scholarly journals The impact of nutritional quality and gut bacteria on the fitness of Bactrocera minax (Diptera: Tephritidae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 180237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Awawing A. Andongma ◽  
Lun Wan ◽  
Xue-ping Dong ◽  
Mazarin Akami ◽  
Jin He ◽  
...  

To examine how nutritional quality and resident gut bacteria interplay in improving the fitness of an oligophagous fruit fly, Bactrocera minax , artificial sucrose diets and full diets (sucrose, tryptone and yeast extract) were fed to flies with and without antibiotic supplementation. Furthermore, Klebsiella oxytoca and Citrobacter freundii were supplemented to sucrose-only diets. Flies were maintained in the laboratory and the fitness parameters, male and female longevity, number of copulations and female fecundity, were recorded. Full diet without bacterial depletion significantly increased fecundity and copulation. In the absence of gut bacteria, flies fed with full diets had significantly decreased mean fecundity and copulation rate. Flies that were fed with sucrose diet had a very low copulation rate and produced no eggs. Diet type and the presence of bacteria did not have any effect on the average longevity of male and female flies. Bacterial supplementation in sucrose diets did not improve any of the measured parameters. The results demonstrate that gut bacteria interact with diet to influence mating and reproduction in B. minax . Symbiotic bacteria significantly and positively impact reproduction in B. minax ; however, their impact can only be fully realized when the flies are fed with a nutritionally complete diet.

2020 ◽  
Vol 168 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 541-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiota Koskinioti ◽  
Erica Ras ◽  
Antonios A. Augustinos ◽  
Leo W. Beukeboom ◽  
Kostas D. Mathiopoulos ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Grygoriy P. Griban ◽  
Vladyslav A. Smiianov ◽  
Natalia A. Lyakhova ◽  
Pavlo P. Tkachenko ◽  
Alla M. Harlinska ◽  
...  

Aim: To study the nutritional quality and its impact on the health of the students of higher education institutions. Material and methods: 647 students were interviewed. A questionnaire, which contains 17 questions and is aimed at studying the quality of students’ nutrition, was created by authors. Experimental (EG, n = 60) and control (CG, n = 60) groups were formed. The EG included the students whose diet was rational while studying, the CG included the students whose diet was irrational. The level of students’ health was examined at the end of studying according to the methodology of professor G.L. Apanasenko. Results: It was found that only 30.6% of students ate 3-4 times a day, 14.4% – twice a day, 49.8% did not follow any dietary regimen, and 7.9% of students would not eat breakfast at al 43.7% of male students and 53.3% of female students did not follow a dietary regimen at all. A comparative analysis of the physical health of students of EG and CG showed that among both male and female students, the students whose diet was rational had significantly better (p<0.001) level of health. Conclusions: It was determined that the majority of students had low nutritional quality while studying: nutrition was irrational, incomplete, and not varied. This does not contribute to a healthy lifestyle of modern students and can negatively affect the efficiency of their future professional activities.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1772
Author(s):  
Mariana Santos ◽  
Filipa Matias ◽  
Ana Isabel Rito ◽  
Isabel Castanheira ◽  
Duarte Torres ◽  
...  

Ready-to-eat cereals (RTECs) have become a popular breakfast option claiming to provide important nutrients to children’s diets, despite being a source of excess sugar and, therefore, a health concern. Thus, food reformulation constitutes an important public health strategy that could benefit from inputs provided by nutrient profiling. This study aimed to assess the adequacy of the RTECs for children available in Portuguese supermarkets, applying three nutrient profile models (NPMs)—the nutrient profile model of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe (WHO-EURO), the profile of the private-sector EU Pledge (EU-Pledge), and the national model developed by the Directorate-General of Health (NPM-PT)—in order to explore the potential for reformulation of the RTECs identified as not adequate and evaluate the impact of RTECs’ reformulation on the nutritional quality of Portuguese children’s diets. In total, 78 RTECs intended for children were assessed and two scenarios—current (not considering reformulation) and alternative (considering reformulation to accomplish the nutrient profile requirements)—were considered to assess the impact of reformulation on nutritional quality. Across all RTECs, only 5.1% could be promoted to children according to the considered NPMs. The most common nutrients requiring reformulation were sugar, saturated fatty acids (SFA), salt, and dietary fiber. The scenarios of reformulation considered could reduce the RTECs average content of total sugars, SFA, and salt by 43%, 8.7%, and 1.1%, respectively, and dietary fiber intake could be increased by 34%. Thus, these results support policies to implement reformulation strategies for developing healthier food products to be promoted to children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1037
Author(s):  
Craig Resch ◽  
Mihir Parikh ◽  
J. Alejandro Austria ◽  
Spencer D. Proctor ◽  
Thomas Netticadan ◽  
...  

