Aerosol Inhalation of Heat-Killed Clostridium butyricum CGMCC0313-1 Alleviates Allergic Airway Inflammation in Mice.

Epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to beneficial microorganisms can reduce the risk of asthma, but the clinical use of live probiotics is controversial due to the risk of infection. As heat-killed probiotics can also exhibit immunomodulatory activity, this study is aimed at investigating whether heat-killed Clostridium butyricum (HKCB) CGMCC0313-1 could reduce allergic airway inflammation in an ovalbumin-induced mouse model. Mice received aerosol inhalation of HKCB, oral administration of HKCB, or oral administration of live Clostridium butyricum (CB) during sensitization. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell number, histology, and levels of the cytokines interferon-gamma and IL-4, the autophagy-related proteins LC3B, Beclin1, and p62, and members of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway were examined. Our results demonstrated that aerosol inhalation of HKCB, oral HKCB administration, and oral live CB administration alleviated allergic airway inflammation and mucus secretion in allergic mice. Aerosol inhalation of HKCB was the most effective method; it restored the Th1/Th2 balance, ameliorated autophagy, and inhibited the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway in the lungs of allergic mice. Thus, aerosol inhalation of HKCB could be a promising strategy for the prevention or treatment of asthma.

Aerosol inhalation of Mycobacterium vaccae ameliorates airway structural remodeling in chronic asthma mouse model.

Background: Airway remodeling is accepted to be a determining component within the natural history of asthma. Nebulized inhalation of Mycobacterium vaccae (M. vaccae) has a protective effect on asthmatic mice. However, little is known regarding the effect of M. vaccae on airway structural remodeling in asthmatic mice. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and the underlying mechanism of M. vaccae aerosol inhalation on airway structural remodeling in an asthma mouse model. Methods: Chronic asthma mouse models were established by ovalbumin induction. The number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), pathological alterations in lung tissue, and levels of associated cytokines (IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, and ovalbumin-specific immunoglobulin E [OVA-sIgE]) were all assessed after M. vaccae therapy. The relative expression of interleukin (IL)-1ß, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), and Wnt1-induced signaling protein 1 (WISP1) mRNA were detected. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry detected the expression of Wnt/ß-catenin pathway-related proteins in lung tissue. Results: M. vaccae aerosol inhalation relieved airway inflammation, airway hyper-responsiveness, and airway remodeling. M. vaccae reduced the levels of IL-5, IL-13, TNF-α, and OVA-sIgE in and downregulated the expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α, NF-κB, and WISP1 mRNA in the pulmonary. In addition, M. vaccae inhibited the expression of ß-catenin, WISP1, and Wnt1 protein and upregulated the expression of glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3ß). Conclusion: Nebulized inhalation of M. vaccae can reduce airway remodeling during asthma.

Soil Properties Interacting With Microbial Metagenome in Decreasing CH4 Emission From Seasonally Flooded Marshland Following Different Stages of Afforestation.

Wetlands are the largest natural source of terrestrial CH4 emissions. Afforestation can enhance soil CH4 oxidation and decrease methanogenesis, yet the driving mechanisms leading to these effects remain unclear. We analyzed the structures of communities of methanogenic and methanotrophic microbes, quantification of mcrA and pmoA genes, the soil microbial metagenome, soil properties and CH4 fluxes in afforested and non-afforested areas in the marshland of the Yangtze River. Compared to the non-afforested land use types, net CH4 emission decreased from bare land, natural vegetation and 5-year forest plantation and transitioned to net CH4 sinks in the 10- and 20-year forest plantations. Both abundances of mcrA and pmoA genes decreased significantly with increasing plantation age. By combining random forest analysis and structural equation modeling, our results provide evidence for an important role of the abundance of functional genes related to methane production in explaining the net CH4 flux in this ecosystem. The structures of methanogenic and methanotrophic microbial communities were of lower importance as explanatory factors than functional genes in terms of in situ CH4 flux. We also found a substantial interaction between functional genes and soil properties in the control of CH4 flux, particularly soil particle size. Our study provides empirical evidence that microbial community function has more explanatory power than taxonomic microbial community structure with respect to in situ CH4 fluxes. This suggests that focusing on gene abundances obtained, e.g., through metagenomics or quantitative/digital PCR could be more effective than community profiling in predicting CH4 fluxes, and such data should be considered for ecosystem modeling.

Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals a Link Between Hippo Signaling Pathway and Macrophages in Lungs of Mice with OVA-Induced Allergic Asthma.

PURPOSE: The Hippo signaling pathway participates in the restriction of cell proliferation and organ growth. Activated macrophages have been implicated in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma. Recent studies have shown that Hippo signaling pathway may also be involved in the regulation of asthma. However, the link between Hippo signaling pathway and macrophages in the context of allergic asthma has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to explore the link between Hippo signaling pathway and macrophages using a mice model of OVA-induced allergic asthma. METHODS: Mice models of asthma were established. Lung tissues were collected from mice and pooled for mRNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The relative mRNA expression of Hippo signalling pathway-related proteins Yap1, Lef1 and Ctgf was also measured. Double immunofluorescence staining was performed on lung tissues to evaluate macrophage marker F4/80 expression and Yap1/Lef1/Ctgf expression. RESULTS: Results of the RNA-Seq of lung tissues demonstrated that the Hippo signaling pathway was down-regulated in OVA-induced allergic asthma. Using the cytoHubba tool kits in Cytoscape, the following top 10 hub genes of Hippo signalling pathway were identified: Yap1, Lef1, Ctgf, Ccnd1, Axin2, Smad7, Wnt4, Wnt3a, Pard6b, and Wwc1. Using the seq-ImmuCC (http://218.4.234.74:3200/immune/), a negative correlation was found between macrophages and Hippo signaling pathway activity (R2 = 0.93). The mRNA expression levels of pulmonary Yap1, Lef1, and Ctgf were down-regulated in the mice model of OVA-induced allergic asthma. Moreover, double-stained immunofluorescence for F4/80 and Yap1, Lef1, Ctgf in mouse lung sections respectively revealed that macrophage proliferation was correlated with downregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway in the mice model of OVA-induced allergic asthma. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that the Hippo signaling pathway was down-regulated in asthma mice, and the proliferation of macrophages was associated with downregulation of the Hippo signaling pathway. These findings reveal novel insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of asthma.

IL-27 mediates anti-inflammatory effect in cigarette smoke induced emphysema by negatively regulating IFN-γ producing cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in mice.

Chronic airway inflammation mediated by CD8+ T lymphocytes contributes to the pathogenesis of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Deciphering the fingerprint of the chronic inflammation orchestrated by CD8+ T cells may allow the development of novel approaches to COPD management. Here, the expression of IL-27 and IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells were evaluated in patients with COPD and in cigarette smoke-exposed mice. The production of IL-27 by marrow-derived dendritic cells (mDCs) in response to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) was assessed. The role of IL-27 in IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells was explored. We demonstrated that elevated IL-27 was accompanied by an exaggerated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in a smoking mouse model of emphysema. We noted that lung dendritic cells were one of the main sources of IL-27 during chronic cigarette smoke exposure. Moreover, CSE directly induced the production of IL-27 by mDCs in vitro. IL-27 negatively regulated the differentiation of IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 cells isolated from cigarette smoke-exposed mice in a STAT1- and STAT3-independent manner. Systemic administration of recombinant IL-27 attenuated IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late phase of cigarette smoke exposure. Our results uncovered that IL-27 negatively regulates IFN-γ+ CD8+ Tc1 response in the late stage of chronic cigarette smoke exposure, which may provide a new strategy for the anti-inflammatory treatment of smoking-related COPD/emphysema.

Effects of Mycobacterium vaccae Aerosol Inhalation on Airway Inflammation in Asthma Mouse Model.

