Washed microbiota transplantation reduces proton pump inhibitor dependency in nonerosive reflux disease

BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)is closely associated with the intestinal bacteria composition and their metabolites.AIM To investigate whether washed microbiota transplantation(WMT)improves symptoms of nonerosive reflux disease(NERD)with proton pump inhibitor(PPI)dependency.METHODS Patients with recurrent NERD and PPI dependency at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University from 2017 to 2018 were included and divided into a WMT or PPI group treated with PPI with/without WMT.The endpoint was NERD symptom frequency evaluated 1 mo after WMT using reflux disease questionnaire(RDQ)and GERD questionnaire(GERDQ)scores,remission time,PPI dose,and the examination of intestinal mucosal barrier function.RESULTS In the WMT(n=15)and PPI(n=12)groups,the total remission rate at 1 mo after treatment was 93.3%vs 41.7%.Compared with the PPI group,the WMT group showed better results in GERDQ(P=0.004)and RDQ(P=0.003)and in remission months(8 vs 2,P=0.002).The PPI dose was reduced to some extent for 80%of patients in the WMT group and 33.3%in the PPI group.In 24 patients,intestinal mucosal barrier function was examined before treatment,and changes in the degree of damage were observed in 13 of these patients after treatment.Only one of the 15 patients had minor side effects,including a mushy stool two or three times a day,which resolved on their own after 1 wk.CONCLUSION This study is the first to demonstrate that WMT may be safe and effective for relieving NERD symptoms and reducing PPI dependency and recurrence.

Efficacy and Safety of Washed Microbiota Transplantation to Treat Patients with Mild-to-Severe COVID-19 and Suspected of Having Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective:Coronavirus disease 2019(COVTD-19)is often accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms,which are related to gut microbiota dysbiosis(GMD).Whether washed microbiota transplantation(WMT)is an effective treatment for COV1D-19 patients suspected of having GMD by restoring the gut microbiota is unknown.This study is designed to explore the efficacy and safety of WMT in COVID-19 patients suspected of having GMD.Methods:This is a randomized,multicenter,single-blind prospective study.COVID-19 patients suspected of having GMD will be randomly divided to receive routine treatment only or to receive routine treatment and WMT.The frequency of WMT will be once a day for three consecutive days.Laboratory and imaging examinations will be performed at admission,1 and 2 weeks after treatment,and on the day of discharge.Then a telephone follow-up will be conducted at 1st week,2nd week,and 6th month after discharge.The clinical efficacy and safety of WMT in COVD-19 patients suspected of having GMD and the effects of WMT on the organ function,homeostasis,inflammatory response,intestinal mucosal barrier function,and immunity of the patients will be evaluated.Results:By following the proposed protocol,WMT is expected to be efficacious and safe for the treatment of COVID-19 patients suspected of having GMD,and the therapeutic effect is expected to be associated with improvement of the intestinal mucosal barrier function,inflammatory response,and immunity.Conclusion:The findings from this study may offer a new approach for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 patients suspected of having GMD.

Washed microbiota transplantation reduces serum uric acid levels in patients with hyperuricaemia

