Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has shown efficacy in treating recurrent Clostridium difficile infection and is increasingly being applied to other gastrointestinal disorders, yet the fate of ...native and introduced microbial strains remains largely unknown. To quantify the extent of donor microbiota colonization, we monitored strain populations in fecal samples from a recent FMT study on metabolic syndrome patients using single-nucleotide variants in metagenomes. We found extensive coexistence of donor and recipient strains, persisting 3 months after treatment. Colonization success was greater for conspecific strains than for new species, the latter falling within fluctuation levels observed in healthy individuals over a similar time frame. Furthermore, same-donor recipients displayed varying degrees of microbiota transfer, indicating individual patterns of microbiome resistance and donor-recipient compatibilities.
A general feature of unconventional superconductors is the existence of a superconducting dome in the phase diagram. Here we report a series of discrete superconducting phases in the simplest ...iron-based superconductor, FeSe thin flakes, by continuously tuning the carrier concentration through the intercalation of Li and Na ions with a solid ionic gating technique. Such discrete superconducting phases are robust against the substitution of 20% S for Se, but they are vulnerable to the substitution of 2% Cu for Fe, highlighting the importance of the iron site being intact. The superconducting phase diagram for FeSe derivatives is given, which is distinct from that of other unconventional superconductors.
Background and purpose
Falling is considered an important public health problem among older people. A recent cross‐sectional study suggested that cognitive frailty (CF) is associated with falls. We ...aimed to explore whether CF is a risk factor for falls in a population‐based longitudinal study.
Methods
Using data from the Rugao Longevity and Aging Study, physical frailty was assessed according to the modified Fried's phenotype, and the 20% of participants with the lowest scores on the Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale were defined as having cognitive impairment (CoI). Cognitive frailty (CF) was defined as the coexistence of physical frailty and CoI, but excluded severe CoI (revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale score ≤ 10). The outcome of number of falls in the previous 12 months was measured using a questionnaire.
Results
At baseline, the prevalence of CF was 2.6% and the prevalence of two or more falls was 6.7%. Cross‐sectional analysis found that two or more falls was associated with physical frailty without CoI (odds ratio OR 6.79, 95% confidence interval CI 3.17–14.56), pre‐frailty with CoI (OR 4.54, 95% CI 2.44–8.44) and CF (OR 3.51, 95% CI 1.18–10.44). Slow gait with CoI was associated with two or more falls (OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.08–4.53). At 3‐year follow‐up, the prevalence of two or more falls was 10.6%. Logistic regression analysis showed that, compared with the robust and non‐CoI elderly groups, the CF elderly group had a higher risk of two or more falls (OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.11–10.50).
Conclusions
Cognitive frailty was associated with two or more falls at baseline and might be a risk factor for two or more falls after 3 years. Early screening of CF might be beneficial in the prevention of falls.
Cognitive frailty is a combination of physical frailty and cognitive impairment. Cognitive frailty is associated with falls and increases the risk of future falls.
This investigation identifies a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria which can improve the heat tolerance of spinach (
Spinacia oleracea
L.)
. Bacillus licheniformis
strain (named
B. licheniformis
...BE-L60) was isolated from the heat-stressed spinach rhizosphere soil.It secretesindole-3-acetic acid, dissolve phosphorus, and produces amylases and proteases. Compared toun-inocculated spinach seedlings, those inoculated with BE-L60 had higher contents of soluble protein, proline, and sugar and enhanced the functions of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase. The results indicated that BE-L60 maintained the osmoprotectant levels to improve ion homeostasis and activates the antioxidant defense system. It was also identified via transcriptome analysis that heat stress could be alleviatedthe expression of heat shock protein genes. Overall, BE-L60 enhanced spinach seedlings’ heat tolerance by modulating plants’ physiological and biochemical processes.
Abstract
Aims
Carnitine and choline are major nutrient precursors for gut microbiota-dependent generation of the atherogenic metabolite, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). We performed ...randomized-controlled dietary intervention studies to explore the impact of chronic dietary patterns on TMAO levels, metabolism and renal excretion.
