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The objective of this study was to test the effects of CGN consumption on the gut microbiota and the intestinal homeostasis of male and female young mice. Female and male ICR-CD1 mice (8 weeks old) received orally 540 mg/kg/day of CGN. Fecal material was analyzed to describe changes in the fecal microbiota, based on the analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene (V3-V4 region) amplicon sequences. Non-significant microbiota taxonomical changes associated to CGN intake were obtained in the mice stools, resulting the housing time in an increase of bacterial groups belonging to the Bacteroidota phylum. The PICRUSt2 functional predictions based on 16S rDNA amplicons showed an overall increase in functional clusters of orthologous genes (COG) involved in carbohydrate transport and metabolism. A significant increase in citotoxicity of fecal supernatants was observed in CGN-fed mice.

The aim of this work was to determine the possible impact of carrageenan on intestinal microbiome, and the impact of this carrageenan -fed microbiome on the intestinal barrier function. Thus, carrageenan was added at increasing doses (in the range 0.3-3 g/L) 3 times daily, for one week for each dose, to a pool of stabilized infant faecal microbiota under stable conditions in the BFBL simulator of the colonic ecosystem. Samples were collected daily from the three colonic reactors. The microbiota composition was analysed by 16S rDNA amplicon-based metagenomics. The impact of this additive on the intestinal barrier function was approached by measurement of Transepithelial Electrical Resistance, the Lucifer Yellow paracellular flux through the Caco-2 cells and the expressions of tight junctions’ proteins.

The main phenological stages (budburst, flowering, veraison, and ripeness) of 53 Spanish minority varieties were studied to determine their potential to help winegrowers adapt to climate change conditions. In total, 43 varieties were studied in the same location in Spain (Alcalá de Henares, in the Madrid region) and 10 varieties in 5 other regions (Galicia, Navarre, Catalonia, Extremadura, and Andalusia). Other traits of agronomic and oenological interest, such as yield and acidity, were also monitored. The results allow for the grouping of the varieties into several clusters according to the time of ripeness (very early—only for red varieties—and early, intermediate, and late, for both red and white varieties) and yield (high, medium, and low). The total acidity in the grape juice ranged from 3 to 11 g of tartaric acid/L. The average temperatures were higher (up to 3–4 °C during summer) compared to historical averages during the 1957–2021 time period. Advanced phenology phases and reduced acidity are regarded as negative effects of climate change for winegrowing practices. Since some minority varieties showed late or intermediate ripening, high acidity, and high (1 Kg/shoot) or medium (0.5 Kg/shoot) yield, our findings suggest that they may be cultivated in the coming years by winegrowers as an approach to mitigate climate change effects.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient with several functions in cellular and molecular anticancer processes. There is evidence that Se depending on its chemical form and the dosage use could act as a modulator in some anticancer mechanisms. However, the metabolism of organic and inorganic forms of dietary selenium converges on the main pathways. Different selenocompounds have been reported to have crucial roles as chemopreventive agents, such as antioxidant activity, activation of apoptotic pathways, selective cytotoxicity, antiangiogenic effect, and cell cycle modulation. Nowadays, great interest has arisen to find therapies that could enhance the antitumor effects of different Se sources. Herein, different studies are reported related to the effects of combinatorial therapies, where Se is used in combination with proteins, polysaccharides, chemotherapeutic agents or as nanoparticles. Another important factor is the presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes related to Se metabolism or selenoprotein synthesis which could prevent cancer. These studies and mechanisms show promising results in cancer therapies. This review aims to compile studies that have demonstrated the anticancer effects of Se at molecular levels and its potential to be used as chemopreventive and in cancer treatment.

This work assessed the significance of the taxonomic composition and/or metabolic activity of obese- microbiota by massive 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the faecal microbiome of obese and normoweight individuals. A total of 26 human faecal samples were analysed in this study. Faeces were collected from 13 normoweight (N) (body mass index = 18 - 25 kg m2) and 13 obese (O) adult volunteers (body mass index > 30 kg m2). All volunteers gave written informed consent to the protocol, which had been approved by the Clinical Ethics Committee of Hospital Ramón y Cajal with the code 394/14 and Spanish Council of Scientific Research (CSIC; Spain). Stool samples were collected under aseptic conditions in sterile and screw-top containers and immediately stored at –80°C. The taxonomic composition of the fecal microbiota of obese (Om) and normal weight (N) individuals was determined by massive sequencing using the Illumina Seq platform. Genomic DNA was extracted from faecal samples previously thawed at room temperature following the protocol described by Moles et al. (2013). DNA samples were subjected for massive 16S rDNA gene V3-V4 amplicon sequencing on the Ilumina MiqSeq platform. The primers were selected from previously described ones (Klindworth et al., 2013). Quality assessment was performed by the use of prinseq-lite program (Schmieder, et al., 2011) applying following parameters: min_length: 50; trim_qual_right: 30; trim_qual_type: mean; trim_qual_window:20; R1 and R2 from Illumina sequencing where joined using FLASH program (Magoc, et al., 2011) applying default parameters.

