Microbial Numbers Research Articles

A diffusion-based integrative approach for culturing previously uncultured bacteria from marine sediments

AbstractTraditional cultivation methods with defined growth media can only isolate and cultivate a small number of microbes. However, much higher microbial diversity has been detected by cultivation-independent tools from a range of natural ecosystems. These represent a large unexplored pool of potentially novel taxa. In this study, a diffusion-based integrative cultivation approach (DICA) was developed to efficiently isolate novel taxonomic candidates from marine sediment. DICA combined a newly designed diffusion-based apparatus called a “microbial aquarium” with modified low-nutrient media. To determine the efficiency of DICA, cultivation results were compared with traditional cultivation approach (TCA). Both cultivation approaches resulted in the isolation of numerous representatives from the phyla Pseudomonadota, Actinomycetota, Bacteroidota, and Bacillota. However, the newly developed DICA also led to the successful cultivation of species from rarely cultivated phyla such as Verrucomicrobiota and Balneolota. Based on 16S rRNA analyses, the application of DICA resulted in the successful cultivation of 115 previously uncultured taxa out of a total of 196 isolates. Among these, 39 were identified at the genus level and 4 at the family level, showcasing a novelty ratio of 58%. Conversely, the TCA cultivated 12% (20/165) of novel isolates, with all at species level only. The isolated microbial diversity showed that species recovered by DICA belong to 12 different classes, twice the number produced by TCA. Overall, these results demonstrate that the newly designed DICA produces a high recovery of diverse and previously uncultured bacteria.

Evidence for archaeal metabolism of D-amino acids in the deep marine sediments

The deep marine sediments represent a major repository of organic matter whilst hosting a great number of uncultivated microbes. Microbial metabolism plays a key role in the recycling of organic matter in the deep marine sediments. D-amino acids (DAAs) and DAA-containing muropeptides, an important group of organic matter in the deep marine sediments, are primarily derived from bacterial peptidoglycan decomposition. Archaea are abundant in the deep ocean microbiome, yet their role in DAA metabolism remains poorly studied. Here, we report bioinformatic investigation and enzymatic characterization of deep marine sedimentary archaea involved in DAA metabolism. Our analyses suggest that a variety of archaea, particularly the Candidatus Bathyarchaeota and the Candidatus Lokiarchaeaota, can metabolize DAAs. DAAs are converted into L-amino acids via amino acid racemases (Ala racemase, Asp racemase and broad substrate specificity amino acid racemase), and converted into α-keto acid via d-serine ammonia-lyase, whereas DAA-containing di−/tri-muropeptides can be hydrolyzed by peptidases (dipeptidase and D-aminopeptidase). Overall, this study reveals the identity and activity of deep marine sedimentary archaea involved in DAA metabolism, shedding light on the mineralization and biogeochemical cycling of DAAs in the deep marine sediments.

Isolation and identification of phyllosphere bacteria from three different crops

The phyllosphere represents the habitat provided by the aboveground parts of plants. There have been few studies on the phyllosphere of plants. A large number of microbes are associated with the phyllosphere, where bacteria are the most dominant. The main objective of the present study was to isolate phyllosphere bacteria from three different crops cultivated in the Jaffna district. Phyllosphere bacteria were isolated by washing the host leaf and plating on nutrient agar media. Two different phyllosphere bacteria, namely, Pseudomonas putida and Staphylococcus equorum and two different species of the genus Bacillus (B. cereus and B. pumilus)were isolated from Zea mays. Staphylococcus epidermis and two different species of Bacillus (B. cereus and B. subtilis) were isolated from Solanum lycopersicum. Two different phyllosphere bacteria, namely, Lactobacillus brevis and Micrococcus luteus, and three different species of Bacillus (B. subtilis, B. mycoides and B. licheniformis) were isolated from Brassica oleracea var. capitata. The isolates were identified based on colony morphological characteristics and biochemical tests.

