Healthcare providers’ perception of faecal microbiota transplantation with clostridium difficile infection and inflammatory bowel disease: a quantitative systematic review

Background: Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are global gastroenterological diseases that cause considerable burden on human health, healthcare systems, and society. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment for recurrent Clostridioides Difficile Infection (rCDI) and a promising therapy for IBD. However, indication for FMT in IBD is still unofficial. Consequently, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is seeking healthcare providers’ advice on whether to update FMT guidelines. Methods: A systematic review methodology was adopted for this study. Five databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science) and grey literature were systematically searched for English language literature to 14 May 2021. The quality of the included studies was then appraised using the Institute for Public Health Sciences cross-sectional studies tool, after which the findings of the studies were narratively synthesised. Results: Thirteen cross-sectional studies with 4110 validated questionnaire responses were included. Narrative synthesis found that 39.43% of respondents were familiar with FMT (N = 3746, 95%CI = 37.87%–41%), 58.81% of respondents would recommend FMT to their patients (N = 1141, 95%CI = 55.95%–61.67%), 66.67% of respondents considered lack of clinical evidence was the greatest concern regarding FMT (N = 1941, 95%CI = 64.57%–68.77%), and 40.43% respondents would not implement FMT due to concerns about infection transmission (N = 1128, 95%CI = 37.57%–43.29%). Conclusion: Healthcare providers’ knowledge of FMT is relatively low and education is an effective strategy to improve it. As knowledge of FMT increases, willingness to recommend it also increases. Strengthening FMT clinical efficacy and reducing infection can enhance its public acceptance, application and popularity. However, further research is required to explore the donor screening procedure

The impact of multiple driving factors on forest ecosystem services in karst desertification control

In the fragile karst desertification ecosystem, forests are the providers of eco-multifunctionality. And the ecosystem service (ES) supply capacity of forests is directly or indirectly affected by various driving factors. The aim of this study is to explore the driving role of forest spatial structure, species diversity, and functional diversity on ecosystem services. In this study, four forest types, namely, broad-leaved monoculture forest (planted economic forest) (F1), broad-leaved mixed forest (F2), coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest (F3), and coniferous mixed forest (F4), were investigated in karst plateau mountain (KPM), karst plateau canyon (KPC), and karst mountain canyon (KMC) landforms. Variance analysis, correlation analysis and redundancy analysis were used to compare the differences of spatial structure, species diversity, functional diversity, and ES of different forest types and to clarify the driving role of spatial structure, species diversity, and functional diversity on ES. The results showed that the wood supply service of F3 was at least 4.27% higher than that of other forest types; carbon sequestration and oxygen release are at least 4.57 and 3.89% higher; the water holding capacity of litter and soil is higher by 6.24 and 2.26%, respectively; the soil OC, TN, TP, and TK were higher than 6.01, 1.22, 25.55, and 13.34%, respectively. The coniferous mixed forest and broadleaved mixed forest with a more complete spatial structure has a higher level of diversity, which can generate more wood and provide more soil nutrient sources, as well as stronger regulation capacity. Spatial structure affects plant productivity through interspecific relationships; soil fertility is restricted by the level of diversity; gas and water regulation are influenced by both spatial structure and diversity levels. There is a progressive driving relationship among spatial structure, diversity, and ES. In forest management, it is helpful to improve the forest ecosystem’s functioning by adjusting the forest structure using close-to-natural management measures

Ecological stoichiometry and homeostasis characteristics of plant-litter-soil system with vegetation restoration of the karst desertification control

It is of great significance to clarify the ecologically chemical stoichiometric characteristics of plant-litter-soil in vegetation restoration process for elucidating the nutrient cycling law and soil nutrient management of karst ecosystem. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents of leaves, litter and soil and their stoichiometry were determined in loquat (Eribotrya japonica) plantations in a karst plateau canyon after 3, 6, 10 and 15 years of restoration. The homeostasis characteristics of leaf N, P, and N:P with the change in soil nutrients during restoration were revealed. The results showed that leaf C, N, and P contents initially increased and then decreased with increasing years of restoration at the same sampling time. The contents of nutrients in soil and litter varied with increasing restoration years, with the highest values mostly appearing in May and July. This could be due to greater moisture in May and July, which helps with nutrient absorption and transformation. The leaf N:P ratio of loquat with different restoration years was 35.76-47.39, with an average of 40.06. Therefore, loquat leaves may experience P limitation in the growth process. The relationships between N, P and N:P in leaves and soil indexes could be simulated by a homeostasis model. Except for the weak sensitivity of loquat leaf N in 10 years, the other indexes and treatments had a certain homeostasis. Plants maintain homeostasis by regulating physiological responses in vivo in response to soil nutrient changes, indicating that loquat has good adaptability in karst desertification environments, but attention should focus on the management of soil P in the field as part of the vegetation restoration process. Therefore, in future research, we should combine the soil water and fertilizer conditions of different growing seasons in karst rocky desertification areas and provide scientific field management to ensure that the results of rocky desertification management can play a role in rural revitalization

Direct-Current Generator Based on Dynamic Water-Semiconductor Junction with Polarized Water as Moving Dielectric Medium

