Progress on network modeling and analysis of gut microecology: a review.

The gut microecological network is a complex microbial community within the human body that plays a key role in linking dietary nutrition and host physiology. To understand the complex relationships among microbes and their functions within this community, network analysis has emerged as a powerful tool. By representing the interactions between microbes and their associated omics data as a network, we can gain a comprehensive understanding of the ecological mechanisms that drive the human gut microbiota. In addition, the network-based approach provides a more intuitive analysis of the gut microbiota, simplifying the study of its complex dynamics and interdependencies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the methods used to construct and analyze networks in the context of gut microecological background. We discuss various types of network modeling approaches, including co-occurrence networks, causal networks, dynamic networks, and multi-omics networks, and describe the analytical techniques used to identify important network properties. We also highlight the challenges and limitations of network modeling in this area, such as data scarcity and heterogeneity, and provide future research directions to overcome these limitations. By exploring these network-based methods, researchers can gain valuable insights into the intricate relationships and functional roles of microbial communities within the gut, ultimately advancing our understanding of the gut microbiota's impact on human health.

Competitive dynamics and balance between Streptococcus mutans and commensal streptococci in oral microecology.

Dental caries, as a biofilm-related disease, is closely linked to dysbiosis in microbial ecology within dental biofilms. Beyond its impact on oral health, bacteria within the oral cavity pose systemic health risks by potentially entering the bloodstream, thereby increasing susceptibility to bacterial endocarditis, among other related diseases. Streptococcus mutans, a principal cariogenic bacterium, possesses virulence factors crucial to the pathogenesis of dental caries. Its ability to adhere to tooth surfaces, produce glucans for biofilm formation, and metabolize sugars into lactic acid contributes to enamel demineralization and the initiation of carious lesions. Its aciduricity and ability to produce bacteriocins enable a competitive advantage, allowing it to thrive in acidic environments and dominate in changing oral microenvironments. In contrast, commensal streptococci, such as Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus gordonii, and Streptococcus salivarius, act as primary colonizers and compete with S. mutans for adherence sites and nutrients during biofilm formation. This competition involves the production of alkali, peroxides, and antibacterial substances, thereby inhibiting S. mutans growth and maintaining microbial balance. This dynamic interaction influences the balance of oral microbiota, with disruptions leading to shifts in microbial composition that are marked by rapid increases in S. mutans abundance, contributing to the onset of dental caries. Thus, understanding the dynamic interactions between commensal and pathogenic bacteria in oral microecology is important for developing effective strategies to promote oral health and prevent dental caries. This review highlights the roles and competitive interactions of commensal bacteria and S. mutans in oral microecology, emphasizing the importance of maintaining oral microbial balance for health, and discusses the pathological implications of perturbations in this balance.

A new perspective on gut-lung axis affected through resident microbiome and their implications on immune response in respiratory diseases.

The highly diverse microbial ecosystem of the human body colonizes the gastrointestinal tract has a profound impact on the host's immune, metabolic, endocrine, and other physiological processes, which are all interconnected. Specifically, gut microbiota has been found to play a crucial role in facilitating the adaptation and initiation of immune regulatory response through the gastrointestinal tract affecting the other distal mucosal sites such as lungs. A tightly regulated lung-gut axis during respiratory ailments may influence the various molecular patterns that instructs priming the disease severity to dysregulate the normal function. This review provides a comprehensive summary of current research on gut microbiota dysbiosis in respiratory diseases including asthma, pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, COPD during infections and cancer. A complex-interaction among gut microbiome, associated metabolites, cytokines, and chemokines regulates the protective immune response activating the mucosal humoral and cellular response. This potential mechanism bridges the regulation patterns through the gut-lung axis. This paper aims to advance the understanding of the crosstalk of gut-lung microbiome during infection, could lead to strategize to modulate the gut microbiome as a treatment plan to improve bad prognosis in various respiratory diseases.

