Assessing the Influence of Vegan, Vegetarian and Omnivore Oriented Westernized Dietary Styles on Human Gut Microbiota: A Cross Sectional Study.

Diet and lifestyle have a strong influence on gut microbiota, which in turn has important implications on a variety of health-related aspects. Despite great advances in the field, it remains unclear to which extent the composition of the gut microbiota is modulated by the intake of animal derived products, compared to a vegetable based diet. Here the specific impact of vegan, vegetarian, and omnivore feeding type on the composition of gut microbiota of 101 adults was investigated among groups homogeneous for variables known to have a role in modulating gut microbial composition such as age, anthropometric variables, ethnicity, and geographic area.

Priming of microbial microcystin degradation in biomass-fed gravity driven membrane filtration biofilms.

Gravity-driven membrane (GDM) filtration is a promising tool for low-cost decentralized drinking water production. The biofilms in GDM systems are able of removing harmful chemical components, particularly toxic cyanobacterial metabolites such as microcystins (MCs). This is relevant for the application of GDM filtration because anthropogenic nutrient input and climate change have led to an increase of toxic cyanobacterial blooms.

Biodegradation of microcystins during gravity-driven membrane (GDM) ultrafiltration.

Gravity-driven membrane (GDM) ultrafiltration systems require little maintenance: they operate without electricity at ultra-low pressure in dead-end mode and without control of the biofilm formation. These systems are already in use for water purification in some regions of the world where adequate treatment and distribution of drinking water is not readily available. However, many water bodies worldwide exhibit harmful blooms of cyanobacteria that severely lower the water quality due to the production of toxic microcystins (MCs).

Bacterial community structure and dissolved organic matter in repeatedly flooded subsurface karst water pools.

Bacterial diversity, community assembly, and the composition of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) were studied in three temporary subsurface karst pools with different flooding regimes. We tested the hypothesis that microorganisms introduced to the pools during floods faced environmental filtering toward a 'typical' karst water community, and we investigated whether DOM composition was related to floodings and the residence time of water in stagnant pools. As predicted, longer water residence consistently led to a decline of bacterial diversity.

The distribution of neurotensin receptors and acetylcholinesterase in the human caudate nucleus: evidence for the existence of a third neurochemical compartment.

The distribution of neurotensin receptors in the human caudate nucleus was studied using autoradiographic methods following in vitro labelling of cryostat sections with [3H]neurotensin, and the pattern of receptor labelling was compared to the distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) staining in adjacent sections. A heterogeneous pattern of neurotensin receptors was found in the caudate nucleus. Patches of low receptor density aligned with the AChE-poor striosomes, regions of moderate receptor density corresponded with the AChE-rich matrix zone, and annular regions of high receptor density aligned with the AChE-negative border zone lying between the AChE-poor striosome and the AChE-rich matrix compartments.

Neurotensin receptors in the human spinal cord: a quantitative autoradiographic study.

The anatomical localization of neurotensin receptors in the human spinal cord was examined in 12 cases aged 4-68 years using quantitative autoradiographic methods following the incubation of fresh, unfixed cryostat sections with 4 nM [3H]neurotensin. Characterization of the pharmacological specificity of the [3H]neurotensin binding sites in the human spinal cord from displacement studies with neurotensin and various neurotensin fragments indicated that, whereas 1.0 microM neurotensin and the carboxy-terminal fragment neurotensin almost completely displaced [3H]neurotensin binding (4 nM), the amino-terminal fragments neurotensin and neurotensin1-11 were weak inhibitors.

Benzodiazepine receptors in the human hippocampal formation: a pharmacological and quantitative autoradiographic study.

The pharmacological characteristics and anatomical distribution of benzodiazepine receptors in the human hippocampal formation were studied in seven cases aged 4-68 years. The pharmacology of the receptors was studied by computerized, non-linear least squares regression analysis of [3H]flunitrazepam displacement by flunitrazepam, CL218,872 and ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate binding to membranes and the anatomical localization of these receptors was demonstrated using quantitative autoradiography following in vitro labelling of cryostat sections with [3H]flunitrazepam. The pharmacological studies indicated that the human hippocampal formation contained equal numbers of benzodiazepine receptors with high affinity (Type I) and low affinity (Type II) for CL218,872 and ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate.