Biogeochemical changes during supercritical CO2–H2O-coal-microorganism interaction

A 100-day scCO2-H2O-coal-microorganism interaction experiment was conducted in this study to explore the biogeochemical changes during the supercritical CO2 (scCO2) storage in deep water-bearing coal seams. Compared to a control experiment without microorganisms, the presence of microorganisms resulted in a slightly increase in pH but a marked reduction in oxidation-reduction potential (ORP). An increase in Fe2+ ions and decrease in SO42− ions in the experimental group were found to be closely related to microbial mediation, potentially leading to an increase in secondary pyrite. Networked biofilms and N-acetyl-L-leucine as a leucine derivative were only appeared in the experimental group, indicating microbial growth and metabolism. Microbial activities increased the dissolved organic carbon (DOC), accelerated the accumulation of aromatic organic compounds, and diminished macromolecular organic compounds. After scCO2 injection, microbial number and diversity exhibited a sharp decline and gradual recovery. The dominant Clostridium sensu stricto 13 (>50%), Desulfohalotomaculum (>20%) and norank Desulfallas-Sporotomaculum (>9%) may play important roles in the biogeochemical processes of Fe and S through cooperative relationships. Microbial communities resisted scCO2-H2O stress through diversified defense strategies such as spore formation, enhanced leucine metabolism level, and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion. The recovery of the number and activity of methanogens indicated potential for the biomethanation of sequestered CO2.

Мікробіологічні предиктори комплексного лікування інфекції акушерської хірургічної рани в породілей

Aim - based on the study of microbiological factors of the wound process, determine the effectiveness of treatment of obstetric surgical wound infection in women in labor when using drugs with sorption-detoxification and immunomodulatory properties. Materials and methods. Іn the work, microbiological studies were used to control the course of the wound process in 115 parturients with purulent wounds of the anterior abdominal wall after caesarean section and perineum after episiotomy, perineotomy, which, depending on the treatment method, were divided into groups: the Group I - 42 parturients with purulent wounds, which treated with organosilicon sorbent gentaxan; the Group II - 45 women in labor with purulent wounds, who were treated with organosilicon sorbent Gentaxan and immunomodulator Laferon; the Group III - 28 women in labor with purulent wounds, who were treated with traditional methods. The obtained results were processed by methods of statistical analysis. Results. Based on the analysis of microbiological studies, it was determined that the causative agent of purulent wounds in obstetric practice is opportunistic flora, among which S. epidermis. In 28.7%, inflammatory processes in the tissues of postoperative wounds arise under the influence of the symbiotic relationship of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Complex treatment with gentaxan and laferon had an advantage over monotherapy with gentaxan and traditional methods, due to a more pronounced suppression of the pathogenic microflora of the wound and an increase in the number of microbes in its tissues in a shorter period of time, which accelerates the elimination of swelling and inflammation in the wound, the manifestation of symptoms that indicate complete healing biological cleaning of the wound, which, in turn, prevents contamination by hospital infection of the wounds of women in labor and further spread of the inflammatory process. Conclusions. The factor of wound infection is opportunistically pathogenic flora, which in 64.0% is isolated in aerobic and aerobic-anaerobic associations. Complex therapy of purulent wounds with drugs with sorption-detoxification and immunomodulatory properties increases the effectiveness of the treatment, due to the suppression of the pathogenic microflora of the wound and the increase of the number of microbes in its tissues in a shorter period of time, which prevents contamination by hospital infection of the wounds of women in labor and the further spread of the inflammatory process. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Research protocol approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the institution mentioned in the work. For conducting research informed consent of the parents was obtained from the women in labor. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

α-Lipoic acid treatment regulates enzymatic browning and nutritional quality of fresh-cut pear fruit by affecting phenolic and carbohydrate metabolism

Fresh-cut pear fruit is greatly impacted by enzymatic browning, and maintaining quality remains a challenge. This study examined the impact of exogenous α-lipoic acid (α-LA) treatment on enzymatic browning and nutritional quality of fresh-cut pears. Results revealed that 0.5 g/L α-LA treatment effectively maintained color and firmness, and inhibited the increase in microbial number. The α-LA treatment also reduced MDA and H2O2 contents, decreased PPO activity, and enhanced SOD, CAT, and PAL activities. The α-LA treatment notably upregulated phenolic metabolism-related gene expression, including PbPAL, Pb4CL, PbC4H, PbCHI and PbCHS, and then increasing total phenols and flavonoids contents. Furthermore, it also influenced carbohydrate metabolism-related gene expression, including PbSS, PbSPS, PbAI and PbNI, maintaining a high level of sucrose content. These findings indicated that α-LA treatment showed promise in reducing browning and enhancing fresh-cut pears quality, offering a potential postharvest method to prolong the lifespan and maintain nutritional quality.

