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Environmental factors, including westernised diets and alterations to the gut microbiota, are considered risk factors for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The mechanisms underpinning diet-microbiota-host interactions are poorly understood in IBD. We present evidence that feeding a lard-based high-fat (HF) diet can protect mice from developing DSS-induced acute and chronic colitis and colitis-associated cancer (CAC) by significantly reducing tumour burden/incidence, immune cell infiltration, cytokine profile, and cell proliferation. We show that HF protection was associated with increased gut microbial diversity and a significant reduction in Proteobacteria and an increase in Firmicutes and Clostridium cluster XIVa abundance. Microbial functionality was modulated in terms of signalling fatty acids and bile acids (BA). Faecal secondary BAs were significantly induced to include moieties that can activate the vitamin D receptor (VDR), a nuclear receptor richly represented in the intestine and colon. Indeed, colonic VDR downstream target genes were upregulated in HF-fed mice and in combinatorial lipid-BAs-treated intestinal HT29 epithelial cells. Collectively, our data indicate that HF diet protects against colitis and CAC risk through gut microbiota and BA metabolites modulating vitamin D targeting pathways. Our data highlights the complex relationship between dietary fat-induced alterations of microbiota-host interactions in IBD/CAC pathophysiology.

Latin Elephant is a London-based charity that works with migrant and ethnic groups in processes of urban change, and which has had a critical role in articulating the voices of traders threatened by displacement in the context of the Elephant and Castle redevelopment plans over the last decade. In this Lexicon Conversation, members of Latin Elephant discuss with RHJ the different ways in which language, vocabularies, solidarity, memory and translation have played out in their work in South London, both in relation to the use of English vis-a-vis other native languages, but also in terms of the technical language of planning in relation to intersectional urban struggles on the ground.

