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Probiotics are widely recognized for their health benefits, but their viability during food processing and digestion poses significant challenges. The present study evaluated the impact of incorporating apple fibers into yogurt on the viability of the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus casei ATCC 393 during production, storage, and simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Apple fibers, a by-product of apple processing, were used as a prebiotic ingredient due to their functional and technological benefits. The incorporation of apple fibers increased probiotic viability during 28 days of refrigerated storage, improving it from 90.4% in the control yogurt to 93.9%. Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, yogurt alone acted as a protective matrix, preserving probiotic viability, during gastric (71.0% at pH 2 after 3 h) and intestinal digestion (73.3% at 0.3% bile salts after 6 h). The inclusion of apple fibers further enhanced this protection, reducing probiotic viability loss in both gastric (81.9% at pH 2 after 3 h) and intestinal (79.0% at 0.3% bile salts after 6 h) environments. Similar results were obtained using the INFOGEST 2.0 static protocol. After the completion of the protocol (oral, gastric and intestinal phase) a viability of 71.1% (6.61 logCFU/g) was observed in the yogurt with apple fibers compared to 64.5% (6.10 logCFU/g) in the control yogurt. This enhanced protection could be attributed to the potential prebiotic properties of apple fibers, including their pectin and cellulose content, which may shield probiotics from acidic and enzymatic degradation. These findings highlight the potential of apple fiber-enriched yogurt as a functional food that supports probiotic viability during storage and throughout gastrointestinal transit. These insights may open the way for developing new food products with enhanced health benefits, aligning with growing consumer demand for functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bile acid reflux stands out as a notable risk factor for dyspepsia. Among patients with bile acid reflux, prevalent endoscopic observations encompass mucosal erythema, the detection of bile acid on the mucosa, erosion, hyperugosity, and gastric mucosal atrophy. This study aimed to elucidate the association between bile acid levels in gastric fluid and the degree of gastric mucosal damage. Methods: A cross-sectional investigation involved dyspeptic patients who underwent endoscopy at Prof. Dr. I.G.N.G. Ngoerah Denpasar Hospital. Bile acid analysis was conducted through the enzymatic calorimetric method, while assessment of mucosal damage relied on the Lanza score, evaluated independently by two observers. Mucosal damage severity was categorized as either mild (score 0-2) or severe (score 3-5). Cohen’s kappa analysis, bivariate, and logistic regression analysis was empoyed. Results: Among the 99 subjects involved, 58.6% were male. H. pylori antibodies were detected in 21% of the participants, while 48% exhibited a pH below 2.77.Additionally, 48% reported a history of NSAID consumption. The mean bile acid level in gastric fluid was 156.07 μmol/L, with a median of 170.09 μmol/L (categorized as high if ≥170.09 μmol/L, and low if <170.09 μmol/L). During endoscopic examination, mild mucosal damage was observed in 61%, and severe damage in 39% (kappa 1, P<0.001). A statistically significant relationship between gastric fluid bile acid levels and mucosal damage was evident (P<0.05). Conclusion: This study concludes that there was a relationship between the level of bile acid in gastric fluid and the degree of mucosal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Probiotics are widely recognized for their health benefits, but their viability during food processing and digestion poses significant challenges. The present study evaluated the impact of incorporating apple fibers into yogurt on the viability of the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus casei ATCC 393 during production, storage, and simulated gastrointestinal digestion. Apple fibers, a by-product of apple processing, were used as a prebiotic ingredient due to their functional and technological benefits. The incorporation of apple fibers increased probiotic viability during 28 days of refrigerated storage, improving it from 90.4% in the control yogurt to 93.9%. Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, yogurt alone acted as a protective matrix, preserving probiotic viability, during gastric (71.0% at pH 2 after 3 h) and intestinal digestion (73.3% at 0.3% bile salts after 6 h). The inclusion of apple fibers further enhanced this protection, reducing probiotic viability loss in both gastric (81.9% at pH 2 after 3 h) and intestinal (79.0% at 0.3% bile salts after 6 h) environments. Similar results were obtained using the INFOGEST 2.0 static protocol. After the completion of the protocol (oral, gastric and intestinal phase) a viability of 71.1% (6.61 logCFU/g) was observed in the yogurt with apple fibers compared to 64.5% (6.10 logCFU/g) in the control yogurt. This enhanced protection could be attributed to the potential prebiotic properties of apple fibers, including their pectin and cellulose content, which may shield probiotics from acidic and enzymatic degradation. These findings highlight the potential of apple fiber-enriched yogurt as a functional food that supports probiotic viability during storage and throughout gastrointestinal transit. These insights may open the way for developing new food products with enhanced health benefits, aligning with growing consumer demand for functional foods.