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Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy of fucoidan‐assisted standard quadruple therapy (SQT) in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and the improvement of gut microbiota. Methods: An open‐label randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University in Shandong Province, China. Ninety patients who tested positive for H. pylori were randomized to the standard quadruple therapy (SQT) group (SQ), SQT + fucoidan combination group (SF), and fucoidan + sequential SQT group (FS), respectively. Stool samples were collected for gut microbiota composition at baseline and after treatment. Results: After H. pylori eradication, the relative abundances of most conditional pathogens in the SQ decreased, while those of several beneficial bacteria increased or decreased (P < 0.05). In FS, the abundances of most beneficial bacteria increased gradually from baseline to week 12, while those of the conditional pathogens decreased (P < 0.05). The abundance of Bifidobacterium had a decreasing trend in SQ, but remained unchanged in SF and increased in FS (P < 0.05). The abundances of most beneficial bacteria were significantly higher in FS than in SQ and SF (P < 0.05). Addition of fucoidan enhanced symptom improvement during H. pylori eradication compared with SQT alone. Conclusions: Fucoidan considerably improved gut dysbiosis during SQT for H. pylori eradication. Gut microbiota can be maintained by the addition of fucoidan before eradication therapy with SQT rather than by concomitant addition with therapy. Fucoidan‐assisted SQT could relieve gastrointestinal symptoms during H. pylori eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation of groundwater properties caused by seawater intrusion, such as OH–, TDS, can potentially affect the groundwater Se levels. But there are no researches detailing the mechanism of groundwater selenium characteristics in seawater intrusion areas along coastal zones. Buzhuang town has been selected for study and groundwater is sampled to discuss the behavior of groundwater selenium with the intrusion of seawater. The groundwater Se levels range from 1.43 to 15.60 µg/L, with an average of 6.23 µg/L. All are within the limit of 10 µg/L except Wanglu village, but the local groundwater Se levels in 8 villages exceed the chronic criterion of 5 µg/L, and the Se levels in local groundwater are higher than those in the supplied water which has a non-seawater source. The groundwater Se levels have been shown to be elevated by seawater intrusion. The groundwater Se levels are positively correlated with Cl–, TDS, Br–, Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Fe and negatively correlated with pH. Ion competition effects and the Na-Mg-sulfate minerals play an important role in the adsorption and desorption for and , which are the important dynamic species for groundwater selenium enrichment. However, Ca and Fe ions have less contribution to groundwater Se variation because of the lower affinity for and and lesser content in groundwater of seawater intrusion areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotoneaster schantungensis is an endangered vulnerable species restricted to Shandong Province. In this study, we report the sequencing of the C. schantungensis chloroplast (cp) genome using the Illumina Novaseq platform for the first time. The complete C. schantungensis cp genome is 159,883 bp in length and contains two inverted repeats (IRs), separated by a large single-copy region (LSC) and a small single-copy region (SSC). A total of 132 unique coding genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 39 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes were identified. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. schantungensis is closely related to Eriobotrya japonica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]