Expert consensus on the relevance of intestinal microecology and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) affects gut microbial homeostasis, and intestinal microecology (IM) may also affect the prognosis of HSCT through multiple mechanisms. In order to further understand the key issues of the correlation between intestinal microecology and HSCT and to learn and absorb new research progress, the Tumor and Microecology Committee of China Anti-Cancer Association organized relevant experts to discuss together and propose the "Expert Consensus on the Relevance of Intestinal Microecology and Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation" for clinicians' reference in their practical work. It is a reference for clinicians in practice and provides a basis for further in-depth research in the field of tumor and microecology.

The potential of ferrihydrite-synthetic humic-like acid composite as a soil amendment for metal-contaminated agricultural soil: Immobilization mechanisms by combining abiotic and biotic perspectives.

In-situ passivation technique has attracted increasing attention for metal-contaminated agricultural soil remediation. However, metal immobilization mechanisms are mostly illustrated based on metal speciation changes and alterations in soil physicochemical properties from a macroscopic and abiotic perspective. In this study, a ferrihydrite-synthetic humic-like acid composite (FH-SHLA) was fabricated and applied as a passivator for a 90-day soil incubation. The heavy metals immobilization mechanisms of FH-SHLA were investigated by combining both abiotic and biotic perspectives. Effects of FH-SHLA application on soil micro-ecology were also evaluated. The results showed that the 5%FH-SHLA treatment significantly decreased the DTPA-extractable Pb, Cd and Zn by 80.75%, 46.82% and 63.63% after 90 days of incubation (P < 0.05), respectively. Besides, 5% FH-SHLA addition significantly increased soil pH, soil organic matter content and cation exchange capacity (P < 0.05). The SEM, FTIR, and XPS characterizations revealed that the abiotic metal immobilization mechanisms by FH-SHLA included surface complexation, precipitation, electrostatic attraction, and cation-π interactions. For biotic perspective, in-situ microorganisms synergistically participated in the immobilization process via sulfide precipitation and Fe mineral production. FH-SHLA significantly altered the diversity and composition of the soil microbial community, and enhanced the intensity and complexity of the microbial co-occurrence network. Both metal bioavailability and soil physiochemical parameters played a vital role in shaping microbial communities, while the former contributed more. Overall, this study provides new insight into the heavy metal passivation mechanism and demonstrates that FH-SHLA is a promising and environmentally friendly amendment for metal-contaminated soil remediation.

Efficacy of Donor-Recipient-Matched Faecal Microbiota Transplantation in Patients with IBS-D: A Single-Centre, Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study.

INTRODUCTION: The imbalance in gut microbiota is contributing to the development and progression of IBS. FMT can improve the gut microbiota, and donor-recipient-matched FMT can help develop individualized treatment plans according to different enterotypes. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of donor-recipient-matched FMT in IBS with predominant diarrhoea (IBS-D) and evaluate its effects on gut microbiota. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients with IBS-D were randomly divided into donor-recipient-matched FMT group (group P), random-donor FMT group (group R), and placebo group (group B). All participants received corresponding FMT treatment after filling in IBS-S, IBS-QoL, GSRS, and HADS questionnaires and having their stool samples collected at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. The improvement in the symptoms and the changes in the bacterial flora were analysed for three groups. RESULTS: The IBS-SSS, IBS-QoL, GSRS, and anxiety scores of group P were significantly lower after treatment (p < 0.05). The IBS-QoL scores of group R were significantly lower after treatment (p < 0.05). Beta diversity analysis showed that the gut microbiota of group P had an obvious trend of classification after treatment. Seven bacterial genera were related to the differences in the IBS-SSS scores before and after treatment. CONCLUSION: Donor-recipient-matched FMT significantly improved the clinical symptoms, quality of life, and anxiety scores of the patients with IBS-D than random-donor FMT.

