The interaction of gut microbiota and its metabolites with the host not only plays an important role in maintaining gut homeostasis and host health, but also is a key link in responding to pathogen infections. A thorough understanding of the changes in gut microbiota and its metabolites during infection, as well as their role and mechanism in host defense against infection, is helpful to guide anti-infection treatment. This review focuses on the role of gut microbiota and their metabolites in host defense against bacterial, fungal, and viral infections, and reveals that they can exert anti-infection effects through resistance mechanisms (inducing antimicrobial substances, training immunity, inhibiting pathogen respiration, directly neutralizing pathogens, immune regulation) and tolerance mechanisms (altering energy metabolism patterns of microbiota, cell proliferation and tissue damage repair, maintaining physiological signal transduction in extraintestinal organs, inflammation regulation, maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier), and also summarizes measures to regulate gut microbiota against pathogen infections, in order to provide more ideas for novel anti-infection prevention and treatment strategies targeting gut microbiota and its metabolites.

Objective To investigate the changes in blood microbiota in patients with high altitude polycythemia(HAPC)and the correlation with the risk of HAPC.Methods A cross-sectional trial was carried out among 41 HAPC patients(HAPC group)and 41 healthy plateau individuals(control group)who took physical examination in the Health Management Department of No.953 Hospital of PLA Army in 2021.High-throughput sequencing technology was used to detect the V3-V4 variable region of the 16S ribosomal RNA(16S rRNA)gene in the blood smaples,and the composition and difference of the blood microbiota were compared and analyzed between the 2 groups.Results All the participants were male and Han people,and there were no significant differences in baseline data such as age,body mass index and plateau migration time between the 2 groups(P＞0.05).The α-diversity of blood microbiota in the HAPC group,including the Simpson index(0.931±0.005 vs 0.907±0.008,P＜0.05),Goods Coverage index(0.998±0.001 vs 0.997±0.001,P＜0.001)and Pielou index(0.597±0.011 vs 0.567±0.009,P＜0.05)were significantly higher than those in the control group.Meanwhile,obvious difference was observed in the β diversity between the 2 groups(P＜0.01).The relative abundance analysis of bacteria showed that Pelomonas(0.046±0.004 vs 0.033±0.003,P＜0.05),Azospirillum(0.046±0.006 vs 0.021±0.003,P＜0.01),Acidovorax(0.032± 0.003 vs 0.019±0.002,Azospirillum(0.046±0.006 vs 0.021±0.003,P＜0.01)and Acidovorax(0.032± 0.003 vs 0.019±0.002,P＜0.05)were statistically higher in the HAPC group than the control group.LEfSe analysis showed that the characteristic blood microbiota of the HAPC group were α-Proteobacteria,and those of control group were Trichospiridae.Conclusion Significant changes are found in diversity,relative abundance and characteristic bacteria of the blood microbiota between the HAPC patients and healthy people at the high altitude,which might be closely associated with the occurrence and development of HAPC.

Objective:To compare the effect of a 3D-printed ankle and foot orthosis (AFO) with that of a traditional AFO on the recovery of walking function after a stroke.Methods:Thirty-four hemiplegic stroke survivors were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, each of 17. Both groups were taught good limb placement and given joint mobility, standing and walking training for 4 weeks wearing either a 3D-printed or a conventional AFO. Walking speed, walking endurance, and dynamic balance were evaluated before and after the experiment using the 10-metre walk test (10MWT), the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and the timed up and go test (TUGT). Integrated electromyography (iEMG) was also performed on each subject′s bilateral rectus femoris, anterior tibialis, and gastrocnemius muscles during walking, and their healthy and affected side iEMG results were compared to assess the activation of the affected lower limb muscles.Results:After treatment, the 10MWT, 6MWT, and TUGT results of both groups had improved significantly, but the observation group′s average results were then significantly better than those in the control group. The iEMG disparities between the healthy and affected sides had also decreased significantly, but on average the disparities in the observation group were significantly smaller than in the control group.Conclusion:Both types of AFO can effectively improve the walking speed, walking endurance, and dynamic balance of hemiplegic stroke survivors and promote muscle activation in the affected lower limb. A 3D-printed AFO is relatively more effective.

