We examined the relationship between psychological empowerment and work burnout as mediated by professional identity. Participants were 650 primary and secondary school teachers from nine rural provinces in China. The results indicate that both psychological empowerment and professional identity were significantly and negatively related to work burnout, and that psychological empowerment was significantly and positively associated with professional identity. Furthermore, professional identity partially mediated the relationship between psychological empowerment and work burnout. These findings advance research on the psychology of professional identity by clarifying the relationship between psychological empowerment and work burnout.

Simple SummaryCholesterol is an important lipid substance in organisms. As the precursor of bile acid, steroid hormones and vitamin D3, cholesterol plays important roles in lipid metabolism. Chicken is among the most consumed meat products worldwide; however, its cholesterol level is higher than that of other meat products. High cholesterol in a human diet will increase the risk of atherosclerosis. In addition, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is susceptible to be oxidized, which will cause the death of broilers. Therefore, it is of great significance to enhance the antioxidant capacity and improve cholesterol metabolism in broiler chickens. Bamboo leaf extract (BLE) contains active ingredients such as flavonoids, polyphenols, and active polysaccharides, which possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and lipid-lowering effects. Our results show that supplementation of BLE in the basal diet improved growth and slaughter performance, antioxidant status and cholesterol metabolism in broilers. Therefore, the application of BLE as a feed additive has a certain economic value. AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary bamboo leaf extract (BLE) on antioxidant status and cholesterol metabolism in broilers. One-day-old male Arbor Acres (576) broilers were randomly divided into six groups. A control group was fed a basal diet, while five experimental groups were supplemented with 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0g BLE per kg feed in their basal diets. The result indicated that BLE supplementation linearly improved eviscerated yield and decreased abdominal fat (p < 0.05). A significant decrease of serum triglyceride (TG) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) content was observed with BLE supplementation (p < 0.05). BLE supplementation linearly improved the total antioxidant capacity and catalase activity in both serum and liver (p < 0.05). Glutathione peroxidase was quadratically increased in serum and linearly increased in the liver with BLE supplementation (p < 0.05). The malonaldehyde content in liver showed a linear and quadratic decrease with BLE supplementation (p < 0.05). BLE supplementation up-regulated the mRNA expression of cholesterol 7- alpha hydroxylase and low-density lipoprotein receptor and downregulated 3-hydroxy3-methyl glutamates coenzyme A reductase mRNA expression in the liver. The antioxidant enzyme mRNA expressions were all up-regulated by BLE supplementation in the liver. In conclusion, supplemental BLE improved antioxidant status and cholesterol metabolism in broilers, which eventually led to a decrease of serum TG, LDL-c content, and abdominal fat deposition.

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Background Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development. Clostridium butyricum (C. butyricum), a kind of emerging probiotics, has been reported to effectively attenuate lipid metabolism dysfunctions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C. butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets. Methods Sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight (NBW) neonatal male piglets were used in this study. From d 3 to d 24, in addition to drinking milk, the eight NBW piglets (NBW-CON group, n = 8) and eight IUGR piglets (IUGR-CON group, n = 8) were given 10 mL sterile saline once a day, while the remaining IUGR piglets (IUGR-CB group, n = 8) were orally administered C. butyricum at a dose of 2 × 108 colony-forming units (CFU)/kg body weight (suspended in 10 mL sterile saline) at the same frequency. Results The IUGR-CON piglets exhibited restricted growth, impaired hepatic morphology, disordered lipid metabolism, increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered ileum and liver bile acid (BA) profiles. However, C. butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of the IUGR-CB piglets, characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum, including Streptococcus and Enterococcus. The decrease in these bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-producing microbes increased the content of conjugated BAs, which could be transported to the liver and function as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptor α (LXRα) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR). This activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol. As a result, the growth performance and morphological structure of the liver improved in the IUGR piglets. Conclusion These results indicate that C. butyricum supplementation in IUGR suckling piglets could decrease the abundance of BSH-producing microbes (Streptococcus and Enterococcus). This decrease altered the ileum and liver BA profiles and consequently activated the expression of hepatic LXRα and FXR. The activation of these two signaling molecules could effectively normalize the lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling piglets.

Background Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development. Clostridium butyricumon, emerging as a probiotic, has been reported to attenuate dysfunctions in lipid metabolism with effect. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C. butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets and to explore its underlying mechanism. Methods sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight (NBW) neonatal male piglets were divided into three groups. Besides drinking milk, these neonates were orally gavaged with 10 mL sterile saline (NBW-CON and IUGR-CON groups) or bacterial fluid containing 2 × 108 CFU/kg C. butyricum (IUGR-CB group) once in the morning for 3 to 24 d. Results Piglets with IUGR showed retarded growth performance, impaired hepatic morphology, disordered lipid metabolism, increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered bile acid (BA) profile of ileum and liver. C. butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of IUGR piglets and was characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum. Among these opportunistic pathogens, Streptococcus and Enterococcus are also bile salt hydrolase (BSH)-producing microbes, and the decrease of them increased the content of conjugated BAs, which could be transported to liver and functioned as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptor α (LXRα) and farnesoid X receptor (FXR). Their activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol. As a result, the final body weight of the IUGR piglets and the morphological structure of their livers improved. Conclusions These results indicate that supplemental 2 × 108 CFU/kg C. butyricum could decrease the abundance of Streptococcus and Enterococcus, which were considered BSH-producing microbes. Their decrease altered the BA profile of the ileum and liver and, as a result, activated the expression of hepatic LXRα and FXR. The activation of these two signalling molecules could effectively normalize lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling piglets.