scholarly journals The Interactions between Polyphenols and Microorganisms, Especially Gut Microbiota

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Makarewicz ◽  
Iwona Drożdż ◽  
Tomasz Tarko ◽  
Aleksandra Duda-Chodak
Keyword(s):  
Intestinal Bacteria ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Bioactive Metabolites ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Comprehensive Knowledge ◽  
Bidirectional Relationship ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Intestinal Pathogens ◽  
The Impact

This review presents the comprehensive knowledge about the bidirectional relationship between polyphenols and the gut microbiome. The first part is related to polyphenols’ impacts on various microorganisms, especially bacteria, and their influence on intestinal pathogens. The research data on the mechanisms of polyphenol action were collected together and organized. The impact of various polyphenols groups on intestinal bacteria both on the whole “microbiota” and on particular species, including probiotics, are presented. Moreover, the impact of polyphenols present in food (bound to the matrix) was compared with the purified polyphenols (such as in dietary supplements) as well as polyphenols in the form of derivatives (such as glycosides) with those in the form of aglycones. The second part of the paper discusses in detail the mechanisms (pathways) and the role of bacterial biotransformation of the most important groups of polyphenols, including the production of bioactive metabolites with a significant impact on the human organism (both positive and negative).

scholarly journals Evaluating the role of contracting and expanding rainforest in initiating cycles of speciation across the Isthmus of Panama

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1742) ◽  
pp. 3520-3526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Tilston Smith ◽  
Amei Amei ◽  
John Klicka
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
High Species Richness ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
The Impact

Climatic and geological changes across time are presumed to have shaped the rich biodiversity of tropical regions. However, the impact climatic drying and subsequent tropical rainforest contraction had on speciation has been controversial because of inconsistent palaeoecological and genetic data. Despite the strong interest in examining the role of climatic change on speciation in the Neotropics there has been few comparative studies, particularly, those that include non-rainforest taxa. We used bird species that inhabit humid or dry habitats that dispersed across the Panamanian Isthmus to characterize temporal and spatial patterns of speciation across this barrier. Here, we show that these two assemblages of birds exhibit temporally different speciation time patterns that supports multiple cycles of speciation. Evidence for these cycles is further corroborated by the finding that both assemblages consist of ‘young’ and ‘old’ species, despite dry habitat species pairs being geographically more distant than pairs of humid habitat species. The matrix of humid and dry habitats in the tropics not only allows for the maintenance of high species richness, but additionally this study suggests that these environments may have promoted speciation. We conclude that differentially expanding and contracting distributions of dry and humid habitats was probably an important contributor to speciation in the tropics.

scholarly journals Not-for-Profit Performance Reporting: A Reflection on Methods, Results and Implications for Practice and Regulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle McConville ◽  
Carolyn Cordery
Keyword(s):  
Research Data ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Not For Profit ◽  
Performance Reporting ◽  
Profit Performance ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Interesting Area ◽  
Prevailing View

AbstractThis paper presents a critical analysis of present approaches to studying not-for-profit performance reporting, and implications of research in this area. Focusing on three approaches: content analysis of publicly available performance reporting; quantitative analysis of financial data; and (rarer) mixed/other methods, we consider the impact of these on our knowledge of not-for-profit performance reporting, highlighting gaps and suggesting further research questions and methods. Our analysis demonstrates the important role of regulation in determining the research data available, and the impact of this on research methods. We inter-connect the methods, results and prevailing view of performance reporting in different jurisdictions and argue that this reporting has the potential to influence both charity practices and regulators’ actions. We call for further research in this interesting area. Contribution is made to the methodological literature on not-for-profits, and ongoing international conversations on regulating not-for-profit reporting.

scholarly journals Privatization of Biofilm Matrix in Structurally Heterogeneous Biofilms

