Abundant bacteria in the proximal and distal intestine of healthy Siberian sturgeons (Acipenser baerii)

The gut microbiota plays a key role in animal health, including immune and metabolic homeostasis. Despite the economic relevance of the sturgeon, studies addressing the gut microbiome of this species are scarce and have focused only on the hindgut. The objective of this work was to use Illumina metabarcoding technology to compare the bacterial microbiomes of two different intestinal locations, the proximal intestine (small intestine) and the distal intestine (hindgut containing the spiral valve), of healthy Siberian sturgeons (Acipenser baerii) reared on two different farms in Spain. Although a high degree of interindividual variability was observed, certain differences between the anatomical parts and between the geographical locations were clear. The results show that the sequences corresponding to the most abundant taxa were the basis for clustering according to anatomical region (proximal and distal intestine), whereas the less abundant taxa were the basis for clustering according to the geographical location of the fish farms. Finally, the results also indicate the existence of certain bacteria that are present in the intestinal tracts of all the fish analyzed in this study; this information may be useful in future studies aiming to establish differences based upon fish health or disease

Procedimiento para la producción en levaduras de cápsidas virales vacías compuestas por proteínas derivadas de pVP2 del virus causante de la enfermedad de la bursitis infecciosa (IBDV)

Referencia OEPM: P200401044.-- Fecha de solicitud: 30/04/2004.-- Titulares: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Bionostra, S.L.Procedimiento para la producción en levaduras de cápsidas virales vacías compuestas por proteínas derivadas de pVP2 del virus causante de la enfermedad de la bursitis infecciosa (IBDV). Las cápsidas vacías del virus causante de la enfermedad de la bursitis infecciosa (IBDV) están constituidas por ensamblaje de proteínas derivadas de la proteína pVP2 de IBDV, de distinto tamaño y tienen aplicación en la producción de vacunas y en la elaboración de vectores para terapia génica.Peer reviewe

Recalce en condiciones de emergencia: 40 viviendas cercanas al río Guadalquivir, España

The reconstruction works in buildings under emergency conditions and, more specifically, the foundation repaired has been poorly documented in rehabilitation. This is due, in some extend, to not make public this type of reports mainly due to its complexity and possible related responsibilities. In the present article, the foundation recovery of a building with 40 flats, located in Seville, Spain, near the Guadalquivir River which was affected by the excavations of an underground parking lot are explained. Three different techniques are considered and compared; finally, the micropile solution implemented is explained, technically and economically. Micropiles were chosen due to, among other aspects, the soil quality. The experience gives rise to three main factors in a successful work: the organization, the scheduling and the neighbors’ participation in the work programming.Las intervenciones en edificaciones en circunstancias de emergencia, y en concreto los recalces de cimentaciones son circunstancias poco documentadas dentro de la rehabilitación. Esto se debe, en parte, a la complejidad técnica y la tendencia a evitar hacer públicos datos que puedan conllevar responsabilidades derivadas. En el artículo se expone el recalce de un edificio de 40 viviendas en Sevilla, cercanas al Río Guadalquivir, afectado por la construcción contigua de un aparcamiento subterráneo. También se establece una comparativa entre tres técnicas consideradas, y finalmente, se explica, técnica y económicamente el método de micropilotes adoptado. Éste se elige, entre otras razones, debido a la calidad del suelo. De la experiencia se ha podido inferir que el éxito de la intervención se ha conseguido debido a tres factores: la organización de la obra, el estudio de los plazos y la implicación de los propietarios afectados

In vivo conditional deletion of HDAC7 reveals its requirement to establish proper B lymphocyte identity and development

Class IIa histone deacetylase (HDAC) subfamily members are tissue-specific gene repressors with crucial roles in development and differentiation processes. A prominent example is HDAC7, a class IIa HDAC that shows a lymphoid-specific expression pattern within the hematopoietic system. In this study, we explored its potential role in B cell development by generating a conditional knockout mouse model. Our study demonstrates for the first time that HDAC7 deletion dramatically blocks early B cell development and gives rise to a severe lymphopenia in peripheral organs, while also leading to pro-B cell lineage promiscuity. We find that HDAC7 represses myeloid and T lymphocyte genes in B cell progenitors through interaction with myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEFC2). In B cell progenitors, HDAC7 is recruited to promoters and enhancers of target genes, and its absence leads to increased enrichment of histone active marks. Our results prove that HDAC7 is a bona fide transcriptional repressor essential for B cell development

Replacement of Metaphylactic Antimicrobial Therapy by Oral Administration of Ligilactobacillus salivarius MP100 in a Pig Farm

