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The use of fossil fuels leads to environmental contamination during their extraction, processing and distribution. Microbial biodegradation provides a sustainable method for cleaning contaminated areas which follows the principles of sustainability. This paper presents the dynamics of biodegradation of hydrocarbon fractions of diesel oil, using Planomicrobium sp. and Rhodococcus sp. isolated from petroleum-contaminated sites. GC–MS analysis was employed to analyse abundances of the specific compounds such as n-alkanes, isoprenoids, sesquitepranes, hopanes, steranes and aromatic compounds (naphthalene and its methylated homologues, phenanthrene and anthracene and their methylated homologues, and dibenzothiophene and its methylated homologues). The obtained results showed that after 30 days of biodegradation of diesel, a significant degradation was achieved, with almost complete degradation of n-alkanes and a decrease in the amount of sesquiterapanes. Rhodococcus sp. had a higher efficiency in degradation of n-alkanes, while Planomicrobium sp. had a higher efficiency in the degradation of branched hydrocarbons. Both strains showed high activity in the biodegradation of sesquitepranes and demonstrate ability to degrade methylated phenanthrenes. Additionally, dimethyl-dibenzothiophenes were almost completely degraded and removed from the system. This study presents the first comprehensive report on the GC–MS analysis of the diesel biodegradation pattern of the Planomicrobium sp., compared with the well-established Rhodococcus sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spirulina species are photosynthetic and filamentous bacteria, commonly called 'blue-green microalgae'. Spirulina has a high nutrient content. It contains 60–70% protein with all essential amino acids present, and is rich in several vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds. Spirulina is also rich in essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. This rich nutritional content provides to Spirulina several health benefits including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, and insulin-sensitizing properties as well as positive effects in various diseases which could be also interesting for athletes. This paper mainly aims to review the interest and effects of Spirulina supplementation in athletes at rest, and in relation to exercise/training. Spirulina's biochemical composition, health properties/effects in humans, and effects in athletes including nutritional status, body composition, physical performance and intense exercise-related disorders were discussed in this review. Literature data showed that Spirulina seems to have positive effects on body composition especially in overweight and obese subjects which could not be the case in other pathologies and athletes. Spirulina appears to be also effective in improving aerobic fitness especially in untrained and moderately trained subjects. Results reported in the literature suggest that Spirulina may improve strength and power performance despite the minor or no significant effects in highly trained subjects. Most studies have shown that Spirulina improves antioxidant status, prevents and accelerates the recovery of exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation in trained and untrained subjects. Taken together, the results from these studies are encouraging and may demonstrate the potential benefits of Spirulina supplementation in athletes despite methodological differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although not as well studied as the bacterial component of the human microbiota, the commensal fungi or mycobiota play important roles in maintaining our health by augmenting our immune system. This mycobiota is also associated with various fatal diseases like opportunistic mycoses, and even cancer, with different cancers having respective type-specific mycobiota. The different fungal species which comprise these different intratumoral mycobiota play important roles in cancer progression. The aim of this review paper is to decipher the association between mycobiota and cancer, and shed light on new avenues in cancer diagnosis, and the development of new anti-cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]