Altered gut microbiota in temporal lobe epilepsy with anxiety disorders

IntroductionPatients with epilepsy are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of anxiety disorders. In particular, temporal lobe epilepsy with anxiety disorders (TLEA) has attracted more attention in epilepsy research. The link between intestinal dysbiosis and TLEA has not been established yet. To gain deeper insight into the link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and factors affecting TLEA, the composition of the gut microbiome, including bacteria and fungi, has been examined.MethodsThe gut microbiota from 51 temporal lobe epilepsy patients has been subjected to sequencing targeting 16S rDNA (Illumina MiSeq) and from 45 temporal lobe epilepsy patients targeting the ITS-1 region (through pyrosequencing). A differential analysis has been conducted on the gut microbiota from the phylum to the genus level.ResultsTLEA patients' gut bacteria and fungal microbiota exhibited distinct characteristics and diversity as evidenced by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). TLEA patients showed higher abundances of Escherichia-Shigella (genus), Enterobacterales (order), Enterobacteriaceae (family), Proteobacteria (phylum), Gammaproteobacteria (class), and lower abundances of Clostridia (class), Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae (family), Lachnospirales (order), and Ruminococcus (genus). Among fungi, Saccharomycetales fam. incertae sedis (family), Saccharomycetales (order), Saccharomycetes (class), and Ascomycota (phylum) were significantly more abundant in TLEA patients than in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy but without anxiety. Adoption and perception of seizure control significantly affected TLEA bacterial community structure, while yearly hospitalization frequency affected fungal community structures in TLEA patients.ConclusionHere, our study validated the gut microbiota dysbiosis of TLEA. Moreover, the pioneering study of bacterial and fungal microbiota profiles will help in understanding the course of TLEA and drive us toward preventing TLEA gut microbiota dysbiosis

The Effect of Long-Term or Repeated Use of Antibiotics in Children and Adolescents on Cognitive Impairment in Middle-Aged and Older Person(s) Adults: A Cohort Study

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood on developing cognitive impairment in middle and old age from UK Biobank Database. Methods: UK Biobank recruited participants aged 37–73 years. Cognitive impairment was ascertained by fluid intelligence questionnaire. Primary outcome was the occurrence of cognitive impairment in middle and old age. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship between long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics and cognitive impairment. Results: Over 3.8–10.8 years’ follow-up, 4,781 of the 35,921 participants developed cognitive impairment. The odds of cognitive impairment in middle and old age among long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood were increased by 18% compared with their counterparts (adjusted odd ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.29, p < 0.01). The effect of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood on cognitive impairment was homogeneous across different categories of various subgroup variables such as sex, age, APOE4, ethnic groups, income before tax, smoking status, alcohol status, BMI, hypertension and diabetes but the effect of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood was modified by the educational qualification (p-value for interaction <0.05). Conclusion: Long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in middle and old age

Research on Improving the Partial Discharge Initial Voltage of SiC/EP Composites by Utilizing Filler Surface Modification and Nanointerface Interaction.

SiC/EP composites are promising insulating materials due to their high thermal conductivity, stable chemical properties, and nonlinear electrical conductivity. However, the compatibility of micron-sized SiC particles with the organic polymer matrix is poor, and defects such as air gaps may be introduced at the interface, which reduces the partial discharge resistance of the composite materials. In order to improve the partial discharge initial voltage (PDIV) of SiC/EP composites, in this paper, SiC/EP composites with different proportions were prepared by surface modification of filler and compound of micro/nano particles. Firstly, a method of secondary modification of SiC particles was proposed, which was first modified by alkali washing and then silane coupling agent KH560, and the effectiveness of the modification was verified. Therefore, the interface bonding ability between the filler and the matrix was improved, the air gap defects at the interface were reduced, and the PDIV of the composite material was improved. When the filling ratio is 10 wt%, the PDIV was enhanced by 13.75%, and when the filling ratio was further increased, the improvement was reduced. In contrast, the introduction of nanoparticles into the composites can effectively improve the PDIV of composite materials. In this study, nanoparticles were used to form a shell-core structure in epoxy resins to exert their huge specific surface area and active surface properties, thereby changing the overall crosslinking properties of the composites. Through experimental research, the optimal micro-nano particle compounding ratio was explored. Under the optimal mixing ratio, the PDIV of the composite material can be increased by more than 90%

A fast response & recovery H2S gas sensor based on α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with ppb level detection limit

H2S gas sensor based on α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles was fabricated by post-thermal annealing of Fe3O4 precursor which was synthesized using a facile hydrothermal route. The characteristic techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were adopted to characterize the chemical composition and microstructure of the obtained samples. Gas-sensing performance of the sensor was investigated at different operation temperatures from 100 °C to 400 °C. Results showed that the sensor exhibited the best sensitivity, reproducibility and long-term stability for detecting H2S gas at an operating temperature of 300 °C. The detection limit towards H2S gas was 0.05 ppm, and the response time and recovery time was 30 s and 5 s, respectively. In addition, sensing mechanism of the sensor towards H2S was discussed

Protection of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Given the growing evidence of a link between gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and multiple sclerosis (MS), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), aimed at rebuilding GM, has been proposed as a new therapeutic approach to MS treatment. To evaluate the viability of FMT for MS treatment and its impact on MS pathology, we tested FMT in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS. We provide evidence that FMT can rectify altered GM to some extent with a therapeutic effect on EAE. We also found that FMT led to reduced activation of microglia and astrocytes and conferred protection on the blood-brain barrier (BBB), myelin, and axons in EAE. Taken together, our data suggest that FMT, as a GM-based therapy, has the potential to be an effective treatment for MS

SCD rs41290540 single‐nucleotide polymorphism modifies miR‐498 binding and is associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD), and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is associated with atherosclerosis. However, the associations between variants of SCD and CAD have not yet been decided. Methods This study analyzed SCD rs41290540 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 3′‐untranslated region for an association with a risk of CAD among the Chinese Han population. CAD patients and controls were genotyped for SNP rs41290540 in SCD by SNaPshot. The binding affinity of miR‐498 to rs41290540 was determined by a luciferase assay, and SCD expression was assessed using Western blot. Results A total of 969 CAD patients and 1,095 control subjects were involved in this study. The SCD rs41290540CC genotype is associated with a decreased risk of CAD compared with the AA genotype. Furthermore, the CC genotype is associated with lower serum total cholesterol (TC). Western blot analysis demonstrated that miR‐498 suppressed the expression of SCD. A luciferase assay confirmed that rs41290540 A>C variation in the SCD 3′UTR inhibits miR‐498 binding. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the SCD rs41290540 may be associated with a decreased risk of CAD, lower serum TC, and decreased miR‐498 binding