Nourishing the gut: the impact of diet on host–gut microbiota interaction

Purpose of reviewUnderstanding the spectrum of drivers that influence the gut microbiome (GM) remains a crucial field of investigation. Among these factors, diet has received particular attention, as it could explain up to 20% of the variability in GM composition between individuals. This review focuses on the complex relationships between different dietary patterns and GM in humans, based on recent findings.Recent findingsCurrent evidence underscores the multifaceted impact of diet on GM richness, diversity, and overall composition. Key contributing factors encompass dietary habits, nutritional interventions, food quality and variety, macronutrient distribution, timing of feeding, and selective exclusion of certain foods.SummaryThe intricate interplay between diet and GM is of fundamental importance in shaping the interaction between the host and the environment. Further understanding the causal impact of diet on GM has promising potential for the advancement of strategies to promote health and mitigate cardio-metabolic disease risks through dietary interventions.Graphical abstracthttp://links.lww.com/COCN/A2

Upper small intestine microbiome in obesity and related metabolic disorders: A new field of investigation

The study of the gut microbiome holds great promise for understanding and treating metabolic diseases, as its functions and derived metabolites can influence the metabolic status of the host. While research on the fecal microbiome has provided valuable insights, it tells us only part of the story. This limitation arises from the substantial variations in microorganism distribution throughout the gastrointestinal tract due to changes in physicochemical conditions. Thus, relying solely on the fecal microbiome may not be sufficient to draw comprehensive conclusions about metabolic diseases. The proximal part of the small intestine, particularly the jejunum, indeed, serves as the crucial site for digestion and absorption of nutrients, suggesting a potential role of its microbiome in metabolic regulation. Unfortunately, it remains relatively underexplored due to limited accessibility.This review presents current evidence regarding the relationships between the microbiome in the upper small intestine and various phenotypes, focusing on obesity and type 2 diabetes, in both humans and rodents. Research on humans is still limited with variability in the population and methods used. Accordingly, to better understand the role of the whole gut microbiome in metabolic diseases, studies exploring the human microbiome in different niches are needed

Oriented Attachment of ZnO Nanocrystals

Self-organization of nanoparticles is a major issue to synthesize mesoscopic structures. Among the possible mechanisms leading to self-organization, the oriented attachment is efficient yet not completely understood. We investigate here the oriented attachment process of ZnO nanocrystals preformed in the gas phase. During the deposition in high vacuum, about 60% of the particles, which are uncapped, form larger crystals through oriented attachment. In the present conditions of deposition, no selective direction for the oriented attachment is noticed. To probe the driving force of the oriented attachment, and more specifically the possible influence of the dipolar interaction between particles, we have deposited the same nanocrystals in the presence of a constant electric field. The expected effect was to enhance the fraction of domains resulting from the oriented attachment due to the increased interaction of the particle dipoles with the electric field. The multiscale analytical and statistical analysis (TEM coupled to XRD) shows no significant influence of the electric field on the organization of the particles. We therefore conclude that the dipolar interaction between nanocrystals is not the prominent driving force in the process. Consequently, we argue, in accordance with recent theoretical and experimental investigations, that the surface reduction, possibly driven by Coulombic interaction, may be the major mechanism for the oriented attachment process

New Synthesis Strategies for Luminescent YVO₄:Eu and EuVO₄ Nanoparticles with H₂O₂ Selective Sensing Properties

Nowadays, because of safety demands, the controlled design of efficient and selective sensors for hydrogen peroxide is paramount. Therefore, we develop herein new strategies of aqueous synthesis of crystalline YVO₄:Eu and EuVO₄ nanoparticles based on a rigorous control of the pH and of the nucleation step via microwave heating. These routes allow a precise control of composition, nanostructure, and surface states of the resulting luminescent nanoparticles that are structurally and optically characterized via a large set of modern techniques. Moreover, these nanoparticles exhibit reproducible optical responses that are highly selective to hydrogen peroxide and present excellent detection thresholds as low as 0.05 ppm in solution. These remarkable performances allow the design of a new family of H₂O₂ sensors, which surpass state-of-the-art inorganic optical sensors in liquid phase detection tests

New Synthesis Strategies for Luminescent YVO₄:Eu and EuVO₄ Nanoparticles with H₂O₂ Selective Sensing Properties

Nowadays, because of safety demands, the controlled design of efficient and selective sensors for hydrogen peroxide is paramount. Therefore, we develop herein new strategies of aqueous synthesis of crystalline YVO₄:Eu and EuVO₄ nanoparticles based on a rigorous control of the pH and of the nucleation step via microwave heating. These routes allow a precise control of composition, nanostructure, and surface states of the resulting luminescent nanoparticles that are structurally and optically characterized via a large set of modern techniques. Moreover, these nanoparticles exhibit reproducible optical responses that are highly selective to hydrogen peroxide and present excellent detection thresholds as low as 0.05 ppm in solution. These remarkable performances allow the design of a new family of H₂O₂ sensors, which surpass state-of-the-art inorganic optical sensors in liquid phase detection tests

Unexpected Endocrine Features and Normal Pigmentation in a Young Adult Patient Carrying a Novel Homozygous Mutation in the POMC Gene

Context: Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is the precursor to five biologically active peptides, including ACTH produced in the anterior pituitary and α-MSH produced in the hypothalamus. Mutations that inactivate the POMC gene have been described in children, causing a pleiotropic syndrome that includes secondary hypocortisolism, severe obesity, and variable changes in skin and hair pigmentation