Search Results (6,648)

Korean melon (K-melon, Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa) is a key horticultural crop in the Republic of Korea, but its short shelf life restricts long-distance export. This study evaluated the modified atmosphere (MA) films of varying oxygen transmission rates (OTR) at controlled atmosphere (CA) storage under real maritime export conditions to Vietnam. In the non-permeable OTR 0 (Control) treatment, internal O₂ rapidly declined below the anaerobic compensation point (1.67% at 10d and 0.47% at 10+3d) while CO₂ accumulated to 32–36%. This ultra-low oxygen environment induced anaerobic metabolism, evidenced by strong accumulation of fermentative metabolites such as lactic acid, acetoin, and 2,3-butanediol, along with glucose/fructose retention and increases in alanine and γ-Aminobutanoic acid (GABA). These changes disrupted glycolysis and the Tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), consistent with CA shock, and were accompanied by rind blackening, elevated weight loss, and hue angle shifts toward yellow-orange. By contrast, OTR 10,000 and OTR 30,000 films significantly suppressed weight loss and color changes. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified volatile organic compounds, namely acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, and hexanal, as key discriminant metabolites, with OTR 30,000 clearly separated from other treatments at 10+3d, indicating minimal fermentation and oxidative stress. Microbial assays revealed a dose-dependent reduction in bacterial counts with increasing OTR, while fungal growth was most strongly suppressed under OTR 10,000. Overall, OTR 30,000 maintained the lowest and most stable levels of stress-related metabolites, minimized microbial proliferation, and preserved metabolic stability throughout shipping. This study provides the first quantitative evidence of anaerobic metabolic transition and primary metabolite accumulation in K-melons under actual export trials. The findings demonstrate that optimizing MA film permeability, particularly OTR 30,000 films, offers a practical and cost-efficient strategy to extend shelf life, maintain quality stability, and enhance the global export potential of K-melons. Full article

Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) wastewater, characterized by high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and acidity, poses significant challenges to anaerobic digestion (AD) due to toxicity and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) accumulation. This study coupled granular activated carbon (GAC) and waste iron scraps (WISs) to synergistically enhance AD performance. Batch experiments demonstrated that, compared with the control, the GAC/WISs group achieved a COD removal efficiency of 53.18% and a methane production of 207.53 ± 5.80 mL/g COD, which were 5.48- and 12.14-fold increases, respectively, while reducing the accumulation of total VFAs by 98.48% (to 15.09 mg/L). Mechanistic analysis revealed that GAC adsorbed inhibitors and enriched methanogens, while WISs buffered pH and promoted direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) through hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Metagenomic sequencing showed shifts in microbial communities, with enrichment of syntrophic bacteria (Syntrophobacter) and functional genes (pta, bcd, and pccA), indicating metabolic reprogramming. This study provided a theoretical foundation and engineering strategy for the anaerobic treatment of PBAT wastewater. Full article

Studies in humans and livestock have demonstrated Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086 to have probiotic potential, suggesting that it may alleviate gastrointestinal (GI) distress commonly associated with diet change in dogs. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of B. coagulans GBI-30, 6086 on fecal scores, pH, dry matter (DM) percentage, and microbiota populations of dogs following an abrupt diet change. English Pointer dogs (n = 12; age = 5.9 ± 2.5 yr; body weight = 26.6 ± 6.1 kg) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design and fed commercial diets containing no probiotics or prebiotics. The following treatments were administered orally in gelatin capsules before each daily feeding: (1) placebo control (250 mg maltodextrin/day); (2) B. coagulans [low dose; 5 × 10⁸ colony-forming units (CFU)/day]; and (3) B. coagulans (high dose; 2.5 × 10⁹ CFU/day). An extruded kibble diet was fed for 28 days. Dogs were then abruptly switched to a canned diet and fed for 14 days, with fecal samples collected before and 2, 6, 10, and 14 days after diet change. All data were analyzed using the Mixed Models procedure of SAS 9.4, testing the effects of treatment, time, and treatment*time interactions. Treatment*time interactions were not observed, but the abrupt diet change reduced (p < 0.0001) fecal DM content, increased (p < 0.0001) fecal scores and pH, and reduced (p < 0.0001) fecal bacterial species richness and phylogenetic diversity. Diet change also increased (p < 0.001) fecal Bacteroidota, Fusobacteriota, and Proteobacteria, decreased (p < 0.001) fecal Firmicutes, and altered ~40 fecal bacterial genera relative abundances. Diet-induced changes were minimally impacted by B. coagulans, but fecal scores tended to be lower (i.e., firmer stools; p < 0.10), fecal E. coli and Faecalibacterium abundances were greater (p < 0.05), and fecal bacterial phylogenetic diversity was higher (p < 0.05) in dogs supplemented with the low dose than in controls. Our results demonstrate that abruptly transitioning dogs from a kibble to a canned diet negatively influences fecal characteristics and considerably shifts the composition of the fecal microbiota. Supplementation with B. coagulans did not mitigate the diet-induced shifts to fecal characteristics and most of the microbial taxa, although the low dose impacted some microbial taxa. Further investigation into optimal inclusion levels in pet foods is warranted. Full article