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major morbidity of prematurity. In this case–control study, we prospectively evaluated whether untargeted metabolomic analysis (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) of the gastric fluid could predict the need for surfactant in very preterm neonates. 43 infants with RDS necessitating surfactant (cases) were compared with 30 infants who were not treated with surfactant (controls). Perinatal–neonatal characteristics were recorded. Significant differences in gastric fluid metabolites (L-proline, L-glycine, L-threonine, acetyl-L-serine) were observed between groups, but none could solely predict surfactant administration with high accuracy. Univariate analysis revealed significant predictors of surfactant administration involving gastric fluid metabolites (L-glycine, acetyl-L-serine) and clinical parameters (gestational age, Apgar scores, intubation in the delivery room). Multivariable models were constructed for significant clinical variables as well as for the combination of clinical variables and gastric fluid metabolites. The AUC value of the first model was 0.69 (95% CI 0.57–0.81) and of the second, 0.76 (95% CI 0.64–0.86), in which acetyl-L-serine and intubation in the delivery room were found to be significant predictors of surfactant therapy. This investigation adds to the current knowledge of biomarkers in preterm neonates with RDS, but further research is required to assess the predictive value of gastric fluid metabolomics in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ureaplasma spp. is an endemic microorganism that causes placental chorioamnionitis or preterm delivery in pregnant women, and the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or intraventricular hemorrhaging in preterm infants after birth, although the pathogenicity of Ureaplasma remains controversial. The association between Ureaplasma exposure and the symptoms or outcomes of infected mothers or their infants born at term remains poorly understood. We investigated the clinical characteristics of preterm and term infants with or without Ureaplasma in their gastric fluid. Methods: Gastric fluid samples were collected from 47 newborns in the neonatal intensive-care unit immediately after birth and tested using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting Ureaplasma spp., Ureaplasma parvum, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. The clinical findings and outcomes of the neonates and their mothers were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Ureaplasma spp. were detected in 9/47 samples (19%) by multiplex PCR assays. In all cases, the subspecies was U. parvum. The Ureaplasma-positive group had a significantly higher incidence of chorioamnionitis in utero than the Ureaplasma-negative group. Regarding preterm infants, the IgM levels in the Ureaplasma-positive group were significantly higher than in the Ureaplasma-negative group. In contrast, in term infants, the rates of a non-reassuring fetal status, a maternal fever, and maternal leukocyte counts and maternal C-reactive protein levels within five days before delivery in the Ureaplasma-positive group were significantly higher than those in the Ureaplasma-negative group. All three extremely-low-birth-weight infants with Ureaplasma developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The length of hospitalization in the Ureaplasma-positive group was almost same as that in the Ureaplasma-negative group for term infants. Conclusion: Mothers or their fetuses with exposure to Ureaplasma expressed characteristic clinical features during pregnancy and after birth.

Identifying the concentration of alcohol compounds in postmortem analysis of biological fluids can help the investigation, just as postmortem analysis of gastric juices can reveal the concentrations of alcohol consumed. However, an efficient and effective combination of extraction and measurement methods is required when looking at complex postmortem samples. Therefore, a headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method was developed using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to identify postmortem alcohol concentrations. This present study optimizes and validates an effective and efficient method for postmortem alcohol extraction and quantification in gastric fluid. The optimal conditions for HS-SPME extraction using 65μm Polydimethy lsiloxane Divinyl benzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber for analyte isolation were 15 minutes. at 60°C and an exposure time of 1 minute. The validation investigation shows that the suggested approach satisfies the criteria for linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD, and LOQ for postmortem measurement of alcohol in gastric fluid.

