Multiunit In Vitro Colon Model for the Evaluation of Prebiotic Potential of a Fiber Plus D-Limonene Food Supplement

The search for new fiber supplements that can claim to be “prebiotic” is expanding fast, as the role of prebiotics and intestinal microbiota in well-being has been well established. This work explored the prebiotic potential of a novel fiber plus D-Limonene supplement (FLS) in comparison to fructooligosaccharides (FOS) over distal colonic fermentation with the in vitro model MICODE (multi-unit in vitro colon gut model). During fermentation, volatilome characterization and core microbiota quantifications were performed, then correlations among volatiles and microbes were interpreted. The results indicated that FLS generated positive effects on the host gut model, determining: (i) eubiosis; (ii) increased abundance of beneficial bacteria, as Bifidobacteriaceae; (iii) production of beneficial compounds, as n-Decanoic acid; (iv) reduction in detrimental bacteria, as Enterobaceteriaceae; (v) reduction in detrimental compounds, as skatole. The approach that we followed permitted us to describe the prebiotic potential of FLS and its ability to steadily maintain the metabolism of colon microbiota over time. This aspect is two-faced and should be investigated further because if a fast microbial turnover and production of beneficial compounds is a hallmark of a prebiotic, the ability to reduce microbiota changes and to reduce imbalances in the productions of microbial metabolites could be an added value to FLS. In fact, it has been recently demonstrated that these aspects could serve as an adjuvant in metabolic disorders and cognitive decline.

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An in vitro model of human bronchial epithelial cells for the investigation of the role of the airway epithelium in asthma exacerbations

Pneumologie ◽

10.1055/s-0037-1619393 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 72 (S 01) ◽

pp. S101-S102

Author(s):

JC Ehlers ◽

S Bartel ◽

C Vock ◽

H Fehrenbach

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Cells ◽

Airway Epithelium ◽

In Vitro Model ◽

Bronchial Epithelial Cells ◽

Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells ◽

Bronchial Epithelial ◽

Asthma Exacerbations ◽

Vitro Model

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The Moderating Impact of Attending Services on the Effect of Older Adults’ Discrimination Experiences on Loneliness

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 323-323

Author(s):

Dahee Kim ◽

Kyuho Lee

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Perceived Discrimination ◽

Well Being ◽

Religious Community ◽

Religious Activities ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Religious Behaviors ◽

Religious Services ◽

The Impact

Abstract Research has shown that perceived discriminations impact physical and mental health in later life. Discrimination experiences could make older adults consider themselves as a social misfit and decrease their social interactions, which finally increases their loneliness. Religious behaviors has been reported as a key factor of a lower sense of isolation. Considering that religious behaviors provide opportunities to engage in more extensive social networks and have supportive social ties with community members, attending religious services might decrease the impact of older adults’ perceived discrimination on loneliness. The current research aims to examine the moderating role of religious services attendance in the association between older adults’ perceived discrimination and loneliness. We used data of 4,488 adults aged 50 to 80 (M=66.27, SD=10.15) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) collected in 2012 and 2014. Linear regression analysis was performed to investigate whether older adults’ religious service attendance might decrease the impact of their perceived discriminations in daily life on the level of loneliness. The results indicated that more perceived discriminations older adults face on a daily basis were significantly associated with higher levels of loneliness. However, participants who frequently attended religious services showed a lower impact of perceived discriminations on their loneliness. These findings highlight the positive effects of engaging in religious activities on discriminated older adults’ social well-being. These findings also emphasize the role of the religious community as a social resource for socially marginalized older adults.

