University of Dundee

About: University of Dundee is a education organization based out in Dundee, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Protein kinase A. The organization has 19258 authors who have published 39640 publications receiving 1919433 citations. The organization is also known as: Universitas Dundensis & Dundee University.

Changes in predominant bacterial populations in human faeces with age and with Clostridium difficile infection.

Abstract: The bacterial composition of human faeces can vary greatly with factors such as age and disease, although relatively few studies have monitored these events, particularly at species level. In this investigation, bacteria were isolated from faecal samples from healthy young adults and elderly subjects, and elderly patients with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea (CDAD). The organisms were identified to species level on the basis of their cellular fatty acid profiles with the MIDI system. In some groups of bacteria, species diversity was found to change with age despite the overall numbers of organisms being similar at genus level. Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, B. ovatus and Prevotella tannerae were common gram-negative anaerobes isolated from young adults. Bacteroides species diversity increased in the faeces of healthy elderly people. Bifidobacterial species diversity decreased with age, with Bifidobacterium adolescentis and Bif. angulatum being the most common isolates. CDAD patients were characterised by greater diversity of facultative species, lactobacilli and clostridia, but greatly reduced numbers of bacteroides, prevotella and bifidobacteria. Such bacterial population changes in the normal microbiota could result in metabolic conditions favourable for the establishment of pathogenic micro-organisms, such as clostridia, and would have considerable effects on the biochemical capacity of the large intestine as a whole. Alterations in the community structure of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli have relevance for dietary and therapeutic interventions such as the use of pre- or probiotics that aim to modify the composition or metabolic activities of the intestinal microflora in a beneficial way, particularly in elderly people or individuals at risk of CDAD.

European guidelines for quality assurance in colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis : Overview and introduction to the full Supplement publication.

Abstract: Population-based screening for early detection and treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) and precursor lesions, using evidence-based methods, can be effective in populations with a significant burden of the disease provided the services are of high quality. Multidisciplinary, evidence-based guidelines for quality assurance in CRC screening and diagnosis have been developed by experts in a project co-financed by the European Union. The 450-page guidelines were published in book format by the European Commission in 2010. They include 10 chapters and over 250 recommendations, individually graded according to the strength of the recommendation and the supporting evidence. Adoption of the recommendations can improve and maintain the quality and effectiveness of an entire screening process, including identification and invitation of the target population, diagnosis and management of the disease and appropriate surveillance in people with detected lesions. To make the principles, recommendations and standards in the guidelines known to a wider professional and scientific community and to facilitate their use in the scientific literature, the original content is presented in journal format in an open-access Supplement of Endoscopy. The editors have prepared the present overview to inform readers of the comprehensive scope and content of the guidelines.

Genetic risk factors for ischaemic stroke and its subtypes (the METASTROKE collaboration): a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies.

Abstract: Summary Background Various genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been done in ischaemic stroke, identifying a few loci associated with the disease, but sample sizes have been 3500 cases or less. We established the METASTROKE collaboration with the aim of validating associations from previous GWAS and identifying novel genetic associations through meta-analysis of GWAS datasets for ischaemic stroke and its subtypes.