This is a preliminary analysis of 10,000 enslaved Africans who obtained formal liberation in Senegal from 1894 to 1903. It is a subset of the 28,930 liberations recorded in the official Registers of Liberation from 1857 to 1903. Most of the evidence we have on liberated Africans are from those on ships that were captured by European anti-slavery squadrons on the high seas, and who were then liberated by the Europeans into various Vice-Admiralty courts and Mixed Commissions established to deal with such cases. Most of the enslaved Africans listed in the Senegal Registers of Liberation actively sought their own liberation; a smaller percentage were freed from captured slave caravans. The data used in this article comes from the twenty ledgers of the officially recorded liberations held by the National Archives of Senegal. This article provides a preliminary demographic characterization of this population of Africans and places these acts of formal liberation within a wider context of Senegalese political and economic history and French antislavery policies in Senegal. The first part of this article examines the wider context of French antislavery policies in colonial Senegal from 1848, when the French formally abolished slavery in its territories, through 1903, when the government-general of French West Africa enacted a new colonial legal system that prohibited the recognition of slave status in disputes brought before the new courts, and in 1905 when the governor-general prohibited new enslavement. This was also a period of intensified colonial expansion during which antislavery policies were often subordinated to political goals; at the same time, it was a period of political and religious conflict within African polities, when the production of peanuts for export provided freed Africans with significant economic incentives to leave their masters. The article then examines the demographic characteristics of those enslaved Africans who sought their liberation and were recorded in the registers from 1894 to 1903. 53% were female despite the barriers that enslaved females faced in seeking their liberation, and most of these were young adults from 21-30 years old. The registers also include evidence of unaccompanied minors, the vast majority of whom (62%) were female. The median age of the liberated Africans was 25.5 with young adults comprising 38% of the total. Liberations also reflected the agricultural calendar, in that 41% of them l occurred from March to June just after the harvests were completed and when new crops were planted, suggesting intentionality on the part of enslaved Africans seeking their liberation. The final part of the article compares the evidence of Africans seeking their liberation within Africa from the Senegal Registers with that collected by other scholars using evidence from different sources for Senegal, and with the larger body of evidence for Northern Nigeria. Cet article analyse le cas de 10 000 Africains réduits en esclavage qui, de 1894 à 1903, ont obtenu officiellement leur libération au Sénégal. Ils constituent un sous-ensemble parmi les 28 930 libérations enregistrées par l’administration coloniale de 1857 à 1903. La plupart des informations dont nous disposons sur les Africains libérés concernent ceux qui ont été trouvés sur les navires négriers arraisonnés en haute mer par les escadrons européens anti-esclavagistes. Ceux-ci ont ensuite été libérés par les Européens dans divers tribunaux de la vice-amirauté et par des commissions mixtes créées à cet effet. La plupart des Africains esclaves répertoriés dans les registres de libération du Sénégal ont activement recherché leur propre libération ; un plus petit pourcentage a été libéré de caravanes d’esclaves capturés.Les données utilisées dans cet article sont issues des vingt registres recensant les libérations officiellement enregistrées au Sénégal, qui sont conservés aux Archives nationales du Sénégal. Cet article fournit un premier aperçu des caractéristiques démographiques de cette population et replace ces actes de libération formelle dans un contexte plus large de l’histoire politique et économique sénégalaise et de la politique anti-esclavagiste française au Sénégal.La première partie de cet article examine la question des politiques anti-esclavagistes françaises au Sénégal colonial de 1848 (la France abolit alors l’esclavage dans l’ensemble de ses territoires) à 1903 (date à laquelle le gouvernement général de l’Afrique occidentale française instaure un nouveau système juridique colonial qui interdit la reconnaissance du statut d’esclave dans les litiges portés devant les nouveaux tribunaux) ; puis, jusqu’en 1905, quand le gouverneur général interdit de nouvelles mises en esclavage. Ce fut une période d’intense expansion coloniale, au cours de laquelle les politiques anti-esclavagistes furent souvent subordonnées à des objectifs politiques, mais aussi une période de conflits politiques et religieux au sein des régimes africains, alors même que la production d’arachides pour l’exportation fournit aux Africains libérés des incitations économiques importantes pour quitter leurs maîtres.L’article examine ensuite les caractéristiques démographiques de ces esclaves africains inscrits dans les registres de libération entre 1894 et 1903. 53 % d’entre eux étaient des femmes, jeunes adultes de 21 à 30 ans, malgré les obstacles auxquels celles-ci étaient confrontées dans leur quête de libération. Figurent aussi, dans ces registres, des mineurs non accompagnés, des jeunes femmes dans la grande majorité (62 %). L’âge médian des Africains libérés était de 25,5 ans, les jeunes adultes de 21 à 30 ans représentant 38 % du total. Les libérations reflètent également le calendrier agricole, dans la mesure où 41 % de celles-ci eurent lieu de mars à juin, juste après la fin des récoltes et lorsque de nouvelles cultures avaient été plantées, ce qui suggère une intentionnalité de la part des esclaves africains voulant obtenir leur libération. La dernière partie de l’article compare les informations issues de ces registres avec celles recueillies par d’autres chercheurs utilisant d’autres types de sources pour le Sénégal et les met en perspective avec les informations, plus nombreuses, disponibles pour le nord du Nigeria. Este artículo analiza el caso de 10,000 africanos esclavizados que obtuvieron oficialmente su liberación en Senegal entre 1894 y 1903. Se trata de un subconjunto de 28,930 liberaciones inscritas en los Registros de Liberación oficiales de 1857 a 1903. La mayoría de las informaciones de las que disponemos sobre africanos liberados conciernen aquellos que fueron capturados por escuadrones europeos antiesclavistas. Quienes fueron luego liberados por europeos en distintos tribunales del Vicealmirantazgo y Comisiones Mixtas creadas con ese propósito. La mayoría de los africanos esclavizados que figuran en los Registros de Liberación de Senegal buscaron activamente su propia liberación; un porcentaje menor fue liberado de las caravanas de esclavos capturados. Los datos utilizados en este artículo provienen de los veinte libros de contabilidad de las liberaciones registradas oficialmente, libros que están conservados en los Archivos Nacionales de Senegal. Este artículo proporciona una primera presentación de las características demográficas de esta población y ubica estos actos de liberación formal en un contexto más amplio de la historia política y económica senegalesa y de las políticas antiesclavistas francesas en Senegal.En la primera parte se examina el contexto más amplio de las políticas antiesclavistas francesas en el Senegal colonial desde 1848 fecha de la abolición de la esclavitud en Francia, que rige en todos sus territorios, hasta 1903, fecha en que el gobierno general del África Occidental Francesa promulga un nuevo sistema legal colonial que prohíbe la esclavitud y el reconocimiento de la condición de esclavo en disputas presentadas ante los nuevos tribunales; luego, en 1905, el gobernador general prohíbe una nueva esclavitud. Este fue también un período de intensa expansión colonial durante el cual las políticas antiesclavistas estuvieron a menudo subordinadas a objetivos políticos. A su vez fue un período de conflicto político y religioso dentro de los regímenes africanos siendo que la producción de maní para la exportación proporcionó a los africanos liberados importantes incentivos económicos para dejar a sus amos. El artículo examina luego las características demográficas de aquellos africanos esclavizados que buscaron su liberación y fueron inscritos en los registros de 1894-1903. El 53% eran mujeres, jóvenes adultas de 21 a 30 años, a pesar de las barreras a las que se enfrentaban para lograr su liberación. Los registros también incluyen información sobre menores no acompañados, entre los cuales la gran mayoría (62%) eran mujeres. La edad media de los africanos liberados era de 25,5 años, y los adultos jóvenes de 21 a 30 años representaban el 38% del total. Las liberaciones también reflejaron el calendario agrícola ya que el 41% de las liberaciones ocurrió de marzo a junio, ya terminadas las cosechas y habiendo sembrado los nuevos cultivos, lo que sugiere una intencionalidad por parte de los africanos esclavizados que buscaban su liberación. La parte final del artículo compara las informaciones disponibles en estos registros con las que han sido recopiladas por académicos que han recurrido a otro tipo de fuentes para Senegal y propone una comparación con las informaciones disponibles en mayor cantidad sobre el norte de Nigeria. Este artigo analisa o caso de 10 000 Africanos reduzidos à escravidão que obtiveram oficialmente sua libertação no Senegal entre 1894 e 1903. Eles constituem um subgrupo das 28 930 libertações registradas pela administração colonial entre 1857 e 1903. A maioria das informações disponíveis sobre os Africanos libertos diz respeito aos que foram encontrados nos navios negreiros capturados no alto mar pelas esquadras europeias anti-escravistas. Estes Africanos foram a seguir libertos pelos Europeus em vários tribunais do vice-almirantado e por comissões mistas criadas para este efeito. A maioria dos Africanos escravos identificados nos registros de libertação do Senegal procuraram ativamente sua libertação ; uma percentagem menor foi libertada em caravanas de escravos capturadas.Os dados referidos neste artigo fazem parte dos vinte registros recenseando as libertações oficialmente registradas no Senegal, que estão conservados nos Arquivos nacionais do Senegal. Este artigo fornece um esboço das características demográficas desta população e considera estes autos de libertação formal no contexto mais geral da história política e económica do Senegal e da política anti-escravista francesa neste país.A primeira parte deste artigo examina o problema das políticas anti-escravistas francesas no Senegal colonial entre 1848 – quando a França aboliu a escravidão no conjunto dos seus territórios – e 1903 – momento em que o governo geral da África ocidental francesa estabeleceu um novo sistema jurídico colonial proibindo o reconhecimento do estatuto de escravo nas demandas judiciais junto aos novos tribunais – ; e depois, até 1905 – quando o governador geral interditou novas escravizações. Foi um período de expansão colonial intensa, durante a qual as políticas anti-escravistas foram muitas vezes subordinadas aos objetivos políticos, mas foi também um período de conflitos políticos e religiosos no seio dos regimes africanos, enquanto a produção de amendoim para a exportação fornecia aos Africanos libertos motivos económicos para deixar seus senhores.O artigo considera a seguir as características demográficas destes escravos africanos identificados nos registros de libertação entre 1894 e 1903. Entre eles, 53% eram mulheres, jovens, apesar dos impedimentos que enfrentavam na sua busca de libertação. Aparecem também nestes registros menores de idade não acompanhados, mulheres na sua grande maioria (62%). A idade média dos Africanos libertos era de 25,5 anos, os jovens adultos entre 21 e 30 anos representam 38% do total. As libertações também refletem o calendário agrícola, pois 41% dessas libertações ocorreram entre os meses de março e junho, logo depois das colheitas e quando novas culturas tinham sido plantadas, sugerindo a intenção dos escravos africanos que pretendiam obter sua libertação.A última parte do artigo compara as informações contidas nestes registros com as que foram recolhidas por outros investigadores utilizando outros tipos de fontes para o Senegal, e com as informações, mais numerosas, disponíveis para o norte da Nigéria.

