The concept of holism is the core idea of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）. Various organs and tissues coordinate with each other to maintain the body's life activities， with a close and mutual influence between the spleen， stomach， and the central nervous system （brain）. The gut-brain axis plays an important bridging role between the digestive system and the central nervous system， achieving bidirectional information exchange between the brain and the gastrointestinal tract through complex neuroendocrine and immune mechanisms. The theory of cross-organ interaction involves the mutual influence， coordination， and integration between different organs and systems； multimodality， on the other hand， utilizes multiple sensory modalities， such as vision， hearing， and touch， to convey information. By combining TCM theory with the gut-brain axis theory， a cross-organ multimodal characterization system is established to explore its mechanism and application value in refractory diseases such as functional gastrointestinal disorders， precancerous gastrointestinal diseases， Alzheimer's disease， Parkinson's syndrome， type 2 diabetes， and depression.

Microbiome engineering is an emerging interdisciplinary field that systematically investigates and applies engineering methods to uncover the functions, structures, and interaction mechanisms of microbial communities with their environments, offering critical insights into global challenges. To showcase the latest advancements and achievements in this field, Chinese Journal of biotechnology has specially organized a special issue, inviting experts and scholars from multiple domestic institutions to elaborate on the practical applications and potential of microbiome engineering in agriculture and industrial production, environmental and ecological restoration, and health and medical treatment, from perspectives of fundamental research, technological innovation, and engineering applications. Additionally, this issue explores future trends in the field, providing valuable references to promote innovation and contribute to the sustainable development of human society.
Humans ; Bioengineering ; Biotechnology ; Microbiota

Microbiomes in natural environments have diverse functions and harbor vast exploitable potential of modifying the nature and hosts, being significant resources for development. The inherent high complexity and uncontrollability of natural microbiomes, as well as the selection by the nature and hosts, impose significant constraints on practical applications. Synthetic microbiomes, serving as precisely defined engineered microbiomes, demonstrate enhanced functionality, stability, and controllability compared with natural microbiomes. These engineered microbiomes emerge as a prominent research focus and are potentially having applications across various fields including environmental bioremediation and host health management. Nevertheless, substantial challenges persist in both fundamental research and practical application of synthetic microbiomes. This review systematically summarizes three core design principles for synthetic microbiomes, introduces current construction strategies including top-down, bottom-up, and integrated approaches, and comprehensively lists their applications in environmental remediation, agricultural innovation, industrial biotechnology, and healthcare. Furthermore, it critically examines existing technical and conceptual challenges while proposing strategic recommendations, thereby providing theoretical guidance for future advancements in the design, engineering, and application of synthetic microbiomes.
Microbiota/genetics* ; Synthetic Biology/methods* ; Biotechnology/methods* ; Biodegradation, Environmental ; Humans

N-dodecanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL) is a signaling molecule that mediates bacterial quorum sensing, regulating bacterial population behaviors. This study investigated the effects of C12-HSL on the isolation and cultivation of gut microbiota, with the goal of enriching the diversity and number of cultivable bacterial strains from the mouse gut microbiota. Using a culture medium supplemented with C12-HSL, we isolated and cultivated bacterial strains from mouse intestinal contents, obtaining a total of 235 isolates. Preliminary identification based on the 16S rRNA gene revealed 54 bacterial species, including 4 potential new species, 4 potential new genera and 1 potential new family. Compared with the previously established mouse gut microbial biobank (mGMB), this study newly identified 42 bacterial species, enhancing the diversity of the strain library. Statistical analysis showed that the proportion of Gram-negative bacteria, particularly those belonging to Proteobacteria, isolated by this method was significantly higher than that obtained by conventional isolation and cultivation methods without the addition of C12-HSL. Subsequent cultivation experiments with one of the newly discovered bacterial species indicated that exogenous C12-HSL at 20-200 μmol/L significantly promoted the growth of this species, while higher concentrations of C12-HSL significantly reduced the cell density of this bacterium. This work confirms that quorum sensing molecules, such as C12-HSL, can enhance the growth, isolation, and cultivation of Gram-negative bacteria in the gut within a specific concentration range. Although the mechanism by which C12-HSL promotes the growth of gut bacterial strains requires further investigation, the findings of this study provide new insights into the targeted isolation, cultivation, and regulation of gut microbiota using bacterial quorum sensing signal molecules.
Animals ; Mice ; Acyl-Butyrolactones/pharmacology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Quorum Sensing ; Gram-Negative Bacteria/classification* ; Intestines/microbiology* ; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S/genetics* ; Culture Media

