Scope
Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is involved in metabolic syndrome (MetS) development, which has a different incidence between men (M) and women (W). The differences in gut microbiota in MetS ...patients are explored according to gender, and whether consuming two healthy diets, Mediterranean (MED) and low‐fat (LF), may, over time, differentially shape the gut microbiota dysbiosis according to gender is evaluated.
Materials and Methods
All the women from the CORDIOPREV study whose feces samples were available and a similar number of men, matched by the main metabolic variables (N = 246, 123 women and 123 men), and categorized according to the presence or not of MetS are included. Gut microbiota is analyzed at baseline and after 3 years of dietary intervention.
Results
Higher abundance of Collinsella, Alistipes, Anaerotruncus, and Phascolarctobacterium genera is observed in MetS‐W than in MetS‐M, whereas the abundance of Faecalibacterium and Prevotella genera is higher in MetS‐M than in MetS‐W. Moreover, higher levels of Desulfovibrio, Roseburia, and Holdemania are observed in men than in women after the consumption of the LF diet.
Conclusion
The results suggest the potential involvement of differences in gut microbiota in the unequal incidence of metabolic diseases between genders, and a sex‐dependent effect on shaping the gut microbiota according to diet.
Dysbiosis of gut microbiota is involved in the development of metabolic syndrome, whose incidence is different between men and women. This work provides evidence of a different gut microbiota composition in metabolic syndrome, according to gender. Moreover, the study shows a differential shaping of the gut microbiota according to the gender in metabolic syndrome patients after the consumption of a Mediterranean or a low‐fat diet for three years.
Methylbenzenes are among the most important organic chemicals today and, among them, p‐xylene deserves particular attention because of its production volume and its application in the manufacture of ...polyethylene terephthalate (PET). There is great interest in producing this commodity chemical more sustainably from biomass sources, particularly driven by manufacturers willing to produce more sustainable synthetic fibres and PET bottles for beverages. A renewable source for p‐xylene would allow achieving this goal with minimal disruption to existing processes for PET production. Despite the fact that recently some routes to renewable p‐xylene have been identified, there is no clear consensus on their feasibility or implications. We have critically reviewed the current state‐of‐the‐art with focus on catalytic routes and possible outlook for commercialisation. Pathways to obtain p‐xylene from a biomass‐derived route include methanol‐to‐aromatics (MTA), ethanol dehydration, ethylene dimerization, furan cycloaddition or catalytic fast pyrolysis and hydrotreating of lignin. Some of the processes identified suggest near‐future possibilities, but also more speculative or longer‐term sources for synthesis of p‐xylene are highlighted.
Alternative to fossil fuel? Despite the interest in industry and academia in the implementation of routes to renewable aromatics, there is a lack of clear and practical knowledge regarding such methods. Often, it is overlooked that alternatives to lignin exist from which aromatics can be derived. In view of this, this Review will not only summarize the scientific state‐of‐the‐art of the synthesis of aromatics from bio‐derived compounds but also provide some assessment of any commercial implementation and industrial support.
Limonene: a versatile chemical of the bioeconomy Ciriminna, Rosaria; Lomeli-Rodriguez, Monica; Demma Carà, Piera ...
Chemical communications (Cambridge, England),
01/2014, Letnik:
50, Številka:
97
Journal Article
Recenzirano
(+)-Limonene is a renewable chemical with numerous and growing applications. Its traditional uses such as flavor, fragrance and green solvent are rapidly expanding to include its utilization as a ...platform chemical, extraction solvent for natural products and an active agent for functionalized products. We anticipate that the expansion in uses for limonene will translate into increasing production and use of this relevant natural product, especially for advanced applications.
Gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) is a neurohormone that suppresses reproduction by acting at both the brain and pituitary levels. In addition to the brain, GnIH may also be produced in gonads ...and can regulate steroidogenesis and gametogenesis. However, the function of GnIH in gonadal physiology has received little attention in fish. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of peripheral sbGnih-1 and sbGnih-2 implants on gonadal development and steroidogenesis during the reproductive cycle of male sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Both Gnihs decreased testosterone (T) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) plasma levels in November and December (early- and mid-spermatogenesis) but did not affect plasma levels of the progestin 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP). In February (spermiation), fish treated with sbGnih-1 and sbGnih-2 exhibited testicles with abundant type A spermatogonia and partial spermatogenesis. In addition, we determined the effects of peripheral Gnih implants on plasma follicle-stimulating hormone (Fsh) and luteinizing hormone (Lh) levels, as well as on brain and pituitary expression of the main reproductive hormone genes and their receptors during the spermiation period (February). Treatment with sbGnih-2 increased brain gnrh2, gnih, kiss1r and gnihr transcript levels. Whereas, both Gnihs decreased lhbeta expression and plasma Lh levels, and sbGnih-1 reduced plasmatic Fsh. Finally, through behavioral recording we showed that Gnih implanted animals exhibited a significant increase in diurnal activity from late spermatogenic to early spermiogenic stages. Our results indicate that Gnih may regulate the reproductive axis of sea bass acting not only on brain and pituitary hormones but also on gonadal physiology and behavior.