Background Gut microbiota interacts with the human gut in multiple ways. Microbiota composition is altered in inflamed gut conditions. Likewise, certain microbial fermentation products as well as the lipopolysaccharides of the outer membrane are examples of microbial products with opposing influences on gut epithelium inflammation status. This system of intricate interactions is known to play a core role in human gut inflammatory diseases. Here, we present and analyse a simplified model of bidirectional interaction between the microbiota and the host: in focus is butyrate as an example for a bacterial fermentation product with anti-inflammatory properties. Results We build a dynamical model based on an existing model of inflammatory regulation in gut epithelial cells. Our model introduces both butyrate as a bacterial product which counteracts inflammation, as well as bacterial LPS as a pro-inflammatory bacterial product. Moreover, we propose an extension of this model that also includes a feedback interaction towards bacterial composition. The analysis of these dynamical models shows robust bi-stability driven by butyrate concentrations in the gut. The extended model hints towards a further possible enforcement of the observed bi-stability via alteration of gut bacterial composition. A theoretical perspective on the stability of the described switch-like character is discussed. Conclusions Interpreting the results of this qualitative model allows formulating hypotheses about the switch-like character of inflammatory regulation in the gut epithelium, involving bacterial products as constitutive parts of the system. We also speculate about possible explanations for observed bimodal distributions in bacterial compositions in the human gut. The switch-like behaviour of the system proved to be mostly independent of parameter choices. Further implications of the qualitative character of our modeling approach for the robustness of the proposed hypotheses are discussed, as well as the pronounced role of butyrate compared to other inflammatory regulators, especially LPS, NF- κB and cytokines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12918-018-0667-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Introduction: Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid metabolite produced by microbiota in the colon. With its antioxidant properties, butyrate has also been shown to alter the neurological functions in affective disorder models, suggesting it as a key mediator in gut-brain interactions. Objective: Here, we evaluated the negative effect of oxidative stress on the transport of the serotonin precursor tryptophan as present in affective disorders. Butyrate was hypothesized to be able to rescue these deficits due to its antioxidative capacities and its effect on transmembrane transport of tryptophan. Human skin-derived fibroblasts were used as cellular models to address these objectives. Methods: Human fibroblasts were treated with hydrogen peroxide to induce oxidative stress. Stressed as well as control cells were treated with different concentrations of butyrate. Tryptophan (3H) was used as a tracer to measure the transport of tryptophan across the cell membranes (n = 6). Furthermore, gene expression profiles of different amino acid transporters were analyzed (n = 2). Results: As hypothesized,oxidative stress significantly decreased the uptake of tryptophan in fibroblast cells, while butyrate counteracted this effect. Oxidative stress did not alter the gene expression profile of amino acid transporters. However, treatment of stressed and control cells with different concentrations of butyrate differentially regulated the gene expression of large amino acid transporters 1 and 2, which are the major transporters of tryptophan. Conclusions:Gut microbiota-derived butyrate may have therapeutic potential in affective disorders characterized by either aberrant serotonergic activity or neuroinflammation due to its role in rescuing the oxidative stress-induced perturbations of tryptophan transport.