Биологическое загрязнение почв побочными продуктами животноводства

By-products of animal husbandry (BPAH) such as manure, manure effluents (ME) are widely used as organic fertilizers. The main disadvantage of the appropriate fertilizers is the high content of microorganisms (MO) untypical to uncontaminated natural environments, including pathogenic ones. Currently used natural methods of BPAH neutralization can significantly reduce the risks of transferring pathogenic and opportunistic MO into fertilized soil, but do not completely exclude them. The study examined the effects of long-term (more than 7 years) introduction of a neutralized liquid fraction (LF) of pork ME and cattle ME on the chemical composition and sanitary and hygienic condition of the soil of arable fields and wooded areas located at 500 m from the boundaries of the fields. Prolonged application of LF led to an increase in the content of organic matter, mobile phosphorus, potassium and sulfur, an increase in the amount of absorbed bases, a decrease in metabolic acidity in arable land compared with adjacent forest areas. However the sanitary condition of both arable land and adjacent territories deteriorated significantly. A significant increase in the total microbial number (TMN) was revealed in all soil samples in comparison to the normative indicators. Particularly high values of TMN were found in soil fertilized with cattle manure. The corresponding soil was characterized by the highest content of organic matter and neutral reactions of the environment, which provided favorable conditions for the active development of saprophytic microbiota. Fresh faecal contamination was detected in all selected soil samples. Soils are characterized as highly polluted. According to the indicators of the index Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and Clostridium perfringens, the soils of all studied sites are moderately dangerous. Higher values of the corresponding indices were found in arable land fertilized by the LF of pork farms and in the territories adjacent to arable land. In the course of sanitary and bacteriological studies, eggs of helminthes were not found in the soil.

Pinpointing the microbiota of tardigrades: What is really there?

Microbiota are considered significant in the biology of tardigrades, yet their diversity and distribution remain largely unexplored. This is partly due to the methodological challenges associated with studying the microbiota of small organisms that inhabit microbe-rich environments. In our study, we characterized the microbiota of 31 species of cultured tardigrades using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We employed various sample preparation strategies and multiple types of controls and estimated the number of microbes in samples using synthetic DNA spike-ins. We also reanalysed data from previous tardigrade microbiome studies. Our findings suggest that the microbial communities of cultured tardigrades are predominantly composed of bacterial genotypes originating from food, medium, or reagents. Despite numerous experiments, we found it challenging to identify strains that were enriched in certain tardigrades, which would have indicated likely symbiotic associations. Putative tardigrade-associated microbes rarely constituted more than 20% of the datasets, although some matched symbionts identified in other studies. We also uncovered serious contamination issues in previous tardigrade microbiome studies, casting doubt on some of their conclusions. We concluded that tardigrades are not universally dependent on specialized microbes. Our work underscores the need for rigorous safeguards in studies of the microbiota of microscopic organisms and serves as a cautionary tale for studies involving samples with low microbiome abundance.

High-voltage electrostatic field with 35 kV-15 min could reduce Pseudomonas spp. to maintain the quality of pork during −1 °C storage

