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Probiotics actively participate in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the role of gut microbiota in brain disorders and vascular dementia (VaD) remains unclear. We used a mouse model of VaD induced by a permanent right unilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (rUCCAO) to investigate the neuroprotective effects and possible underlying mechanisms of Clostridium butyricum. Following rUCCAO, C. butyricum was intragastrically administered for 6 successive weeks. Cognitive function was estimated. Morphological examination was performed by electron microscopy and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. The BDNF-PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins were assessed by western blot and immunohistochemistry. The diversity of gut microbiota and the levels of butyrate in the feces and the brains were determined. The results showed that C. butyricum significantly attenuated the cognitive dysfunction and histopathological changes in VaD mice. C. butyricum not only increased the levels of BDNF and Bcl-2 and decreased level of Bax but also induced Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt) and ultimately reduced neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, C. butyricum could regulate the gut microbiota and restore the butyrate content in the feces and the brains. These results suggest that C. butyricum might be effective in the treatment of VaD by regulating the gut-brain axis and that it can be considered a new therapeutic strategy against VaD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is one of the most common complications of most types of antibiotics. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of Clostridium butyricum, Bifidobacterium infantis, and their mixture for AAD treatment in mice. AAD models were administered with single probiotic strain and probiotic mixture for short term and long term to evaluate the changes of the composition and diversity of intestinal microbiota, histopathology of the colon, and the systemic inflammation. Our data indicated that long-term probiotic therapy, but not short-term course, exerted beneficial effects on the restoration of the intestinal microbiota, the recovery of the tissue architecture, and attenuation of systemic inflammation. All predominant fecal bacteria reached normal level after the long-term probiotic mixture treatment, while IL-10, IFN-γ, and TNF-α also returned to normal level. However, the efficacy for AAD was time dependent and probiotic strain specific. Short-term administration of probiotic strains or mixture showed no apparent positive effects for AAD. In addition, the beneficial effects of C. butyricum combined with B. infantis probiotic mixture were superior to their single strain. This research showed that supplementation with C. butyricum combined with B. infantis probiotic mixture may be a simple and effective method for AAD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

microRNAs are endogenous noncoding RNA molecules of ∼22 nucleotides that regulate gene function by modification of target mRNAs. Due to tissue specific of miR-133a and miR-1/206 for skeletal muscles, we investigated the role of miR-133a and miR-1/206 in promoting the differentiation of the C2C12 cells. The results show that directly transfecting mature miR-133a, miR-1/206, or combinations (miR-1 and miR-206, miR-1 and miR-133a, and miR-133a and miR-206) into C2C12 cells, respectively, for 5 days induces formation of myogenic progenitor cells. Overexpression of miR-133a and miR-206 in C2C12 cells greatly improved multinucleated myotube formation. microRNA-133a (miR-133a) is highly expressed during human muscle development. Using bioinformatics, we identified one putative miR-133a binding site within the 3′-untranslated region of the mouse Foxl2 mRNA. The expression of Foxl2 was shown to be downregulated by subsequent western blot analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A connection between gut microbiota and Parkinson's disease (PD) indicates that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota might represent a risk factor for PD. Microbiota-targeted interventions, including probiotic Clostridium butyricum (Cb), have been recently shown to have favorable effects in PD by regulating microbiota-gut-brain axis. However, the potential beneficial roles and its mechanisms of Cb on PD were still unknown. Male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to a PD model-induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and were treated intragastrically with Cb for 4 weeks. The motor functions were assessed by a series of behavioral tests including pole test, beam walking teat, forced swimming test and open field test. The dopaminergic neuron loss, synaptic plasticity and microglia activation, as well as the levels of colonic glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), colonic G protein-coupled receptors GPR41/43 and cerebral GLP-1 receptors were assessed. Gut microbial composition was assessed by 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. Our results showed that oral administration of Cb could improve motor deficits, dopaminergic neuron loss, synaptic dysfunction and microglia activation in the MPTP-induced mice. Meanwhile, Cb treatment could reverse the dysbiosis of gut microbiota and the decreased levels of colonic GLP-1, colonic GPR41/43 and cerebral GLP-1 receptor in the MPTP-induced mice. These findings indicated that the neuroprotective mechanism of Cb on PD might be related to the improvement of abnormal gut microbiota-gut-brain axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, we report the simple solid-state formation of mesoporous In2O3 nanorods with a quasi-single-crystalline framework. The synthesis is based on controlled thermal oxidative decomposition and re-crystallization of precursor In(OH)3 nanorods obtained from a hydrothermal method without using any surfactants or organic templates. Importantly, the rod-like morphology can be completely preserved after thermal treatment. Due to the intrinsic crystal contraction, a highly mesoporous structure with high specific surface area (up to 103.1m2/g) has been created. The textual properties can be tailored by varying the annealing temperature. The gas sensing test results show that mesoporous In2O3 nanorods possess satisfactory response to dilute ethanol vapor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hepatitis viral infection can cause severe complications, even mortality in pregnant women and their offspring. Multiple studies have shown that vertical transmission can cause viral hepatitis infections in newborns, especially in hepatitis B, C, and E. Screening for hepatitis viral infection in pregnant women is essential. Once infected, pregnant women should be given timely antiviral treatments, which could effectively alleviate the disease progression and reduce adverse outcomes. Besides, the mechanism of viral hepatitis mediating adverse pregnancy outcomes has been a hot topic. Hepatitis B virus has been found to mediate both mother- to-child and parent-child transmission. Liver injury in hepatitis C virus infection is associated with immune-mediated mechanisms, which can be regulated by hormonal factors as well. The mediating mechanism of adverse maternal and infant outcomes caused by hepatitis E virus infection is mainly related to viral replication in the placenta and changes in cytokine and estrogen. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms related to hepatitis A virus and hepatitis D virus remain unclear, and more research is needed. This review shows that the existence of viral hepatitis during pregnancy can pose certain risks for pregnant women and infants, and different interventions have been used to treat pregnant women infected with viral hepatitis. It may provide deep insight into adverse pregnancy outcomes caused by viral hepatitis and give guidance on treatment., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 Jian Wu, Huiqing Wang, Ze Xiang, Chun Jiang, Yunyang Xu, Guanghua Zhai, Zongxin Ling, published by De Gruyter on behalf of Scholar Media Publishing.)