mSystems ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon B. Otto ◽  
Marivic Martin ◽  
Daniel Schäfer ◽  
Raimo Hartmann ◽  
Knut Drescher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Shear Stress ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Matrix Gene ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Matrix Components ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT The self-produced biofilm provides beneficial protection for the enclosed cells, but the costly production of matrix components makes producer cells susceptible to cheating by nonproducing individuals. Despite detrimental effects of nonproducers, biofilms can be heterogeneous, with isogenic nonproducers being a natural consequence of phenotypic differentiation processes. For instance, in Bacillus subtilis biofilm cells differ in production of the two major matrix components, the amyloid fiber protein TasA and exopolysaccharides (EPS), demonstrating different expression levels of corresponding matrix genes. This raises questions regarding matrix gene expression dynamics during biofilm development and the impact of phenotypic nonproducers on biofilm robustness. Here, we show that biofilms are structurally heterogeneous and can be separated into strongly and weakly associated clusters. We reveal that spatiotemporal changes in structural heterogeneity correlate with matrix gene expression, with TasA playing a key role in biofilm integrity and timing of development. We show that the matrix remains partially privatized by the producer subpopulation, where cells tightly stick together even when exposed to shear stress. Our results support previous findings on the existence of “weak points” in seemingly robust biofilms as well as on the key role of linkage proteins in biofilm formation. Furthermore, we provide a starting point for investigating the privatization of common goods within isogenic populations. IMPORTANCE Biofilms are communities of bacteria protected by a self-produced extracellular matrix. The detrimental effects of nonproducing individuals on biofilm development raise questions about the dynamics between community members, especially when isogenic nonproducers exist within wild-type populations. We asked ourselves whether phenotypic nonproducers impact biofilm robustness, and where and when this heterogeneity of matrix gene expression occurs. Based on our results, we propose that the matrix remains partly privatized by the producing subpopulation, since producing cells stick together when exposed to shear stress. The important role of linkage proteins in robustness and development of the structurally heterogeneous biofilm provides an entry into studying the privatization of common goods within isogenic populations.

scholarly journals The Role of Gut Microbiota in an Ischemic Stroke

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 915
Author(s):  
Ryszard Pluta ◽  
Sławomir Januszewski ◽  
Stanisław J. Czuczwar
Keyword(s):  
Ischemic Stroke ◽  
Intestinal Microflora ◽  
Intestinal Bacteria ◽  
Intestinal Microbiome ◽  
Gut Dysfunction ◽  
Development And Aging ◽  
Host Metabolism ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain

The intestinal microbiome, the largest reservoir of microorganisms in the human body, plays an important role in neurological development and aging as well as in brain disorders such as an ischemic stroke. Increasing knowledge about mediators and triggered pathways has contributed to a better understanding of the interaction between the gut-brain axis and the brain-gut axis. Intestinal bacteria produce neuroactive compounds and can modulate neuronal function, which affects behavior after an ischemic stroke. In addition, intestinal microorganisms affect host metabolism and immune status, which in turn affects the neuronal network in the ischemic brain. Here we discuss the latest results of animal and human research on two-way communication along the gut-brain axis in an ischemic stroke. Moreover, several reports have revealed the impact of an ischemic stroke on gut dysfunction and intestinal dysbiosis, highlighting the delicate play between the brain, intestines and microbiome after this acute brain injury. Despite our growing knowledge of intestinal microflora in shaping brain health, host metabolism, the immune system and disease progression, its therapeutic options in an ischemic stroke have not yet been fully utilized. This review shows the role of the gut microflora-brain axis in an ischemic stroke and assesses the potential role of intestinal microflora in the onset, progression and recovery post-stroke.

scholarly journals Privatization of biofilm matrix in structurally heterogeneous biofilms

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon B. Otto ◽  
Marivic Martin ◽  
Daniel Schäfer ◽  
Raimo Hartmann ◽  
Knut Drescher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Shear Stress ◽  
Structural Heterogeneity ◽  
Matrix Gene ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Matrix Components ◽  
Biofilm Development ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTThe self-produced biofilm provides beneficial protection for the enclosed cells, but the costly production of matrix components makes producer cells susceptible to cheating by non-producing individuals. Despite detrimental effects of non-producers, biofilms can be heterogeneous, with isogenic non-producers being a natural consequence of phenotypic differentiation processes. For instance, in Bacillus subtilis biofilm cells differ in the two major matrix components production, the amyloid fiber protein TasA and exopolysaccharides (EPS), demonstrating different expression levels of corresponding matrix genes. This raises questions regarding matrix gene expression dynamics during biofilm development and the impact of phenotypic non-producers on biofilm robustness. Here, we show that biofilms are structurally heterogeneous and can be separated into strongly and weakly associated clusters. We reveal that spatiotemporal changes in structural heterogeneity correlate with matrix gene expression, with TasA playing a key role in biofilm integrity and timing of development. We show that the matrix remains partially privatized by the producer subpopulation, where cells tightly stick together even when exposed to shear stress. Our results support previous findings on the existence of ‘weak points’ in seemingly robust biofilms as well as on the key role of linkage proteins in biofilm formation. Furthermore, we provide a starting point for investigating the privatization of common goods within isogenic populations.IMPORTANCEBiofilms are communities of bacteria protected by a self-produced extracellular matrix. The detrimental effects of non-producing individuals on biofilm development raises questions about the dynamics between community members, especially when isogenic non-producers exist within wild-type populations. We asked ourselves whether phenotypic non-producers impact biofilm robustness, and where and when this heterogeneity of matrix gene expression occurs. Based on our results we propose that the matrix remains partly privatized by the producing subpopulation, since producing cells stick together when exposed to shear stress. The important role of linkage proteins in robustness and development of the structurally heterogeneous biofilm provides an entry into studying the privatization of common goods within isogenic populations.