Ureaplasma spp. is an endemic microorganism that causes placental chorioamnionitis or preterm delivery in pregnant women, and the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or intraventricular hemorrhaging in preterm infants after birth, although the pathogenicity of Ureaplasma remains controversial. The association between Ureaplasma exposure and the symptoms or outcomes of infected mothers or their infants born at term remains poorly understood. We investigated the clinical characteristics of preterm and term infants with or without Ureaplasma in their gastric fluid. Gastric fluid samples were collected from 47 newborns in the neonatal intensive-care unit immediately after birth and tested using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays targeting Ureaplasma spp. , Ureaplasma parvum, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. The clinical findings and outcomes of the neonates and their mothers were retrospectively evaluated. Ureaplasma spp. were detected in 9/47 samples (19%) by multiplex PCR assays. In all cases, the subspecies was U. parvum. The Ureaplasma -positive group had a significantly higher incidence of chorioamnionitis in utero than the Ureaplasma -negative group. Regarding preterm infants, the IgM levels in the Ureaplasma -positive group were significantly higher than in the Ureaplasma -negative group. In contrast, in term infants, the rates of a non-reassuring fetal status, a maternal fever, and maternal leukocyte counts and maternal C-reactive protein levels within five days before delivery in the Ureaplasma -positive group were significantly higher than those in the Ureaplasma -negative group. All three extremely-low-birth-weight infants with Ureaplasma developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The length of hospitalization in the Ureaplasma -positive group was almost same as that in the Ureaplasma -negative group for term infants. Mothers or their fetuses with exposure to Ureaplasma expressed characteristic clinical features during pregnancy and after birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the concentration of alcohol compounds in postmortem analysis of biological fluids can help the investigation, just as postmortem analysis of gastric juices can reveal the concentrations of alcohol consumed. However, an efficient and effective combination of extraction and measurement methods is required when looking at complex postmortem samples. Therefore, a headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method was developed using gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to identify postmortem alcohol concentrations. This present study optimizes and validates an effective and efficient method for postmortem alcohol extraction and quantification in gastric fluid. The optimal conditions for HS-SPME extraction using 65µm Polydimethy lsiloxane Divinyl benzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber for analyte isolation were 15 minutes. at 60°C and an exposure time of 1 minute. The validation investigation shows that the suggested approach satisfies the criteria for linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD, and LOQ for postmortem measurement of alcohol in gastric fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting survival in very preterm infants is critical in clinical medicine and parent counseling. In this prospective cohort study involving 96 very preterm infants, we evaluated whether the metabolomic analysis of gastric fluid and urine samples obtained shortly after birth could predict survival in the first 3 and 15 days of life (DOL), as well as overall survival up to hospital discharge. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling was used. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate significant metabolites and their prognostic value. Differences in several metabolites were identified between survivors and non-survivors at the time points of the study. Binary logistic regression showed that certain metabolites in gastric fluid, including arabitol, and succinic, erythronic and threonic acids, were associated with 15 DOL and overall survival. Gastric glyceric acid was also associated with 15 DOL survival. Urine glyceric acid could predict survival in the first 3 DOL and overall survival. In conclusion, non-surviving preterm infants exhibited a different metabolic profile compared with survivors, demonstrating significant discrimination with the use of GC-MS-based gastric fluid and urine analyses. The results of this study support the usefulness of metabolomics in developing survival biomarkers in very preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major morbidity of prematurity. In this case–control study, we prospectively evaluated whether untargeted metabolomic analysis (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) of the gastric fluid could predict the need for surfactant in very preterm neonates. 43 infants with RDS necessitating surfactant (cases) were compared with 30 infants who were not treated with surfactant (controls). Perinatal–neonatal characteristics were recorded. Significant differences in gastric fluid metabolites (L-proline, L-glycine, L-threonine, acetyl-L-serine) were observed between groups, but none could solely predict surfactant administration with high accuracy. Univariate analysis revealed significant predictors of surfactant administration involving gastric fluid metabolites (L-glycine, acetyl-L-serine) and clinical parameters (gestational age, Apgar scores, intubation in the delivery room). Multivariable models were constructed for significant clinical variables as well as for the combination of clinical variables and gastric fluid metabolites. The AUC value of the first model was 0.69 (95% CI 0.57–0.81) and of the second, 0.76 (95% CI 0.64–0.86), in which acetyl-L-serine and intubation in the delivery room were found to be significant predictors of surfactant therapy. This investigation adds to the current knowledge of biomarkers in preterm neonates with RDS, but further research is required to assess the predictive value of gastric fluid metabolomics in this field.

