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Objective: Gastric and intestinal diseases possess distinct characteristics although they are interconnected. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases through different analyses of clinical characteristics, serum immunology, and gut microbiota in patients with gastrointestinal diseases. Methods: We collected serum samples from 89 patients with gastrointestinal diseases and 9 healthy controls for immunological assessment, stool samples for DNA extraction, library construction, sequencing, as well as clinical data for subsequent analysis. Results: Regarding clinical characteristics, there were significant differences between the disease group and the healthy control (HC) group, particularly in terms of age, cancer antigen 125 (CA125), cancer antigen 199 (CA199), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), total bilirubin (TBIL) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL). The intestinal disease (ID) group exhibited the highest IL-6 level, which significantly differed from the stomach disease (SD) group (p < 0.05). In comparing the HC with the ID groups, significant differences in abundance were detected across 46 species. The HC group displayed a greater abundance of Clostridiales, Clostridia, Firmicutes, Bifidobacterium, Bifidobacteriaceae, Bifidobacteriales, Actinobacteria, Veillonellaceae, Longum, Copri, Megamonas and Callidus than other species. Similarly, when comparing the HC with the SD groups, significant differences in abundance were identified among 49 species, with only one species that the Lachnospiraceae in the HC group exhibited a higher abundance than others. Furthermore, certain clinical characteristics, such as CA125, CA199, glucose (Glu), creatine kinase-MB (CKMB) and interleukin-22 (IL-22), displayed positive correlations with enriched gut species in the ID and SD groups, while exhibiting a negative correlation with the HC group. Conclusion: The disturbance in human gut microbiota is intimately associated with the development and progression of gastrointestinal diseases. Moreover, the gut microbiota in the HC group was found more diverse than that in the ID and SD groups, and there were significant differences in microbial species among the three groups at different classification levels. Notably, a correlation was identified between specific clinical characteristics (e.g., CA125, CA199, Glu, CKMB and IL-22) and gut microbiota among patients with gastrointestinal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin C (VC), encompasses a group of related water-soluble substances, which plays an important role in the physiologic processes and health of aquatic animals. Most aquatic animals have a limited capacity to synthesize VC, thus obtaining VC mainly from diets. To date, VC has been widely used as an aquatic feed additive due to its antioxidant, free radical scavenging, and anti-inflammatory abilities. However, the requirement for VC varies greatly among different aquatic animals. This updated review presents a general picture of the possible physiological function of VC for farmed aquatic animals, with emphasis on the information on growth, antioxidant status, immunity, diseases prevention, and reproductive performance, as well as the synergistic effects of VC with other micronutrients such as vitamin E, glucans, and metal elements during recent years. Furthermore, the interaction between dietary VC and the intestinal microbiota of aquatic animals have also been discussed. Understanding the beneficial function and mechanism of VC is of great significance for extending the application of VC in the aquaculture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the effect of emodin on growth and intestinal microbiota of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) larvae. Five diets, including Con, E25, E50, E100 and E200 diet in which 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg·Kg−1 emodin was supplemented. After a 30-day feeding trail, the results showed the specific growth rate (SGR) of larvae in E50, E100 and E200 group was significantly higher than that of control (p < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary emodin inclusion did not affect the SOD, CAT and GPx activity, while significantly decreased the MDA level (p < 0.05). Moreover, dietary emodin (50 mg·Kg−1) notably enhanced the expression of immune related genes including nrf2 , il-1β , tgf-β , ifn-γ , ifn-i and irf3. Additionally, a higher relative abundance of Idiomarina and Halomonas , as well as a lower content of Mycoplasma was observed in E50 group, whereas Enterobacter content remarkably decreased in E200 group at genus level (p < 0.05). Finally, the M. salmoides larvae in E50 group exhibited a relative higher survival rate (p < 0.05), while larvae in E200 group showed a slightly higher mortality than that of control. Collectively, these results demonstrated that proper dosage of supplementing emodin (50 mg·Kg−1) in diet could lead to a promotion of growth performance, immunity, and a protective effect on M. salmoides larvae against MSRV infection. • Dietary emodin (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg·Kg−1) promoted the specific growth rate of M. salmoides larvae. • Dietary emodin (50 mg·Kg−1) notably enhanced the expression of immune related genes including il-1β , tgf-β , ifn-γ , ifn-i and irf3 in M. salmoides larvae. • Dietary emodin (50 mg·Kg−1) remarkably reduced the Mycoplasma content, while multiplied the Halomonas and Idiomarina abundance in intestine of M. salmoides larvae. • Dietary emodin (50 mg·Kg−1) dramatically increased the survival rate of M. salmoides larvae challenged with MSRV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel herbal extracts formula (HE) comprising Scutellaria baicalensis , Taraxacum mongolicum , Biancaea sappan and Pulsatilla chinensis extract with a weight ratio of 3.0: 1.8: 3.0: 1.7, was selected based on bacteriostatic test in vitro. Subsequently, a 30-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary HE (0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.50 and 1.00%, respectively) inclusion on the performance of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The results unveiled that dietary HE 0.10% and HE 0.50% inclusion notably increased the specific growth rate (SGR) and antioxidant enzyme (SOD and GPX) activities in the intestine and liver of fish (p < 0.05). Additionally, a significantly greater height of villi and width of villi were observed in the HE 0.50% and HE 0.10% groups, respectively (p < 0.05). Conversely, histological examination indicated that dietary HE1.00% inclusion led to discernible injury to the intestines, with certain villi displaying breakage and shedding. Hematological parameters including white blood cells (WBC) and red blood cells (RBC) were significantly increased, while the erythrocyte indices including average cellular hemoglobin (MCH), and average cellular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) remarkably decreased in fish fed HE inclusion compared to the basal diet. The 16S rRNA sequence analysis demonstrated that Cetobacterium , Aeromonas and Plesiomonas were the three dominant species in the intestines regardless of diet. Additionally, the LEfSe analysis revealed that Aeromonas was the most affected taxon, which significantly decreased in the HE 0.10%, HE 0.50% and HE 1.00% groups (p < 0.05), while the Cetobacterium content remarkably increased in HE 0.10% and HE 0.50% groups (p < 0.05). Finally, the highest survival rate of fish infected with Aeromonas veronii HZ012 was observed in the group supplemented with 0.50% HE. Collectively, our study revealed that the supplementation of HE at a proportion of 0.10–0.50% could lead to a promotion of growth performance, maintenance of liver and intestinal health, as well as a protective effect against A. veronii infection in largemouth bass. • Evaluating the in vitro antibacterial effect of the novel formula (HE) composed of four herbal extracts. • Dietary HE 0.10% and HE 0.50% promoted the growth, antioxidant capacity and intestinal Cetobacterium content in M. salmoides. • Dietary HE 0.10% and HE 0.50% increased the intestinal villi parameters in M. salmoides. • Dietary HE reduced the intestinal Aeromonas content and enhanced the resistance of M. salmoides against A. veronii infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]