***TASK*** the task is to summarize an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***INPUT*** the input is a biomedical literature 
    ***OUTPUT*** the output is the summary of an input biomedical literature in six sentences 
    ***DOCUMENTATION*** 
    ***EXAMPLES*** 
    Input: Objective To highlight the contribution of the gut microbiota to the modulation of host metabolism by dietary inulin-type fructans ( ITF prebiotics ) in obese women . Methods A double blind , placebo controlled , intervention study was performed with 30 obese women treated with ITF prebiotics ( inulin/oligofructose 50/50 mix ; n=15 ) or placebo ( maltodextrin ; n=15 ) for 3 months ( 16 g/day ) .  Blood , faeces and urine sampling , oral glucose tolerance test , homeostasis model assessment and impedancemetry were performed before and after treatment . The gut microbial composition in faeces was analysed by phylogenetic microarray and qPCR analysis of 16S rDNA . Plasma and urine metabolic profiles were analysed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy . Results Treatment with ITF prebiotics , but not the placebo , led to an increase in Bifidobacterium and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii ; both bacteria negatively correlated with serum lipopolysaccharide levels .  ITF prebiotics also decreased Bacteroides intestinalis , Bacteroides vulgatus and Propionibacterium , an effect associated with a slight decrease in fat mass and with plasma lactate and phosphatidylcholine levels . No clear treatment clustering could be detected for gut microbial analysis or plasma and urine metabolomic profile analyses . However , ITF prebiotics led to subtle changes in the gut microbiota that may importantly impact on several key metabolites implicated in obesity and /or diabetes . Conclusions ITF prebiotics selectively changed the gut microbiota composition in obese women , leading to modest changes in host metabolism , as suggested by the correlation between some bacterial species and metabolic endotoxaemia or metabolomic signatures Background Increased exposure to intestinal bacterial products may contribute to the pathogenesis of non alcoholic steatohepatitis ( NASH ) . Bifidobacteria are predominant bacterial species in the human gut microbiota and have been considered to exert a beneficial effect on human health by maintaining the equilibrium of the resident microbiota . Aims To evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium longum with fructo-oligosaccharides ( Fos ) in the treatment of NASH . Methods A total of 66 patients were r and omly and equally divided into two groups receiving Bifidobacterium longum with Fos and lifestyle modification ( i.e. , diet and exercise ) versus lifestyle modification alone . The following variables were assessed at −4 ( beginning of the dietary lead-in period ) , 0 ( r and omization ) , 6 , 12 , 18 , and 24 weeks : aspartate transaminase ( AST ) , alanine transaminase ( ALT ) , bilirubin , albumin , total cholesterol , high-density lipoprotein ( HDL ) cholesterol , low-density lipoprotein ( LDL ) cholesterol , triglycerides , fasting plasma glucose , insulin , C-peptide , C-reactive protein ( CRP ) , tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α , homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance ( HOMA-IR ) , and serum endotoxins . Liver biopsies were performed at entry and repeated after 24 weeks of treatment . Results At the end of study period , we observed that the Bifidobacterium longum with Fos and lifestyle modification group versus the lifestyle modification alone group showed significant differences in the AST −69.6 versus −45.9 IU/mL ( P < 0.05 ) , LDL cholesterol −0.84 versus −0.18 mmol/L ( P < 0.001 ) , CRP −2.9 versus −0.7 mg/L ( P < 0.05 ) , TNF-α −0.45 versus −0.12 ng/mL ( P < 0.001 ) , HOMA-IR −1.1 versus −0.6 ( P < 0.001 ) , serum endotoxin −45.2 versus −30.6 pg/mL ( P < 0.001 ) , steatosis ( P < 0.05 ) , and the NASH activity index ( P < 0.05 ) . Conclusions Bifidobacterium longum with Fos and lifestyle modification , when compared to lifestyle modification alone , significantly reduces TNF-α , CRP , serum AST levels , HOMA-IR , serum endotoxin , steatosis , and the NASH activity index High cereal fibre intake is associated with reduced risk for  type 2 diabetes  , but wheat fibre had little or no effect on glycaemic control or oral glucose tolerance in clinical trials lasting 4 - 12 weeks . To explain this discrepancy , we hypothesised that colonic adaptation to increased wheat fibre intake takes many months but eventually results in increased SCFA production and glucagon-like peptide-1 ( GLP-1 ) secretion . Thus , the primary objective was to determine the time-course of the effects of increased wheat fibre intake on plasma acetate , butyrate and GLP-1 concentrations in hyperinsulinaemic human subjects over 1 year . Subjects with fasting plasma insulin > or= 40 pmol/l were r and omly assigned by computer to receive either a high-wheat fibre cereal ( fibre group ; 24 g fibre/d ; twenty assigned ; six dropped out , fourteen included ) or a low-fibre cereal ( control group ; twenty assigned ; six dropped-out , fourteen included ) daily for 1 year . Acetate , butyrate and GLP-1 were measured during 8 h metabolic profiles performed every 3 months . There were no differences in body weight in the fibre group compared with the control group . After 9 months baseline-adjusted mean 8 h acetate and butyrate concentrations were higher on the high-fibre than the control cereal ( P < 0.05 ) . After 12 months on the high-fibre cereal , baseline-adjusted mean plasma GLP-1 was 1.3 ( 95 % CI 0.4 , 2.2 ) pmol/l ( P < 0.05 ) higher than at baseline ( about 25 % increase ) and 1.4 ( 95 % CI 0.1 , 2.7 ) pmol/l ( P < 0.05 ) higher than after 12 months on control . It is concluded that wheat fibre increased SCFA production and GLP-1 secretion in hyperinsulinaemic humans , but these effects took 9 - 12 months to develop . Since GLP-1 may increase insulin sensitivity and secretion , these results may provide a mechanism for the epidemiological association between high cereal fibre intake and reduced risk for diabetes Epidemiological studies have shown an inverse association between dietary intake of whole grains and the risk of chronic disease . This may be related to the ability to mediate a prebiotic modulation of gut microbiota . However , no studies have been conducted on the microbiota modulatory capability of whole-grain ( WG ) cereals . In the present study , the impact of WG wheat on the human intestinal microbiota compared to wheat bran ( WB ) was determined . A double-blind , r and omised , crossover study was carried out in thirty-one volunteers who were r and omised into two groups and consumed daily 48 g breakfast cereals , either WG or WB , in two 3-week study periods , separated by a 2-week washout period . Numbers of faecal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli ( the target genera for prebiotic intake ) , were significantly higher upon WG ingestion compared with WB . Ingestion of both breakfast cereals result ed in a significant increase in ferulic acid concentrations in blood but no discernible difference in faeces or urine . No significant differences in faecal SCFA , fasting blood glucose , insulin , total cholesterol ( TC ) , TAG or HDL-cholesterol were observed upon ingestion of WG compared with WB . However , a significant reduction in TC was observed in volunteers in the top quartile of TC concentrations upon ingestion of either cereal . No adverse intestinal symptoms were reported and WB ingestion increased stool frequency . Daily consumption of WG wheat exerted a pronounced prebiotic effect on the human gut microbiota composition . This prebiotic activity may contribute towards the beneficial physiological effects of WG wheat In rats , oligofructose has been shown to stimulate satiety hormone secretion , reduce energy intake and promote weight loss . The present study aim ed to examine the effect of oligofructose supplementation on appetite profiles , satiety hormone concentrations and energy intake in human subjects . A total of thirty-one healthy subjects ( ten men and twenty-one women ) aged 