Effects of Fermentation Temperature, Drying Temperature, Caliber Size, Starter Culture, and Sodium Lactate on Listeria monocytogenes Inactivation During Salami Production

The effect of fermentation and drying temperatures, caliber, and sodium lactate on Listeria monocytogenes inactivation was studied in salami, produced in a pilot scale, inoculated with 107 CFU/g of Listeria innocua ATCC® 33090 as a surrogate microorganism for L. monocytogenes. Fermentation temperature varied between 24 and 30°C, drying temperature between 14 and 20°C, caliber between 5.1 and 13.2 cm, and sodium lactate initial concentrations in salamis were 0 and 2%. L. innocua counts, pH and water activity were determined in salamis over time. Sodium lactate (2%) decreased pH drop and Listeria inactivation during fermentation. Baranyi & Roberts equation was used to fit the experimental data and to estimate, for each test condition, inactivation rate (k), initial (Y0), and final counts of L. innocua (YEND). Total inactivation was calculated as Y0 minus YEND (Y0-YEND). Then, using a Box Benkhen experimental design, a quadratic model for k and a two-factor interaction model (2FI) for Y0 - YEND were obtained as functions of fermentation temperature, drying temperature, and caliber size. The models predicted that maximum k and Y0 -YEND, -2.62 ± 0.14 log10 CFU/g/day and 4.5 ± 0.1 log10 CFU/g, respectively, would be obtained fermenting at 30°C and drying at 20°C regardless of caliber. Drying at 14°C allowed Listeria growth until a water activity (aw) of 0.92 was reached. Therefore, if initial Listeria contamination is high (3 log10 CFU/g), drying at low temperatures will compromise product safety.

Production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) nanoparticles using grape residues as the sole carbon source

The production of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) on an industrial scale remains a major challenge due to its higher production cost compared to petroleum-based plastics. As a result, it is necessary to develop efficient fermentative processes using low-cost substrates and identify high-value-added applications where biodegradability and biocompatibility properties are of fundamental importance. In this study, grape residues, mainly grape skins, were used as the sole carbon source in Azotobacter vinelandii OP cultures for PHB production and subsequent nanoparticle synthesis based on the extracted polymer. The grape residue pretreatment showed a high rate of conversion into reducing sugars (fructose and glucose), achieving up to 43.3 % w w-1 without the use of acid or external heat. The cultures were grown in shake flasks, obtaining a biomass concentration of 2.9 g L-1 and a PHB accumulation of up to 37.7 % w w-1. PHB was characterized using techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The formation of emulsified PHB nanoparticles showed high stability, with a particle size between 210 and 240 nm and a zeta potential between -12 and - 15 mV over 72 h. Owing to these properties, the produced PHB nanoparticles hold significant potential for applications in drug delivery.

Fusarium Species and Mycotoxins Associated with Sorghum Grains in Uruguay

Grain mold and stalk rot are among the fungal diseases that cause significant losses in sorghum worldwide and are caused by different Fusarium spp. The presence of Fusarium species in sorghum grains causes yield losses and mycotoxin contamination, which represents a risk to consumers. In this study, Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) had a high incidence, followed by Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) and F. incarnatum-equiseti species complex. Within FFSC, F. proliferatum, F. andiyazi, F. fujikuroi, F. thapsinum, F. verticillioides and F. subglutinans were identified, and this was the first report of F. fujikuroi in sorghum. The most frequent toxins found in sorghum samples were deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEN). The presence of fumonisins and nivalenol (NIV) was detected at low levels. This study adds new knowledge about the occurrence of Fusarium species and mycotoxins in sorghum grains. Furthermore, this is the first report in Uruguay on fungicide sensitivity for Fusarium isolates from sorghum, which constitutes an important starting point for defining management practices to minimize fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination.

Transfer of β-lactam and tetracycline antibiotics from spiked bovine milk to Dambo-type cheese, whey, and whey powder

The aim of this study was to investigate the transfer of residues of five β-lactam antibiotics (ampicillin, penicillin G, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and cephalexin) and two tetracyclines (tetracycline and oxytetracycline) in the processing of cheese and whey powder, evaluating the effect of the processes and the final concentration in each product generated. Raw milk was fortified at two concentration levels with the seven antibiotics. The first concentration level (C1) was chosen according to the maximum residue limit (MRL) of each antibiotic (ampicillin and penicillin G: 4 µg kg^-1; cloxacillin and dicloxacillin: 30 µg kg^-1; cephalexin, tetracycline and oxytetracycline: 100 µg kg^-1). The second concentration level (C2) was spiked as follows according to each antibiotic: 0.5 MRL (cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, cephalexin), 0.1 MRL (tetracycline and oxytetracycline) and 3 MRL (ampicillin and penicillin G). The antibiotics were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. No ampicillin or penicillin G residues were found in cheese or whey powder, although they were detected in whey at concentrations similar to those added to raw milk. Cephalexin was mostly distributed in whey between 82% and 96%, being the antibiotic that presented the highest concentration in whey powder (784 ± 98 µg kg^-1) when milk was spiked at the MRL. The whey distribution of cloxacillin and dicloxacillin ranged from 57% to 59% for cloxacillin and from 46% to 48% for dicloxacillin, and both concentrated in whey powder. Tetracyclines were the antibiotics that concentrated in cheese, with retentions between 75% and 80% for oxytetracycline and between 83% and 87% for tetracycline. The distribution of antibiotics in the dissimilar stages of the cheese and whey powder production processes, as well as their concentration in the final products, depend on each type of antibiotic. Knowledge of the transfer of antibiotic residues during the process and final disposal is an input for the risk assessment of their consumption.

Assessment of the structures contribution (crystalline and mesophases) and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone/pluronic blends

Films of biodegradable blends of polycaprolactone (PCL) and Pluronics F68 and F127 were manufactured by an industrial thermo-mechanical process to be applied as potential delivery systems. The effects of Pluronics on the structure (mesophase organization), and thermal and mechanical properties of polycaprolactone were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and tensile mechanical tests. The addition of Pluronics affected the crystallization process by changing the relative amounts of crystalline, amorphous, and meso- (condis + plastic) phases. The melting transition and XRD profiles were deconvoluted to assess the individual contribution of the different crystal morphologies. Furthermore, it was found that the mechanical properties of the blends depended on the ratio and type of Pluronic. Thus, Pluronic F127 showed a larger mesophase content than its F68 counterpart with PCL and blends with enhanced ductility.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains recovered from bovine carcasses in Uruguay

Introduction

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is a zoonotic pathogen that cause food-borne diseases in humans. Cattle and derived foodstuffs play a known role as reservoir and vehicles, respectively. In Uruguay, information about the characteristics of circulating STEC in meat productive chain is scarce. The aim was to characterize STEC strains recovered from 800 bovine carcasses of different slaughterhouses.