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is highly prevalent in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), leading to negative consequences like premature mortality. Gut dysbiosis, which refers to an imbalance of the microbiota, and chronic inflammation are associated with both SZ and MetS. However, the relationship between gut dysbiosis, host immunological dysfunction, and SZ comorbid with MetS (SZ-MetS) remains unclear. This study aims to explore alterations in gut microbiota and their correlation with immune dysfunction in SZ-MetS, offering new insights into its pathogenesis., Methods and Results: We enrolled 114 Chinese patients with SZ-MetS and 111 age-matched healthy controls from Zhejiang, China, to investigate fecal microbiota using Illumina MiSeq sequencing targeting 16 S rRNA gene V3-V4 hypervariable regions. Host immune responses were assessed using the Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 27-Plex Assay to examine cytokine profiles. In SZ-MetS, we observed decreased bacterial α-diversity and significant differences in β-diversity. LEfSe analysis identified enriched acetate-producing genera (Megamonas and Lactobacillus), and decreased butyrate-producing bacteria (Subdoligranulum, and Faecalibacterium) in SZ-MetS. These altered genera correlated with body mass index, the severity of symptoms (as measured by the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms and Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms), and triglyceride levels. Altered bacterial metabolic pathways related to lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, and various amino acid metabolism were also found. Additionally, SZ-MetS exhibited immunological dysfunction with increased pro-inflammatory cytokines, which correlated with the differential genera., Conclusion: These findings suggested that gut microbiota dysbiosis and immune dysfunction play a vital role in SZ-MetS development, highlighting potential therapeutic approaches targeting the gut microbiota. While these therapies show promise, further mechanistic studies are needed to fully understand their efficacy and safety before clinical implementation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a complex psychiatric neurodevelopmental disorder with uncertain etiology and pathogenesis. Increasing evidence has recognized the key role of the gut microbiota in SZ. However, few studies have investigated the potential link between oral microbiota and SZ. We studied the tongue coating microbiota and inflammatory profiles of 118 elderly SZ patients and 97 age-matched healthy controls using Illumina MiSeq sequencing and multiplex immunoassays, respectively. Reduced α-diversity, along with a significant difference in β-diversity, were observed in patients with SZ. We have identified SZ-associated oral dysbiosis, characterized by increased Streptococcus and Fusobacterium, as well as decreased Prevotella and Veillonella. These differential genera could potentially serve as biomarkers for SZ, either alone or in combination. Additionally, an elevated Streptococcus/Prevotella ratio could indicate oral dysbiosis. These differential genera formed two distinct clusters: Streptococcus-dominated and Prevotella-dominated, which exhibited different correlations with the altered immunological profiles. Furthermore, we also observed disruptions in the inferred microbiota functions in SZ-associated microbiota, particularly in lipid and amino acid metabolism. Our study provides novel insights into the characteristics of tongue coating microbiota and its associations with immunological disturbances in elderly SZ patients, which offer new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of SZ in the elderly., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

An accumulating body of evidence suggests that the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila exhibits positive systemic effects on host health, mainly by improving immunological and metabolic functions, and it is therefore regarded as a promising potential probiotic. Recent clinical and preclinical studies have shown that A. muciniphila plays a vital role in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders by influencing the host brain through the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA). Numerous studies observed that A. muciniphila and its metabolic substances can effectively improve the symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders by restoring the gut microbiota, reestablishing the integrity of the gut mucosal barrier, regulating host immunity, and modulating gut and neuroinflammation. However, A. muciniphila was also reported to participate in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders by aggravating inflammation and influencing mucus production. Therefore, the exact mechanism of action of A. muciniphila remains much controversial. This review summarizes the proposed roles and mechanisms of A. muciniphila in various neurological and psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, strokes, and autism spectrum disorders, and provides insights into the potential therapeutic application of A. muciniphila for the treatment of these conditions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Lei, Cheng, Gao, Liu, Shao, Kong, Zheng, Ling and Hu.)