Multiple benzodiazepine receptors in the human basal ganglia: a detailed pharmacological and anatomical study.

The pharmacological characteristics and anatomical distribution of benzodiazepine receptors in the striatum (dorsal striatum, comprising the caudate nucleus and putamen, and ventral striatum) and globus pallidus (dorsal pallidum, comprising the external and internal segments, and ventral pallidum) of the human basal ganglia were examined in twelve cases aged 4-71 years. The pharmacology of the receptors was studied using computerized, non-linear least-squares regression analysis of [3H]flunitrazepam displacement by flunitrazepam, CL218,872 and ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate binding to membranes. The results showed that the dorsal striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen) contained higher concentrations of receptors than the dorsal pallidum (external and internal segments).

Depot neuroleptic medication and serum levels by radioreceptor assay: prolactin concentration, electrocardiogram abnormalities and six-month outcome.

Twenty-six chronic schizophrenic patients on well-established depot neuroleptic regimes with stable doses (16 on fluphenazine decanoate, 10 on flupenthixol decanoate) had serum neuroleptic levels measured by radioreceptor assay (RRA) and were followed for six months. The serum prolactin (PRL) concentration and resting electrocardiogram (ECG) were also taken at the beginning of the study period. Correlations had previously been noted between RRA measured neuroleptic levels and outcome in both acute and chronic patients on oral medication.

Benzodiazepine receptors in the human cerebellar cortex: a quantitative autoradiographic and pharmacological study demonstrating the predominance of type I receptors.

The anatomical localization of benzodiazepine receptors in the human cerebellar cortex was studied using quantitative autoradiography following in vitro labelling of cryostat sections with [3H]flunitrazepam ([3H]FNZ), and the pharmacology of these receptors has been characterized by computerized, non-linear least squares regression analysis of [3H]FNZ displacement by FNZ, CL218,872 and ethyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (ECC) binding to membranes. The autoradiograms demonstrated that benzodiazepine receptors were present throughout all layers of the human cerebellar cortex; high concentrations of receptors were present in the molecular layer, moderate concentrations were present in the granular layer and a much lower density of receptors was seen in the intervening Purkinje cell layer. The pharmacological studies indicated that the human cerebellar cortex contained a high concentration of homogeneous benzodiazepine receptors which have high affinity for FNZ, ECC and CL218,872, i.

Opiate receptors in the human spinal cord: a detailed anatomical study comparing the autoradiographic localization of [3H]diprenorphine binding sites with the laminar pattern of substance P, myelin and nissl staining.

The anatomical localization of opiate receptors in the human spinal cord has been examined in six cases aged 7-41 years using quantitative autoradiographic methods following the incubation of fresh, unfixed cryostat sections with [3H]diprenorphine. In order to precisely localize the distribution of receptors in the spinal cord, the laminar anatomy of the spinal grey was demonstrated at each spinal level examined using 50-microns sections stained for myelin, Nissl substance and substance P. In all cases, autoradiograms demonstrated that opiate receptors were distributed in a similar fashion in the grey matter of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal regions of the human spinal cord.

Heterogeneous distribution of benzodiazepine receptors in the human striatum: a quantitative autoradiographic study comparing the pattern of receptor labelling with the distribution of acetylcholinesterase staining.

The distribution of benzodiazepine receptors in the human striatum was studied by quantitative autoradiography following in vitro labelling of cryostat sections with [3H]flunitrazepam, and the pattern of receptor-labelling was compared to the distribution of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) staining in adjacent sections. A heterogeneous pattern of benzodiazepine receptors was found in all regions of the striatum. The highest densities of receptors were seen in the ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle), where very dense receptor patches aligned with both AChE-poor and AChE-rich regions.

Benzodiazepine receptors in the human spinal cord: a detailed anatomical and pharmacological study.