Methods

To characterize STEC strains we use classical microbiological procedures, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) and FAO/WHO risk criteria.

Results

We analyzed 39 STEC isolated from 20 establishments. They belonged to 21 different O-groups and 13 different H-types. Only one O157:H7 strain was characterized and the serotypes O130:H11(6), O174:H28(5), and O22:H8(5) prevailed. One strain showed resistance in vitro to tetracycline and genes for doxycycline, sulfonamide, streptomycin and fosfomycin resistance were detected. Thirty-three strains (84.6%) carried the subtypes Stx2a, Stx2c, or Stx2d. The gene eae was detected only in two strains (O157:H7, O182:H25). The most prevalent virulence genes found were lpfA (n = 38), ompA (n = 39), ompT (n = 39), iss (n = 38), and terC (n = 39). Within the set of STEC analyzed, the majority (81.5%) belonged to FAO/WHO's risk classification levels 4 and 5 (lower risk). Besides, we detected STEC serotypes O22:H8, O113:H21, O130:H11, and O174:H21 belonged to level risk 2 associate with diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis or Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome (HUS). The only O157:H7 strain analyzed belonged to ST11. Thirty-eight isolates belonged to the Clermont type B1, while the O157:H7 was classified as E.

Discussion

The analyzed STEC showed high genomic diversity and harbor several genetic determinants associated with virulence, underlining the important role of WGS for a complete typing. In this set we did not detect non-O157 STEC previously isolated from local HUS cases. However, when interpreting this findings, the low number of isolates analyzed and some methodological limitations must be taken into account. Obtained data suggest that cattle constitute a local reservoir of non-O157 serotypes associated with severe diseases. Other studies are needed to assess the role of the local meat chain in the spread of STEC, especially those associated with severe diseases in humans.

Selección de indicadores de éxito en balonmano de élite a través de árboles de decisión

El objetivo fue analizar los indicadores de éxito en el Campeonato Europeo de balonmano masculino utilizando árboles de decisión como modelos de inteligencia artificial. Se utilizó la metodología observacional. La muestra fue compuesta por 87 partidos de los Campeonatos de Europa masculinos de selecciones de balonmano 2016 y 2018. Como resultado más importante, el modelo identificó tres variables relevantes para alcanzar una precisión elevada en la predicción de resultados de balonmano. Se concluye que la utilización de estos modelos permite reducir ampliamente la complejidad en el análisis de los indicadores de éxito en balonmano.

Nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 in an internal medicine ward: Probable airborne transmission

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Despite the increasing evidence supporting the importance of airborne transmission in SARS-CoV-2 infection, it has not been considered relevant in the vast majority of reported nosocomial outbreaks of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to describe a nosocomial outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection whose features suggest that aerosol transmission had an important role.

METHODS

This is a descriptive analysis of a nosocomial outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 infection in an internal medicine ward that occurred in December 2020. All cases were confirmed by a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2.

RESULTS

From December 5 to December 17, 21 patients and 44 healthcare workers (HCWs) developed a nosocomial SARS-CoV-2 infection. Fifty-one of the 65 cases (78.5%) were diagnosed between December 6 and 9. The attack rate in patients was 80.8%. Among HCWs, the attack rate was higher in those who had worked at least one full working day in the ward (56.3%) than in those who had occasionally been in the ward (25.8%; p = 0.005). Three days before the first positive case was detected, two extractor fans were found to be defective, affecting the ventilation of three rooms. Sixteen cases were asymptomatic, 48 cases had non-severe symptoms, and 2 cases required admission to the intensive care unit. All patients eventually recovered.

CONCLUSION

The high attack rate, the explosive nature of the outbreak, and the coincidence in time with the breakdown in air extractors in some rooms of the ward suggest that airborne transmission played a key role in the development of the outbreak.

Brote nosocomial de COVID-19 en una planta de medicina interna: probable transmisión aérea

Antecedentes y objetivos

A pesar de los datos cada vez mayores que respaldan la importancia de la transmisión aérea en la infección por el SARS-CoV-2, en la inmensa mayoría de los brotes nosocomiales descritos de COVID-19 no se ha considerado relevante. El objetivo de este estudio consiste en describir un brote nosocomial de infección por el SARS-CoV-2 cuyas características indican que la transmisión por aerosoles desempeñó un papel importante.

Métodos

Se trata de un análisis descriptivo de un brote nosocomial de infección por el SARS-CoV-2 en una planta de medicina interna que tuvo lugar en diciembre de 2020. Todos los casos se confirmaron mediante una PCR positiva para SARS-CoV-2.

Resultados

Entre el 5 y el 17 de diciembre, 21 pacientes y 44 profesionales sanitarios contrajeron una infección nosocomial por el SARS-CoV-2. De los 65 casos, 51 (78,5%) se diagnosticaron entre el 6 y el 9 de diciembre. La tasa de afectación en los pacientes fue del 80,8%. Entre los profesionales sanitarios, la tasa fue mayor en los que habían trabajado al menos una jornada laboral completa en la planta (56,3%) que en los que habían estado ocasionalmente en ella (25,8%; p = 0,005). Tres días antes de detectar el primer caso positivo se identificó una avería en 2 extractores de aire, que afectó a la ventilación de 3 habitaciones. Dieciséis casos cursaron de forma asintomática, 48 manifestaron síntomas leves y 2 precisaron ingreso en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. Todos los casos se recuperaron finalmente.

Conclusiones

La elevada tasa de afectación, la naturaleza explosiva del brote y la coincidencia en el tiempo con la avería de los extractores de aire en algunas habitaciones de la planta indican que la transmisión aérea desempeñó un papel fundamental en el desarrollo del brote.

