Diet, microbiota, and the mucus layer: The guardians of our health

The intestinal tract is an ecosystem in which the resident microbiota lives in symbiosis with its host. This symbiotic relationship is key to maintaining overall health, with dietary habits of the host representing one of the main external factors shaping the microbiome-host relationship. Diets high in fiber and low in fat and sugars, as opposed to Western and high-fat diets, have been shown to have a beneficial effect on intestinal health by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, improve mucus barrier function and immune tolerance, while inhibiting pro-inflammatory responses and their downstream effects. On the contrary, diets low in fiber and high in fat and sugars have been associated with alterations in microbiota composition/functionality and the subsequent development of chronic diseases such as food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, and metabolic disease. In this review, we provided an updated overview of the current understanding of the connection between diet, microbiota, and health, with a special focus on the role of Western and high-fat diets in shaping intestinal homeostasis by modulating the gut microbiota

A prospective study of asthma incidence and its predictors: the RHINE study.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional LinkThe objective of this longitudinal study was to estimate the incidence rate of asthma, and to compare the incidence between subjects with or without baseline reporting of certain respiratory symptoms. A follow-up of the random population samples in the European Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Estonia was conducted in 1999-2001, in a population aged 30-54 yrs at follow-up (n=14,731). Asthma was defined as reporting either asthma or physician-diagnosed asthma, and a reported year when asthma symptoms were first noticed. Incidence rates, incidence rate ratios and hazard ratios were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. The incidence rate of asthma was 2.2 cases per 1,000 person-yrs. The incidence was higher among females (2.9 cases.1,000 person-yrs(-1)) than among males (1.5 cases.1,000 person-yrs(-1)). When subjects with baseline reporting of wheezing were excluded, the incidence rate decreased to 1.7 cases.1,000 person-yrs(-1), with a further decrease to 1.5 cases.1,000 person-yrs(-1) after exclusion of subjects with wheezing, nocturnal dyspnoea, chest tightness and cough. There was a strong association between onset of asthma and wheezing at baseline. In this prospective, population-based study, the incidence rate of asthma in the whole population sample ranged 1.5-2.2.1,000 person-yrs(-1), with a higher incidence range among females. The incidence was dependent on the extent to which subjects with respiratory symptoms were excluded from follow-up. Hence, for comparability between studies, the exclusion criteria in the follow-up population must be stated

Quantum Fluctuations around the Electroweak Sphaleron

We present an analysis of the quantum fluctuations around the electroweak sphaleron and calculate the associated determinant which gives the 1--loop correction to the sphaleron transition rate. The calculation differs in various technical aspects from a previous analysis by Carson et al. so that it can be considered as independent. The numerical results differ also -- by several orders of magnitude -- from those of this previous analysis; we find that the sphaleron transition rate is much less suppressed than found previously.Comment: DO-TH-93/19 39 pages, 5 figures (available on request as Postscript files or via Fax or mail), LaTeX, no macros neede

A review of implant provision for hypodontia patients within a Scottish referral centre

Background: Implant treatment to replace congenitally missing teeth often involves multidisciplinary input in a secondary care environment. High quality patient care requires an in-depth knowledge of treatment requirements. Aim: This service review aimed to determine treatment needs, efficiency of service and outcomes achieved in hypodontia patients. It also aimed to determine any specific difficulties encountered in service provision, and suggest methods to overcome these. Methods: Hypodontia patients in the Unit of Periodontics of the Scottish referral centre under consideration, who had implant placement and fixed restoration, or review completed over a 31 month period, were included. A standardised data collection form was developed and completed with reference to the patient's clinical record. Information was collected with regard to: the indication for implant treatment and its extent; the need for, complexity and duration of orthodontic treatment; the need for bone grafting and the techniques employed and indicators of implant success. Conclusion: Implant survival and success rates were high for those patients reviewed. Incidence of biological complications compared very favourably with the literature

Green's functions for parabolic systems of second order in time-varying domains

We construct Green's functions for divergence form, second order parabolic systems in non-smooth time-varying domains whose boundaries are locally represented as graph of functions that are Lipschitz continuous in the spatial variables and 1/2-H\"older continuous in the time variable, under the assumption that weak solutions of the system satisfy an interior H\"older continuity estimate. We also derive global pointwise estimates for Green's function in such time-varying domains under the assumption that weak solutions of the system vanishing on a portion of the boundary satisfy a certain local boundedness estimate and a local H\"older continuity estimate. In particular, our results apply to complex perturbations of a single real equation.Comment: 25 pages, 0 figur

The Goblet Cell Protein Clca1 (Alias mClca3 or Gob-5) Is Not Required for Intestinal Mucus Synthesis, Structure and Barrier Function in Naive or DSS- Challenged Mice