This study aimed to highlight the relationship between diet, animal performance and mucosal adherent gut microbiota (anterior intestine) in fish fed plant-based diets supplemented with an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with antioxidant and antiobesogenic activity in obese rats. The feeding trial with juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) lasted 8 weeks. Fish were fed near to visual satiety with a fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) based diet (CTRL) or a plant-based diet with/without EWH supplementation. Specific growth rate decreased gradually from 2.16% in CTRL fish to 1.88% in EWH fish due to a reduced feed intake, and a slight impairment of feed conversion ratio. Plant-based diets feeding triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine regardless of EWH supplementation.

Diet has shaped microbiota profiles through human evolution. In recent times, the industrialized trend has resulted in the reduction of the overall degree of gut microbiome diversity. The diminished consumption of nondigestible plant polysaccharides and the increase of fat and easily digestible carbohydrates have produced a progressive loss of certain fiber-fermenting species and a high prevalence of intestinal mucus-degrading species. In addition, diet and derived microbial metabolites have strong implications with the development of food-associated diseases such as obesity and metabolic syndrome, malnutrition and eating disorders, intestinal inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancer, among others. Moreover, recent epidemiological studies have associated the increased intake of highly processed foods and beverages, containing food additives and processing aids, with microbiota and intestinal alterations. In turn, healthy diets and specific nutritional interventions, including increase of dietary fiber, could be valuable for restoration of beneficial microbiota diversity capable of stimulating healthy states.

[Introducción/Objetivos]: El envejecimiento se asocia con el deterioro del sistema nervioso e inmunitario y la consecuente pérdida de homeostasis que conduce a una mayor morbilidad y mortalidad. Ratones prematuramente envejecidos (PAM), muestran, siendo adultos, un sistema nervioso e inmunitario típicos de animales cronológicamente viejos, teniendo menor longevidad que los no prematuramente envejecidos (E-NPAM) de igual edad. La suplementación con algunos probióticos ha demostrado mejorar los sistemas homeostáticos y conseguir unadecuado mantenimiento de la salud. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) presenta algunos de estos efectos, pero su incidencia en la longevidad saludable no ha sido comprobada en mamíferos. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar el efecto de tomar LGG durante 2 y 4 semanas en diversos parámetros conductuales y de funcionalidad inmunitaria de leucocitos peritoneales en PAM, así como sobre la longevidad., [Métodos]: Ratones hembra (ICR-CD1), adultas, fueron clasificadas en PAM y E-NPAM, y se dividieron en los siguientes grupos: 1) PAM suplementados con LGG (PAMLGG) (ingirieron durante 4 semanas 109 ufc/ratón/día disuelto en el agua); 2) PAM control (PAMC), y 3) E-NPAM control (E-NPAMC). PAMC y E-NPAMC recibieron cantidad similar de bebida sin LGG. Tras 2 semanas de tratamiento, se realizaron pruebas conductuales, y a las 2 y 4 semanas se extrajeron leucocitos peritoneales para estudiar su funcionalidad., [Resultados]: PAMLGG presentan mayor coordinación, equilibrio, vigor neuromuscular, y exploración, y menor ansiedad que los PAMC. También, mostraron funciones inmunitarias (quimiotaxis, fagocitosis y linfoproliferación) mejores que las de PAMC, tras 4 semanas y tras 2 semanas de ingestión. En los parámetros estudiados los valores de PAMLGG fueron similares a los de E-NPAMC, e igual sucedió con la longevidad., [Conclusiones]: La administración de LGG, durante un período de tiempo corto, podría ser una buena estrategia nutricional para ralentizar el deterioro asociado al envejecimiento en individuos prematuramente envejecidos, consiguiendo así una mayor longevidad saludable.