BACKGROUND Previous studies have found that hyperuricaemia(HUA)is closely related to intestinal flora imbalance.AIM The current study investigated the effects and safety of washed microbiota transplantation(WMT)on serum uric acid(SUA)levels in different populations.METHODS A total of 144 patients who received WMT from July 2016 to April 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University and had SUA data before treatment were selected.Changes in SUA levels before and after treatment were retrospectively reviewed based on short-term and mid-term effects of WMT regimens.SUA levels measured in the last test within 3 mo after the first WMT represented the short-term effect,and SUA levels measured in the last test within 3-6 mo after the first WMT represented the mid-term effect.The patients were divided into an HUA group(SUA>416μM)and a normal uric acid(NUA)group(SUA≥202μM to≤416μM)based on pretreatment SUA levels.RESULTS Average short-term SUA levels in the HUA group decreased after WMT(481.00±99.85 vs 546.81±109.64μM,n=32,P<0.05)in 25/32 patients and returned to normal in 10/32 patients.The shortterm level of SUA reduction after treatment moderately correlated with SUA levels before treatment(r=0.549,R²=0.300,P<0.05).Average SUA levels decreased after the first and second courses of WMT(469.74±97.68 vs 540.00±107.16μM,n=35,and 465.57±88.88 vs 513.19±78.14μM,n=21,P<0.05).Short-term and mid-term SUA levels after WMT and SUA levels after the first,second and third courses of WMT were similar to the levels before WMT in the NUA group(P>0.05).Only 1/144 patients developed mild diarrhea after WMT.CONCLUSION WMT reduces short-term SUA levels in patients with HUA with mild side effects but has no obvious effect on SUA levels in patients with NUA.

The First Time That I Had Lunch in School and I Washed My Clothes

Today,I had lunch from the cafeteria in my shool.It wasn't very expensive, and I spent four dollars on it.Actually,I didn't need to spend so much money.I bought two pizza-like things.They cost

Maybe he should have washed his hands more!

A man is sitting at home one evening when the doorbell rings.When he answers the door,a 6foot tall cockroach is standing there.The cockroach immediately preaches him between the eyes andscampers off.The next evening,the man is sitting at home when the doorbell rings.When he answersthe door,the cockroach is there again.This time,it punches him,kicks him and karate chops himbefore running away.The third evening,the man is sitting at home when the doorbell rings.When

Developing Denim Like Wash Effect on Corduroy Garments and Investigation of Different Physical Properties of Washed Corduroy Garments

Corduroy yarn is generally introduced in a fabric structure of garments due to developing different designs in terms of appearance of fabric which is called corduroy garment. In this study, both corduroy and denim garments have been made to develop a denim-like wash effect on corduroy garments that will create a new fashion, value addition and sustainability in washing technology. Both the garments are treated with the same washing process. Also, some physical properties have been investigated for both washed garments such as Washing Effect Test, Tear Strength Test, GSM Test, and Rubbing Test. Then a comparative study has been done on both washed garments. The appearance of washed corduroy garments is satisfactory. The physical properties also show a better result. Finally, a satisfactory result is achieved from this work.

Washed microbiota transplantation vs.manual fecal microbiota transplantation:clinical findings,animal studies and in vitro screening

Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)by manual preparation has been applied to treat diseases for thousands of years.However,this method still endures safety risks and challenges the psychological endurance and acceptance of doctors,patients and donors.Population evidence showed the washed microbiota preparation with microfiltration based on an automatic purification system followed by repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times significantly reduced FMT-related adverse events.This washing preparation makes delivering a precise dose of the enriched microbiota feasible,instead of using the weight of stool.Intraperitoneal injection in mice with the fecal microbiota supernatant obtained after repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times induced less toxic reaction than that by the first centrifugation following the microfiltration.The toxic reactions that include death,the change in the level of peripheral white blood cells,and the proliferation of germinal center in secondary lymphoid follicles in spleen were noted.The metagenomic next-generation sequencing(NGS)indicated the increasing types and amount of viruses could be washed out during the washing process.Metabolomics analysis indicated metabolites with pro-inflammatory effects in the fecal microbiota supernatant such as leukotriene B4,corticosterone,and prostaglandin G2 could be removed by repeated washing.Near-infrared absorption spectroscopy could be served as a rapid detection method to control the quality of the washingprocess.In conclusion,this study for the first time provides evidence linking clinical findings and animal experiments to support that washed microbiota transplantation(WMT)is safer,more precise and more quality-controllable than the crude FMT by manual.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Lower-Level Health Care Facilities of Dar es Salaam Region in Tanzania: Status towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and Way Forward

