Impact of proanthocyanidin-rich apple intake on gut microbiota composition and polyphenol metabolomic activity in healthy mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects

AbstractApples are a rich source of polyphenols and fiber. Proanthocyanidins (PAs), the largest polyphenolic class in apples, can reach the colon almost intact where they interact with the gut microbiota producing simple phenolic acids. These metabolites have the potential to modulate gut microbiota composition and activity and impact on host physiology. A randomized, controlled, crossover, dietary intervention study was performed to determine the broad effects of whole apple intake on fecal gut microbiota composition and activity. Forty heathy mildly hypercholesterolemic volunteers (23 women, 17 men), with a mean BMI (± SD) 25.3 ± 3.7 kg/m2 and age 51 ± 11 years, consumed 2 apples/day (Renetta Canada, rich in PAs), or a sugar matched control apple beverage, for 8 weeks separated by a 4-week washout period in a random order. Fecal and 24-h urine samples were collected before and after each treatment. The broad effects of apple intake on fecal gut microbiota composition were explored by the high throughput sequencing (HTS) of 16S rRNA gene lllumina MiSeq sequencing (V3-V4 region). Sequencing data analysis was performed using the Quantitative Insight Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) open-source pipeline version 1.9.1. Specific bacterial groups were also enumerated using the quantitative Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). Furthermore, the potential formation of microbial polyphenol metabolites, after apple intake, was explored in urine using Liquid Chromatography (LC) High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS) metabolomics. Preliminary analysis showed no changes in gut microbiota abundances measured by Illumina MiSeq, after correction for multiple testing. Apple intake significantly decreased Enterobacteriaceae population (P = 0.04) compared to the control beverage, as determined with FISH. Twenty-four polyphenol microbial metabolites were identified in higher concentrations in the apple group (P < 0.05) compared to the control, including valerolactones, valeric and phenolic acids. In conclusion, preliminary data suggest that the daily intake of 2 Renetta Canada apples significantly decreased Enterobacteriaceae population, a family known for its pathogenic members, in healthy mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Moreover, several polyphenol microbial metabolites were identified, suggesting that microbial activity is crucial and a prerequisite for the absorption of apple polyphenols, producing active metabolites with potential health benefits

From Lampoldshausen to Space: DLR Spin-off InSpacePropulsion Technologies and the Development Status of Green Propellant Thrusters Based on H2O2 and N2O

The German Aerospace Center’s Institute of Space Propulsion in Lampoldshausen has more than a decade of experience in green propellant research and green propulsion hardware development. Over time, thrusters and propulsion hardware were developed in-house and the TRL of the hardware was increased step by step. Currently, the two most promising technologies are: the HyNOx bipropellant technology, based on nitrous oxide and hydrocarbon fuels, as well as the hypergolic HIP_11 technology. To commercialize the two propulsion technologies, a DLR spin-off called InSpacePropulsion Technologies will be founded in summer 2023. The preparation of the spin-off is currently funded by the Helmholtz Association and DLR. This paper gives an overview on the development of the two technologies and their development status

The QT21/HimL Combined Machine Translation System

This paper describes the joint submission of the QT21 and HimL projects for the English→Romanian translation task of the ACL 2016 First Conference on Machine Translation (WMT 2016). The submission is a system combination which combines twelve different statistical machine translation systems provided by the different groups (RWTH Aachen University, LMU Munich, Charles University in Prague, University of Edinburgh, University of Sheffield, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, LIMSI, University of Amsterdam, Tilde). The systems are combined using RWTH’s system combination approach. The final submission shows an improvement of 1.0 BLEU compared to the best single system on newstest2016

A high resolution search for the tensor glueball candidate [xi] (2230) Crystal Barrel Collaboration

We report results of a high resolution search for the tensor glueball candidate ξ(2230) in a p̄p formation experiment. π0π0 and ηη decay channels were measured in a scan of the mass region 2220 MeV to 2240 MeV. No evidence for the existence of ξ(2230) was found. 95% confidence upper limits for the possible existence of ξ are presented