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of dietarytrans-10,cis-12-conjugated linoleic acid (t10c12-CLA) on intestinal microbiota composition and SCFA production. C57BL/6 mice (n8 per group) were fed a standard diet either supplemented witht10c12-CLA (0·5 %, w/w) (intervention) or with no supplementation (control), daily for 8 weeks. Metabolic markers (serum glucose, leptin, insulin and TAG, and liver TAG) were assessed by ELISA commercial kits, tissue long-chain fatty acids and caecal SCFA by GC, and microbial composition by 16S rRNA pyrosequencing. Dietaryt10c12-CLA significantly decreased visceral fat mass (Pt10c12-CLA intake. Caecal acetate, propionate and isobutyrate concentrations were higher (Pt10c12-CLA-supplemented group than in the control group. The analysis of the microbiota composition following 8 weeks oft10c12-CLA supplementation revealed lower proportions of Firmicutes (P= 0·003) and higher proportions of Bacteroidetes (P= 0·027) compared with no supplementation. Furthermore,t10c12-CLA supplementation for 8 weeks significantly altered the gut microbiota composition, harbouring higher proportions of Bacteroidetes, including Porphyromonadaceae bacteria previously linked with negative effects on lipid metabolism and induction of hepatic steatosis. These results indicate that the mechanism of dietaryt10c12-CLA on lipid metabolism in mice may be, at least, partially mediated by alterations in gut microbiota composition and functionality.

This study focused on the mechanisms that fatty acid conjugating strains - Bifidobacterium breve NCIMB 702258 and Bifidobacterium breve DPC 6330 - influence lipid metabolism when ingested with α-linolenic acid (ALA) enriched diet. Four groups of BALB/c mice received ALA enriched diet (3% (w/w)) either alone or in combination with B. breve NCIMB 702258 or B. breve DPC 6330 (109 CFU/day) or unsupplemented control diet for six weeks. The overall n-3 PUFA score was increased in all groups receiving the ALA enriched diet. Hepatic peroxisomal beta oxidation increased following supplementation of the ALA enriched diet with B. breve (P c9t11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was identified in adipose tissue. Furthermore, a strain specific effect of B. breve NCIMB 702258 was found on the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Liver triglycerides (TAG) were reduced following ALA supplementation, compared with unsupplemented controls (P B. breve further reduced liver TAG (P n-3 PUFA score and the ECS.