Antibiotic use in swine production contributes to the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria, which poses a threat on human health. Therefore, alternative approaches must be developed. The objective of this work was the characterization of the probiotic properties of a Ligilactobacillus salivarius strain isolated from sow's milk and its application as an inoculated fermented feed to pregnant sows and piglets. The study was carried in a farm in which metaphylactic use of antimicrobials (including zinc oxide) was eliminated at the time of starting the probiotic intervention, which lasted for 2 years. Feces from 8-week-old piglets were collected before and after the treatment and microbiological and biochemical analyses were performed. The procedure led to an increase in the concentrations of clostridia and lactobacilli-related bacteria. Parallel, an increase in the concentration of butyrate, propionate and acetate was observed and a notable reduction in the presence of antibiotic resistant lactobacilli became apparent. In conclusion, replacement of antimicrobials by a microbiota-friendly approach was feasible and led to positive microbiological and biochemical changes in the enteric environment

Melatonin Targets Metabolism in Head and Neck Cancer Cells by Regulating Mitochondrial Structure and Function

This study was funded by grants from the Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad y por el Fondo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER, Spain nº SAF2013-49019, SAF2017-85903-P, and from the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía (P07- CTS- 03135, P10- CTS- 5784, and CTS- 101), Spain. J.F. and L.M. have FPU fellowships from the Ministerio de Educación Cultura y Deporte, Spain. C.R.S. was a schorlarship holder from the Plan Propio de Investigación of the University of Granada.We wish to thank Michael O’Shea for proofreading the paper.Metabolic reprogramming, which is characteristic of cancer cells that rapidly adapt to the hypoxic microenvironment and is crucial for tumor growth and metastasis, is recognized as one of the major mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance. Mitochondria, which are directly involved in metabolic reprogramming, are used to design novel mitochondria-targeted anticancer agents. Despite being targeted by melatonin, the functional role of mitochondria in melatonin's oncostatic activity remains unclear. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of melatonin in mitochondrial metabolism and its functional consequences in head and neck cancer. We analyzed the effects of melatonin on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines (Cal-27 and SCC-9), which were treated with 100, 500, and 1500 mu M of melatonin for 1, 3, and 5 days, and found a connection between a change of metabolism following melatonin treatment and its effects on mitochondria. Our results demonstrate that melatonin induces a shift to an aerobic mitochondrial metabolism that is associated with changes in mitochondrial morphology, function, fusion, and fission in HNSCC. We found that melatonin increases oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and inhibits glycolysis in HNSCC, resulting in increased ROS production, apoptosis, and mitophagy, and decreased cell proliferation. Our findings highlight new molecular pathways involved in melatonin's oncostatic activity, suggesting that it could act as an adjuvant agent in a potential therapy for cancer patients. We also found that high doses of melatonin, such as those used in this study for its cytotoxic impact on HNSCC cells, might lead to additional effects through melatonin receptors.Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad y por el Fondo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER, Spain SAF2013-49019 SAF2017-85903-PJunta de Andalucia P07-CTS-03135 P10-CTS-5784 CTS-101Ministerio de Educacion Cultura y Deporte, SpainPlan Propio de Investigacion of the University of Granad

Gut microbiota, innate immune pathways, and inflammatory control mechanisms in patients with major depressive disorder

Although alterations in the gut microbiota have been linked to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), including through effects on the immune response, our understanding is deficient about the straight connection patterns among microbiota and MDD in patients. Male and female MDD patients were recruited: 46 patients with a current active MDD (a-MDD) and 22 in remission or with only mild symptoms (r-MDD). Forty-five healthy controls (HC) were also recruited. Psychopathological states were assessed, and fecal and blood samples were collected. Results indicated that the inducible nitric oxide synthase expression was higher in MDD patients compared with HC and the oxidative stress levels were greater in the a-MDD group. Furthermore, the lipopolysaccharide (an indirect marker of bacterial translocation) was higher in a-MDD patients compared with the other groups. Fecal samples did not cluster according to the presence or the absence of MDD. There were bacterial genera whose relative abundance was altered in MDD: Bilophila (2-fold) and Alistipes (1.5-fold) were higher, while Anaerostipes (1.5-fold) and Dialister (15-fold) were lower in MDD patients compared with HC. Patients with a-MDD presented higher relative abundance of Alistipes and Anaerostipes (1.5-fold) and a complete depletion of Dialister compared with HC. Patients with r-MDD presented higher abundance of Bilophila (2.5-fold) compared with HC. Thus, the abundance of bacterial genera and some immune pathways, both with potential implications in the pathophysiology of depression, appear to be altered in MDD, with the most noticeable changes occurring in patients with the worse clinical condition, the a-MDD group. © 2021, The Author(s)

