Synergistic Effects of Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Pretreated Corn Stover with Chicken Manure and Its Kinetics.

The pretreatment effects and synergistic effects of anaerobic co-digestion of pretreated corn stover (CS) with chicken manure (CM) were studied. Results showed that the NaOH-H2O2 pretreatment effect on CS was better than urea pretreatment in terms of anaerobic digestion promotion. The highest cumulative methane yield of 332.7 mL/g VS added was obtained from the CS (NaOH-H2O2 pretreated)/CM ratio of 1:3, and the highest cumulative methane yield of 319.7 mL/g VS added was obtained from the CS (urea pretreated)/CM ratio of 1:2. Synergistic effects were found in CS (NaOH-H2O2 pretreated)/CM ratios of 2:1, 1:2, 1:3 and CS (urea pretreated)/CM ratios of 1:1, 1:2. Synergistic effect was not found at CS (unpretreated)/CM ratios of 1:2 and 1:3. Pretreatment of CS can produce synergistic effect on anaerobic co-digestion and increase cumulative methane yield by 6.54-24.65%. Among the four kinetic models, modified Gompertz model was best fitted in describing the methane production during anaerobic co-digestion (R2 = 0.9845-0.9988).

Immunomodulatory Effects of Probiotics on Cytokine Profiles.

Probiotics confer immunological protection to the host through the regulation, stimulation, and modulation of immune responses. Researchers have shifted their attention to better understand the immunomodulatory effects of probiotics, which have the potential to prevent or alleviate certain pathologies for which proper medical treatment is as yet unavailable. It has been scientifically established that immune cells (T- and B-cells) mediate adaptive immunity and confer immunological protection by developing pathogen-specific memory. However, this review is intended to present the recent studies on immunomodulatory effects of probiotics. In the early section of this review, concepts of probiotics and common probiotic strains are focused on. On a priority basis, the immune system, along with mucosal immunity in the human body, is discussed in this study. It has been summarized that a number of species of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium exert vital roles in innate immunity by increasing the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells and phagocytosis of macrophages and mediate adaptive immunity by interacting with enterocytes and dendritic, Th1, Th2, and Treg cells. Finally, immunomodulatory effects of probiotics on proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production in different animal models have been extensively reviewed in this paper. Therefore, isolating new probiotic strains and investigating their immunomodulatory effects on cytokine profiles in humans remain a topical issue.

Probiotic Species in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota: An Overview.

Probiotics are microbial strains that are beneficial to health, and their potential has recently led to a significant increase in research interest in their use to modulate the gut microbiota. The animal gut is a complex ecosystem of host cells, microbiota, and available nutrients, and the microbiota prevents several degenerative diseases in humans and animals via immunomodulation. The gut microbiota and its influence on human nutrition, metabolism, physiology, and immunity are addressed, and several probiotic species and strains are discussed to improve the understanding of modulation of gut microbiota. This paper provides a broad review of several Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., and other coliform bacteria as the most promising probiotic species and their role in the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, malignancy, liver disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. This review also discusses a recent study of Saccharomyces spp. in which inflammation was prevented by promotion of proinflammatory immune function via the production of short-chain fatty acids. A summary of gut microbiota alteration with future perspectives is also provided.