Using probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health

Recent molecular-based investigations have confirmed the species diversity and metabolic complexity of the human gut microbiota. It is also increasingly clear that the human gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host health, both as a source of infection and environmental insult and, conversely, in protection against disease and maintenance of gut function. Although little is known about the health impact of the dominant groups of gut bacteria it is generally accepted that bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are important components of what might be termed the beneficial gut microbiota. The microbiota management tools of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics have been developed and, indeed, commercialized over the past few decades with the expressed purpose of increasing numbers of bifidobacteria and/or lactobacilli within the gastrointestinal tract.

Sialyloligosaccharides inhibit cholera toxin binding to the GM1 receptor

It is recognised that cholera toxin (Ctx) is a significant cause of gastrointestinal disease globally, particularly in developing countries where access to uncontaminated drinking water is at a premium. Ctx vaccines are prohibitively expensive and only give short-term protection. Consequently, there is scope for the development of alternative control strategies or prophylactics. This may include the use of oligosaccharides as functional mimics for the cell-surface toxin receptor (GM I). Furthermore, the sialic acid component of epithelial receptors has already been shown to contribute significantly to the adhesion and pathogenesis of Ctx. Here, we demonstrate the total inhibition of Ctx using GM1-competitive ELISA with 25 mg mL(-1) of a commercial preparation of sialyloligosaccharides (SOS). The IC50 value was calculated as 5.21 mg mL(-1). One-hundred percent inhibition was also observed at all concentrations of Ctx-HRP tested with 500 ng mL(-1) GM1-OS. Whilst SOS has much lower affinity for Ctx than GM1-OS, the commercial preparation is impure containing only 33.6% carbohydrate; however, the biantennary nature of SOS appears to give a significant increase in potency over constituent monosaccahride residues. It is proposed that SOS could be used as a conventional food additive, such as in emulsifiers, stabilisers or sweeteners, and are classified as nondigestible oligosaccharides that pass into the small intestine, which is the site of Ctx pathogenesis. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Namib Sand Sea digital database of aeolian dunes and key forcing variables

A new digital atlas of the geomorphology of the Namib Sand Sea in southern Africa has been developed. This atlas incorporates a number of databases including a digital elevation model (ASTER and SRTM) and other remote sensing databases that cover climate (ERA-40) and vegetation (PAL and GIMMS). A map of dune types in the Namib Sand Sea has been derived from Landsat and CNES/SPOT imagery. The atlas also includes a collation of geochronometric dates, largely derived from luminescence techniques, and a bibliographic survey of the research literature on the geomorphology of the Namib dune system. Together these databases provide valuable information that can be used as a starting point for tackling important questions about the development of the Namib and other sand seas in the past, present and future.

The effects of growth environment and agronomy on grain quality

Achieving quality requires the selection of varieties suited to prevailing environments and cropping systems. For well-adapted varieties, yield and quality can still be affected strongly by the weather and by agronomic interventions. Some of the strongest influences are heat and drought during grain filling, the availability of nitrogen and sulphur, the control of leaf and ear diseases, and the control of lodging. The effects of these and other factors are described, particularly in relation to the ‘point of sale measures’ for wheat grain.

Entropic risk analysis by a high level decision support system (e-FDSS) for construction SMEs

The method of entropy has been useful in evaluating inconsistency on human judgments. This paper illustrates an entropy-based decision support system called e-FDSS to the solution of multicriterion risk and decision analysis in projects of construction small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It is optimized and solved by fuzzy logic, entropy, and genetic algorithms. A case study demonstrated the use of entropy in e-FDSS on analyzing multiple risk criteria in the predevelopment stage of SME projects. Survey data studying the degree of impact of selected project risk criteria on different projects were input into the system in order to evaluate the preidentified project risks in an impartial environment. Without taking into account the amount of uncertainty embedded in the evaluation process; the results showed that all decision vectors are indeed full of bias and the deviations of decisions are finally quantified providing a more objective decision and risk assessment profile to the stakeholders of projects in order to search and screen the most profitable projects.

Selection of funding schemes by a borrowing decision model: a Hong Kong case study

In financial decision-making, a number of mathematical models have been developed for financial management in construction. However, optimizing both qualitative and quantitative factors and the semi-structured nature of construction finance optimization problems are key challenges in solving construction finance decisions. The selection of funding schemes by a modified construction loan acquisition model is solved by an adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) approach. The basic objectives of the model are to optimize the loan and to minimize the interest payments for all projects. Multiple projects being undertaken by a medium-size construction firm in Hong Kong were used as a real case study to demonstrate the application of the model to the borrowing decision problems. A compromise monthly borrowing schedule was finally achieved. The results indicate that Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Loan Guarantee Scheme (SGS) was first identified as the source of external financing. Selection of sources of funding can then be made to avoid the possibility of financial problems in the firm by classifying qualitative factors into external, interactive and internal types and taking additional qualitative factors including sovereignty, credit ability and networking into consideration. Thus a more accurate, objective and reliable borrowing decision can be provided for the decision-maker to analyse the financial options.