28 ( SEM 3 ) years with a BMI of 24·8 ( SEM 0·3 ) kg/m(2 ) were included in a r and omised double-blind , cross-over study . The subjects received 10 g oligofructose , 16 g oligofructose or 16 g placebo ( maltodextrin ) daily for 13 d , with a 2-week washout period between treatments . Appetite profile , active glucagon-like peptide 1 ( GLP-1 ) and peptide YY3 - 36 ( PYY ) concentrations and energy intake were assessed on days 0 and 13 of the treatment period . Time × treatment interaction revealed a trend of reduction in energy intake over days 0 - 13 by oligofructose  ( P = 0·068 ) . Energy intake was significantly reduced ( 11 % ) over time on day 13 compared with day 0 with 16 g/d oligofructose ( 2801 ( SEM 301 ) v. 3217 ( SEM 320 ) kJ , P < 0·05 ) . Moreover , energy intake was significantly lower with 16 g/d oligofructose compared with 10 g/d oligofructose on day 13 ( 2801 ( SEM 301 ) v. 3177 ( SEM 276 ) kJ , P < 0·05 ) . Area under the curve ( AUC ) for GLP-1 on day 13 was significantly higher with 16 g/d oligofructose compared with 10 g/d oligofructose ( 45 ( SEM 4 ) v. 41 ( SEM 3 ) pmol/l × h , P < 0·05 ) . In the morning until lunch , AUC(0 - 230 min ) for PYY on day 13 was significantly higher with 16 g/d oligofructose compared with 10 g/d oligofructose and placebo ( 409 ( SEM 35 ) v. 222 ( SEM 19 ) and 211 ( SEM 20 ) pg/ml × h , P < 0·01 ) . In conclusion , 16 g/d and not 10 g/d oligofructose may be an effective dose to reduce energy intake , possibly supported by higher GLP-1 and PYY concentrations BACKGROUND A high-carbohydrate , low-fat diet is recommended for the prevention of atherosclerosis , because it reduces plasma cholesterol concentrations . However , such a diet can increase plasma triacylglycerol concentrations -- an undesirable side effect . The addition of nondigestible carbohydrate could reduce the risk of elevated triacylglycerol concentrations . OBJECTIVE The objective was to determine whether the addition of a moderate dose of inulin to a moderately high-carbohydrate diet would decrease hepatic lipogenesis and plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and have a cholesterol-lowering action . DESIGN Eight healthy subjects were studied twice in a double-blind , r and omized , placebo-controlled crossover study after consuming for 3 wk a moderately high-carbohydrate , low-fat diet ( 55 % of total energy ) plus an oral placebo or 10 g high-performance inulin/d .  Hepatic lipogenesis and cholesterol synthesis ( deuterated water method ) , plasma lipid concentrations , fatty acid synthase , acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 , and sterol responsive element binding protein 1c messenger RNA concentrations were measured in adipose tissue at the end of the 2 diet periods . RESULTS Plasma triacylglycerol concentrations and hepatic lipogenesis were lower after inulin than after placebo ingestion ( P < 0.05 ) , but cholesterol synthesis and plasma cholesterol concentrations were not significantly different between the 2 groups . None of the adipose tissue messenger RNA concentrations changed significantly after inulin ingestion . CONCLUSIONS The addition of high-performance inulin to a moderately high-carbohydrate , low-fat diet has a beneficial effect on plasma lipids by decreasing hepatic lipogenesis and plasma triacylglycerol concentrations . These results support the use of nondigestible carbohydrate for reducing risk factors for atherosclerosis BACKGROUND Aging is associated with reduced numbers of beneficial colonic bifidobacteria and impaired immunity . Galactooligosaccharides ( GOSs ) stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria in younger adults , but little is known about their effects in the elderly and their immunomodulatory capacity . OBJECTIVE We assessed the effect of a prebiotic GOS mixture ( B-GOS ) on immune function and fecal microflora composition in healthy elderly subjects . DESIGN In 
    Output:
    
Dietary prebiotic consumption was found to be associated with subjective improvements in satiety and reductions in postpr and ial glucose and insulin concentrations .