Gut microbiome and serum metabolome analyses identify Bacteroides fragilis as regulators of serotonin content and PRL secretion in broody geese

Broody behavior is regulated by hypothalamic prolactin secretion,which seriously affects egg production in poulty production.Numerous studies have provided evidence that animal behavior is governed by dynamic bidirectional communication between specific gut bacteria and their host via the brain-gut-microbiome axis.However,little research focused on how the gut microbiota influence broody behavior in poultry.In this study,Zhedong white geese in laying and brooding phases were selected.Ten differentially abundant bacteria in cecum were detected between brooding and laying geese through metagenomic analyses and 16S rRNA sequencing(P<0.05),and Bacteroides fragilis was specifically identified as a key driver species in the brooding geese.Moverover,the serum metabolites were quantified,and the 313 differentially abundant metabolites were found between the two groups of different physiological geese.They were primarily enriched in the tryptophan metabolism pathways.Pearson correlation analyses revealed there was a significant positive correlation between B.fragilis abundance and the context of 11 tryptophan metabolism-related metabolites(such as serotonin,etc.)in broody geese,which hinted that those tryptophan metabolites might be produced or driven by B.fragilis.Finally,the serum hormone levels were also measured.We found there was a positive correlation between B.fragilis abundance and content of serotonin.Besides,prolactin secreted by the pituitary gland was greater in brooding geese than that in laying geese,which was also highly correlated with B.fragilis abundance.This result implied that B.fragilis could promote the secretion of prolactin by the pituitary gland.Together,the current study findings provided the information on gut microbiota influencing broody behavior,B.fragilis produced or driven more serum serotonin,and stimulated the pituitary gland to secret more prolactin,which potentially offered a new enlightenment for the intervention of broody behavior in poultry.

Influence of extra-framework Al in Fe-MOR catalysts for the direct conversion of methane to oxygenates by nitrous oxide

Iron-containing zeolites play an important role in the selective oxidation of methane to oxygenates by nitrous oxide.A solid-state ion exchange method is adopted to prepare Fe-MOR zeolite catalysts with different amounts of extra-framework Al.EPR spectra and UV-vis spectra show that the percentage of iron ions in tetrahedral or octahedral coordination increases while those of clustered Fe species decrease by the addition of extra-framework Al species.Nitrous oxide titration reveals that more active Fe centers are formed,which promote the nitrous oxide consumption.The number of active centers in the catalyst with the introduction of extra-framework Al is about four times that of the catalyst without the addition of extra-framework Al.Due to this,there is an increase in the methane conversion,total selectivity and yield of oxygenates.

Synthesis and characterization of caprolactone based polyurethane with degradable and antifouling performance

In this work,a degradable polyurethane composed of caprolactone(CL)and L-Lactide(LLA)as soft segments,and 4,40-methylenebis(cyclohexyl isocyanate)(H12 MDI)and polytetramethylene ether glycol(PTMEG)as hard segments,was prepared.Hydrolytic degradation experiment revealed that the degradable polyurethane(PU)could be degraded in artificial seawater.It also showed that caprolactone-copolyurethane(CL-PU)copolymer with higher crystallinity degraded much slower in artificial seawater.However,the introduction of LLA resulted in an increase in the hydrophilicity and reduction in the crystallinity of degradable PU,as demonstrated by the contact angle analysis.The result of the scanning electron microscope showed that the surface of degradable PU renewed under static condition.Moreover,degradable PU was able to be used as a carrier,and it controlled the release rate of 4,5-dichloro-2-octyl-isothiazolone(DCOIT).The anti-diatom(Navicula incerta)test demonstrated that the(caprolactone-co-L-lactide)-co-polyurethane 4(CL/LAx-PU4)with DCOIT contents prevented the adhesion of diatom Navicula incerta(88.37%reduction)due to their self-polishing and the release of antifoulants.Therefore,the degradable PU consisted of CL,LLA,and DCOIT could be a durable resin with good antifouling activity for the application in the marine anti-biofouling field.

CH_4 oxidation to oxygenates with N_2O over iron-containing Y zeolites:Effect of preparation

Developing effective iron-incorporated zeolites and determining their active centers for the direct oxidation of CH_4 to oxygenates have remained challenging topics so far.In this paper,we successfully prepare the highly-dispersed iron supported Y zeolites by a facile solid-state ion-exchange method with ferrocene,which was conducted under water-free conditions followed by a series of calcination.Moreover,extra-framework dinuclear Fe^(2+)complexes are identified as so-called activeα-iron sites on zeolites.ICP-OES,N_2 adsorption–desorption test,X-ray diffraction,solid-state^(27)Al NMR,N_2O titration,TEM,EPR and^(57)Fe M?ssbauer spectra were carried out to characterize properties of sample structure,acid sites,as well as the supported iron species.Characterization results indicate that high-temperature treatments have no effect on the typical structure feature of zeolites.Compared with catalysts synthesized by conventional impregnation,the samples prepared by the facile approach possess abundant dinuclear Fe^(2+)complexes but no Fe_2O_3 bulks and show weak acidity.These lead to a higher oxygenate selectivity in CH_4 oxidation to oxygenates.Remarkably,the oxygenate(HCHO and CH_3OH)selectivity of 6.5% at 375°C can be eventually obtained.

