Huijuan Jia

Gut microbiota is an essential factor in the shaping of intestinal immune system development and driving inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We report the effects and microbe-host interactions underlying an intervention using fine powder of eggshell membrane (ESM) against IBD. ESM attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory cytokine production and promoted the Caco-2 cell proliferation by up-regulating growth factors in vitro. In a murine model of dextran sodium sulphate-ind

Effects of fertilizer levels on tree growth and fruit quality of 'Hakuho' peaches (Prunus persica) were evaluated. Three levels, High (H), Medium (M), and Low (L) of complete liquid fertilizers were applied twice a week from bud break. H, M, and L levels of fertilizers contained 160, 80, and 40ppm of nitrogen (N), respectively. The application rates were reduced to half at the end of the pit hardening stage. Shoot growth proceeded quickly in trees of the H treatment before the pit hardening stag

In higher plants, light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b binding (Lhc) proteins play a vital role in photosynthetic processes and are widely involved in the regulation of plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress. However, the <i>Lhc</i> gene family has not been well identified in peaches (<i>Prunus persica</i> L.). In this study, 19 <i>PpLhc</i> genes were identified in the peach genome database, which were unevenly distributed on all chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated th

Obesity is a major global lifestyle disorder associated with gut microbiota. The health benefits of eggshell membrane (ESM) have been shown in previous reports, particularly as regards gut microbiota composition. Here, we investigated whether ESM improves lipid metabolism and alters gut microbiota in high-fat diet-fed mice. A total of 20 C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were given either a control diet (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), or high-fat diet + 8% ESM powder (HESM) for 20 weeks. ESM supplementatio

Zuili plum (Prunus salicina L.) trees usually set fruit poorly, although they produce high quality fruit. To elucidate the causes of the poor fruit set, pollen tube growth into pistils and fruit set percentage were investigated after cross-, self- and open-pollination. Ovule development in Zuili pistils was also investigated. Pollen tube penetration into the ovules via the obturator and micropyle was best when Zuili pistils were pollinated by cv. Black Amber (P. domestica) pollen grains, althoug

ESM supplementation ameliorated the chief symptoms of cachexia, including anorexia, lean fat tissue mass, skeletal muscle wasting and reduced physical function. ESM also improved colon and skeletal muscle inflammation, lipid metabolism and microbial dysbiosis. These results along with the suppressed differentiation of Th cells could be associated with the beneficial intestinal microenvironment and, subsequently, attenuation of pre-cachexia. Our findings provide insights into the potential of ESM

Diet-induced obesity is often associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, lipid metabolism disorders, and chronic inflammation. Consumption of the pseudocereal <i>Amaranthus mangostanus</i> has multiple nutritional benefits. We investigated the effects of dietary amaranth on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in high-fat (HF) diet-fed mice. C57BL/6J mice were provided either a control diet, HF diet, or HF diet containing 10% amaranth powder (Ama) for 8 weeks. Ama supplementation significantly red

Here we describe our unprecedented approach in proposing parsley as a nutraceutical intervention in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) via multi-omics evaluation using dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. Seven-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed either 2% parsley or basal diet and drank normal-drinking-water for 1 week after which colitis was induced by administering 1.5% (w/v) DSS-drinking-water for 9 days. Parsley supplementation significantly improved colon shortening and increased

1. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are type I transmembrane proteins that play an essential role in the innate immune system. Studies on the structure and function of TLRs can be applied to the development of new approaches to control diseases of humans and animals. 2. A 3432-bp cDNA encoding duck toll-like receptor 4 (duTLR4) was cloned from duck splenic lymphocytes using RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. 3. The encoded protein, which was predicted to contain 843 amino acids, had a molecu