Novel Dairy Fermentates Have Differential Effects on Key Immune Responses Associated with Viral Immunity and Inflammation in Dendritic Cells.

Fermented foods and ingredients, including furmenties derived from lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in dairy products, can modulate the immune system. Here, we describe the use of reconstituted skimmed milk powder to generate novel fermentates from strains SC232, SC234, SC212, and SC210, and from strains SC209 and SC229, and demonstrate, using in vitro assays, that these fermentates can differentially modulate cytokine secretion via bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) when activated with either the viral ligand loxoribine or an inflammatory stimulus, lipopolysaccharide. Specifically, we demonstrate that SC232 and SC234 increase cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12p40, IL-23, IL-27, and IL-10 and decrease IL-1β in primary bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) stimulated with a viral ligand.

Novel Fermentates Can Enhance Key Immune Responses Associated with Viral Immunity.

Fermented foods have long been known to have immunomodulatory capabilities, and fermentates derived from the lactic acid bacteria of dairy products can modulate the immune system. We have used skimmed milk powder to generate novel fermentates using strains SC234 and SC232 and we demonstrate here that these fermentates can enhance key immune mechanisms that are critical to the immune response to viruses. We show that our novel fermentates, SC234 and SC232, can positively impact on cytokine and chemokine secretion, nitric oxide (NO) production, cell surface marker expression, and phagocytosis in macrophage models.

Methods to mitigate blooms in human colon model experiments using the high throughput micro-Matrix bioreactor fermentation system.

colon model experiments are frequently employed as a means to assess the gut microbiome modulating potential of different foods, food ingredients and dietary supplements. A number of useful models already exist; however, they tend to be relatively low in terms of throughput (3-4 samples per experiment) with a long experiment duration of one to a number of weeks. Therefore, a need for a high-throughput system with a short duration time is required to enable screening of large numbers of samples.

Diversity of the Microbiota of Traditional Izmir Tulum and Izmir Brined Tulum Cheeses and Selection of Potential Probiotics.

High-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) was used to study the microbial diversity of commercial traditional Izmir Tulum (IT) and Izmir Brined Tulum (IBT) cheeses from Izmir, Türkiye. Simultaneously, cultivation-dependent methods were used to isolate, identify and characterize bacterial strains displaying probiotic potential. At the phylum level, dominated the microbiota of both cheese types comprising >98% of the population.

Chlorate Levels in Dairy Products Produced and Consumed in Ireland.

In recent years, chlorate has become a residue of concern internationally, due to the risk that it poses to thyroid gland function. However, little is known about its occurrence in dairy products of Irish origin. To address this, a study was conducted in which samples of milk ( = 317), cream ( = 199), butter ( = 178), cheese ( = 144) and yoghurt ( = 440) were collected from grocery stores in the Republic of Ireland.

Working Toward a Gold Standard: The Severity of Ethanol Withdrawal Scale (SEWS) Versus the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Alcohol Scale (CIWA-Ar).

Aim: Proving the Severity of Ethanol Withdrawal Scale (SEWS) significantly reduces Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) treatment Time on Medication Protocol (TOMP).

Method: Head-to-head Quality Assurance outcome compared separate cohorts of SEWS or Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment Alcohol Scale, Revised (CIWA-Ar) data using Student's t and Wilcoxon tests.

Results: SEWS-driven treatment (n = 244) reduced TOMP to 2.

Effect of reduced-calcium and high-calcium cheddar cheese consumption on the excretion of faecal fat: a 2-week cross-over dietary intervention study.

Purpose: Studies show that dairy fat consumed in the form of cheese reduce LDL-cholesterol concentration (LDL-c) compared to butter and mechanistic suggestions include the calcium content of cheese leading to enhanced faecal fat excretion. The aim of this study was to test the effect of varying the calcium content within a cheese, on faecal fat excretion as a primary outcome, and blood lipid markers, fasting glucose and calcium excretion as secondary outcomes.

Methods: 7 healthy males (BMI 18-25) participated in this randomized, cross-over control intervention, of 3 × 2 week periods.

Modification of fast-slow differential agar medium for selective isolation of potential starter lactic acid bacteria from cheese.

Starter Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are responsible for converting lactose to lactic acid during cheese manufacturing and, as a result, play a critical role in defining the attributes of the final product. There is great interest in isolating novel starter LAB strains to provide alternatives to existing industry cultures or to help enhance the quality and safety of cheeses traditionally made without starter cultures addition [1]. The Fast-Slow Differential Agar (FSDA) medium was developed in 1984 and still remains the standard to rapidly differentiate fast and slow milk-coagulating lactic streptococci and thus avoid screening a large number of isolates for acid production capacity [2].

Identification of Streptococcus infantarius subsp. infantarius as the species primarily responsible for acid production in Izmir Brined Tulum Cheese from the Aegean Region of Türkiye.

Izmir Brined Tulum (IBT) Cheese is a traditional semi hard cheese produced in the Aegean region of Türkiye. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from IBT cheese samples taken during manufacture and from mature IBT cheeses were investigated for their acid producing capability with the aim of detecting LAB strains responsible for acid production in IBT cheese. Forty two out of 216 isolates decreased the pH of milk to 5.

Treatment of Mental Health in Patients With Chronic Liver Disease.

Content available: Author Interview and Audio Recording.

Fermented Foods, Health and the Gut Microbiome.

