The effect of New Zealand blackcurrant supplementation on recovery from muscle damage induced by drop jumps

New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) is a rich source of anthocyanins, which improve blood flow and display anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Limited evidence is available as to whether anthocyanin supplements can aid recovery in the days following muscle damaging exercise. The aim of this study was to examine if NZBC extract improves recovery following muscle damaging exercise. Following a double-blind, repeated crossover design, 12 recreationally active males (mean±SD: age 29±6 years, stature 1.80±0.07 m, body mass 78.0±10.7 kg, Σ of 4 skinfolds 35.65± 12.30 mm, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) baseline 497± 120 N) ingested either 2 x 300 mg·day−1 capsules with a NZBC extract (CurraNZ™; each containing 105 mg anthocyanin) or a visually matched placebo (PLA) 7-days prior and 3-days after completing a 100-drop jump protocol (100-DJP). Measures of MVIC, electrically stimulated (ES) contractions, countermovement jumps (CMJ), perceived muscle soreness (visual analogue scale), serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2) were made pre- (baseline), immediately-, 24-, 48- and 72 h-post the 100-DJP. MVIC, ES, CMJ and muscle soreness variables were analysed using a mixed model ANOVA with significance set at p < 0.05. MVIC peak force was reduced immediately-post 100-DJP, compared to baseline (NZBC: 90±10; PLA: 93±11 %; P = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.320), but returned to baseline at 24 h with no difference between groups (P = 0.940). ES doublet peak force was reduced compared to baseline immediately- 24-, 48- and 72 h-post (P 0.05). In conclusion, the NZBC extract did not accelerate recovery of MVIC or ES doublet peak force, perceptions of muscle soreness or inflammation following muscle damaging exercise in recreationally active males and large inter-individual variation in responses were present

Process-oriented approach towards catalyst design and optimisation

Translation of catalysts developed in academia to industrial end-users remains a challenge due to a lack of knowledge about the impact of catalyst attributes on the whole process and vice versa. A systematic methodology is proposed that assesses these in terms of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As a case study, the dehydration of butanol to butenes and dibutyl ether is considered over H-ZSM5 and H-Beta catalysts. It is demonstrated that catalysts should be designed for complete conversion and high butene selectivity, as removal of unreacted 1-butanol requires a complex separation due to the thermo-physical properties of the product mixture

Gradients of glucose metabolism regulate morphogen signalling required for specifying tonotopic organisation in the chicken cochlea

In vertebrates with elongated auditory organs, mechanosensory hair cells (HCs) are organised such that complex sounds are broken down into their component frequencies along a proximal-to-distal long (tonotopic) axis. Acquisition of unique morphologies at the appropriate position along the chick cochlea, the basilar papilla, requires that nascent HCs determine their tonotopic positions during development. The complex signalling within the auditory organ between a developing HC and its local niche along the cochlea is poorly understood. Using a combination of live imaging and NAD(P)H fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, we reveal that there is a gradient in the cellular balance between glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway in developing HCs along the tonotopic axis. Perturbing this balance by inhibiting different branches of cytosolic glucose catabolism disrupts developmental morphogen signalling and abolishes the normal tonotopic gradient in HC morphology. These findings highlight a causal link between graded morphogen signalling and metabolic reprogramming in specifying the tonotopic identity of developing HCs

The effect of sex, menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive use on intestinal permeability and ex-vivo monocyte TNFα release following treatment with lipopolysaccharide and hyperthermia