Long-term outcomes of spinal SBRT. Is it important to select the treatment time?

PURPOSE

SBRT (stereotactic body radiation therapy) is widely used as a curative treatment in tumoral lesions and has become a fundamental tool for the treatment of spine metastasis. In this study, we present survival and toxicity outcomes of spine SBRT after a 2-year follow-up.

METHODS/PATIENTS

Data from spine SBRT treatments performed at our institution between March 2012 and February 2020 was collected. Medical records, including demographic, primary tumor, and treatment characteristics were reviewed. Patient follow-up included clinical evaluation, imaging, and blood tests. Toxicity was recorded according to CTCAE v4.0.

RESULTS

We analyzed 73 consecutive spine SBRT treatments in 60 patients. 39.7% of the cases had primary breast cancer and 23.3% had prostate cancer. Most cases (87.7%) were treated with a single SBRT fraction of 16 Gy. Median follow-up was 26.1 months (range 1.7-78.6), and 1- and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 96.9% and 84.2%, respectively. Local control (LC) rates at 1- and 2-years were 76.3% and 70.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified histology as a prognostic factor for both OS and LC. Patients who underwent spine SBRT 6 months after the spinal lesion diagnosis had LC at 2 years of 88%, vs 61.7% for those who underwent SBRT before this period. No grade III or higher toxicity was reported. The vertebral compression fracture (VCF) rate was 4.1%.

CONCLUSION

Spine SBRT at our institution showed a 2-year LC of 70.6%, without G3 toxicities. Delaying SBRT at least 6 months to administer systemic treatment was related to an improvement in local control.

Gut microbiota modulation with long-chain corn bran arabinoxylan in adults with overweight and obesity is linked to an individualized temporal increase in fecal propionate

BACKGROUND

Variability in the health effects of dietary fiber might arise from inter-individual differences in the gut microbiota's ability to ferment these substrates into beneficial metabolites. Our understanding of what drives this individuality is vastly incomplete and will require an ecological perspective as microbiomes function as complex inter-connected communities. Here, we performed a parallel two-arm, exploratory randomized controlled trial in 31 adults with overweight and class-I obesity to characterize the effects of long-chain, complex arabinoxylan (n = 15) at high supplementation doses (female: 25 g/day; male: 35 g/day) on gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid production as compared to microcrystalline cellulose (n = 16, non-fermentable control), and integrated the findings using an ecological framework.

RESULTS

Arabinoxylan resulted in a global shift in fecal bacterial community composition, reduced α-diversity, and the promotion of specific taxa, including operational taxonomic units related to Bifidobacterium longum, Blautia obeum, and Prevotella copri. Arabinoxylan further increased fecal propionate concentrations (p = 0.012, Friedman's test), an effect that showed two distinct groupings of temporal responses in participants. The two groups showed differences in compositional shifts of the microbiota (p ≤ 0.025, PERMANOVA), and multiple linear regression (MLR) analyses revealed that the propionate response was predictable through shifts and, to a lesser degree, baseline composition of the microbiota. Principal components (PCs) derived from community data were better predictors in MLR models as compared to single taxa, indicating that arabinoxylan fermentation is the result of multi-species interactions within microbiomes.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that long-chain arabinoxylan modulates both microbiota composition and the output of health-relevant SCFAs, providing information for a more targeted application of this fiber. Variation in propionate production was linked to both compositional shifts and baseline composition, with PCs derived from shifts of the global microbial community showing the strongest associations. These findings constitute a proof-of-concept for the merit of an ecological framework that considers features of the wider gut microbial community for the prediction of metabolic outcomes of dietary fiber fermentation. This provides a basis to personalize the use of dietary fiber in nutritional application and to stratify human populations by relevant gut microbiota features to account for the inconsistent health effects in human intervention studies.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02322112 , registered on July 3, 2015. Video Abstract.

First evaluation of neustonic microplastics in the Macaronesian region, NE Atlantic

Marine microplastic pollution is an issue of great concern nowadays since high concentrations have been detected in the ocean, mainly in the subtropical gyres that accumulate this type of debris. The long-term effects of this pollution on ecosystems and marine biota are still unknown. The aim of this study is to quantify and characterise microplastics and neustonic zooplankton in sub-surface waters of the Macaronesian region, an area that has been little studied to date. Our results show a great variability in the concentration of microplastics with values between 15,283 items/km² in Los Gigantes (Tenerife, Canary Islands) and 1,007,872 items/km² in Las Canteras (Gran Canaria, Canary Islands). The main types of debris found were plastic fragments and fibres. The abundances of neustonic zooplankton were also very variable between the different sampling areas, being the main components copepods and eggs. Regarding the microplastics-zooplankton ratio, values were obtained between 0.002 and 0.22. In Las Canteras, the highest accumulation zone, was found twice as much microplastics as zooplankton for the 1-5 mm fraction in dry weight. These values highlight the potential hazard of microplastics - and its associated chemical contaminants - for marine biota, especially for large filter feeders.

Disentangling functional trait variation and covariation in epiphytic lichens along a continent-wide latitudinal gradient

Characterizing functional trait variation and covariation, and its drivers, is critical to understand the response of species to changing environmental conditions. Evolutionary and environmental factors determine how traits vary among and within species at multiple scales. However, disentangling their relative contribution is challenging and a comprehensive trait-environment framework addressing such questions is missing in lichens. We investigated the variation in nine traits related to photosynthetic performance, water use and nutrient acquisition applying phylogenetic comparative analyses in lichen epiphytic communities on beech across Europe. These poikilohydric organisms offer a valuable model owing to their inherent limitations to buffer contrasting environmental conditions. Photobiont type and growth form captured differences in certain physiological traits whose variation was largely determined by evolutionary processes (i.e. phylogenetic history), although the intraspecific component was non-negligible. Seasonal temperature fluctuations also had an impact on trait variation, while nitrogen content depended on photobiont type rather than nitrogen deposition. The inconsistency of trait covariation among and within species prevented establishing major resource use strategies in lichens. However, we did identify a general pattern related to the water-use strategy. Thus, to robustly unveil lichen responses under different climatic scenarios, it is necessary to incorporate both among and within-species trait variation and covariation.

