Assessing the benthic quality status of three fine sand tropical beaches from the Andaman Islands through the application of marine biotic indices

A 16S RNA Analysis of Yangzhou Geese with Varying Body Weights: Gut Microbial Difference and Its Correlation with Body Weight Parameters

China is a major goose-raising country, and the geese industry plays a significant role in animal husbandry. Therefore, goose growth performance (body weight) is a critical topic. Goose gut microbiota influences weight gain by regulating its energy metabolism and digestion. Additionally, the impact of cecal microbial community structure on goose growth and development, energy metabolism, and immunity has been examined. However, most studies have used different additives or feeds as variables. Improving the understanding of the dynamic changes in gut microbial communities in geese of different body weights during their growth and development and their correlation with the host's body weight is necessary. In this study, the cecal microbiota of healthy Yangzhou geese with large (L) and small (S) body weights, all at the same age (70 days old) and under the same feeding conditions, were sequenced using 16S rRNA. The sequencing results were annotated using QIIME2 (classify-sklearn algorithm) software, and the linkET package was used to explore the correlation between intestinal microorganisms and the body weight of the Yangzhou goose (Spearman). At the phylum level, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the large body weight group was approximately 20% higher than that in the small body weight group, with Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes exhibiting a highly significant negative correlation. At the genus level, Bacteroides constituted the most abundant microbial group in both groups, although the Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group exhibited a higher abundance in the large than the small weight group. Spearman correlation analysis and the linkET package were used to analyze the correlation between cecal microflora and production performance indicators that showed significant differences between the two groups and showed that birth weight was significantly positively correlated with Deferribacterota at the phylum level. At the genus level, leg and chest muscle weights exhibited significant positive correlations with Prevotellace-ae_Ga6A1_group, suggesting its critical role in promoting the growth and development of goose leg and chest muscles. A significant negative correlation was observed between [Ruminococ-cus]_torque and Prevotellaceae_Ga6A1_group. These findings offer a crucial theoretical foundation for the study of gastrointestinal microorganisms and provide insights into the development and formulation of poultry probiotics.

Polysaccharide from aerial part of Chuanminshen violaceum alleviates oxidative stress and inflammatory response in aging mice through modulating intestinal microbiota

Aging is a biological process of progressive deterioration of physiological functions, which poses a serious threat to individual health and a heavy burden on public health systems. As population aging continues, research into anti-aging drugs that prolong life and improve health is of particular importance. In this study, the polysaccharide from stems and leaves of Chuanminshen violaceum was obtained with water extraction and alcohol precipitation, and then separated and purified with DEAE anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration to obtain CVP-AP-I. We gavaged natural aging mice with CVP-AP-I and performed serum biochemical analysis, histological staining, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and ELISA kit assays to analyze inflammation and oxidative stress-related gene and protein expression in tissues, and 16SrRNA to analyze intestinal flora. We found that CVP-AP-I significantly improved oxidative stress and inflammatory responses of the intestine and liver, restored the intestinal immune barrier, and balanced the dysbiosis of intestinal flora. In addition, we revealed the potential mechanism behind CVP-AP-I to improve intestinal and liver function by regulating intestinal flora balance and repairing the intestinal immune barrier to regulate the intestinal-liver axis. Our results indicated that C. violaceum polysaccharides possessed favorable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and potentially anti-aging effects in vivo.