The urinary phenolic acid profile varies between younger and older adults after a polyphenol-rich meal despite limited differences in in vitro colonic catabolism

Purpose: To investigate whether age influences colonic polyphenol metabolism. Methods: Healthy participants, younger (n = 8; 23–43 years) and older (n = 13; 51–76 years), followed a 3-day low-polyphenol diet (LPD) and a 3-day high-polyphenol diet (HPD). Urinary phenolic acids (PA), short chain fatty acids (SCFA), pH and gas were monitored, alongside selected colonic bacteria. Human faecal in vitro fermentations of rutin with or without raftiline were used to evaluate the gut microbiota capacity in a subset of both groups. Results: Total urinary PA were higher in the older group after HPD compared to the younger group (1.5-fold; p = 0.04), with no difference between groups in terms of a change between diets (Δ high-low diet). While 17 PA were detected in all younger participants after HPD, a narrower range (n = 8 to 16 PA) was detected in most (n = 9/13) older participants, with lower level of benzoic acid (19-fold; p = 0.03), vanillic acid (4.5-fold; p = 0.04) but higher hippuric acid (2.7-fold; p = 0.03). Faecal SCFA concentration did not change after HPD within group, with similar differential excretion (Δ high-low diet) between groups. There were no differences between groups for faecal pH, total, faecal bacteria including Flavonifractor plautii, bifidobacteria, and bacteroides. In human in vitro faecal fermentations, seven PAs were detected in both groups after 24 h of rutin fermentation, with no quantitative and modest qualitative differences between groups. Total SCFA in faecal fermentation did not differ between groups, except for butyric acid (twofold higher in the older group; p = 0.009) when rutin was fermented with raftiline over 24 h. Conclusions: Urinary phenolic acids were less diverse in older participants despite limited difference in functional capacity of in vitro faecal fermentations

Women\u27s risk perception and sexual victimization: A review of the literature

This article reviews empirical and theoretical studies that examined the relationship between risk perception and sexual victimization in women. Studies examining women\u27s general perceptions of risk for sexual assault as well as their ability to identify and respond to threat in specific situations are reviewed. Theoretical discussions of the optimistic bias and cognitive–ecological models of risk recognition are discussed in order to account for findings in the literature. Implications for interventions with women as well as recommendations for future research are provided

Phosphate and nitrate supplementations to evaluate the effect on cell biomass, intra and extracellular nodularin and nodulopeptin 901 produced by the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena KAC 66.

Blooms of the cyanobacterium Nodularia spumigena occur regularly in the Baltic Sea typically producing a wide range of bioactive peptides including the hepatotoxin nodularin (NOD), spumigins, anabaenopeptins and nodulopeptins (molecular weights: 917, 901 and 899Da). This study reports the production of intracellular and extracellular NOD and nodulopeptin 901 (the major secondary metabolites), at various nitrate and phosphorus concentrations produced by N. spumigena KAC 66 which had been originally isolated from the Baltic Sea. The growth was observed by cell biomass and intracellular and extracellular peptides monitored by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and mass spectrometry (HPLC-PDA-MS). In the present work, it was found that high concentrations of nitrate and phosphorus have a considerable effect on biomass and toxin levels of N. spumigena. In common with many studies, the maximum amount of NOD was retained within the cells during 5weeks of growth. In contrast, as much as ~ 40% of nodulopeptin 901 was excreted into the medium throughout the duration of experiments. At 6.5 and 3.5mgL−1 nitrate, the maximum concentrations of peptide per unit biomass was 1.78ng NOD (in week 4) and 1.42ngnodulopeptin 901 μg−1 (in week 3) were detected. However, the high concentrations of both peptides were produced in the absence of nitrate. The phosphate experiment indicated growth, and peptide production was dependent on availability of phosphorus. At 0mgL−1 of phosphate, an increased amount of intracellular (502.4ngμg−1 biomass) nodulopeptin 901 was recorded. This report evaluates the effect of nutrients on the production of biomass and toxins, which may predict the formation and control of blooms of N. spumigena in the Baltic Sea. It also provides information to improve the growth conditions to produce high biomass and toxins under suitable conditions, which may be helpful in the research. The results from the current study will also be helpful to predict about possible blooms of N. spumigena in the Baltic Sea with reference to increase or decrease in nitrate and phosphate concentrations

Short chain fatty acid production from mycoprotein and mycoprotein fibre in an in vitro fermentation model

