Insights into gut microbiota and metabolite profiles during in vitro fermentation of Volvaria volvacea polysaccharides: unraveling the central role of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.

Volvaria volvacea polysaccharides (VVP) possess diverse bioactivities with promising applications in biomedicine and functional foods. This study investigated the metabolic fate of VVP in human gut microbiota and uncovered the pivotal role of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron using in vitro fecal fermentation models. VVP selectively promoted B.

Streptococcus salivarius CCFM1416 Modulates Oral Immunity via IL-17/IKBζ and Combats Candida albicans Infection.

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) commonly occurs in immunocompromised individuals, and enhancing endogenous antimicrobial defenses with probiotics has emerged as an effective prevention strategy. Given the critical role of human β-defensin-2 (HBD-2) in combating Candida albicans infection in the oral cavity, this study aimed to identify oral commensal bacteria promoting HBD-2 production in the host. Thirty-five Streptococcus salivarius strains were screened using the HOK-16B cell line, and two were identified as significantly promoting HBD-2 secretion.

Macrotrabecular-massive subtype in hepatocellular carcinoma based on contrast-enhanced CT: deep learning outperforms machine learning.

Objective: To develop a CT-based deep learning model for predicting the macrotrabecular-massive (MTM) subtype of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to compare its diagnostic performance with machine learning models.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively collected contrast-enhanced CT data from patients diagnosed with HCC via histopathological examination between January 2019 and August 2023. These patients were recruited from two medical centers.

Understanding Exopolysaccharides from Lactic Acid Bacteria: Synthesis, Functions, and Applications.

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are among the most significant metabolites generated by lactic acid bacteria (LAB). This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on EPS, focusing on three main aspects: the biosynthetic pathways of EPS, its health-promoting functions, and its applications in food products. First, EPS are primarily synthesized through the extracellular synthesis pathway and the Wzx/Wzy-dependent pathway, although the mechanisms underlying EPS synthesis remain unclear.

Oral Supplementation of Medium-Molecular-Weight Hyaluronic Acid (200-600 kDa) As a Functional Food Ingredient Alleviates D-Galactose-Induced Skin Aging.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), a functional food ingredient with multitarget biological activities, shows potential in combating age-related disorders. HA levels in skin cells may serve as potential biomarkers for aging and decrease with age. This study first investigated the antiaging efficacy of oral supplementation with HA with different molecular weights (MWs) (2, 30-50, 80-100, 200-600, and 1000 kDa) in a D-galactose-induced aging mouse model.

Akkermansia muciniphila-Derived N-Acetylspermidine Modulates the Localization of Intestinal α1,2-Fucosylated Proteins to Maintain Gut Homeostasis.

The growing incidence of inflammatory bowel diseases, including colitis and Crohn's disease, poses a critical challenge for global healthcare. Current development of α1,2-fucosylation-enhancing strategies shows significant potential as a colitis treatment modality by promoting gut homeostasis. Although certain probiotics alleviate colitis by enhancing intestinal α1,2-fucosylation, the molecular mechanisms by which probiotics-derived metabolites modulate this process remain unclear.

Competitive Inhibition of LPS Binding to CD14 by FXJWS49M31 Polysaccharide Alleviates TNF-α Secretion and Inflammatory Responses.

, a commensal probiotic, modulates immune responses and inversely correlates with TNF-α production. This study investigates the immunomodulatory effects of the probiotic FXJWS49M31 and its cell surface polysaccharide (CSP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation. In vitro coculture and in vivo LPS-induced mouse models demonstrated that FXJWS49M31 and its CSP significantly suppressed the secretion of TNF-α and other pro-inflammatory cytokines, alleviating inflammation in the colon and liver.

Impact of Live CCFM1332 and Its Postbiotics on Colonization, Alveolar Bone Resorption and Inflammation in a Rat Model of Periodontitis.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by periodontopathic bacteria such as (), which leads to alveolar bone destruction and systemic inflammation. Emerging evidence suggests that probiotics may mitigate periodontal pathology. To systematically evaluate the alleviative effects and mechanisms of different forms of probiotics, including live bacteria and postbiotics, on periodontitis, we first screened and identified CCFM1332 ( CCFM1332) through in vitro antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity assays.

Gut microbiota and myelination: Crosstalk across the lifespan and microbiota-based modulation strategies.