Background/Objectives: Obesity and dysglycemia are increasingly associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and alterations in gut microbiota. Intestinal hyperpermeability is emerging as a therapeutic target in metabolic disorders, but human data integrating barrier biomarkers, epithelial morphology, and microbial composition remain scarce. Methods: Forty-six adults (82.6% female; 38.3 ± 7.8 years) were stratified into lean normoglycemic controls (CON), individuals with obesity and normoglycemia (NOB), and those with obesity and dysglycemia (DOB). Biochemical/inflammatory biomarkers, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LPS-binding protein (LBP), were measured. Duodenal biopsies were obtained by upper digestive videoendoscopy. Histomorphometry, expression of junctional and cytoskeletal proteins, and enzymatic activity of the duodenal epithelium were used as markers of intestinal permeability. Fecal microbiota composition (FMC) was analyzed by amplifying the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, which was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology. Results: Duodenal histomorphometry did not differ across groups. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) was significantly lower in DOB compared to CON. LPS correlated positively with fat mass, and LBP with the waist-to-hip ratio. The villus-to-crypt ratio correlated negatively with BMI, while IAP correlated inversely with fasting glucose and HbA1c. β-actin expression was inversely associated with BMI, glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Microbiota diversity indices were similar between groups, although specific taxa, particularly within the Clostridiales order, were reduced in dysglycemia. Conclusions: Reduced IAP activity and consistent correlations between barrier biomarkers and metabolic parameters highlight intestinal barrier dysfunction as a relevant feature of obesity and dysglycemia. Subtle microbiota alterations further support a link between gut ecology and metabolic control. These findings underscore the intestinal barrier as a promising therapeutic target in metabolic disorders. Full article

Salinity is a key determinant governing microalgal growth, biochemical composition, and the structure of associated epiphytic bacterial communities. To investigate the effects of salinity on the structure and function of the epiphytic bacterial community in Desmodesmus intermedius, this study utilized 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing to analyze the communities across the control (S0) and experimental groups (S5, S10, S15). The results demonstrated that salinity is a key environmental driver governing the structural and functional succession of the bacterial community. Alpha diversity analysis revealed that the control group exhibited the highest bacterial diversity and greater evenness. In contrast, the experimental groups showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of Thauera and a concurrent decrease in Roseococcus with increasing salinity. Beta diversity analysis revealed clear segregation of the epiphytic bacterial communities across the salinity groups. FAPROTAX functional prediction revealed that increasing salinity led to a reduction in chemoheterotrophy, photoheterotrophy, and aerobic chemoheterotrophy, while enhancing nitrogen respiration, nitrate reduction, and other denitrification processes. This shift indicates a substantial reconfiguration of carbon and nitrogen metabolic pathways. BugBase phenotype analysis further revealed that the experimental groups exhibited a higher proportion of Gram-positive bacteria and enhanced biofilm-forming capacity. Canonical correspondence analysis identified salinity as the predominant factor shaping bacterial community structure. This study comprehensively investigates the response mechanisms of the D. intermedius epiphytic bacterial community to salt stress, laying a foundation for understanding microbial functions within the phycosphere. Full article

