Skate-Skin Mucin, Rich in Sulfated Sugars and Threonine, Promotes Proliferation of Akkermansia muciniphila in Feeding Tests in Rats and In Vitro Fermentation Using Human Feces

Dietary factors, affect Akkermansia muciniphila (AM) abundance in the colon, have attracted attention, driven by the inverse correlation between AM abundance and metabolic disorders. We prepared skate-skin mucin (SM), porcine stomach mucin (PM), and rat gastrointestinal mucin (RM). SM contained more sulfated sugars and threonine than PM or RM. Rats were fed a control diet or diets including SM, PM, or RM (15 g/kg), or SM (12 g/kg) from five different threonine contents for 14 d. Cecal total bacteria and AM were less and more numerous, respectively, in SM-fed rats than the others, but SM did not affect microbial species-richness. Low-threonine SM did not induce AM proliferation. The in vitro fermentation with human feces showed that the rate of AM increase was greater with SM than PM. Collectively, heavy SM sulfation facilitates a priority supply of SM-derived amino sugars and threonine that promotes AM proliferation in rats and human feces.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bifidobacterium adolescentis 4-2, Isolated from Healthy Human Feces

Bifidobacterium adolescentis 4-2 was isolated from healthy human feces. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this bacterium, which may clarify the functionality of gut microbiota-brain communication. The draft genome comprises 2.39 Mb, with an average G+C content of 59.2% and 2,028 coding DNA sequences. An operon for GABA biosynthesis was observed in the draft genome.

Complete Genome Sequence of Megamonas funiformis Strain 1CBH44, Isolated from Human Feces

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Megamonas funiformis strain 1CBH44, which was isolated from the feces of a healthy Japanese person. The genome consists of a circular chromosome (2,310,709 bp, with a GC content of 31.5%) and possesses 2,170 putative protein-coding genes, 18 rRNA genes, and 54 tRNA genes.

Evaluation of facial cleanliness and environmental improvement activities: Lessons learned from Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda

The World Health Organization promotes the SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements) strategy for trachoma control and prevention. The F&E components of the strategy focus on promotion of healthy hygiene and sanitation behaviors. In order to monitor F&E activities implemented across villages and schools in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda, an F&E Monitoring and Evaluation (FEME) framework was developed to track quarterly program outputs and to provide the basis for a pre and post evaluation of the activities. Results showed an increase in knowledge at the school and household levels, and in some cases, an increase in presence of hand/face washing stations. However, this did not always result in a change in trachoma prevention behaviors such as facial cleanliness or keeping compounds free of human feces. The results highlight that the F&E programs were effective in increasing awareness of trachoma prevention but not able to translate that knowledge into changes in behavior during the time between pre and post-surveys. This study also indicates the potential to improve the data collection and survey design and notes that the period of intervention was not long enough to measure significant changes.

Candidemia to Candida pararugosa in a child: first case reported in Morocco

The genus Candida play an important role in human pathology, which leads scientists to study their virulence and pathogenicity [1]. Some studies have reported that 40% to 50% of infections are caused by Candida species other than Candida albicans. [2-4] Candida pararugosa (C. pararugosa) is a yeast isolated for the first time from human feces. Nakase et al [5] described it in the medical literature in 1999. It was thought that this yeast could be a colonizer of the gastrointestinal tract and oral cavity [6,7] despite the fact that this was isolated from different human anatomical specimens [8], there have been no cases in the literature that have linked its isolation to clinical symptomatology [9]. In Morocco, to our knowledge, no cases of Candida pararugosa candidemia have been reported. In the present observation, we describe the first case of isolation of C. pararugosa from the blood culture of a child with Burkitt lymphoma.

Blautia intestinalis sp. nov., isolated from human feces

A strictly anaerobic bacterial strain (27-44T) was isolated from a stool specimen from an autistic child collected in PR China. The strain was Gram-stain-positive, non-motile, non-pigmented, non-spore-forming, and cells were oval to rod-shaped. Strain 27-44T grew at 20–40 °C (optimal at 37 °C) and at pH 6.0–10 (optimal at 6.0–8.0). The major polar lipids were one phospholipid, two glycolipids, two aminophospholipids and one unidentified lipid. The major cellular fatty acids of strain 27-44T were C16 : 0 and C17 : 0 2-OH. The end product of glucose fermentation was mainly butyric acid. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain 27-44T was a member of the genus Blautia and phylogenetically closely related to Blautia obeum ATCC 29174T (with 97.8 % seque nce similarity). The genome of strain 27-44T was 3.5 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 42.36 mol%. A total of 3436 genes were predicted and, of these, 3133 genes were annotated by KEGG. On the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic comparisons, strain 27-44T represents a novel species within the genus Blautia , for which the name Blautia intestinalis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 27-44T= CGMCC 1.5285T=NBRC 113774T.

Reactive Nitrogen Releases And Nitrogen Footprint During The Life-Cycles of Intensive Vegetable Production Affected By Human Feces Slurry Substitution

Evaluating the sustainability of vegetable production is crucial to secure future food supply. A two-year field study of four different vegetable crops was performed to investigate the effects of inorganic fertilizer and human feces slurry at different ratios on vegetable yields, reactive gaseous nitrogen emissions (GNrEs), reactive nitrogen (Nr) footprint and net ecosystem-economic income (NEEI) by using life-cycle analysis. Four fertilization strategies were studied, including: CK (no fertilization); CF (inorganic fertilization); CHF1 (human feces slurry/inorganic fertilizer, N ratio=1:7); and CHF2 (human slurry/inorganic fertilizer, N ratio=1:3). Results showed that compared with CF treatment, both CHF1 and CHF2 treatments increased the N2O+NO emissions by 11.8 % and 32.4 % on average, while decreased the vegetable yields by 6.7 % and 7.4 %, respectively. Moreover, the addition of human feces slurry increased the proportions of Nr footprint by 6.6 % (CHF1) and 2.9 % (CHF2) in comparison with CF treatment group. However, although CHF2 treatment significantly increased the values of GNrEs and reactive gaseous nitrogen intensity (GNrI) by 8.4 % and 12.5 %, respectively, in relation to those in CF treatment group, it still increased farmers’ income by 16,404 CNY ha−1. These findings suggest that although human feces slurry incorporation could not mitigate Nr releases, the appropriate ratio of inorganic fertilizer and human feces slurry (CHF2) is able to improve net economic income (NEI) and NEEI during intensive vegetable production. Nevertheless, the relationship between combinatorial treatment of inorganic fertilizer and human feces slurry and mitigation of Nr release should be explored further.