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Bacillus probiotics have a sporulation capacity that makes them more suitable for processing and storage and for surviving passage through the gastrointestinal tract. The probiotic functions and regulatory mechanisms of different Bacillus have been exploited in many reports, but little is known about how various Bacillus probiotics perform different functions. This knowledge gap results in a lack of specificity in the selection and application of Bacillus. The probiotic properties are strain-specific and cell-type-specific, and are related to the germination potential and to the diversity of metabolites produced following intestinal germination, as this causes the variation in probiotic function and mechanisms. In this review, we discuss the Bacillus metabolites produced during germination and sporulation in the GI tract, as well as possible processes affecting intestinal homeostasis. We conclude that the oxygen-capturing capability and the production of antimicrobials, exoenzymes, competence and sporulation factors (CSF), exopolysaccharides, lactic acid, and cell components are specifically associated with the functional mechanisms of probiotic Bacillus. The aim of this review is to guide the screening of potential Bacillus strains for probiotics and their application in nutrition research. The information provided will also promote further research on Bacillus-derived functional metabolites in human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and 9 Patients Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to investigate the anxiety and depression of 1366 primary school students in Shenzhen after the resumption of school. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents began wondering whether months of isolation, a lack of organized school education, and potential loss of relatives would have a long-term impact on their children's mental health. The results of this study indicate that the rates of anxiety and depression among primary school students are indeed higher than before COVID-19, including the detection rate of anxiety and depression comorbidity, which has reached 11.7%. As age and grade increase, so do the scores of anxiety and depression among primary school students, with those of boys being higher than those of girls. In addition to age, grade, and gender, anxiety and depression scores were found to also be affected by other factors, such as the daily time spent using mobile phones for entertainment and exercising. Besides, these increases were found to be related to feelings of fear and nervousness towards aspects of the pandemic and worries about getting sick. Altogether, these results indicate that the mental state and health of primary school students following the pandemic is worth paying attention to, and that psychological intervention should be carried out in time. Overall, the results of this study may serve as a helpful guide as to how primary schools should carry out courses and activities to promote students' mental health after the pandemic situation stabilizes. Moreover, they may provide a reference for further study on the influence of pandemic situations on the anxiety and depression of primary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]