Unraveling microbial landscapes: high-throughput amplicon sequencing reveals distinct bacterial communities and potential health risks in potable springs of the Indian Himalayas.

Spring water is a vital drinking resource for residents in the Eastern Himalayas' Sikkim, India. While our initial investigations into spring water quality highlighted concerning levels of fecal coliform bacteria, the bacterial community composition (BCC) of these springs remains largely unexplored. This study sought to elucidate the BCC of Himalayan spring water, exploring its effects on water quality and delving into the unique bacterial ecology of these high-altitude springs.

Structure and physicochemical properties of starches from six accessions of the genus Pueraria in China.

Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) root contains abundant starch, but the physicochemical properties of kudzu starch are not well understood. In this study, we compared the compositions and physicochemical properties of starches isolated from six Pueraria accessions in China. Caige starch exhibited the highest purity (96.

Polysaccharides from Lanzhou Lily Attenuate Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Modifying the Gut Microbiota and Metabolite Profile.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely related to gut microbiota due to the hepatic portal system, and utilizing natural polysaccharides as prebiotics has become a prospective strategy for treating NAFLD. However, the therapeutic effects and potential molecular mechanisms of Lanzhou Lily polysaccharides (LLP) on NAFLD remains unclear. Therefore, the alleviating effects of LLP on NAFLD induced by high-fat diet (HFD) were investigated.

Unveiling the Hidden Menace: A Topic Modeling Analysis of Hijacked Medical Journals.

Purpose: Nowadays, many studies discuss scholarly publishing and associated challenges, but the problem of hijacked journals has been neglected. Hijacked journals are cloned websites that mimic original journals but are managed by cybercriminals. The present study uses a topic modeling approach to analyze published papers in hijacked versions of medical journals.

Gender differences in research fields of bioeconomy and rural development-based on sustainable systems in Latin America and Africa regions.

Using bibliometric analysis of large-scale publication data is a simple approach to exploring gender-related trends, especially gender equality in academic publishing. The aim of this study is to investigate gender trends in the fields of bio-economy and rural development sciences in two under develop regions as Latin America and Africa. This study examines gender differences in these fields in order to: (1) recognize the contribution of female researchers in bioeconomy and rural development, (2) explore the relational structure of gender aspects in academic publications, (3) identify trends in female authorship in these scientific research fields over time, and finally (4) identify gender potentials for women to become more visible in these fields of study.

Characteristics of stachyose-induced effects on gut microbiota and microbial metabolites associated with obesity in children.

Childhood obesity presents a serious health concern associated with gut microbiota alterations. Dietary interventions targeting the gut microbiota have emerged as promising strategies for managing obesity in children. This study aimed to elucidate the impact of stachyose (STS) supplementation on the gut microbiota composition and metabolic processes in obese children.

Masquerade of authority: hijacked journals are gaining more credibility than original ones.

At the moment, the academic world is faced with various challenges that negatively impact science integrity. One is hijacked journals, a second, inauthentic website for indexed legitimate journals, managed by cybercriminals. These journals publish any manuscript by charging authors and pose a risk to scientific integrity.

Digital financial inclusion, industrial structure and urban-Rural income disparity: Evidence from Zhejiang Province, China.

Rising income inequality challenges economic and social stability in developing countries. For China, the fastest-growing global digital economy, it could be an effective tool to promote inclusive development, narrowing urban-rural income disparity. It investigates the role of digital financial inclusion (DFI) in narrowing the urban-rural income gap.

OsJRL negatively regulates rice cold tolerance via interfering phenylalanine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis.

The identification of new genes involved in regulating cold tolerance in rice is urgent because low temperatures repress plant growth and reduce yields. Cold tolerance is controlled by multiple loci and involves a complex regulatory network. Here, we show that rice jacalin-related lectin (OsJRL) modulates cold tolerance in rice.

Intervention with fructooligosaccharides, , and their combination in a colitis mouse model.

Objective: To examine the effects of an intervention with fructooligosaccharides (FOS), , and their combination in a mouse model of colitis and to explore the mechanisms underlying these effects.

Methods: The effects of FOS, , and their combination were evaluated in a DSS-induced mouse model of colitis. To this end, parameters such as body weight, the disease activity index (DAI), and colon length were examined in model mice.

Effects of fructooligosaccharides and Saccharomyces boulardii on the compositional structure and metabolism of gut microbiota in students.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a common prebiotic widely used in functional foods. Meanwhile, Saccharomyces boulardii is a fungal probiotic frequenly used in the clinical treatment of diarrhea. Compared with single use, the combination of prebiotics and probiotics as symbiotics may be more effective in regulating gut microbiota as recently reported in the literature.

The impact of left-behind experience on urban identity of new-generation migrant workers.

