3-Methyl-4-nitrophenol Exposure Deteriorates Oocyte Maturation by Inducing Spindle Instability and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC), a well-known constituent of diesel exhaust particles and degradation products of insecticide fenitrothion, is a widely distributed environmental contaminant. PNMC is toxic to the female reproductive system; however, how it affects meiosis progression in oocytes is unknown. In this study, in vitro maturation of mouse oocytes was applied to investigate the deleterious effects of PNMC. We found that exposure to PNMC significantly compromised oocyte maturation. PNMC disturbed the spindle stability; specifically, it decreased the spindle density and increased the spindle length. The weakened spindle pole location of microtubule-severing enzyme Fignl1 may result in a defective spindle apparatus in PNMC-exposed oocytes. PNMC exposure induced significant mitochondrial dysfunction, including mitochondria distribution, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ROS accumulation. The mRNA levels of the mitochondria-related genes were also significantly impaired. Finally, the above-mentioned alterations triggered early apoptosis in the oocytes. In conclusion, PNMC exposure affected oocyte maturation and quality through the regulation of spindle stability and mitochondrial function.

Alteration in gut microbiota is associated with immune imbalance in Graves' disease.

Background: Graves' disease (GD), characterized by immune aberration, is associated with gut dysbiosis. Despite the growing interest, substantial evidence detailing the precise impact of gut microbiota on GD's autoimmune processes remains exceedingly rare. Objective: This study was designed to investigate the influence of gut microbiota on immune dysregulation in GD. Methods: It encompassed 52 GD patients and 45 healthy controls (HCs), employing flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine lymphocyte and cytokine profiles, alongside lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. Gut microbiota profiles and metabolic features were assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and targeted metabolomics. Results: Our observations revealed a disturbed B-cell distribution and elevated LPS and pro-inflammatory cytokines in GD patients compared to HCs. Significant differences in gut microbiota composition and a marked deficit in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria, including ASV263(Bacteroides), ASV1451(Dialister), and ASV503(Coprococcus), were observed in GD patients. These specific bacteria and SCFAs showed correlations with thyroid autoantibodies, B-cell subsets, and cytokine levels. In vitro studies further showed that LPS notably caused B-cell subsets imbalance, reducing conventional memory B cells while increasing naïve B cells. Additionally, acetate combined with propionate and butyrate showcased immunoregulatory functions, diminishing cytokine production in LPS-stimulated cells. Conclusion: Overall, our results highlight the role of gut dysbiosis in contributing to immune dysregulation in GD by affecting lymphocyte status and cytokine production.

Target silencing of porcine SPAG6 and PPP1CC by shRNA attenuated sperm motility.

The quality of sperm significantly influences the reproductive efficiency of pig herds. High-quality sperm is necessary for efficient fertilization and to maximize the litter numbers in commercial pig farming. However, the understanding of genes regulating porcine sperm motility and viability is limited. In this study, we validated porcine sperm/Sertoli-specific promoters through the luciferase reporter system and identified vital genes for sperm quality via loss-of-function means. Further, the shRNAs driven by the ACE and SP-10 promoters were used to knockdown the SPAG6 and PPP1CC genes which were provisionally important for sperm quality. We assessed the effects of SPAG6 and PPP1CC knockdown on sperm motility by using the sperm quality analyzer and flow cytometry. The results showed that the ACE promoter is active in both porcine Sertoli cells and sperms, whereas the SP-10 promoter is operating exclusively in sperm cells. Targeted interference with SPAG6 and PPP1CC expression in sperm cells decreases the motility and increases apoptosis rates in porcine sperms. These findings not only offer new genetic tools for targeting male germ cells but also highlight the crucial roles of SPAG6 and PPP1CC in porcine sperm function.

Quantitative correlation analysis between particle liquefaction and saccharification through dynamic changes of slurry rheological behavior and particle characteristics during high-solid enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse.