Depth Distribution Pattern of Soil Organic Carbon in Forest from Taowan Basin of Funiu Mountain Area

[Objectives]By testing applicability of SOC depth distribution model in geographical and climatic conditions of Funiu Mountain area,SOC depth distribution model in the region was established and applied. The constructed model was used to estimate SOC mass density in other regions,thereby obtaining SOC abundance distribution chart at different depths.[Methods]165 soil sampling sites were selected from Quercus variabilis forest,Pinus tabulaeformis forest,mixed forest,and shrub forest in Taowan basin of Funiu Mountain area,to determine SOC content at different depths,study SOC depth distribution pattern of forest in Taowan basin of Funiu Mountain area,and assess SOC reserve at different depths.[Results]Average SOC density of Q. variabilis forest,P. tabulaeformis forest,mixed forest,and shrub forest at the depth of 0-20 cm was 7. 92,8. 42,8. 14 and 9. 67 kg/m^2,and there was significant difference in SOC density between shrub forest and Q. variabilis forest,P. tabulaeformis forest,mixed forest( P < 0. 05),and SOC density of four kinds of vegetation all abruptly declined with soil depth increased. At the depth of 0-20 cm,correlation between SOC density and vegetation type,canopy density,clay content and sand content was significant,and the correlation with altitude was insignificant. When carbon density at the depth of 0-100 cm was used to describe regional SOC reserve,the estimated value was lower. The established space model could predict SOC density of forest.[Conclusions]The estimation of deep-layer SOC by the established model needed further consideration,and estimation method for special areas needed to be further demonstrated.

Cold-Resistant Breeding of <i>Oenothera speciosa</i>Using Silico Ion Implantation

Oenothera speciosa, belonging to thermophilous plant, cannot overwinter in Beijing. To enhance the overwintering rate of Oenothera speciosa, the seeds were treated through silico ion implantation (SII), with five various fluence ranges (1 × 109 - 1 × 1011 ions/cm2) of 40 MeV and four various fluence ranges (1 × 1010 - 5 × 1011 ions/cm2) of 35 MeV, respectively. M1 generations of various SII-treated Oenothera speciosa lines can overwinter, and the highest overwinter rate (41.3%) was observed in Oenothera speciosa lines treated with 35 MeV and fluence 5 × 1010 ions/cm2. M2 and M3 generations of all treated lines were able to overwinter smoothly. The results indicated that SII treatment can enhance the cold-resistance of Oenothera speciosa heritably. Furthermore, physiological indexes including relative electrical conductivity, MDA contents and proline contents of SII-treated Oenothera speciosa pot seedlings were detected after low temperature stress. The results revealed that relative electrical conductivities and MDA contents of M1, M2 and M3 generations of SII-treated Oenothera speciosa plants were lower than that of control, whereas the proline contents were higher than control in the &#455&#176C cold stress. Taken together, the cold resistance of SII-treated Oenothera speciosa plants was improved, which made it possible to be used as a perennial flower in landscaping in Beijing.

Incorporating organic-modified nano SiO_(2) for the comprehensive improvement of recycled PET

1.Introduction Polyethylene terephthalate(PET)is a thermoplastic resin with excellent optical transparency,gas barrier and mechanical properties,widely used in fibers,plastics and film[1-3].However,PET has a long degradation half-life in the natural environment,and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide will be produced after incineration,indicating that recycling is an effective way to reduce plastic pollution and save energy,and how to correctly use recycled PET(rPET)has become a global concern[4-7].It was reported that each 0.45 kg recycled PET sheet used can reduce energy consumption by 84%and greenhouse gas emissions by 71%compared with the original PET production[8,9].

FXYD6： a novel therapeutic target toward hepatocellular carcinoma

FXYD6, FXYD domain containing ion transport regulator 6, has been reported to affect the activity of Na＋/K＋-ATP- ase and be associated with mental diseases. Here, we demonstrate that FXYD6 is up-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and enhances the migration and prolif- eration of HCC cells. Up-regulation of FXYD6 not only positively correlates with the increase of Na＋IK＋-ATPase but also coordinates with the activation of its downstream Src-ERK signaling pathway. More importantly, blocking FXYD6 by its functional antibody significantly inhibits the growth potential of the xenografted HCC tumors in mice, indicating that FXYD6 represents a potential therapeutic target toward HCC. Altogether, our results establish a critical role of FXYD6 in HCC progression and suggest that the therapy targeting FXYD6 can benefit the clinical treatment toward HCC patients.

Impaired tumor angiogenesis and VEGF- induced pathway in endothelial CD146 knockout mice

CD146 is a newly identified endothelial biomarker that has been implicated in angiogenesis. Though in vitro angio- genic function of CD146 has been extensively reported, in vivo evidence is still lacking. To address this issue, we generated endothelial-specific CD146 knockout （CD146 EC-Ko） mice using the Tg（Tek-cre） system. Surprisingly, these mice did not exhibit any apparent morphological defects in the development of normal retinal vasculature. To evaluate the role of CD146 in pathological angiogenesis, a xenograft tumor model was used. We found that both tumor volume and vascular density were significantly lower in CD146Ec-KO mice when compared to WT littermates. Additionally, the ability for sprouting, migration and tube formation in response to VEGF treatment was impaired in endothelial cells （ECs）of CD146Ec-Ko mice. Mechanistic studies further confirmed that VEGF- induced VEGFR-2 phosphorylation and AKT/p38 MAPKs/ NF-KB activation were inhibited in these CD146-null ECs, which might present the underlying cause for the observed inhibition of tumor angiogenesis in CD146Ec-Ko mice. These results suggest that CD146 plays a redundant role in physiological angiogenic processes, but becomes essential during pathological angiogenesis as observed in tumorigenesis.