Differential effects of protein intake versus intake of a defined oligopeptide on FGF-21 in obese human subjects in vivo.

Background: FGF-21 is described as a powerful metabolic regulator with beneficial effects including glucose-lowering and improvement of insulin sensitivity without hypoglycaemia. On the other hand, FGF-21 is activated when muscle and other tissues are stressed by external effects or internal cellular pathogens that lead to shortcomings in metabolic balance. Previous results suggested that FGF-21 could be a promising target to develop future metabolic therapeutics.

Short communication: Tryptic β-casein hydrolysate modulates enteric nervous system development in primary culture.

The intestinal tract of the newborn is particularly sensitive to gastrointestinal disorders, such as infantile diarrhea or necrotizing colitis. Perinatal development of the gut also encompasses the maturation of the enteric nervous system (ENS), a main regulator of intestinal motility and barrier functions. It was recently shown that ENS maturation can be enhanced by nutritional factors to improve intestinal maturation.

Generation and identification of anti-inflammatory peptides from bovine β-casein using enzyme preparations from cod and hog.

Background: The aim of the present study was to generate and identify potential anti-inflammatory peptides from bovine β-casein with enzyme preparations from cod and hog. Furthermore, the potential of cod trypsin, derived from fishery by-products, to produce these bioactive peptides for replacement of non-food-grade tosyl phenylalanyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK)-treated porcine trypsin enzyme preparation was evaluated.

Results: Potential anti-inflammatory peptides were obtained by hydrolysis of β-casein with the tryptic enzyme preparations cod trypsin, porcine trypsin (TPCK-treated) and a porcine trypsin and chymotrypsin preparation (PTN 6.

Identification of a NFκB inhibitory peptide from tryptic β-casein hydrolysate.

Several bioactive peptides are encrypted within the sequence of major milk proteins, requiring enzymatic proteolysis for release and activation. The present study aimed at the identification of potential anti-inflammatory activities in tryptic hydrolysates of bovine β-casein. Inflammatory processes involve in most cases an activation of Nuclear factor Kappa-light-chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB), which is a pro-inflammatory transcription factor of several genes.

A unified graphical models framework for automated mitosis detection in human embryos.

Time lapse microscopy has emerged as an important modality for studying human embryo development, as mitosis events can provide insight into embryo health and fate. Mitosis detection can happen through tracking of embryonic cells (tracking based), or from low level image features and classifiers (tracking free). Tracking based approaches are challenged by high dimensional search space, weak features, outliers, missing data, multiple deformable targets, and weak motion model.