scholarly journals Role of Apoptosis in Wound Healing and Apoptosis Alterations in Microgravity

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Riwaldt ◽  
Thomas J. Corydon ◽  
Desiré Pantalone ◽  
Jayashree Sahana ◽  
Petra Wise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wound Healing ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Protective Layer ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Impaired Wound Healing ◽  
Cell Lineages ◽  
Space Tourism ◽  
The Impact

Functioning as the outermost self-renewing protective layer of the human organism, skin protects against a multitude of harmful biological and physical stimuli. Consisting of ectodermal, mesenchymal, and neural crest-derived cell lineages, tissue homeostasis, and signal transduction are finely tuned through the interplay of various pathways. A health problem of astronauts in space is skin deterioration. Until today, wound healing has not been considered as a severe health concern for crew members. This can change with deep space exploration missions and commercial spaceflights together with space tourism. Albeit the molecular process of wound healing is not fully elucidated yet, there have been established significant conceptual gains and new scientific methods. Apoptosis, e.g., programmed cell death, enables orchestrated development and cell removal in wounded or infected tissue. Experimental designs utilizing microgravity allow new insights into the role of apoptosis in wound healing. Furthermore, impaired wound healing in unloading conditions would depict a significant challenge in human-crewed exploration space missions. In this review, we provide an overview of alterations in the behavior of cutaneous cell lineages under microgravity in regard to the impact of apoptosis in wound healing. We discuss the current knowledge about wound healing in space and simulated microgravity with respect to apoptosis and available therapeutic strategies.

scholarly journals Sharing health research data – the role of funders in improving the impact

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert F. Terry ◽  
Katherine Littler ◽  
Piero L. Olliaro
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Data Sharing ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Subsequent Publication ◽  
Share Data ◽  
Registry Entry ◽  
The Impact

Recent public health emergencies with outbreaks of influenza, Ebola and Zika revealed that the mechanisms for sharing research data are neither being used, or adequate for the purpose, particularly where data needs to be shared rapidly. A review of research papers, including completed clinical trials related to priority pathogens, found only 31% (98 out of 319 published papers, excluding case studies) provided access to all the data underlying the paper - 65% of these papers give no information on how to find or access the data. Only two clinical trials out of 58 on interventions for WHO priority pathogens provided any link in their registry entry to the background data. Interviews with researchers revealed a reluctance to share data included a lack of confidence in the utility of the data; an absence of academic-incentives for rapid dissemination that prevents subsequent publication and a disconnect between those who are collecting the data and those who wish to use it quickly.  The role of the funders of research needs to change to address this. Funders need to engage early with the researchers and related stakeholders to understand their concerns and work harder to define the more explicitly the benefits to all stakeholders.  Secondly, there needs to be a direct benefit to sharing data that is directly relevant to those people that collect and curate the data. Thirdly more work needs to be done to realise the intent of making data sharing resources more equitable, ethical and efficient.  Finally, a checklist of the issues that need to be addressed when designing new or revising existing data sharing resources should be created. This checklist would highlight the technical, cultural and ethical issues that need to be considered and point to examples of emerging good practice that can be used to address them.

scholarly journals Diversity Training and its Impact on the Employees’ Organizational Commitment: Job Satisfaction as a Moderating Variable in the Classic Fashion Apparel Industry Company

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rokaya AL-Badareen ◽  
Hadeel Al-Ghazzawi
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Diversity Training ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Apparel Industry ◽  
Research Data ◽  
Fashion Apparel ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of diversity training on the organizational commitment and also identify the role of job satisfaction in improving the relationship between diversity training and organizational commitment of the employees. For this purpose, the data gathered from (110) individuals operating in Classic Fashion Apparel Industry Company in Jordan have been analyzed, applying statistical techniques and methods. The analysis of the research data has revealed that the diversity training had a positive impact on the organizational commitment of employees. The research data has also indicated that the job satisfaction, as a Moderating Variable, had a meaningful role in improving the relationship between diversity training and organizational commitment.

scholarly journals Procyanidin—Cell Wall Interactions within Apple Matrices Decrease the Metabolization of Procyanidins by the Human Gut Microbiota and the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of the Resulting Microbial Metabolome In Vitro

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 664 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carine Le Bourvellec ◽  
Priscilla Bagano Vilas Boas ◽  
Pascale Lepercq ◽  
Sophie Comtet-Marre ◽  
Pauline Auffret ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Bioactive Metabolites ◽  
Cell Wall Polysaccharides ◽  
Covalent Bonds ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
The Impact