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Antagonism of Adherent Invasive E. coli LF82 With Human α-defensin 5 in the Follicle-associated Epithelium of Patients With Ileal Crohn’s Disease

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ◽

10.1093/ibd/izaa315 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Lina Y Alkaissi ◽

Martin E Winberg ◽

Stéphanie DS Heil ◽

Staffan Haapaniemi ◽

Pär Myrelid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Crohn’S Disease ◽

Crohn's Disease ◽

Ex Vivo ◽

Ussing Chambers ◽

E Coli ◽

Follicle Associated Epithelium ◽

Vitro Model ◽

Set Up

Abstract Background The first visible signs of Crohn’s disease (CD) are microscopic erosions over the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of human α-defensin 5 (HD5) on adherent-invasive Escherichia coli LF82 translocation and HD5 secretion after LF82 exposure in an in vitro model of human FAE and in human FAE ex vivo. Methods An in vitro FAE-model was set up by the coculture of Raji B cells and Caco-2-cl1 cells. Ileal FAE from patients with CD and controls were mounted in Ussing chambers. The effect of HD5 on LF82 translocation was studied by LF82 exposure to the cells or tissues with or without incubation with HD5. The HD5 secretion was measured in human FAE exposed to LF82 or Salmonella typhimurium. The HD5 levels were evaluated by immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and ELISA. Results There was an increased LF82 translocation across the FAE-model compared with Caco-2-cl1 (P < 0.05). Incubation of cell/tissues with HD5 before LF82 exposure reduced bacterial passage in both models. Human FAE showed increased LF82 translocation in CD compared with controls and attenuated passage after incubation with sublethal HD5 in both CD and controls (P < 0.05). LF82 exposure resulted in a lower HD5 secretion in CD FAE compared with controls (P < 0.05), whereas Salmonella exposure caused equal secretion on CD and controls. There were significantly lower HD5 levels in CD tissues compared with controls. Conclusions Sublethal HD5 reduces the ability of LF82 to translocate through FAE. The HD5 is secreted less in CD in response to LF82, despite a normal response to Salmonella. This further implicates the integrated role of antimicrobial factors and barrier function in CD pathogenesis.

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Role of the C5a-C5a receptor axis in the inflammatory responses of the lungs after experimental polytrauma and hemorrhagic shock

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79607-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Shinjini Chakraborty ◽

Veronika Eva Winkelmann ◽

Sonja Braumüller ◽

Annette Palmer ◽

Anke Schultze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hemorrhagic Shock ◽

Inflammatory Responses ◽

Experimental Models ◽

Lung Damage ◽

C5a Receptor ◽

Cytokine Levels ◽

Vitro Model

AbstractSingular blockade of C5a in experimental models of sepsis is known to confer protection by rescuing lethality and decreasing pro-inflammatory responses. However, the role of inhibiting C5a has not been evaluated in the context of sterile systemic inflammatory responses, like polytrauma and hemorrhagic shock (PT + HS). In our presented study, a novel and highly specific C5a L-aptamer, NoxD21, was used to block C5a activity in an experimental murine model of PT + HS. The aim of the study was to assess early modulation of inflammatory responses and lung damage 4 h after PT + HS induction. NoxD21-treated PT + HS mice displayed greater polymorphonuclear cell recruitment in the lung, increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) and reduced myeloperoxidase levels within the lung tissue. An in vitro model of the alveolar-capillary barrier was established to confirm these in vivo observations. Treatment with a polytrauma cocktail induced barrier damage only after 16 h, and NoxD21 treatment in vitro did not rescue this effect. Furthermore, to test the exact role of both the cognate receptors of C5a (C5aR1 and C5aR2), experimental PT + HS was induced in C5aR1 knockout (C5aR1 KO) and C5aR2 KO mice. Following 4 h of PT + HS, C5aR2 KO mice had significantly reduced IL-6 and IL-17 levels in the BALF without significant lung damage, and both, C5aR1 KO and C5aR2 KO PT + HS animals displayed reduced MPO levels within the lungs. In conclusion, the C5aR2 could be a putative driver of early local inflammatory responses in the lung after PT + HS.

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Homeopathic potencies of Arnica montana L. change gene expression in a Tamm-Horsfall protein-1 cell line in vitro model: the role of ethanol as a possible confounder and statistical bias

Journal of Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1016/s2095-4964(17)60346-7 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 255-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Salvatore Chirumbolo ◽

Geir Bjørklund

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Cell Line ◽

In Vitro Model ◽

Statistical Bias ◽

Arnica Montana ◽

Vitro Model

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A Novel Insight into the Role of Entry Tears in Type B Aortic Dissection: Pressure Measurements in an in Vitro Model

The International Journal of Artificial Organs ◽

10.5301/ijao.5000627 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 40 (10) ◽

pp. 563-574 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Stefania Marconi ◽