Methods and results
Volunteers (N = 113) were enrolled in a randomized 2-arm (high- or low-saturated fat) crossover design study. Within each arm, three 4-week isocaloric diets (with washout period between each) were evaluated (all meals prepared in metabolic kitchen with 25% calories from protein) to examine the effects of red meat, white meat, or non-meat protein on TMAO metabolism. Trimethylamine N-oxide and other trimethylamine (TMA) related metabolites were quantified at the end of each diet period. A random subset (N = 13) of subjects also participated in heavy isotope tracer studies. Chronic red meat, but not white meat or non-meat ingestion, increased plasma and urine TMAO (each >two-fold; P < 0.0001). Red meat ingestion also significantly reduced fractional renal excretion of TMAO (P < 0.05), but conversely, increased fractional renal excretion of carnitine, and two alternative gut microbiota-generated metabolites of carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine, and crotonobetaine (P < 0.05). Oral isotope challenge revealed red meat or white meat (vs. non-meat) increased TMA and TMAO production from carnitine (P < 0.05 each) but not choline. Dietary-saturated fat failed to impact TMAO or its metabolites.
Conclusion
Chronic dietary red meat increases systemic TMAO levels through: (i) enhanced dietary precursors; (ii) increased microbial TMA/TMAO production from carnitine, but not choline; and (iii) reduced renal TMAO excretion. Discontinuation of dietary red meat reduces plasma TMAO within 4 weeks.
The evolutionarily conserved Wnt signaling pathway plays essential roles during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Notably, comprehensive genetic studies in Drosophila and mice in the past ...decades have demonstrated the crucial role of Wnt signaling in intestinal stem cell maintenance by regulating proliferation, differentiation, and cell-fate decisions. Wnt signaling has also been implicated in a variety of cancers and other diseases. Loss of the Wnt pathway negative regulator adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) is the hallmark of human colorectal cancers (CRC). Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing further reveal many novel recurrent Wnt pathway mutations in addition to the well-characterized APC and β-catenin mutations in CRC. Despite attractive strategies to develop drugs for Wnt signaling, major hurdles in therapeutic intervention of the pathway persist. Here we discuss the Wnt-activating mechanisms in CRC and review the current advances and challenges in drug discovery.
The effect of inclusion size on fatigue behaviour of high strength steels in the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) regime (>10
7
-10
9
cycles) is reviewed. Internal fatigue fractures of high strength ...steels in the VHCF regime initiate mostly at non-metallic inclusions. The critical inclusion size below which it is hard to initiate fatigue cracking of high strength steels in the VHCF regime is found to be about half the critical value characteristic of the high cycle fatigue (HCF) regime (about 10
5
-10
7
cycles). A stepwise or duplex S-N curve is observed in the VHCF regime. The shape and form of the S-N curves are affected by inclusion size and other factors including surface condition, residual stress, environment and loading modes. Fatigue strength and fatigue life for high strength steels have been found to obey inverse power laws with respect to inclusion size D of the form σ
w
∝D
−n1
and N
f
∝D
−n2
respectively. For fatigue strength, the exponent n
1
has been reported to be ∼0·33 in the literature for the HCF regime and, more recently, to fall in the range 0·17-0·19 for the VHCF regime. For fatigue life, the exponent n
2
is reported to be ∼3 in the HCF regime, and in the range 4·29-8·42 in the VHCF regime. A special area was often observed inside a 'fish eye' mark in the vicinity of a non-metallic inclusion acting as the fracture origin for specimens having a long fatigue life. The major mechanisms of formation for this special area are discussed. To estimate the fatigue strength and fatigue life, it is necessary to know the size of the maximum inclusion in a tested specimen, and to be able to infer this value using data from a small volume of steel. The statistics of extreme value (SEV) method and the generalised Pareto distribution (GPD) method are introduced and compared. Finally, unresolved problems and future work required in studying the VHCF of high strength steels are briefly presented.
This article reports for the first time:•The nano/microstructural evolution of a 5M KOH-activated slag cement aged 18y.•The Mg/Al ratio of Mg-Al LDH in cement can be determined accurately by powder ...XRD.•The a parameter of Mg-Al LDH phases = 2 × d110 = 3.133–0.278x; Mg/Al = (1–x)/x.