Background: Improving Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in health care settings is a critical prerequisite for achieving national health goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target for each United Nations member state to reach by 2030. Each member state is required to reach by 2022, 2025 and 2030 at least 60%, 80% and 100%, respectively of basic level of service of the five elements which are water, sanitation, hygiene, waste management and environmental cleaning. Methods: This study aimed to evaluate and document the current state of basic water, sanitation, and hygiene services in all lower-level health care facilities in the Dar es Salaam region of Tanzania as of July 2022. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 99 public dispensaries in the Dar es Salaam region’s five councils: Ubungo, Kigamboni, Kinondoni and Temeke Municipalities, and Ilala City. The interviewee form and observational checklists were both digitalized using the Kobo tool software. The respondents were health care facility in-charges or nurse in-charges. Data were downloaded, validated, and imported to Stata version 15 for analysis. Results: The basic WASH level per JMP is far below the target in 2022. Each member state by 2022 is required to reach at least 60% of the basic level of service of each element. We found a low coverage of basic WASH in the 99 dispensaries included in this study. The basic WASH coverage was met in only 10 (10.1%) of the dispensaries, while the remaining 89 (89.9%) dispensaries fall on limited WASH services. Conclusion: This study revealed lower coverage of basic WASH services in dispensaries. An urgent need is required to improve the status of WASH in all the dispensaries and facilitate the provision of quality health care services, patient safety and reduce health care associated infections.

卫星波束标校信号码型对比分析

针对GEO轨道通信卫星同步定点后会出现周期性漂移,导致波束指向不确定的问题,本文对波束标校系统中的信号捕获进行了研究。由于标校信号捕获依赖于标校信号之间的正交性及其自相关特性,因此文中提出了标校系统中信号码型选择需要考虑的关键问题。特别是在天线存在指向误差时,Ka频段标校站接收信号功率最大差异可达近30 dB,这给标校信号码型设计和标校信号的捕获带来了困难,因此文中从码型的抗干扰性能、实现复杂度、能量估计精度和捕获特性等几个方面,分析和对比了m序列信号、Walsh信号、单频信号和Chirp信号(扫频信号)这4种码型各自的优点和缺点,并用MATLAB进行了仿真。结果表明:在抗干扰性能上,伪随机序列信号和Walsh信号最好,Chirp信号次之,单频信号最差;在复杂度方面,Chirp最复杂,伪随机序列和Walsh序列次之,单频方式最简单;在估计精度方面,三者的估计精度相当;在捕获性能方面,Walsh信号的捕获性能明显优于m序列,而且当两个标校站的接收信号功率之间存在较大差异时,Walsh信号的捕获性能明显优于m序列。因此标校系统可优先选择Walsh码作为标校信号。

Uniaxial compressive behaviour of a FRP standing support made of mine wastes

Twenty-seven specimens were tested to investigate the uniaxial compression behaviour of an innovative standing support for underground space applications.The innovative standing support consisted of an external fibre reinforced polymer(FRP)jacket and the infill column made of cementitious grout,tailings and coal wash rejects.Effects of the FRP layers number and water to the cementitious grout(w/g)ratio were evaluated.Test results indicated that lower w/g ratios produced stronger infill columns.With FRP confinement,the standing support demonstrated strain-hardening loading characteristics with a significant improvement in both strength and ductility.The highest strength and strain of the specimens achieved was 58.4 MPa and 11.8%respectively.Compared with the unconfined specimens,the confinement with four FRP layers increased the specimen strength and associated strain up to 3.6 and 27.0 times respectively.A correlation between the compressive strength of the infill material and the ultrasonic pulse velocity was also investigated.Furthermore,a simple design-oriented model was proposed to predict the peak strength and the corresponding strain of the innovative standing support.