Objective This paper aims to construct a system integrating mixed reality technology with artificial algo-rithm and to evaluate its effectiveness in vascular localization during anterolateral thigh perforator flap surgery to provide new insights for clinical practice.Methods Twenty patients undergoing anterolateral thigh perforator flap repair were selected.After attaching positioning devices on the lower limb,CT angiography(CTA)scans were performed.The 2D data obtained were converted into a 3D model of the positioning device and vessels.Mixed reality technology was uti-lized to achieve 3D visualization of perforator vessels.An artificial algorithm was developed in HoloLens 2 to match the positioning device automatically with its 3D model intraoperatively to overlap the perforator vessels with their 3D mod-els.The number of perforator vessels identified within the flap harvesting area and the actual number detected during sur-gery were recorded to calculate the accuracy rate of vessel identification based on CTA data reconstruction.The distance between the perforator vessel exit points located by the system and the actual exit points was measured,and the error val-ues were calculated.The surgical time required for the system to harvest the anterolateral thigh perforator flap was docu-mented and compared with the surgical time required by conventional methods.The clinical applicability of the system was discussed.Results The CTA data reconstruction identified 30 perforator vessels,while the actual number found during surgery was 32,resulting in an identification accuracy rate of 93.75％.The average distance between the perfora-tor vessel exit points located by the system and the actual exit points was(1.65±0.52)mm.The average surgical time for flap harvesting with the assistance of the system was(43.45±4.6)min compared with(57.6±7.9)min required by conven-tional methods.All perforator flaps survived the procedure.One case of flap infection occurred seven days postoperative-ly,and one case of partial flap necrosis was treated with symptomatic therapy,resulting in delayed healing.Conclusion The system constructed in this paper can achieve 3D visualization of perforator vessels through mixed reality technology and improve the accuracy of perforator vessel localization using artificial algorithms,hence demonstrating potential ap-plication in anterolateral thigh perforator flap harvesting surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of poly ether ether ketone (PEEK) localization marker combined with mixed reality technology versus color doppler ultrasound guidance for the vessel localization of anterolateral thigh perforator flap. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 40 patients with tissue defects after oral cancer resection who underwent repair using the anterolateral thigh perforator flap between January 2022 and June 2023. According to the different intraoperative positioning methods of the anterolateral thigh perforator flap, they were randomly divided into PEEK group [using PEEK localization marker combined with mixed reality technology based on CT angiography (CTA) data] and color ultrasound group (using color ultrasound guidance), with 20 cases in each group. There was no significant difference in gender, age, etiology, and disease duration between the two groups ( P>0.05). The number of perforator vessels identified in the two groups of regions of interest was recorded, and compared them with the intraoperative actually detected number to calculate the success identifying rate of perforator vessels; the distance between the perforating point and the actual puncture point was measured, the operation time of the two groups of flaps was recorded. RESULTS: In the PEEK group, 32 perforator vessels were identified, 34 were detected by intraoperative exploration, and the success identifying rate was 94.1% (32/34); in the color ultrasound group, 29 perforator vessels were identified, 33 were detected by intraoperative exploration, and the success identifying rate was 87.8% (29/33); there was a significant difference in the success identifying rate between the two groups ( P<0.05). The distance between the perforating point and the actual puncture point and the operation time in PEEK group were significantly shorter than those in color ultrasound group ( P<0.05). Patients in both groups were followed up 6-30 months, with a median of 17 months; there was no significant difference in follow-up time between the two groups ( P>0.05). In the PEEK group, there was 1 case of flap necrosis at the distal edge and delayed healing after trimming and dressing change. In the color ultrasound group, there was 1 case of flap necrosis at 7 days after operation and pectoralis major myocutaneous flap was selected for repair after removal of the necrotic flap. In the rest, the flap survived and the incision healed by first intention. Donor site infection occurred in 1 case in PEEK group and healed after anti-inflammatory treatment. The maxillofacial appearance of the two groups was good, the flap was not obviously bloated, and the patients were satisfied with the repair effect. CONCLUSION Compared with the traditional color ultrasound guidance, the PEEK localization marker combined with mixed reality technology based on CTA data in vessel localization of anterolateral thigh perforator flap has higher success identifying rate and positioning accuracy, and the flap production time is shorter, which has high clinical application value.
Humans ; Ketones ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Benzophenones ; Polymers ; Male ; Thigh/blood supply* ; Polyethylene Glycols ; Female ; Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color ; Computed Tomography Angiography ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Mouth Neoplasms/surgery* ; Middle Aged