Respiratory distress is common in neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Additionally, infectious diseases such as intrauterine infections or vertical transmission are important underlying causes of respiratory failure. However, pathogens often cannot be identified in neonates, and there are many cases in which antibacterial drugs are empirically administered. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is advantageous in that it can detect trace amounts of bacteria that cannot be detected by culturing or bacteria that are difficult to cultivate. However, there are few reports on the diagnosis of infectious diseases using NGS in the neonatal field, especially those targeting respiratory distress. The purpose of our study was to investigate the microorganisms associated with neonatal respiratory distress and to determine whether less invasive collection specimens such as plasma and gastric fluid are useful. Neonates were prospectively recruited between January and August 2020 from Nagoya University Hospital. The inclusion criteria were as follows: 1) admission to the neonatal intensive care unit; 2) respiratory distress presentation within 48 h of birth; and 3) suspected infection, collection of blood culture, and administration of antibiotics. Plasma samples and blood cultures were simultaneously collected. Gastric fluid samples were also collected if the patient was not started on enteral nutrition. Information on the patients and their mothers were collected from the medical records. DNA was extracted from 140 µL of plasma and gastric fluid samples. DNA sequencing libraries were prepared, and their quality was analyzed. DNA libraries were sequenced using high-throughput NGS. The NGS data of plasma and gastric fluid samples were analyzed using the metagenomic pipeline PATHDET, which calculated the number of reads assigned to microorganisms and their relative abundance. Putative pathogens were listed. Overall, 30 plasma samples and 25 gastric fluid samples from 30 neonates were analyzed. Microorganism-derived reads of gastric fluid samples were significantly higher than those of plasma samples. Transient tachypnea of the newborn was the most common cause of respiratory distress with 13 cases (43%), followed by respiratory distress syndrome with 7 cases (23%). There were 8 cases (29%) of chorioamnionitis and 7 cases (25%) of funisitis pathologically diagnosed. All blood cultures were negative, and only two gastric fluid cultures were positive for group B Streptococcus (Patient 15) and Candida albicans (Patient 24). Putative pathogens that met the positive criteria for PATHET were detected in four gastric fluid samples, one of which was group B Streptococcus from Patient 15. In the gastric fluid sample of Patient 24, Candida albicans were detected by NGS but did not meet the positive criteria for PATHDET. Cluster analysis of the plasma samples divided them into two study groups, and the indicator genera of each cluster (Phormidium or Toxoplasma) are shown in Figure 1. Clinical findings did not show any significant differences between the two groups. Cluster analysis of the gastric fluid samples divided them into three study groups, and the indicator genera of each cluster (Ureaplasma, Nostoc, and Streptococcus) are shown in Figure 2. The incidence rate of chorioamnionitis was significantly higher in Ureaplasma group than in the other two groups. Gastric fluid may be useful for assessing neonatal patients with respiratory distress. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first study to reveal that the presence of Ureaplasma in the gastric fluid of neonates with respiratory distress was associated with chorioamnionitis. The early diagnosis of intra-amniotic infections using gastric fluid and its treatment may change the treatment strategy for neonatal respiratory distress. Screening for Ureaplasma in neonates with respiratory distress may reduce the need for empirical antibiotic administration. Further research is required to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Background In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the “tongue coating is produced by fumigation of stomach gas”, and that tongue coating can reflect the health status of humans, especially stomach health. Therefore, studying the relationship between the microbiome of the tongue coating and the gastric fluid is of great significance for understanding the biological basis of tongue diagnosis. Methods This paper detected the microbiomes of the tongue coating and the gastric fluid in 35 gastritis patients using metagenomic sequencing technology, systematically constructed the microbial atlas of tongue coating and gastric juice, and first described the similar characteristics between the two sites. Results There was a significant correlation between tongue coating and gastric juice in terms of microbial species composition and overall diversity. In terms of species composition, it was found that the two sites were dominated by five phyla, namely, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria, and that most of the gastric microbial species could be detected from the patient's own tongue coating. In terms of overall diversity, a significant correlation was found between the alpha diversity of the tongue coating microbiome and the gastric juice microbiome. Furthermore, in terms of abundance, 4 classes, 2 orders, 4 families, 18 genera and 46 species were found to significantly correlate between the tongue coating and the gastric fluid. Conclusions The results provide microbiome-based scientific evidence for tongue diagnosis, and offer a new perspective for understanding the biological basis of tongue diagnosis.