Acoustic field generated by an innovative airborne power ultrasonic system with reflectors for coherent radiation

In order to obtain the maximum efficiency in industrial processes assisted by airborne power ultrasound, the ultrasonic systems must be capable of generating an acoustic field with a maximum energy concentration in the desired areas. In this paper, the acoustic performance of two different ultrasonic systems is presented. The first system corresponds to an airborne power ultrasonic transducer with a flat rectangular plate radiator, and the second system is composed by the same transducer mounted in a set of reflectors that allow the generation of coherent radiation. The acoustic pressure field for each system has been determined numerically and the spatial pattern has been experimentally measured. In the experiment, the system with reflectors obtained higher pressure amplitude in a wider area, due to the coherent radiation achieved. The directivity pattern obtained in the experiment confirms this coherent radiation field. This is the first time that the acoustical behavior of two different ultrasonic systems with flat rectangular radiator, vibrating in a complex flexural mode, has been numerically and experimentally described and compared in terms of pressure amplitude distribution and directivity pattern.

A case study on the re-establishment of the cyanolichen symbiosis: where do the compatible photobionts come from?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In order to re-establish lichen symbiosis, fungal spores must first germinate and then associate with a compatible photobiont. To detect possible establishment limitations in a sexually reproducing cyanolichen species, we studied ascospore germination, photobiont growth and photobiont association patterns in Pectenia plumbea.

METHODS

Germination tests were made with ascospores from 500 apothecia under different treatments, and photobiont growth was analysed in 192 isolates obtained from 24 thalli. We determined the genotype identity [tRNALeu (UAA) intron] of the Nostoc cyanobionts from 30 P. plumbea thalli from one population. We also sequenced cyanobionts of 41 specimens of other cyanolichen species and 58 Nostoc free-living colonies cultured from the bark substrate.

KEY RESULTS

Not a single fungal ascospore germinated and none of the photobiont isolates produced motile hormogonia. Genetic analyses revealed that P. plumbea shares Nostoc genotypes with two other cyanolichen species of the same habitat, but these photobionts were hardly present in the bark substrate.

CONCLUSIONS

Due to the inability of both symbionts to thrive independently, the establishment of P. plumbea seems to depend on Dendriscocaulon umhausense, the only cyanolichen species in the same habitat that reproduces asexually and acts as a source of appropriate cyanobionts. This provides support to the hypothesis about facilitation among lichens.

Faecal microbiota from patients with cirrhosis has a low capacity to ferment non-digestible carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Cirrhosis is associated with dysbiosis, but its functional consequences are still largely unknown. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) account for physiological interactions between the gut microbiota and host. Our aim was to assess the impact of cirrhotic dysbiosis on the production of SCFAs.

METHODS

Seventeen patients with cirrhosis and 17 controls were selected. Microbiota composition in faecal samples was assessed by next-generation 16S rRNA gene sequencing. SCFAs were measured with GC-MS in faecal samples and after in vitro batch fermentations using arabinoxylan, resistant starch, pectin, and lactulose as substrates.

RESULTS

Among the 17 cirrhotic patients (mean age 58, eight males), six, nine and two were, respectively, Child-Pugh class A, B and C. Eleven patients were on oral antibiotics, 11 on lactulose and 13 on proton pump inhibitors. Cirrhotic patients showed marked differences in the composition and diversity of gut microbiome when compared to controls, that were more pronounced with increased severity. Stool samples from cirrhotic patients showed lower SCFAs content and reduced capacity to produce SCFAs in batch fermentations, with butyrate production being the most abnormal. These functional aberrancies were more pronounced with greater liver disease severity. Abundance of Ruminococcus faecis (in family Ruminococcaceae), Faecalicatena fissicatena and Fusicatenibacter saccharivorans (in family Lachnospiraceae) was positively correlated with the SCFAs production.

CONCLUSION

Cirrhotic dysbiosis is associated with a decreased capacity to ferment non-digestible carbohydrates into SCFAs, especially into butyrate. These functional abnormalities are more pronounced as disease progresses. These results might inform the design of gut-targeted therapies for cirrhosis.

[Analysis of patients with type 2 diabetes in an urban Primary Healthcare centre. DESENROQUE Study]

OBJECTIVES

To determine the health status of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in an urban Primary Healthcare centre, and to assess the follow-up carried out by health professionals. To analyse the pharmacological treatment in patients with T2D, as well as to assess the individualisation according to their comorbidities.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Descriptive and cross-sectional analysis conducted on patients with DM2. Out of a total of 920 patients, a randomised and simple sample of 460 individuals was obtained, from which the parameters related to associated comorbidities and the integral treatment of T2D were collected.

RESULTS

The study included 460 patients (42.4% women) with a mean age of 67.1 years (SD=13.07). The mean value of their last HbA1c was 6.75% (SD=1.24). The large majority (83.7%) fulfilled the proposed individualised HbA1c objectives according to their age and comorbidities. Approximately two-thirds (65.43%) of patients had a suboptimal follow-up by health professionals. As regards the suitability of the treatment, 19.8% had non-recommended pharmacological combinations or drugs applied outside the indications of the data sheet. A comprehensive T2D treatment that could be improved was observed in 74.3%.

CONCLUSIONS

Although 83.7% of patients had good control of HbA1c, the treatment is centred on blood glucose and improvable in a high percentage of patients (74.3%). Given that the therapy must be adjusted to the needs of each patient, and since the BMI (body mass index) is a determining factor for the selection of treatment, it is striking that it is not recorded in the clinical histories of 44.13% of the patients.

Microplastic ingestion by Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias) in the Canary Islands coast

In recent years, due to the increasing concerns about their negative impact on wildlife and possible toxicity to living organisms (including humans), microplastics have become the subject of intense investigations. In the ocean, microplastics can be easily ingested by numerous marine organisms because of their small size (<5 mm). The Northwest African upwelling system is an important fishery area, and the present study is the first one in the region to reveal the presence of microplastic particles in the digestive tract of Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber colias). From the 120 examined fish gastrointestinal tracts, 78.3% contained some type of microplastics, 74.2% contained fibres, 17.5% plastic fragments, and 16.7% paint. More studies are needed on fish, but S. colias is a candidate for being a good indicator of microplastic contamination in the region.