Intestinal microbiota seems to play a key role in obesity. The impact of the composition and/or functionality of the obesity-associated microbiota have yet to be fully characterized. This work assessed the significance of the taxonomic composition and/or metabolic activity of obese- microbiota by massive 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the fecal microbiome of obese and normoweight individuals. The obese metabolic activity was also assessed by in vitro incubation of obese and normoweight microbiotas in nutritive mediums with different energy content. We found that the microbiome richness and diversity of the two groups did not differ significantly, except for Chao1 index, significantly higher in normoweight individuals. At phylum level, neither the abundance of Firmicutes or Bacteroidetes nor their ratio was associated with the body mass index. Besides, the relative proportions in Collinsella, Clostridium XIVa, and Catenibacterium were significantly enriched in obese participants, while Alistipes, Clostridium sensu stricto, Romboutsia, and Oscillibacter were significantly diminished. In regard to metabolic activity, short-chain fatty acids content was significant higher in obese individuals, with acetate being the most abundant followed by propionate and butyrate. Acetate and butyrate production was also higher when incubating obese microbiota in mediums mimicking diets with different energy content; interestingly, a reduced capability of propionate production was associated to the obese microbiome. In spite of the large interindividual variability, the obese phenotype seems to be defined more by the abundance and/or the absence of distinct communities of microorganism rather than by the presence of a specific population.

This chapter covers methodologies currently in use for the selection and analysis of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains to be employed as starter cultures in dairy fermentations. The aspects covered are the methods for enumeration and identification of LAB strains and the evaluation of their technological properties for improving processing conditions and product quality during dairy fermentations. The selection of LAB strains based on health benefit properties and the conditions for the production and maintenance of dairy cultures are also addressed. The production of desirable and industrially robust dairy starter cultures can be achieved by choosing the desired phenotypic traits and the knowledge to select for these traits at the genotypic level. The analysis of a large number of strains for selecting specific properties requires high-throughput screening tests to progressively reduce the number of candidates. The advances in omics technologies and analytical instruments have provided the bases to improve the evaluation and selection of LAB strains that are able to restore the unique characteristics of traditional dairy products and to benefit human health.

This study aimed to highlight the relationship between diet, animal performance and mucosal adherent gut microbiota (anterior intestine) in fish fed plant-based diets supplemented with an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with antioxidant and anti-obesogenic activity in obese rats. The feeding trial with juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) lasted 8 weeks. Fish were fed near to visual satiety with a fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) based diet (CTRL) or a plant-based diet with/without EWH supplementation. Specific growth rate decreased gradually from 2.16% in CTRL fish to 1.88% in EWH fish due to a reduced feed intake, and a slight impairment of feed conversion ratio. Plant-based diets feeding triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine regardless of EWH supplementation. However, EWH ameliorated the goblet cell depletion, and the hepatic and intestinal lipid accumulation induced by FM/FO replacement. Illumina sequencing of gut mucosal microbiota yielded a mean of 136,252 reads per sample assigned to 2,117 OTUs at 97% identity threshold. The bacterial diversity was similar in all groups, but a significantly lower richness was found in EWH fish. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria reached the highest proportion in CTRL and EWH fish, whereas Firmicutes were decreased and Actinobacteria increased with the FM/FO replacement. The proportion of Actinobacteria was restored by dietary EWH supplementation, which also triggered a highest amount of Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes. At a closer look, a widespread presence of Lactobacillales among groups was found. Otherwise, polysaccharide hydrolases secretors represented by Corynebacterium and Nocardioides were increased by the FM/FO replacement, whereas the mucin-degrading Streptococcus was only raised in fish fed the plant-based diet without EWH. In addition, in EWH fish, a higher abundance of Propionibacterium was related to an increased concentration of intestinal propionate. The antagonism of gut health-pr

The in vitro development of representative gut microbiota from obese individuals has been approached in the present study by using a three-stage dynamic simulator of the human gut microbiota (BFBL Gut Model). During the stabilization period, aimed to reach the microbiota steady state, initial differences found between normal-weight (Nw) and obese (Ob) faecal samples were reproduced. The differentiation included lower values of Akkermansia, Enterococcus and Faecalibacterium and higher values of Lactobacillus for the Ob microbiota when compared with the Nw microbiota. The change of food ingredients to simulate a high consumption of readily-fermented carbohydrates and fructose-enriched beverages maintained these differences and additionally produced a decrease of Bifidobacterium in the Ob microbiota. Related to obesity metabolic signatures, a lower capacity to produce propionate was characteristic of the Ob microbiota under all the tested conditions. This could be useful in the selection of food ingredients for targeted production of propionate by the human gut microbiota prior to their assessment in nutritional intervention studies related to obesity.