The progression of gastric cancer involves a complex multi-stage process, with gastroscopy and biopsy being the standard procedures for diagnosing gastric diseases. This study introduces an innovative non-invasive approach to differentiate gastric disease stage using gastric fluid samples through machine-learning-assisted surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). This method effectively identifies different stages of gastric lesions. The XGBoost algorithm demonstrates the highest accuracy of 96.88% and 91.67%, respectively, in distinguishing chronic non-atrophic gastritis from intestinal metaplasia and different subtypes of gastritis (mild, moderate, and severe). Through blinded testing validation, the model can achieve more than 80% accuracy. These findings offer new possibilities for rapid, cost-effective, and minimally invasive diagnosis of gastric diseases. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume and distribution of fluids available in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract may substantially affect oral drug absorption. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used in the past to quantify these fluid volumes in adults and its use is now being extended to the pediatric population. The present research pursued a retrospective, explorative analysis of existing clinical MRI data generated for pediatric patients. Images of 140 children from all pediatric subpopulations were analyzed for their resting GI fluid volumes in fasting conditions. In general, an increase in fluid volume as a function of age was observed for the stomach, duodenum, jejunum, and small intestine (SI) as a whole. No specific pattern was observed for the ileum and colon. Body mass index (BMI), body weight, body height, and SI length were evaluated as easy-to-measure clinical estimators of the gastric and SI fluid volumes. Although weight and height were identified as the best estimators, none performed ideally based on the coefficient of determination (R2). Data generated in this study can be used as physiologically relevant input for biorelevant in vitro tests and in silico models tailored to the pediatric population, thereby contributing to the efficient development of successful oral drug products for children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective Cannabidiol (CBD) has been reported to have anti-diabetic effects in pre-clinical and clinical studies but its inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, a carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzyme, remain unknown. Herein, we evaluated CBD’s inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase using in vitro assays and computational studies. Methods CBD’s inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase activity was evaluated in a yeast enzymatic assay and by molecular docking. The stability of CBD in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography analyses. Results CBD, at 10, 19, 38, 76, 152, 304, 608, and 1216 μM, inhibited α-glucosidase activity with inhibition of 17.1, 20.4, 48.1, 56.6, 59.1, 63.7, 74.1, and 95.4%, respectively. Acarbose, the positive control, showed a comparable inhibitory activity (with 85.1% inhibition at 608 μM). CBD’s inhibitory effect on α-glucosidase was supported by molecular docking showing binding energy (-6.39 kcal/mol) and interactions between CBD and the α-glucosidase protein. CBD was stable in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids for two hours (maintained ≥ 90.0%). Conclusions CBD showed moderate inhibitory effect against yeast α-glucosidase activity and was stable in gastric and intestinal fluids. However, further studies on CBD’s anti-α-glucosidase effects using cellular and in vivo models are warranted to support its potential application for the management of type II diabetes mellitus.

Predicting survival in very preterm infants is critical in clinical medicine and parent counseling. In this prospective cohort study involving 96 very preterm infants, we evaluated whether the metabolomic analysis of gastric fluid and urine samples obtained shortly after birth could predict survival in the first 3 and 15 days of life (DOL), as well as overall survival up to hospital discharge. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling was used. Uni- and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate significant metabolites and their prognostic value. Differences in several metabolites were identified between survivors and non-survivors at the time points of the study. Binary logistic regression showed that certain metabolites in gastric fluid, including arabitol, and succinic, erythronic and threonic acids, were associated with 15 DOL and overall survival. Gastric glyceric acid was also associated with 15 DOL survival. Urine glyceric acid could predict survival in the first 3 DOL and overall survival. In conclusion, non-surviving preterm infants exhibited a different metabolic profile compared with survivors, demonstrating significant discrimination with the use of GC-MS-based gastric fluid and urine analyses. The results of this study support the usefulness of metabolomics in developing survival biomarkers in very preterm infants.