Micro ad-hoc Health Social Networks (uHSN). Design and evaluation of a social-based solution for patient support

OBJECTIVE

To contribute the design, development, and assessment of a new concept: Micro ad hoc Health Social Networks (uHSN), to create a social-based solution for supporting patients with chronic disease.

DESIGN

After in-depth fieldwork and intensive co-design over a 4-year project following Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), this paper contributes a new paradigm of uHSN, defining two interaction areas (the "backstage", the sphere invisible to the final user, where processes that build services take place; and the "onstage", the visible part that includes the patients and relatives), and describes a new transversal concept, i.e., "network spaces segments," to provide timely interaction among all involved profiles and guaranteeing qualitative relationships. This proposal is applicable to any service design project and to all types of work areas; in the present work, it served as a social-based solution for supporting patients with chronic disease in two real-life health scenarios: a Parkinson disease patient association and a Stroke rehabilitation service in a hospital. These two scenarios included the following main features: thematic (related to the specific disease), private, and secure (only for the patient, relatives, healthcare professional, therapist, carer), with defined specific objectives (around patient support), small size (from tens to hundreds of users), ability to integrate innovative services (e.g., connection to hospital information service or to health sensors), supported by local therapeutic associations, and clustered with preconfigured relationships among users based in network groups.

MEASUREMENTS

Using a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach for 6 months, the performance of the uHSN was assessed in the two environments: a hospital rehabilitation unit working with Stroke patients, and a Parkinson disease association providing physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychological support, speech therapy, and social services. We describe the proposed methods for evaluating the uHSN quantitatively and qualitatively, and how the scientific community can replicate and/or integrate this contribution in its research.

RESULTS

The uHSN overcomes the main limitations of traditional HSNs in the main areas recommended in the literature: privacy, security, transparency, system ecology, Quality of Service (QoS), and technology enhancement. The qualitative and quantitative research demonstrated its viability and replicability in four key points: user acceptance, productivity improvement, QoS enhancement, and fostering of social relations. It also meets the expectation of connecting health and social worlds, supporting distance rehabilitation, improving professionals' efficiency, expanding users' social capital, improving information quality and immediacy, and enhancing perceived peer/social/emotional support. The scientific contributions of the present paper are the first step not only in customizing health solutions that empower patients, their families, and healthcare professionals, but also in transferring this new paradigm to other scientific, professional, and social environments to create new opportunities.

Inulin-type fructans improve active ulcerative colitis associated with microbiota changes and increased short-chain fatty acids levels

The intestinal microbiota is involved in ulcerative colitis (UC) pathogenesis. Prebiotics are hypothesized to improve health through alterations to gut microbiota composition and/or activity. Our aim was therefore to determine if inulin-type fructans induce clinical benefits in UC, and identify if benefits are linked to compositional and/or functional shifts of the luminal (fecal) and mucosal (biopsy) bacterial communities. Patients (n = 25) with mild/moderately active UC received 7.5 g (n = 12) or 15 g (n = 13) daily oral oligofructose-enriched inulin (Orafti®Synergy1) for 9 weeks. Total Mayo score, endoscopic activity and fecal calprotectin were assessed. Fecal and mucosal bacterial communities were characterized by 16S rRNA tag sequencing, and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) production were measured in fecal samples. Fructans significantly reduced colitis in the high-dose group, with 77% of patients showing a clinical response versus 33% in the low-dose group (P = 0.04). Fructans increased colonic butyrate production in the 15 g/d dose, and fecal butyrate levels were negatively correlated with Mayo score (r = -0.50; P = 0.036). The high fructan dose led to an increased Bifidobacteriaceae and Lachnospiraceae abundance but these shifts were not correlated with improved disease scores. In summary, this pilot study revealed that 15 g/d dose inulin type fructans in UC produced functional but not compositional shifts of the gut microbiota, suggesting that prebiotic-induced alterations of gut microbiota metabolism are more important than compositional changes for the benefits in UC. The findings warrant future well-powered controlled studies for the use of β-fructans as adjunct therapy in patients with active UC.

Experimental evaluation of the importance of colonization history in early-life gut microbiota assembly

The factors that govern assembly of the gut microbiota are insufficiently understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that inter-individual microbiota variation can arise solely from differences in the order and timing by which the gut is colonized early in life. Experiments in which mice were inoculated in sequence either with two complex seed communities or a cocktail of four bacterial strains and a seed community revealed that colonization order influenced both the outcome of community assembly and the ecological success of individual colonizers. Historical contingency and priority effects also occurred in Rag1^-/- mice, suggesting that the adaptive immune system is not a major contributor to these processes. In conclusion, this study established a measurable effect of colonization history on gut microbiota assembly in a model in which host and environmental factors were strictly controlled, illuminating a potential cause for the high levels of unexplained individuality in host-associated microbial communities.

The microbial community living in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, also known as the gut microbiome, is essential for health. Disturbances of this community can lead to chronic diseases. Each person has a unique and stable community of gut microbes that is as personal as a ‘fingerprint’. Studies have shown that an individual’s genetics, diet, environment, lifestyle, and physiological state all make small contributions to the variation of the gut microbiome among individuals. However, less than 30% of this variation can be explained, and even identical twins, who share the same genetics and often diets and lifestyle, have distinct gut microbiomes. This suggests that other unknown factors likely shape these microbial communities too.

The microbial communities and the gut make up an ecosystem that is likely subject to many of the same ecological rules that govern ecosystems like rainforests or coral reefs. Yet many studies have overlooked the role of ecology in shaping the gut microbiota. For example, it is well known that the order in which organisms arrive in a community may influence how they interact and assemble into communities. It is possible that the order bacteria are introduced into the gastrointestinal tract of babies early in life may also change the make up of their gut microbiome, and thus introduce the variation that is currently unaccounted for.

Now, Martínez et al. show that the first types of bacteria to colonize the gut of mice have a lasting impact on their microbiome. In the experiments, genetically identical mice were housed under exactly the same conditions in airtight plastic bubbles. This allowed the scientists to control when the young mice first encountered specific microbes and microbe communities. Distinct microbial communities collected from different adult mice were introduced into the gastrointestinal tract of the young mice in sequence. Martínez et al. found that the microbes they introduced into the young mice first had the strongest influence on their gut microbiome at the end of the experiments.