Remediation of oily soil using acidic sophorolipids micro-emulsion

A sophorolipids(SLs)micro-emulsion in Winsor type Ⅰ form was used for crude oil contaminated soil washing treatment.The micro-emulsion shows higher oil removal rate than SLs aqueous solution and diesel oil.The type Ⅰ micro-emulsion with w(SLs)=6%,w(NaCl)=1%,w(diesel)=13.36% gave a high oil removal rate of 95.6% and the eluate remained in type Ⅰ state.The recovered oil showed lower viscosity,mainly caused by the entering of diesel from the micro-emulsion phase into the oil phase and the lower removal rate of the heavier components,such as the resin and asphaltene.The initial heavily saline-alkaline soil changed into mildly saline-alkaline state after washing treatment,favoring the germination and growth of plants,with ryegrass showing better germination and growth effect than alfalfa.The ryegrass showed good phytoremediation effect on the contaminated soil after SLs micro-emulsion washing.The combination process of SL micro-emulsion washing and ryegrass phytoremediation is prospective for oily soil treatment.

Orientational Separation of Sulfur in Petroleum Coke by Alkali Calcining and Reflux Washing

The application of high-sulfur petroleum coke after desulfurization in aluminum electrolysis anodes is an important development trend. However, removing sulfur from high-sulfur petroleum coke is still a significant challenge.This study proposes alkali calcining and reflux washing to examine the impacts of temperature, particle size, the mass ratio of Na_(2)CO_(3) to NaOH, and total sodium addition on the desulfurization efficiency and mechanism. The results show that the desulfurization rate increases with increasing temperature, increasing total sodium content, and decreasing particle size. The addition of alkali can significantly reduce the opening-ring reaction temperature of thiophene and convert organic sulfur into inorganic sulfur(Na_(2)S). Three washing methods were compared, and reflux washing was selected to separate inorganic sulfur(Na_(2)S) from calcined petroleum coke. The sulfur content in petroleum coke decreased from 7.29% to 1.90%, with a desulfurization rate of 80.13% under optimal conditions. The petroleum coke was analyzed before and after desulfurization using X-Ray diffraction(XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM), Infrared Spectroscopy(IR), Thermogravimetric Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry(TG-DSC), Gaschromatography-mass Spectrometry(GC-MS). The results show that thiophene and benzothiophene in petroleum coke are decomposed and converted into octane and ethyl cyclohexane. These new observations are expected to provide further understanding and guidance for the utilization of highsulfur petroleum coke.

In the Lake Zone of Tanzania, Behavioral Determinants Are Associated with Hygiene but Not Sanitation Practice

Understanding why individuals do or do not adopt optimal water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices is critical to designing successful behavior change interventions. However, policy makers and program implementers often fail to obtain the context-specific information on behavioral determinants of WASH practices. This two-stage, randomized survey among 5000 female primary caregivers in the Lake Zone of Tanzania assessed associations between behavioral determinants and a range of hygiene and sanitation practices. Behavioral determinants of hygiene were almost always significantly associated with cleaning one’s own hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom and being able to show at least one place where family members wash their hands. In regression models, those who knew when to wash their own hands (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 2.1) and their child’s hands (OR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.7) and mothers who thought that their female friends washed their hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom (OR = 5.5, 95% CI: 4.5, 6.7) were significantly more likely to frequently clean their own hands after cleaning the baby’s bottom. This research suggests that in the Lake Zone of Tanzania, numerous determinants are associated with hygiene practices. Identifying context-specific determinants of WASH behaviors is the first step toward developing effective interventions.

Discussion on the Treatment of Palmoplantar Keratosis by TCM Soaking and Washing

By combing the mechanism and advantages of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)soaking and washing and combining TCM syndrome differentiation with western medicine differentiation of diseases,guided by the view that"the principle of external treatment is that of internal treatment",this article discusses the differentiation and treatment ideas of palmoplantar keratosis by TCM soaking and washing,which will provide a reference for clinical treatment.