Myelin, a lipid-rich sheath that insulates axons, is essential for efficient neural signal transmission and the modulation of neural circuits. Its formation, maintenance, and regeneration are tightly regulated processes that shape neurodevelopment, cognition, and emotional stability. Recent evidence positions the gut microbiota as a critical modulator of myelination, orchestrating metabolic signaling, immune homeostasis, and neuroinflammatory responses.

The effect of sleep quality on multidimensional affects of medical students: an intensive longitudinal study based on the diary method.

To date, extant literature predominantly centers on the positive and negative valence dimensions of affect, with limited attention paid to the dimension of affective arousal. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of medical students' nighttime sleep quality on their next-day multidimensional affect, exploring daily mindfulness as a mediator and neuroticism as a moderator in this relationship. A total of 122 medical students recruited from a university in China were investigated by questionnaires for 14 consecutive days, completing measures of the General Information Questionnaire and the Neuroticism Subscale of the Chinese Big Five Personality Inventory Brief Version.

A Cellular Coupling Strategy Leveraging Pathway Modularization and Cofactor Regeneration for the Biosynthesis of 3'-Sialyllactose.

3'-Sialyllactose is a major sialylated human milk oligosaccharide that plays an important role in promoting infant development and supporting various physiological functions critical for early life. In this study, -acetylneuraminic acid and 3'-sialyllactose were successfully synthesized utilizing four genes across three modules through a whole-cell catalysis. Among these, Module III was employed to facilitate the conversion of cytidine-5'-monophosphate to cytidine 5'-triphosphate utilizing the intrinsic enzyme system of .

The influencing factors of depression among Chinese male nursing students: application of decision tree and FsQCA.

Objective: Although a few studies have explored the mechanism of depression in male nursing students using traditional methods, new methods such as decision tree and fuzzy-set qualitative analysis (fsQCA) are worth introducing to further explore the mechanism of depression.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the depression status of 466 male nursing students in mainland China. Both decision tree and fsQCA models were constructed to discover and compare their results regarding conditions configuration.

YEATS2 O-GlcNAcylation promotes chromatin association of the ATAC complex and lung cancer tumorigenesis.

The intracellular O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification is known to be enriched in the nucleus and on chromatin, but many of its chromatin targets remain to be identified. Herein, we demonstrate the O-GlcNAcylation of Yaf9, ENL, AF9, Taf14, Sas5 (YEATS) domain-containing 2 (YEATS2), a subunit of the chromatin Ada-two-A-containing (ATAC) complex and a reader of H3K27 acetylation levels. We show that YEATS2 interacts with the O-GlcNAc transferase and further pinpoint its major O-GlcNAcylation site to be Thr604 using electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry.

Zinc-Enriched subsp. CCFM1195 Alleviates -Induced Skin Lesions in Mice by Mitigating Inflammatory Responses and Oxidative Stress.

Acne vulgaris, a prevalent inflammatory skin disorder, stems from factors like overgrowth, inflammation dysregulation, and immune dysfunction. Clinically, acne severity inversely correlates with serum zinc (Zn) levels, and oral Zn supplementation shows efficacy. Lactic acid bacteria are capable of converting inorganic Zn into organic forms via biological transformation, potentially generating Zn-enriched bacteria as superior Zn delivery vehicles.

Prebiotic roles and anti-aging effects of xylo-oligosaccharide: Keystone responsive bacteria and their metabolic interactions.

Xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS), a prebiotic oligosaccharide, has been reported to exert the beneficial effects on the host, primarily by modulating the gut microbiota and associated metabolism. However, the specific microbes, their metabolic interactions and mechanistic insights remain understudied. In this study, we aim to investigate the response of gut microbiota to XOS at the fine-grained level using combined approaches of microbiome sequencing, genomic analyses, and metabolomic analyses based on in vitro fecal fermentation using healthy human fecal samples.

Metabolic interactions between Lactococcus lactis and commercial starter cultures enhances the quality and flavor of fermented milk.

This research investigated the metabolic interactions between Lactococcus lactis strains and commercial starter cultures during fermentation. Through integrated analysis of fermentation characteristics, we demonstrated that L. lactis supplementation significantly enhanced both viable bacterial counts and fermentation kinetics.

Decadal variability and anthropogenic influence on trace element dynamics in the Bay of Bengal: Evidence from high-resolution coral records.