When the experiments were repeated with a cocktail of four different bacteria the results were similar – the earlier arrivals showed enhanced colonization and had the biggest influence on the microbe community. This suggests that the timing of bacterial arrival in the gut is very important to shape the gut microbiome. Since it is highly random and unpredictable in real-life, and likely to differ even among twins, it could explain why the gut microbiome can be so unique. More studies are needed to understand how antibiotics, formula feeding, or cesarean sections affect gut microbiota early in life, and consequently health. This may help scientists develop better ways to influence the microbiota to improve health, for example, by introducing beneficial microbes early in life.

Dietary non-fermentable fiber prevents autoimmune neurological disease by changing gut metabolic and immune status

The autoimmune neurological disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), have increased at alarming rates in the Western society over the last few decades. While there are numerous efforts to develop novel treatment approaches, there is an unmet need to identify preventive strategies. We explored whether central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity can be prevented through dietary manipulation using a spontaneous autoimmune encephalomyelitis mouse model. We report that the nutritional supplementation of non-fermentable fiber, common components of a vegetarian diet, in early adult life, prevents autoimmune disease. Dietary non-fermentable fiber alters the composition of the gut microbiota and metabolic profile with an increase in the abundance of long-chain fatty acids. Immune assays revealed that cecal extracts and a long chain fatty acid but not cecal lysates promoted autoimmune suppressive T_H2 immune responses, demonstrating that non-fermentable fiber-induced metabolic changes account for the beneficial effects. Overall, these findings identify a non-invasive dietary strategy to prevent CNS autoimmunity and warrants a focus on nutritional approaches in human MS.

Microplastic and tar pollution on three Canary Islands beaches: An annual study

Marine debris accumulation was analyzed from three exposed beaches of the Canary Islands (Lambra, Famara and Las Canteras). Large microplastics (1-5mm), mesoplastics (5-25mm) and tar pollution were assessed twice a month for a year. There was great spatial and temporal variability in the Canary Island coastal pollution. Seasonal patterns differed at each location, marine debris concentration depended mainly of local-scale wind and wave conditions. The most polluted beach was Lambra, a remote beach infrequently visited. The types of debris found were mainly preproduction resin pellets, plastic fragments and tar, evidencing that pollution was not of local origin, but it cames from the open sea. The levels of pollution were similar to those of highly industrialized and contaminated regions. This study corroborates that the Canary Islands are an area of accumulation of microplastics and tar rafted from the North Atlantic Ocean by the southward flowing Canary Current.

Metabolic and process engineering for biodesulfurization in Gram-negative bacteria

Microbial desulfurization or biodesulfurization (BDS) is an attractive low-cost and environmentally friendly complementary technology to the hydrotreating chemical process based on the potential of certain bacteria to specifically remove sulfur from S-heterocyclic compounds of crude fuels that are recalcitrant to the chemical treatments. The 4S or Dsz sulfur specific pathway for dibenzothiophene (DBT) and alkyl-substituted DBTs, widely used as model S-heterocyclic compounds, has been extensively studied at the physiological, biochemical and genetic levels mainly in Gram-positive bacteria. Nevertheless, several Gram-negative bacteria have been also used in BDS because they are endowed with some properties, e.g., broad metabolic versatility and easy genetic and genomic manipulation, that make them suitable chassis for systems metabolic engineering strategies. A high number of recombinant bacteria, many of which are Pseudomonas strains, have been constructed to overcome the major bottlenecks of the desulfurization process, i.e., expression of the dsz operon, activity of the Dsz enzymes, retro-inhibition of the Dsz pathway, availability of reducing power, uptake-secretion of substrate and intermediates, tolerance to organic solvents and metals, and other host-specific limitations. However, to attain a BDS process with industrial applicability, it is necessary to apply all the knowledge and advances achieved at the genetic and metabolic levels to the process engineering level, i.e., kinetic modelling, scale-up of biphasic systems, enhancing mass transfer rates, biocatalyst separation, etc. The production of high-added value products derived from the organosulfur material present in oil can be regarded also as an economically viable process that has barely begun to be explored.

To engraft or not to engraft: an ecological framework for gut microbiome modulation with live microbes

Strategies aimed at modulating the gut microbiota by using live microbes range from single strains (probiotics or live biotherapeutics) to whole non-defined fecal transplants. Although often clinically efficacious, our understanding on how microbial-based strategies modulate gut microbiome composition and function is vastly incomplete. In this review, we present a framework based on ecological theory that provides mechanistic explanations for the findings obtained in studies that attempted to modulate the gut microbiota of humans and animals using live microbes. We argue that an ecological perspective grounded in theory is necessary to interpret and predict the impact of microbiome-modulating strategies and thus advance our ability to develop improved and targeted approaches with enhanced therapeutic efficiency.

Prebiotics Reduce Body Fat and Alter Intestinal Microbiota in Children Who Are Overweight or With Obesity

BACKGROUND & AIMS

It might be possible to manipulate the intestinal microbiota with prebiotics or other agents to prevent or treat obesity. However, little is known about the ability of prebiotics to specifically modify gut microbiota in children with overweight/obesity or reduce body weight. We performed a randomized controlled trial to study the effects of prebiotics on body composition, markers of inflammation, bile acids in fecal samples, and composition of the intestinal microbiota in children with overweight or obesity.

METHODS

We performed a single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 2 separate cohorts (March 2014 and August 2014) at the University of Calgary in Canada. Participants included children, 7-12 years old, with overweight or obesity (>85th percentile of body mass index) but otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly assigned to groups given either oligofructose-enriched inulin (OI; 8 g/day; n=22) or maltodextrin placebo (isocaloric dose, controls; n=20) once daily for 16 weeks. Fat mass and lean mass were measured using dual-energy-x-ray absorptiometry. Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured at baseline and every 4 weeks thereafter. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 16 weeks, and analyzed for lipids, cytokines, lipopolysaccharide, and insulin. Fecal samples were collected at baseline and 16 weeks; bile acids were profiled using high-performance liquid chromatography and the composition of the microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The primary outcome was change in percent body fat from baseline to 16 weeks.