Hand Hygiene by Ward Staff at Dapaong Regional Hospital in Togo

Introduction: Hand hygiene (HH) is an effective way to fight infections in healthcare settings. The general purpose of our study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of health care providers on HH at Dapaong regional hospital (DRH). Methodology: This was a prospective, descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from March to June 2022 in the DRH wards. Data were collected using a questionnaire and observation grid. Results: 90 care providers were surveyed. Males and non-physician personnel predominated with 57.8%, and 94.4% respectively. The survey on staff’s knowledge reported: 31.1% of practitioners did not wash their hands on arrival and departure in services. 24% did not know the difference between simple hand washing (SHW) and hygienic hand washing (HHW). 23.3% did not know the type of soap to use for HHW. The caregivers did not know the type of hand washing (HW) required after a septic and non-septic procedure in respectively 41.6%, and 37.8%. They did not know that there are two types of hand antiseptics (45.4%), nor the amount of antiseptic for HW (78.9%). The survey on staff’s attitude regarding HW found that: 70% did not remove all jewels prior HW, and 51.1% did not know that wearing gloves cannot replace the HW. For HW Staff Practice: 62.2% did not wash their hands before treatment. 91.1% did not spread the soap on their hands and forearms after wetting them. 65.55% did not rinse hands from nails to elbows. Conclusion: The HH was poorly known, the attitude of the staff was dangerous in relation to the HH and the practice of HH was very inadequate at the RHC-Dapaong. As a result, there is a need to retrain staff to increase their capacity to prevent care-related infections and enhance patient safety in the hospital.

Awareness and attitude of fecal microbiota transplantation through transendoscopic enteral tubing among inflammatory bowel disease patients

BACKGROUND Transendoscopic enteral tubing(TET)has been used in China as a novel delivery route for fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)into the whole colon with a high degree of patient satisfaction among adults.AIM To explore the recognition and attitudes of FMT through TET in patients with inflammatory bowel disease(IBD).METHODS An anonymous questionnaire,evaluating their awareness and attitudes toward FMT and TET was distributed among IBD patients in two provinces of Eastern and Southwestern China.Question formats included single-choice questions,multiple-choice questions and sorting questions.Patients who had not undergone FMT were mainly investigated for their cognition and acceptance of FMT and TET.Patients who had experience of FMT,the way they underwent FMT and acceptance of TET were the main interest.Then all the patients were asked whether they would recommend FMT and TET.This study also analyzed the preference of FMT delivery in IBD patients and the patient-related factors associated with it.RESULTS A total of 620 eligible questionnaires were included in the analysis.The survey showed that 44.6%(228/511)of patients did not know that FMT is a therapeutic option in IBD,and 80.6%(412/511)of them did not know the concept of TET.More than half(63.2%,323/511)of the participants stated that they would agree to undergo FMT through TET.Of the patients who underwent FMT via TET[62.4%(68/109)],the majority[95.6%(65/68)]of them were satisfied with TET.Patients who had undergone FMT and TET were more likely to recommend FMT than patients who had not(94.5%vs 86.3%,P=0.018 and 98.5%vs 87.8%,P=0.017).Patients’choice for the delivery way of FMT would be affected by the type of disease and whether the patient had the experience of FMT.When compared to patients without experience of FMT,Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients who had experience of FMT preferred mid-gut TET(P<0.001)and colonic TET(P<0.001),respectively.CONCLUSION Patients’experience of FMT through TET lead them to maintain a positive attitude towards FMT.The present findings highlighted the significance of patient education on FMT and TET.