Background:Mycobacterium vaccae vaccine, a composition of Mycobacterium proteins, has been known to have bidirectional immunomodulatory functions. Recent studies have shown that M. vaccae has a therapeutic potential for treating asthma. However, little is known regarding the effect of M. vaccae aerosol inhalation during allergen sensitization or challenge on asthma. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect and the underlying mechanism of M. vaccae aerosol inhalation during allergen sensitization or challenge on airway inflammation in an asthma mouse model. Methods: Asthma mouse models were established. Mice received aerosol inhalation with M. vaccae once daily during allergen sensitization or challenge for 5 days successively. Airway responsiveness, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cell count, histology, and cytokine concentrations (IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-17) were measured. The relative mRNA expression of ASC, caspase-1, TNF-α, and IL-1ß was also determined. Expression of pulmonary NLRP3 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) protein was measured using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results:M. vaccae aerosol inhalation suppressed airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation, reduced levels of IL-4, upregulated expression of IFN-γ and IL-10 in BALF, inhibited mRNA expression of pulmonary ASC, caspase-1, TNF-α, and IL-1ß, and also inhibited expression of pulmonary NLRP3 and NF-κB protein during allergen sensitization or challenge. Conclusion:M. vaccae aerosol inhalation can suppress airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation during allergen sensitization or challenge, and may be a promising approach for asthma therapy.

Mycobacterium vaccae Nebulization in the Treatment of COVID-19: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection is associated with strong infectiousness and has no effective therapy. We aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization in the treatment of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, we included 31 adult patients with moderate COVID-19 who were admitted to the Fourth People's Hospital of Nanning (Nanning, China) between January 22, 2020 and February 17, 2020. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group A (standard care group) and group B (M. vaccae in combination with standard care group). The primary outcome was the time interval from admission to viral RNA negative conversion (oropharyngeal swabs were used in this study). Secondary outcomes included chest computed tomography (CT), mortality, length of hospital stay, complications during treatment, and so on. Patients were followed up to 4 weeks after discharge (reexamination of viral RNA, chest CT, etc.). Results: Nucleic acid test negative conversion time in group B was shorter than that in group A (2.9 days [2.7-8.7] vs. 6.8 days [3.3-13.8]; p = 0.045). No death and no conversion to severe or critical cases were observed in both groups. Two weeks after discharge, neither "relapse" nor "return to positive" cases were found. Four weeks after discharge, it was found that there was no case of " relapse " or "return to positive" in group B, and 1 patient in group A showed "return to positive", but there was no clinical manifestation and imaging progression. No adverse reactions related to M. vaccae were found during observation period. Conclusion:M. vaccae treatment might shorten the time interval from admission to viral RNA negative conversion, which might be beneficial to the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR2000030016.

Afforestation suppresses Oncomelania hupensis snail density through influencing algae in beaches of the Dongting Lake.

BACKGROUND: Oncomelania snails serve as the sole intermediate host for Schistosoma japonicum, one of the most important neglected tropical diseases in the world. Afforestation suppression of the Oncomelania hupensis snail has been a long-term effective national strategy to decrease snail density in China. Many previous studies have made clear that vegetation (biotic factors) and soil (abiotic factors) were the basic requirements for snail survival on beaches. Moreover, a lot of research on snail control has been focused on the specific influencing environmental factors for snail survival, such as the vegetation community structure, species composition, diversity index, and the physical and chemical properties of the soil. Most of the existing research has studied the influence of a single factor on snail population density. Conversely, there have been only a few studies focused on the food sources and food composition of the snails. The current research situation on snail control has indicated that the mechanisms underlying ecological snail control have not been systematically characterized. The question of whether biotic or abiotic factors were more important in influencing snail survival remains unclear. Afforestation on beaches has significantly suppressed snail density in China so far. In this study, we proposed that the reduction of snail density was not affected by a single factor but by the interactions of multiple related factors introduced by afforestation. Moreover, different biotic and abiotic factors have significantly different effects on snail control. Therefore the goal of this study was to evaluate the relative importance and interactions of related biotic and abiotic factors on snail density. Methods: Four major vegetation communities: Sedge, Reed, Artificial poplar (3 years of age) and Artificial poplar (5 years of age), on the beaches of the Yangtze River in China were selected for vegetation and snail surveys, as well as for soil sampling. Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis was used to assess the interactions of biotic and abiotic factors in the context of snail ecology. The soil properties were considered as abiotic factors, while algae of Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta phyla were considered to be biotic factors. In the path analysis, the total effect between the variables was the sum of the direct and indirect effects. RESULTS: The snail density had significant correlations with soil properties, such as water content, bulk density, capillary porosity and pH value, as well as with all three types of soil algae, Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, and Bacillariophyta. Snail density had a direct negative relationship with capillary porosity and soil bulk density, an indirect negative relationship with soil pH value and an indirect positive relationship with soil water content via soil algae. Meanwhile, as an important food source for the snail, the Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta algae had a significant positive correlation with snail density. High soil pH had a negative impact on Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, while soil water content had a positive impact on Chlorophyta, and soil bulk density had a negative impact on Cyanophyta. In addition, the soil pH value and soil bulk density both had negative correlations with soil water content. CONCLUSION: Afforestation of the beach environment can significantly reduce the snail population density by altering ecological factors. Soil algae (biological factors) might be the key element that drives ecological snail control. As important habitat determinants, the impact of the properties of the soil (non-biological factors) on the snail population was largely mediated through soil algae.

Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization protects Balb/c mice against bronchial asthma through neural mechanisms.

OBJECTIVES: Bronchial asthma can be effectively controlled but not be cured, its etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear, and there are no effective preventive measures. The key characteristic of asthma is chronic airway inflammation, and recent research has found that airway neurogenic inflammation plays an important role in asthma. We previously found that Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization protects against asthma. Therefore, this objective of this study is to explore the effect of M. vaccae nebulization on asthmatic neural mechanisms. METHODS: A total 18 of female Balb/c mice were randomized into normal, asthma control, and M. vaccae nebulization (Neb.group) groups, and mice in the Neb.group were nebulized with M. vaccae one month before the asthmatic model was established. Then, 1 month later, the mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin. Twenty-four hours after the last challenge, mouse airway responsiveness; pulmonary brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), neurofilament-medium length (NF-M, using NF09 antibody), and acetylcholine expression; and nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA level were determined. RESULTS: We found that the BDNF, NF09, acetylcholine expression, and NGF mRNA level were decreased in the Neb.group compared with levels in the asthma control group. CONCLUSION: M. vaccae nebulization may protected in Balb/c mice against bronchial asthma through neural mechanisms.

Probiotics for Preventing Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are common and burdensome infectious illness. Several trials have reported that probiotics can prevent URTIs in adults. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of probiotics in the prevention of URTIs in adults. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for reports published from database inception to May 14, 2020. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing probiotics with placebo for the prevention of URTIs in adults were included. RESULTS: Six RCTs with 1551 participants were included. Compared with the placebo group, the probiotics intervention group significantly reduced the incidence of URTI episodes (RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.87; P < 0.0001; I 2 = 26%), the episode rate of URTIs (rate ratio: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.86; P = 0.0002; I 2 = 99%), and the mean duration of one episode of URTI (MD: -2.66; 95% CI: -4.79 to -0.54; P = 0.01; I 2 = 80%). The adverse events of probiotics were mainly mild gastrointestinal symptoms. There were no significant differences in occurrence rate of adverse effects between probiotics intervention and placebo group (rate ratio: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.80 to 1.26; P = 0.96; I 2 = 99%). CONCLUSION: Low-quality evidence provides support that probiotics have potential efficacy for preventing URTI episodes in adults. More trials are required to confirm this conclusion.

Inhalation of nebulized Mycobacterium vaccae can protect against allergic bronchial asthma in mice by regulating the TGF-ß/Smad signal transduction pathway.

BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization imparted protective effect against allergic asthma in a mouse model. The TGF-ß/Smad signal transduction pathway plays an important role in allergic bronchial asthma. However, the effect of M. vaccae nebulization on the TGF-ß/Smad signal transduction pathway in mouse models of allergic asthma remains unclear. This study investigated the preventive effect of M. vaccae nebulization during bronchial asthma in a mouse model and elucidate the implication of TGF-ß/Smad signal transduction pathway in the process. METHODS: In total, 24 female Balb/c mice were randomized to normal control (group A), asthma control (group B), and M. vaccae nebulization (group C) groups. Both groups B and C were sensitized using ovalbumin for establishment of the asthmatic model; group A received phosphate-buffered solution. Prior to the establishment of asthma, Group C was nebulized with M. vaccae. Airway responsiveness was measured in all the groups, using a noninvasive lung function machine before and 24 h after establishment of the asthmatic model. The animals were then harvested, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue were collected. The total cell counts in BALF was estimated. Protein expression of TGF-ß1, TßR1, Smad1, and Smad7 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The population of CD3 + γδT, IL-13 + CD3 + T, TGF-ß + CD3 + T, IL-13 + CD3 + γδT, and TGF-ß+ CD3+ γδT cells were detected by flow cytometry. One-way analysis of variance for within-group comparisons, the least significant difference t-test or Student-Newman-Keuls test for intergroup comparisons, and the nonparametric rank sum test for analysis of airway inflammation scores were used in the study. RESULTS: The eosinophil count; protein expression of TGF-ß1, TßR1, and Smad1; and percentages of CD3 + γδT and IL-13 + CD3 + T cells were significantly lower in the M. vaccae nebulization group than in the asthma control group (P < 0.01). There were significant intergroup differences in the percentages of TGF-ß + CD3 + T and IL-13 + CD3 + γδT cells (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization could confer protection against allergic bronchial asthma by reducing airway responsiveness and alleviating airway inflammation in mice. The underlying mechanism might be attributed its effect on the deregulated expression of TGF-ß1, TßR1, Smad1, and Smad7 of the TGF-ß/Smad signal transduction pathway.

