Effects of in vitro metabolism of a broccoli leachate, glucosinolates and S-methylcysteine sulphoxide on the human faecal microbiome

Purpose: Brassica are an important food source worldwide and are characterised by the presence of compounds called glucosinolates. Studies indicate that the glucosinolate derived bioactive metabolite sulphoraphane can elicit chemoprotective benefits on human cells. Glucosinolates can be metabolised in vivo by members of the human gut microbiome, although the prevalence of this activity is unclear. Brassica and Allium plants also contain S-methylcysteine sulphoxide (SMCSO), that may provide additional health benefits but its metabolism by gut bacteria is not fully understood. Methods: We examined the effects of a broccoli leachate (BL) on the composition and function of human faecal microbiomes of five different participants under in vitro conditions. Bacterial isolates from these communities were then tested for their ability to metabolise glucosinolates and SMCSO. Results: Microbial communities cultured in vitro in BL media were observed to have enhanced growth of lactic acid bacteria, such as lactobacilli, with a corresponding increase in the levels of lactate and short-chain fatty acids. Members of Escherichia isolated from these faecal communities were found to bioconvert glucosinolates and SMCSO to their reduced analogues. Conclusion: This study uses a broccoli leachate to investigate the bacterial-mediated bioconversion of glucosinolates and SMCSO, which may lead to further products with additional health benefits to the host. We believe that this is the first study that shows the reduction of the dietary compound S-methylcysteine sulphoxide by bacteria isolated from human faeces

Low potency toxins reveal dense interaction networks in metabolism

Background The chemicals of metabolism are constructed of a small set of atoms and bonds. This may be because chemical structures outside the chemical space in which life operates are incompatible with biochemistry, or because mechanisms to make or utilize such excluded structures has not evolved. In this paper I address the extent to which biochemistry is restricted to a small fraction of the chemical space of possible chemicals, a restricted subset that I call Biochemical Space. I explore evidence that this restriction is at least in part due to selection again specific structures, and suggest a mechanism by which this occurs. Results Chemicals that contain structures that our outside Biochemical Space (UnBiological groups) are more likely to be toxic to a wide range of organisms, even though they have no specifically toxic groups and no obvious mechanism of toxicity. This correlation of UnBiological with toxicity is stronger for low potency (millimolar) toxins. I relate this to the observation that most chemicals interact with many biological structures at low millimolar toxicity. I hypothesise that life has to select its components not only to have a specific set of functions but also to avoid interactions with all the other components of life that might degrade their function. Conclusions The chemistry of life has to form a dense, self-consistent network of chemical structures, and cannot easily be arbitrarily extended. The toxicity of arbitrary chemicals is a reflection of the disruption to that network occasioned by trying to insert a chemical into it without also selecting all the other components to tolerate that chemical. This suggests new ways to test for the toxicity of chemicals, and that engineering organisms to make high concentrations of materials such as chemical precursors or fuels may require more substantial engineering than just of the synthetic pathways involved

Commercial Magnetic Liquids Effect on Human Organism

Tato práce se zabývá možným vlivem magnetických kapalin na lidský organismus. Úvodní část obsahuje seznámení s magnetickými kapalinami a seznamuje s obsahem i cíli bakalářské práce. Následující kapitola se zabývá podrobnějším představením magnetických kapalin a jejich vlastností. Další kapitoly jsou věnovány výrobcům a distributorům magnetických kapalin, cenovým relacím a portfoliu kapalin dostupných na trhu. Na tyto kapitoly navazuje část práce zabývající se možnými zdravotními riziky souvisejícími se stykem člověka s těmito kapalinami, která současně obsahuje kritické hodnocení aplikací využívajících magnetickou kapalinu z hlediska možnosti kontaktu kapaliny s člověkem. Zároveň jsou zde uvedena hygienická doporučení pro práci s kapalinami.Katedra technologií a měřeníObhájenoMagnetic fluid, magnetorheological fluid, ferrofluid, health risk, biocompatibility, hyperthermia, thermoablation, protective clothing, hygienic measure

The impact of increased brand penetration on luxury desirability: a dual effect

International audienc

Web-Based Tools for Polypharmacology Prediction

Drug promiscuity or polypharmacology is the ability of small molecules to interact with multiple protein targets simultaneously. In drug discovery, understanding the polypharmacology of potential drug molecules is crucial to improve their efficacy and safety, and to discover the new therapeutic potentials of existing drugs. Over the past decade, several computational methods have been developed to study the polypharmacology of small molecules, many of which are available as Web services. In this chapter, we review some of these Web tools focusing on ligand based approaches. We highlight in particular our recently developed polypharmacology browser (PPB) and its application for finding the side targets of a new inhibitor of the TRPV6 calcium channel

Consumer perspectives of cultural branding : The case of Burberry in Taiwan

Luxury brands are cultural phenomena forged by marketing efforts and country image. Yet although many Western luxury brands have iconic status among Asian consumers, the intertwining relationship between these two factors requires further clarification because the influence of local context is often lacking from considerations of such products. The study entailed 31 in-depth interviews with Taiwanese respondents during a 6-month data-gathering period in premium shopping centres in Taipei and Kaohsiung. An interpretive approach to their discourse was adopted for transcript analysis. The findings differentiated two sources of Burberry's brand meaning. One is based on the company's history, designs and marketing campaigns, whereas the other draws on Britain's cultural attractiveness. The research revealed that although this latter approach to branding can be a key appeal for consumers, it inevitably leads to a certain loss of control of the brand image. Most critically, consumers of luxury brands identified that a cultural brand, although consisting of country image and marketing efforts, is incomplete without acknowledging the consumer's ability to negotiate the meaning of luxury brands. Lesson learned from this research can enrich current branding literature and practice, especially for international luxury brands

Probing brand luxury: a multiple lens approach

Research relevant to the creation and development of luxury brands is a growing area of interest and importance to branding practitioners and scholars. The issue here is that it is difficult to move forward when current brand luxury theory resembles a patchwork of definitions, methods and metrics. To add clarity, delineate brand luxury from other similar terms and concepts, and improve brand luxury knowledge, this article probes brand luxury through seven lenses. The findings enable brand luxury practice and theory to move forward on the basis of scientific merit. The results delineate brand luxury from competing terms such as brand status and prestigious brands – enabling practitioners and academics to precisely determine the extent to which luxury contributes to a brand, resolve whether or not a brand is a luxury brand, and establish with some accuracy the net worth of the brand luxury market

Targeting buyers of counterfeits of luxury brands: a study on attitudes of Singapore consumers

The paper examines the factors that influence Singaporean consumer's attitudes towards counterfeits of luxury brands. Data was collected from a convenience sample of postgraduate students of a large university using a self-administered questionnaire. Social influence, brand consciousness and price quality inference were found to significantly influence attitudes towards counterfeits of luxury brands. There is no significant relationship with personal gratification, value consciousness, and brand prestige. Attitudes towards counterfeits of luxury brands were found to influence purchase intention