The main hydration products were C-A-S-H(I), present in both inner (Ip) and outer product (Op), and a Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH), present only in the Ip. The composition of C-A-S-H(I) was the same in Op and Ip. Reduced scatter in the data with age suggests a tendency towards compositional homogeneity. The mean length of the aluminosilicate anions in the C-A-S-H(I) increased with age. The layer spacings of the C-A-S-H(I) and Mg-Al LDH had not changed significantly with age. The Mg/Al ratio of the LDH was about 2.6 and had not changed between 1 and 18 years.
Summary
Background
The seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is considered to be associated with favourable clinical outcomes.
Aims
This ...meta‐analysis was performed to establish the proportion of HBsAg loss rates among CHB patients who received combination treatment based on pegylated interferon (PegIFN). Four combination strategies have been studied with the aim of improving HBsAg loss: “de novo,” “NA‐experienced,” “switch‐to” and “add‐on.” This meta‐analysis was performed to determine which, if any, of these combination strategies was more effective.
Methods
Medline, Web of Science and Embase databases were searched from inception to December 2017. The proportion of patients who achieved HBsAg loss after combination therapy was pooled using a random‐effects model.
Results
Twenty‐four studies fulfilled the meta‐analysis criteria. The overall pooled proportion suggested that the rate of HBsAg loss could be increased to 9% (95% CI: 7%‐12%) based on the combination treatment in CHB patients. Compared with “de novo” strategy (8%, 95% CI: 6%‐10%), the “nucleos(t)ide analogues‐experienced” (11%, 95% CI: 8%‐15%) was found to be more likely (P = 0.036) to achieve a response. Compared with the “add‐on” strategy (8%, 95% CI: 5%‐13%), the “switch‐to” (14%, 95% CI: 9%‐20%) was found to be more likely (P = 0.012) to achieve HBsAg loss.
Conclusion
The “nucleos(t)ide analogues‐experienced” strategy was more effective than the “De novo” strategy in achieving HBsAg loss for CHB patients. Combination treatment using regimens based on Peg‐IFN may be useful to help nucleos(t)ide analogues‐treated patients, who have experienced at least 48 weeks of nucleot(s)ide analogue, achieve HBsAg seroclearance.
Linked ContentThis article is linked to Nhu and Pockros paper. To view this article visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.14683.
Approach and avoidance represent two fundamental behavioral traits that develop early in life. Previous studies have examined the neural correlates of approach and avoidance traits in adults and ...adolescents. Here, using the data set of the Adolescent Brain Cognition Development project, we investigated the structural cerebral bases of behavioral activation system (BAS) and behavioral inhibition system (BIS) in children. We employed voxel-based morphometry to examine how gray matter volumes (GMV) related specifically to BAS and BIS traits in 11,542 children (5491 girls, age 9–10 years) with 648 and 2697 identified as monozygotic twins (MZ) and dizygotic twins/siblings (DZ), respectively. After accounting for the BIS score, higher BAS scores (residuals) were positively correlated with the GMV of the ventral striatum (VS), and the correlation was stronger in MZ than in DZ and unrelated children, with a heritability (h2) of 0.8463. Higher BAS scores were negatively correlated with the GMV of bilateral visual, lateral orbitofrontal, temporal, and inferior frontal cortex, as well as the precuneus. Higher BIS (after accounting for BAS) scores were negatively correlated with the GMVs of the ventral caudate and bilateral putamen/pallidum, hypothalamus, and right anterior insula, and the correlation was stronger in MZ than in DZ and unrelated children, with a heritability of 0.8848. A cluster in the VS showed positive and negative correlation with the BAS and BIS scores, respectively. These findings suggest shared and distinct cerebral volumetric bases of the BAS and BIS traits in children. Whereas both traits have a strong genetic basis, the BAS relative to BIS appears to be more amenable to environmental influences. These findings add to the literature of developmental neuroscience and may help identify genetic risk factors of externalizing and internalizing psychopathology.
•We use VBM to study the volumetric correlates of the BAS and BIS in children.•The VS GMV shows positive and negative correlation each with the BAS and BIS.•Girls and boys do not show distinct regional GMV in association with BAS or BIS.•The volumetric correlates of BAS and BIS are highly heritable.•The BAS relative to BIS appears to be more amenable to environmental influences.
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