Probiotic bacteria have been associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, a leading cause of death and disability.The aim of this study was to assess the impact of dietary administration of exopolysaccharide-producing probiotic Lactobacillus cultures on lipid metabolism and gut microbiota in apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice.First, we examined lipid metabolism in response to dietary supplementation with recombinant β-glucan-producing Lactobacillus paracasei National Food Biotechnology Centre (NFBC) 338 expressing the glycosyltransferase (Gtf) gene from Pediococcus parvulus 2.6 (GTF), and naturally exopolysaccharide-producing Lactobacillus mucosae Dairy Product Culture Collection (DPC) 6426 (DPC 6426) compared with the non-β-glucan-producing isogenic control strain Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338 (PNZ) and placebo (15% wt:vol trehalose). Second, we examined the effects on the gut microbiota of dietary administration of DPC 6426 compared with placebo. Probiotic Lactobacillus strains at 1 × 10(9) colony-forming units/d per animal were administered to apoE(-/-) mice fed a high-fat (60% fat)/high-cholesterol (2% wt:wt) diet for 12 wk. At the end of the study, aortic plaque development and serum, liver, and fecal variables involved in lipid metabolism were analyzed, and culture-independent microbial analyses of cecal content were performed.Total cholesterol was reduced in serum (P0.001; ∼33-50%) and liver (P0.05; ∼30%) and serum triglyceride concentrations were reduced (P0.05; ∼15-25%) in mice supplemented with GTF or DPC 6426 compared with the PNZ or placebo group, respectively. In addition, dietary intervention with GTF led to increased amounts of fecal cholesterol excretion (P0.05) compared with all other groups. Compositional sequencing of the gut microbiota revealed a greater prevalence of Porphyromonadaceae (P = 0.001) and Prevotellaceae (P = 0.001) in the DPC 6426 group and lower proportions of Clostridiaceae (P0.05), Peptococcaceae (P0.001), and Staphylococcaceae (P0.01) compared with the placebo group.Ingestion of exopolysaccharide-producing lactobacilli resulted in seemingly favorable improvements in lipid metabolism, which were associated with changes in the gut microbiota of mice.

Different dietary fat and energy subtypes have an impact on both the metabolic health and the intestinal microbiota population of the host. The present study assessed the impact of dietary fat quality, with a focus on dietary fatty acid compositions of varying saturation, on the metabolic health status and the intestinal microbiota composition of the host. C57BL/6J mice (n9–10 mice per group) were fed high-fat (HF) diets containing either (1) palm oil, (2) olive oil, (3) safflower oil or (4) flaxseed/fish oil for 16 weeks and compared with mice fed low-fat (LF) diets supplemented with either high maize starch or high sucrose. Tissue fatty acid compositions were assessed by GLC, and the impact of the diet on host intestinal microbiota populations was investigated using high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing. Compositional sequencing analysis revealed that dietary palm oil supplementation resulted in significantly lower populations of Bacteroidetes at the phylum level compared with dietary olive oil supplementation (PBacteroidaceaecompared with dietary supplementation of palm oil, flaxseed/fish oil and high sucrose (PPBifidobacteriumat the genus level compared with the LF-high-maize starch diet (P

peer-reviewed The aim of this study was to investigate if dietary administration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing Lactobacillus brevis DPC 6108 and pure GABA exert protective effects against the development of diabetes in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague Dawley rats. In a first experiment, healthy rats were divided in 3 groups (n=10/group) receiving placebo, 2.6 mg/kg body weight (bw) pure GABA or L. brevis DPC 6108 (~109microorganisms). In a second experiment, rats (n=15/group) were randomised to five groups and four of these received an injection of STZ to induce type 1 diabetes. Diabetic and non-diabetic controls received placebo [4% (w/v) yeast extract in dH2O], while the other three diabetic groups received one of the following dietary supplements: 2.6 mg/kg bw GABA (low GABA), 200 mg/kg bw GABA (high GABA) or ~109 L. brevis DPC 6108. L. brevis DPC 6108 supplementation was associated with increased serum insulin levels (P0.05), compared with non-diabetic controls while all other diabetic groups displayed reduced diversity (P

The gut microbiota is a complex ecosystem consisting of a diverse population of prokaryotes that has a symbiotic relationship with its host; thus it plays a vital role for the host's health. Our understanding of the effect of the gut microbiome in health and disease has grown substantially over the past 2 decades, mostly because of recent advances in sequencing and other high-throughput technologies. Given its high metabolic potential, close proximity to the intestinal mucosa, and interaction with the immune system, it is not surprising that the gut microbiome is an important partaker in human health. Evidence to the importance of the gut microbiome in human health and disease is the growing number of conditions now linked to changes in the resident gut microbiota, including recurrent Clostridium difficile infections, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, allergies, neurological diseases, and metabolic diseases. Research into this field of the association of the gut microbiome with health and disease continues to expand at a rapid pace as we come to accept the gut microbiome as our "second genome." Targeting the gut microbiome to restore/modulate its composition with the use of antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, and even fecal microbiota transplantation is considered a promising future strategy for the development of new solutions in the treatment of various diseases associated with an imbalance in microbiota composition and functioning.