Four inflammatory diseases are strongly associated with Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) molecules: birdshot chorioretinopathy (HLA-A
29:02), ankylosing spondylitis (HLA-B
27), ...Behçet's disease (HLA-B
51), and psoriasis (HLA-C
06:02). The endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidases (ERAP) 1 and 2 are also risk factors for these diseases. Since both enzymes are involved in the final processing steps of MHC-I ligands it is reasonable to assume that MHC-I-bound peptides play a significant pathogenetic role. This review will mainly focus on recent studies concerning the effects of ERAP1 and ERAP2 polymorphism and expression on shaping the peptidome of disease-associated MHC-I molecules in live cells. These studies will be discussed in the context of the distinct mechanisms and substrate preferences of both enzymes, their different patterns of genetic association with various diseases, the role of polymorphisms determining changes in enzymatic activity or expression levels, and the distinct peptidomes of disease-associated MHC-I allotypes. ERAP1 and ERAP2 polymorphism and expression induce significant changes in multiple MHC-I-bound peptidomes. These changes are MHC allotype-specific and, without excluding a degree of functional inter-dependence between both enzymes, reflect largely separate roles in their processing of MHC-I ligands. The studies reviewed here provide a molecular basis for the distinct patterns of genetic association of ERAP1 and ERAP2 with disease and for the pathogenetic role of peptides. The allotype-dependent alterations induced on distinct peptidomes may explain that the joint association of both enzymes and unrelated MHC-I alleles influence different pathological outcomes.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ(10)) or ubiquinone is a well-known component of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. In humans, CoQ(10) deficiency causes a mitochondrial syndrome with an unexplained variability in ...the clinical presentations. To try to understand this heterogeneity in the clinical phenotypes, we have generated a Coq9 Knockin (R239X) mouse model. The lack of a functional Coq9 protein in homozygous Coq9 mutant (Coq9(X/X)) mice causes a severe reduction in the Coq7 protein and, as consequence, a widespread CoQ deficiency and accumulation of demethoxyubiquinone. The deficit in CoQ induces a brain-specific impairment of mitochondrial bioenergetics performance, a reduction in respiratory control ratio, ATP levels and ATP/ADP ratio and specific loss of respiratory complex I. These effects lead to neuronal death and demyelinization with severe vacuolization and astrogliosis in the brain of Coq9(X/X) mice that consequently die between 3 and 6 months of age. These results suggest that the instability of mitochondrial complex I in the brain, as a primary event, triggers the development of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy associated with CoQ deficiency.
Previous studies of agave bagasse (AGB-byproduct of tequila industry) presented unidentified crystalline peaks that are not typical from common biofuel feedstocks (e.g. sugarcane bagasse, switchgrass ...or corn stover) making it an important issue to be addressed for future biorefinery applications. Ionic liquid (IL) pretreatment of AGB was performed using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (C2mimOAc) at 120, 140 and 160 °C for 3 h and a mass fraction of 3% in order to identify these peaks. Pretreated samples were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM), thermal analysis (TGA-DSC) and wet chemistry methods. Previous unidentified XRD peaks on AGB at 2θ = 15°, 24.5° and 30.5°, were found to correspond to calcium oxalate (CaC2O4) in a monohydrated form. IL pretreatment with C2mimOAc was observed to remove CaC2O4 and decrease cellulose crystallinity. At 140 °C, IL pretreatment significantly enhances enzymatic kinetics and leads to ∼8 times increase in sugar yield (6.66 kg m−3) when compared to the untreated samples (960 g m−3). These results indicate that IL pretreatment can effectively process lignocellulosic biomass with high levels of CaC2O4.
•Chemical behavior of agave bagasse pretreated by ionic liquid (IL) is assessed.•Previously unidentified XRD peaks correspond to calcium oxalate (CaC2O4).•Total sugar yield and initial enzymatic hydrolysis rate were higher at 140 °C.•IL pretreatment can effectively process biomass with high levels of CaC2O4.•Increasing the temperature of IL pretreatment causes the agglomeration of CaC2O4.
As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, different measures have been implemented by governments from each affected country. Such measures usually involve restrictions on the movement of citizens, ...and have had a profound effect on usual activities and timetables. As a result of school closures and strict restrictions regarding going outside home, children have been one of the most disadvantaged population groups during the lockdown period. We therefore aimed to investigate potential health risk behaviors amongst isolated pre-school and school-aged children. We retrieved relevant articles from MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Scopus databases to describe identified health-related behaviors (i.e. screen exposure, environmental influence, physical activity and fitness, sedentariness, sleep patterns, eating habits, psychological response, body composition, and injuries) in relation to social isolation and social deprivation of children without previous illness or conditions. This review depicts the potential health-related behaviors according to related literature, and put the focus on future short and long-term sequels of social isolation. Socio-affective complications and insufficient physical activity are underscored as two of the main concerns, particularly among socio-economic deprived children. Both issues could be effectively addressed with either adequate parental or community guidance.
•Social isolation may worsen several health-related behaviors.•Socioeconomic issues could either exacerbate or mitigate social isolation effects.•Socio-affective complications might be derived from prolonged COVID-19 lockdown.•Insufficient physical activity and too much screen exposure could be among the main consequences of COVID-19 lockdown.
Ocular neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration are common retinal diseases responsible for most of the blindness causes in the ...working-age and elderly populations in developed countries. Many of the current treatments used in these pathologies fail to stop or slow the progression of the disease. Therefore, other types of treatments with neuroprotective characteristics may be necessary to allow a more satisfactory management of the disease. Citicoline and coenzyme Q10 are molecules that have neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, and their use could have a beneficial effect in ocular neurodegenerative pathologies. This review provides a compilation, mainly from the last 10 years, of the main studies that have been published on the use of these drugs in these neurodegenerative diseases of the retina, analyzing the usefulness of these drugs in these pathologies.
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