Plasma alkylresorcinols C17:0/C21:0 ratio, a biomarker of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated to insulin sensitivity: a randomized study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Few studies have used biomarkers of whole-grain intake to study its relation to glucose metabolism. We aimed to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker of whole-grain rye and wheat intake, and glucose metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Participants were 30-65 years of age, with body mass index 27-40 kg/m(2) and had MetS without diabetes. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n=96), rich in whole-grain rye and wheat, or a control diet (n=70), for 18-24 weeks. In addition, associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homolog ratio as an indication of the relative whole-grain rye intake, and glucose metabolism measures from oral glucose tolerance tests were investigated in pooled (ND+control) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks. RESULTS: ND did not improve glucose metabolism compared with control diet, but the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was inversely associated with fasting insulin concentrations (P=0.002) and positively associated with the insulin sensitivity indices Matsuda ISI (P=0.026) and disposition index (P=0.022) in pooled analyses at 18/24 weeks, even after adjustment for confounders. The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was not significantly associated with insulin secretion indices. Total plasma AR concentration was not related to fasting plasma glucose or fasting insulin at 18/24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, an indicator of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated with increased insulin sensitivity in a population with MetS.

The antioxidant capacity of milk--the application of different methods in vitro and in vivo.

Milk contains a wide array of compounds with established or putative pro- or anti-oxidant function. The functions of these compounds have been intensively studied. This review focusses on some important aspects in this wide field namely the methodology for measurement of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the content of TAC and some related compounds in human and animal milks and infant formulas, and the effect of milk intake on antioxidant status in the body and on the activity of dietary flavonoids as studied in vitro and in vivo. Regarding methodology TAC in milk can be measured by spectrophotometric and electrochemical methods and some of their characteristics are reviewed. Milk, whey, high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight (LMW) fractions of whey have all been found to have antioxidant capacity using these techniques. The major antioxidant in the LMW fraction has been identified as urate. An extensive literature survey was made regarding data on the antioxidant capacity and related variables of milk obtained from different sources (human milk, infant formulas and animal milk) and subjected to different treatments. Differences in TAC between milks from different sources have been observed but due to the variety of techniques used no clear pattern is evident at present. Another important aspect is the putative effects of the intake of milk products on the antioxidant status of the consumer. A few studies performed in adults and premature infants are reviewed and it is stated that too little information is available to make any firm conclusions in this regard. Finally, a high interest has been devoted to the possible interference of milk with the antioxidant properties of flavonoid-rich food like tea. Most in vitro studies show an inhibition by milk on tea flavonoid activity whereas the results from the corresponding in vivo studies are equivocal. Our general conclusion is that several compounds in various milk fractions contribute to the antioxidant capacity of milk and that much further work is needed to unravel the complex interactions among the pro- and antioxidants, and their putative health effects on the consumer.

Effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile and inflammation markers in metabolic syndrome -- a randomized study (SYSDIET).

BACKGROUND: Different healthy food patterns may modify cardiometabolic risk. We investigated the effects of an isocaloric healthy Nordic diet on insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, blood pressure and inflammatory markers in people with metabolic syndrome. METHODS: We conducted a randomized dietary study lasting for 18-24 weeks in individuals with features of metabolic syndrome (mean age 55 years, BMI 31.6 kg m(-2) , 67% women). Altogether 309 individuals were screened, 200 started the intervention after 4-week run-in period, and 96 (proportion of dropouts 7.9%) and 70 individuals (dropouts 27%) completed the study, in the Healthy diet and Control diet groups, respectively. Healthy diet included whole-grain products, berries, fruits and vegetables, rapeseed oil, three fish meals per week and low-fat dairy products. An average Nordic diet served as a Control diet. Compliance was monitored by repeated 4-day food diaries and fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids. RESULTS: Body weight remained stable, and no significant changes were observed in insulin sensitivity or blood pressure. Significant changes between the groups were found in non-HDL cholesterol (-0.18, mmol L(-1) 95% CI -0.35; -0.01, P = 0.04), LDL to HDL cholesterol (-0.15, -0.28; -0.00, P = 0.046) and apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A1 ratios (-0.04, -0.07; -0.00, P = 0.025) favouring the Healthy diet. IL-1 Ra increased during the Control diet (difference -84, -133; -37 ng L(-1) , P = 0.00053). Intakes of saturated fats (E%, beta estimate 4.28, 0.02; 8.53, P = 0.049) and magnesium (mg, -0.23, -0.41; -0.05, P = 0.012) were associated with IL-1 Ra. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy Nordic diet improved lipid profile and had a beneficial effect on low-grade inflammation.

