Palmatine ameliorated lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis-associated encephalopathy mice by regulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), a common neurological complication from sepsis, is widespread among patients in intensive care unit and is linked to substantial morbidity and mortality rates, thus posing a substantial menace to human health. Due to the intricate nature of SAE's pathogenesis, there remains a dearth of efficacious therapeutic protocols, encompassing pharmaceutical agents and treatment modalities, up until the present time. Palmatine exhibits distinctive benefits in the regulation of inflammation for the improvement of sepsis. Nevertheless, the precise functions of palmatine in treating SAE and its underlying mechanism have yet to be elucidated. PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate efficiency of palmatine in SAE mice and its underlying mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Behavioral experiments, percent survival rate analysis, histological analysis, immunofluorescence staining, ELISA analysis, were performed to evaluate the efficiency of palmatine in SAE mice. Quantibody® mouse inflammation array glass chip was performed to observe the effects of palmatine on inflammation storm in SAE mice. Real-time quantitative and western blotting analyzes were employed to examine the expression of relevant targets in the Notch1/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Finally, brain tissues metabolomics-based analyzes were performed to detect the differentially expressed metabolites and metabolic pathways. The fecal samples were subjected to microbial 16S rRNA analysis and untargeted metabolomics analysis in order to identify the specific flora and metabolites associated with SAE, thereby further investigating the mechanism of palmatine in SAE mice. RESULTS: Our results showed that palmatine significantly improved nerve function, reduced cell apoptosis in brain tissue, and decreased inflammatory cytokine levels in SAE induced-LPS mice. Meanwhile, our results demonstrate the potential of palmatine in modulating key components of the Notch1/NF-κB pathway, enhancing the expression of tight junction proteins, improving intestinal permeability, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria (such as Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group), inhibiting the proliferation of harmful bacteria (such as Escherichia-Shigella), and mitigating metabolic disorders. Ultimately, these observed effects contribute to the therapeutic efficacy of palmatine in treating SAE. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study have provided confirmation regarding the efficacy of palmatine in the treatment of SAE, thereby establishing a solid foundation for further exploration into SAE therapy and the advancement and investigation of palmatine.

Biodegradation and potential effect of ranitidine during aerobic composting of human feces.

Ranitidine is widely concerned due to it is mainly related to the transformation into highly toxic carcinogenic products and non-readily biodegradable characteristics in aquatic environment. In this study, biodegradation of ranitidine during rural human feces (HF) aerobic composting was investigated. Results show that both levels of ranitidine are quickly removed in the first-3-day composting. The microorganisms play a vital role in the ranitidine degradation, especially for Firmicutes at the thermophilic period. The effect of ranitidine on the aerobic composting was further analyzed under the normal content (10 mg/kg) and high content (100 mg/kg). The 10 mg/kg ranitidine quickens temperature rise and organic matter degradation of the composting, while the 100 mg/kg ranitidine produces inhibiting effects. However, the effects only occur in the early stage of composting, and then tend to disappear with the removal of ranitidine. Fluorescence spectra confirm that humification and aromatization of dissolved organic matters (DOMs) in the substrates are fastened in 10 mg/kg group, while delayed in 100 mg/kg group. Metagenomic analysis reveals that relative abundances of Firmicutes and sequences related to carbohydrates metabolism increase in the groups mixed with the ranitidine at the early period. The findings provide the first new and systematical insights into degradation characteristics and potential effect of ranitidine during the rural HF composting.

Reducing odor emissions from feces aerobic composting: additives.

Aerobic composting is a reliable technology for treating human and animal feces, and converting them into resources. Odor emissions in compost (mainly NH3 and VSCs) not only cause serious environmental problems, but also cause element loss and reduce compost quality. This review introduces recent progresses on odor mitigation in feces composting. The mechanism of odor generation, and the path of element transfer and transformation are clarified. Several strategies, mainly additives for reducing odors proven effective in the literature are proposed. The characteristics of these methods are compared, and their respective limitations are analyzed. The mechanism and characteristics of different additives are different, and the composting plant needs to be chosen according to the actual situation. The application of adsorbent and biological additives has a broad prospect in feces composting, but the existing research is not enough. In the end, some future research topics are highlighted, and further research is needed to improve odor mitigation and element retention in feces compost.