Ettore Lanzarone ◽

Hector De Beaufort ◽

Michele Conti ◽

Santi Trimarchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

False Lumen ◽

Patient Characteristics ◽

Acute Type ◽

Type B ◽

Type B Dissection ◽

Vitro Model ◽

Insight Into

Introduction Predicting aortic growth in acute type B dissection is fundamental in planning interventions. Several factors are considered to be growth predictors in the literature and, among them, size and location of entry tears have been recognized to particularly influence the false lumen pressure. In this study, we develop an in vitro setting to analyze the actual impact of size and location of the entry tears on false lumen pressure, in the absence of other confounding factors such as the deformability of the aortic wall. Methods We formalize some indexes that synthetically describe the false lumen pressure with respect to the true lumen pressure. Then, we experimentally derive their values in several configurations of the in vitro setting, and we look for trends in the indexes with respect to the size and location of entry tears. Results: Results show that the tears have a relevant impact on the false lumen pressure, but that their size and location alone are not enough to explain the phenomena observed in vivo. Conclusions To predict the behavior of acute type B dissection, we therefore recommend not limiting to size and location, as many effects may derive from the interactions between these parameters and other patient characteristics.

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Review: The endless nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits of the Himalayan gold, Cordyceps; Current knowledge and prospective potentials

Biofarmasi Journal of Natural Product Biochemistry ◽

10.13057/biofar/f180204 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Waill Elkhateeb ◽

Ghoson Daba

Keyword(s):

Current Knowledge ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Chemical Compounds ◽

Food Supplement ◽

In Vivo Studies ◽

Protective Agent ◽

Global Marketplace

Abstract. Elkhateeb WA, Daba GM. 2020. Review: The endless nutritional and pharmaceutical benefits of the Himalayan gold, Cordyceps; Current knowledge and prospective potentials. Biofarmasi J Nat Prod Biochem 18: 70-77. As a traditional medicine, Cordyceps has long been used in Asian nations for maintaining vivacity and boosting immunity. Numerous publications on various bioactivities of Cordyceps have been investigated in both in-vitro as well as in vivo studies. Nevertheless, the role of Cordyceps is still arguable whether it acts as food supplement for health benefits or a real healing drug that can be prescribed in medicine. The Cordyceps industry has developed greatly and offers thousands of products, commonly available in a global marketplace. In this review, focus will be on introducing the ecology of Cordyceps and their classification. Moreover, elucidation of the richness of extracts originated from this mushroom in nutritional components was presented, with description of the chemical compounds of Cordyceps and its well-known compounds such as cordycepin, and cordycepic acid. Furthermore, highlights on natural growth and artificial cultivation of famous Cordyceps species were presented. The health benefits and reported bioactivities of Cordyceps species as promising antimicrobial, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, organ protective agent, and enhancer for organ function were presented.

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Humor in Psychiatry: Lessons From Neuroscience, Psychopathology, and Treatment Research

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.681903 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Philipp Berger ◽

Florian Bitsch ◽

Irina Falkenberg

Keyword(s):

Interpersonal Relationships ◽

Close Association ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Neuropsychiatric Diseases ◽

Systematic Training ◽

Treatment Research

Humor is a ubiquitous human characteristic that is socially motivated at its core and has a broad range of significant positive effects on emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships. Simultaneously, however, impairments in humor abilities have often been described in close association with the occurrence and course of neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, social anxiety, or depression. In the past decade, research in the neuroimaging and psychiatric domain has substantially progressed to (i) characterize impaired humor as an element of psychopathology, and (ii) shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the role of humor in neuropsychiatric diseases. However, (iii) targeted interventions using concepts of positive psychology have revealed first evidence that a systematic training and/or a potential reactivation of humor-related skills can improve rehabilitative outcome in neuropsychiatric patient groups. Here, we sought to integrate evidence from neuroscience, as well as from psychopathology and treatment research to shed more light on the role of humor in psychiatry. Based on these considerations, we provide directions for future research and application in mental health services, focusing on the question of how our scientific understanding of humor can provide the basis for psychological interventions that foster positive attitudes and well-being.

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