Hydrothermal hydrolysis of starch with CO2 and detoxification of the hydrolysates with activated carbon for bio-hydrogen fermentation.

The imminent use of hydrogen as an energy vector establishes the need for sustainable production technologies based on renewable resources. Starch is an abundant renewable resource suitable for bio-hydrogen generation. It was hypothesised that starch hydrolysates from a large (250 mL) hydrothermal reactor could support bioH2 fermentation without inhibition by toxic byproducts.\ud \ud Starch was hydrolysed at high concentrations (40 200 g.L-1) in hot compressed water (HCW) with CO2 at 30 bar in a 250 mL reactor, the largest so far for polysaccharide hydrolysis, at 180 235 °C, 15 min. Hydrolysates were detoxified with activated carbon (AC) and tested in biohydrogen fermentations. The maximum yield of glucose was 548 g.kg starch 1 carbon at 200 °C. 5 hydroxymethyl furfural, the main fermentation inhibitor, was removed by AC to support 70% more hydrogen production than the untreated hydrolysates. The potential utilization of starch hydrolysates from HCW treatment for upscaled fermentations is promising

Attaching and effacing (A/E) lesion formation by enteropathogenic E. coli on human intestinal mucosa is dependent on non-LEE effectors

Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) is a human pathogen that causes acute and chronic pediatric diarrhea. The hallmark of EPEC infection is the formation of attaching and effacing (A/E) lesions in the intestinal epithelium. Formation of A/E lesions is mediated by genes located on the pathogenicity island locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), which encode the adhesin intimin, a type III secretion system (T3SS) and six effectors, including the essential translocated intimin receptor (Tir). Seventeen additional effectors are encoded by genes located outside the LEE, in insertion elements and prophages. Here, using a stepwise approach, we generated an EPEC mutant lacking the entire effector genes (EPEC0) and intermediate mutants. We show that EPEC0 contains a functional T3SS. An EPEC mutant expressing intimin but lacking all the LEE effectors but Tir (EPEC1) was able to trigger robust actin polymerization in HeLa cells and mucin-producing intestinal LS174T cells. However, EPEC1 was unable to form A/E lesions on human intestinal in vitro organ cultures (IVOC). Screening the intermediate mutants for genes involved in A/E lesion formation on IVOC revealed that strains lacking non-LEE effector/s have a marginal ability to form A/E lesions. Furthermore, we found that Efa1/LifA proteins are important for A/E lesion formation efficiency in EPEC strains lacking multiple effectors. Taken together, these results demonstrate the intricate relationships between T3SS effectors and the essential role non-LEE effectors play in A/E lesion formation on mucosal surfaces

Supplementation of growing bulls grazing Panicum maximum cv. Coloniao increases average daily gain and does not impact subsequent performance in feedlot phase

ABSTRACT To evaluate the influence of supplementation strategies on the average daily gain (ADG) of cattle in a rotational grazing system of Guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. Coloniao) pastures during the rainy season. It was further evaluated the residual effects in the feedlot finishing phase. Seventy-five 8 month-old crossbred bull calves averaging 200.1 ± 2.5 kg of body weight (BW) were stratified and grouped in three into 25 blocks according to BW, and then randomly assigned to one of three supplementation treatments: control (no supplement), energy supplement [65 g crude protein (CP)/kg dry matter (DM)] or protein supplement (200 g CP/kg DM) both fed as 6 g/kg BW. All animals composed a single herd and were separated daily according to treatment groups for supplementation. After the grazing phase, all animals were moved to a feedlot and received the same diet up until slaughter. Guinea grass was subjected to rotational stocking with pre- and post-grazing heights of 76 and 43 cm, respectively. Energy and protein supplements provided similar ADG (P > 0.05; 0.94 kg/day) which was greater than for non-supplemented animals during the grazing phase (P ≤ 0.05; 0.74 kg/day), but there was no difference in the subsequent feedlot phase (P > 0.05; 1.45 kg/day). The protein supplement had no incremental effects over the energy supplement on ADG and carcass traits of growing crossbreed bulls during the grazing phase, indicating that either source could be used, and that an energy supplement would lead to more efficient nutrient use coming from the grass

Dietary Patterns in Portuguese Children and Adolescent Population: The UPPER Project

Considering the nature, extent, and purpose of food processing, this study aims to identify dietary patterns (DPs) and their associations with sociodemographic factors and diet quality in Portuguese children and adolescents. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (20152016) of the Portuguese population. Dietary intake was obtained from two non-consecutive days and food items were classified according to the NOVA system. The proportion (in grams) of foods in the total daily diet was considered to identify DPs by latent class analysis, with age and sex as concomitant variables. Associations of DPs with sociodemographic characteristics were assessed using multinomial logistic regression. Linear regressions adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics tested associations of DPs with diet quality. DPs identified were: Unhealthy (higher sugar-sweetened beverages, industrial breads, and sausages intake), Traditional (higher vegetables, fish, olive oil, breads, ultra-processed yogurts, and sausages intake), and Dairy (higher intake of milk, yogurt, and milk-based beverages). Unhealthy was associated with older ages and lower intake of dietary fibre and vitamins and the highest free sugars and ultra-processed foods (UPF), although all DPs presented significant consumption of UPF. These findings should be considered for the design of food-based interventions and school-feeding policies in Portugal.</jats:p