Impact of cap-assisted colonoscopy during transendoscopic enteral tubing:A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Colonic transendoscopic enteral tubing(TET)requires double cecal intubation,raising a common concern of how to save cecal intubation time and make the tube stable.We hypothesized that cap-assisted colonoscopy(CC)might reduce the second cecal intubation time and bring potential benefits during the TET procedure.AIM To investigate if CC can decrease the second cecal intubation time compared with regular colonoscopy(RC).METHODS This prospective multicenter,randomized controlled trial was performed at four centers.Subjects≥7 years needing colonic TET were recruited from August 2018 to January 2020.All subjects were randomly assigned to two groups.The primary outcome was the second cecal intubation time.Secondary outcomes included success rate,insertion pain score,single clip fixation time,purpose and retention time of TET tube,length of TET tube inserted into the colon,and all procedurerelated(serious)adverse events.RESULTS A total of 331 subjects were randomized to the RC(n=165)or CC(n=166)group.The median time of the second cecal intubation was significantly shorter for CC than RC(2.2 min vs 2.8 min,P<0.001).In patients with constipation,the median time of second cecal intubation in the CC group(n=50)was shorter than that in the RC group(n=43)(2.6 min vs 3.8 min,P=0.004).However,no difference was observed in the CC(n=42)and RC(n=46)groups of ulcerative colitis patients(2.0 min vs 2.5 min,P=0.152).The insertion pain score during the procedure in CC(n=14)was lower than that in RC(n=19)in unsedated colonoscopy(3.8±1.7 vs 5.4±1.9;P=0.015).Multivariate analysis revealed that only CC(odds ratio[OR]:2.250,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.161-4.360;P=0.016)was an independent factor affecting the second cecal intubation time in difficult colonoscopy.CC did not affect the colonic TET tube’s retention time and length of the tube inserted into the colon.Moreover,multivariate analysis found that only endoscopic clip number(OR:2.201,95%CI:1.541-3.143;P<0.001)was an independent factor affecting the retention time.Multiple regression analysis showed that height(OR:1.144,95%CI:1.027-1.275;P=0.014)was the only independent factor influencing the length of TET tube inserted into the colon in adults.CONCLUSION CC for colonic TET procedure is a safe and less painful technique,which can reduce cecal intubation time.

Gel-Forming Ability of Rohu as Affected by Egg White Powder Addition

The gel-forming ability of rohu (Labeo rohita) mince with and without egg white powder (EW) was investigated. Gel from washed mince (washed gel) was prepared under two setting conditions: kamaboko (40°C) and modori (60°C). The gel-forming ability of kamaboko and modori gels was improved by the addition of EW at 2%. The autolytic inhibition of kamaboko gel was obtained in gel added with 2% EW, and 1% EW of modori gel. No marked change was observed in the TCA-soluble peptide content of either gel with the addition of EW above 1%. No effect on the whiteness of both gels was shown after the addition of EW. The addition of EW exhibited smaller cavities and a more compact fibrous network in microstructure.

Authentication of Age of Blood Stains on Blooded Cotton Fabric

Blood stains on the fabric often appear at the scene of the crime. The age determination of blood stains can provide important information to speculate the time of crime. The relationship between the age of blood and the bending rigidity of blooded cotton fabric washed was investigated experimentally via the use of FAST-2 bending tester. The bending length of blooded fabric washed at different time was measured and the bending rigidity was calculated.The relationship between the age of blood and the bending rigidity after washing was obtained through curve fitting. The result shows that the bending rigidity of blooded fabric washed is various with the increase of the age of blood stains and this relationship can be used to speculate the age of blood stains. This method provides a new perspective for determining the bloodstain age.

Effect of Electric Field Strength and Water Content on the Electrorheology of Silica Dispersions

The effect of water content on the electrorheological effect (ERE) behaviour of silica dispersions has been investigated. The types of silica powders were fumed silica, precipitated and acid washed silica and colloidal silica. Silica dispersions with a water content varying in the range 10% - 30%, and with conducting ions deliberately added, were redispersed in chlorinated hydrocarbon oil and then the ER behaviour studied. Samples were tested on a static yield rig (SYR), an instrument which can measure both the yield stress and the conductivity. The effects of electric field strength and water content on the ERE were studied. The yield stress initially increased with increase in electric field strength and then decreased at high electric fields suggesting a breakdown in structure of the electrorheological fluid samples tested. It was also found that the ERE increased and electric saturation or electric breakdown shifted to lower electric fields as the water content increased. Higher electric fields caused a drop in the ERE.