Introduction: In recent research, orally administered cannabidiol (CBD) showed a relatively high incidence of somnolence in a pediatric population. Previous work has suggested that when CBD is exposed to an acidic environment, it degrades to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other psychoactive cannabinoids. To gain a better understanding of quantitative exposure, we completed an in vitro study by evaluating the formation of psychoactive cannabinoids when CBD is exposed to simulated gastric fluid (SGF). Methods: Materials included synthetic CBD, Δ8-THC, and Δ9-THC. Linearity was demonstrated for each component over the concentration range used in this study. CBD was spiked into media containing 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Samples were analyzed using chromatography with UV and mass spectrometry detection. An assessment time of 3 h was chosen as representative of the maximal duration of exposure to gastric fluid. Results: CBD in SGF with 1% SDS was degraded about 85% after 60 min and more than 98% at 120 min. The degradation followed first-order kinetics at a rate constant of -0.031 min-1 (R2=0.9933). The major products formed were Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC with less significant levels of other related cannabinoids. CBD in physiological buffer performed as a control did not convert to THC. Confirmation of THC formation was demonstrated by comparison of mass spectral analysis, mass identification, and retention time of Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC in the SGF samples against authentic reference standards. Conclusions: SGF converts CBD into the psychoactive components Δ9-THC and Δ8-THC. The first-order kinetics observed in this study allowed estimated levels to be calculated and indicated that the acidic environment during normal gastrointestinal transit can expose orally CBD-treated patients to levels of THC and other psychoactive cannabinoids that may exceed the threshold for a physiological response. Delivery methods that decrease the potential for formation of psychoactive cannabinoids should be explored.

Background: In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that the "tongue coating is produced by fumigation of stomach gas", and that tongue coating can reflect the health status of humans, especially stomach health. Therefore, studying the relationship between the microbiome of the tongue coating and the gastric fluid is of great significance for understanding the biological basis of tongue diagnosis. Methods: This paper detected the microbiomes of the tongue coating and the gastric fluid in 35 gastritis patients using metagenomic sequencing technology, systematically constructed the microbial atlas of tongue coating and gastric juice, and first described the similar characteristics between the two sites. Results: There was a significant correlation between tongue coating and gastric juice in terms of microbial species composition and overall diversity. In terms of species composition, it was found that the two sites were dominated by five phyla, namely, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria, and that most of the gastric microbial species could be detected from the patient's own tongue coating. In terms of overall diversity, a significant correlation was found between the alpha diversity of the tongue coating microbiome and the gastric juice microbiome. Furthermore, in terms of abundance, 4 classes, 2 orders, 4 families, 18 genera and 46 species were found to significantly correlate between the tongue coating and the gastric fluid. Conclusions: The results provide microbiome-based scientific evidence for tongue diagnosis, and offer a new perspective for understanding the biological basis of tongue diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the changes caused by intravenous administration of regulatory peptides, bombesin (BBS) and neurotensin (NT), on gastric secretion, serum gastrin, and plasma levels of bombesin-1ike immunoreactivity (BLI) and neurotensin. Materials and methods: Fourteen dogs underwent an upper gastrointestinal tract operation and a Pavlov pouch for the concentration of gastric fluids was formed. The experimental animals were divided into two groups. Peptides were given one month after the second operation and after fasting for 12 hours. In group A, the effects of BBS were studied after a rapid 1 µg/kg body weight dose and a slow 30΄ 0.5 μg/kg body weight dose administration intravenously. Correspondingly to group B the effects of NT were studied in the same way. Results: The rapid intravenous infusion of BBS caused a very significant increase in gastrin levels, BLI in plasma, volume and HCl of the gastric fluids. The same results, plus a significant decrease in gastric pH, were observed following slow intravenous infusion of BBS. Concerning the NT, rapid administration caused a significant decrease in the volume of gastric fluids. Slow NT administration of caused a significant reduction in gastric fluid volume and in HCl. On the contrary, pH was significantly increased. Conclusion: Bombesin increases plasma gastrin levels and HCl secretion. Neurotensin administration causes a decrease in HCl secretion without affecting gastrin levels in plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Gastric