One-Week Nebulization of Mycobacterium vaccae Can Protect Against Pulmonary Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection in Balb/c Mice.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is the most common cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in children, leading to their death. Currently, no effective prevention and treatment methods for RSV infection are available. RSV and many other unknown viruses pose a serious threat to human health. Our previous study demonstrated that Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization can protect against allergic asthma. As RSV infection and asthma are closely related, we hypothesized that M. vaccae could protect against pulmonary RSV infection. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of M. vaccae on RSV infection in Balb/c mice. Methods: The mice were randomized into three groups: normal, RSV, and M. vaccae. One week before the RSV infection model was established, the mice in the M. vaccae group were nebulized with M. vaccae. On the fourth day after RSV infection, airway responsiveness, airway inflammation, pulmonary RSV infection, mRNA levels of pulmonary toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8, and pulmonary NF09, acetylcholine, and epidermal growth factor regulator (EGFR) expression levels in all mice were measured. Results: The airway inflammation in the M. vaccae group was alleviated compared with that in the RSV group. In the M. vaccae group, the pulmonary mRNA level of RSV and the pulmonary expression levels of NF09, acetylcholine, and EGFR were decreased considerably, whereas the mRNA levels of TLR7 and TLR8 were increased significantly. Conclusions: One-week nebulization of M. vaccae can protect against RSV infection in Balb/c mice. The mechanism involves the regulation of neurotransmitters and expression of TLR7, TLR8, and EGFR.

The Stakeholders' Views on Planting Trees to Control Schistosomiasis in China.

China has initiated a tree planting program in epidemic regions of schistosomiasis as a part of efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis. More than 518,900 ha of tree plantations have been planted through the program between 2006 and 2015. However, whether the planting program has fulfilled its mission or not is an open question. In this study, we intended to get the answer from the main stakeholders of the planting program through a large-scale survey. Based on interviews with 80 administrators of the planting program and 1440 farmers in 24 counties and districts in four provinces, we found that most stakeholders viewed the planting program positively. Nearly 92% of farmers and all administrators believed that the planting program had reduced snail densities, while 94.3% of farmers and all administrators believed that the program had lowered the incidences of schistosomiasis. In addition, they reported that the impacts on farmers' living and local environments by the tree planting program were mainly positive. Based on the stakeholders' responses, we conclude that the tree planting program has been perceived by the main stakeholders as an effective environmental control measure of schistosomiasis. However, certain places and people that may be impacted negatively by the program should be given more attention when implementing the program.

SWOT analysis on snail control measures applied in the national schistosomiasis control programme in the People's Republic of China.

BACKGROUND: Snail control is an important component in the national schistosomiasis control programme in China, by application of chemical molluscicides, forestry projects, agriculture projects and water conservancy projects in recent decades. However, there are still wide areas of snail inhabited in China which remains a great challenge to achieve the goal of schistosomiasis elimination by 2025. Therefore, a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis on snail control measures is required for precision schistosomiasis control. METHODS: The SWOT approach, which is a well-known structured analysis tool, was used to identify and evaluate the specific characteristics of four types of snail control measures in China, including chemical mollusciciding, forestry, agriculture, and water conservancy projects. The analysis were carried out based on the information collection from literature review, of research papers, books, annual report database of national schistosomiasis control programme in China, reports from the academic forums, and so on. RESULTS: For chemical mollusciciding, application strategy needs to focus on specific local settings, such as stage of schistosomiasis control, environmental factors, and limitations from external policies and internal deficiencies. Regarding forestry projects, the optimal strategies are to cooperate with other national forestry programmes to share the investment costs and pay attention on wetland protection. In agriculture projects, it is necessary to develop related cash crop industries and combine with national farmland consolidation projects simultaneously to increase the total economic benefits. Concerning water conservancy projects, the main purpose is to control snail migration from snail area to snail-free areas nationwide. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated strategies for various measures application and a top-level designed cooperation mechanism will be the necessary to eliminate snail and schistosomiasis in China.

