Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41761056›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2026

Pooled feces reduce the inter-sample variation of microbiota in pig models.

Huixin Wang, Qingtao Gao, Guoqi Dang, Shunfen Zhang, Ruqing Zhong, Liang Chen, Hongfu Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Huixin WangState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
Qingtao GaoState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
Guoqi DangState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
Shunfen ZhangState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.
Ruqing ZhongState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China. zhongruqing@caas.cn.
Liang ChenState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China. chenliang01@caas.cn.
Hongfu ZhangState Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193, China.

Funding

Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Project of Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences CXGC2024F11Jinan introductory innovation team project 202228037National Key R&D Program of China 2022YFD1300605Shandong Province Science and Technology Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Innovation Ability Improvement Project 2022TSGC2029
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFor in vitro batch fermentation or fecal microbiota transplantation, preparation of inoculum was recommended by pooled feces to minimize inter-individual variation. However, the impact of pooling on microbiota variability remains unclear. The present study investigated the changes in inter-sample variation of microbial community in fecal samples after pooling from different numbers of donors, and verified the hypothesis that the variation of microbiota in feces affects the fermentation outcomes in vitro using fecal inoculum.

resultsThe pooled feces from different pigs increased the microbial richness (Sobs and Ace indexes, P < 0.05). The PCoA indicated that the microbiota composition was not distinct among the treatments, however, the distance of the sample within group was reduced as the incremental number of feces in the mixed samples. Microbial composition analysis indicated the variation of microbiota abundance was reduced with the increasing number of feces in mixed samples. The in vitro fermentation results suggested that the coefficient variation (CV), especially inter-bath and total CV, the kinetic parameters of gas production, in vitro fermentability of dry matter (IVDMF), and SCFA production reduced as the number of mixture donors increased.

conclusionsCollectively, pooled feces originating from different donors can reduce the variation of microbiota between samples, and it is proposed that the fecal samples should be mixed, derived from 5 to 10 pigs, and then prepared as an inoculum to improve the reproducibility of in vitro fermentation.

Indexed as

BacteriaFecesGastrointestinal MicrobiomeMicrobiotaAnimalsBiodiversityFecal Microbiota TransplantationFermentationPooled TestingRNA, Ribosomal, 16SSwineRNA, Ribosomal, 16SFecal poolingIn vitro fermentationMicrobial community variationMicrobiota diversitySCFA production

Identifiers

PMID41761056
PMCPMC13041073

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.