The infant gut microbiota undergoes dramatic changes during the first 2 years of life. The acquisition and development of this population can be influenced by numerous factors, and antibiotic treatment has been suggested as one of the most significant. Despite this, however, there have been relatively few studies which have investigated the short-term recovery of the infant gut microbiota following antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study was to use high-throughput sequencing (employing both 16S rRNA and rpoB -specific primers) and quantitative PCR to compare the gut microbiota of nine infants who underwent parenteral antibiotic treatment with ampicillin and gentamicin (within 48 h of birth), 4 and 8 weeks after the conclusion of treatment, relative to that of nine matched healthy controls. The investigation revealed that the gut microbiota of the antibiotic-treated infants had significantly higher proportions of Proteobacteria ( P = 0.0049) and significantly lower proportions of Actinobacteria ( P = 0.00001) (and the associated genus Bifidobacterium [ P = 0.0132]) as well as the genus Lactobacillus ( P = 0.0182) than the untreated controls 4 weeks after the cessation of treatment. By week 8, the Proteobacteria levels remained significantly higher in the treated infants ( P = 0.0049), but the Actinobacteria , Bifidobacterium , and Lactobacillus levels had recovered and were similar to those in the control samples. Despite this recovery of total Bifidobacterium numbers, rpoB -targeted pyrosequencing revealed that the number of different Bifidobacterium species present in the antibiotic-treated infants was reduced. It is thus apparent that the combined use of ampicillin and gentamicin in early life can have significant effects on the evolution of the infant gut microbiota, the long-term health implications of which remain unknown.

Background: We previously showed that microbial metabolism in the gut influences the composition of bioactive fatty acids in host adipose tissue. Objective: This study compared the effect of dietary supplementation for 8 wk with human-derived Bifidobacterium breve strains on fat distribution and composition and the composition of the gut microbiota in mice. Methods: C57BL/6 mice (n = 8 per group) received B. breve DPC 6330 or B. breve NCIMB 702258 (10 9 microorganisms) daily for 8 wk or no supplement (controls). Tissue fatty acid composition was assessed by gas-liquid chromatography while 16S rRNA pyrosequencing was used to investigate microbiota composition. Results: Visceral fat mass and brain stearic acid, arachidonic acid, and DHA were higher in mice supplemented with B. breve NCIMB 702258 than in mice in the other 2 groups (P , 0.05). In addition, both B. breve DPC 6330 and B. breve NCIMB 702258 supplementation resulted in higher propionate concentrations in the cecum than did no supplementation (P , 0.05). Compositional sequencing of the gut microbiota showed a tendency for greater proportions of Clostridiaceae (25%, 12%, and 18%; P = 0.08) and lower proportions of Eubacteriaceae (3%, 12%, and 13%; P = 0.06) in mice supplemented with B. breve DPC 6330 than in mice supplemented with B. breve NCIMB 702258 and unsupplemented controls, respectively. Conclusion: The response of fatty acid metabolism to administration of bifidobacteria is strain-dependent, and strain-strain differences are important factors that influence modulation of the gut microbial community by ingested microorganisms. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:1278‐87.

Omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (e.g., arachidonic acid (AA)) and omega-3 (n-3) PUFA (e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)) are precursors to potent lipid mediator signalling molecules, termed “eicosanoids,” which have important roles in the regulation of inflammation. In general, eicosanoids derived from n-6 PUFA are proinflammatory while eicosanoids derived from n-3 PUFA are anti-inflammatory. Dietary changes over the past few decades in the intake of n-6 and n-3 PUFA show striking increases in the (n-6) to (n-3) ratio (~15 : 1), which are associated with greater metabolism of the n-6 PUFA compared with n-3 PUFA. Coinciding with this increase in the ratio of (n-6) : (n-3) PUFA are increases in chronic inflammatory diseases such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cardiovascular disease, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). By increasing the ratio of (n-3) : (n-6) PUFA in the Western diet, reductions may be achieved in the incidence of these chronic inflammatory diseases.

Omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are precursors of potent lipid mediators, termed eicosanoids, which play an important role in the regulation of inflammation. Eicosanoids derived from n-6 PUFAs (e.g., arachidonic acid) have proinflammatory and immunoactive functions, whereas eicosanoids derived from n-3 PUFAs [e.g., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] have anti-inflammatory properties, traditionally attributed to their ability to inhibit the formation of n-6 PUFA-derived eicosanoids. While the typical Western diet has a much greater ratio of n-6 PUFAs compared with n-3 PUFAs, research has shown that by increasing the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty acids in the diet, and consequently favoring the production of EPA in the body, or by increasing the dietary intake of EPA and DHA through consumption of fatty fish or fish-oil supplements, reductions may be achieved in the incidence of many chronic diseases that involve inflammatory processes; most notably, these include cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis, but psychiatric and neurodegenerative illnesses are other examples.

The overall purpose of this study was to examine the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria microbiota in the human ileum at a very early stage of life. Ileostomy effluents from two infants, taken at different time points, were plated on Lactobacillus selective agar and cys-MRS containing mupirocin to select for bifidobacteria. In one case, a stool sample following ileostomy reversal was subsequently analyzed microbiologically. Pulse-field gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA sequencing was used to investigate the cultivable population of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to examine the non-cultivable population. The probiotic strain, Lactobacillus paracasei NFBC 338, was recovered at both time points from one of the infants and dominated in the small intestine for a period of over 3 weeks. Moreover, the probiotic strain, B. animalis subsp. lactis Bb12, was obtained from the other infant. This study shows the presence of two known probiotic strains in the upper intestinal tract at an early stage of human life and thus provides some evidence for their ability to colonize the infant small intestine.

