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Non-alcoholic fatty acid disease (NAFLD) is caused by a build-up of fat in the liver, inducing local inflammation and fibrosis. We evaluated the effects of probiotic lactic acid-generating bacteria (LAB) derived from a traditional fermented beverage in a mouse model of NAFLD. The LAB isolated from this traditional Korean beverage were screened using the human hepatic cell line HepG2, and Lactocaseibacillus paracasei HY7207 (HY7207), which was the most effective inhibitor of fat accumulation, was selected for further study. HY7207 showed stable productivity in industrial-scale culture. Whole-genome sequencing of HY7207 revealed that the genome was 2.88 Mbp long, with 46.43% GC contents and 2778 predicted protein-coding DNA sequences (CDSs). HY7207 reduced the expression of lipogenesis and hepatic apoptosis-related genes in HepG2 cells treated with palmitic acid. Furthermore, the administration of 109 CFU/kg/day of HY7207 for 8 weeks to mice fed an NAFLD-inducing diet improved their physiologic and serum biochemical parameters and ameliorated their hepatic steatosis. In addition, HY7207 reduced the hepatic expression of genes important for lipogenesis (Srebp1c, Fasn, C/ebpa, Pparg, and Acaca), inflammation (Tnf, Il1b, and Ccl2), and fibrosis (Col1a1, Tgfb1, and Timp1). Finally, HY7207 affected the expression of the apoptosis-related genes Bax (encoding Bcl2 associated X, an apoptosis regulator) and Bcl2 (encoding B-cell lymphoma protein 2) in the liver. These data suggest that HY7207 consumption ameliorates NAFLD in mice through effects on liver steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and hepatic apoptosis. Thus, L. paracasei HY7207 may be suitable for use as a functional food supplement for patients with NAFLD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron‐ and nitrogen‐doped carbon (Fe─N─C) catalysts have garnered attention owing to their high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, which is comparable to that of Pt/C catalysts. Among the various methods for designing Fe─N─C catalysts, the use of templates has been emphasized as a means to create hierarchical porous structures. This strategy has enabled the achievement of high ORR activity. In this study, we propose a method for manufacturing a catalyst with high ORR activity by maximizing the interactions between commercial silica templates and catalyst precursors. By manipulating the charge on the commercial silica surface and adjusting the pH of the dispersion, the catalyst fabricated through these methods exhibited superior ORR activity compared to Pt/C and recently reported nonprecious metal catalysts. Through diverse physicochemical and electrochemical analyses, we confirmed that this activity stems from the effectively generated hierarchical porous structure and the resulting high density of Fe─N active sites. This catalyst exhibited a kinetic current density of over 2.73 mA cm−2, which is more than double that of platinum and displayed a high ORR mass activity of 4.49 mA mg−1. This strategy holds significant potential for application in various carbon‐based materials, paving the way for the development of highly efficient electrochemical energy devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) is a versatile crop belonging to the Cannabaceae family, and is dioecious, typically with separate male and female plants. The flowers of female plants, especially the trichomes, accumulate relatively higher contents of cannabinoids compared with those of male plants. For this reason, to obtain seeds that are genetically female, it is desirable to induce the development of male flowers on a female plant that produces genetically female haploid gametes. Silver thiosulfate (STS) is a highly effective chemical for male flower induction. We investigated male flower induction in three commercial cultivars of female cannabis (Spectrum303, SuperwomanS1, and CBGambit) regarding the treatment frequency, stage of application, and concentration of STS applied as a foliar spray. All three cultivars showed adequate induction of male flowers in response to 1.5 mM STS applied at the early reproductive stage. In particular, SuperwomanS1 was most highly responsive to induction of male flowers, even when treated with 0.3 mM STS at the early reproductive stage. Treatment with three applications of STS was more effective compared with a single application, but a single application of 1.5 mM STS at the early reproductive stage was sufficient for male flower induction. A single STS application during the middle stage of reproductive growth was inadequate for induction of male flowers. However, 6 weeks after three applications of STS, CBGambit exhibited approximately 54% male flower induction at 0.3 mM STS, Spectrum303 showed approximately 56% induction at 3 mM STS, and SuperwomanS1 yielded approximately 26% induction at 1.5 mM (expressed as percentage of total number of individuals with the induced male flowers). Pollen stainability tests using KI-I2 solution and Alexander's staining showed high pollen viability with over 65% at different single STS concentrations, indicating that pollen