ObjectiveTo discuss the relationship between objective sleep quality and cognitive function in remission depression patients with insomnia. MethodsA total of 47 patients with depression in remission in Beijing Huilongguan Hospital were enrolled. Insomnia Severity Index （ISI） and the sleep efficiency calculated by the first four items of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index （PSQI） were defined as insomnia. Among the selected patients， 22 subjects were classified into insomnia group， and 25 subjects in non-insomnia group. The objective sleep status of all subjects was evaluated by polysomnography （PSG）， and the cognitive function was evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status （RBANS）. A regression model was established to explore the relationship between objective sleep quality and cognitive function in remission depression patients with insomnia. ResultsThere was statistically significant difference in immediate memory factor scores of RBANS between depression patients in remission with and without insomnia （t=-2.102， P<0.05）. The sleep efficiency （Z=-2.113， P<0.05）， the proportion of N3 sleep stage （Z=-3.175， P<0.01） and the duration of N3 sleep stage （Z=-3.196， P<0.01） in insomnia group were all lower than those in non-insomnia group， and the nocturnal awakening （Z=-2.058， P<0.01）， the proportion of N1 sleep stage （Z=-2.399， P<0.05） and the duration of N1 sleep stage （Z=-2.463， P<0.05） were higher than those of the insomnia group. Within insomnia group， the increased proportion of REM sleep was correlated with the improvement of attention function （β=0.953， 95% CI： 0.123~2.038， P<0.05）， and the increase of nocturnal awakening was correlated with the decline of delayed memory （β=-0.173， 95% CI： -0.325~-0.024， P<0.05）. ConclusionObjective sleep is associated with cognitive impairment in remission depression patients with insomnia， the proportion of REM sleep has a positive impact on attention function， and frequent nocturnal awakening at night has a negative impact on delayed memory.

Objective:To compare the effect of three-dimensional CT angiography (CTA) and color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) in reconstruction of soft tissue defects after oral cancer surgery with anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF).Methods:Patients who underwent reconstruction of postoperative defects with ALTF in Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Southwest Medical University from January 2013 to January 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. According to the imaging method used for examining perforating artery, all patients were divided into two groups. In group A, CTA and three-dimensional vascular reconstruction were used to locate the lateral femoral circumflex artery and its perforating vessels, and the individualized ALTF was designed. In group B, the lateral circumflex femoral artery and its perforating vessels were located by CDU. The clinical features, operation time, flap survival rate, postoperative complication rate, image quality of angiography, difference of superficial skin points of perforating vessels before and during operation, and diameter of perforators were compared between the two groups. The measurement data were expressed by Mean±SD, and the differences between the two groups were compared by independent sample t-test; paired sample t-test was used to compare the intra-group differences; patients’ clinical features and other enumeration data were expressed in the number of cases (%), and analyzed by chi-square test; reliability analysis was adopted for the image quality score of two doctors at different times, taking Cronbach’s α value; correlations between body mass index (BMI) and flap survival rate were tested by Pearson correlation, whereas the correlation between flap survival rate and underlying diseases, drug combination, bad smoking and drinking habits, and surgical complications were tested by Spearman correlation, which were all performed using SPSS version 20.0 at significance level P<0.05. Results:A total of 50 patients with oral cancer were collected, 25 patients in each group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical features such as sex distribution, age, TNM stage, BMI, underlying diseases, drug combination, bad smoking and drinking habits, tumor location and so on ( P>0.05). The mean operation time of group A was significantly shorter than that of group B[(67.64±5.94) min vs. (70.88±4.88) min, P<0.05]. All flaps in group A survived; one case in group B had complete flap necrosis. There was no significant difference in flap survival rate between the two groups(100% vs. 96%, P>0.05). One case in group A and two cases in group B had complications such as effusion of donor site wound, and there was no significant difference ( P>0.05). Compared with the image quality of the two groups, the angiographic quality score of group A was significantly higher than that of group B, the difference was statistically significant [(3.08±0.64) scores vs. (2.56±0.65) scores, P<0.05]. In group A, the distance difference between the position of the skin superficial point of perforator vessel positioned before operation and during operation was significantly shorter than that in group B, and the difference was statistically significant [(1.32±0.50) mm vs. (1.75±0.84) mm, P<0.05]. In group A, the diameter of perforating artery measured by imaging before operation was (1.68±0.17) mm, which had no significant difference with the actual value[(1.70±0.18) mm] ( P>0.05); whereas, in group B, the diameter of perforating artery measured by imaging before operation was (1.77±0.14) mm. The actual measured value during operation was (1.66±0.15) mm, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). A significant correlation emerged between surgical complications and flap survival rate ( r=0.57, P<0.001), however, there were no significant correlations between BMI, combined with basic diseases, combined medication, bad smoking and drinking habits and flap survival ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with CDU, CTA combined with three-dimensional vascular reconstruction is a feasible and reliable method for preoperative evaluation, flap design. The flap preparation time is shorter. Therefore, it is a good method of preoperative vascular localization.

