Diurnal changes of the oral microbiome in patients with alcohol dependence.

Background: Saliva secretion and oral microbiota change in rhythm with our biological clock. Dysbiosis of the oral microbiome and alcohol consumption have a two-way interactive impact, but little is known about whether the oral microbiome undergoes diurnal changes in composition and function during the daytime in patients with alcohol dependence (AD). Methods: The impact of alcohol consumption on the diurnal salivary microbiome was examined in a case-control study of 32 AD patients and 21 healthy control (HC) subjects. We tested the changes in microbial composition and individual taxon abundance by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: The present study is the first report showing that alcohol consumption enhanced the richness of the salivary microbiome and lowered the evenness. The composition of the oral microbiota changed significantly in alcohol-dependent patients. Additionally, certain genera were enriched in the AD group, including Actinomyces, Leptotrichia, Sphaerochaeta and Cyanobacteria, all of which have pathogenic effects on the host. There is a correlation between liver enzymes and oral microbiota. KEGG function analysis also showed obvious alterations during the daytime. Conclusion: Alcohol drinking influences diurnal changes in the oral microbiota, leading to flora disturbance and related functional impairment. In particular, the diurnal changes of the oral microbiota may open avenues for potential interventions that can relieve the detrimental consequences of AD.

Fabrication of nano-fibrous PLLA scaffold reinforced with chitosan fibers.

In this study, a nano-fibrous PLLA scaffold reinforced by micro-scale chitosan fibers was fabricated using thermally-induced phase separation (TIPS). The morphology, porosity, mechanical performance and pH changes in in vitro degradation of the scaffold were also investigated. Results showed that the mechanical properties of the scaffold increased with the amount of chitosan fibers embedded, and the pH in in vitro degradation of the scaffold changed more slowly than that of the pure nano-fibrous PLLA scaffold without chitosan fibers. The new composite scaffold might be a very promising scaffold for tissue engineering.