This study identified the intrinsic relationships among slurry rheology, particle characteristics, and lignocellulosic liquefaction/saccharification based on correlation analysis and principal component analysis during the hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse pretreated by deep eutectic solvents (DES) and mechanical milling (MM). The DES-MM pretreated lignocellulosic slurry (20% solids) exhibited high apparent viscosity of 1.4 × 104 Pa·s and shear stress of 929.0 Pa under steady state. Glucose production had a negative linear correlation with slurry viscosity (R2, 0.69-0.97), whereas its correlation with yield stress (R2, 0.85-0.98) depended on the particle liquefaction rate. The availability of free water provided a major contribution to improving slurry rheology. However, the size reduction of submillimeter particles and the changes in particle hydrophilicity during liquefaction were not significantly correlated with rheological changes. Various interrelated particle characteristics and rheological changes were integrated into two simple principal variables to predict glucose production with a high R2 of 0.96.

Temporal changes in brain morphology related to inflammation and schizophrenia: an omnigenic Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Over the past several decades, more research focuses have been made on the inflammation/immune hypothesis of schizophrenia. Building upon synaptic plasticity hypothesis, inflammation may contribute the underlying pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Yet, pinpointing the specific inflammatory agents responsible for schizophrenia remains a complex challenge, mainly due to medication and metabolic status. Multiple lines of evidence point to a wide-spread genetic association across genome underlying the phenotypic variations of schizophrenia. METHOD: We collected the latest genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) summary data of schizophrenia, cytokines, and longitudinal change of brain. We utilized the omnigenic model which takes into account all genomic SNPs included in the GWAS of trait, instead of traditional Mendelian randomization (MR) methods. We conducted two round MR to investigate the inflammatory triggers of schizophrenia and the resulting longitudinal changes in the brain. RESULTS: We identified seven inflammation markers linked to schizophrenia onset, which all passed the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons (bNGF, GROA(CXCL1), IL-8, M-CSF, MCP-3 (CCL7), TNF-ß, CRP). Moreover, CRP were found to significantly influence the linear rate of brain morphology changes, predominantly in the white matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum. CONCLUSION: With an omnigenic approach, our study sheds light on the immune pathology of schizophrenia. Although these findings need confirmation from future studies employing different methodologies, our work provides substantial evidence that pervasive, low-level neuroinflammation may play a pivotal role in schizophrenia, potentially leading to notable longitudinal changes in brain morphology.

Tetrahydropiperine, a natural alkaloid with neuroprotective effects in ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a life-threatening neurological disease with various pathological mechanisms. Tetrahydropiperine (THP) is a natural alkaloid with protective effects against multiple diseases, such as seizure, and pain. This study was to examine the impact of THP on IS and investigate its potential mechanism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We employed network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques to identify the target proteins of THP for intervention in IS. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to create a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion model. PC-12 cells were chosen to establish an oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) cell model. Disease modeling followed by nimodipine (NIMO); 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and rapamycin (RAP) interventions. Open field test, Longa score, balance beam test, and forelimb grip test were used to measure motor and neurological functions. The degree of neurological damage recovery was assessed through behavioral analysis, and cerebral infarction volume was determined using TTC staining. Morphological changes were examined through HE and Nissl staining, and ultrastructural changes in neurons were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The protein expression of autophagy and related pathways was analyzed through Western blot (WB). The appropriate hypoxia time and drug concentration were determined using CCK-8 assay, which also measured cell survival rate. RESULTS: The network pharmacology findings indicated that the impact of THP on IS was enhanced in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. THP demonstrated robust docking capability with proteins associated with the autophagy and PI3K/Akt/mTOR, as indicated by the molecular docking outcomes. THP significantly improved behavioral damage, reduced the area of cerebral infarction, ameliorated histopathological damage from ischemia, increase neuronal survival, and alleviated ultrastructural damage in neurons (P < 0.05). THP enhanced the survival of PC-12 cells induced by OGD and ameliorated the morphological harm to the cells (P < 0.05). THP was found to elevate the quantities of P62, LC3-Ⅰ, PI3K, P-AKt/Akt, and P-mTOR/mTOR proteins while reducing the levels of Atg7 and Beclin1 proteins. The results of transmission electron microscopy showed no autophagosomes in the THP, 3-MA, and 3-MA + THP groups. CONCLUSION: The activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by THP inhibits autophagy and provides relief from neurological damage in IS.