Dietary mycoprotein (marketed as QuornTM) has many health benefits, including reductions in energy intake. The majority of studies evaluating mycoprotein focus on the protein content and very few consider the fibre content. Fibre consumption is also associated with decreased energy intake, which is partly attributed to short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) from fibre fermentation by colonic bacteria. To study the SCFA-producing capability of mycoprotein, in vitro batch fermentations were conducted, and SCFA production compared with that from extracted mycoprotein fibre, oligofructose (OF), rhamnose, and laminarin. Mycoprotein and mycoprotein fibre were both fermentable, resulting in a total SCFA production of 24.9 (1.7) and 61.2 (15.7) mmol/L, respectively. OF led to a significantly higher proportion of acetate compared to all other substrates tested (92.6 (2.8)%, p < 0.01). Rhamnose generated the highest proportion of propionate (45.3 (2.0)%, p < 0.01), although mycoprotein and mycoprotein fibre yielded a higher proportion of propionate compared with OF and laminarin. Butyrate proportion was the highest with laminarin (28.0 (10.0)although mycoprotein fibre led to a significantly higher proportion than OF (p < 0.01). Mycoprotein is a valuable source of dietary protein, but its fibre content is also of interest. Further evaluation of the potential roles of the fibre content of mycoprotein is required

Determinants of breastfeeding initiation among mothers in Kuwait

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended as the optimal way to feed infants for the first six months of life. While overall breastfeeding rates are high, exclusive breastfeeding is relatively uncommon among Middle Eastern women. The objective of this study was to identify the incidence of breastfeeding amongst women in the six governorates of Kuwait and the factors associated with the initiation of breastfeeding.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A sample of 373 women (aged 17-47 years), recruited shortly after delivery from four hospitals in Kuwait, completed a structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify those factors independently associated with the initiation of breastfeeding.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In total, 92.5% of mothers initiated breastfeeding and at discharge from hospital the majority of mothers were partially breastfeeding (55%), with only 30% of mothers fully breastfeeding. Prelacteal feeding was the norm (81.8%) and less than 1 in 5 infants (18.2%) received colostrum as their first feed. Only 10.5% of infants had been exclusively breastfed since birth, the remainder of the breastfed infants having received either prelacteal or supplementary infant formula feeds at some time during their hospital stay. Of the mothers who attempted to breastfeed, the majority of women (55.4%) delayed their first attempt to breastfeed until 24 hours or more after delivery. Breastfeeding at discharge from hospital was positively associated with paternal support for breastfeeding and negatively associated with delivery by caesarean section and with the infant having spent time in the Special Care Nursery.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The reasons for the high use of prelacteal and supplementary formula feeding warrant investigation. Hospital policies and staff training are needed to promote the early initiation of breastfeeding and to discourage the unnecessary use of infant formula in hospital, in order to support the establishment of exclusive breastfeeding by mothers in Kuwait.</p

High value phycotoxins from the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum.

Marine dinoflagellates produce chemically diverse compounds, with a wide range of biological activity (antimicrobial, anticancer, treatment of neurodegenerative disease along with use as biomedical research tools). Chemical diversity is highlighted by their production of molecules such as the saxitoxin family of alkaloids (C10H17N7O4 - 299 g/mol) to the amphipathic maitotoxin (C164H256O68S2Na2 - 3,422 g/mol), representing one of the largest and most complex secondary metabolites characterised. Dinoflagellates, are most well-known for the production of red tides which are frequently toxic, including okadaic acid and related dinophysistoxins, which are tumour promoters. The mode of action for these phycotoxins, is by specific inhibition of protein phosphatases, enzymes essential in regulation of many cellular processes. Hence, these compounds are being used for vital cell regulation studies. However, the availability of useful amounts of these compounds has restricted research. Chemical synthesis of some compounds such as okadaic acid has been investigated, but the complexity of the molecule resulted in many lengthy steps and achieved only a poor yield. The use of naturally occurring phytoplankton has been investigated as a potential source of these compounds, but it has been shown to be unreliable and impractical. The most practical option is large scale culture with down-stream processing/purification which requires specialist facilities and expertise. This review, describes the biotechnological potential of these organisms and the challenges to achieve useful yields of high quality phycotoxins using Prorocentrum spp. as an example to produce okadaic acid

Rapid analytical methods for the microalgal and cyanobacterial biorefinery: application on strains of industrial importance.

To realise the potential of microalgae in the biorefinery context, exploitation of multiple products is necessary for profitability and for bioproduct valorisation. Appropriate analytical tools are required for growth optimisation, culture monitoring and quality control purposes, with safe, low-tech and low-cost solutions favourable. Rapid, high-throughput and user-friendly methodologies were devised for a) determination phycobiliproteins, chlorophylls, carotenoids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids and b) qualitative and quantitative carotenoid profiling using UPLC-PDA-MSE. The complimentary methods were applied on 11 commercially important microalgal strains including Prasinophytes, Haptophytes and cyanobacteria, highlighting the suitability of some strains for coproduct exploitation and the methods utility for research and industrial biotechnology applications. The UPLC method allowed separation of 41 different carotenoid compounds in < 15 minutes. Simple techniques are described for further quantification and comparison of pigment profiles, allowing for easy strain selection and optimisation for pigment production, with suitability for biotechnological or biomedical applications