OBJECTIVEIn this review, to illustrate the resistance mechanism for pathogen insult, we discussed the role of the intestinal microbiome in promoting resistance to local gastrointestinal tract infections and to respiratory tract infections.

DATA SOURCESThe review was based on data obtained from the published research articles.

STUDY SELECTIONA total of 49 original articles were selected in accordance with our main objective to illustrate the resistance mechanism(s) by which commensal microbiota can contribute to host defense against local and systemic infections.

RESULTSDiverse microorganisms colonize human environmentally exposed surfaces such as skin, respiratory tract, and gastrointestinal tract. Co-evolution has resulted in these microbes with extensive and diverse impacts on multiple aspects of host biological functions. During the last decade, high-throughput sequencing technology developed has been applied to study commensal microbiota and their impact on host biological functions. By using pathogen recognition receptors pathway and nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptors pathway, the commensal microbiome promotes resistance to local and systemic infections, respectively. To protect against the local infections, the microbiome functions contain the following: the competing for sites of colonization, direct production of inhibition molecules or depletion of nutrients needed for pathogens, and priming immune defenses against pathogen insult. At the same time, with the purpose to maintain homeostasis, the commensal bacteria can program systemic signals toward not only local tissue but also distal tissue to modify their function for infections accordingly.

CONCLUSIONSCommensal bacteria play an essential role in protecting against infections, shaping and regulating immune responses, and maintaining host immune homeostasis.

OBJECTIVETo detect humoral immune response against different function regions of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in chronic patients, and further to investigate the correlativity between anti-HCV antibody titers and HCV RNA concentration.

METHODSUsing recombinant dominate epitope antigens, e.g. HCV Core, NS3, NS4, NS5 and chimeric HVR1, a set of ELISA test reagents was formulated. Then, titers of antibodies against HCV different regions and the RNA concentration of HCV in chronic patient sera were detected by ELISA and quantitative RT-PCR technique, respectively.

RESULTSGreat differences have been noted in antibody titers and positive rate of different HCV function regions in chronic patients. Antibodies against HCV Core and HVR1 have the highest positive rate, then NS3, NS4, and NS5 in sequence.

CONCLUSIONThe titer of antibodies against different regions of HCV in chronic patients has good correlation with HCV RNA concentration.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Chang'an Juntai Granules(mainly composed of Pseudostellariae Radix,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Poria,Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle,Paeoniae Radix Alba,Saposhnikoviae Radix,Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,Coptidis Rhizoma,and Aucklandiae Radix)in the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(IBS-D)with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome,and to evaluate its safety.Methods A single-center,randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled clinical trial was designed.A total of 130 patients with IBS-D of liver depression and spleen deficiency were included.The patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group by random number table method,with 65 cases in each group.The treatment group was treated with Chang'an Juntai Granules,and the control group was treated with Chang'an Juntai Placebo Granules.The course of treatment covered 12 weeks.The changes in the scores of IBS Symptom Severity Scale(IBS-SSS),Bristol Stool Form Scale(BSFS),IBS Quality of Life Questionnaire(IBS-QOL)and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS)in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy and medication safety in the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)During the trial,six cases in the treatment group and eight cases in the control group fell off.Eventually,a total of 116 patients completed the clinical trial,including 59 cases in the treatment group and 57 cases in the control group.(2)After 12 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate of the treatment group was 88.14％(52/59),and that of the control group was 45.61％(26/57).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the clinical efficacy of the treatment group was significantly superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.01).(3)After treatment,the IBS-SSS scores of the two groups and the BSFS and IBS-QOL scores of the treatment group were significantly lower than those before treatment(P＜0.01),while the scores of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale(HADA)and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression subscale(HADD)in the two groups and the BSFS and IBS-QOL scores in the control group showed no obvious changes(P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,the decrease of IBS-SSS,BSFS and IBS-QOL scores in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(4)During the trial,no serious adverse reactions or adverse events occurred in the two groups,no drug-related abnormalities of liver and kidney function,blood,and heart function were found,either.Conclusion Chang'an Juntai Granules are effective on improving the clinical symptoms and fecal characteristics of IBS-D patients with liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome,and on enhancing the quality of life of patients.The granules excert definite curative effect and high safety,and has certain value of clinical application.