Factors associated with urinary retention after vaginal delivery under intraspinal anesthesia: a path analysis model.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Women who have intraspinal anesthesia for delivery are more likely to experience postpartum urinary retention (PUR), which, if not recognized and treated promptly, can result in long-term urinary dysfunction. Many factors influencing PUR have been proposed, but no study has been conducted to investigate the relationship between them. This study is aimed at determining the influencing factors of PUR and to explore the relationship between them. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional survey using self-made questionnaires was conducted among 372 puerperae in a Grade A hospital in Guangzhou, China, from April to September 2022. SPSS25.0 and AMOS24.0 were used for data analysis, and a path analysis model was established to determine the relationship between the influencing factors. RESULTS: The incidence of PUR was 49.85%. Residence, the level of postpartum pain, and the change of postnatal urination position had a direct effect on PUR. Episiotomy and analgesic duration have both direct and indirect effects on PUR. Forceps delivery, perineal edema and oxytocin had an indirect effect on PUR. Variables could influence the occurrence of PUR by mediating the analgesic duration, episiotomy, postpartum pain level, and postnatal urination position changes. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an empirical model to illustrate the relationship between PUR and related factors in women who delivered under intraspinal anesthesia. In future management, more attention should be paid to women who live in cities, have higher levels of postpartum pain, longer analgesic duration, higher grade of perineal edema, and received episiotomy, forceps delivery, and oxytocin during labor.

Corrigendum: Difference of gut microbiota between patients with negative and positive HBeAg in chronic hepatitis B and the effect of tenofovir alafenamide on intestinal flora.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1232180.].

Difference of gut microbiota between patients with negative and positive HBeAg in chronic hepatitis B and the effect of tenofovir alafenamide on intestinal flora.

Background: Severe liver diseases, such as liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer, are mainly caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV). This study investigated the differences between gut microbiota in HBeAg-positive and negative groups of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and investigated the effect of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) on gut microbiota. Methods: This prospective study included patients with CHB not taking nucleoside antivirals (No-NAs group, n = 95) and those taking TAF (TAF group, n = 60). We divided CHB patients into two groups according to the HBeAg status of the subjects on the day of data collection. Phase 1 are HBeAg-negative patients and phase 2 are HBeAg-positive patients. We investigated the improvement of clinical symptoms by TAF, as well as differences in gut microbiota between different groups by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing. Results: Gut microbiota demonstrated significant differences between patients with HBeAg-positive and -negative CHB. Both the No-NAs and TAF Phase 2 subgroups demonstrated significantly increased microbiota richness and diversity, showing greater heterogeneity. Additionally, the Phase 2 subgroup exhibited a low abundance of pathways associated with glucose metabolism and amino acid metabolism. The TAF group demonstrated a significantly decreased HBV load, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase and a significant increase in prealbumin compared with the No-NAs group. No significant difference was found in uric acid, creatinine, blood calcium, inorganic phosphorus, eGFR, and ß2-microglobulin concentrations between the two groups. Additionally, the urea level in the TAF group was significantly lower than that in the No-NAs group, but with no significant effect on other indicators such as eGFR and ß2-microglobulin. Conclusion: This study revealed significant differences in gut microbiota composition and function between patients with HBeAg-positive and -negative CHB.

LINC01232 targeting miR-1250-3p/MSH2 axis attenuates mesangial cell proliferation and fibrosis in diabetic nephropathy.