RESULTS

After 16 weeks, children who consumed OI had significant decreases in body weight z-score (decrease of 3.1%), percent body fat (decrease of 2.4%), and percent trunk fat (decrease of 3.8%) compared with children given placebo (increase of 0.5%, increase of 0.05%, and decrease of 0.3%, respectively). Children who consumed OI also had a significant reduction in level of interleukin 6 from baseline (decrease of 15%) compared with the placebo group (increase of 25%). There was a significant decrease in serum triglycerides (decrease of 19%) in the OI group. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed a significant increase in Bifidobacterium spp. in the OI group compared with controls. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed significant increases in species of the genus Bifidobacterium and decreases in Bacteroides vulgatus within the group who consumed OI. In fecal samples, levels of primary bile acids increased in the placebo group but not in the OI group over the 16-week study period.

CONCLUSIONS

In a placebo-controlled, randomized trial, we found a prebiotic (OI) to selectively alter the intestinal microbiota and significantly reduce body weight z-score, percent body fat, percent trunk fat, and serum level of interleukin 6 in children with overweight or obesity (Clinicaltrials.gov no: NCT02125955).

Resistant starch can improve insulin sensitivity independently of the gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, have reached epidemic proportions in industrialized nations, and dietary interventions for their prevention are therefore important. Resistant starches (RS) improve insulin sensitivity in clinical trials, but the mechanisms underlying this health benefit remain poorly understood. Because RS fermentation by the gut microbiota results in the formation of physiologically active metabolites, we chose to specifically determine the role of the gut microbiota in mediating the metabolic benefits of RS. To achieve this goal, we determined the effects of RS when added to a Western diet on host metabolism in mice with and without a microbiota.

RESULTS

RS feeding of conventionalized mice improved insulin sensitivity and redressed some of the Western diet-induced changes in microbiome composition. However, parallel experiments in germ-free littermates revealed that RS-mediated improvements in insulin levels also occurred in the absence of a microbiota. RS reduced gene expression of adipose tissue macrophage markers and altered cecal concentrations of several bile acids in both germ-free and conventionalized mice; these effects were strongly correlated with the metabolic benefits, providing a potential microbiota-independent mechanism to explain the physiological effects of RS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that some metabolic benefits exerted by dietary RS, especially improvements in insulin levels, occur independently of the microbiota and could involve alterations in the bile acid cycle and adipose tissue immune modulation. This work also sets a precedent for future mechanistic studies aimed at establishing the causative role of the gut microbiota in mediating the benefits of bioactive compounds and functional foods.

Locomotor training through a novel robotic platform for gait rehabilitation in pediatric population: short report

BACKGROUND

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a disorder of posture and movement due to a defect in the immature brain. The use of robotic devices as alternative treatment to improve the gait function in patients with CP has increased. Nevertheless, current gait trainers are focused on controlling complete joint trajectories, avoiding postural control and the adaptation of the therapy to a specific patient. This paper presents the applicability of a new robotic platform called CPWalker in children with spastic diplegia.

FINDINGS

CPWalker consists of a smart walker with body weight and autonomous locomotion support and an exoskeleton for joint motion support. Likewise, CPWalker enables strategies to improve postural control during walking. The integrated robotic platform provides means for testing novel gait rehabilitation therapies in subjects with CP and similar motor disorders. Patient-tailored therapies were programmed in the device for its evaluation in three children with spastic diplegia for 5 weeks. After ten sessions of personalized training with CPWalker, the children improved the mean velocity (51.94 ± 41.97 %), cadence (29.19 ± 33.36 %) and step length (26.49 ± 19.58 %) in each leg. Post-3D gait assessments provided kinematic outcomes closer to normal values than Pre-3D assessments.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show the potential of the novel robotic platform to serve as a rehabilitation tool. The autonomous locomotion and impedance control enhanced the children's participation during therapies. Moreover, participants' postural control was substantially improved, which indicates the usefulness of the approach based on promoting the patient's trunk control while the locomotion therapy is executed. Although results are promising, further studies with bigger sample size are required.

Mucosal Barrier Depletion and Loss of Bacterial Diversity are Primary Abnormalities in Paediatric Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Ulcerative colitis [UC] is associated with colonic mucosa barrier defects and bacterial dysbiosis, but these features may simply be the result of inflammation. Therefore, we sought to assess whether these features are inherently abrogated in the terminal ileum [TI] of UC patients, where inflammation is absent.

METHODS

TI biopsies from paediatric inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] subsets [Crohn's disease [CD; n = 13] and UC [n = 10]], and non-IBD disease controls [n = 12] were histologically graded, and alcian blue/periodic acid-Schiff stained biopsies were quantified. The mucosal barrier was assessed for mucin [MUC2], immunoglobulin [Ig]A, IgG, and total bacteria (fluorescence in-situ hybridisation [FISH probe EUB338]) by immunofluorescence. The regulation of mucin secretion was investigated by NLRP6 gene expression and immunofluorescence. The composition of the active mucosa-associated microbiota was explored by sequencing the 16S rRNA amplicon generated from total RNA.

RESULTS

Despite the absence of ileitis, UC patients displayed ileal barrier depletion illustrated by reductions in mucin-containing goblet cells and mucin production and altered epithelial NLRP6 expression. In both CD patients with ileitis and UC patients with normal histology, bacteria coated with IgA and IgG penetrated the TI mucin layer. Biopsy 16S rRNA sequencing revealed a reduction in α-diversity by three methods [Shannon, Simpson, and Equitability indices] between UC and non-IBD paediatric patients.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest an underlying defect in the UC-afflicted intestinal tract even in the absence of inflammation, implicating barrier and microbial changes as primary abnormalities in UC that may play a causative role in disease development.