Investigate the impact of sex, menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive use on intestinal permeability and ex-vivo tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) release following treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hyperthermia. Twenty-seven participants (9 men, 9 eumenorrheic women (MC) and 9 women taking an oral contraceptive pill (OC)) completed three trials. Men were tested on 3 occasions over 6 weeks; MC during early-follicular, ovulation, and mid-luteal phases; OC during the pill and pill-free phase. Intestinal permeability was assessed following a 4-hour dual sugar absorption test (lactulose: rhamnose). Venous blood was collected each trial and stimulated with 100 μg·mL LPS before incubation at 37 °C and 40 °C and analysed for TNFα via ELISA. L:R ratio was higher in OC than MC (+0.003, p = 0.061) and men (+0.005, p = 0.007). Men had higher TNFα responses than both MC (+53 %, p = 0.004) and OC (+61 %, p = 0.003). TNFα release was greater at 40 °C than 37 °C (+23 %, p < 0.001). Men present with lower resting intestinal barrier permeability relative to women regardless of OC use and displayed greater monocyte TNFα release following whole blood treatment with LPS and hyperthermia. Oral contraceptive users had highest intestinal permeability however, neither permeability or TNFα release were impacted by the pill cycle. Although no statistical effect was seen in the menstrual cycle, intestinal permeability and TNFα release were more variable across the phases

Xyloglucan is released by plants and promotes soil particle aggregation

Soil is a crucial component of the biosphere and is a major sink for organic carbon. Plant roots are known to release a wide range of carbon-based compounds into soils, including polysaccharides, but the functions of these are not known in detail. Using a monoclonal antibody to plant cell wall xyloglucan, we show that this polysaccharide is secreted by a wide range of angiosperm roots, and relatively abundantly by grasses. It is also released from the rhizoids of liverworts, the earliest diverging lineage of land plants. Using analysis of water-stable aggregate size, dry dispersion particle analysis and scanning electron microscopy, we show that xyloglucan is effective in increasing soil particle aggregation, a key factor in the formation and function of healthy soils. To study the possible roles of xyloglucan in the formation of soils, we analysed the xyloglucan contents of mineral soils of known age exposed upon the retreat of glaciers. These glacial forefield soils had significantly higher xyloglucan contents than detected in a UK grassland soil. We propose that xyloglucan released from plant rhizoids/roots is an effective soil particle aggregator and may, in this role, have been important in the initial colonization of land

Diabetes causes marked inhibition of mitochondrial metabolism in pancreatic β-cells

Diabetes is a global health problem caused primarily by the inability of pancreatic β-cells to secrete adequate levels of insulin. The molecular mechanisms underlying the progressive failure of β-cells to respond to glucose in type-2 diabetes remain unresolved. Using a combination of transcriptomics and proteomics, we find significant dysregulation of major metabolic pathways in islets of diabetic βV59M mice, a non-obese, eulipidaemic diabetes model. Multiple genes/proteins involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis are upregulated, whereas those involved in oxidative phosphorylation are downregulated. In isolated islets, glucose-induced increases in NADH and ATP are impaired and both oxidative and glycolytic glucose metabolism are reduced. INS-1 β-cells cultured chronically at high glucose show similar changes in protein expression and reduced glucose-stimulated oxygen consumption: targeted metabolomics reveals impaired metabolism. These data indicate hyperglycaemia induces metabolic changes in β-cells that markedly reduce mitochondrial metabolism and ATP synthesis. We propose this underlies the progressive failure of β-cells in diabetes.Peer reviewe

A universal reactor platform for batch and flow: application to homogeneous and heterogeneous hydrogenation

An array of miniature 1.7 mL, 9 bar pressure-rated continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) have been developed and used to determine optimal hydrogenation conditions in batch, before being reconfigured to carry out the hydrogenation in continuous flow. On-line pressure measurement was used to give direct mass transfer kinetics. The system has been tested using benchmark heterogeneous and homogenous reactions in batch and flow. The simplicity of the system enables chemists to overcome problems that are associated with carrying-out pressure hydrogenations