The secreted, goblet cell-derived protein Clca1 (chloride channel regulator, calcium-activated-1) has been linked to diseases with mucus overproduction, including asthma and cystic fibrosis. In the intestine Clca1 is found in the mucus with an abundance and expression pattern similar to Muc2, the major structural mucus component. We hypothesized that Clca1 is required for the synthesis, structure or barrier function of intestinal mucus and therefore compared wild type and Clca1-deficient mice under naive and at various time points of DSS (dextran sodium sulfate)-challenged conditions. The mucus phenotype in Clca1-deficient compared to wild type mice was systematically characterized by assessment of the mucus protein composition using proteomics, immunofluorescence and expression analysis of selected mucin genes on mRNA level. Mucus barrier integrity was assessed in-vivo by analysis of bacterial penetration into the mucus and translocation into sentinel organs combined analysis of the fecal microbiota and ex-vivo by assessment of mucus penetrability using beads. All of these assays revealed no relevant differences between wild type and Clca1-deficient mice under steady state or DSS-challenged conditions in mouse colon. Clca1 is not required for mucus synthesis, structure and barrier function in the murine colon

The "Clubs against Drugs" program in Stockholm, Sweden: two cross-sectional surveys examining drug use among staff at licensed premises

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of this study is to examine self-reported drug use among staff at licensed premises, types of drugs used, attitudes towards drugs, and observed drug use among guests. Results are presented from two measurement points (in 2001 and 2007/08). This study was carried out within the framework of the "Clubs against Drugs" program, which is a community-based multi-component intervention targeting licensed premises in Stockholm, Sweden.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted, the first in 2001 and the second in 2007/08. Staff at licensed premises attending server training were asked to participate in the anonymous survey. A survey was administered in a classroom setting and consisted of four sections: 1) demographics, 2) respondents' own drug use experience, 3) respondents' attitudes towards drug use, and 4) observed drug use among guests at licensed premises.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Data were collected from 446 staff in 2001 and 677 staff in 2007/08. The four most commonly used drugs among staff were cannabis, cocaine, amphetamine, and ecstasy. The highest rates of drug use were reported by staff in the two youngest age groups, i.e., those younger than 25 and those between the ages of 25 and 29. In 2007/08 staff reported significantly lower rates of drug use than staff in 2001. Last year drug use for the sample in 2007/08 was 19% compared to 27% for the 2001 sample. While drug-using staff compared to non drug-using staff reported more observations of drug use among guests, they were less inclined to intervene. Overall, staff reported restrictive attitudes towards drugs.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The prevalence of life-time and last year drug use among staff at licensed premises is high compared to the general population in Sweden. Lower rates of self-reported drug use among staff were reported in 2007/08. The results of this study highlight that staff at licensed premises represent an important target population in club drug prevention programs.</p

Increasing body mass index at diagnosis of diabetes in young adult people during 1983-1999 in the Diabetes Incidence Study in Sweden (DISS).

Objective. To study trends in body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis of diabetes in all young Swedish adults in the age range of 15-34 years registered in a nation-based registry. Design. The BMI was assessed at diagnosis in diabetic patients 15-34 years of age at diagnosis, for a period of 17 years (1983-1999). Islet cell antibodies (ICA) were measured during three periods (1987-1988, 1992-1993 and 1998-1999). Setting. A nationwide study (Diabetes Incidence Study in Sweden). Subjects. A total of 4727 type 1 and 1083 type 2 diabetic patients. Main outcome measures. Incidence-year specific BMI adjusted for age, gender and time of diagnosis (month). Results. Body mass index at diagnosis increased significantly both in type 1 (21.4 ± 3.6 to 22.5 ± 4.0; P < 0.0001) and in type 2 (27.4 ± 6.8 to 32.0 ± 6.0; P < 0.0001) diabetic patients, also when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis. A similar significant increase in BMI was found in type 1 diabetic patients and in type 2 diabetic patients in the periods 1987-1988, 1992-1993 and 1998-1999; years when ICA were assessed and considered in the classification of diabetes. Despite this increase in BMI, there was no increase in the incidence of diabetes in young-adult people in Sweden. Conclusion. Body mass index at diagnosis of diabetes in subjects 15-34 years of age has substantially increased during 1983-1999 in Sweden when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis

Breast cancer incidence after the start of mammography screening in Denmark

Mammography screening may lead to overdiagnosis of asymptomatic breast cancers, that would otherwise not have given rise to clinical symptoms. This aspect was studied in three regional screening programmes in Denmark, which started in Copenhagen municipality, Fyn county, and Frederiksberg municipality in 1991, 1993, and 1994, respectively. In these regions, we compared time trends in incidence of invasive breast cancer with the rest of Denmark. Since the number of clinical mammograms was relatively low, it was reasonable to assume that the breast cancer incidence outside the three screening regions represented the incidence of a population with low-intensity opportunistic screening. In Copenhagen and Fyn, a prevalence peak in incidence was seen during the first invitation round. During the subsequent invitation rounds, the incidence dropped to a level in line with the incidence expected without screening. The pattern was different in the small municipality of Frederiksberg, where the sensitivity was low during the first invitation round. Inclusion of screen-detected ductal carcinoma in situ cases did not change these results. The experiences from Copenhagen and Fyn show that organised mammography screening can operate without overdiagnosis of breast cancer