Effect of a Mediterranean type diet on inflammatory and cartilage degradation biomarkers in patients with osteoarthritis

Objectives: To investigate the effects of a Mediterranean type diet on patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Participants: Ninety-nine volunteers with OA (aged 31 - 90 years) completed the study (83% female). Setting: Southeast of England, UK. Design: Participants were randomly allocated to the dietary intervention (DIET, n = 50) or control (CON, n = 49). The DIET group were asked to follow a Mediterranean type diet for 16 weeks whereas the CON group were asked to follow their normal diet. Measurements: All participants completed an Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS2) pre-, mid- and post- study period. A subset of participants attended a clinic at the start and end of the study for assessment of joint range of motion, ROM (DIET = 33, CON = 28), and to provide blood samples (DIET = 29, CON = 25) for biomarker analysis (including serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (sCOMP) (a marker of cartilage degradation) and a panel of other relevant biomarkers including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines). Results: There were no differences between groups in the response of any AIMS2 components and most biomarkers (p > 0.05), except the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1?, which decreased in the DIET group (~47%, p = 0.010). sCOMP decreased in the DIET group by 1 U/L (~8%, p = 0.014). There was a significant improvement in knee flexion and hip rotation ROM in the DIET group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The average reduction in sCOMP in the DIET group (1 U/L) represents a meaningful change, but the longer term effects require further study

Suitable real-time monitoring of the aerobic biodegradation of toluene in contaminated sand by spectral induced polarizationmeasurements and CO2 analyses

International audienceHydrocarbons commonly contaminate aquifers and, in certain cases, can be successfully treated through biodegradation. Biodegradation is an effective technique for cleaning up pollution by enhancing pollutant-degrading bacteria in situ. However, in situ sampling for monitoring processes occurring into the ground during the treatment is expensive and invasive. In this article, an alternative method was tested. Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) was combined with gas analyses, CO2 concentration and its carbon isotopic ratio, to monitor toluene aerobic biodegradation in laboratory columns. Microbial activity was characterized by an evolution of the SIP response in correlation with a CO2 production with the same carbon isotope signature as toluene. The spectral induced polarization response followed the variations of bacterial activity and displayed a phase shift up to 15 mrad. These results support the feasibility of using geophysical measurements, supported by CO2 analyses, to monitor in situ hydrocarbon biodegradation, and they are proving to be highly promising for real field scale monitoring