In vitro modulation of the human gastrointestinal microbial community by plant-derived polysaccharide-rich dietary supplements.

The use of prebiotics is a possible strategy to manage and steer the complex gut microbial community towards a health-promoting composition (Gastrointestinal Resource Management). In this study, the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem was used to investigate the effects of two commercially-available plant polysaccharide supplements on the structure, composition and metabolism of an in vitro cultured colon microbial community. Microbial analyses showed both a bifidogenic (up to +1.3 log cfu/mL) and a lactobacillogenic (up to +0.9 log cfu/mL) effect during treatment with the dietary supplements. Quantitative PCR confirmed that the increase of Bifidobacteria spp. was statistically significant (P<0.05) in all of the colon compartments and showed a significant increase of the bacteroides-prevotella group concentration (+0.6 log cells/ml) in the compartment simulating the proximal colon. Denaturant gradient gel electrophoresis analyses and a relative ecological interpretation, in combination with sugar and short-chain fatty acids quantification, provided evidence of a positive effect of both the tested products. Overall, the treatment period was associated with (i) good and selective fermentability of the polysaccharide supplements along the entire colon; (ii) positive and selective bifidogenic effect; (iii) the possibility of enhancing species belonging to Bacteroidetes, a phylum recently associated with body weight management.

Vital exhaustion as a risk indicator for first stroke.

Fatigue is a common condition after stroke. An unresolved question is whether the fatigue is a consequence of the stroke or is one of the precursors. The authors' objective was to investigate whether vital exhaustion is a precursor of first stroke while controlling for other cardiovascular risk factors. The design was a prospective cohort study. Vital exhaustion was diagnosed with the Maastricht Interview Vital Exhaustion scale. The authors controlled for age, gender, diabetes mellitus, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, body mass index, and smoking habits as possible confounders. Data were analyzed with Cox regression analysis. The subjects were adults ages 41-66 in an average Dutch village population. Outcome measures included first stroke. Vital exhaustion increased the risk of stroke by 13% per vital exhaustion point on the Maastricht Interview Vital Exhaustion scale. This value remained statistically significant after control for other risk factors. Total cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and smoking also increased the risk of stroke significantly. A state of exhaustion is one of the risk indicators for stroke. This means that the fatigue so often seen after stroke was already experienced by many patients before the occurrence of the stroke.

Polyphasic identification of Bacillus and Brevibacillus strains from clinical, dairy and industrial specimens and proposal of Brevibacillus invocatus sp. nov..

Thirty-three clinical, dairy and industrial isolates of aerobic endospore-forming bacteria which were unreactive in routine identification tests were characterized genotypically by using amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), 16S rDNA sequencing and DNA-DNA reassociation, and phenotypically by using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis, SDS-PAGE of whole-cell proteins, API Biotype 100 assimilation tests and 16 other routine phenotypic tests. Three isolates were identified as strains of Bacillus badius, 12 as Brevibacillus agri, including 3 strains associated with an outbreak of waterborne illness, 4 as Brevibacillus centrosporus and 2 as Brevibacillus parabrevis; 12 strains contaminating an antibiotic production plant were recognized as members of a new species, for which the name Brevibacillus invocatus is proposed, with the type strain LMG 18962T (= B2156T = CIP 106911T = NCIMB 13772T).

Sacrococcygeal teratoma: results of a retrospective multicentric study in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Eighteen patients, operated upon for sacrococcygeal teratoma in 7 different centres in Belgium and Luxembourg between 1992 and 1996, were reviewed. From an epidemiological point of view, this series compares very well to others. Although excellent results were obtained, with all patients surviving, some imperfection in diagnosis, timing of delivery and of operation, and in operative technique was observed. Therefore, it is stated that for optimal treatment of sacrococcygeal teratoma to be achieved, these cases should be treated in just a very few centres of neonatal surgery.

Characterization of facultative oligotrophic bacteria from polar seas by analysis of their fatty acids and 16S rDNA sequences.

One hundred and seventy three bacterial strains, isolated previously after enrichment under oligotrophic, psychrophylic conditions from Arctic (98 strains) and Antarctic seawater (75 strains), were characterized by gas-liquid chromatographic analysis of their fatty acid compositions. By numerical analysis, 8 clusters, containing 2 to 59 strains, could be delineated, and 8 strains formed separate branches. Five clusters contained strains from both poles, two minor clusters were confined to Arctic isolates, and one cluster consisted of Antarctic isolates only. The 16S rRNA genes from 23 strains, representing the different fatty acid profile clusters and including the unclustered strains, were sequenced. The sequences grouped with the alpha and gamma Proteobacteria, the high percent G+C gram positives, and the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides branch. The sequences of strains from 4 clusters and of 7 unclustered strains were closely related (sequence similarities above 97%) to reference sequences of Sulfitobacter mediterraneus, Halomonas variabilis, Alteromonas macleodii, Pseudoalteromonas species, Shewanella frigidimarina, and Rhodococcus fascians. Strains from the other four clusters and an unclustered strain showed sequence similarities below 97% with nearest named neighbours, including Rhizobium, Glaciecola, Pseudomonas, Alteromonas macleodii and Cytophaga marinoflava, indicating that the clusters which they represent form as yet unnamed taxa.

Reappraisal of Ekehorn's rectopexy in the management of rectal prolapse in children.

An old and simple operative technique for the treatment of rectal prolapse in children, first described by Ekehorn in 1909, has been reviewed. The technique consists of the insertion of a mattress suture (nonabsorbable and multifilament material) in the rectal ampulla through the lowermost part of the sacrum: the strands of the mattress suture are tied firmly over a piece of dry gauze at the level of the sacrococcygeal junction. By leaving the suture in place for 10 days, the local inflammation and infection causes firm adhesions between the rectal wall and the perirectal tissue so that the anorectal wall is bound to the surroundings (sacrorectopexy). The results of this retrospective study on 22 patients proves that this form of transsacral rectopexy in the management of rectal prolapse in children is effective (100%), simple and without complications compared to other techniques. There were no recurrences and no major morbidity. The overall surgical treatment of rectal prolapse in children is briefly reviewed.

Abdominal cystic lymphangioma. A case report and a review of the literature.

Authors report a case of cystic lymphangioma of the mesenterium. The embryology and the histology are important to explain the radiological findings. To make the differential diagnosis with other cystic abdominal tumors it is very important to compare the radiological findings with other clinical symptoms.