The significance of long non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) in the initiation and progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) has attracted much interest. The purpose of this work was to ascertain the role of LINC01232 in cell models and animal models of DN. C57BL/6 J mice were administered with streptozotocin (STZ) to develop animal models of DN, and mouse glomerular mesangial cells (MCs) were exposed to high glucose (HG) to establish cell models of DN. Expression levels of LINC01232, miR-1250-3p and MSH2 were identified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) or western blotting. Fibrosis-related proteins were quantified by western blotting. MC proliferative capacity was checked by EdU assay. DN progression and fibrosis level in animal models were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson staining. The potential binding sites between miR-1250-3p and LINC01232 or MSH2 were examined by dual-luciferase reporter assay. LINC01232 expression was heightened in kidney tissues of DN patients. Its overexpression in HG-treated MCs alleviated MC proliferation and fibrosis. Overexpression of LINC01232 alleviated the pathological state of glomerular hypertrophy, MC hyperplasia, basement membrane thickening, and fibrosis in the DN models. LINC01232 bound to miR-1250-3p and competed for miR-1250-3p binding sites with MSH2. LINC01232 overexpression decoyed miR-1250-3p to increase MSH2 expression, and MSH2 depletion restored LINC01232 overexpression-inhibited MC proliferation and fibrosis. LINC01232 alleviated the mesangial cell proliferation and fibrosis in the progression of DN by targeting miR-1250-3p/MSH2 pathway.

TET Family Members Are Integral to Porcine Oocyte Maturation and Parthenogenetic Pre-Implantation Embryogenesis.

The ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme family, which includes TET1/2/3, participates in active DNA demethylation in the eukaryotic genome; moreover, TET1/2/3 are functionally redundant in mice embryos. However, the combined effect of TET1/2/3 triple-gene knockdown or knockout on the porcine oocytes or embryos is still unclear. In this study, using Bobcat339, a specific small-molecule inhibitor of the TET family, we explored the effects of TET enzymes on oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis in pigs. Our results revealed that Bobcat339 treatment blocked porcine oocyte maturation and triggered early apoptosis. Furthermore, in the Bobcat339-treated oocytes, spindle architecture and chromosome alignment were disrupted, probably due to the huge loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC)and concurrent increase in 5-methylcytosine (5mC). After Bobcat339 treatment, early parthenogenetic embryos exhibited abnormal 5mC and 5hmC levels, which resulted in compromised cleavage and blastocyst rate. The mRNA levels of EIF1A and DPPA2 (ZGA marker genes) were significantly decreased, which may explain why the embryos were arrested at the 4-cell stage after Bobcat339 treatment. In addition, the mRNA levels of pluripotency-related genes OCT4 and NANOG were declined after Bobcat339 treatment. RNA sequencing analysis revealed differentially expressed genes in Bobcat339-treated embryos at the 4-cell stage, which were significantly enriched in cell proliferation, cell component related to mitochondrion, and cell adhesion molecule binding. Our results indicated that TET proteins are essential for porcine oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis, and they act by mediating 5mC/5hmC levels and gene transcription.

Dual single guide RNAs-mediating deletion of mature myostatin peptide results in concomitant muscle fibre hyperplasia and adipocyte hypotrophy in pigs.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a major gene target for skeletal muscle overgrowth in animals. We hypothesized that deletion of the entire mature peptide encoded by MSTN in pigs would knock out its bioactive form and accordingly stimulate skeletal muscle overgrowth. Thus, we engineered two pairs of single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) to target exons 1 and 3 of MSTN in primary fetal fibroblasts of Taoyuan black pigs. We found that sgRNAs targeting exon 3, which encodes the mature peptide, had higher biallelic null mutation efficiency than those targeting exon 1. Somatic cell nuclear transfer was conducted using the exon 3 mutation cells as donor cells to generate five cloned MSTN null piglets (MSTN-/-). Growth testing revealed that both the growth rate and average daily weight gain of MST-/- pigs were greater than those of wild-type (MSTN+/+) pigs. Slaughter data demonstrated that the lean ratio of MSTN-/- pigs was 11.3% higher (P < 0.01) while the back-fat thickness was 17.33% lower (P < 0.01) than those of MSTN+/+ pigs. Haematoxylin-eosin staining indicated that the increased leanness of MSTN-/- pigs resulted from muscle fibre hyperplasia rather than hypertrophy.HE staining showed markedly decreased adipocyte size in MSTN-/- pigs. We also critically examined the off-target and random integration by resequencing, which showed that the founder MSTN-/- pigs contained no non-target mutations or exogenous plasmid elements. This study is the first to report the successful knock out of the mature MSTN peptide using dual sgRNA-mediated deletion, leading to the most prominent alteration of meat production traits in pigs published thus far. This new strategy is expected to have a wide impact on genetic improvements in food animals.