The Bay of Bengal (BoB) exhibits dynamic trace element (TE) chemistry shaped by a complex interplay of natural processes and anthropogenic influences. Despite its significance, the temporal variability of TEs in this region is poorly understood. This study investigates decadal (2011-2022) TE dynamics by analyzing trace element-to-calcium ratios (TEs/Ca: B/Ca, Mn/Ca, Fe/Ca, Ba/Ca, P/Ca, As/Ca, Zn/Ca, Cd/Ca, and Sn/Ca) and strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in modern Porites corals, supplemented by data from a sub-fossil coral as a benchmark.

Coeval upper crustal extension and surface uplift in the Central Taurides (Türkiye) above the Cyprus Subduction Zone.

The Central Taurides represent a high-relief topography with a multi-phase uplift history linked to mantle-driven, deep-seated processes. While the uplift history is well constrained, the temporal relationship between surface uplift and brittle surface deformation is poorly documented. Here, we combine U-Th geochronology, microstructural analysis, and fault-slip data to decipher the timing and mechanism of upper crustal deformation above the Cyprus Subduction Zone, which has experienced 1.

The mechanisms of lead resistance in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum: Insights from proteomics and metabolomics analyses.

Lead (Pb), a toxic heavy metal prevalent in the environment, poses serious health risks due to its persistence and bioaccumulation. While certain Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains have demonstrated the ability to mitigate Pb toxicity in vivo, the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesized that Pb-resistant L.

Enhanced 2.7 µm wavelength sub-80 ns pulse generation via iron-chromium co-doped ZnS polycrystalline.

Zinc-sulfide (ZnS) polycrystalline co-doped with Cr and Fe ions, when used as a saturable absorber (SA), exhibits a longer recovery time and a larger excited state absorption cross-section compared to Fe:ZnS polycrystalline, due to the sensitizing effect of co-doping. The energy level structure and energy transfer process of Fe,Cr:ZnS polycrystalline were analyzed. A 2.

Bacterial viability retention in probiotic foods: a review.

Probiotics offer substantial health benefits, leading to their increased consumption in various food products. The viability of probiotics is a critical factor that influences the nutritional and therapeutic efficacy of these foods. However, as probiotics often lose viability during production and oral administration, effective preservation and encapsulation technologies are needed to overcome this challenge.

Molecular and microstructural changes of chicken breasts in preheating-freezing-reheating process: The role of ice crystal formation and growth.

The molecular and microstructural evolution of meat during preheating-freezing-reheating process remained unclear, limiting the quality improvement of prepared dishes. This study revealed this evolution of chicken breasts by comparing three groups with various preheating states to fully preheated (control) and fresh samples. By ice crystal characterization, fresh samples typically form small, evenly distributed intracellular ice crystals, whereas preheating promoted the formation of irregular extracellular crystals.

Insight into the impact of pre-cooking and freezing on the colour stability of pakchoi during thermal processing: A study on chlorophyll and organic acid changes.

This study investigated the effects of pre-cooking and freezing on the colour stability, changes of chlorophylls and organic acids during re-cooking and 4-h heating of pakchoi. Pre-cooked and stored pakchoi exhibited yellowish-brown discolouration upon cooking, especially in the stalks, with green values (-a) 42.53 %, 34.

Microwave irradiation benefits fructan degradation in sourdough steamed cake by tunning the β-fructosidase FosE-substrate interaction.

Producing low FODMAP grain-based staple foods is crucial for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aimed to resolve the impact of microwave heating on the fructan content in sourdough steamed cake and to elucidate the potential mechanism by which microwave fields activate β-fructosidase FosE. With similar heating rate, microwave treatment induced a significant reduction of fructans in sourdough steamed cakes compared to conventional steaming method, and this was confirmed to be the result of enhanced FosE activity by microwaves irradiation.

Self-focusing high-frequency ultrasonic transducers for non-destructive testing applications.

Focused high-frequency acoustic waves are utilized in industrial non-destructive testing (NDT) on account of their exceptional spatial resolution and high sensitivity. However, the majority of the focusing methods currently adopted for high-frequency transducers are mechanical pressure focusing and lens focusing, which may inflict mechanical damage on piezoelectric elements and give rise to low transmission efficiency. In this paper, an efficient approach to achieving self-focusing at high frequency is proposed.