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The objective of this study was to survey health professionals to investigate their knowledge of probiotics. An online survey was conducted to gather data on the knowledge of health professionals. The online survey was distributed via email and social media platforms using snowball sampling. A total of 1066 health professionals (859 80.6% female) from 30 countries responded to the survey. Most of the respondents evaluated their knowledge of probiotics as medium (36.4%) or good (36.2%). Only 8.9% of the respondents rated it as excellent. No statistical difference in knowledge was found between male and female health professionals. Over 80% of pharmacists, allied health professionals, medical doctors and dentists, and other health professionals knew the correct definition of probiotics as “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host”, whereas three quarters of registered nurses and midwives and less than two thirds of psychologists identified the correct definition. Statistically, more female than male health professionals knew the correct definition of probiotics. The most frequently recognized species of bacteria containing probiotic strains were Lactobacillus acidophilus (92%), Bifidobacterium bifidum (82%), and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (62%). The opinions on when it is best to take probiotics were different (χ$^2$ = 28.375 p < 0.001), with 90.2% of respondents identifying that probiotics have beneficial effects if taken during antibiotic therapy, 83.5% for diarrhea, 70.6% for constipation, 63.3% before traveling abroad, and 60.4% for treating allergies. Almost 79% of health professionals involved in this study have advised their patients to use probiotics and 57.5% of the respondents wanted to learn more about probiotics. All things considered, health professionals have a medium level of knowledge of probiotics, which could be improved by the implementation of targeted learning programs. As probiotics have many beneficial effects in a wide range of health areas, health professionals need to adopt the use of probiotics in clinical practice.

Probiotics (greek "for life") have been recognized and explored for over a century, Metchnikoff's pioneering work was converted into commercial reality in the 1950s, and since then many probiotics' benefits have been described. Nowadays they have already found place as a food supplement and as a preventive or curative drug. The term probiotics describes a variety of microorganisms which can colonize the host and have health improving effects on it. Since it is a natural and comparably affordable product even for people with low incomes, it could be introduced into the diet of people living in the Indian rural areas. The biggest obstacles for this are education about their use and technology to prepare them in a convenient form for domestic use. Regular use could improve the quality of live and reduce the dependence on drugs and medical expenses.

Bridging the gap between the theoretical and the practical application of what students are learning is the first step towards understanding the central roles of microorganisms in nature and in our daily lives. Our goal for these instructions on laboratory exercises is to provide a bridge that helps our foreign students, who choose the Microbiology course (Erasmus exchange program), to integrate lectures with laboratory experience. Znanje študentov sloni na gradnji mostu med teoretično osnovo in praktičnimi vajami ter ponazarja prvi korak na poti do razumevanja poglavitne vloge mikroorganizmov v naravi in našem vsakdanjiku. Namen navodil za laboratorijske vaje pri predmetu Mikrobiologija v angleškem jeziku je omogočiti gradnjo tega mostu ter tako naše tuje študente, ki si v okviru programa Erasmus izberejo učni predmet Mikrobiologija, naučiti povezovanja teoretičnih osnov s praktičnimi prvinami.

Coeliac disease (CD) is associated with alterations of the intestinal microbiota. Although several Bifidobacterium strains showed anti-inflammatory activity and prevention of toxic gliadin peptides generation in vitro, few data are available on their efficacy when administered to CD subjects. This study evaluated the effect of administration for three months of a food supplement based on two Bifidobacterium breve strains (B632 and BR03) to restore the gut microbial balance in coeliac children on a gluten free diet (GFD). Microbial DNA was extracted from faeces of 40 coeliac children before and after probiotic or placebo administration and 16 healthy children (Control group). Sequencing of the amplified V3-V4 hypervariable region of 16S rRNA gene as well as qPCR of Bidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., Bacteroides fragilis group Clostridium sensu stricto and enterobacteria were performed. The comparison between CD subjects and Control group revealed an alteration in the intestinal microbial composition of coeliacs mainly characterized by a reduction of the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, of Actinobacteria and Euryarchaeota. Regarding the effects of the probiotic, an increase of Actinobacteria was found as well as a re-establishment of the physiological Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Therefore, a three-month administration of B. breve strains helps in restoring the healthy percentage of main microbial components.