Objective:To explore the situation of insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment in adolescents with different characteristics, and the chain mediating effect of fatigue, depression and anxiety on insomnia and cognitive impairment.Methods:The general demographic data of 6 014 adolescents were collected.Insomnia severity index (ISI), the multidimensional fatigue inventory (MFI-20), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) and perceived deficits questionnaire-depression(PDQ-D) were used to compare the insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment of adolescents with different characteristics.Spearman correlation analysis was conducted by SPSS 20.0 software.The significance of mediating effect was tested by deviation corrected nonparametric percentile Bootstrap method using SPSS macro program PROCESS.Results:The detection rates of insomnia, fatigue, depression, anxiety and cognitive impairment were different in adolescents with different genders, grades and academic achievements.Cognitive impairment was significantly positively correlated with insomnia ( r=0.654, P<0.01), fatigue ( r=0.476, P<0.01), depression ( r=0.677, P<0.01), anxiety ( r=0.655, P<0.01), which was suitable for mediating effect test.Fatigue, depression and anxiety in adolescents had a chain mediating effect between insomnia and cognitive impairment.Insomnia indirectly affects cognition by affecting fatigue and depressive symptoms.The intermediary effect value was 1.253, the effect amount was 55.60%, and the total effect was 2.254.Insomnia indirectly affects cognition by affecting fatigue and anxiety symptoms.The intermediary effect value was 1.161, the effect amount was 51.50%, and the total effect was 2.254. Conclusion:Insomnia can not only directly affect their cognitive impairment, but also indirectly affect their cognitive impairment through the chain mediation of fatigue, depression and anxiety of adolescents.

Objective:To compare the effect of three-dimensional CT angiography (CTA) and color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) in reconstruction of soft tissue defects after oral cancer surgery with anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF).Methods:Patients who underwent reconstruction of postoperative defects with ALTF in Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Southwest Medical University from January 2013 to January 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. According to the imaging method used for examining perforating artery, all patients were divided into two groups. In group A, CTA and three-dimensional vascular reconstruction were used to locate the lateral femoral circumflex artery and its perforating vessels, and the individualized ALTF was designed. In group B, the lateral circumflex femoral artery and its perforating vessels were located by CDU. The clinical features, operation time, flap survival rate, postoperative complication rate, image quality of angiography, difference of superficial skin points of perforating vessels before and during operation, and diameter of perforators were compared between the two groups. The measurement data were expressed by Mean±SD, and the differences between the two groups were compared by independent sample t-test; paired sample t-test was used to compare the intra-group differences; patients’ clinical features and other enumeration data were expressed in the number of cases (%), and analyzed by chi-square test; reliability analysis was adopted for the image quality score of two doctors at different times, taking Cronbach’s α value; correlations between body mass index (BMI) and flap survival rate were tested by Pearson correlation, whereas the correlation between flap survival rate and underlying diseases, drug combination, bad smoking and drinking habits, and surgical complications were tested by Spearman correlation, which were all performed using SPSS version 20.0 at significance level P<0.05. Results:A total of 50 patients with oral cancer were collected, 25 patients in each group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in clinical features such as sex distribution, age, TNM stage, BMI, underlying diseases, drug combination, bad smoking and drinking habits, tumor location and so on ( P>0.05). The mean operation time of group A was significantly shorter than that of group B[(67.64±5.94) min vs. (70.88±4.88) min, P<0.05]. All flaps in group A survived; one case in group B had complete flap necrosis. There was no significant difference in flap survival rate between the two groups(100% vs. 96%, P>0.05). One case in group A and two cases in group B had complications such as effusion of donor site wound, and there was no significant difference ( P>0.05). Compared with the image quality of the two groups, the angiographic quality score of group A was significantly higher than that of group B, the difference was statistically significant [(3.08±0.64) scores vs. (2.56±0.65) scores, P<0.05]. In group A, the distance difference between the position of the skin superficial point of perforator vessel positioned before operation and during operation was significantly shorter than that in group B, and the difference was statistically significant [(1.32±0.50) mm vs. (1.75±0.84) mm, P<0.05]. In group A, the diameter of perforating artery measured by imaging before operation was (1.68±0.17) mm, which had no significant difference with the actual value[(1.70±0.18) mm] ( P>0.05); whereas, in group B, the diameter of perforating artery measured by imaging before operation was (1.77±0.14) mm. The actual measured value during operation was (1.66±0.15) mm, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). A significant correlation emerged between surgical complications and flap survival rate ( r=0.57, P<0.001), however, there were no significant correlations between BMI, combined with basic diseases, combined medication, bad smoking and drinking habits and flap survival ( P>0.05). Conclusions:Compared with CDU, CTA combined with three-dimensional vascular reconstruction is a feasible and reliable method for preoperative evaluation, flap design. The flap preparation time is shorter. Therefore, it is a good method of preoperative vascular localization.