We investigate the impact of left-behind experiences on the urban identity of new-generation migrant workers using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey. The results show the following: (1) The left-behind experience is an important factor undermining the urban identity of new-generation migrant workers, and the conclusion remains consistent after robustness checks, such as propensity score matching. (2) Left-behind experiences of both parents away from home had the most significant negative impact on urban identity.

Diagnosis Unreliability of ChatGPT for Journal Evaluation.

Purpose: Academic and other researchers have limited tools with which to address the current proliferation of predatory and hijacked journals. These journals can have negative effects on science, research funding, and the dissemination of information. As most predatory and hijacked journals are not error free, this study used ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) technology tool, to conduct an evaluation of journal quality.

Does spatial resolution matter in the estimation of average annual soil loss by using RUSLE?-a study of the Urmodi River Watershed (Maharashtra), India.

The study investigates the influence of multispectral satellite data's spatial resolution on land degradation in the Urmodi River Watershed in which Kaas Plateau, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located. Specifically, the research focuses on soil erosion and its risk zonation. The study employs Landsat 8 (30-m resolution) and Sentinel-2 (10-m resolution) data to assess soil erosion risk.

Integrative transcriptome and metabolome analysis of fluoride exposure induced developmental neurotoxicity in mouse brain.

Fluoride could cause developmental neurotoxicity and significantly affect the intelligence quotient (IQ) of children. However, the systematic mechanism of neuronal damage caused by excessive fluoride administration in offspring is largely unknown. Here, we present a comprehensive integrative transcriptome and metabolome analysis to study the mechanism of developmental neurotoxicity caused by chronic fluoride exposure.

Perception of residents on the impacts of beach tourism: The case of Nungwi village in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

This study aimed to assess the perception of residents on the impacts of beach tourism in Nungwi village, one of the most lively beach tourist spots in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Data collection was carried out between June and August 2021 from 174 residents using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, T-tests and One-way ANOVA were employed.

Effects of dietary chito-oligosaccharide and β-glucan on the water quality and gut microbiota, intestinal morphology, immune response, and meat quality of Chinese soft-shell turtle ().

Chito-oligosaccharides (COS) and β-glucan are gradually being applied in aquaculture as antioxidants and immunomodulators. However, this study examined the effects of dietary supplementation of COS and β-glucan on the water quality, gut microbiota, intestinal morphology, non-specific immunity, and meat quality of Chinese soft-shell turtle. To investigate the possible mechanisms, 3-year-old turtles were fed basal diet (CK group) and 0.

Research Note: Factors influencing highly pathogenic avian influenza preventive behavior among live poultry market vendors.

In China, fresh food has always been a top priority and live poultry has been a staple in the diet for thousands of years. As a result, the live poultry market (LPM) remains a popular and important source for purchasing live poultry among the public. However, LPMs also play a crucial role in spreading and retaining highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) due to the high poultry movement and trade volume.

The Analysis of Residents' Intention to Consume Pre-Made Dishes in China: A Grounded Theory.

The demand for pre-made dishes has increased in China. However, a detailed understanding of residents' intention to consume pre-made dishes is lacking in the existing studies. This research aims to investigate the consumer motives and intention to consume pre-made dishes.

The contributions of climate and land use/cover changes to water yield services considering geographic scale.

Background: Water yield services are critical for maintaining ecological sustainability and regional economies. Climate change and land use/cover change (LUCC) significantly affect regional water yield, but the spatiotemporal variability of water yield services has been overlooked in previous studies. This study aims to explore the relative contributions of climate and land use/cover changes to water yield services at both grid and subwatershed scales.

Evaluating the potential of biodegradation of swine manure through rotary drum composting utilizing different bulking agents.

The rapid expansion of the pig industry and the concurrent increase in pig units have posed a significant waste management challenge, particularly in the form of piggery waste. In this study, the potential of three different bulking agents (sawdust, dry leaves, and rice straw) for the biodegradation of piggery waste was evaluated through rotary drum composting (RDC). Following the composting time of 20 days, evaluations of macro and micronutrient concentrations and the C/N ratio revealed stable, matured compost that could be used in farming.

Dietary oregano essential oil supplementation alters meat quality, oxidative stability, and fatty acid profiles of beef cattle.

This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of oregano essential oil (OEO) supplementation on the meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and nutritional value of the longissimus thoracis muscle in steers. Steers were divided into three groups (n = 9) and fed either a basal diet, or a basal diet supplemented with 130 mg/d OEO, or 230 mg/d OEO for 390 days. The results demonstrated that dietary OEO supplementation increased the total antioxidant capacity and activity of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, and decreased pH, pH, cooking loss, and malondialdehyde content.