This study evaluated the bacterial-reducing effects of different high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) parameters (voltage 20,25,30,35 kV, time 5,10,15,20 min) on chilled pork, and studied the effects of HVEF bacterial-reducing treatment on the microbial number and the quality of pork during ice-temperature (−1 °C) storage. The results showed that HVEF of 35 kV-15 min was the best parameter, which made a 0.51 log CFU/g bacterial reduction. HVEF treatment reduced the number of Pseudomonas spp. by 0.50 log CFU/g, but no significant decrease was found in Brochothrix thermosphacta and lactobacilli. The abundance of Pseudomonas fragi (most abundant species in pork) significantly decreased after HVEF treatment, which may be the reason for the significant decrease of TVB-N and TBARS in HVEF group at the end of storage. During −1 °C storage, HVEF group exhibited better quality characteristics on shear force and cooking loss, which could effectively extend the shelf-life of chilled pork. Industrial relevanceHigh voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) is an emerging non-thermal inactivation technology. However, it is necessary to optimize the processing parameters based on the characteristics of the food. This study optimized the optimal processing parameters of HVEF for chilled pork and validated its contribution to maintaining the quality of pork during ice-temperature storage. These findings are of great significance for food processing, food preservation and the development of new refrigeration equipment.

Fermented or not fermented: a comparative study of the biological activities and microbiomes of a non‐fermented green tea and a five‐year‐old fermented tea prepared from young leaves of Shan tea

SummaryCamellia sinensis var. shan is a special tea variety in Vietnam that is in high demand, especially its fermented products. This study compared the total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant activity, cytotoxicity, and microbiome of a green Shan tea and a five‐year‐old fermented Shan tea. Folin–Ciocalteu, DPPH and SRB assays were used for TPC, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity evaluation. The isolated microbes were morphologically and molecularly identified. The TPC (126.59 mg g−1) and antioxidant activity (IC50 of 284.82 μg mL−1) of the green tea were significantly higher than those of the fermented tea. However, the latter showed a significantly higher cytotoxicity against liver cancer cells (inhibiting 73.84% cells at 1 mg mL−1). Notably, the green tea had a negligible number of microbes, but the fermented tea had a much richer microbiome with Aspergillus restrictus (4.7 × 104 CFU g−1), A. ruber (1.76 × 103 CFU g−1), A. pseudoglaucus (1.32 × 103 CFU g−1), A. cibarius (8.8 × 102 CFU g−1), Bacillus cereus (1.13 × 104 CFU g−1), Peribacillus frigoritolerans (4.0 × 102 CFU g−1) and B. amyloliquefaciens (2.0 × 102 CFU g−1) present. These microbes are either harmless or beneficial, except for B. cereus (can cause food poisoning at >106 CFU g−1). The fermented tea would appear to have some advantages over the green tea. However, the presence and density of B. cereus should be monitored.

PENGARUH PERBEDAAN KONSENTRASI SOURDOUGH TERHADAP SIFAT FISIK DAN MIKROBIOLOGI PADA ROTI TAWAR

Sourdough is a mixture of wheat flour, water and other components processed by fermentation. Sourdough, in other terms, is natural yeast which can be used as a food additive for starters in making bread, cakes and other bakery products. The process of making sourdough can take place naturally through a fermentation process, resulting in a unique taste and aroma of bread and better nutritional content. However, currently natural sourdough yeast is being developed as a bread developer. This is because some Istan yeast can cause allergens if they enter the body and are consumed directly. The use of natural sourdough yeast is an alternative for developing whitebread. This research aims to determine the effect of different sourdough concentrations on the physical and microbiological properties of white bread. The method used in this research used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor, namely sourdough concentration of 0%, 30%, 60% and 90%. Apart from that, the proofing time has been determined at around 135 minutes. The parameters observed were physical quality (expandability, texture), microbiology (total number of lactic acid microbes), and water content analysis. Data analysis uses ANOVA and if there is a significant difference then proceed with the Least Significant Difference test (LSD). The results of the study showed that the addition of sourdough had a significant effect on the physical, microbiological and water content of white bread. In addition, fermentation time has a significant effect on the number of natural sourdough yeast microbes. The natural sourdough yeast used to make white bread with a fermentation time of 16 days.

Evaluation of Menopausal Syndrome Relief and Anti-Obesity Efficacy of the Korean Fermented Food Doenjang: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial.