The objective of this study was to investigate the cultivable Lactobacillus population in adult and infant faecal material to identify strains shared across a number of individuals. A range of lactobacilli isolated on Lactobacillus-selective agar from faeces of 16 infants and 11 adults were genetically fingerprinted and further characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The relatedness of all the Lactobacillus strains isolated to known species was also determined both genetically and phenotypically. This study revealed that the human intestine is initially colonized by only a few (1-2) different cultivable strains whereas in adults the pattern becomes more complex with a higher diversity of strains. The adult samples contained three genetically distinct Lactobacillus strains in some cases, while infant samples generally harboured only one dominant Lactobacillus strain. Moreover, the species in general appeared to differ with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus casei/paracasei found mainly in adults, whereas Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus salivarius were more commonly isolated in infant samples. The data reaffirm the differences in Lactobacillus populations both between individual subjects and between the infant and adult, with an overall change in the diversity and complexity from early stages of life to adulthood.

The gut microbiota is considered as one of the most important environmental factors impacting on host metabolism, contributing to variations in body weight, fat distribution, insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism. Modification of the gut microbiota by dietary interventions such as probiotics and prebiotics may favourably affect host lipid metabolism. We have shown that microbial metabolism in the gut, and its manipulation by administered microbes can influence fatty acid composition of a number of organs in the host. Furthermore, a prebiotic approach was shown to alter polyunsaturated fatty acids in white adipose tissue. Although a deeper knowledge of the interactions between members of the gut microbiota and fatty acids is needed, nutritional modulation of this complex community may represent a realistic target for modification of host fatty acid composition.

We recently coined the phrase 'psychobiotics' to describe an emerging class of probiotics of relevance to psychiatry [Dinan et al., Biol Psychiatry 2013;74(10):720-726]. Such "mind-altering" probiotics may act via their ability to produce various biologically active compounds, such as peptides and mediators normally associated with mammalian neurotransmission. Several molecules with neuroactive functions such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, catecholamines and acetylcholine have been reported to be microbially-derived, many of which have been isolated from bacteria within the human gut. Secreted neurotransmitters from bacteria in the intestinal lumen may induce epithelial cells to release molecules that in turn modulate neural signalling within the enteric nervous system and consequently signal brain function and behaviour of the host. Consequently, neurochemical containing/producing probiotic bacteria may be viewed as delivery vehicles for neuroactive compounds and as such, probiotic bacteria may possibly have the potential as a therapeutic strategy in the prevention and/or treatment of certain neurological and neurophysiological conditions.

We recently coined the phrase 'psychobiotics' to describe an emerging class of probiotics of relevance to psychiatry [Dinan et al., Biol Psychiatry 2013;74(10):720-726]. Such "mind-altering" probiotics may act via their ability to produce various biologically active compounds, such as peptides and mediators normally associated with mammalian neurotransmission. Several molecules with neuroactive functions such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, catecholamines and acetylcholine have been reported to be microbially-derived, many of which have been isolated from bacteria within the human gut. Secreted neurotransmitters from bacteria in the intestinal lumen may induce epithelial cells to release molecules that in turn modulate neural signalling within the enteric nervous system and consequently signal brain function and behaviour of the host. Consequently, neurochemical containing/producing probiotic bacteria may be viewed as delivery vehicles for neuroactive compounds and as such, probiotic bacteria may possibly have the potential as a therapeutic strategy in the prevention and/or treatment of certain neurological and neurophysiological conditions.

Sefton Council has completed an extensive programme to implement a learning platform across all of its schools. Rebecca Wall, the council's IT service delivery manager, offers schools an insight into how they managed the process and how they engaged with

We investigated the impact of parenteral antibiotic treatment in the early neonatal period on the evolution of bifidobacteria in the newborn. Nine babies treated with intravenous ampicillin/gentamicin in the first week of life and nine controls (no antibiotic treatment) were studied. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to investigate the composition ofBifidobacteriumin stool samples taken at four and eight weeks. Bifidobacteria were detected in all control infants at both four and eight weeks, while only six of nine antibiotic-treated infants had detectable bifidobacteria at four weeks and eight of nine at eight weeks. Moreover, stool samples of controls showed greater diversity ofBifidobacteriumspp. compared with antibiotic-treated infants. In conclusion, short-term parenteral antibiotic treatment of neonates causes a disturbance in the expected colonization pattern of bifidobacteria in the first months of life. Further studies are required to probiotic determine if supplementation is necessary in this patient group.