grains induced by STS have sufficient viability for the self-pollination. This study demonstrated that different cultivars of cannabis respond diversely to different STS concentrations and highlighted the potential benefits of three STS applications during the middle reproductive stage for cannabis breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional diversity research enhances our understanding of ecosystems and both their functioning and their responses to environmental variations. This study investigated the biological trait responses of benthic invertebrate communities to various environmental conditions in estuarine habitats. We analyzed benthic macroinvertebrate communities in freshwater and estuarine environments to compare their characteristics between estuary sites with and without artificial barriers. Moreover, we combined taxonomic analyses (species richness, abundance, and four community indices) with functional diversity indices and biological trait analyses. The major results are as follows: (i) the most important environmental factors shaping species distribution in estuarine habitats were salinity and electrical conductivity; (ii) comparing functional diversity indices, tidal estuaries revealed that seawater intrusion induced changes in species distribution and the dispersion of benthic macroinvertebrates; (iii) the presence or absence of artificial barriers in estuaries affected biological traits owing to the influence of specific functional strategies of certain species. Consequently, the presence or absence of artificial barriers in estuaries can lead to significant changes in habitat connectivity and functional diversity related to ecosystem functions. These findings indicate that the presence of artificial barriers can significantly influence the ecological dynamics of estuarine ecosystems, thereby affecting species distribution, functional diversity and habitat connectivity. Understanding these effects contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of ecosystem functionings, as it complements existing taxonomic findings and integrates information about the functional aspects of diverse ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of phenolic compounds in rapeseed is important because they are either anti-nutritional compounds or directly related to antioxidant activity. In this study, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), and an association study was conducted to investigate phenolic content in 95 rapeseed mutant lines derived from gamma rays and their original cultivar. A total of 3,196,318 SNPs were detected, resulting in the identification of a set of 70,208 union SNPs used to perform association studies. Seven compounds were identified, sinapine being the major phenolic compound (91.2–99.2%) in all genotypes. An association study was conducted for seven compounds and total phenolic content (TPC). It identified 241 SNPs that were significantly associated with these compounds, total sinapine content (TSC), and TPC. Based on the SNP markers detected, BnaC02g20420D was associated with dihexose, BnaC08g30570D with progoitrin, BnaA01g06890D with methyl sinapate, BnaA09g16810D with sinapine(4-O-8′)guaiacyl, BnaCnng39930D with trans-sinapine 1, BnaA07g31720D with trans-sinapine 2, BnaC03g31950D with sinapoyl malate, and BnaAnng27700D with TPC. These were selected as candidate genes that may play a key role in rapeseed. The SNP markers associated with these key phenolic compounds can be used as targets in breeding programs to reduce anti-nutritional components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the significance of posttreatment in the design of high-performance Fe-N-C-type catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Enhancing the catalytic performance of Fe-N-C requires a postprocess for removing the aggregated iron species formed during high-temperature pyrolysis since they have a negative effect on ORR. We were able to obtain a catalyst precursor for the Fe-N-C reaction via pyrolysis with iron-adsorbed 1,8-diaminonaphthalene (FeDN), which was then treated with a concentrated HCl solution for the removal of the aggregated iron species produced. The HCl-treated FeDN was subsequently annealed at various temperatures to investigate the effect of the annealing process on the physical properties and ORR performance. The annealing temperature was a critical factor affecting the residual contents of impurities, as well as the active component and the electronic state of nitrogen. We also examined the influence of different types of acid (HCl, H2SO4, and HNO3) on the catalytic performance. The type of acid used for removing aggregated iron species had an impact on both the Fe contents and the relative nitrogen species content. Among the catalysts tested, the catalyst prepared by annealing the HCl-treated FeDN at 700°C had the best ORR performance. Although its initial ORR performance in acidic conditions was lower than that of a commercial Pt/C, it was more durable. In alkaline conditions, it delivered a comparable initial ORR performance to Pt/C and also exhibited higher durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]