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Objective: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG-loaded lemon pectin microspheres (LGG@LPM) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice. Methods: LGG@LPM was characterized, and the therapeutic potential of gavage administration of LGG@LPM against UC in mice was explored. Results: LGG@LPM microspheres exhibited good stability. The administration of LGG@LPM significantly alleviated the pathological process of DSS-induced UC in mice, restoring normal body mass and colon length and decreasing histological activity index (HAI) and disease activity index (DAI). Additionally, LGG@LPM administration reversed the increase in inflammatory cytokine levels and the decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities in the colon, the increase in serum lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels and the alterations in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels induced by DSS in mice. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that LGG@LPM restored the gut microbiota in UC mice through enhancing the abundance of Lactobacillus and Mucispirillum, and the alteration of the microbiota was significantly correlated with some environmental factors. Conclusion: LGG@LPM could alleviate the pathological progression of UC by improving the gut microbiota, the effect being more pronounced than that of either lemon pectin or LGG alone.

Birds are excellent indicators of ecosystems and environmental conditions because they are responsive to habitat change and have important ecological functions. When birds are dependent on habitat functioning in specific ways, the population trends of birds can provide insights into ecosystem function. We conducted monthly bird surveys and monitored birds in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park from November 2020 to March 2022 by combining line transect and camera-trapping methods. These results help estimate bird community structure, bird diversity, and habitat influence. The study area was divided into three types of habitat according to vegetation type and human interference. In addition, 6 line-transects and 30 infrared cameras were used in this study. A total of 2,253 independent images were collected with up to 3,561 camera days during the study period. A total of 143 bird species belonging to 16 orders and 46 families were recorded in this study. Among these species, 18 are second-class national protected species, eight are listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, and 10 are key protected wild animals in Guangdong Province. Pycnonotus jocosus, Pycnonotus aurigaster, Alcippe morrisonia, and Zosterops simplex were the dominant species in forest parks. Accipiter trivirgatus, Pitta nympha, Garrulax canorus, and Lophura nycthemera, which are rare and threatened species, were found in the forest park. Based on the residential habitats of these species, the dominant 80 species (proportion:55.94％) were in the Oriental biogeographical realm. The widespread species and the Palaearctic species had 32 (proportion: 22.38%) and 31 species (proportion: 21.68%), respectively. Ninety species of resident birds were dominant among all types of birds in the forest park. The main ecological type, with 132 species, was forest birds. In terms of eating types, most birds were insectivorous and omnivorous, with 67 species (proportion: 46.85%) and 46 species (proportion: 32.17%), respectively, suggesting that Maofeng Mountain Forest Park is an important site for forest bird communities. In terms of habitats, we also found that the Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson index, and Margalef index of birds were highest in forest habitats and lowest in road habitats. The Pielou evenness index of birds showed no significant differences among the habitats. In terms of seasons, the Shannon-Wiener and Margalef indices of birds were highest in spring and lowest in summer. Nevertheless, the Pielou evenness and Simpson indices of birds were not significantly different among the four seasons. The Pielou evenness index was similar to the Simpson index. Moreover, a general linear mixed model was used for the analysis, which showed that the richness and abundance index of birds were significantly correlated with changes in habitats and seasons. In summary, there were different kinds of habitats, abundant forest bird resources, stable bird community structures, and high bird diversity in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park. Birds with a more stable structure and higher diversity in the forest habitat imply that decreased human interference promotes bird inhabitation. This study provides basic data for biodiversity monitoring and assessment in Maofeng Mountain Forest Park and its surrounding forests.

The electronic structure of active metal centers plays an indispensable role in regulating catalytic reactivity in heterogeneous catalysis, developing other metals as promoters to decorate electronic state is a common strategy, while non‐metal component of carbon as electronic additives to regulate d‐band center has rarely been studied in thermal‐catalysis field. Herein, we report electron‐deficient tetrahedral Co(II) (Td‐cobalt(II)) centers through carbon‐layer modulation for propane dehydrogenation (PDH). It is indicated that bifunctional sites of both Td‐cobalt(II) and metallic‐cobalt are designed, and the in situ generated carbon through the disproportionation of CO on metallic‐cobalt can cover the inactive metallic‐cobalt and tailor d‐band of active Td‐cobalt(II) simultaneously. More importantly, the pre‐deposited carbon‐layer is proposed to decrease electron density of Td‐cobalt(II) and make d‐band center closer to Fermi level, consequently promotes C−H activation in PDH reaction. This study provides new perspective for the utilization of inactive carbon as electronic promoters and unlocks new opportunity to fabricate efficient PDH and other heterogeneous catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed vigor significantly affects peanut breeding and agricultural yield by influencing seed germination and seedling growth and development. Traditional vigor testing methods are inadequate for modern high-throughput assays. Although hyperspectral technology shows potential for monitoring various crop traits, its application in predicting peanut seed vigor is still limited. This study developed and validated a method that combines hyperspectral technology with genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to achieve high-throughput detection of seed vigor and identify related functional genes. Hyperspectral phenotyping data and physiological indices from different peanut seed populations were used as input data to construct models using machine learning regression algorithms to accurately monitor changes in vigor. Model-predicted phenotypic data from 191 peanut varieties were used in GWAS, gene-based association studies, and haplotype analyses to screen for functional genes. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to analyze the expression of functional genes in three high-vigor and three low-vigor germplasms. The results indicated that the random forest and support vector machine models provided effective phenotypic data. We identified Arahy.VMLN7L and Arahy.7XWF6F, with Arahy.VMLN7L negatively regulating seed vigor and Arahy.7XWF6F positively regulating it, suggesting distinct regulatory mechanisms. This study confirms that GWAS based on hyperspectral phenotyping reveals genetic relationships in seed vigor levels, offering novel insights and directions for future peanut breeding, accelerating genetic improvements, and boosting agricultural yields. This approach can be extended to monitor and explore germplasms and other key variables in various crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Periodontium regeneration and repair is a controversial and difficult point in the treatment of periodontosis. The proliferation, differentiation, migration and adhesion of periodontal ligament cells and the dynamic relationship between periodontal ligament cells and their extracellular matrix proteins are the basis of periodontium morphological reconstruction, functional maintenance and tissue repair. This article reviews the mechanism of estrogen-regulated periodontal membrane fine repair and periodontal tissue reconstruction to provide the basis for follow-up research on the treatment of periodontitis and the promotion of periodontal tissue repair and reconstruction by exogenous estrogen-mediated periodontal membranes. Under the regulation of certain concentrations of estrogen, the proliferation and differentiation ability of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) and bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to other periodontal ligament cells were enhanced. At the same time, PDLSCs, BMSCs, human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (HPLFSs), osteoblasts and cementoblasts synthesized and secreted collagen I (COLI), osteopontin (OPN), bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteocalcin (OCN) into the extracellular matrix. They interact with fibronectin (FN) and cementum attachment protein (CAP) in the extracellular matrix to form a variety of chain complexes and regulate each other, thus promoting the growth, migration, adhesion and fibrosis of periodontal ligament cells, repairing the collagen fiber skeleton of the periodontal ligament and adhering the two ends to the new cementum and the inherent alveolar bone.