Aim:  To investigate the effect of native, heated and glycated bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the ulcerative colitis (UC) and non‐UC colonic microbiota in vitro. Methods and Results:  Continuous flow culture (CFC) models of the human colonic microbiota inoculated with faeces from UC and non‐UC volunteers were maintained on BSA as growth substrate. Changes in bacterial populations and short‐chain fatty acids were determined. UC and non‐UC microbiota differed significantly in microbial populations, with elevated numbers of sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) and clostridia in the microbiota from UC patients. Compared with native BSA, glycated BSA modulated the gut microbiota of UC patients in vitro towards a more detrimental community structure with significant increases in putatively harmful bacteria (clostridia, bacteroides and SRB; P < 0·009) and decreases in dominant and putatively beneficial bacterial groups (eubacteria and bifidobacteria; P < 0·0004). The levels of beneficial short‐chain fatty acids were significantly decreased by heated or glycated BSA, but were increased significantly by native BSA. Conclusion:  The UC colonic microbiota maintained in CFC was significantly modified by glycated BSA. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Results suggest that dietary glycated protein may impact upon the composition and activity of the colonic microbiota, an important environmental variable in UC.

Derangements in cerebrovascular structure and function can impair cognitive performance throughout ageing and in cardiometabolic disease states, thus increasing dementia risk. Modifiable lifestyle factors that cause a decline in cardiometabolic health, such as physical inactivity, exacerbate these changes beyond those that are associated with normal ageing. The purpose of this review was to examine cerebrovascular, cognitive and neuroanatomical adaptations to ageing and the potential benefits of exercise training on these outcomes in adults 50 years or older. We systematically searched for cross-sectional or intervention studies that included exercise (aerobic, resistance or multimodal) and its effect on cerebrovascular function, cognition and neuroanatomical adaptations in this age demographic. The included studies were tabulated and described narratively. Aerobic exercise training was the predominant focus of the studies identified; there were limited studies exploring the effects of resistance exercise training and multimodal training on cerebrovascular function and cognition. Collectively, the evidence indicated that exercise can improve cerebrovascular function, cognition and neuroplasticity through areas of the brain associated with executive function and memory in adults 50 years or older, irrespective of their health status. However, more research is required to ascertain the mechanisms of action.

The reduced W' after prior upper body exercise indicates that the magnitude of W' is partly dependent on metabolite accumulation.

These novel data indicate that in healthy older adults, IMT elicits some positive changes in inspiratory muscle function and structure but neither attenuates systemic inflammation and oxidative stress nor improves exercise performance, PAL, or QoL.