Reconnoitering correlation between human papillomavirus infection-induced vaginal microecological abnormality and squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL) progression.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between abnormal vaginal microecology and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, as well as the squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL) progression. METHODS: A total of 383 patients diagnosed with HPV infection in our hospital between March 2017 and February 2022 were selected as the experimental group. In addition, several volunteers (n = 898) who underwent physical examination during the same period were randomly selected as the control group. Subsequently, we conducted several investigations, such as HPV detection and gene typing, examined vaginal microecological imbalances, and performed cytological examinations to analyze the correlation between microecological changes, different types of HPV infection, and SIL progression. RESULTS: HPV detection primarily included single and high-risk types of HPV infections. Moreover, significant disparities in the vaginal microecological environment between patients with persistent HPV infection and the control group, as well as patients with low-grade and high-grade SIL (LSIL and HSIL), were observed. The regression analysis revealed a correlation between LSIL and microflora density, diversity, bacteriological vaginosis (BV), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), trichomonas vaginalis (TV), sialidase, as well as Lactobacillus. In addition, we identified an association between HSIL and pH, flora density, diversity, BV, VVC, candida vaginitis (CV), leukocyte esterase, catalase, and Lactobacillus levels. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed a significant association between abnormal vaginal microecology and both HPV infection and the SIL progression.

Distribution characteristics of intestinal flora in patients with OSAHS and the relationship between different intestinal flora and sleep disorders, hypoxemia and obesity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution characteristics of intestinal flora in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) of different severities and the relationship between different intestinal flora and sleep structure disorder, hypoxemia and obesity. METHODS: A total of 25 healthy volunteers and 80 patients with OSAHS were enrolled in this study. The control group was healthy, and the experimental group comprised patients with OSAHS. The apnoea-hypopnea index (AHI), minimum saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2min), mean saturation of peripheral oxygen, body mass index, maximum apnoea time and other indicators were collected in clinical practice. The patients with OSAHS were divided into 20 mild and 42 moderate OSAHS cases, as well as 18 patients with severe OSAHS according to the AHI classification. Bioinformatics-related statistics were analysed using the QIIME2 software, and clinical data were analysed with the SPSS 22.0 software. RESULTS: The changes in microbial alpha diversity in the intestinal flora of patients with OSAHS showed that richness, diversity and evenness decreased, but the beta diversity did not change significantly. The Thermus Anoxybacillus, Anaerofustis, Blautia, Sediminibacterium, Ralstonia, Pelomonas, Ochrobactrum, Thermus Sediminibacterium, Ralstonia, Coccidia, Cyanobacteria, Anoxic bacilli and Anaerobes were negatively correlated with AHI (r = -0.38, -0.36, -0.35, -0.33, -0.31, -0.29, -0.22, -0.18) and positively correlated with SpO2min (r =0.38, 0.2, 0.25, 0.22, 0.24, 0.11, 0.23, 0.15). CONCLUSION: Some bacteria showed a significant correlation with clinical sleep monitoring data, which provides a possibility for the assessment of disease risk, but the mechanisms of their actions in the intestinal tract are not clear at present. Further research and observations are needed.

The association between human papillomavirus infection, vaginal microecology, and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in women from Xinjiang, China.

PURPOSE: This study analyzes the relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, vaginal microecology, and cervical lesions to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer (CC) in the Xinjiang region. METHODS: Real-time quantitative PCR was used for HPV genotyping and viral load. The Gram staining and dry biochemical enzyme kit were utilized to diagnose vaginal secretions. The χ2 test and Logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The HPV infection rate among women in the Xinjiang region was 30.29%, of which the single HPV infection accounts for 77%. HPV16 and HPV52 were the main infection types. There was significant differences in the HPV infection rate and infection types among the Han, Uighur, Hui, and Kazakh ethnic groups. The viral load of HPV16 and HPV52 increases with the upgrade of cervical lesions. There were significant differences in vaginal microecology evaluation indicators H2O2, SNA, LE, GUS, trichomonas, clue cells, and lactobacilli among different ethnic groups. HPV negative patients with varying grades of cervical lesions exhibit a notable variance in H2O2 and LE, which is statistically significant. Single HPV infection and high viral load HPV significantly increase the risk of CC. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that HPV infection and vaginal microecology differ among ethnic groups, which have a strong correlation with the progression of CC, offering guidance on CC screening and interventions in the Xinjiang area.

