Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with a profound immunological dysfunction manifested by a severe shift from T-helper type 1 (Th1) to T-helper type 2 (Th2) response. This predisposes patients to infections, sepsis, and adverse outcomes. Probiotic bacteria have been shown to balance the Th1/Th2 cytokines in allergic murine models and patients. For the present study, we hypothesized that the enteral administration of probiotics would adjust the Th1/Th2 imbalance and improve clinical outcomes in TBI patients. Methods: We designed a prospective, randomized, single-blind study. Patients with severe TBI and Glasgow Coma Scale scores between 5 and 8 were included, resulting in 26 patients in the control group and 26 patients in the probiotic group. All patients received enteral nutrition via a nasogastric tube within 24 to 48 hours following admission. In addition, the probiotic group received 10⁹ bacteria of viable probiotics per day for 21 days. The associated serum levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, nosocomial infections, length of ICU stay, and 28-day mortality rate were studied. Results: The patients responded to viable probiotics, and showed a significantly higher increase in serum IL-12p70 and IFNγ levels while also experiencing a dramatic decrease in IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations. APACHE II and SOFA scores were not significantly affected by probiotic treatment. Patients in the probiotic group experienced a decreased incidence of nosocomial infections towards the end of the study. Shorter ICU stays were also observed among patients treated with probiotic therapy. However, the 28-day mortality rate was unaffected. Conclusions: The present study showed that daily prophylactic administration of probiotics could attenuate the deviated Th1/Th2 response induced by severe TBI, and could result in a decreased nosocomial infection rate, especially in the late period. Trial registration: ChiCTR-TRC-10000835.

Clinical studies have shown that probiotics influence gastrointestinal motility. However, the molecular mechanisms by which probiotic Lactobacillus modulates intestinal motility in traumatic brain injury (TBI) mouse model have not been explored. In the present study, we provided evidence showing that treatment of TBI mice with Lactobacillus acidophilus significantly improved the terminal ileum villus morphology, restored the impaired interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) and the disrupted ICC networks after TBI, and prevented TBI-mediated inhibition of contractile activity in intestinal smooth muscle. Mechanistically, the decreased concentration of MLCK, phospho-MLC₂₀ and phospho-MYPT1 and increased concentration of MLCP and PKC were observed after TBI, and these events mediated by TBI were efficiently prevented by Lactobacillus acidophilus application. These findings may provide a novel mechanistic basis for the application of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the treatment of TBI.

Early oral feeding has been shown to be safe and effective for most surgeries, while surgeons and nurses are still hesitant to implement it in gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy. This review aimed to investigate the safety and feasibility of early versus delayed oral feeding in gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The literature search was performed in 7 databases from inception to March 7, 2021. Randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of early oral feeding and delayed oral feeding in gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy were included. The primary outcome was hospital days, and secondary outcomes included hospital costs, postoperative complication rates, feeding intolerance rates, annal exhaust time, albumin levels and prealbumin levels. According to the presence of heterogeneity, fixed or random effect meta-analysis was applied. Nine trials involving 1087 gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy were pooled in this systemic review and meta-analysis. The results showed that early oral feeding significantly decreased hospital days (mean difference = -1.50, 95% confidence interval = -1.91 to -1.10, P < 0.001) and hospital costs (mean difference = -4.21, 95% confidence interval = -5.00 to -3.42, P < 0.001) compared to delayed oral feeding, while the incidences of postoperative complications (risk ratio = 0.96, 95% confidence interval = 0.72 to 1.26, P = 0.76) and feeding intolerance (risk ratio = 0.95, 95% confidence interval = 0.79 to 1.15, P = 0.62) were comparable between the two groups. In comparison to delayed oral feeding, early oral feeding was associated with shorter annal exhaust time (mean difference = -0.61, 95% confidence interval = -0.81 to -0.40, P < 0.001) and higher levels of albumin (mean difference = 3.77, 95% confidence interval = 2.42 to 5.12, P < 0.001) and prealbumin (mean difference = 18.11, 95% confidence interval = 15.33 to 20.88, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the results of distal gastrectomy subgroup analysis indicated that hospital days were shorter in the early oral feeding group than in the delayed oral feeding group. For gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy, early oral feeding was associated with shorter hospital days and lower hospital costs, but early oral feeding did not increase the incidences of postoperative complications or feeding intolerance. Moreover, early oral feeding also decreased the annal exhaust time but increased the levels of albumin and prealbumin.

Introduction: Silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) are currently among the most widely used nanomaterials, but their potentially adverse effects on brain development remain unknown. The developing brain is extremely sensitive to NP neurotoxicity during the early postnatal period. Materials and methods: Herein, we investigated the effects of SiO₂-NPs (doses of 10, 20, or 50 mg with a particle size of ~91 nm, equivalent to aerosol mass concentrations 55.56, 111.11, and 277.78 mg/m³, respectively) exposure from postnatal day (P) 1 to P7 on hippocampal precursor proliferation at P8 and long-term neurobehavior in adults. Results: SiO₂-NP exposure resulted in inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, microglia over-activation in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG), and decreased hippocampal precursor proliferation in the DG-subgranular zone at P8. Moreover, after exposure to 20 mg of SiO₂-NPs, mice exhibited social interaction deficits and slight anxiety-like behaviors in adulthood, but this exposure did not induce locomotor activity impairment, depression-like behavior, or short-term memory impairment. Discussion: These findings suggest that early-age SiO₂-NP exposure induced inflammation and inhibited precursor proliferation in the DG in a dose-dependent manner, which might be related to the social dysfunction observed in adulthood.