There is an increased interest in the gut microbiota as it relates to health and obesity. The impact of diet and sex on the gut microbiota in conjunction with obesity also demands extensive systemic investigation. Thus, the influence of sex, diet, and flaxseed supplementation on the gut microbiota was examined in the JCR:LA-cp rat model of genetic obesity. Male and female obese rats were randomized into four groups (n = 8) to receive, for 12 weeks, either (a) control diet (Con), (b) control diet supplemented with 10% ground flaxseed (CFlax), (c) a high-fat, high sucrose (HFHS) diet, or (d) HFHS supplemented with 10% ground flaxseed (HFlax). Male and female JCR:LA-cp lean rats served as genetic controls and received similar dietary interventions. Illumine MiSeq sequencing revealed a richer microbiota in rats fed control diets rather than HFHS diets. Obese female rats had lower alpha-diversity than lean female; however, both sexes of obese and lean JCR rats differed significantly in β-diversity, as their gut microbiota was composed of different abundances of bacterial types. The feeding of an HFHS diet affected the diversity by increasing the phylum Bacteroidetes and reducing bacterial species from phylum Firmicutes. Fecal short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate-producing bacterial species were correspondingly impacted by the HFHS diet. Flax supplementation improved the gut microbiota by decreasing the abundance of Blautia and Eubacterium dolichum. Collectively, our data show that an HFHS diet results in gut microbiota dysbiosis in a sex-dependent manner. Flaxseed supplementation to the diet had a significant impact on gut microbiota diversity under both flax control and HFHS dietary conditions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S731-S731
Author(s):  
Yosef Nissim ◽  
Douglas Slain ◽  
P Rocco LaSala

Abstract Background Carbapenems are broad-spectrum antibacterials that have seen increased usage for the Enterobacteriales family in recent years. While carbapenem usage has been associated with increased antibacterial resistance, there is currently a lack of data comparing the risk of reduced susceptibility selection by the two most commonly used carbapenems in the US, ertapenem (ERT) and meropenem (MER). We conducted a novel serial passage experiment with clinical isolates of Enterobacteriales to assess the impact of repeated exposure to ERT or MER on phenotypic susceptibility patterns. Methods Non-duplicate clinical Enterobacteriales isolates were selected randomly for inclusion. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by CLSI disc diffusion methods. Standardized suspensions of isolates were plated on Mueller-Hinton agar, and ERT (10mcg) and MER (10mcg) discs applied. Zones of inhibition were measured and recorded after 16-18 hours incubation. Growth from the innermost zone of inhibition around each disc was used to prepare subsequent suspensions for serial susceptibility testing. This process would be repeated daily for 10 days. Each subsequent serially-passaged isolated was tested against both ERT and MER. Daily zones of inhibition were measured and interpreted. Baseline & final susceptibilities were determined by automated methods (Vitek 2). Results Seventeen Enterobacteriaceae isolates were selected, including: Klebsiella pneumoniae (n=11), Klebsiella oxytoca (n=2), Escherichia coli (n=1), Morganella morganii (n=1), and Enterobacter cloacae (n=2). Despite a greater degree of reductions in zones of inhibition with repeated ERT exposure (vs MER), the overall 10 day trends were not found to be significant different (P=0.529). Resistance developed to ERT in six isolates compared to one MER-resistant isolate (P = 0.053). E. cloacae was the only species to show a significant change between drugs (P=0.010). Two of three isolates that developed reduced zone changes &gt; 10mm to MER were initially exposed to ERT on an earlier plate. Conclusion This novel experiment identified the development of some nonsignificant reductions in susceptibility with ERT after serial exposure. Results from this pilot study should encourage larger well-designed studies in this area. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures


Author(s):  
Reza Khazaee ◽  
Anastasiya Vinokurtseva ◽  
Lynda A. McCaig ◽  
Cory Yamashita ◽  
Daniel B. Hardy ◽  
...  

