Gut Microbiota and Integrative Wellness

Effect of Moxibustion on Diversity of Intestinal Flora in 46 Patients with Immune Reconstitution Insufficiency after ART

Guojian Gao — 2024-04-29

Objective: To analyze the effects of moxibustion +ART on intestinal bacterial community structure in HIV/AIDS patients, and to provide new ideas and methods for improving immune reconstitution in patients from the perspective of intervention of intestinal disorders and inhibition of immune activation.

Methods: 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing was used to compare and analyze the differences in the intestinal bacterial composition between the patients in ART group and moxibustion + ART group.

Results: PCA score chart results show that the distribution of patients in the ART group and the moxibustion group was similar at baseline. After 48 weeks of treatment, the distribution locations and the phase limits of the samples in the ART group and the moxibustion group were significantly different, and compared with the ART group, the points represented by the moxibustion group after treatment and before treatment were far apart, that is, the composition and structure of microorganisms in the moxibustion group after treatment and before treatment were significantly different.

Conclusion: moxibustion can improve the intestinal microbiological composition of HIV patients, and differ from the ART therapy that can improve the dominant bacteria.

The Qizhi Weitong Granules Alleviate Functional Dyspepsia-like Gastric Hypersensitivity in Rats by Inhibiting Inflammatory Cytokines and Strengthening Duodenal Mucosal Barrier

yang yang — 2024-03-31

Background: Qizhi Weitong (QZWT) granules are a compound preparation of Chinese medicine, which are approved by the
China Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of functional dyspepsia (FD) and have been used in clinical practice for
decades. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether QZWT granules can alleviate gastric hypersensitivity by improving
low-grade inflammation and the mucosal barrier in the duodenum in a functional dyspepsia-like (FD-like) model in rats.
Methods: FD-like gastric hypersensitivity in adulthood was induced by iodoacetamide (IA) in neonatal rats. Thirty-two
Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly classified into the control, model, QZWT, and Mosapride groups. Further, 0.2 mL
of 0.1% iodoacetamide and 2.0% sucrose administrated by oral gavage was used to establish the FD-like rats model (once
a day, for six consecutive days). Electromyography (EMG) was used to evaluate the visceral motor response to gastric
dilation. After treatment, the fluorescein isothiocyanate-glucan (FITC-glucan) test was performed to evaluate duodenal
permeability; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to
evaluate the pro-inflammatory cytokines for duodenal epithelial cells and the tight junction (TJ) proteins of the duodenal
mucosa. Results: The EMG score was elevated in the model group compared to the control group, but it decreased after
QZWT intervention; no changes were observed between the Mosapride and model groups. Compared with the control
group, rats in the gastric hypersensitivity model group showed a higher expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis
factor-α (TNF-α) and lower expression of zona occludens protein 1 (ZO-1), occludin, and desmosome (DSG2) of junction
proteins (P < 0.05); while in the QZWT group, the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α was reduced (P < 0.01), and the expression
of ZO-1, occludin, and DSG2 was increased compared to the model group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: QZWT granules
alleviate visceral hypersensitivity in an FD-like model in rats by inhibiting inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α and
regulating junction proteins.

Association between atrial fibrillation and elevated risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease and complications in individuals under 50 years of age

Xiaoliang Wang — 2024-10-31

Background: Atrial fibrillation (Afib) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are common conditions in hospitalized
patients, yet there is limited evidence suggesting a direct relationship between them. This study aims to explore the
correlation between Afib and GERD, as well as GERD-related complications such as esophageal strictures, Barrett's
esophagus, and esophageal cancer, with age as a key factor of reference. Methods: A population-based analysis was
performed using data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2017 to 2019. Patients diagnosed with GERD were
divided into groups based on whether they had a concurrent diagnosis of Afib or not and were compared with patients
without GERD. Age was identified as a common risk factor for both Afib and GERD, leading to the substratification of the
cohort into two age groups, using 50 years as a reference point. Other risk factors, such as obesity, smoking, hiatal hernia,
race, and gender, were accounted for using ICD10 codes, and these factors were included in the analysis. Results: The
results of the study revealed a clear predisposition for an increased risk of GERD and its related complications in younger
patients with Afib. The prevalence of GERD was significantly higher in patients with Afib compared to those without (24.9%
vs. 16.0%), with similar trends in both paroxysmal Afib (PAF) and persistent Afib (PerAF) subtypes. However, the overall risk
of developing GERD did not increase significantly in older patients with Afib. In patients under 50, the prevalence of GERD
(17.9% vs. 6.8%) and GERD phenotypes, such as nonerosive reflux disease (NERD) and erosive esophagitis (EE), was
notably higher in Afib patients than in those without Afib. Patients under 50 with PAF had higher odds of developing GERD
(1.213) and NERD (1.218) than those without Afib. Younger Afib patients also exhibited higher rates of reflux-related
complications. These included esophageal strictures (21.8 vs. 7.3 per 10,000), Barrett’s esophagus without dysplasia (32.8
vs. 8.4 per 10,000), and esophageal cancer (10.3 vs. 1.8 per 10,000), particularly in those with PAF and PerAF. Afib patients
with PAF under 50 demonstrated significantly higher odds of developing Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia (1.532),
while those with PerAF had a higher risk of esophageal cancer (1.543). Conclusion: In conclusion, Afib in patients under 50
is associated with a significantly higher risk of developing GERD and its related complications, highlighting the role of age in
disease progression.

Opportunities and trends of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation

Chen Xin — 2024-06-06

Background: After more than two decades of development, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) has surpassed its role as a mere alternative to VNS and is now applied to various disorders. This study presents a bibliometric analysis to evaluate the global scientific output of taVNS research, aiming to describe its current status and identify potential future trends.

Methods: We conducted a systematic retrieval of taVNS-related studies published between 2000 and 2022 from the Web of Science database. VOSviewer was used to construct networks based on country/institution/author co-authorship, journal/reference co-citation analysis, literature citation analysis and keyword co-occurrence.

Results: A total of 523 relevant articles and reviews were included. Since 2012, there has been a rapid increase in publications and citations. China emerged as the leading contributor in terms of publication output, while Germany had the highest number of citations. Interestingly, research groups from different countries exhibited distinct research ideas and characteristics concerning taVNS, yet collaboration between these groups remained limited. Through a focused examination of key aspects in this field, we identified significant opportunities for the future advancement of taVNS.

Conclusion: This bibliometric analysis emphasizes the interest in and recognition of taVNS as a therapeutic intervention and identifies broader clinical applications, more precise stimulation, and the development and commercialization of wearable devices as key opportunities and challenges for the future.