Long-term effect of a short pulse of dietary supplementation with algae on the quality of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) frozen fillets

This study raises the question of the potential long-term effects of a feeding pulse with diets containing algal biomass on the quality of frozen turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) fillets. A feeding trial was carried out with this aim, in which juvenile turbot were fed during 60 d with six different experimental diets, two of which were enriched with the macroalgae Ulva rigida (U diets), the other two with a microalgae blend (M diets), plus a non-supplemented control diet (CT), and finally, a commercial aquafeed (COM). Two inclusion levels were considered in algae-enriched diets (50 and 100 g kg-1) so that they were designed as U5 and U10 for U. rigida, and M5 and M10 for microalgae-enriched diets. The duration of the feeding pulse with the functional diets was 60 days, and then, all specimens were fed with a COM diet for a further 150-d period until reaching a body size close to the commercial standard (approximately 750 g). Subsequently, fish were sacrificed; fillets were removed from the pigmented flank and kept at -20 °C for 5 months. Then, fillets were thawed and the muscle proximal composition and fatty acid profile were analyzed, and fillet quality parameters were assessed during a 10-d co\ld storage period at 4°C. The possible deferred effects of algae-enriched diets on fillet quality were compared with a control diet without algae (CT) and with a commercial diet (COM). Roughly, the results obtained indicated that a 60-d administration pulse of algae-enriched diets induced some long-term changes in both the nutritional and organoleptic quality of turbot fillets. In this regard, the algae-enriched aquafeeds improved the muscle antioxidant response throughout the cold storage period, prolonging the shelf life of thawed turbot fillets. In addition, in terms of consumers’ acceptability, this feeding pulse on pre-growing stage of the productive cycle was able to modify the skin and muscle pigmentation of fish of commercial size. Namely, the U10 diet increased the protein content, improved muscle texture, reduced fillet total lipid content, and favored muscle selective retention of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. On the other hand, the strategy based on the early administration of a diet rich in fishmeal (CT) for 60 d, followed by feeding with commercial feed, also affected positively the quality of fillets, with values comparable to U10 specimens. Thus, the results obtained indicate that a two-month feeding pulse with algae-supplemented diets during pre-growing phase may represent a promising strategy to improve the nutritional and organoleptic quality of frozen turbot fillet, as well as to extend their shelf life during the post-thawing cold storage

IL-7/IL-7R gene variants impact circulating IL-7/IL-7R homeostasis and ART-associated immune recovery status

Altres ajuts: This study would not have been possible without the collaboration of all the patients and medical and nursing staff who have taken part in the project. This work was supported by Gilead Fellowship Program GLD14/293 and GLD17/00299 and Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía (Proyecto de Investigación de Excelencia; CTS2593). YMP and ERM are supported by the Servicio Andaluz de Salud through Programa Nicolás Monardes (C-0013/17 and C-0032/17, respectively). We are also grateful to GESIDA for ''Premio para Jóvenes Investigadores 2019'' to AR. Authors greatly appreciate the comments and criticisms of the anonymous reviewers that greatly helped to improve the manuscript.A relationship between polymorphisms in genes encoding interleukin 7 (IL-7) and its cellular receptor (IL-7R) and antiretroviral therapy (ART)-associated immune recovery in HIV subjects has been previously reported. However, details of this relationship remain unclear, and the association of these polymorphisms with circulating IL-7/IL-7R levels is scarce. Here, we explored whether IL-7/IL-7R axis was associated with quantitative CD4 T-cell recovery in HIV-infected subjects. IL-7/IL-7R polymorphisms were assessed by genotyping, and multiple inheritance models were used to estimate both, their association with low pre-ART CD4 T-cell counts and incomplete immune recovery status after 48 weeks of suppressive ART. Integrated data from genetic variants association and soluble plasma IL-7/IL-7R quantification suggest that IL-7/IL-7R genotype expression could alter the homeostatic balance between soluble and membrane-bound receptors. The haplotype analyses indicates that allele combinations impacts pre-ART circulating CD4 T-cell counts, immune recovery status and the absolute increment of CD4 T-cell counts. The knowledge about how IL-7/IL-7R axis is related to quantitative CD4 T-cell recovery and immune recovery status after initiating ART could be useful regarding T-cell reservoirs investigations in HIV subjects