Impact of vaginal microecological differences on pregnancy outcomes and endometrial microbiota in frozen embryo transfer cycles.

PURPOSE: This prospective study investigates the correlation between vaginal microecology and pregnancy outcomes and explores their impact on endometrial microbiota composition during frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. Additionally, the impact of transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation on reproductive outcomes in patients with previous failed cycles was assessed. METHODS: A total of 379 patients undergoing FET at a reproductive medicine center were categorized into clinical pregnancy (CP), miscarriage (MISC), and non-pregnant (NP) groups. Vaginal specimens were collected for microecological evaluation prior to embryo transfer. Endometrial microbiota samples were obtained during embryo transfer for 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis to assess endometrial microbiota composition. Vaginal microecological indicators, including pH, Lactobacillus dominance, and leukocyte esterase activity, were measured. Transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation was investigated in 60 patients with previous failed cycles. RESULTS: Vaginal microecology significantly correlated with pregnancy outcomes, with normal microecology associated with a higher clinical pregnancy rate. Vaginal pH and leukocyte esterase activity were significantly associated with clinical pregnancy. Furthermore, vaginal microecological differences significantly impacted endometrial microbiota composition. However, no significant differences were observed in endometrial microbiota composition among the CP, MISC, and NP groups. Notably, transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation increased the clinical pregnancy rate without affecting the miscarriage rate. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that normal vaginal microecology, characterized by lower pH and leukocyte esterase negativity, is associated with a higher likelihood of clinical pregnancy following FET. Importantly, vaginal microecological differences influence endometrial microbiota composition. Moreover, transvaginal Lactobacillus supplementation appears promising in improving clinical pregnancy rates in patients with previous failed cycles. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the interplay between vaginal and endometrial microbiota and offer potential interventions to enhance reproductive success in assisted reproductive technologies.

Role of Gut Microecology in the Pathogenesis of Drug-Induced Liver Injury and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a common clinical pharmacogenic disease. In the United States and Europe, DILI is the most common cause of acute liver failure. Drugs can cause hepatic damage either directly through inherent hepatotoxic properties or indirectly by inducing oxidative stress, immune responses, and inflammatory processes. These pathways can culminate in hepatocyte necrosis. The role of the gut microecology in human health and diseases is well recognized. Recent studies have revealed that the imbalance in the gut microecology is closely related to the occurrence and development of DILI. The gut microecology plays an important role in liver injury caused by different drugs. Recent research has revealed significant changes in the composition, relative abundance, and distribution of gut microbiota in both patients and animal models with DILI. Imbalance in the gut microecology causes intestinal barrier destruction and microorganism translocation; the alteration in microbial metabolites may initiate or aggravate DILI, and regulation and control of intestinal microbiota can effectively mitigate drug-induced liver injury. In this paper, we provide an overview on the present knowledge of the mechanisms by which DILI occurs, the common drugs that cause DILI, the gut microbiota and gut barrier composition, and the effects of the gut microbiota and gut barrier on DILI, emphasizing the contribution of the gut microecology to DILI.

Effects of pork sausage on intestinal microecology and metabolism in mice.

BACKGROUND: Processed meat, as an important part of the human diet, has been recognized as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Although numerous epidemiological reports supported the IARC's view, the relevant evidence of a direct association between processed meat and carcinogenicity has been insufficient and the mechanism has been unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of pork sausage (as a representative example of processed meat) intake on gut microbial communities and metabolites of mice. Microbial communities and metabolites from all groups were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometer (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS), respectively. RESULTS: The levels of Bacteroidetes, Bacteroides, Alloprevotella, Lactobacillus, Prevotella_9, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Alistipes, Blautia, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Allobaculum, Helicobacter, Desulfovibrio, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Lachnospiraceae_UCG-006 and Streptococcus (P < 0.05) were obviously altered in the mice fed a pork sausage diet. Twenty-seven metabolites from intestinal content samples and fourteen matabolites from whole blood samples were identified as potential biomarkers from multivariate analysis, including Phosphatidic acid (PA), Sphingomyelin (SM), Lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC), Diglyceride (DG), D-maltose, N-acylamides and so forth. The significant changes in these biomarkers demonstrate metabonomic variations in pork sausage treated rats, especially carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. CONCLUSION: The present study provided evidence that a processed meat diet can increase the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases significantly by altering the microbial community structure and disrupting the body's metabolic pathways. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The potential role of nondigestible Raffinose family oligosaccharides as prebiotics.