Abstract Although abundant evidence exists that adverse events during pregnancy lead to chronic conditions, there is limited information on the impact of acute insults such as sepsis. This study tested the hypothesis that impaired fetal development leads to altered organ responses to a septic insult in both male and female adult offspring. Fetal growth restricted (FGR) rats were generated using a maternal protein-restricted diet. Male and female FGR and control diet rats were housed until 150–160 d of age when they were exposed either a saline (control) or a fecal slurry intraperitoneal (Sepsis) injection. After 6 h, livers and lungs were analyzed for inflammation and, additionally, the amounts and function of pulmonary surfactant were measured. The results showed increases in the steady-state mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines in the liver in response to the septic insult in both males and females; these responses were not different between FGR and control diet groups. In the lungs, cytokines were not detectable in any of the experimental groups. A significant decrease in the relative amount of surfactant was observed in male FGR offspring, but this was not observed in control males or in female animals. Overall, it is concluded that FGR induced by maternal protein restriction does not impact liver and lung inflammatory response to sepsis in either male or female adult rats. An altered septic response in male FGR offspring with respect to surfactant may imply a contribution to lung dysfunction.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 525
Author(s):  
Poonnawat Panjad ◽  
Rujipas Yongsawas ◽  
Chainarong Sinpoo ◽  
Chonthicha Pakwan ◽  
Phakamas Subta ◽  
...  

Honeybees, Apis mellifera, are important pollinators of many economically important crops. However, one of the reasons for their decline is pathogenic infection. Nosema disease and American foulbrood (AFB) disease are the most common bee pathogens that propagate in the gut of honeybees. This study investigated the impact of gut-propagating pathogens, including Nosema ceranae and Paenibacillus larvae, on bacterial communities in the gut of A. mellifera using 454-pyrosequencing. Pyrosequencing results showed that N. ceranae was implicated in the elimination of Serratia and the dramatic increase in Snodgrassella and Bartonella in adult bees’ guts, while bacterial communities of P. larvae-infected larvae were not affected by the infection. The results indicated that only N. ceranae had an impact on some core bacteria in the gut of A. mellifera through increasing core gut bacteria, therefore leading to the induction of dysbiosis in the bees’ gut.


2021 ◽  
pp. 026988112199688
Author(s):  
Eduardo R Butelman ◽  
Caroline Baynard ◽  
Bryan D McElroy ◽  
Thomas E Prisinzano ◽  
Mary Jeanne Kreek

Background: Novel short-acting κ(kappa)-opioid receptor selective antagonists are translational tools to examine the impact of the κ-receptor/dynorphin system in assays related to central nervous system dysfunction (e.g., substance use disorders, anhedonia and depression). The effects of such compounds have been compared in males and females under very limited conditions. Aims: The goal of this study was to examine potential sex differences in the effects of a κ-agonist and a short-acting κ-antagonist in an ethologically relevant test of anhedonia, the “splash test” of self-grooming, and also in the forced swim test and in locomotor activity. Methods: We examined the dose-dependence of grooming deficits caused by the κ-agonist U50,488 (0.1–3.2 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.)) in gonadally intact adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. We then compared the effects of the short-acting κ-antagonist LY2795050 ((3-chloro-4-(4-(((2S)-2-pyridin-3-ylpyrrolidin-1-yl)methyl) phenoxy)benzamide)); 0.032–0.1 mg/kg i.p.) in blocking grooming deficits caused by U50,488 (3.2 mg/kg). The effects of LY2795050 were also studied in the forced swim test (FST). The effects of LY2795050 in blocking the locomotor depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg) were also studied. Results: U50,488 produced dose-dependent grooming deficits in male and female mice, and LY2795050 prevented these effects. In contrast, LY2795050 decreased immobility in the FST in males at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, but not in females, up to a dose of 0.32 mg/kg. Also, LY2795050 (0.32 mg/kg) prevented and also reversed the locomotor-depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg), in males and females. Conclusions: This study further implicates the κ-receptor system in ethologically relevant aspects of anhedonia, and confirms sexual dimorphism in some behavioral effects of novel κ-antagonists.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A11-A11
Author(s):  
Joel Raymond ◽  
Nicholas Everett ◽  
Anand Gururajan ◽  
Michael Bowen

