Activity

lore the causality in the interplay between HEI and gut-microbiome composition in metabolism.

Our multi-omic analysis demonstrated that changes in metabolism, measured by either circulatory/gut metabolites or metabolic pathways, are influenced by not only diet quality but also gut microbiome alterations shaped by the quality of diet consumed. Future work is needed to explore the causality in the interplay between HEI and gut-microbiome composition in metabolism.

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) represents the largest by-product of the brewing industry. Its utilisation as an animal feed has become less practical today; however, its high fibre and protein content make it a promising untapped resource for human nutrition. BSG contains mainly insoluble fibre. This fibre, along with protein, is trapped with the complex lignocellulosic cell structure and must be solubilised to release components which may be beneficial to health through modulation of the gut microbiota.

In this study, the application of a simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process for the extraction and solubilisation of arabinoxylan from BSG is demonstrated.

Processing of the BSG was varied to modulate the physicochemical and molecular characteristic of the released arabinoxylan. The maximum level of arabinoxylan solubilisation achieved was approximately 21%, compared to the unprocessed BSG which contained no soluble arabinoxylan (AX). Concentration of the solubilised material produced a sample containing 99% soluble AX. Samples were investigated for their microbiome modulating capacity in in-vitro faecal fermentation trials. Many samples promoted increased Lactobacillus levels (approx. twofold). One sample that contained the highest level of soluble AX was shown to be bifidogenic, increasing the levels of this genus approx. 3.5-fold as well as acetate (p = 0.018) and propionate (p < 0.001) production.

The findings indicate that AX extracted from BSG has prebiotic potential. The demonstration that BSG is a source of functional fibre is a promising step towards the application of this brewing side-stream as a functional food ingredient for human nutrition.

The findings indicate that AX extracted from BSG has prebiotic potential. The demonstration that BSG is a source of functional fibre is a promising step towards the application of this brewing side-stream as a functional food ingredient for human nutrition.The advent of transcatheter procedures for treatment of valvular heart disease has accelerated the pace of research in the diagnosis and treatment of heart valve disease. Rapid accumulation of novel knowledge in the field necessitates timely revisions of clinical guidelines. This paper comments on some important and novel issues addressed in the recently published American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines.

Anal fistulae (AF) are considered a challenge for colorectal surgeons, as they recur if not properly operated. Being a septic disease, they are correlated with immunodeficiency and surgery may be followed by anal incontinence (AI). The aim of this paper is to suggest a state-of-the-art treatment of AF.

Pathogenesis, classification, diagnostic tools, intraoperative assessment, and surgeries proposed for AF have been reviewed, together with the results following conventional surgery and innovations aimed at sphincters’ preservation.

Stress causes immunodepression and favors anal sepsis, and heavy smoking facilitates AF recurrences. Evacuation fistulography, MRI, and transanal ultrasound may help the diagnosis. Fistulotomy allows high cure rate, up to 96.4%, but may cause up to 64% of AI in transsphincteric AF. Fistulectomy with rectal advancement flap is effective in 80% of these cases and avoids AI. Other options are either suturing of AF internal orifice or positioning a cutting seton. Ligation of intersphincteric fistula track (LIFT) is a costless alternative carrying a success of 57-99% with 0-23% AI. Costly innovations, i.e., autologous stem cells, porcine derma sheet (Permacol), video-assisted fistula excision (VAAFT), porcine matrix (PLUG), and laser closure (FiLaC), minimize AI, but may carry AF recurrence. Their grades of recommendation range between 2B and 2C in the Guidelines of the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery.

Postoperative incontinence in transsphincteric AF may be minimized by both costless and costly sphincter-saving procedures, the latter carrying higher recurrence rate. The success of surgery may be increased by a different lifestyle.

Postoperative incontinence in transsphincteric AF may be minimized by both costless and costly sphincter-saving procedures, the latter carrying higher recurrence rate. The success of surgery may be increased by a different lifestyle.Expensive cellulase and complex detoxification procedures increase the cost of biomass lactic acid fermentation. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop a robust method to ferment lactic acid using biomass by avoiding cellulase and detoxification. This study demonstrates the advantage of combining mechanocatalytic P2O5 pre-treatment and strain domestication. We show that an enzyme-free mechanocatalytic saccharification process by combining mix-milling of P2O5 with biomass and successive hydrolysis produces a fermentable hydrolysate with much less inhibitory compounds than the hydrolysates obtained by conventional methods; only 5-HMF, furfural and acetic acid were detected in the biomass hydrolysate, and no phenolic inhibitors were detected. selleckchem Pretreatment of biomass with P2O5 not only avoided cellulase, but also obtained less toxic hydrolysate. Furthermore, the Pediococcus pentosaceus strain gained superior inhibitor tolerance through domestication. It could tolerate 17.1 g/L acetic acid, 12.5 g/L 5-HMF, 11.9 g/L guaiacol and 11.5 g/L furfural and showed activity in decomposing furfural and 5-HMF for self-detoxification, allowing efficient lactic acid fermentation from biomass hydrolysate without detoxification. The lactic acid concentration and conversion rate fermented by domesticated bacteria were increased by 113.5% and 22.4%, respectively. In addition, the domesticated bacteria could utilize glucose and xylose simultaneously to produce lactic acid selectively. The combination of P2O5 pre-treatment and strain domestication to ferment lactic acid is applied to several biomass feedstocks, including corn stalk, corn stalk residue and rice husk residue. Lactic acid concentrations of 29.8 g/L, 31.1 g/L, and 46.2 g/L were produced from the hydrolysates of corn stalk, corn stalk residue and rice husk residue, respectively.