Competition and habitat filtering jointly explain phylogenetic structure of soil bacterial communities across elevational gradients.

The importance of assembly processes in shaping biological communities is poorly understood, especially for microbes. Here, we report on the forces that structure soil bacterial communities along a 2000 m elevational gradient. We characterized the relative importance of habitat filtering and competition on phylogenetic structure and turnover in bacterial communities. Bacterial communities exhibited a phylogenetically clustered pattern and were more clustered with increasing elevation. Biotic factors (i.e., relative abundance of dominant bacterial lineages) appeared to be most important to the degree of clustering, evidencing the role of the competitive ability of entire clades in shaping the communities. Phylogenetic turnover showed the greatest correlation to elevation. After controlling the elevation, biotic factors showed greater correlation to phylogenetic turnover than all the habitat variables (i.e., climate, soil and vegetation). Structural equation modelling also identified that elevation and soil organic matter exerted indirect effects on phylogenetic diversity and turnover by determining the dominance of microbial competitors. Our results suggest that competition among bacterial taxa induced by soil carbon contributes to the phylogenetic pattern across elevational gradient in the Tibetan Plateau. This highlights the importance of considering not only abiotic filtering but also biotic interactions in soil bacterial communities across stressful elevational gradients.

Molluscicidal activity of Arisaema erubescens mixed with fertilizers against Oncomelania hupensis and its effect on rice germination and growth.

To explore a new molluscicide with dual effects of fertilization and molluscicidal activity, an organic-inorganic compound fertilizer molluscicide was prepared by mixing the water extract (or powder) of Arisaema erubescens tubers with nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potash fertilizer, and three mixed fertilizers (hereinafter referred to as ANF, APF, AKF and ACF, respectively). Leaching using the mixture was performed to test for molluscicidal activity, and indoor rice germination, seedling growth, and pot experiments were monitored. ANF exhibited superior molluscicidal activity, with respective 24-h and 48-h Oncomelania mortality rates significantly increased, reaching up to 67.7% and 92.3%. ANF, APF, and AKF significantly promoted rice germination and growth of rice, with ANF showing superior effects. The respective 3-day and 5-day germination rate of rice seeds treated with ANF significantly increased by 25% and 21% relative to that of the control group, and the respective 10-day and 20-day growth length of rice seedlings (aboveground part) increased by 106.2% and 33.2%. A positive correlation between ACF molluscicidal activity and concentration and treatment time were observed. The Oncomelania mortality rate at 48 h after treatment with a low ACF concentration (0.25 g/L) was 70.7%, whereas that at 24 h after treatment using a higher concentration (0.5 g/L) was 80.7%. ACF promoted rice seed germination and seedling growth, whereas inhibitory effects were observed using a high ACF concentration. Therefore, the combined application of A. erubescens and chemical fertilizers not only enhances molluscicidal activity, but also promotes rice growth, with the combined application of A. erubescens and nitrogen fertilizer and mixed fertilizer showing superior dual effects (molluscicide and fertilization).

The effect of inhaled inactived Mycobacterium phlei as a treatment for asthma.

Allergic asthma is a chronic airway disorder characterized by airway inflammation, mucus hypersecretion, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). A murine model of asthma was used to examine the antiasthmatic effect of inhaled inactived Mycobacterium phlei (M. phlei). AHR, neutrophil levels, eosinophil levels and levels of interleukin (IL)­17 and IL­23 receptor (IL­23R) were monitored. The results demonstrated that inactivated M. phlei alleviates the IL­17+γδT cell­mediated immune response and attenuates airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness in the asthmatic murine lung, partially through inhibiting the expression of IL­23R. In conclusion, inactivated M. phlei may be an effective antiasthmatic treatment, regulating IL­17­producing Î³Î´T (IL­17+γδT) cell­mediated airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness to relieve the symptoms of mice with asthma.

