Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi alleviates Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea and its modulatory effects on the gut microbiota.

The growing incidence of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) underscores the urgency for potent treatments. This research delves into the therapeutic potential of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Lamiaceae) root (SR) in addressing CDAD and its influence on gut microbiota. Using a CDAD mouse model and fidaxomicin as a control, SR's impact was measured through diarrhea symptoms, colonic histopathology, and C. difficile toxin levels. Employing the PacBio platform, 16S rRNA full-length gene sequencing analyzed the gut microbial composition and the effect of SR. Results revealed SR considerably alleviated diarrhea during treatment and restoration phases, with a marked decrease in colonic inflammation. C. difficile toxin levels dropped significantly with SR treatment (P < 0.001). While SR didn't augment gut microbiota's overall abundance, it enhanced its diversity. It restored levels of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, reduced Akkermansia spp. and Enterococcus spp. proportions, and modulated specific bacterial species' abundance. In essence, SR effectively mitigates CDAD symptoms, curtails inflammatory reactions, and beneficially restructures gut microbiota, suggesting its potential in advanced CDAD clinical intervention.

[Effects of Application of Different Organic Materials on Phosphorus Accumulation and Transformation in Vegetable Fields].

Presently, the improvement of soil organic matter is the basis to ensure food security, but the accumulation and transformation characteristics of soil phosphorus (P) as affected by organic matter remain unclear. The accumulation, transformation, and migration characteristics of soil P in different soil layers of vegetable fields were researched under the application of organic materials. Six treatments were set up in the experiment:control (no fertilization), traditional fertilizer application by farmers, biochar, chicken manure, food waste, and straw application. Available phosphorus (Olsen-P), water-soluble phosphorus (CaCl2-P) content, soil phosphorus forms, soil organic matter (SOM), and pH were determined during the pepper harvest period. In the 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm soil layers, the available phosphorus content of traditional fertilization of farmers was higher, and the available phosphorus content of the four organic materials was in the order of straw > biochar > chicken manure > food waste. Compared to that with food waste, the straw and biochar treatments increased soil available phosphorus by 59.6%-67.3% and 29.1%-36.9%, respectively. The straw treatment could easily enhance the soil labile P pool, and soil labile P in the 0-5 cm soil layer increased by 47.3% and 35.1% compared with that under the chicken manure and food waste treatments, respectively. With the increase in soil depth, the proportion of available phosphorus in the chicken manure treatment decreased the least, and available phosphorus of the 20-30 cm soil layer accounted for 55.9% of the topsoil layer but only accounted for 16.0%-34.0% under treatment with the other three materials. Compared with that under the traditional fertilization of farmers, the pH significantly increased by 0.18-0.36 units after the application of organic fertilizer, and the pH of the chicken manure and food waste treatments was significantly higher than that of biochar and straw (P < 0.05). SOM content under the biochar treatment significantly increased by 7.7%-17.6% compared to that under the other three organic materials. Among the four organic materials, the straw treatment boosted the labile P pool the most, which was conducive to the rapid increase in plant-available P. Phosphorus was most likely to migrate downward under the chicken manure treatment. In the field management based on soil fertility enhancement, the application of biochar could not only improve soil pH and SOM but also avoid excessive accumulation of phosphorus in the surface layer, which decreases environmental risks.

Shengjiang Xiexin Decoction ameliorates antibiotic-associated diarrhea by altering the gut microbiota and intestinal metabolic homeostasis.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) has had a significant increase in the last years, with limited available effective therapies. Shengjiang Xiexin Decoction (SXD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating diarrhea, is a promising alternative for reducing the incidence of AAD. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect of SXD on AAD and to investigate its potential therapeutic mechanism by integrated analysis of the gut microbiome and intestinal metabolic profile. METHODS: 16S rRNA sequencing analysis of the gut microbiota and untargeted-metabolomics analysis of feces were performed. The mechanism was further explored by fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). RESULTS: SXD could effectively ameliorate AAD symptoms and restore intestinal barrier function. In addition, SXD could significantly improve the diversity of the gut microbiota and accelerate the recovery of the gut microbiota. At the genus level, SXD significantly increased the relative abundance of Bacteroides spp (p < 0.01) and decreased the relative abundance of Escherichia_Shigela spp (p < 0.001). Untargeted metabolomics showed that SXD significantly improved gut microbiota and host metabolic function, particularly bile acid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that SXD could extensively modulate the gut microbiota and intestinal metabolic homeostasis to treat AAD.

[Carbon Dioxide Mitigation Co-effect Analysis of Structural Adjustment Measures in the "2+26" Cities in the Jing-Jin-Ji Region and Its Surroundings].

The Three-Year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky Defense Battle states that structural adjustments of industrial, energy, transportation, and land use are important to significantly reduce CO2 and air pollutant emissions. This co-effect is evident but has not been quantified at the city-cluster level. This study developed an emission inventory for the "2+26" cities of the Jing-Jin-Ji region and its surroundings and quantitatively analyzed the impacts of measures in the Three-Year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky Defense Battle on the emissions of CO2 and major air pollutants using Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and Synergies in the "2+26" cities model (GAINS-JJJ). The results showed that in the "2+26" cities, the emission reductions in CO2, primary PM2.5, SO2, NOx, and NH3 under policy scenario 2020 were 29.1 Mt (equivalent to 2% of the emissions in 2017), 203.8 (21%), 281.8 (27%), 485.5 (17%), and 34.3 kt (3%), respectively, relative to 2017. In terms of the cities or sectors, the higher the pollutant emissions, the higher the reduction achieved. The CO2 mitigation co-effect results showed that industrial adjustment measures, such as eliminating backward production capacity, upgrades on industrial boilers, and phasing out small and polluting factories, contributed the most to the co-effect of CO2 emission reduction, whereas NOx presented the highest co-effects, with CO2 among the different air pollutants.

On-line lung volume measurement during high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: A bag-in-box system using a closed-circuit helium-dilution technique was used to determine the functional residual capacity during conventional mechanical ventilation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the bag-in-box system could be used to measure mean lung volume without interrupting high-frequency oscillatory ventilation. DESIGN: Laboratory study. SETTING: Hospital intensive care medical research laboratory. SUBJECTS: Six mechanical lung models and ten New Zealand adult rabbits. INTERVENTIONS: The bag-in-box system was introduced into the respiratory circuit during the study. The rabbits were randomly divided into a healthy group and an acute lung injury group. Acute lung injury was induced by intravenously infusing oleic acid during conventional mechanical ventilation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In a lung model study, a series of rebreathing processes were performed. By measuring the helium concentration in each process, the rebreathing time needed for equilibration was found to be about 50 secs. We compared the measured volume with a known lung volume to test the method's accuracy. The volumes differed by -0.5% to 4.4%. Measured and known volumes of different size lung models correlated well (p <.001). Equilibration of helium in the system occurred after 40-50 secs of rebreathing in healthy rabbits and 30-40 secs of rebreathing in rabbits with acute lung injury. Of 45 mean lung volume determinations in ten rabbits, the coefficient of variation ranged from 0.5% to 6.5%. When mean airway pressure changed, the mean lung volume alteration was detected by the method, but it was inconsistent in each mean airway pressure variation. CONCLUSION: A bag-in-box apparatus using a helium-dilution technique could be evaluated as a method to measure gas-containing lung volumes ranging from 10 to 60 mL in patients receiving high-frequency oscillatory ventilation.