Listeria monocytogenes is a significant foodborne pathogen associated with high rates of hospitalization and death, especially among vulnerable populations. Despite established regulatory standards and available antimicrobial intervention strategies, L. monocytogenes remains as a pathogen of concern in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. This ultimately can lead to food recalls or listeriosis outbreak, highlighting its ongoing risks to food safety and public health. This review consolidates publicly accessible surveillance case counts and recall data of L. monocytogenes contamination from Australia, Europe, Canada, and the United States to assess the contamination trends in the RTE food supply chain. It also evaluates the effectiveness of antimicrobial intervention strategies, including both those currently implemented in industry and those that have been studied as potential interventions but are not yet widely adopted. Key factors affecting the efficiency of those strategies are identified, including food matrix composition, water activity (a_w), fat content, and strain variability. Emerging multi-hurdle technology that integrates physical, chemical, and biological antimicrobial interventions are highlighted as promising approaches for maintaining both food safety and product quality. It also outlines the role of quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) as a decision-support tool to select appropriate control strategies, predict recall risk and guide evidence-based risk management. Future research directions are proposed to expand the application of QMRA in managing recall risks throughout the RTE food supply chain due to L. monocytogenes. Full article

It has been demonstrated that iron-reducing bacteria (IRB) Acidiphilium cryptum JF-5 (Alphaproteobacteria) could release arsenic from secondary iron oxyhydroxides in mine areas. This study used injecting IRB technology to carry out arsenic sequestration experiments aimed at alleviating arsenic pollution. Temperature and acetate were found to enhance arsenic release from amorphous arsenic-containing hydroxides. A suitable temperature (35 °C) increased the release of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) by more than 1.9–2.5 and 1.1–1.3 times, respectively. The addition of acetate increased arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) release by more than 2.8–6.1 and 1.1–1.3 times, respectively, compared to the control group. After injecting IRB into amorphous arsenic-containing hydroxide sediment, arsenic associated with particles/colloid was reductively released with aqueous arsenic(III) and arsenic(V), which account for 4%–334% of aqueous arsenic(III) and 6%–332% of aqueous arsenic(V), respectively. Results from the suspension solid also showed that the average values for the lower and upper sites are 131 mg/L and 118 mg/L, respectively. These suspension solids contain rich iron. The effectiveness of this IRB-assisted arsenic release technology became better under suitable temperature (35 °C) than at low temperature (8 °C) due to biological activity. These results suggest that microbially assisted reduction using iron-reducing bacteria may effectively release arsenic by sequestrating arsenic as aqueous and particle/colloidal phases. Full article

The growing need for sustainable protein and functional food ingredients has made edible insects stand out as a flexible source of bioactives. Black Soldier Fly larva (BSFL) bioactives, such as chitooligosaccharides (COSs) and peptides, present potential benefits for gut health; nevertheless, their molecular pathways, clinical validation, and commercial scalability have yet to be thoroughly investigated. This study systematically analyzes current progress in BSFL bioactive extraction and characterization, emphasizing enzymatic and thermal processing, controlled enzyme development, and integrated supercritical fluid enzymatic pipelines. We assess preclinical and animal research that illustrates prebiotic modulation of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Faecalibacterium populations; antimicrobial peptide-mediated immune signaling; and antioxidant activity. Multi-omics frameworks that connect the microbial metabolism of COS to gut health help us understand how these processes function. A comparison of the regulatory environments for food and feed applications in the EU, North America, and Asia shows that there are gaps in human safety trials, harmonized standards, and techno-economic assessments. Finally, we suggest some next steps: randomized controlled human trials in groups with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and metabolic syndrome; standardized data integration pipelines for multi-omics; and life cycle and cost–benefit analyses of modular, vertically integrated BSFL biorefineries with AI-driven reactors, digital twins, and blockchain traceability. Addressing these issues will hasten the conversion of BSFL bioactives into safe, effective, and sustainable functional meals and nutraceuticals. Full article

This study aims to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with AMPs on the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of squabs. Furthermore, metagenomic and metabolomic approaches were employed to identify key differential bacterial species and metabolites associated with growth performance, and thereby the potential mechanisms underlying the enhancement of squab growth and development by AMPs being elucidated. One hundred and twenty pairs of healthy adult White Carneau pigeons (2 years old) were randomly divided into two groups, the control group (CK, fed with basal diet) and antimicrobial peptide group (AP, fed with basal diet +200 mg/kg antimicrobial peptide), with 10 replicates per group and 6 pairs of breeding pigeons per replicate. The experiment lasted for 53 days, including 7 days of prefeeding, 18 days of incubation and 28 days of feeding. In this study, squabs were weighed at 0 and 28 days of age to evaluate growth performance. At 28 days of age, duodenal contents were collected to assess digestive enzyme activities, while jejunal and liver tissues were harvested to determine antioxidant capacity. Intestinal morphology was examined using tissue samples from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Finally, ileal contents were collected for a comprehensive analysis of microbial composition and metabolite profiles in the two experimental groups, employing high-throughput sequencing and LC-MS/MS techniques. The results showed that body weight, liver total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), jejunal malondialdehyde (MDA) content, jejunum and ileum villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (VH/CD) were significantly increased, and jejunal crypt depth (CD) was significantly decreased in the AP group at 28 days of age (p < 0.05). In addition, the microbiome data showed that Lactobacillus in the AP group was a biomarker with significant differences (p < 0.05). Metabolomics analysis showed that the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway was significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.01). In addition, the content of potentially beneficial metabolites (Biotin, beta-Tocotrienol, 7-Chloro-L-tryptophan and Dihydrozeatin) was significantly increased in the AP group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that dietary AMPs can significantly improve the body weights, liver antioxidant capacity and jejunum and ileum VH/CD of squabs. Full article