Granular biomass capable of partial nitritation and anammox.

Water Science and Technology 58(5) 1113-1120. Publisher's note. We regret that an outdated version of this article was used in production; the correct final version, which incorporates several amendments and different authorship, is printed below.

Granular biomass capable of partial nitritation and anammox.

A novel and efficient way of removing nitrogen from wastewater poor in biodegradable organic carbon, is the combination of partial nitritation and anoxic ammonium oxidation (anammox), as in the one-stage oxygen-limited autotrophic nitrification/denitrification (OLAND) process. Since anoxic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria grow very slowly, maximum biomass retention in the reactor is required. In this study, a lab-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was used to develop granular, rapidly settling biomass. With SBR cycles of one hour and a minimum biomass settling velocity of 0.7 m/h, OLAND granules were formed in 1.5 months and the nitrogen removal rate increased from 50 to 450 mg N L(-1) d(-1) in 2 months. The granules had a mean diameter of 1.8 mm and their aerobic and anoxic ammonium-oxidizing activities were well equilibrated to perform the OLAND reaction. Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) demonstrated the presence of both beta-proteobacterial aerobic ammonium oxidizers and planctomycetes (among which anoxic ammonium oxidizers) in the granules. The presented results show the applicability of rapidly settling granular biomass for one-stage partial nitritation and anammox.

Manganese-oxidizing bacteria mediate the degradation of 17α-ethinylestradiol.

Manganese (II) and manganese-oxidizing bacteria were used as an efficient biological system for the degradation of the xenoestrogen 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) at trace concentrations. Mn(2+)-derived higher oxidation states of Mn (Mn(3+), Mn(4+)) by Mn(2+)-oxidizing bacteria mediate the oxidative cleavage of the polycyclic target compound EE2. The presence of manganese (II) was found to be essential for the degradation of EE2 by Leptothrix discophora, Pseudomonas putida MB1, P. putida MB6 and P. putida MB29. Mn(2+)-dependent degradation of EE2 was found to be a slow process, which requires multi-fold excess of Mn(2+) and occurs in the late stationary phase of growth, implying a chemical process taking place. EE2-derived degradation products were shown to no longer exhibit undesirable estrogenic activity.

Effect of dietary intervention with different pre- and probiotics on intestinal bacterial enzyme activities.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of different pre- and probiotics on faecal beta-glucuronidase and beta-glucosidase activity, as one of the claimed beneficial effects of pre- and probiotics is the hypothesis that these substrates are able to reduce the production of toxic and carcinogenic metabolites by suppressing specific enzyme activities in the colon. SETTING: Department of Gastrointestinal Research, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, KU Leuven, Belgium. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: The effect was evaluated in a randomized, crossover study in 53 healthy volunteers who were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups. INTERVENTIONS: At the start and after a 4-week treatment period, the healthy volunteers collected faeces during 72 h. Lactulose and oligofructose-enriched inulin (OF-IN) were chosen as prebiotics, whereas Lactobacillus casei Shirota, Bifidobacterium breve and Saccharomyces boulardii were selected as probiotics. Two synbiotic combinations were evaluated as well. The enzyme activity was assessed spectrophotometricly. RESULTS: Lactulose and OF-IN significantly decreased beta-glucuronidase activity, whereas a tendency to a decreased beta-glucuronidase activity was observed after L. casei Shirota and B. breve intake. To the contrary, B. breve increased beta-glucosidase levels. Supplementation with the synbiotic did not appear to be more beneficial than either compound alone. No influence of S. boulardii was noted. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of lactulose, OF-IN, L. casei Shirota or B. breve resulted in a decrease of the beta-glucuronidase activity, which is considered beneficial for the host.