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy

BACKGROUND: The presence of fibrosis is a criterion for subtype classification in the newly updated hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) guidelines. The present study aimed to summarize differences in clinical characteristics and prognosis of non-fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (NFHP) and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (FHP) and explore factors associated with the presence of fibrosis. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, patients diagnosed with HP through a multidisciplinary discussion were enrolled. Collected data included demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and radiologic and histopathological features. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore factors related to the presence of fibrosis. RESULTS: A total of 202 patients with HP were enrolled, including 87 (43.1%) NFHP patients and 115 (56.9%) FHP patients. Patients with FHP were older and more frequently presented with dyspnea, crackles, and digital clubbing than patients with NFHP. Serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 125, carbohydrate antigen 153, gastrin-releasing peptide precursor, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, and antigen cytokeratin 21-1, and count of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophils were higher in the FHP group than in the NFHP group. BAL lymphocytosis was present in both groups, but less pronounced in the FHP group. Multivariable regression analyses revealed that older age, <20% of lymphocyte in BAL, and ≥1.75% of eosinophil in BAL were risk factors for the development of FHP. Twelve patients developed adverse outcomes, with a median survival time of 12.5 months, all of whom had FHP. CONCLUSIONS Older age, <20% of lymphocyte in BAL, and ≥1.75% of eosinophil in BAL were risk factors associated with the development of FHP. Prognosis of patients with NFHP was better than that of patients with FHP. These results may provide insights into the mechanisms of fibrosis in HP.
Humans ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Prospective Studies ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic/diagnosis* ; Fibrosis ; Carbohydrates

Background::Patients with pneumoconiosis have an elevated risk of contracting pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and need particular attention. However, extensive population-based studies on the prevalence of PTB in patients with pneumoconiosis have not been reported in China since 1992. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of PTB in patients with pneumoconiosis based on its social determinants and risk factors in China.Methods::Based on the Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) framework, data were obtained from a questionnaire survey of patients with pneumoconiosis from China’s 27 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) from December 2017 to June 2021. By chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses, the epidemiological characteristics of PTB in the patients were identified based on its prevalence and odds ratio (OR) and associated social determinants and risk factors. The population attributable fractions (PAFs) of significant risk factors were also calculated.Results::The prevalence of PTB in patients with pneumoconiosis ( n = 10,137) was 7.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.0-8.0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that risk factors included in-hospital exposure to patients with PTB (OR = 3.30, 95% CI: 2.77-3.93), clinically diagnosed cases (OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 2.42-4.34), and northeastern regions (OR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.76-3.31). In addition, lack of work-related injury insurance (WRII), being born in a rural area, being unemployed, living in western regions, household exposure to patients with PTB, smoking, being underweight, complications of pulmonary bullae or pneumothorax, hospitalization history, and former drinkers among the rural patients were also statistically significant risk factors. Being born in a rural area, lack of WRII and in-hospital exposure to patients with PTB had higher PAFs, which were 13.2% (95% CI: 7.9-18.5%), 12.5% (95% CI: 8.3-16.7%), and 11.6% (95% CI: 8.8-14.3%), respectively. Conclusion::The prevalence of PTB in pneumoconiosis remains high in China; it is basically in line with the CSDH models and has its characteristics.

The body is in a very complex pathophysiological state under trauma, including ischemia and hypoxia, inflammation caused by infection and tissue necrosis and accumulation of metabolic waste. Metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is involved in the regulation of a variety of cell behaviors, such as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, autophagy and morphological maintenance. Under trauma, the expression of MALAT1 is significantly increased. In different injury models, the role of MALAT1 is slightly different, and the specific mechanism is unknown. The authors summarize the regulatory effects of MALAT1 on the body under traumatic conditions from the biological characteristics of MALAT1 and its role in different injury models, so as to provide references for clinical control of inflammation development and improvement of disease prognosis.