Foods that help improve menopausal syndrome are being studied worldwide. Doenjang is a traditional Korean fermented soybean food with potential health benefits for menopausal women. In this clinical trial using Doenjang, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of traditional Doenjang and commercial Doenjang in menopausal women. Furthermore, we compared whether Doenjang has a better effect if the number of beneficial microbes is higher. The analyses included the following groups: traditional Doenjang containing either a high dose (HDC; n = 18) or low dose (LDC; n = 18) of beneficial microbes and commercial Doenjang (CD; n = 20). The Kupperman index and hematological changes were examined before and after the use of Doenjang pills. The effects of Doenjang on obesity and body composition were studied before and after ingestion. Lastly, the microorganisms and short-chain fatty acid changes in the stool were compared. The Kupperman index decreased after Doenjang consumption in all three groups, with the greatest decrease in the LDC group. Only the groups that took traditional Doenjang pills exhibited reduced LDL cholesterol. No changes in obesity and inflammation-related indicators were observed. The number of Firmicutes, associated with obesity, decreased in the CD group but the numbers of Bacteroidetes increased in the HDC and CD groups. Thus, traditional Doenjang is more effective in alleviating menopausal syndrome than commercial Doenjang. Further research on the anti-obesity effect or changes in microbiomes and short-chain fatty acids in feces is needed.

UHPM dominance in driving the formation of petroleum-contaminated soil aggregate, the bacterial communities succession, and phytoremediation

This study focused on the effects of urea humate-based porous materials (UHPM) on soil aggregates, plant physiological characteristics, and microbial diversity to explore the effects of UHPM on the phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil. The compositions of soil aggregates, ryegrass (Lolium perenne) biomass, plant petroleum enrichment capacity, and bacterial communities in soils with and without UHPM were investigated. The results showed that UHPM significantly increased soil aggregate content by 0.25 mm-5 mm, resulting in higher fertilizer holding capacity, erosion resistance capacity, and plant biomass and microbial number than the soil without UHPM mixed. In addition, UHPM decreased the absorption of petroleum by plants in the soil while increasing the abundance of degrading bacteria and petroleum-degrading-related genes in the soil, thereby promoting the removal of hard-to-degrade petroleum components. RDA showed that, compared with the unimproved soil, each soil indicator was positively correlated with a high abundance of degrading bacteria in the improved soil and was significant. UHPM can be regarded as a petroleum-contaminated soil remediation agent that combines slow nutrient release with soil improvement effects.

Metabolic syndrome’s new therapy: Supplement the gut microbiome

This letter to the editor discusses the publication on gut microbiome supplementation as therapy for metabolic syndrome. Gut microbiome dysbiosis disrupts intestinal bacterial homeostasis and is related to chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. Previous research has found that increasing the abundance of beneficial microbiota in the gut modulates metabolic syndrome by reducing chronic inflammation and insulin resistance. Prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics are often used as supplements to increase the number of beneficial microbes and thus the production of short-chain fatty acids, which have positive effects on the gut microbiome and metabolic syndrome. In this review article, the author summarizes the available supplements to increase the abundance of beneficial gut microbiota and reduce the abundance of harmful microbiota in patients with metabolic disorders. Our group is also researching the role of the gut microbiota in chronic liver disease. This article will be of great help to our research. At the end of the letter, the mechanism of the gut microbiota in chronic liver disease is discussed.

Features of the lung microbiota in tuberculosis infection

Normal lung microbiota is a small number of transient microbes; however, respiratory pathology may be associated with persistent microbial colonization of the lungs. It remains a poorly understood and mysterious part of the pathogenesis of tuberculosis infection.The review considers the general pathogenetic mechanisms of the effect of lung microbiota in respiratory pathology and presents the main methodological difficulties in the study of the lung microbiome. This review is aimed at analyzing the results of the available studies on diverse microbial composition of human lungs in tuberculosis using metagenomic sequencing methods. Despite high variability of the presented data, we can conclude that dysbiosis in tuberculosis is more often characterized by a decrease in bacterial diversity and enrichment of lung microbiota with anaerobic bacteria. Acinetobacter, Campylobacter, Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus, as well as some other microorganisms are indicated as important pathogenetic factors of dysbiosis in pulmonary tuberculosis, the role of which is yet to be elucidated.