Abstract Introduction Oxytocin is a versatile hypothalamic neuropeptide involved in diverse neurobehavioural processes. Since oxytocin can elicit anxiolytic and serenic effects, one could hypothesise that oxytocin should prime the brain for sleep and promote hypnogenesis. However, based on the social salience hypothesis—that oxytocin promotes prosocial behaviour and directs attention toward social stimuli—one could also posit that oxytocin should promote wakefulness. At present, little research has comprehensively characterised the effect of oxytocin on sleep-wake behaviour and no explanation to reconcile these two seemingly competing hypotheses has been proposed. Methods This study investigated the effects of oxytocin on sleep-wake outcomes using radiotelemetry-based polysomnography in adult male and female Wistar rats. Oxytocin was administered via the intraperitoneal (IP; 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg) and intranasal (IN; 0.06, 1, 3 mg/kg) routes. Caffeine (IP and IN; 10 mg/kg) was also administered as a wake-promoting positive control. Additionally, pre-treatment with the oxytocin receptor (OTR) antagonist L-368,899 (IP; 5 mg/kg) and vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) antagonist SR49059 (IP; 1 mg/kg) followed by oxytocin (IP; 1 mg/kg) was conducted to determine which receptor(s) mediated sleep-wake effects of oxytocin. Results In both male and female rats, IP oxytocin produced dose-dependent effects on sleep-wake behaviour. Specifically, oxytocin initially promoted quiescent wakefulness (a restful but conscious state) at the cost of reducing both active wakefulness and sleep. Throughout the 1.5-hour period post-administration, oxytocin delayed REM sleep onset and reduced the proportion of both NREM and REM sleep. Conversely, IN oxytocin did not significantly alter any sleep-wake parameters at any dose tested. Caffeine demonstrated wake-promoting effects under both the IP and IN routes of administration. The involvement of OTR and V1aR binding in oxytocin-induced effects on sleep-wake outcomes will be discussed. Conclusion These findings appear to reconcile the two competing hypotheses: in rats, IP oxytocin appears to promote a state of quiescent wakefulness—one of calm and rest, but also of conscious responsivity to environmental stimuli. IN oxytocin demonstrated little to no effect on sleep-wake behaviour, which is a crucial finding given the escalating use of IN oxytocin as a therapeutic for conditions with comorbid disordered sleep. Support (if any) None.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 203
Author(s):  
Víctor Arufe Giráldez ◽  
Javier Puñal Abelenda ◽  
Rubén Navarro-Patón ◽  
Alberto Sanmiguel-Rodríguez

Background: One of the great challenges facing today’s society is the need to combat overweight and obesity in schoolchildren. This study aimed to analyze the impact of a cycle of didactic talks—given to families by a specialist in pediatrics, a specialist in nutrition and dietetics and a specialist in physical exercise—on childrens’ snack choices and nutrition quality. Methods: A longitudinal, quasi-experimental and quantitative investigation was designed, working with a total sample of 50 students divided into control and experimental groups. The nutritional quality of daily snacks was recorded during the month before and the month after the cycle of talks given by health experts. Results: An increase in the nutritional quality of the snacks was observed in the days after the talk—but, after a week, values returned to normal. Conclusions: The giving of educational talks to promote healthy habits may have a positive impact on the nutritional quality of school snacks in the days immediately following the talks. However, some forgetfulness was detected over time, which reduced the nutritional quality of the snacks once more. For future work, it is recommended that researchers measure the impact produced by giving regular talks.


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