Inactivated Mycobacterium phlei inhalation ameliorates allergic asthma through modulating the balance of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T and Th17 cells in mice.

OBJECTIVES: Th2 response is related to the aetiology of asthma, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. To address this point, the effect of nebulized inhalation of inactivated Mycobacterium phlei on modulation of asthmatic airway inflammation was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups: control group (Group A), asthma model group (Group B), and the medicated asthma model group (Group C). Group B and C were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA). Group C was treated with aerosol M. phlei once daily before OVA challenge. Airway responsiveness in each group was assessed. All the animals were killed, and lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were harvested. Inflammatory response, proportion of Th17 and CD4+CD25+ Treg cells, and the levels of cytokines were analyzed in lung tissue. RESULTS: The proportion of Th17 cells and expression level of IL17, IL23, and IL23R were increased, while Foxp3 expression was decreased in Group B. Inhaling inactivated M. phlei inhibited airway inflammation and improved airway hyper-responsiveness, as well as peak expiratory flow (PEF). In addition, it significantly increased Th17 proportion, Foxp3 level, and the proportion of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in lung tissue in Group C. CONCLUSION: Inactivated M. phlei was administered by atomization that suppressed airway inflammation and airway hyper responsiveness partially via modulating the balance of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T and Th17 cells.

Mycobacterium vaccae Nebulization Can Protect against Asthma in Balb/c Mice by Regulating Th9 Expression.

Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation. CD4(+) T-helper 9 (Th9) cells are closely linked to asthma, helping to regulate inflammation and immunity. Epidemiological studies showed that mycobacteria infections are negatively associated with asthma. Our previous research showed that inactivated Mycobacterium phlei nebulization alleviated the airway hyperresponsiveness and inflammation of asthma. However, the relationship between Th9 cells and mycobacteria remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the relationship between Mycobacterium vaccae nebulization and Th9 cells in asthmatic mice. Eighteen Balb/c mice were randomized into 3 groups of 6 mice each (normal control group, asthma control group, and nebulization asthma group [Neb. group]). The Neb. group was nebulized with M. vaccae one month before establishment of the asthmatic model with ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization, and the normal and asthma control groups were nebulized with phosphate-buffered saline. The hyperresponsiveness of the mouse airways was assessed using a non-invasive lung function machine. Lung airway inflammation was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining. Cytokine interlukin-9 (IL-9) concentration and OVA-specific IgE in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The percentages of γδTCR+ CD3+, IL-9+CD3+, IL-10+CD3+ lymphocytes, and IL9+γδT and IL-10+γδT cells were detected by flow cytometry. The airway inflammation and concentration of IL-9 and OVA-specific IgE were significantly reduced in the Neb. group compared to the asthma control group. The Neb. group had lower airway hyperresponsiveness, percentages of γδTCR+CD3+ and IL-9+CD3+ lymphocytes, and IL9+γδT cells, and higher percentages of IL-10+CD3+ lymphocytes and IL-10+γδT cells compared to the asthma control group. Thus, mouse bronchial asthma could be prevented by M. vaccae nebulization. The mechanism could involve M. vaccae-mediated effects on induction of IL-9 secretion and suppression of IL-10 secretion from γδT cells. γδT cells showed prominent IL-10 expression, indicating that they possibly belong to the Th9 family.

[GIS platform for real-time monitoring and early warning of forestry schistosomiasis-control project: a case study in Renshou County, Sichuan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To real-timely monitor the environment in the forestry schistosomiasis control project (CFSCP) area and to early warn the status of Oncomelania hupensis snails in the schistosomiasis endemic area. METHODS: Based on ArcGIS Engine 10.1 software, the Geographic Information System (GIS) platform of the forestry schistosomiasis project of real-time monitoring, early warning and emergency management in Renshou County, Sichuan Province, was designed and established. RESULTS: The functions of the platform mainly included real-time monitoring of the environment in CFSCP area, and early warning of the crisis status of 0. hupensis snails, as well as editing the map of snail distribution, query, spatial analysis and other GIS functions. CONCLUSION: This platform could provide the scientific support to the forestry administrative department of the CFSCP area.