Mapping the field of microalgae CO2 sequestration: a bibliometric analysis.

Microalgae CO2 sequestration has gained considerable attention in the last three decades as a promising technology to slow global warming caused by CO2 emissions. To provide a comprehensive and objective analysis of the research status, hot spots, and frontiers of CO2 fixation by microalgae, a bibliometric approach was recently chosen for review. In this study, 1561 articles (1991-2022) from the Web of Science (WOS) on microalgae CO2 sequestration were screened. A knowledge map of the domain was presented using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. It visually demonstrates the most productive journals (Bioresource Technology), countries (China and USA), funding sources, and top contributors (Cheng J, Chang JS, and their team) in the field of CO2 sequestration by microalgae. The analysis also revealed that research hotspots changed over time and that recent research has focused heavily on improving carbon sequestration efficiency. Finally, commercialization of carbon fixation by microalgae is a key hurdle, and supports from other disciplines could improve carbon sequestration efficiency.

Exploring choices of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis based on changes in intestinal microecology.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis exacerbates intestinal microecological disorders leading to poor prognosis. Proper modalities of nutritional support can improve nutrition, immunity, and intestinal microecology. AIM: To identify the optimal modality of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis from the perspective of intestinal microecology. METHODS: Thirty patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, China, between 2019 and 2021 with indications for nutritional support, were randomly assigned to one of three different modalities of nutritional support for a total of 5 d: Total enteral nutrition (TEN group), total parenteral nutrition (TPN group), and supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN group). Blood and stool specimens were collected before and after nutritional support, and changes in gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and immune and nutritional indicators were detected and compared among the three groups. RESULTS: In comparison with before nutritional support, the three groups after nutritional support presented: (1) Differences in the gut bacteria (Enterococcus increased in the TEN group, Campylobacter decreased in the TPN group, and Dialister decreased in the SPN group; all P < 0.05); (2) different trends in SCFAs (the TEN group showed improvement except for Caproic acid, the TPN group showed improvement only for acetic and propionic acid, and the SPN group showed a decreasing trend); (3) significant improvement of the nutritional and immunological indicators in the TEN and SPN groups, while only immunoglobulin G improved in the TPN group (all P < 0.05); and (4) a significant correlation was found between the gut bacteria, SCFAs, and nutritional and immunological indicators (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TEN is recommended as the preferred mode of early nutritional support in sepsis based on clinical nutritional and immunological indicators, as well as changes in intestinal microecology.

Enhanced carbon dioxide fixation of Chlorella vulgaris in microalgae reactor loaded with nanofiber membrane carried iron oxide nanoparticles.

To improve the CO2 dissolution and carbon fixation in the process of microalgae capturing CO2 from flue gas, a nanofiber membrane containing iron oxide nanoparticles (NPsFe2O3) for CO2 adsorption was prepared, and coupled with microalgae utilization to achieve carbon removal. The performance test results showed that the largest specific surface area and pore size were 8.148 m2 g-1 and 27.505 Å, respectively, when the nanofiber membrane had 4% NPsFe2O3. Through CO2 adsorption experiments, it was found that the nanofiber membrane could prolong the CO2 residence time and increase CO2 dissolution. Then, the nanofiber membrane was used as a CO2 adsorbent and semifixed culture carrier in the Chlorella vulgaris culture process. The results showed that compared with the group without nanofiber membrane (0 layer), the biomass productivity, CO2 fixation efficiency and carbon fixation efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris with 2 layers of membranes increased by 1.4 times.