Modulation of the skin microbiome in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma delays tumour growth and increases survival in the murine EL4 model.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are a group of lymphoproliferative disorders of skin-homing T cells causing chronic inflammation. These disorders cause impairment of the immune environment, which leads to severe infections and/or sepsis due to dysbiosis. In this study, we elucidated the host-microbial interaction in CTCL that occurs during the phototherapeutic treatment regime and determined whether modulation of the skin microbiota could beneficially affect the course of CTCL. EL4 T-cell lymphoma cells were intradermally grafted on the back of C57BL/6 mice. Animals were treated with conventional therapeutics such as psoralen + UVA (PUVA) or UVB in the presence or absence of topical antibiotic treatment (neomycin, bacitracin, and polymyxin B sulphate) as an adjuvant. Microbial colonisation of the skin was assessed to correlate with disease severity and tumour growth. Triple antibiotic treatment significantly delayed tumour occurrence (p = 0.026), which prolonged the survival of the mice (p = 0.033). Allocation to phototherapeutic agents PUVA, UVB, or none of these, along with antibiotic intervention, reduced the tumour growth significantly (p = 0.0327, p ≤ 0.0001, p ≤ 0.0001 respectively). The beta diversity indices calculated using the Bray-Curtis model showed that the microbial population significantly differed after antibiotic treatment (p = 0.001). Upon modulating the skin microbiome by antibiotic treatment, we saw an increase in commensal Clostridium species, e.g., Lachnospiraceae sp. (p = 0.0008), Ruminococcaceae sp. (p = 0.0001)., Blautia sp. (p = 0.007) and a significant reduction in facultative pathogens Corynebacterium sp. (p = 0.0009), Pelomonas sp. (p = 0.0306), Streptococcus sp. (p ≥ 0.0001), Pseudomonas sp. (p = 0.0358), and Cutibacterium sp. (p = 0.0237). Intriguingly, we observed a significant decrease in Staphylococcus aureus frequency (p = 0.0001) but an increase in the overall detection frequency of the Staphylococcus genus, indicating that antibiotic treatment helped regain the microbial balance and increased the number of non-pathogenic Staphylococcus populations. These study findings show that modulating microbiota by topical antibiotic treatment helps to restore microbial balance by diminishing the numbers of pathogenic microbes, which, in turn, reduces chronic inflammation, delays tumour growth, and increases survival rates in our CTCL model. These findings support the rationale to modulate the microbial milieu during the disease course of CTCL and indicate its therapeutic potential.

Root canals disinfection with a paste based on metronidazole, chlorhexidine and levomycetin

AIM. To identify the ability of an ex tempore paste with metronidazole, chlorhexidine and chloramphenicol, to disinfect root canals in patients diagnosed with “Chronic apical periodontitis” K04.5.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study involved 30 patients, 61 root canals diagnosed with “Chronic apical periodontitis” K04.5. Treatment was carried out in accordance with clinical recommendations (treatment protocols) for the diagnosis: “Diseases of periapical tissues”, approved by Resolution No. 18 of the Council of the Association of Public Associations “Dental Association of Russia” dated September 30, 2014, updated on August 2, 2018. Biological material from the contents of the root canal was taken before and after the introduction of a paste with metronidazole, chlorhexidine and chloramphenicol into the root canal for 5 days. The following methods were used: clinical, microbiological. The total microbial number, gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms, fungi were determined. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out. Statistical analysis of the data included a description of accounting characteristics and assessment of the statistical significance of changes in the studied indicators. p < 0.05 was selected as the critical level of statistical significance of differences (p).RESULTS. Statistical analysis showed a pronounced, statistically significant negative dynamics for all microbiological indicators in the structure of the root canal biofilm.CONCLUSIONS. The data obtained allow us to conclude that an ex tempore paste with metronidazole, chlorhexidine and chloramphenicol can be used in the treatment of patients diagnosed with “Chronic apical periodontitis” K04.5 as an intracanal drug. It reduces all sown cultures of microorganisms in a short time (5 days).