B-type oligomeric procyanidins in apples constitute an important source of polyphenols in the human diet. Their role in health is not known, although it is suggested that they generate beneficial bioactive compounds upon metabolization by the gut microbiota. During apple processing, procyanidins interact with cell-wall polysaccharides and form stable complexes. These interactions need to be taken into consideration in order to better assess the biological effects of fruit constituents. Our objectives were to evaluate the impact of these interactions on the microbial metabolization of cell walls and procyanidins, and to investigate the potential anti-inflammatory activity of the resulting metabolome, in addition to analyzing the taxonomical changes which the microbiota undergo. In vitro fermentation of three model apple matrices with microbiota from 4 healthy donors showed that the binding of procyanidins to cell-wall polysaccharides, whether covalently or non-covalently, substantially reduced procyanidin degradation. Although cell wall-unbound procyanidins negatively affected carbohydrate fermentation, they generated more hydroxyphenylvaleric acid than bound procyanidins, and increased the abundance of Adlercreutzia and Gordonibacter genera. The best results in terms of production of anti-inflammatory bioactive metabolites were observed from the apple matrix with no bonds between procyanidins and cell wall polysaccharides, although the matrix with non-covalent bonds was not far behind.

scholarly journals The Role of the Visual Aesthetic Quality of Public Space in Appropriation Processes of Large-Scale Residential Areas = Lielmēroga dzīvojamo rajonu publiskās ārtelpas vizuāli estētiskās kvalitātes nozīme tās izmantošanas procesos

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Agnese Kusmane ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Aesthetic Quality ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Spatial Quality ◽  
The Impact

Agnese Kusmane's (Mg.art.) Doctoral thesis “The Role of the Visual Aesthetic Quality of Public Space in Appropriation Processes of Large-Scale Residential Areas” is based on the topicality of the theme: residents' dissatisfaction with the quality of public space in large-scale residential areas being one of the most important aspects of topicality. The aim of the work is to evaluate the impact of the visual aesthetic quality of public space on the intensity of its appropriation in large-scale residential areas and provide landscape and building architects with the methodological framework for the reconstruction of public spaces in these areas. In order to achieve the aim of the thesis, the following tasks have been carried out: environmental psychology findings on aesthetic quality evaluation connecting metric values, configurational components and space-forming elements have been compiled, creating Matrix of Visual Aesthetic Quality of Space; brief overviews of the history and current state of large-scale residential areas in Riga and Berlin has been provided; a semi-structured interview method has been developed and applied for the study of spatial quality assessment of residents in three large-scale residential areas of Riga, amending the Matrix with data obtained through the semi-structured interviews; the relation between the intensity of public space appropriation and the landscape design and spatial organization in Berlin residential areas has been studied with the observation methods, controlling and refining the Matrix of Visual Aesthetic Quality of Space; a method for measuring spatial quality based on the Matrix has been developed. Several methods have been used in the work, including the monographic, semi-structured interview, deduction, participatory observation. There are four chapters in the work. The first chapter analyses the literature dedicated to the research of spatial quality, its impact on the intensity of outdoor appropriation. Based on the findings of environmental psychology, a category-based initial version of the Matrix of Visual Aesthetic Quality of Space is developed. The Matrix correlates the assessment of the visual aesthetic quality of the public space and the expected intensity of appropriation. The first chapter concludes with the development of methodological steps aimed at improving and refining the Matrix. The second chapter examines large-scale residential areas of Riga and Berlin from a historical and contemporary perspective. The demographic characteristics of the population are also considered. In the second chapter, it is concluded that residential areas of Riga and Berlin are compatible for studying the impact of public visual aesthetic quality on the intensity of its appropriation, and the data can be converted into the Matrix. In the third chapter, the assessment of public space quality is performed through the initial version of the Matrix, finding out which spatial categories are represented in large-scale residential areas in Riga and Berlin. Further, semi-structured interviews are conducted in residential areas of Riga on the relation between the aesthetic quality of public space and the expected intensity of appropriation, the interview data are included in the Matrix, improving it. At the end of the chapter, observations are carried out focused on relation between the visual aesthetic quality of public space and the intensity of appropriation in Berlin; the obtained data is integrated into the Matrix of Visual Aesthetic Quality of Space, specifying it. The fourth chapter discusses the findings of the work on the relationship between the assessment of the visual aesthetic quality of the public space and the intensity of its appropriation. At the beginning of the chapter, the relation between the metric values, configurational components and space-forming elements of different spatial categories included in the Matrix and the intensity of outdoor appropriation is analysed in detail. Further, the chapter discusses the role of the blue-green structure in the context of public space appropriation forecasting. The fourth chapter concludes with methodological recommendations for the application of the Matrix of Visual esthetic Quality of Space. The paper concludes that the intensity of outdoor appropriation can be most accurately predicted in outdoor areas dominated by blue-green structure. The thesis consists of 172 pages. The thesis includes 30 tables, 80 figures, 3 appendices and 372 sources.

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