There is a rising prospective in harvesting energy from water droplets, as microscale energy is required for the distributed sensors in the interconnected human society. However, achieving a sustainable direct-current generating device from water flow is rarely reported, and the quantum polarization principle of the water molecular remains uncovered. Herein, we propose a dynamic water-semiconductor junction with moving water sandwiched between two semiconductors as a moving dielectric medium, which outputs a sustainable direct-current voltage of 0.3 V and current of 0.64 uA with low internal resistance of 390 kilohm. The sustainable direct-current electricity is originating from the dynamic water polarization process in water-semiconductor junction, in which water molecules are continuously polarized and depolarized driven by the mechanical force and Fermi level difference, during the movement of the water on silicon. We further demonstrated an encapsulated portable power-generating device with simple structure and continuous direct-current voltage, which exhibits its promising potential application in the field of wearable electronic generators

The Changes of Functional Connectivity Strength in Electroconvulsive Therapy for Depression: A Longitudinal Study

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for depression, but the mechanism of ECT for depression is still unclear. Recently, neuroimaging studies have reported that the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, angular gyrus, insular and other brain regions are involved in the mechanism of ECT for depression, and these regions are highly overlapped with the location of brain hubs. Here, we try to explore the effects of ECT on the functional connectivity of brain hubs in depression patients. In current study, depression patients were assessed at three time points: prior to ECT, at the completion of ECT and about 1 month after the completion of ECT. At each time point, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, assessment of clinical symptoms and cognition function were performed respectively, which was compared with 20 normal controls. Functional connectivity strength (FCS) was used to identify brain hubs. The results showed that FCS of left angular gyrus in depression patients significantly increased after ECT, accompanied by improved mood. The changed FCS in depression patients recovered obviously at 1 month after the completion of ECT. It suggested that ECT could modulate functional connectivity of left angular gyrus in depression patients

Genome-Wide Bovine H3K27me3 Modifications and the Regulatory Effects on Genes Expressions in Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes

Gene expression of lymphocytes was found to be influenced by histone methylation in mammals and trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3) normally represses genes expressions. Peripheral blood lymphocytes are the main source of somatic cells in the milk of dairy cows that vary frequently in response to the infection or injury of mammary gland and number of parities.The genome-wide status of H3K27me3 modifications on blood lymphocytes in lactating Holsteins was performed via ChIP-Seq approach. Combined with digital gene expression (DGE) technique, the regulation effects of H3K27me3 on genes expressions were analyzed.The ChIP-seq results showed that the peaks of H3K27me3 in cows lymphocytes were mainly enriched in the regions of up20K (~50%), down20K (~30%) and intron (~28%) of the genes. Only ~3% peaks were enriched in exon regions. Moreover, the highest H3K27me3 modification levels were mainly around the 2 Kb upstream of transcriptional start sites (TSS) of the genes. Using conjoint analysis with DGE data, we found that H3K27me3 marks tended to repress target genes expressions throughout whole gene regions especially acting on the promoter region. A total of 53 differential expressed genes were detected in third parity cows compared to first parity, and the 25 down-regulated genes (PSEN2 etc.) were negatively correlated with H3K27me3 levels on up2Kb to up1Kb of the genes, while the up-regulated genes were not showed in this relationship.The first blueprint of bovine H3K27me3 marks that mediates gene silencing was generated. H3K27me3 plays its repressed role mainly in the regulatory region in bovine lymphocytes. The up2Kb to up1Kb region of the down-regulated genes in third parity cows could be potential target of H3K27me3 regulation. Further studies are warranted to understand the regulation mechanisms of H3K27me3 on somatic cell count increases and milk losses in latter parities of cows

Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fractions and Response to Microorganisms and Mineral Elements in <i>Zanthoxylum planispinum</i> ‘Dintanensis’ Plantations at Different Altitudes

The Carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fractions, mineral element concentrations, microbial density, and biomass in 0–10 and 10–20 cm soil fractions under Zanthoxylum planispinum ‘dintanensis’ plantations, were measured at altitudes of 531, 640, 780, 871, and 1097 m in the mountainous karst areas of Guizhou Province, Southwest China, and the correlations between altitude and the soil variables were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) with the increase in altitude, there was no significant linear change in C fractions, total N, effective N, microorganism density, or mineral element concentration in each soil layer; however, ammonium-N and nitrate-N concentrations gradually decreased, and the P fraction was higher at the highest altitude; (2) soil C, N, and P fractions, concentrations of microorganisms and mineral elements at the same altitude showed a surface aggregation effect; (3) principal component analysis identified the main indicators affecting C, N and P fractions as total calcium, effective calcium, effective iron, total zinc, and bacteria; (4) correlation analysis showed that both total N and C fractions were positively correlated with effective N and P fractions and that mineral element concentrations were more closely correlated with C, N, and (especially) P fractions than with microorganism abundance. Overall, the effect of altitude on C, N, and P fractions showed that the correlation with soluble organic carbon was stronger than particulate organic carbon and easily oxidized carbon, inorganic N was closer correlated than organic N, and organic P was closer correlated than inorganic P. In conclusion, it shows that research focusing on soil N conservation, nutrient stoichiometry balance, and application of mineral-rich element fertilizers is important for Zanthoxylum planispinum ‘dintanensis’ plantation maintenance