BACKGROUND Fecal microbial transplantation(FMT)is a promising new method for treating active ulcerative colitis(UC),but knowledge regarding FMT for quiescent UC is scarce.AIM To investigate FMT for the maintenance of ...BACKGROUND Fecal microbial transplantation(FMT)is a promising new method for treating active ulcerative colitis(UC),but knowledge regarding FMT for quiescent UC is scarce.AIM To investigate FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC patients.METHODS Forty-eight UC patients were randomized to receive a single-dose FMT or autologous transplant via colonoscopy.The primary endpoint was set to the maintenance of remission,a fecal calprotectin level below 200μg/g,and a clinical Mayo score below three throughout the 12-mo follow-up.As secondary endpoints,we recorded the patient’s quality of life,fecal calprotectin,blood chemistry,and endoscopic findings at 12 mo.RESULTS The main endpoint was achieved by 13 out of 24(54%)patients in the FMT group and by 10 out of 24(41%)patients in the placebo group(log-rank test,P=0.660).Four months after FMT,the quality-of-life scores decreased in the FMT group compared to the placebo group(P=0.017).In addition,the disease-specific quality of life measure was higher in the placebo group than in the FMT group at the same time point(P=0.003).There were no differences in blood chemistry,fecal calprotectin,or endoscopic findings among the study groups at 12 mo.The adverse events were infrequent,mild,and distributed equally between the groups.CONCLUSION There were no differences in the number of relapses between the study groups at the 12-mo follow-up.Thus,our results do not support the use of a single-dose FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC.展开更多
Research suggests that inflammation is important in the pathophysiology of mental disorders.In addition,a growing body of evidence has led to the concept of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.To understand the potential in...Research suggests that inflammation is important in the pathophysiology of mental disorders.In addition,a growing body of evidence has led to the concept of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.To understand the potential interactions,we begin by exploring the liaison between the immune system and mental disorders,then we describe the evidence that the microbiota impact the immune response in the developing brain.Next,we review the literature that has documented microbiome alterations in major mental disorders.We end with a summary of therapeutic applications,ranging from psycho-biotics to immunomodulatory drugs that could affect the microbiotagut-brain axis,and potential treatments to alleviate the adverse effects of antipsycho tics.We conclude that there is promising evidence to support the position that the microbiota plays an important role in the immunological pathophysiology of mental disorders with an emphasis on psychotic disorders and mood disorders.However,more research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms.展开更多
Nucleic acid amplification tests(NAAT)have long been used in laboratory facilities and recently revolutionized the field of molecular diagnostics in point-of-care testing.Digital microfluidics(DMF)has emerged as a pro...Nucleic acid amplification tests(NAAT)have long been used in laboratory facilities and recently revolutionized the field of molecular diagnostics in point-of-care testing.Digital microfluidics(DMF)has emerged as a promising tool to complete the entire NAAT workflow in a miniaturized format with minimum human intervention.Based on electric fields to manipulate independent reaction droplets,the compact DMF system could perform multiple processes simultaneously and automatically in a programmable fashion.This combination is beginning to establish powerful sample-to-answer platforms in remote or resource-limited settings.Herein,we provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art DMF technology for point-of-care NAAT.This review focused on key principles of DMF platforms and the latest trends in system integration for automated processes of nucleic acid extraction,amplification,and detection.Also,this article discusses current challenges,including control systems,scalability and throughput,as well as future prospects of DMF-based NAAT strategy for the next generation of point-of-care diagnostics.展开更多
Non-healing fractures,a global health concern arising from trauma,osteoporosis,and tumours,can lead to severe disabilities.Adenosine,integral to cellular energy metabolism,gains prominence in bone regeneration via ade...Non-healing fractures,a global health concern arising from trauma,osteoporosis,and tumours,can lead to severe disabilities.Adenosine,integral to cellular energy metabolism,gains prominence in bone regeneration via adeno-sine A2 B receptor activation.This study introduces a controlled-release system for localized adenosine delivery,fostering human mesenchymal stromal cell(hMSC)differentiation into functional bone cells.The study investi-gates how the ratio of lactic acid to glycolic acid in microparticles can influence adenosine release and explores the downstream effects on gene expression and metabolic profiles of osteogenic differentiation in hMSCs cultured in growth and osteoinductive media.Insights into adenosine-modulated signalling pathways during MSC differenti-ation,with osteogenic factors,provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathways involved.Analysing gene expression and metabolic profiles unravels adenosine’s regulatory mechanisms in MSC differentiation.Sustained adenosine release from microparticles induces mineralization,synergizing with osteogenic media supplements,showcasing the potential of adenosine for treating critical bone defects and metabolic disorders.This study high-lights the efficacy of a polymeric microparticle-based delivery system,offering novel strategies for bone repair.Unveiling adenosine’s roles and associated signalling pathways advances our comprehension of molecular mech-anisms steering bone regeneration,propelling innovative biomaterial,combined with metabolites,approaches for clinical use.展开更多
