University of Hohenheim

About: University of Hohenheim is a education organization based out in Stuttgart, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Soil water. The organization has 8585 authors who have published 16406 publications receiving 567377 citations.

Use of pigs as a potential model for research into dietary modulation of the human gut microbiota.

Abstract: The human intestinal microbial ecosystem plays an important role in maintaining health. A multitude of diseases including diarrhoea, gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders, such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) of neonates, and obesity are linked to microbial composition and metabolic activity. Therefore, research on possible dietary strategies influencing microbial composition and activity, both preventive and curative, is being accomplished. Interest has focused on pre- and probiotics that stimulate the intestinal production of beneficial bacterial metabolites such as butyrate, and beneficially affect microbial composition. The suitability of an animal model to study dietary linked diseases is of much concern. The physiological similarity between humans and pigs in terms of digestive and associated metabolic processes places the pig in a superior position over other non-primate models. Furthermore, the pig is a human-sized omnivorous animal with comparable nutritional requirements, and shows similarities to the human intestinal microbial ecosystem. Also, the pig has been used as a model to assess microbiota-health interactions, since pigs exhibit similar syndromes to humans, such as NEC and partly weanling diarrhoea. In contrast, when using rodent models to study diet-microbiota-health interactions, differences between rodents and humans have to be considered. For example, studies with mice and human subjects assessing possible relationships between the composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota and the development of obesity have shown inconsistencies in results between studies. The present review displays the similarities and differences in intestinal microbial ecology between humans and pigs, scrutinising the pig as a potential animal model, with regard to possible health effects.

Soil Redox Potential: Importance, Field Measurements, and Observations

Abstract: Reduction and oxidation measurements create important data for analysis of wet soils. These measurements are actually recordings of voltage (EH) over time between a reference electrode and a sensor electrode inserted into a soil. The sensor electrodes are usually made of platinum wire (Pt electrode). Hydric soils require a period of reduction, and these measures can provide the length of time that the reduction process is occurring. The voltage results from an exchange of electrons between a redox couple such as ferrous and ferric iron during the process of reduction and oxidation. In soils that have fluctuating wet and dry conditions, wide fluctuations in Eh occur. Micro site differences complicate these measurements in that anaerobes may be active and at 1‐cm away they are completely inactive. The ferrous–ferric iron couple usually dominates these measurements but other couple often contributes complicating the measurements and interpretations of the data. Reference electrodes are often fine for laboratory work but are not rugged enough for the field. In this chapter, suggestions for improvement are discussed. Field‐measuring equipment and the Pt electrode are also sensitive and subject to problems that often lead to spurious results in the field. These problems are discussed at length. Iron‐coated tubes and other methods of establishing redox conditions are relatively recent and are discussed, also.