Based on factual scientific health claims, prebiotics have gained significant importance in ever-growing food and pharmaceutical industries. The diverse nature of distinct prebiotics influences the host differently in distinguishable patterns. Functional oligosaccharides are either plant-derived or commercially prepared. Raffinose, stachyose, and verbascose are the 3 types of raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs) that have been extensively used as medicine, cosmetic, and food additives. These dietary fiber fractions avert the adhesion and colonization by enteric pathogens and add nutrition metabolites for a healthy immune system. Enrichment of RFOs in healthy foods should be promoted as these oligosaccharides augment gut microecology by enhancing the health conferring microbes i.e. bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. RFOs influence the host's multiorgan systems due to their physiological and physicochemical properties. For example, the fermented microbial products of such carbohydrates affect neurological processes, including memory, mood, and behavior in humans. Raffinose-type sugar uptake is thought to be a ubiquitous property of bifidobacteria. This review paper summarizes the source of RFOs and their metabolizing entities, highlighting bifidobacterial carbohydrate utilization and health benefits.

Metagenomic analysis of microbiological changes on the ocular surface of diabetic children and adolescents with a dry eye.

BACKGROUND: Microbiome changes on the ocular surface may cause dry eyes. A metagenome assay was used to compare the microbiome composition and function of the ocular surface between diabetic children and adolescents with dry eye, diabetic children and adolescents without dry eye, and normal children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty children and adolescents aged 8 to 16 with diabetes were selected from the Shanghai Children and Adolescent Diabetes Eye Study. Ten healthy children and adolescents belonging to the same age group were selected from the outpatient clinic during the same period. The participants were classified into the dry eye group (DM-DE group, n = 10), the non-dry eye group (DM-NDE group, n = 10) and the normal group (NDM group, n = 10). A conjunctival sac swab was collected for metagenomic sequencing, and the relationship between the microbiome composition and functional gene differences on the ocular surface with dry eye was studied. RESULTS: The classification composition and metabolic function of the microorganisms on the ocular surface of children in the 3 groups were analyzed. It was found that children's ocular microbiota was composed of bacteria, viruses and fungi. There were significant differences in α diversity and ß diversity of microbial composition of ocular surface between DM-DE group and NDM group(P<0.05). There were significant differences in α and ß diversity of metabolic pathways between the two groups(P<0.05). The functional pathways of ocular surface microorganisms in diabetic children with dry eyes were mainly derived from human disease, antibiotic resistance genes, carbohydrate, coenzyme and lipid transport and metabolism-related functional genes; In normal children, the functional pathways were mainly derived from replication, recombination, repair, signal transduction and defense-related functional genes. CONCLUSION: The DM-DE group have unique microbial composition and functional metabolic pathways. The dominant species and unique metabolic pathways of the ocular surface in the DM-DE group may be involved in the pathogenesis of dry eye in diabetic children.

Akkermansia muciniphila ameliorates chronic kidney disease interstitial fibrosis via the gut-renal axis.