Fermented foods have been a part of human diet for almost 10,000 years, and their level of diversity in the 21st century is substantial. The health benefits of fermented foods have been intensively investigated; identification of bioactive peptides and microbial metabolites in fermented foods that can positively affect human health has consolidated this interest. Each fermented food typically hosts a distinct population of microorganisms.

A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial of Divalproex Sodium for Posttraumatic Irritability Greater Than 1 Year After Mild to Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Posttraumatic irritability after traumatic brain injury (TBI) may become a chronic problem and contribute to impaired everyday function, either alone or in combination with alcohol use disorder. The authors hypothesized that divalproex sodium (VPA) would improve posttraumatic irritability and result in lessened alcohol use.

Methods: This randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial recruited participants with an index TBI occurring 1 or more years prior to enrollment, a history of alcohol use disorder, and posttraumatic irritability corroborated by a knowledgeable informant.

Early life stress and susceptibility to addiction in adolescence.

Early life stress (ELS) is a risk factor for developing a host of psychiatric disorders. Adolescence is a particularly vulnerable period for the onset of these disorders and substance use disorders (SUDs). Here we discuss ELS and its effects in adolescence, especially SUDs, and their correlates with molecular changes to signaling systems in reward and stress neurocircuits.

Psychological Adaptive Mechanism Maturity, Age, and Depression Symptoms in Advanced-Stage Cancer Patients.

Previously, we reported that the maturity of Psychological Adaptive Mechanism (PAM; alternatively, ego defense mechanism) endorsement, but not depression symptom severity, predicted 5-year survival rates in adult cancer patients and that study controlled for age as a significant variable. In this investigation, we hypothesized that greater PAM maturity would correlate significantly with age and with fewer depression symptoms in a larger sample. In this cross-section study, adult cancer outpatients (=293) completed the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and provided additional clinical data.

Psychological Adaptive Mechanism Maturity Predicts Good Outcomes in Treatment for Refractory PTSD.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) severity follows a bell-shaped curve ranging from mild to severe. Those in the severe range often receive the most intensive treatments, including targeted residential rehabilitation stays. These are expensive and welcome ways to improve their effectiveness.

A 5-Minute Cognitive Assessment for Safe Remote Use in Patients With COVID-19: Clinical Case Series.

Background: Early clinical experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to elucidate that the disease can cause brain function changes that may result in compromised cognition both acutely and during variable recovery periods. Reports on cognitive assessment of patients with COVID-19 are often limited to orientation alone. Further assessment may seem to create an inappropriate burden for patients with acute COVID-19, which is characterized by fatigue and confusion, and may also compromise examiner safety.

Profunda femoris pseudoaneurysm rupture post dynamic hip screw fixation after physiotherapy.

This case discusses an elderly female who presented acutely with compromised profunda femoris pseudoaneurysm and massive haematoma five weeks after dynamic hip screw insertion for a left neck of femur fracture. The only precipitating factor leading to this presentation was ongoing physiotherapy. She was referred from a rehabilitation hospital to the nearest vascular surgical unit for acute and definitive surgical intervention.

Continuation phase treatment outcomes for switching, combining, or augmenting strategies for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder: A VAST-D report.

Background: This secondary analysis of the VA Augmentation and Switching Treatments for Depression study compared the continuation phase treatment outcomes of three commonly used second-step treatment strategies following at least one prior failed medication treatment attempt.

Methods: In total, 1522 outpatients with MDD were randomized to switching to bupropion-SR (S-BUP), combining with bupropion-SR (C-BUP), or augmenting with aripiprazole (A-ARI). Following 12 weeks of acute phase treatment, 725 entered the 24-week continuation treatment phase.

Lipase inhibitory activity assay for fermented milk.

The lipase inhibitory activity method described here was developed to identify potential anti-obesity properties in milk fermented with different strains of lactic acid bacteria via inhibition of pancreatic lipase and a subsequent decrease in fat digestion and absorption in the gut. The method is based on the hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl octanoate by pancreatic lipase and the subsequent release of p-nitrophenol, a coloured product whose absorbance can be measured at 412 nm. Inhibition of lipase leads to a decrease in the amount of p-nitrophenol released and a subsequent reduction in the absorbance with respect to a 100% activity control.

Health Benefits of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) Fermentates.

Consuming fermented foods has been reported to result in improvements in a range of health parameters. These positive effects can be exerted by a combination of the live microorganisms that the fermented foods contain, as well as the bioactive components released into the foods as by-products of the fermentation process. In many instances, and particularly in dairy fermented foods, the microorganisms involved in the fermentation process belong to the lactic acid group of bacteria (LAB).

Introduction and validation of a surgical ward round checklist to improve surgical ward round performance in a tertiary vascular service.

Background: Surgeons administer care in an increasingly complex clinical environment. Time constraints put strain on individual clinicians and the multidisciplinary team, increasing the risk of human errors. The World Health Organization surgical checklist has shown to mitigate this risk perioperatively.

Timeliness and outcomes of carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid artery stenosis: a single centre audit.

Background: For patients presenting with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis, carotid endarterectomy (CEA) surgery is recommended to be performed generally within a 48-hr to 14-day window. This study aimed to assess timeliness of delivery, and outcomes, of CEA surgery in a tertiary vascular centre.

Method: Patients with symptomatic internal carotid artery stenosis who underwent CEA between 1 June 2014 and 31 June 2017 were identified and data were obtained from hospital records.