This study investigated the effects of replacing part of the soybean meal in the diet of Dumont lambs with urea, rapeseed meal, and cottonseed meal on their growth performance and rumen fermentation and combined rumen microbial metagenomics and metabolomics to explain the reasons for the changes in phenotypic data. Twenty-four healthy male Dumont lambs were divided into four groups: soybean meal group (T1, control group), group with 1.5% urea replacing 6.4% soybean meal (T2), group with 1% urea replacing 4.3% soybean meal (T3), and group with 1% urea + 6.6% cottonseed meal +5% rapeseed meal replacing all soybean meal (19%) (T4), following the principle of equal energy and nitrogen. Urea, rapeseed meal, and cottonseed meal have different degradation rates in the rumen, primarily stimulating arginine biosynthesis, sulphur metabolism, and carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms through Prevotella genus mediation, thereby influencing the accumulation of metabolites such as 9,10-DiHOME, DG (PGJ2/a-15:0/0:0), isonicotinate and taxifolin, affecting rumen fermentation. Compared with the T1 group, the T2 group showed significantly increased ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) and microbial protein (MCP) content (p < 0.01) and improved fructose and mannose metabolic capacity (p < 0.05). The T3 group showed a significant increase in total volatile fatty acids (TVFA) and MCP content (p < 0.01), which facilitated the absorption of subsequent nutrients. In the T4 group, different degradation rates of nitrogen resources and rapeseed meal + cottonseed meal contained abundant and complementary amino acids, which improved rumen fermentation, enhanced rumen microbial and metabolite diversity, and optimized the synergistic metabolic efficiency of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. However, the specific mechanisms of post-rumen metabolism and absorption require further investigation. Full article

Background: Continuous antibiotic prophylaxis (CAP) is widely used in infants with vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) to prevent recurrent urinary tract infections and renal scarring. However, this practice entails prolonged low-dose antibiotic exposure during a critical period of microbiome establishment, potentially influencing long-term microbial and immune development. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to September 2025 for studies evaluating gut or urinary microbiome changes in children receiving CAP for VUR. Eligible studies included human participants under 18 years with microbiome outcomes assessed by sequencing or culture-based methods. Results: Twenty-one records were identified, and four studies met inclusion criteria—three observational microbiome studies and one randomized controlled trial. CAP preserved overall microbial alpha diversity but induced compositional changes, notably enrichment of Enterobacteriaceae and reduction in Bifidobacteriaceae. The included RCT confirmed reduced UTI recurrence but increased antimicrobial resistance and non–E. coli infections. Conclusions: CAP in early life maintains microbial diversity but alters microbiota composition and resistance profiles. Identifying these shifts may support individualized prophylaxis strategies and microbiome-preserving interventions to balance infection prevention with ecological safety in infancy. Full article

The increase in the world population and consequent rise in food demand have led to the extensive use of chemical pesticides, causing environmental and health concerns. In response, biological control methods, particularly those involving microbial agents, have emerged as sustainable alternatives within integrated pest management. This study highlights the potential of Lysinibacillus fusiformis as a biocontrol agent against the dipteran Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), a pest responsible for damaging soft-skinned fruits. Experimental treatments using vegetative cells, spores, and secondary metabolites of L. fusiformis on D. suzukii larvae demonstrated significant larvicidal effects, accompanied by observable changes in gut morphology under microscopy. Moreover, preliminary immunological assays showed the interference of this bacterium with the host immune system. All the results indicate the suitability of L. fusiformis for its possible integration into sustainable agricultural practices, although additional research is required to understand its applicability in the field. Full article