The anatomical distribution and pharmacological characteristics of benzodiazepine receptors in the human spinal cord were examined in four cases aged 20-41 years using in vitro autoradiography and biochemical assays of [3H]flunitrazepam binding. In all cases, the autoradiograms demonstrated that benzodiazepine receptors were distributed in a consistently similar fashion in the gray matter of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions of the human spinal cord. At all levels, the highest densities of benzodiazepine receptors were found to be localized within lamina II of the dorsal horn as defined on cytoarchitectonic, myeloarchitectonic and substance P immunocytochemical criteria.

A comparison of the new topical antibiotic mupirocin ('Bactroban') with oral antibiotics in the treatment of skin infections in general practice.

A trial was carried out in general practice in 200 patients presenting with skin infections to compare topical antibiotic treatment with mupirocin ointment with orally administered flucloxacillin or erythromycin. Patients were assigned at random to receive 4 to 10 days' treatment with either mupirocin applied 3-times daily or one of the oral antibiotics in the dosage normally used by the general practitioner for skin infections. The majority of infections were impetigo and infected wounds/lacerations; the main organisms isolated initially from 127 of the patients were either Staphylococcus aureus or beta-haemolytic Group A streptococci.

Muscarinic influences on growth hormone secretion in the fetal and neonatal sheep: pharmacological studies and in vitro binding studies.

To investigate the ontogenesis of potential cholinergic influences on growth hormone secretion we administered the cholinesterase inhibitor neostigimine, (120 micrograms/kg) to fetal sheep (n = 16) between 77 and 143 days of gestation and to infant lambs (n = 5). Neostigmine administration was associated with a marked rise in fetal growth hormone concentrations. The integrated release of growth hormone in the hour following fetal neostigmine administration was 2880 +/- 425 ng.

Muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the human spinal cord: differential localization of [3H]pirenzepine and [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate binding sites.

The localization of muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes was studied in the human spinal cord using in vitro labelling of cryostat sections with [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate (QNB) and [3H]pirenzepine (PZ) followed by autoradiography. The highest densities of [3H]QNB binding were localized in laminae II (substantia gelatinosa) and IX (motor neurons); in contrast, the highest density of [3H]PZ binding was localized to lamina II where the binding density was 22-32% higher than in lamina IX. These results suggest that the M1 and M2 muscarinic cholinergic receptor subtypes may be differentially localized in sensory and motor regions of the human spinal cord.

Specific [3H]neurotensin binding to rat spinal cord membranes.

The binding of [3H]neurotensin to membranes prepared from rat spinal cord has been studied in vitro. Scatchard analysis of saturation binding data indicated that [3H]neurotensin binds with high affinity (Kd = 6.3 nM) to a single, saturable population of binding sites (Bmax = 12.

Neuroleptic serum levels measured by radioreceptor assay in patients receiving intramuscular depot neuroleptics. Some preliminary findings.

Twenty-six chronic schizophrenic patients on well established depot neuroleptic regimes with stable doses (16 on fluphenazine decanoate, ten on flupenthixol decanoate) had serum neuroleptic levels measured by a radioreceptor assay (RRA) method. The assay was sufficiently sensitive to measure serum levels in all cases, with acceptable levels of inter-assay variation. Blood level measurements were repeated on two occasions, at the same time interval from the last injection, in 18 patients (11 on fluphenazine decanoate, seven on flupenthixol decanoate) and remained reasonably stable in most cases, although others showed a wider variation.

Characterization of peripheral-type benzodiazepine recognition sites in the rat spinal cord.

The binding of [3H]Ro 5-4864 to membranes prepared from spinal cord of the adult rat has been studied in vitro. At 4 degrees C, the binding of [3H]Ro 5-4864 reached equilibrium by 120 min, and was rapidly reversible (dissociation t0.5 = 21 min).

Clinical actions of fentanyl and buprenorphine. The significance of receptor binding.

Receptor binding assays were undertaken in an attempt to elucidate the opioid binding characteristics of fentanyl and buprenorphine, and to investigate some of the differences between them. Buprenorphine showed slow receptor association (30 min), but with high affinity to multiple sites from which dissociation was very slow (T 1/2 = 166 min) and incomplete (50% binding after 1 h). This contrasted with the receptor binding of fentanyl, which achieved rapid equilibrium (within 10 min) and dissociated equally rapidly (T 1/2 = 6.