fluid IL-6 levels at birth were increased in neonates with chorioamnionitis. • Gastric fluid IL-6 correlated strongly with the presence of chorioamnionitis. • Gastric fluid IL-6 may be a promising biomarker for predicting exposure to inflammation in utero. The risk of various complications, such as neonatal death, early onset sepsis, and chronic lung disease, is increased in infants born to mothers with chorioamnionitis (CAM). However, predicting the diagnosis of histological CAM (hCAM) in the early postnatal period is challenging for clinicians due to pathological considerations. Therefore, an early diagnostic tool for hCAM is needed. Gastric fluid at birth is considered a suitable biomarker for predicting the intrauterine environment because most of its components are from amniotic fluid, and the sampling technique is less invasive. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of cytokines in the gastric fluid of preterm infants at birth as predictors of hCAM. We retrieved gastric fluid and serum from 21 preterm infants with a gestational age of ≤ 32 weeks within 1 h after birth and used cytometric bead array to measure the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interferon-gamma. We compared the cytokine concentrations in the gastric fluid and serum of the preterm infants born to mothers with or without hCAM. The gastric fluid, serum IL-6, and serum IL-10 concentrations were significantly higher in the hCAM group than that in the non-hCAM group. The best cutoff values for predicting hCAM was > 2,855 pg/mL and > 315 pg/mL for IL-6 in the gastric fluid and serum, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that gastric fluid IL-6 concentrations correlated more strongly with the presence of hCAM than serum IL-6 concentrations. IL-6 in the gastric fluid at birth may be a more promising biomarker for predicting the presence of hCAM than that in serum. IL-6 concentration analysis in the gastric fluid at birth might help to diagnose hCAM immediately after birth and improve the prognosis of preterm infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to compare the hydrogen potential (pH) and residual gastric volume (RGV) of patients undergoing colonoscopy after 3 and 6 hours of colon preparation with mannitol. METHODS: We described a prospective randomized trial with a 50:50 allocation rate of two distinct times of colonoscopy after colon preparation with 10% mannitol. We included outpatients aged over 18 years, with no history of gastric surgeries and an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)-rated anesthetic risk below III. Colonoscopy was performed after upper digestive endoscopy at two different times: 3 versus 6-hour after mannitol ingestion. During upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, we measured RGV and evaluated pH with a digital pH meter. Clinical trials.gov: 71123317.9.3001.0065 RESULTS: We randomized a total of 100 participants to the 3 and 6-hour groups, with the patients in the 6-hour group being younger and presenting a higher body mass index (BMI). The intervention did not result in any statistically significant differences between the two groups, neither for the RGV (p=0.98) or the pH (p=0.732). However, the subgroup of patients with diabetes mellitus showed statistically significant higher RGV values in the 3-hour group. CONCLUSION There was no difference between RGV and pH values at 3 versus 6-hour after bowel preparation with mannitol, except for RGV in diabetic patients at 3 hours. As prolonged fasting protocols may result in adverse events such as dehydration and electrolyte imbalance, we can infer that colonic preparation with mannitol in shorter fasting periods, such as 3 hours, can be adopted safely and routinely.

For this study, the transfer of plastic additives to stomach oil of northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) has been investigated. Procellariiform seabirds retain oily components of their prey in theirs stomach as a means to store energy. A marine litter-derived microplastic reference mixture and separately a marine litter-derived polystyrene sample were added to stomach oils in an experiment. A total of 15 additives, including plasticizers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, flame retardants, and preservatives, were identified in the original plastic mixtures and monitored in the leachates. These substances include those known for endocrine disruptive, carcinogenic, and/or other negative effects on organisms. Stomach oil was exposed to these plastic materials and was sampled during a long-term experiment (0, 14, and 90 days’ exposure of plastic particles in stomach oil) and a subsequent short-term detailed study (8 h and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 21 days). Five of the monitored substances were shown to strongly leach from the microplastic reference mixture into the stomach oil during the experiment. Four substances were identified in a marine litter-derived polystyrene foam, of which two leached into stomach oil. Leaching of harmful plastic additives to the stomach oil of fulmars may be of concern, as fulmars regularly ingest plastics that are retained and gradually ground in the gizzard before passage to the intestines and excretion.

