Determining the association between fibromyalgia, the gut microbiome and its biomarkers: A systematic review

Background: The association between fibromyalgia and irritable bowel syndrome is well-established. Alterations inthe composition and diversity of the gut microbiome in irritable bowel syndrome have been reported, however,this association is poorly understood in fibromyalgia.Our aim was to summarise the research reporting on the gastrointestinal microbiome and its biomarkers in peoplewith fibromyalgia.Methods: A systematic review of published original research reporting on the gastrointestinal microbiota and itsbiomarkers in adults with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia was undertaken.Results: From 4771 studies, 11 met our inclusion criteria and were separated into four main groups: papersreporting Helicobacter pylori; other gut bacterial markers; metabolomics and other biomarkers, which includedintestinal permeability and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.Conclusion: The results suggest there is a paucity of quality research in this area, with indications that the gutmicrobiota may play a role in fibromyalgia within the emerging field of the gut-musculoskeletal axis. Furtherinvestigations into the relationship between the gut microbiota, gut dysfunction and fibromyalgia are warranted

Protein Intake and Oral Health in Older Adults-A Narrative Review.

Oral health is vital to general health and well-being for all ages, and as with other chronic conditions, oral health problems increase with age. There is a bi-directional link between nutrition and oral health, in that nutrition affects the health of oral tissues and saliva, and the health of the mouth may affect the foods consumed. Evidence suggests that a healthy diet generally has a positive impact on oral health in older adults. Although studies examining the direct link between oral health and protein intake in older adults are limited, some have explored the relationship via malnutrition, which is also prevalent among older adults. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) may be associated with poor oral health, dental caries, enamel hypoplasia, and salivary gland atrophy. This narrative review presents the theoretical evidence on the impact of dietary protein and amino acid composition on oral health, and their combined impact on overall health in older adults

Could test preparation & interpretation impact hydrogen-methane breath testing results? A survey of current practices

Background: Hydrogen-methane breath testing is widely used in both gastroenterology andcomplementary therapies practice, yet current guidelines do not detail preparatory oral hygiene, norprovide standards for basal gas levels.Aims: To review and compare a range of instructions for oral hygiene prior to hydrogen-methane breathtesting provided by facilities offering hydrogen-methane breath testing services; and to investigatelaboratory interpretation of basal gas values and describe similarities, differences and management.Results: Twenty-five laboratories from six countries provided information regarding breath testingpreparation. In practice, there is a lack of uniformity in instructions for oral hygiene prior to breathtesting, and where instructions exist, little or no attention is given to adherence. A wide variance inaccepted norms for basal gases exists between centres, which may impact on whether testingcommences or not. It remains unknown whether elevation at baseline negates test results or shouldindicate deferring the test.Conclusion: There is no consensus on management of elevated basal gas levels. To improve the reliabilityof diagnostic results obtained from breath testing there is a pressing need for clarification of the impact ofthe role of oral hygiene on results, which should guide standardisation of instructions to includepreparation of the oral cavity

Cyanobacterial biofuels: new insights and strain design strategies revealed by computational modeling

BACKGROUND: Cyanobacteria are increasingly recognized as promising cell factories for the production of renewable biofuels and chemical feedstocks from sunlight, CO2, and water. However, most biotechnological applications of these organisms are still characterized by low yields. Increasing the production performance of cyanobacteria remains therefore a crucial step. RESULTS: In this work we use a stoichiometric network model of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in combination with CASOP and minimal cut set analysis to systematically identify and characterize suitable strain design strategies for biofuel synthesis, specifically for ethanol and isobutanol. As a key result, improving upon other works, we demonstrate that higher-order knockout strategies exist in the model that lead to coupling of growth with high-yield biofuel synthesis under phototrophic conditions. Enumerating all potential knockout strategies (cut sets) reveals a unifying principle behind the identified strain designs, namely to reduce the ratio of ATP to NADPH produced by the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Accordingly, suitable knockout strategies seek to block cyclic and other alternate electron flows, such that ATP and NADPH are exclusively synthesized via the linear electron flow whose ATP/NADPH ratio is below that required for biomass synthesis. The products of interest are then utilized by the cell as sinks for reduction equivalents in excess. Importantly, the calculated intervention strategies do not rely on the assumption of optimal growth and they ensure that maintenance metabolism in the absence of light remains feasible. Our analyses furthermore suggest that a moderately increased ATP turnover, realized, for example, by ATP futile cycles or other ATP wasting mechanisms, represents a promising target to achieve increased biofuel yields. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals key principles of rational metabolic engineering strategies in cyanobacteria towards biofuel production. The results clearly show that achieving obligatory coupling of growth and product synthesis in photosynthetic bacteria requires fundamentally different intervention strategies compared to heterotrophic organisms. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12934-014-0128-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users