CONTEXT: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 10% of the global population. The abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila (AKK) is significantly reduced in CKD patients. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effects of AKK bacteria on kidney damage and the renal interstitium in rats with CKD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CKD model 5/6 nephrectomy rats were used. CKD rats were supplemented with AKK (2 × 108 cfu/0.2 mL) for 8 weeks. RESULTS: AKK administration significantly suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and high-throughput 16S rRNA pyrosequencing showed that AKK supplementation restored the disordered intestinal microecology in CKD rats. AKK also enhanced the intestinal mucosal barrier function. AKK may regulate the intestinal microecology and reduce renal interstitial fibrosis by enhancing the abundance of probiotics and reducing damage to the intestinal mucosal barrier. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that AKK administration could be a novel therapeutic strategy for treating renal fibrosis and CKD.

Food phenolics stimulate adipocyte browning via regulating gut microecology.

Fat browning has piqued the interest of researchers as a potential target for treating obesity and related metabolic disorders. Recruitment of brown adipocytes leads to enhanced energy dissipation and reduced adiposity, thus facilitating the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. Evidence is increasing to support the crucial roles of polyphenols and gut microecology in turning fat "brown". However, it is not clear whether the intestinal microecology is involved in polyphenol-mediated regulation of adipose browning, so this concept is worthy of exploration. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge, mostly from studies with murine models, supporting the concept that the effects of food phenolics on brown fat activation and white fat browning can be attributed to their regulatory actions on gut microecology, including microbial community profile, gut metabolites, and gut-derived hormones. Furthermore, the potential underlying pathways involved are also discussed. Basically, understanding gut microecology paves the way to determine the underlying roles and mechanisms of food phenolics in adipose browning.

Effect of mechanical ventilation under intubation on respiratory tract change of bacterial count and alteration of bacterial flora.

Background: The most common 'second strike' in mechanically ventilated patients is a pulmonary infection caused by the ease with which bacteria can invade and colonize the lungs due to mechanical ventilation. At the same time, metastasis of lower airway microbiota may have significant implications in developing intubation mechanical ventilation lung inflammation. Thus, we establish a rat model of tracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation and explore the effects of mechanical ventilation on lung injury and microbiological changes in rats. To provide a reference for preventing and treating bacterial flora imbalance and pulmonary infection injury caused by mechanical ventilation of tracheal intubation. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into Control, Mechanical ventilation under intubation (1, 3, 6 h) groups, and Spontaneously breathing under intubation (1, 3, 6 h). Lung histopathological injury scores were evaluated. 16SrDNA sequencing was performed to explore respiratory microbiota changes, especially, changes of bacterial count and alteration of bacterial flora. Results: Compared to groups C and SV, critical pathological changes in pulmonary lesions occurred in the MV group after 6 h (p < 0.05). The Alpha diversity and Beta diversity of lower respiratory tract microbiota in MV6, SV6, and C groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The main dominant bacterial phyla in the respiratory tract of rats were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Cyanobacteria. Acinetobacter radioresistens in group C was significant, Megaonas in group MV6 was significantly increased, and Parvibacter in group SV6 was significantly increased. Anaerobic, biofilm formation, and Gram-negative bacteria-related functional genes were altered during mechanical ventilation with endotracheal intubation. Conclusion: Mechanical ventilation under intubation may cause dysregulation of lower respiratory microbiota in rats.