Phycocyanin from <i>Arthrospira platensis</i> as Potential Anti-Cancer Drug: Review of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

The application of cytostatic drugs or natural substances to inhibit cancer growth and progression is an important and evolving subject of cancer research. There has been a surge of interest in marine bioresources, particularly algae, as well as cyanobacteria and their bioactive ingredients. Dried biomass products of Arthrospira and Chlorella have been categorized as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Of particular importance is an ingredient of Arthrospira: phycocyanin, a blue-red fluorescent, water-soluble and non-toxic biliprotein pigment. It is reported to be the main active ingredient of Arthrospira and was shown to have therapeutic properties, including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory and anti-cancer activities. In the present review, in vitro and in vivo data on the effects of phycocyanin on various tumor cells and on cells from healthy tissues are summarized. The existing knowledge of underlying molecular mechanisms, and strategies to improve the efficiency of potential phycocyanin-based anti-cancer therapies are discussed

Influence of Different Light-Emitting Diode Colors on Growth and Phycobiliprotein Generation of Arthrospira platensis

Light-emitting diodes (LED) can be utilized as tailorable artificial light sources for the cultivation of cyanobacteria such as Arthrospira platensis (AP). To study the influence of different LED light colors on phototrophic growth and biomass composition, AP was cultured in closed bioreactors and exposed to red, green, blue, or white LED lights. The illumination with red LED light resulted in the highest cell growth and highest cell densities compared to all other light sources (order of cell densities: red &gt; white &gt; green &gt; blue LED light). In contrast, the highest phycocyanin concentrations were found when AP was cultured under blue LED light (e.g., order of concentrations: blue &gt; white &gt; red &gt; green LED light). LED-blue light stimulated the accumulation of nitrogen compounds in the form of phycobiliproteins at the expense of cell growth. The results of the study revealed that exposure to different LED light colors can improve the quality and quantity of the biomass gained in AP cultures

Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Compounds from Arthrospira platensis and Its Effects on Tissue and Blood Cells&mdash;An Overview

The cyanobacterium Arthrospira platensis (Spirulina platensis) is a natural source of considerable amounts of ingredients that are relevant for nutra- and pharmaceutical uses. Different hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances can be obtained by extraction from the biomass. The respective extraction techniques determine the composition of substances in the extract and thus its biological activity. In this short review, we provide an overview of the hydrophilic compounds (phenols, phycobiliproteins, polysaccharides, and vitamins) and lipophilic ingredients (chlorophylls, vitamins, fatty acids, and glycolipids) of Arthrospira platensis. The principal influences of these substances on blood and tissue cells are briefly summarized

Technische und methodische Grundlagen der THG-Bilanzierung von Biomethan

Seit dem 1. Januar 2015 ist die Bemessungsgrundlage für die Erfüllung der Biokraftstoffquote nach BImSchG (§ 37) vom Energiegehalt der Kraftstoffe auf eine Verpflichtung zur Treibhausgas (THG)-Minderung umgestellt. Diese Maßnahme soll einen wirksamen und quantifizierbaren Beitrag zur Verringerung der Treibhausgasemissionen des Verkehrssektors leisten. Konsequenterweise haben die Biokraftstoffe die besten Marktchancen, die als Ergebnis der Nachhaltigkeitszertifizierung nach der Biokraftstoff-Nachhaltigkeitsverordnung (Biokraft-NachV) die beste THG-Bilanz ausweisen. Die Treibhausgasminderungseffizienz wird damit – in einem globalisierten Biomasserohstoff- und Biokraftstoffmarkt - neben dem Preis für die gesamte Warenkette zum wesentlichen Wettbewerbsfaktor. Ab 2015 ist zu erwarten, dass die Verwendung der so genannten Standardwerte aus dem Anhang der Biokraft-NachV stark abnimmt und vorwiegend individuell berechnete THG-Bilanzen im Rahmen der Zertifizierung erstellt werden