Spatiotemporal variations and potential influencing factors of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: A case study in Weihe Basin, China.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a widespread zoonotic disease seriously threatening Chinese residents' health. HFRS of Weihe Basin remains highly prevalent in recent years and attracts wide attention. With the acceleration of urbanization and related environmental changes, the interaction among anthropogenic activities, environmental factors, and host animals becomes more complicated in this area, which posed increasingly complex challenges for implementing effective prevention measures. Identifying the potential influencing factors of continuous HFRS epidemics in this typical area is critical to make targeted prevention and control strategies. METHODS: Spatiotemporal characteristics of HFRS epidemic were analyzed based on HFRS case point data in Weihe Basin from 2005 to 2020. MaxEnt models were constructed to explore the main influencing factors of HFRS epidemic based on HFRS data, natural environment factors and socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: Results showed that the HFRS epidemics in Weihe Basin were temporally divided into three periods (the relatively stable period, the rapid rising period, and the fluctuating rising period) and were spatially featured by relatively concentrated in the plains alongside the Weihe River. Landscape played controlling effect in this area while land use, vegetation and population in the area interacted with each other and drove the change of HFRS epidemic. The potential high-risk area for HFRS epidemic was 419 km2, where the HFRS case density reached 12.48 cases/km2, especially in the northern plains of Xi'an City. CONCLUSION: We suggested that the temporal and spatial variations in the HFRS epidemics, as well as their dominant influencing factors should be adequately considered for making and/or adjusting the targeted prevention and control strategies on this disease in Weihe Basin.

The receptor-like kinase EMS1 and BRI1 coordinately regulate stamen elongation via the transcription factors BES1/BZR1 in Arabidopsis.

Plants possess a large family of receptor kinase proteins to mediate cell-to-cell and cell-to-environment communication, and these regulations are essential for plant growth and development as well as resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses. EMS1 is a receptor kinase which involved in tapetum cell fate determination during anther development, while brassinosteroid (BR) receptor, BRI1, controls most aspects of plant growth and development. Although EMS1 and BRI1 are known to regulate independent biological processes, they interact with identical components of the downstream signaling pathways. However, the biological processes other than the tapetum development controlled by the EMS1 signal are not clear. Here, we report that EMS1 signaling-related mutants exhibited an insufficient stamen elongation phenotype, similar to BR signaling mutants. Transgenic expression of BRI1 restored the short filament phenotype of ems1. Conversely, co-expression of EMS1 and TPD1 also restored the short filaments of BRI1 mutants, bri1. Genetic experiments confirmed that EMS1 and BRI1 regulate filament elongation through their downstream transcription factors BES1/BZR1. Molecular analysis suggested that the decrease in BR signaling output in filaments of the ems1 mutant caused deficient filament development. Moreover, in vitro and in vivo experiments proved BES1 interacts with filament-specific transcription factor MYB21. Together, we found that the two receptor-like kinases (RLKs) EMS1 and BRI1 are cooperatively involved in the regulation of filament elongation via the transcription factors BES1/BZR1. These results indicated that the biological processes regulated by EMS1 and BRI1 in plants are both independent and interactive, which provides us with insights into multidimensional molecular control of the RLK pathway.

Distinguishable Influence of the Delivery Mode, Feeding Pattern, and Infant Sex on Dynamic Alterations in the Intestinal Microbiota in the First Year of Life.

