of them, an equality is achieved. Furthermore, we analytically compare two types of time-uniform bounds known from the literature. Possibilities for generalizing Markov-chain stability results, as well as connections with stability analysis for other systems and processes, are also discussed. Full article

An iodophor-catalyzed direct disulfenylation of amino naphthalenes with aryl sulfonyl hydrazines in water was developed. A series of aryl sulfides were obtained in moderate to excellent yields. The advantages of this green protocol were the simple reaction conditions (metal-free, water as the solvent, under air), the odorless and easily available sulfur reagent, the broad substrate scope, and gram-scale synthesis. Moreover, the potential application of aryl sulfides was exemplified by further transformations. Full article

Recent statistics indicate that as of 2023, the global renewable energy capacity has reached new heights, with Saudi Arabia significantly contributing to this growth through its strategic initiatives. The kingdom is particularly focusing on harnessing solar power, given its abundant sunlight, and is also exploring wind energy, leveraging its vast desert landscapes. These efforts are part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to become a global leader in renewable energy. This paper provides a detailed exploration of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious journey from a fossil-fuel-dominated energy sector to a more sustainable, renewable-energy-driven future. Anchored in the broader context of global energy trends, the study emphasizes the critical shift toward renewable resources, with a particular focus on Saudi Arabia’s unique position in this global movement. Key to this transition is Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, a strategic framework that guides the country’s renewable energy policies and initiatives. A comprehensive review of these policies, including other governmental and international collaborations that support renewable energy development, is offered. The current state of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia is assessed, including an overview of existing projects and production statistics. The paper also explores emerging technologies such as energy storage systems and smart grid solutions, emphasizing their role in Saudi Arabia’s energy transition. An impact assessment is conducted to understand the environmental, economic, and social effects of this energy shift. The paper also includes a comparative analysis of other countries’ renewable energy transitions, extracting lessons and best practices applicable to the Saudi context. Strategic recommendations and reflections on Saudi Arabia’s future role in the global energy landscape are provided for stakeholders in energy policy, environmental planning, and sustainable development. Full article

Compared to commercial breeds, Chinese local pig breeds have a greater ability to digest dietary fiber, which may be due to differences in intestinal microbiota. In this study, we fed Ding’an and DLY pigs high and low levels of dietary fiber, respectively, to investigate factors contributing to high dietary fiber adaption in Ding’an pigs. Twelve Ding’an pigs and DLY pigs were randomly divided into a 2 (diet) × 2 (breed) factorial experiment (n = 3). Compared with commercial pigs, Ding’an pigs have a stronger ability to digest dietary fiber. Prevotella was more prevalent in Ding’an pigs than in DLY pigs, which may be an important reason for the stronger ability of fiber degradation in Ding’an pigs. When the effects of feed and breed factors are considered, differences in abundance of 31 species and 14 species, respectively, may result in a greater ability of fiber degradation in Ding’an pigs. Among them, Prevotella. sp. CAG:520 may be a newly discovered bacterium related to fiber degradation, which positively correlated with many fiber-degrading bacteria (r > 0.7). We also found that the concentration of plant metabolites with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects was higher in the colonic chyme of Ding’an pigs after increasing the fiber content, which resulted in the downregulated expression of inflammatory factors in colonic mucosa. Spearman’s correlation coefficient revealed a strong correlation between microbiota and the apparent digestibility of dietary fiber (r > 0.7). The mRNA expressions of SLC16A1, PYY, and GCG were significantly increased in the colonic mucosa of Ding’an pigs fed on high-fiber diets, which indicates that Ding’an pigs have an enhanced absorption of SCFAs. Our results suggested that an appropriate increase in dietary fiber content can reduce the inflammatory response and improve feed efficiency in Ding’an pigs, and differences in the intestinal microbial composition may be an important reason for the difference in the fiber degradation capacity between the two breeds of pigs. Full article