Soil microorganisms are crucial regulators of wetland ecological functions and are significantly influenced by plants. However, the ecological patterns underlying soil microbial responses to plants during wetland restoration remain poorly understood. Soil samples from sections with and without plants in each wetland were collected to investigate the impact of plants on soil microbial communities using high-throughput absolute quantification sequencing and analysis of soil physicochemical properties. Results showed that environmental drivers exerted stronger effects on microbial communities in areas without plants. Soil microbial networks in areas without plants were more complex and stable, while plants enhanced the contribution of stochastic processes to microbial community assembly. In areas with plants, pH was the most important environmental driver of soil microbial community variations, while organic carbon was the primary driver in areas without plants. Moreover, bacteria exhibited higher sensitivity than fungi to the same environmental variation in both areas with and without plants. In summary, our findings elucidate the responses of soil microbial ecological patterns to plants in newly formed wetlands, while emphasizing that the major environmental drivers of soil microbial communities are influenced by plants. This study provides important implications for enhancing wetland restoration efficiency. Full article

Ferulic acid esterase (FAE) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the feruloyl ester bond in lignocellulose, exposing cellulose. The objective of this research was to examine the impacts of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens A30 producing FAE on the fermentation quality, fiber degradation, enzyme activity and microbial diversity of corn bran silage and whole-plant corn silage. The experimental treatments were as follows: control (CK), cellulase (CEL), strain A30 (A30) and CEL + A30. Corn bran and whole-plant corn were ensiled for 14 d and 60 d, respectively. The results showed that all additive treatments effectively reduced the pH, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and cellulose contents of both corn bran silage and whole-plant corn silage in comparison with control, with CEL + A30 group performing the best effects. Meanwhile, higher FAE activity was detected in A30 and CEL + A30 groups during ensiling. Furthermore, the supplementation of A30 increased the degradation ratio of NDF, ADF, ADL, and cellulose of corn bran silage and whole-plant corn silage. Additionally, treatments with A30 and CEL + A30 increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, and reduced the proportion of pathogenic genera, including Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, and Sphingobacterium. In conclusion, the application of A30 may effectively promote fiber degradation and the stability of microecological system for corn silage. Full article

Titanium-containing nanoparticles have emerged as materials of significant technological importance due to their multifunctional properties and excellent performance. With their expanding applications, the amount of TiO₂ nanoparticles (TNPs) being released into the soil environment has increased significantly. This review addresses the gap in current research, which has predominantly focused on the environmental behavior of TNPs in aquatic systems while lacking systematic integration of the synergetic mechanism of adsorption–transformation–ecological effects in soil systems and its guiding value for practical applications. It deeply reveals the interaction mechanisms between TNPs and environmental pollutants. TNPs exhibit outstanding adsorption performance towards environmental pollutants such as heavy metals and organic compounds. Specifically, the maximum adsorption capacities of titanate nanowhiskers for the heavy metal ions Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cr(III) are 143.9 mg·g⁻¹, 384.6 mg·g⁻¹, and 190.8 mg·g⁻¹, respectively. Additionally, 1-hydroxydinaphthoic acid surface-modified nano-TiO₂ exhibits an adsorption rate of up to 98.6% for p-nitrophenol, with an enrichment factor of 50-fold. The transformation process of TNPs after pollutant adsorption profoundly affects their environmental fate, among which pH is a critical controlling factor: when the environmental pH is close to the point of zero charge (pHpzc = 5.88), TNPs exhibit significant aggregation behavior and macroscopic sedimentation. Meanwhile, factors such as soil solution chemistry, dissolved organic matter, and microbial activities collectively regulate the aggregation, aging, and chemical/biological transformation of TNPs. In the soil ecosystem, TNPs can exert both beneficial and detrimental impacts on various soil organisms, including bacteria, plants, nematodes, and earthworms. The beneficial effects include alleviating heavy metal stress, serving as a nano-fertilizer to supply titanium elements, and acting as a nano-pesticide to enhance plants’ antiviral capabilities. However, excessively high concentrations of TiO₂ can stimulate plants, induce oxidative stress damage, and impair plant growth. This review also highlights promising research directions for future studies, including the development of safer-by-design TNPs, strategic surface modifications to enhance functionality and reduce risks, and a deeper understanding of TNP–soil microbiome interactions. These avenues are crucial for guiding the sustainable application of TNPs in soil environments. Full article