Buzhong Yiqi Decoction, traditionally used in China for the treatment of diarrhea, is extracted from Astragalus, Atractylodes macrocephala, Tangerine peel, Bupleurum, Ginseng, Cimicifuga, Licorice, and Chinese Angelica. However, the precise mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain inadequately understood. Considering that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may contribute to diarrhea, and that oral administration of the decoction exhibits limited intestinal absorption, we propose that the modulation of gut microbiota plays a crucial role in its anti-diarrheal efficacy. To validate this hypothesis, we established a canine diarrhea model by administering Senna decoction, followed by treatment with Buzhong Yiqi Decoction. Diarrhea rates, complete blood counts, serum biochemistry, serum antioxidant levels, and D-xylose absorption were measured. The alteration of gut microbiota was examined through 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing. Compared with the model group, after treatment with the decoction, the levels of white blood cells and superoxide dismutase in the dogs significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the levels of D-xylose and malondialdehyde significantly increased (P<0.05). The intestinal flora results showed that, compared with the control group, the relative abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria decreased in the model group, while the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes significantly increased. At the genus level, compared with the control group, the relative abundance of unclassified Ruminococcaceae, Collinsella, and Fusobacterium in the model group significantly decreased, while the relative abundance of Shigella and Anaeroplasma significantly increased. In conclusion, Buzhong Yiqi Decoction has a therapeutic effect on dogs with diarrhea, primarily through reducing diarrhea rate, exerting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and regulating the intestinal flora.

The incidence of liver injury has been increasing year by year, potentially progressing to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma, posing a threat to human health. Gardenia, Astragalus, and Hawthorn are commonly used natural products with dual purposes as both medicine and food. While extensive research has been conducted on their individual pharmacological activities, systematic studies on the synergistic effects and efficacy evaluation of their combined use in liver protection are still lacking. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of the compound Gardenia and Scutellaria extract (GACE) on CCl4-induced liver injury in mice. The composition and content of GACE were analyzed by HPLC. Serum biochemical, inflammatory, and hepatic oxidative stress indicators were detected using assay kits. Liver pathological changes were examined by HE staining, while apoptosis was observed via TUNEL staining. Transcriptomic and metabolomic sequencing were employed to analyze the potential mechanisms of CCl4 in alleviating liver injury. Finally, Western blotting was performed to validate the analytical results. The results demonstrated that CCl4 significantly upregulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-12 and IL-2 (p < 0.05), downregulated the level of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 (p < 0.05), and caused markedly elevated serum ALT and AST levels (p < 0.01). The hepatic lobule structure was nearly obliterated in liver tissue, with disordered arrangement of hepatic cords and numerous vacuoles appearing in hepatocytes. The TUNEL staining positive cell rate increased significantly compared with the blank group (p < 0.001). Meanwhile, CCl4 also significantly inhibited SOD and GSH-Px activities in liver tissue (p < 0.05), while markedly increasing MDA levels (p < 0.05). GACE significantly alleviated liver tissue damage and reduced hepatocyte apoptosis (p < 0.05). It markedly enhanced SOD and GSH-Px activities in liver tissue while decreasing ALT, AST, MDA, IL-6, IL-12, and IL-2 levels (p < 0.05), thereby mitigating hepatic oxidative damage and inflammatory responses. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that the PI3K-Akt and MAPK signaling pathways play crucial roles in mediating GACE’s therapeutic effects against liver injury. Further validation demonstrated that GACE can attenuate CCl4-induced liver injury by inhibiting the PI3K-Akt and MAPK pathways.

In this study, a total of 115 geese were selected and raised in 23 separate pens. We found that the average frequency of brooding was 2.18 times during the whole reproduction period. The duration of broodiness of early, middle, and later stage of the brooding period were 2.96 d, 9.93 d, and 4.27 d, respectively. The daily brooding time of early, middle, and later stage of the brooding period were 13.59 h/day, 21.62 h/day, and 5.26 h/day, respectively. The egg production was negatively correlated with the duration of broodiness in early, middle, and later stage of the brooding period and the daily brooding time of early and middle stage of the brooding period. In addition, the LH, FSH, E2, and P4 levels of laying stage were significantly higher than that of early, middle, and later brooding stage. The E2 level of middle stage was significantly lower than early and later stages. Taken together, we demonstrated that annual egg production of geese can be increased through waking up the brooding geese in the early or middle stage of brooding period. And E2 may be a marker hormone for laying stage of Wanxi white geese.

To explore the impact of age on the fattening effects in Zhedong white geese, this experiment selected 240 geese to undergo a three-week fattening period starting at 49 d and 70 d. The results showed that the final weight and feed-to-gain ratios (F/G) in the first and second weeks were significantly higher in the geese that started fattening at 70d compared to those starting at 49d (P<0.05). The F/G ratio in the third week was significantly lower in the 70d group compared to the 49d group (P<0.05). Additionally, the weights of the breast muscle, leg muscle, abdominal fat, intestinal fat, gizzard pH, and heart were significantly higher in the 70d group (P<0.05). The meat color L values and b* values of the breast and leg muscles were higher in the 70d group, while the leg muscle pH was significantly higher in the 49d group (P<0.05). Overall, the analysis suggests that starting fattening at 70d can improve the final weight and slaughter performance of Zhedong white geese but also increases the F/G ratio and reduces carcass quality and meat color. Therefore, the fattening effects are superior when started at 49d.

The Western Anhui white goose is a highly esteemed breed in our country, renowned for its superior meat quality and exceptional egg-laying performance. As the primary reproductive organ in poultry, the ovary significantly influences the sexual maturation and reproductive capacity of female animals. Understanding the molecular basis underlying nesting behavior in geese relies on understanding the variations in ovarian proteins during different nesting periods. To investigate the effect of proteins on nesting behavior and fecundity, we selected ovarian tissues from three high-and three low-fertility Wanxi white geese. By employing a tandem mass-tag-based quantitative proteomics method, we successfully identified 4611 proteins, of which 111 exhibited significant differences. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that these differentially expressed proteins were primarily associated with glycolysis and folate biosynthesis pathways. Furthermore, our protein-protein interaction network analysis demonstrated that the interacting proteins predominantly participated in ribosome function as well as amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism. The findings of this study establish a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanism underlying variations in ovarian protein levels among Wanxi white geese with different fecundity.

Orofacial fistula and nasoalveolar fistula are dental conditions caused by periodontitis, primarily resulting in respiratory symptoms such as halitosis and purulent nasal discharge. This paper reports a case of a Shetland Sheepdog presenting with a facial ulcer. Clinical examination confirmed a diagnosis of orofacial fistula and nasoalveolar fistula. Following extraction of the affected tooth and mucosal repair surgery, the dog showed a favorable recovery. This case provides a reference for clinicians encountering similar cases in practice.