4,704 research outputs found
Gut microbiota and health: connecting actors across the metabolic system
Overweight-related metabolic diseases are an important threat to health in the Western world. Dietary habits are one of the main causative factors for metabolic syndrome, CVD and type 2 diabetes. The human gut microbiota is emerging as an important player in the interaction between diet and metabolic health. Gut microbial communities contribute to human metabolism through fermentation of dietary fibre and the result of intestinal saccharolytic fermentation is production of SCFA. Acetate, propionate and butyrate positively influence satiety, endocrine system, glucose homeostasis, adipogenesis, lipid oxidation, thermoregulation, hepatic gluconeogenesis, endothelial function and gut barrier integrity, and these mechanisms have all been linked to protection from type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular health. The gut microbiota is also involved in bile acid metabolism and regulating their cell signalling potential, which has also been shown to modify pathways involved in metabolic health. Similarly, the gut microbiota renders recalcitrant plant polyphenols into biologically active small phenolic compounds which then act systemically to reduce metabolic disease risk. This review summarises how dietary patterns, specific foods and a healthy lifestyle may modulate metabolic health through the gut microbiota and their molecular cross-talk with the host
Operation of a LAr-TPC equipped with a multilayer LEM charge readout
A novel detector for the ionization signal in a single phase LAr-TPC, based
on the adoption of a multilayer Large Electron Multiplier (LEM) replacing the
traditional anodic wire arrays, has been experimented in the ICARINO test
facility at the INFN Laboratories in Legnaro. Cosmic muon tracks were detected
allowing the measurement of energy deposition and a first determination of the
signal to noise ratio. The analysis of the recorded events demonstrated the 3D
reconstruction capability of ionizing events in this device in liquid Argon,
collecting a fraction of about 90% of the ionization signal with signal to
noise ratio similar to that measured with more traditional wire chambersComment: 9 pages, 7 Figure
Sensory acuity for alarming oral sensations associates with specific networks of salivary bacteria and dietary intakes
Free electron lifetime achievements in Liquid Argon Imaging TPC
A key feature for the success of the liquid Argon imaging TPC (LAr-TPC)
technology is the industrial purification against electro-negative impurities,
especially Oxygen and Nitrogen remnants, which have to be continuously kept at
an exceptionally low level by filtering and recirculating liquid Argon.
Improved purification techniques have been applied to a 120 liters LAr-TPC test
facility in the INFN-LNL laboratory. Through-going muon tracks have been used
to determine the free electron lifetime in liquid Argon against
electro-negative impurities. The short path length here observed (30 cm) is
compensated by the high accuracy in the observation of the specific ionization
of cosmic ray muons at sea level as a function of the drift distance. A free
electron lifetime of (21.4+7.3-4.3) ms, namely > 15.8 ms at 90 % C.L. has been
observed over several weeks under stable conditions, corresponding to a
residual Oxygen equivalent of about 15 ppt (part per trillion). At 500 V/cm,
the free electron speed is 1.5 m/ms. In a LAr-TPC a free electron lifetime in
excess of 15 ms corresponds for instance to an attenuation of less than 15 %
after a drift path of 5 m, opening the way to the operation of the LAr-TPC with
exceptionally long drift distances.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures; Accepted for publication in JINS
Shelf Life Extension and Nutritional Quality Preservation of Sour Cherries through High Pressure Processing
The present study assessed the effectiveness of high pressure processing (HPP) for the quality maintenance of pitted sour cherries, with special regard to microbial stabilization and the maintenance of color and of chemical–nutritional properties. The HPP treatment (600 MPa for 3 min at 4 °C) was effective at minimizing the initial microbial load, which remained at negligible levels throughout 5 months of refrigerated storage. The color and total phytochemical content of sour cherries were not influenced by the HPP treatment and were maintained at levels comparable with the fresh product for 3 months of refrigerated storage. For longer storage periods, the typical red color decreased, in agreement with the content of total anthocyanins, which showed a significant decrease (up to 65% after 5 months). The antioxidant activity, measured by the ABTS and DPPH assays, was not affected by the HPP treatment, but slightly reduced during refrigerated storage. The study suggests that HPP may be exploited to extend the shelf life, while maintaining the fresh-like features of sour cherries, thus offering an alternative option to current preservation techniques (based on freezing or heating) commonly applied to this product
What's behind the differences in sensory responsiveness to oral stimuli in real foods? A possible link with oral and gut microbiota
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