Focused ultrasound: a novel therapy for improving vaginal microecology in patients with high-risk HPV infection.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in vaginal microecology in women with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection after focused ultrasound (FU) treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected vaginal secretions at the time of admission and 3 months after FU treatment from 169 women who received FU treatment for cervical HR-HPV infection between July 2020 and September 2022. Among them, there were 101 patients with cute vaginitis, we also collected their vaginal secretions after one week of drug treatment. These samples were evaluated for vaginal microecology and HPV-DNA examination. RESULTS: Of the 169 patients, 101 (59.7%) suffered from acute vaginitis at the time of admission. After one week of targeted antibiotics drug treatment, there were no pathogens or pus cells on the field of microscopic vision, but there was no significant difference(p > 0.05) in the diversity and density of vaginal flora, the proportion and function of Lactobacillus (H2O2 negative rate) between one week after treatment and at the time of admission. At the time of admission of the 169 patients, the normal flora rate was 40.3%, which increased to 93.5% three months after FU treatment. The differences in vaginal secretion parameters at the time of admission and 3 months after FU treatment were as follows: H2O2 negative rate (37.3% vs. 3.6%), leukocyte esterase positive rate (54.4% vs. 5.9%), sialidase positive rate (38.5% vs. 4.1%), bacterial vaginitis positive rate (55% vs. 4.7%), fungal vaginitis positive rate (44.4% vs. 5.9%), and trichomonal vaginitis positive rate (7.1% vs. 0). The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The pH value and Nagent score at the time of admission were significantly higher than those three months after FU. Three months after FU, the positive rate of HPV was 5.8% in the group of patients with normal vaginal microecology at the time of admission and post-FU; it was 6.7% in the group of patients with abnormal vaginal microecology at the time of admission and normal vaginal microecology post-FU; and it was 100% in the group patients with abnormal vaginal microecology at the time of admission and post-FU. A significant difference was observed among the three groups (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: FU is an effective treatment for patients with cervical HR-HPV infection. FU does not interfere with the vaginal microecology of HR-HPV positive patients with normal vaginal microecology.FU followed by antibiotic drug therapy for pathogens is beneficial to restore the function of Lactobacillus vaginalis in HR-HPV positive patients with acute vaginitis,so as to improve the vaginal microecology of HR-HPV positive patients with abnormal vaginal microecology.

Role of body mass index in pregnancy outcomes after emergency cerclage for cervical insufficiency in singleton pregnant patients.

BACKGROUND: The study aims were to analyze pregnancy outcomes after the use of emergency cerclage in patients with different BMIs. METHODS: A total of 76 singleton pregnant patients who underwent emergency cerclage at a tertiary comprehensive hospital in China between Jan 2017 and Dec 2021 were retrospectively divided into an obesity group of 37 patients with BMIs ≥ 28 kg/m2 and a non-obesity group of 39 patients with BMIs < 28 kg/m2. The medical records of patients were reviewed and all relevant clinical data were further collected into an itemized data spreadsheet for various analyses. RESULTS: Emergent cerclage, along with amnioreduction if needed, could be safely performed on both obese and non-obese pregnant women with a dilated external cervix (> 1 cm), which effectively prolonged the gestational week up to ≥ 25 weeks. Obese gravidae had shorter suture-to-delivery intervals and mean pregnancy lengths but more spontaneous preterm births before 37 weeks, and a lower live birth rate (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis revealed that BMI, how many times cerclages have been performed during pregnancy (frequency of cerclage) and bacterial vaginosis, aerobic vaginitis and vulvovaginal candidiasis (vaginal microecology) were significantly correlated with fetal loss (P < 0.05), while rank correlation analysis established a negative correlation between BMI values and the suture-to-delivery interval (P = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant cervical insufficiency patients with BMIs > 28 kg/m2 may ill-serve the gestational outcomes and suture-to-delivery interval after their emergent cerclage. Additionally, BMI, frequency of cerclage and vaginal microecology accounted for higher fetal loss in patients who underwent emergency cerclage.

Co-application of chitooligosaccharides and arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi reduced greenhouse gas fluxes in saline soil by improving the rhizosphere microecology of soybean.

Soil salinization can affect the ecological environment of soil and alter greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Chitooligosaccharides and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) reduced the GHG fluxes of salinized soil, and this reduction was attributed to an alteration in the rhizosphere microecology, including changes in the activities of ß-glucosidase, acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosidase, and Leucine aminopeptidase. Additionally, certain bacteria species such as paracoccus, ensifer, microvirga, and paracyclodium were highly correlated with GHG emissions. Another interesting finding is that foliar spraying of chitooligosaccharides could transport to the soybean root system, and improve soybean tolerance to salt stress. This is achieved by enhancing the activities of antioxidant enzymes, and the changes in amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and membrane transport. Importantly, the Co-application of chitooligosaccharides and Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi was found to have a greater effect compared to their application alone.