Patterns of body condition use and its impact on fertility

<p>A total of 60 nulliparous crossbred rabbit females were, a posteriori, divided into 2 experimental groups according to their natural “decision” to conceive or not at day 11 post first parturition (L: solely-lactating or LP: lactating-pregnant). This design allowed us to study the evolution of body reserves around first parturition and its influence on the future reproductive success of rabbit females. Primiparous rabbit females that failed to conceive when inseminated at day 11 post-partum (L) seemed to have a higher perirenal fat thickness (PFT) 12 d pre-partum (+0.25 mm; P=0.079) than females that conceived (LP). In the subsequent days, L females showed a significantly higher mobilisation rate than LP females (on av.–0.12 and –0.07 mm of PFT per day, respectively; P=0.007), reaching a lower PFT at partum (5.17 mm vs. 5.62 mm, respectively; P = 0.002). However, due to a greater recovery rate observed in L females (+0.15 vs. +0.08 mm of PFT per day for L and LP females, respectively; P=0.007), PFT at 10 d post-partum was similar (on av. 5.86 mm). These different patterns showed that PFT level at 12 d pre-partum and PFT mobilisation rate onwards seems to drive the start of a new pregnancy. It also seems to modify the energy metabolism of rabbit females, allowing does to recover perirenal fat tissue without compromising the production of milk necessary for the current litter.</p>

Mapping vulnerability to bipolar disorders

Introduction

Although early interventions in individuals with bipolar disorder may reduce the associated personal and economic burden, the neurobiologic markers of enhanced risk are unknown.

Objectives

The objective of this paper is to analyze the existence of neurobiological abnormalities in individuals with genetic risk for developing bipolar disorder (HR)

Material and methods

A literature search was performed in the available scientific literature on the subject study object, by searching MEDLINE.

Results

There were 37 studies included in this systematic review. The overall sample for the systematic review included 1258 controls and 996 HR individuals. No significant differences were detected between HR individuals and controls in the selected ROIs (regions of interest): striatum, amygdala, hippocampus, pituitary and frontal lobe. The HR group showed increased grey matter volume compared with patients with established bipolar disorder. The HR individuals showed increased neural response in the left superior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus and left insula compared with controls. The overall results found no significant differences between individuals at high genetic risk and controls since the magnitude of the association as corresponds to an OR < 1.5 (low association)

Conclusion

There is accumulating evidence for the existence of neurobiologic abnormalities in individuals at genetic risk for bipolar disorder at various scales of investigation. The etiopathogenesis of bipolar disorder will be better elucidated by future imaging studies investigating larger and more homogeneous samples and using longitudinal designs to dissect neurobiologic abnormalities that are underlying traits of the illness from those related to psychopathologic states, such as episodes of mood exacerbation or pharmacologic treatment.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Cocaine use and employment

Introduction

Cocaine use is prevalent in mental health consultations in both sexes. However, in men and women there are differences in the frequency of use of substances and on the employment situation.

Objectives

Show the differences for the use of cocaine and employment status of men and women, in a sample of patients followed at the Mental Health Center in Drug Dependency Unit.

Material and methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study and analyze the differences according to sex for cocaine use and the employment situation, in a sample of patients who are undergoing treatment at the Mental Health Center for a year diagnosed with dual pathology.

Results

In men in active employment status, the percentage of cocaine use is 19.5% and if we compare with women in the same job situation, the percentage of cocaine use is 0%.

Men who are unemployed use more cocaine than women in the same job situation. For retirees, the highest percentage of cocaine is found in women.

Hundred percent of women use cocaine by sniffing. Men use different ways of cocaine consume.

Snorted way 67.7%, 14.9% smoked and snorted, smoked 8% and 2.3% intravenous.

Conclusion

Men use cocaine more frequently unemployed while women do more it often being retired.

The route most used cocaine consume in both sexes is snorted.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Disparate Metabolic Responses in Mice Fed a High-Fat Diet Supplemented with Maize-Derived Non-Digestible Feruloylated Oligo- and Polysaccharides Are Linked to Changes in the Gut Microbiota

Studies have suggested links between colonic fermentation of dietary fibers and improved metabolic health. The objectives of this study were to determine if non-digestible feruloylated oligo- and polysaccharides (FOPS), a maize-derived dietary fiber, could counteract the deleterious effects of high-fat (HF) feeding in mice and explore if metabolic benefits were linked to the gut microbiota. C57BL/6J mice (n = 8/group) were fed a low-fat (LF; 10 kcal% fat), HF (62 kcal% fat), or HF diet supplemented with FOPS (5%, w/w). Pronounced differences in FOPS responsiveness were observed: four mice experienced cecal enlargement and enhanced short chain fatty acid production, indicating increased cecal fermentation (F-FOPS). Only these mice displayed improvements in glucose metabolism compared with HF-fed mice. Blooms in the gut microbial genera Blautia and Akkermansia were observed in three of the F-FOPS mice; these shifts were associated with reductions in body and adipose tissue weights compared with the HF-fed control mice. No improvements in metabolic markers or weights were detected in the four mice whose gut microbiota did not respond to FOPS. These findings demonstrate that FOPS-induced improvements in weight gain and metabolic health in mice depended on the ability of an individual's microbiota to ferment FOPS.

The gut microbiota of rural papua new guineans: composition, diversity patterns, and ecological processes

Although recent research revealed an impact of westernization on diversity and composition of the human gut microbiota, the exact consequences on metacommunity characteristics are insufficiently understood, and the underlying ecological mechanisms have not been elucidated. Here, we have compared the fecal microbiota of adults from two non-industrialized regions in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with that of United States (US) residents. Papua New Guineans harbor communities with greater bacterial diversity, lower inter-individual variation, vastly different abundance profiles, and bacterial lineages undetectable in US residents. A quantification of the ecological processes that govern community assembly identified bacterial dispersal as the dominant process that shapes the microbiome in PNG but not in the US. These findings suggest that the microbiome alterations detected in industrialized societies might arise from modern lifestyle factors limiting bacterial dispersal, which has implications for human health and the development of strategies aimed to redress the impact of westernization.

Catalytic pyrolysis of wood biomass in an auger reactor using calcium-based catalysts

Wood catalytic pyrolysis using calcium-based materials was studied in an auger reactor at 450°C. Two different catalysts, CaO and CaO·MgO were evaluated and upgraded bio-oils were obtained in both cases. Whilst acidity and oxygen content remarkable decrease, both pH and calorific value increase with respect to the non-catalytic test. Upgrading process was linked to the fact that calcium-based materials could not only fix the CO2-like compounds but also promoted the dehydration reactions. In addition, process simulation demonstrated that the addition of these catalysts, especially CaO, could favour the energetic integration since a lowest circulation of heat carrier between combustor and auger reactor should be needed. An energy self-sustained system was obtained where thermal energy required for biomass drying and for pyrolysis reaction was supplied by non-condensable gas and char combustion, respectively.