The delivery mode, the feeding pattern and infant sex significantly influence the development of the infant gut flora. However, the extent to which these factors contribute to the establishment of the gut microbiota at different stages has rarely been studied. The factors that play a dominant role in determining microbial colonization of the infant gut at specific time points are unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the different contributions of the delivery mode, the feeding pattern and infant sex to the composition of the infant gut microbiome. Here, 213 fecal samples from 55 infants at five ages (0, 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postpartum) were collected, and the composition of the gut microbiota via 16S rRNA sequencing was analyzed. The results showed that the average relative abundances of four genera, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, and Phascolarctobacterium, were increased in vaginally delivered infants versus cesarean section-delivered infants, while those of ten genera, such as Salmonella and Enterobacter, were reduced. The relative proportions of Anaerococcus and Peptostreptococcaceae were higher in exclusive breastfeeding than in combined feeding, while those of Coriobacteriaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Erysipelotrichaceae were lower. The average relative abundances of two genera, Alistipes and Anaeroglobus, were increased in male infants compared with female infants, whereas those of the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were reduced. During the first year of life, the average UniFrac distances revealed that the individual difference in the gut microbial composition in vaginally delivered infants was greater than that in cesarean section-delivered infants (P < 0.001) and that infants who received combined feeding had greater individual microbiota differences than exclusively breastfed infants (P < 0.01). The delivery mode, infant sex, and the feeding pattern were the dominant factors determining colonization of the infant gut microbiota at 0 months, from 1 to 6 months, and at 12 months postpartum, respectively. This study demonstrated for the first time that infant sex accounted for the dominant contribution to infant gut microbial development from 1 to 6 months postpartum. More broadly, this study effectively established the extent to which the delivery mode, the feeding pattern and infant sex contribute to the development of the gut microbiota at various time points during the first year of life.

Urbanization-Related Environmental Factors and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome: A Review Based on Studies Taken in China.

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne disease that has threatened Chinese residents for nearly a century. Although comprehensive prevent and control measures were taken, the HFRS epidemic in China presents a rebounding trend in some areas. Urbanization is considered as an important influencing factor for the HFRS epidemic in recent years; however, the relevant research has not been systematically summarized. This review aims to summarize urbanization-related environmental factors and the HFRS epidemic in China and provide an overview of research perspectives. The literature review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol. Journal articles on the HFRS epidemic in both English and Chinese published before 30 June 2022 were identified from PubMed, Web of Science, and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Inclusion criteria were defined as studies providing information on urbanization-related environmental factors and the HFRS epidemic. A total of 38 studies were included in the review. Changes brought by urbanization on population, economic development, land use, and vaccination program were found to be significantly correlated with the HFRS epidemic. By changing the ecological niche of humans-affecting the rodent population, its virus-carrying rate, and the contact opportunity and susceptibility of populations-urbanization poses a biphasic effect on the HFRS epidemic. Future studies require systematic research framework, comprehensive data sources, and effective methods and models.

Relationship between gut microbiota and nutritional status in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Malnutrition is a common complication in the dialysis population, both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis (PD). We report our exploratory study on the characteristics of intestinal microbiota and nutritional status in PD patients. The nutritional status of our PD patients were evaluated, and their feces were collected for 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 regions amplification and high-throughput sequencing. The characteristics and differences of microbiota between the well-nourished (W) and malnourished (M) groups were compared. We studied the genera and the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the genus of our patients, initially comparing the malnourished and the well- nourished groups and later on reanalyzing the whole group using these OTUs. At the OTU level, 6 bacteria were significantly correlated with the serum albumin level. The abundances of 2 OTUs (OTU208 Lachnospiraceae_incertae_sedi and OTU4 Bacteroides) were more in W group. Meanwhile, 4 OTUs (OTU225 Akkermansia, OTU87 Megasphaera, OTU31 Peptostreptococcaceae_incertae_sedi and OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu) displayed higher abundance among individuals in M group. Notably, the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_stricto was the only bacteria that significantly correlated with serum albumin (r = - 0.356, P = 0.05), pre-albumin (r = - 0.399, P = 0.02), and SGA (r = 0.458, P = 0.01). The higher the OTU168 Clostridium_sensu_strictu, the lower serum albumin and pre-albumin and a higher score of SGA signifying a worse nutritional status. Our preliminary findings suggested a relationship between the nutrition status and microbiota in PD patients. Our results provide a basis for further exploration of the interactions between malnutrition and intestinal flora in PD patients with potential interventions using probiotics and prebiotics.