[Introduction]: A bioactive egg white hydrolysate (EWH) treated with pepsin has demonstrated potent in vitro and in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, improving oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers on genetically and diet induced obese rats (Requena et al., 2017). However, the effects of protein hydrolysates and bioactive food-derived peptides on gut microbiome remain relatively poorly studied in mammals and fish in particular. Thus, the aim of this study was to unravel the main effects on fish performance, histopathological scoring and mucosal adherent gut microbiota of EWH supplementation in a fish fed a formulation with a high replacement of marine feedstuffs by alternative plant ingredients, using gilthead sea bream as a farmed fish model. [Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin., [Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin., [Results]: Daily specific growth rates (SGR) varied significantly from 2.16 in CTRL fish to 1.88 in EWH fish as a result of a reduced feed intake. A slight impairment of feed conversion ratio, from 1.03 to 1.10, was also observed. Intermediate values on growth performance parameters were reported with the low FM/FO diet without EWH supplementation. No changes in total plasma antioxidant capacity, and faecal concentrations of lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids were found among dietary groups. The dietary replacement of FM/FO triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine submucosa that was not alleviated by EWH supplementation. Conversely, alterations on the staining pattern and amount of goblet cells at the level of anterior intestine were reversed in EWH fish, together with a decreased accumulation of lipid vacuoles in the epithelium of posterior intestine, a high abundance of hepatic melanomacrophage centers, and depletion of hepatocyte lipid depots until the restoration of CTRL fish values. Illumina sequencing reads were assigned to 2,117 OTUs and a significantly lower richness was found in the EWH group. Indeed, at the phylum level, Proteobacteria reached the highest proportion in CTRL and EWH fish, whereas Firmicutes were decreased and Actinobacteria increased with the replacement of FM/FO. The proportion of Actinobacteria was restored to CTRL values with the dietary EWH supplementation. Additionally, EWH triggered the highest amount of Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes phyla. Detailed differences in microbiota composition were analysed with a statistically validated PLS-DA which clearly separated CTRL fish from fish fed low FM/FO diets along x-axis (component 1, 37.4%), whereas component 2 (43.2%) separated the low FM/FO diets with/without EWH along y-axis (Fig. 1). This analysis disclosed 165 OTUs discriminating among diets (VIP ≥ 1), with 46 OTUs representing at least the 1% in one of the groups. For these abundant bacteria, a first type of, [Conclusions]: These results reinforce the central role of gut microbiota in the regulation of host metabolism and lipid metabolism in particular (Hegyi et al., 2018), supporting a main role of the EWH as an anti-obesity and satiety factor in fish as suggested in rat models of obesity. The potential use of this functional food ingredient in finishing diets, and the role of gut microbiota in tuning fillet fatty acid composition of marketable fish merits further research.

Producto lácteo fermentado fuente de fibra y probióticos con mermelada vegetal y edulcorada con fibra de bajo índice glicémico. Además, el producto puede incorpora rlas bacterias lácticas Streptococcus thermophilus y LactobaciHus delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus, y al menos una cepa probiótica que facilita la fermentación láctea y alcanza la viabilidad adecuada para poder ejercer efectos beneficiosos en la salud humana. El producto de la invención contiene además fibra que aporta propiedades texturizantes y contribuye a mejorar la función intestinal. [ES], The invention relates to a fermented dairy product that is a source of fibre and probiotics with vegetable jam and sweetened with fibre having a low glycaemic index. In addition, the product can include the lactic bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and at least one probiotic strain that facilitates dairy fermentation and achieves the viability suitable to be able to exercise beneficial effects in human health. The product of the invention also contains fibre that contributes texturising properties and contributes to improving intestinal function. [EN]

The sites of La Viña and Llonin have an important archaeological sequence corresponding to Marine Isotope Stage 3: Mousterian, Aurignacian and Gravettian periods. La Viña is a complex rock shelter with continuous occupations, being some (basically the Mousterian and the Aurignacian in contact levels) altered by post-depositional processes as a consequence of the irregular bedrock morphology and the type of processes involved. The cave of Llonin mainly consists of occasional human/carnivores occupations during the Mousterian and the Gravettian. The current multidisciplinary research has allowed us to obtain and match several preliminary data: site formation processes, fauna and stable isotopes, vegetation, radiocarbon dating, shell ornaments, lithic raw materials and technology, offering an interesting field of study of two relatively distant ecological niches: open river valley (La Viña) and mountainous (Llonin). During the Mousterian, the faunal composition of La Viña is scarce but dominated by red deer and followed by chamois, while large mammals are absent. At the Aurignacian, red deer and chamois are also represented within a larger assemblage, together with a low representation of other taxa such as horse, bovines, Spanish ibex and roe deer. Conversely, in Llonin chamois and Spanish ibex dominate during the Mousterian, followed by red deer. Carnivores are few in La Viña they are represented by bear, fox and wolf; while in Llonin they are larger and other species are included, mainly leopard and hyena with a main role in the formation of the faunal assemblages and alternating their occupation of the cave with the Neandertals. On the other hand, the ungulates from La Viña are anthropogenically modified not only during the Mousterian but also the Aurignacian and Gravettian in contrast to Llonin, were these modifications are lower than those generated by the carnivores. Firewood and micromammals analysis show an open landscape, dominated by heliophilous, pioneering