ObjectiveThere are few studies on the correlation between the concentration of oncoembryonic antigen associated cell adhesion molecule 1(CEACAM1) and osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of CEACAM1 in the early diagnosis of ONFH and the monitoring of the disease by detecting the CEACAM1 concentration in the serum of patients with ONFH and healthy subjects respectively.Methods95 patients, who were hospitalized and diagnosed as ONFH in the Department of No.3 Orthopaedic Ward, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from May 2016 to November 2016, were selected as the experimental group. In addition, 56 genders and age-matched healthy subjects in our hospital were selected as the control group. The peripheral venous blood was taken and separated by a centrifuge. Their CEACAM1 concentrations were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The differences in CEACAM1 concentrations were analyzed between the two groups, and between patients with ONFH before (ARCO stage I or II) and after (ARCO stage III or IV) collapse as well.Results①The concentration of CEACAM1 in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group [(6.11±2.07)ng/mL vs (7.21±3.76)ng/mL, P=0.022]. ②The concentration of CEACAM1 in Arco stage II[(7.33±1.90) ng/mL] was significantly higher than that in stage III [(6.08±2.26) ng/mL], P=0.037.③The difference of CEACAM1 concentration between before(stage II) and after collapse (stage III or stage IV) was statistically different [(7.33±1.90)ng/mL vs (5.86±2.02)ng/mL, P=0.007].④ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve was 0.710 (0.608-0.798), the sensitivity was 71.79%, the specificity was 58.82%, and the cut off value was ≤ 6.757ng/mL in the diagnosis of collapse of ONFH.ConclusionThe concentration of serum CEACAM1 can be used as a biochemical marker to assist in the diagnosis and monitoring of ONFH, which can provide reference for early diagnosis and monitoring of ONFH.

A massive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes has been described in early and acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, leading to an imbalance between the human microbiome and immune responses. In recent years, a growing interest in the alterations in gut microbiota in HIV infection has led to many studies; however, only few studies have been conducted to explore the importance of oral microbiome in HIV-infected individuals. Evidence has indicated the dysbiosis of oral microbiota in people living with HIV (PLWH). Potential mechanisms might be related to the immunodeficiency in the oral cavity of HIV-infected individuals, including changes in secretory components such as reduced levels of enzymes and proteins in saliva and altered cellular components involved in the reduction and dysfunction of innate and adaptive immune cells. As a result, disrupted oral immunity in HIV-infected individuals leads to an imbalance between the oral microbiome and local immune responses, which may contribute to the development of HIV-related diseases and HIV-associated non-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome comorbidities. Although the introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has led to a significant decrease in occurrence of the opportunistic oral infections in HIV-infected individuals, the dysbiosis in oral microbiome persists. Furthermore, several studies with the aim to investigate the ability of probiotics to regulate the dysbiosis of oral microbiota in HIV-infected individuals are ongoing. However, the effects of ART and probiotics on oral microbiome in HIV-infected individuals remain unclear. In this article, we review the composition of the oral microbiome in healthy and HIV-infected individuals and the possible effect of oral microbiome on HIV-associated oral diseases. We also discuss how ART and probiotics influence the oral microbiome in HIV infection. We believe that a deeper understanding of composition and function of the oral microbiome is critical for the development of effective preventive and therapeutic strategies for HIV infection.
Dysbiosis ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; HIV Infections/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Microbiota ; Mouth

Bats are considered as important animal reservoirs for many pathogenic viruses to humans. The viral metagenomic analysis was performed to study gut and lung tissues of 30 insectivorous bats collected in Yunnan Province and 26 reads were noted to group A rotavirus (RVA). Further RT-PCR screening on bat samples and in vitro viral isolation on cell cultures confirmed the presence of a novel RVA, named as RVA/Bat-tc/MYAS33/2013/G3P[10], in one of 30 Stoliczka's trident bats. The VP7 gene of this strain MYAS33 was closely related to that of an equine RVA strain from Argentina and the nucleotide sequence similarity was 93%, while its VP4 gene was a rare P[10] type and obtained the maximum sequence identity (94.8%) with that of a human strain from Thailand. The present study highlights the potential role of bats as reservoirs for RVAs.
Animals ; China ; Chiroptera ; virology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Rotavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; ultrastructure ; Rotavirus Infections ; veterinary ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

Endoscopy ; Humans ; Neoplasms/surgery* ; Submandibular Gland/surgery* ; Thyroidectomy

Head ; Humans ; Skull Base ; Solitary Fibrous Tumors/surgery* ; Virtual Reality

Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Mandible ; Myocutaneous Flap ; Printing, Three-Dimensional