The global burden of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease is a major cause of global morbidity and mortality. Malnourished children, those with recent malaria or sickle-cell anaemia, and adults with HIV infection are at particularly high risk of disease. We sought to estimate the burden of disease attributable to non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease for the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017. Methods We did a systematic review of scientific databases and grey literature, and estimated non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease incidence and mortality for the years 1990 to 2017, by age, sex, and geographical location using DisMod-MR, a Bayesian meta-regression tool. We estimated case fatality by age, HIV status, and sociodemographic development. We also calculated the HIV-attributable fraction and estimated health gap metrics, including disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Findings We estimated that 535 000 (95% uncertainty interval 409 000-705 000) cases of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease occurred in 2017, with the highest incidence in sub-Saharan Africa (34.5 [26.6-45.0] cases per 100 000 person-years) and in children younger than 5 years (34.3 [23.2-54.7] cases per 100 000 person-years). 77 500 (46 400-123 000) deaths were estimated in 2017, of which 18 400 (12 000-27 700) were attributable to HIV. The remaining 59 100 (33 300-98 100) deaths not attributable to HIV accounted for 4.26 million (2.38-7.38) DALYs in 2017. Mean all-age case fatality was 14.5% (9.2-21.1), with higher estimates among children younger than 5 years (13.5% [8.4-19.8]) and elderly people (51.2% [30.2-72.9] among those aged >= 70 years), people with HIV infection (41.8% [30.0-54.0]), and in areas of low sociodemographic development (eg, 15.8% [10.0-22.9] in sub-Saharan Africa). Interpretation We present the first global estimates of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease that have been produced as part of GBD 2017. Given the high disease burden, particularly in children, elderly people, and people with HIV infection, investigating the sources and transmission pathways of non-typhoidal salmonella invasive disease is crucial to implement effective preventive and control measures. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Copyright (c) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Keywords: 195 COUNTRIES; CLINICAL PRESENTATION; TERRITORIES; RESISTANCE; EPIDEMIOLOGY; INFECTIONS; DISABILITY; INJURIES; OUTCOME

Quantifying risks and interventions that have affected the burden of lower respiratory infections among children younger than 5 years: an analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Despite large reductions in under-5 lower respiratory infection (LRI) mortality in many locations, the pace of progress for LRIs has generally lagged behind that of other childhood infectious diseases. To better inform programmes and policies focused on preventing and treating LRIs, we assessed the contributions and patterns of risk factor attribution, intervention coverage, and sociodemographic development in 195 countries and territories by drawing from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2017 (GBD 2017) LRI estimates. Methods We used four strategies to model LRI burden: the mortality due to LRIs was modelled using vital registration data, demographic surveillance data, and verbal autopsy data in a predictive ensemble modelling tool; the incidence of LRIs was modelled using population representative surveys, health-care utilisation data, and scientific literature in a compartmental meta-regression tool; the attribution of risk factors for LRI mortality was modelled in a counterfactual framework; and trends in LRI mortality were analysed applying changes in exposure to risk factors over time. In GBD, infectious disease mortality, including that due to LRI, is among HIV-negative individuals. We categorised locations based on their burden in 1990 to make comparisons in the changing burden between 1990 and 2017 and evaluate the relative percent change in mortality rate, incidence, and risk factor exposure to explain differences in the health loss associated with LRIs among children younger than 5 years. Findings In 2017, LRIs caused 808 920 deaths (95% uncertainty interval 747 286–873 591) in children younger than 5 years. Since 1990, there has been a substantial decrease in the number of deaths (from 2 337 538 to 808 920 deaths; 65·4% decrease, 61·5–68·5) and in mortality rate (from 362·7 deaths [330·1–392·0] per 100 000 children to 118·9 deaths [109·8–128·3] per 100 000 children; 67·2% decrease, 63·5–70·1). LRI incidence declined globally (32·4% decrease, 27·2–37·5). The percent change in under-5 mortality rate and incidence has varied across locations. Among the risk factors assessed in this study, those responsible for the greatest decrease in under-5 LRI mortality between 1990 and 2017 were increased coverage of vaccination against Haemophilus influenza type b (11·4% decrease, 0·0–24·5), increased pneumococcal vaccine coverage (6·3% decrease, 6·1–6·3), and reductions in household air pollution (8·4%, 6·8–9·2). Interpretation Our findings show that there have been substantial but uneven declines in LRI mortality among countries between 1990 and 2017. Although improvements in indicators of sociodemographic development could explain some of these trends, changes in exposure to modifiable risk factors are related to the rates of decline in LRI mortality. No single intervention would universally accelerate reductions in health loss associated with LRIs in all settings, but emphasising the most dominant risk factors, particularly in countries with high case fatality, can contribute to the reduction of preventable deaths