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents a growing global health concern that can lead to liver disease and cancer. It is characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, unrelated to excessive alcohol consumption. Studies indicate that the gut microbiota-host crosstalk may play a causal role in NAFLD pathogenesis, with epigenetic modification serving as a key mechanism for regulating this interaction. In this review, we explore how the interplay between gut microbiota and the host epigenome impacts the development of NAFLD. Specifically, we discuss how gut microbiota-derived factors, such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), can modulate the DNA methylation and histone acetylation of genes associated with NAFLD, subsequently affecting lipid metabolism and immune homeostasis. Although the current literature suggests a link between gut microbiota and NAFLD development, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying this crosstalk remains limited. Therefore, more comprehensive epigenomic and multi-omic studies, including broader clinical and animal experiments, are needed to further explore the mechanisms linking the gut microbiota to NAFLD-associated genes. These studies are anticipated to improve microbial markers based on epigenetic strategies and provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of NAFLD, ultimately addressing a significant unmet clinical need., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (© 2023 The Authors. Engineering in Life Sciences published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: The scrotum is considered as an uncommon site for tinea, hence there is a lack of knowledge about the clinical characteristics, pathogenic agents and the skin microbiome changes of tinea scrotum., Objective: We sought to analyze the clinical features, pathogenic agents and skin microbiome of tinea scrotum., Methods: A two-center prospective observational study was carried out in outpatient dermatology clinics in Zhejiang, China, from September 2017 to September 2019. The diagnosis of tinea scrotum was confirmed by direct microscopy. Clinical and mycological data were collected. The composition of microbial communities of patients with tinea scrotum was analyzed and compared with healthy controls., Results: A total of 113 patients with tinea scrotum were included. Tinea scrotum was either presented with isolated lesions (9/113, 8.0%) or accompanied by tinea of other sites (104/113, 92.0%). Tinea cruris was detected in 101 cases (89.38%). Fungal culture was positive in 63 cases, among which Trichophyton rubrum was grown in 60 cases (95.2%) and Nannizzia gypsea was cultured in 3 cases (4.8%). The skin microbiome in scrotum lesions from 18 patients showed increased abundance of Trichophyton compared with 18 healthy individuals, while Malassezia was decreased. No significant difference in bacterial diversity was found., Conclusions: Tinea scrotum was often companied by superficial fungal infections of other skin sites, with tinea cruris being the most common condition. Instead of N. gypsea, T. rubrum was the most frequently identified pathogen for tinea scrotum. In general, tinea scrotum exhibited changes in the fungal communities of the skin with increased Trichophyton and decreased Malassezia abundance., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Small organic photothermal agents (SOPTAs) that absorb in the second near-infrared (NIR-II, 1000-1700 nm) window are highly desirable in photothermal therapy for their good biocompatibility and deeper tissue penetration. However, the design of NIR-II absorbing SOPTAs remains a great challenge. Herein, we report that molecular engineering of BF 2 complex via strengthening the donor-acceptor conjugation and increasing the intramolecular motions is an efficient strategy to achieve NIR-II absorbing SOPTAs with high photothermal performance. Based on this strategy, a BF 2 complex, BAF4, was designed and synthesized. BAF4 exhibits an intense absorption maximum at 1000 nm and negligible fluorescence. Notably, the nanoparticles of BAF4 achieve a high photothermal conversion efficiency value of 80 % under 1064 nm laser irradiation (0.75 W cm -2 ). In vitro and in vivo studies reveal the great potential of BAF4 nanoparticles in photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal therapy in the NIR-II window., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) may be associated with altered urinary microbiota in female patients. We investigated alterations of urinary microbiota in Chinese female T2DM patients, and explored the associations between urinary microbiota and a patient's fasting blood glucose (FBG), urine glucose (UGLU), age, menstrual status, and body mass index (BMI). Midstream urine was collected from 70 female T2DM patients and 70 healthy females. Microbial diversity and composition were analyzed using the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform by targeting the hypervariable V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. We found that bacterial diversity was decreased in T2DM patients. Increased Actinobacteria phylum was positively correlated with FBG, UGLU, and BMI; Lactobacillus abundance decreased with age and menopause; and increased Lactobacillus correlated positively with FBG and UGLU. Decreased Akkermansia muciniphila was associated with FBG and UGLU. Escherichia coli abundance did not differ between the two cohorts. Carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism was reduced in T2DM patients, which were associated with bacterial richness indices such as Chao1 and ACE. Detailed microbiota analysis of well-characterized T2DM patients and healthy controls indicate that Chinese T2DM female patients exhibit dysbiosis of urinary microbiota.