基金Academy of Finland(Reetta Satokari),No.323156Sigrid Juselius Foundation+2 种基金University of Helsinki(A Three-year Grant)The Competitive State Research Financing(Perttu Lahtinen),No.200230042The Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation(Perttu Arkkila)
文摘BACKGROUND Fecal microbial transplantation(FMT)is a promising new method for treating active ulcerative colitis(UC),but knowledge regarding FMT for quiescent UC is scarce.AIM To investigate FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC patients.METHODS Forty-eight UC patients were randomized to receive a single-dose FMT or autologous transplant via colonoscopy.The primary endpoint was set to the maintenance of remission,a fecal calprotectin level below 200μg/g,and a clinical Mayo score below three throughout the 12-mo follow-up.As secondary endpoints,we recorded the patient’s quality of life,fecal calprotectin,blood chemistry,and endoscopic findings at 12 mo.RESULTS The main endpoint was achieved by 13 out of 24(54%)patients in the FMT group and by 10 out of 24(41%)patients in the placebo group(log-rank test,P=0.660).Four months after FMT,the quality-of-life scores decreased in the FMT group compared to the placebo group(P=0.017).In addition,the disease-specific quality of life measure was higher in the placebo group than in the FMT group at the same time point(P=0.003).There were no differences in blood chemistry,fecal calprotectin,or endoscopic findings among the study groups at 12 mo.The adverse events were infrequent,mild,and distributed equally between the groups.CONCLUSION There were no differences in the number of relapses between the study groups at the 12-mo follow-up.Thus,our results do not support the use of a single-dose FMT for the maintenance of remission in UC.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81871056)。
文摘Research suggests that inflammation is important in the pathophysiology of mental disorders.In addition,a growing body of evidence has led to the concept of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.To understand the potential interactions,we begin by exploring the liaison between the immune system and mental disorders,then we describe the evidence that the microbiota impact the immune response in the developing brain.Next,we review the literature that has documented microbiome alterations in major mental disorders.We end with a summary of therapeutic applications,ranging from psycho-biotics to immunomodulatory drugs that could affect the microbiotagut-brain axis,and potential treatments to alleviate the adverse effects of antipsycho tics.We conclude that there is promising evidence to support the position that the microbiota plays an important role in the immunological pathophysiology of mental disorders with an emphasis on psychotic disorders and mood disorders.However,more research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms.
基金support from The Ivan Bowen Family Foundation and the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic,Rochester MN.
文摘Nucleic acid amplification tests(NAAT)have long been used in laboratory facilities and recently revolutionized the field of molecular diagnostics in point-of-care testing.Digital microfluidics(DMF)has emerged as a promising tool to complete the entire NAAT workflow in a miniaturized format with minimum human intervention.Based on electric fields to manipulate independent reaction droplets,the compact DMF system could perform multiple processes simultaneously and automatically in a programmable fashion.This combination is beginning to establish powerful sample-to-answer platforms in remote or resource-limited settings.Herein,we provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art DMF technology for point-of-care NAAT.This review focused on key principles of DMF platforms and the latest trends in system integration for automated processes of nucleic acid extraction,amplification,and detection.Also,this article discusses current challenges,including control systems,scalability and throughput,as well as future prospects of DMF-based NAAT strategy for the next generation of point-of-care diagnostics.
基金Financial support was received from Engineering and Physical Sci-ences Research Council(EPSRC)Reference:EP/P001114/Engineering growth factor microenvironments-a new therapeutic paradigm for re-generative medicine.
文摘Non-healing fractures,a global health concern arising from trauma,osteoporosis,and tumours,can lead to severe disabilities.Adenosine,integral to cellular energy metabolism,gains prominence in bone regeneration via adeno-sine A2 B receptor activation.This study introduces a controlled-release system for localized adenosine delivery,fostering human mesenchymal stromal cell(hMSC)differentiation into functional bone cells.The study investi-gates how the ratio of lactic acid to glycolic acid in microparticles can influence adenosine release and explores the downstream effects on gene expression and metabolic profiles of osteogenic differentiation in hMSCs cultured in growth and osteoinductive media.Insights into adenosine-modulated signalling pathways during MSC differenti-ation,with osteogenic factors,provide a comprehensive understanding of the pathways involved.Analysing gene expression and metabolic profiles unravels adenosine’s regulatory mechanisms in MSC differentiation.Sustained adenosine release from microparticles induces mineralization,synergizing with osteogenic media supplements,showcasing the potential of adenosine for treating critical bone defects and metabolic disorders.This study high-lights the efficacy of a polymeric microparticle-based delivery system,offering novel strategies for bone repair.Unveiling adenosine’s roles and associated signalling pathways advances our comprehension of molecular mech-anisms steering bone regeneration,propelling innovative biomaterial,combined with metabolites,approaches for clinical use.
