Today we observe World Digestive Health Day, but we will also learn more about the human reproductive organs – of both genders!

Gut microbiome

• The gut microbiome, probiotics, bile acids axis, and human health – Mitchell Lawrence Jones – Trends in Microbiology – “A recent study in Cell Reports demonstrates that probiotic VSL#3 affects bile acid deconjugation and excretion, as well as the gut–liver FXR–FGF15 axis”
• Opening session ASM 2014: Microbes in Symbiosis, Signaling and at Sea – Michael Laub, Lora Hooper, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg (2.5 hours)
• A video to understand the importance of gut bacteria – Gut Microbiota Worldwatch. “May 29th is World Digestive Health Day. On its occasion, United European Gastroenterology (UEG) and the European Society for Neurogastroenterology and Motility (ESNM) have created this video to talk about the importance of gut bacteria, our intestinal microbiota, in health and disease (2 min)
• To mark World Digestive Health Day, the American College of Gastroenterology has developed a new podcast, Probiotics: What You Need to Know, featuring Eamonn M. M. Quigley

Genital microbiome

• Parsing the Penis Microbiome – Tracy Vence – The Scientist – “Circumcision and sexual activity are but two factors that can influence the bacterial communities that inhabit male genitalia”
• Bacteria in the Vaginal Microbiome Alter the Innate Immune Response and Barrier Properties of the Human Vaginal Epithelia in a Species-Specific Manner – Sylvie Y. Doerflinger – The Journal of Infectious Diseases – “A. vaginae elicited a signature that is consistent with significant disruption of immune barrier properties, potentially resulting in enhanced susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections during bacterial vaginosis.”

Pregnancy and Birth

• Baby’s first bacteria arrive sooner than we thought – Laura Sanders – Science News – “Bacteria breaks into the fetus long before the big squeeze into life on the outside.”

Animal models of gut microbiota

• Exposure to Ingested Airborne Pollutant Particulate Matter Increases Mucosal Exposure to Bacteria and Induces Early Onset of Inflammation in Neonatal IL-10-Deficient Mice – Salim, Saad Y. – Inflammatory Bowel Diseases – “Our data suggest that early exposure to pollution particulates can result in an earlier onset of intestinal disease in genetically susceptible hosts and can alter responses to gut injury in later life.”

[hr]