HIGHLIGHTS Overview of biomass sources and related chemical composition are presented. Biomass conversion technologies and final products are reviewed and discussed. Economic and environmental analysis of biomassderived energy production was presented. Challenges for further expanssion of biomassderived energy production are presented.

OBJECTIVES:VSL#3 is a high-potency probiotic mixture that has been used successfully in the treatment of pouchitis. The primary end point of the study was to assess the effects of supplementation with VSL#3 in patients affected by relapsing ulcerative colitis (UC) who are already under treatment with 5-aminosalicylic acid (ASA) and/or immunosuppressants at stable doses.METHODS:A total of 144 consecutive patients were randomly treated for 8 weeks with VSL#3 at a dose of 3,600 billion CFU/day (71 patients) or with placebo (73 patients).RESULTS:In all, 65 patients in the VSL#3 group and 66 patients in the placebo group completed the study. The decrease in ulcerative colitis disease activity index (UCDAI) scores of 50% or more was higher in the VSL#3 group than in the placebo group (63.1 vs. 40.8; per protocol (PP) P=0.010, confidence interval (CI)95% 0.51–0.74; intention to treat (ITT) P=0.031, CI95% 0.47–0.69). Significant results with VSL#3 were recorded in an improvement of three points or more in the UCDAI score (60.5% vs. 41.4% PP P=0.017, CI95% 0.51–0.74; ITT P=0.046, CI95% 0.47–0.69) and in rectal bleeding (PP P=0.014, CI95% 0.46–0.70; ITT P=0.036, CI95% 0.41–0.65), whereas stool frequency (PP P=0.202, CI95% 0.39–0.63; ITT P=0.229, CI95% 0.35–0.57), physician's rate of disease activity (PP P=0.088, CI95% 0.34–0.58; ITT P=0.168, CI95% 0.31–0.53), and endoscopic scores (PP P=0.086, CI95% 0.74–0.92; ITT P=0.366, CI95% 0.66–0.86) did not show statistical differences. Remission was higher in the VSL#3 group than in the placebo group (47.7% vs. 32.4% PP P=0.069, CI95% 0.36–0.60; ITT P=0.132, CI95% 0.33–0.56). Eight patients on VSL#3 (11.2%) and nine patients on placebo (12.3%) reported mild side effects.CONCLUSIONS:VSL#3 supplementation is safe and able to reduce UCDAI scores in patients affected by relapsing mild-to-moderate UC who are under treatment with 5-ASA and/or immunosuppressants. Moreover, VSL#3 improves rectal bleeding and seems to reinduce remission in relapsing UC patients after 8 weeks of treatment, although these parameters do not reach statistical significance.

Queries are meant to draw your attention to edits, inconsistencies or issues that are unclear. If we just ask you to confirm edits are correct, a simple yes/ok between the brackets will do [Au: OK? Is this what you meant? Edits OK? yes]. If questions are asked, please rephrase/update the manuscript text when addressing queries, so that the message is conveyed to the reader (do NOT just type your answer to our query).] [Au: Throughout the manuscript, please use consistent terminology. For example, acute diverticulitis is diverticular disease and in several instances, they are mentioned separately. For clearer understanding, please use consistent terminology and define cleary what diverticular disease refers to. Similarly, there is a slight ambiguity between the terms diverticulosis and asymptomatic diverticulosis. My understanding is that diverticulosis is always asymptomatic. Please refer to them consistently if they are used to refer to the same condition. Is acute uncomplicated diverticulitis as in some instances, its refered to as uncomplicated acute diverticulitis? Please also use the abbreviation, AUD, if this terminology is widely accepted in the field. Just wanted to flag these here to make it easier for you to address.][Au: Important! As I am managing the references for this manuscript, it is essential that changes to references are noted to me in a comment rather than edited manually (as this will likely unlink the references and cause much confusion). If a reference needs to be added, include the full reference details (at a minimum, PMID or DOI are needed) and precise location to be cited. If a reference needs to be deleted, state which reference (author, year) and not just the reference number (as this will change with every change to the references).You can move text around, including the references associated with any given statement, but please don't edit the reference list at the end of the document.

SUMMARY BackgroundBreath tests represent a valid and non-invasive diagnostic tool in many gastroenterological conditions. The rationale of hydrogen-breath tests is based on the concept that part of the gas produced by colonic bacterial fermentation diffuses into the blood and is excreted by breath, where it can be quantified easily. There are many differences in the methodology, and the tests are increasingly popular.

SUMMARY BackgroundPlacebo-controlled studies in maintaining remission of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) of the colon are lacking.