We have previously demonstrated that oral administration of a metabolically activeBifidobacterium brevestrain, with ability to formcis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), resulted in modulation of the fatty acid composition of the host, including significantly elevated concentrations ofc9,t11 CLA and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in liver and adipose tissue. In this study, we investigated whether a recombinant lactobacillus expressing linoleic acid isomerase (responsible for production oft10,c12 CLA) fromPropionibacterium acnes(PAI) could influence the fatty acid composition of different tissues in a mouse model. Linoleic-acid-supplemented diets (2 %, w/w) were fed in combination with either a recombinantt10,c12 CLA-producingLactobacillus paracaseiNFBC 338 (Lb338), or an isogenic (vector-containing) control strain, to BALB/c mice for 8 weeks. A third group of mice received linoleic acid alone (2 %, w/w). Tissue fatty acid composition was assessed by GLC at the end of the trial. Ingestion of the strain expressing linoleic acid isomerase was associated with a 4-fold increase (Pt10,c12 CLA in adipose tissues of the mice when compared with mice that received the isogenic non-CLA-producing strain. The livers of the mice that received the recombinant CLA-producing Lb338 also contained a 2.5-fold (albeit not significantly) higher concentration oft10,c12 CLA, compared to the control group. These data demonstrate that a single gene (encoding linoleic acid isomerase) expressed in an intestinal microbe can influence the fatty acid composition of host fat.

Recently, we reported that administration of Bifidobacteria resulted in increased concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in murine adipose tissue [1]. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of co-administration of Bifidobacterium breve NCIMB 702258 and the substrate for EPA, alpha-linolenic acid, on host fatty acid composition. alpha-Linolenic acid-supplemented diets (1%, wt/wt) were fed to mice (n = 8), with or without B. breve NCIMB 702258 (daily dose of 10(9) microorganisms) for 8 weeks. Two further groups received either supplement of B. breve alone or unsupplemented diet. Tissue fatty acid composition was assessed by gas liquid chromatography. Dietary supplementation of alpha-linolenic acid resulted in higher (P < 0.05) alpha-linolenic acid and EPA concentrations in liver and adipose tissue and lower (P < 0.05) arachidonic acid in liver, adipose tissue and brain compared with mice that did not receive alpha-linolenic acid. Supplementation with B. breve NCIMB 702258 in combination with alpha-linolenic acid resulted in elevated (P < 0.05) liver EPA concentrations compared with alpha-linolenic acid supplementation alone. Furthermore, the former group had higher (P < 0.05) DHA in brain compared with the latter group. These results suggest a role for interactions between fatty acids and commensals in the gastrointestinal tract. This interaction between administered microbes and fatty acids could result in a highly effective nutritional approach to the therapy of a variety of inflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions.

Recent reports suggest that the metabolic activity of the gut microbiota may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity and hepatic steatosis.The objective was to determine whether the fat composition of host tissues might be influenced by oral administration of commensal bifidobacteria previously shown by us to produce bioactive isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).Murine trials were conducted in which linoleic acid-supplemented diets were fed with or without Bifidobacterium breve NCIMB 702258 (daily dose of 10(9) microorganisms) to healthy BALB/c mice and to severe combined immunodeficient mice for 8-10 wk. To ensure that the observations were not peculiar to mice, a similar trial was conducted in weanling pigs over 21 d. Tissue fatty acid composition was assessed by gas-liquid chromatography.In comparison with controls, there was an increase in cis-9, trans-11 CLA in the livers of the mice and pigs after feeding with linoleic acid in combination with B. breve NCIMB 702258 (P0.05). In addition, an altered profile of polyunsaturated fatty acid composition was observed, including higher concentrations of the omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in adipose tissue (P0.05). These changes were associated with reductions in the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma (P0.05).These results are consistent with the concept that the metabolome is a composite of host and microbe metabolic activity and that the influence of the microbiota on host fatty acid composition can be manipulated by oral administration of CLA-producing microorganisms.

The objective of this study was to investigate the cultivable Lactobacillus population in adult and infant faecal material to identify strains shared across a number of individuals. A range of lactobacilli isolated on Lactobacillus-selective agar from faeces of 16 infants and 11 adults were genetically fingerprinted and further characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The relatedness of all the Lactobacillus strains isolated to known species was also determined both genetically and phenotypically. This study revealed that the human intestine is initially colonized by only a few (1-2) different cultivable strains whereas in adults the pattern becomes more complex with a higher diversity of strains. The adult samples contained three genetically distinct Lactobacillus strains in some cases, while infant samples generally harboured only one dominant Lactobacillus strain. Moreover, the species in general appeared to differ with Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus casei/paracasei found mainly in adults, whereas Lactobacillus gasseri and Lactobacillus salivarius were more commonly isolated in infant samples. The data reaffirm the differences in Lactobacillus populations both between individual subjects and between the infant and adult, with an overall change in the diversity and complexity from early stages of life to adulthood.