Evaluation of anti-microbial effect of Sushrutokta Vayu-Nirvishikarana yoga

Introduction: With the presence of extensive number of various microbes in the living environment, there is need to explore few sustainable and safe practices to control the ill effects of the microbes. In Indian tradition the Dhoopana (fumigation process) is well established since time immemorial and it is practiced regularly for different purposes. Many of the formulations quoted in the classics are already in practice. Acharya Sushruta, in Kalpasthana quotes the use of Vayu Nirvishikarana Yoga for Dhoopana-artha in the chikitsa of Dushita Vayu. Therefore, it is necessary to adopt safer methods like Dhoopana with the herbal formulations for the disease control. Methods: Vayu Nirvishikarana yoga comprising of 11 drugs, predominantly constitutes of volatile oils, alkaloids and tannins from the respective drugs. There are proven studies over the antimicrobial property, anti-oxidant properties of various drugs of this formulation. Results: The study was conducted to showcase the efficacy of the Dhoopana yoga in an indoor environment in terms of limiting the microbial load. The results of this work showed considerable results with sufficient scope for further studies. Conclusion: Krimighna and Vishaghna gunas of these drugs used in this formulation can be justified as explained in the classics. After evaluating the existing data about Dhoopana process and executing the study, its effectiveness becomes self-evident, but scientific approach and evidence are required to mainstream them and to establish the formulations as primary disinfection measures.

Dynamic Changes of the Gut Microbiota and Its Functional Metagenomic Potential during the Development of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

The gut microbiota plays a significant role in tumor pathogenesis by regulating the host metabolism and immune response, and there are few studies focused on tracking changes in the gut microbiota from the onset of lung cancer. Therefore, the aim of our study is combining preclinical and clinical research to thoroughly analyze the signatures of fecal microbiota in lung cancer, which will be useful for early diagnosis and predicting the therapeutic efficacy of lung cancer. The first part of this study analyzed the fecal metagenomic differences between patients with non-small cell lung cancer and healthy subjects, and the second part of this work constructed a murine lung cancer model to monitor changes in mouse fecal metagenomics and T cell immunology during lung cancer progression. We found that the fecal microbiota was altered in both humans and mice with lung cancer, characterized by a significantly reduced microbial diversity and number of beneficial microbes, with increases in potential pathogens. The fecal level of Akkermansia muciniphila and the gut metabolic module of the secondary bile acid metabolism were diminished in both humans and mice with lung cancer compared with healthy subjects. Splenomegaly was observed in the lung cancer mice. Flow cytometer analysis of the splenocytes revealed substantial alterations in the proportions of T cell subsets in the lung cancer mice, characterized by significant increases in CD4+Foxp3+CD25+ T regulatory cells (p < 0.05) while significant decreases in CD3+ T cells (p < 0.001), CD4+ T cells (p < 0.001), and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p < 0.01). Vertical and longitudinal analyses of the fecal microbiota of the two mouse groups identified some lung cancer biomarkers (including Acutalibacter timonensis, Lachnospiraceae bacterium NSJ-38 sp014337195, etc.). The fecal microbiota of the lung cancer mice had a reduced metagenomic potential for neurotransmitters (melatonin, γ-aminobutyric acid, and histamine) compared with healthy mice. In summary, this study found that the diversity, structure, and composition of gut microbiota vary between cancer and healthy conditions, ultimately leading to changes in the potential for functional metagenomics.

Antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste in endodontics: a systematic review

AimTo evaluate the efficacy of Odontopaste in reducing the microbial load in endodontics compared to other intracanal medicaments.Materials and methodsThe literature was electronically searched on PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Ovid Medline and Web of Science. In-vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo studies that evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for In Vitro Studies.ResultsA total of four in-vitro studies were included in the systematic review. One study showed that Odontopaste had significantly more microbial cell growth on roots in all dentine depths compared to other medicaments or test agents. Another study found that Odontopaste significantly decreased colony-forming units compared to propolis and chlorhexidine. Further results showed that Odontopaste did not significantly decrease microbial numbers when used in isolation. Additionally, combining Odontopaste and calcium hydroxide did not enhance the effectiveness of calcium hydroxide. The studies had a medium to high risk of bias.ConclusionThere is insufficient high-quality evidence to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of Odontopaste compared to other intracanal medicaments. Further research is required to determine Odontopaste’s efficacy as an antimicrobial medicament in endodontics.