Adult ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/therapeutic use* ; COVID-19/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Pyridones/therapeutic use* ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To investigate the effects of continuous substaneous insulin infusion (CSII) on islet β cell function in newly diagnosed diabetic patients.Methods:Forty-six newly diagnosed diabetic patients who received treatment in Taishan People's Hospital from July 2011 to June 2014 were included in this study. They were treated with CSII for 14 days and followed up for 5 years. Before and after treatment, fasting blood glucose (FPG), 2-h postprandial blood glucose (2hPG), triglyceride (TG), fasting insulin (FINS), 2-h postprandial insulin (2hINS), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index, Homeostasis Model Assessment for beta-cell function (HOMA-β) index were compared between before treatment and 5 years after treatment.Results:Five years after treatment, the levels of FPG, 2hPG, TG, HbA1c, MDA and HOMA-IR were lower than those before treatment [FPG: (11.3 ± 1.2) mmol/L vs. (5.9 ± 0.4) mmol/L, t = 15.35, P < 0.01; 2hPG: (18.1 ± 4.2) mmol/L vs. (8.1 ± 1.6) mmol/L, t = 16.83, P < 0.01; TG: (2.9 ± 1.1) mmol/L vs. (1.5 ± 0.6) mmol/L, t = 9.81, P < 0.01; HbA1c: (11.2 ± 2.5)% vs. (5.6 ± 1.0)%, t = 11.48, P < 0.01; MDA: (4.6 ± 1.2) μmol/L vs. (2.7 ± 0.9) μmmol/L, t = 16.37, P < 0.01; HOMA-IR: (2.81 ± 0.35) vs. (1.87 ± 0.32), t = 9.37, P < 0.01]. Five years after treatment, the levels of FINS, 2hINS, SOD and HOMA-β were significantly higher than those before treatment [FINS: (5.6 ± 1.3) mU/L vs. (7.4 ± 1.5) mU/L, t = - 6.15, P < 0.01; 2hINS: (15.8 ± 7.5) mU/L vs. (25.8 ± 9.1) mU/L, t = - 5.65, P < 0.01; SOD: (28.9 ± 7.6) U/L vs. (39.6 ± 7.8) U/L, t = - 7.93, P < 0.01; HOMA-β: (14.36 ± 3.82) vs. (65.67 ± 6.67), t = - 18.72, P < 0.01]. Linear regression analysis showed that HOMA-β was positively correlated with SOD level ( R2 = 0.319, P < 0.01). Five years after treatment, the final outcome was insulin therapy in 3 cases (6.5%), oral medication in 25 cases (54.4%), and lifestyle intervention in 18 cases (39.1%). Conclusion:CS II for the treatment of newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus can effectively inhibit oxidative stress, improve the function of islet β cells, and exhibit long-term effects.

Objective:APOBEC3B (A3B) is an important member of the apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide (APOBEC) family. The study aims to investigate the relationship between A3B expression and prognosis as well as resistance to cisplatin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to analysis the A3B mRNA expression in 40 NSCLC tissues; Kaplan Meier plotter was used to analyse the correlation between A3B expression and clinical prognosis; in addition, the knock-down A3B expression cell line in human lung adenocarcinoma cell A549 was constructed; MTS and plate cloning experiment were performed to observe the changes in cell cisplatin sensitivity, and γ-H2AX immunofluorescence was used to quantitate the DNA damage.Results:Compared with adjacent tissues, A3B was highly expressed in NSCLC tissues (27/40). Kaplan Meier plotter analysis showed that A3B expression was positively correlated with NSCLC overall survival (OS) [adenocarcinoma: HR=0.64(0.47-0.86), P=0.002 6; squamous cell carcinoma: HR=0.77(0.59-1.01), P=0.006]. Cell-based studies showed that the knock-down A3B expression contributed to sensitivity to cisplatin in A549 cells. Conclusions:A3B mediates the sensitivity of lung cancer to cisplatin. This effect may partly explain why NSCLC patients with high A3B expression have a better prognosis.