Diagnostic methods for Helicobacter pylori infection include, but are not limited to, urea breath test, serum antibody test, fecal antigen test, and rapid urease test. However, these methods suffer drawbacks such as low accuracy, high false-positive rate, complex operations, invasiveness, etc. Therefore, there is a need to develop simple, rapid, and noninvasive detection methods for H. pylori diagnosis. In this study, we propose a novel technique for accurately detecting H. pylori infection through machine learning analysis of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of gastric fluid samples that were noninvasively collected from human stomachs via the string test. One hundred participants were recruited to collect gastric fluid samples noninvasively. Therefore, 12,000 SERS spectra (n = 120 spectra/participant) were generated for building machine learning models evaluated by standard metrics in model performance assessment. According to the results, the Light Gradient Boosting Machine algorithm exhibited the best prediction capacity and time efficiency (accuracy = 99.54% and time = 2.61 seconds). Moreover, the Light Gradient Boosting Machine model was blindly tested on 2,000 SERS spectra collected from 100 participants with unknown H. pylori infection status, achieving a prediction accuracy of 82.15% compared with qPCR results. This novel technique is simple and rapid in diagnosing H. pylori infection, potentially complementing current H. pylori diagnostic methods., (Copyright © 2023 United States & Canadian Academy of Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

For a realistic evaluation of the potential hazard emanating from airborne particulate matter (APM), the determination of the total inhaled metal amounts associated with APM is insufficient in risk assessment. Additional information about metal fractions that can be mobilized by the human body is necessary, because only those soluble (also called bioaccessible) fractions can be absorbed by the human body, and thus potentially cause adverse health effects. In the present study, a dynamic flow-through approach as a front end to inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) exploiting advanced flow analysis is employed for on-line handling of multiple APM samples and determination of bioaccessible trace metals under worst case extraction scenarios. The method is based on on-line continuous extraction of filter samples with synthetic gastric fluid followed by on-line ICP-OES measurement of the dissolved fraction of trace metals. The assembly permits an automated successive measurement of three sample replicates in less than 19 min. The on-line extraction procedure offers increased sample throughput and reduced risk of sample contamination and overcomes metal re-adsorption processes compared to the traditional batch-wise counterparts. Furthermore, it provides deeper information on the kinetics of the leaching process. The developed procedure was applied to the determination of bioaccessible metal fractions (Al, Ba, Cu, Fe and Mn as model analytes) in PM10 samples from Palma de Mallorca (Spain) and Vienna (Austria). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed throughout the environment. Upon ingesting MPs, the pollutants that they carry are then desorbed into organisms. This results in the accumulation of various chemicals within the organism. This study systematically examined the mechanism of antibiotic desorption using tire wear particles (TWP) as a carrier of antibiotics in simulated human gastrointestinal fluid and fish intestinal fluid. The findings of this study revealed the formation of cracks, pores, and depressions on the surface of photoaged TWP in an aquatic environment, as well as additional adsorption sites that are more favorable for the attachment of pollutants. Furthermore, the simulated human gastric fluid had a higher desorption rate than that of the fish intestinal fluid. The competition for TWP adsorption sites in the gastrointestinal fluid and the potential dissolution of antibiotics were the primary drivers of the increase in the desorption rate. The desorption rate in the simulated human gastrointestinal fluid was greater than that in the simulated fish intestinal fluid due to the composition of the gastrointestinal fluid. However, the carrying of pollutants by MPs poses a potential threat to human health. This study improves our understanding of TWP toxicity and has significant implications for the development of risk assessments. [Display omitted] • Tire wear particles (TWP) contribute a substantial portion of microplastic emissions. • Photoaging enhanced the adsorption capacity of TWP in the environment. • TWP might have higher risk to humans than fish in desorption simulations. • Desorption behavior of TWP in sequential experiments differs from single simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An in-depth understanding of the properties of gastric fluid(s) prior to an in vivo pharmacokinetic investigation can vastly improve predictions of in vivo performance. Previously, properties of animal and human gastric fluids have been characterized with varying methods. Unfortunately, characterization has often not been thorough, and some properties, such as density and viscosity, have not been reported. Here, human, porcine and canine gastric fluids were harvested and characterized for pH, viscosity, surface tension, density, and osmolarity. We found that the variability of pH and surface tension between dogs was significantly higher than the variability between pigs, and, furthermore, gastric fluids collected from the same canine species (beagles) housed in two different countries (Denmark and China) had surprisingly different pH values. Next, an in vitro dissolution study in diluted gastric fluids from each species was performed using minitablets containing ibuprofen. Human gastric fluids and porcine gastric fluids showed similar dissolution profiles and corroborated well with biorelevant human Fasted State Simulated Gastric Fluid (FaSSGF). In contrast, differences in canine gastric fluids caused highly variable dissolution results. We systematically compared our findings to those in the literature and based on this evaluation, propose obtaining aspirates from the animals used for in vivo studies to ensure knowledge on the fluid properties affecting the performance of the formulated drug in question. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]