To date, only a few studies have investigated the complex microbiota of table olives in order to identify new probiotic microorganisms, even though this food matrix has been shown to be a suitable source of beneficial lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Two hundred and thirty eight LAB, belonging to Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus and Leuconostoc mesenteroides species, and isolated from Nocellara Etnea table olives, have been screened in this survey through an in vitro approach. A simulation of transit tolerance in the upper human gastrointestinal tract, together with autoaggregation and hydrophobicity, have been decisive in reducing the number of LAB to 17 promising probiotics. None of the selected strains showed intrinsic resistances towards a broad spectrum of antibiotics and were therefore accurately characterized on an undifferentiated and 3D functional model of the human intestinal tract made up of H4-1 epithelial cells. As far as the potential colonization of the intestinal tract is concerned, a high adhesion ratio was observed for Lb. plantarum O2T60C (over 9%) when tested in the 3D functional model, which closely mimics real intestinal conditions. The stimulation properties towards the epithelial barrier integrity and the in vitro inhibition of L. monocytogenes adhesion and invasion have also been assessed. Lb. plantarum S1T10A and S11T3E enhanced trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and therefore the integrity of the polarized epithelium in the 3D model. Moreover, S11T3E showed the ability to inhibit L. monocytogenes invasion in the undifferentiated epithelial model. The reduction in L. monocytogenes infection, together with the potential enhancement of barrier integrity and an adhesion ratio that was above the average in the 3D functional model (6.9%) would seem to suggest the Lb. plantarum S11T3E strain as the most interesting candidate for possible in vivo animal and human trials.

Problem pomnoževanja koncev evkariontskih kromosomov (telomer) so uspešno rešili z odkritjem encima telomeraze konec 80. let prejšnjega stoletja, za odkritje so leta 2009 podelili tudi Nobelovo nagrado za medicino in fiziologijo. Izražanje telomeraze pri rakavih boleznih in človeške sanje o večni mladosti so močno pospešile razvoj farmakoloških telomeraznih inhibitorjev in aktivatorjev, vendar pa kljub 15-letnemu raziskovanju zdravila še niso dostopna na trgu. V članku smo glede na podatke v svetovnih medijih in literaturi naredili pregled farmakoloških učinkovin v zgodnjih fazah kliničnih preskušanj, ki specifično uravnavajo aktivnost telomeraze. Načrtovana protitumorska zdravila večinoma ne bodo namenjena samostojni uporabi, saj telomerazne inhibitorje klinično preskušajo v kombinaciji z obstoječimi kemoterapevtskimi sredstvi, protitelomerazna cepiva pa v kombinaciji z imunostimulansi. Poleg raka in staranja v prispevku navajamo ostala bolezenska stanja, ki so povezana s telomerazo/telomerami, hkrati pa opisujemo tudi tehnično-pravne probleme pri razvoju novih zdravil. Glede na dinamiko razvoja lahko prva protitelomerazna zdravila na trgu pričakujemo v naslednjih petih letih. Eucaryotic chromosome endings (telomeres) replication problem was solved in the 1980's by discovery of the telomerase enzyme. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded in 2009 for the discovery of telomerase. Altered telomerase expression in cancer, and human dream of eternal youth haveaccelerated the development of pharmacological telomerase inhibitors and activators. However, after 15 years of development they are still not available on the market. In the present article we reviewed pharmacological agents that target telomerase activity, which have entered clinical trials. Current drugs in development are mostly not intended to be used alone, as telomerase inhibitors under clinical trials are used in combination with the existing chemotherapeutics and anti-telomerase vaccines in combination with immuno-stimulants. Apart from cancer and aging, there are other diseases linked to deregulated activity of telomerasežtelomeres and we also discuss technical and legal problems that researchers encounter in developing anti-telomerase therapy. Given the pace of development, first anti-telomerase drugs might appear on the market in the next 5 years.

Introduction: The purpose of this article is to analyse the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on wound healing and to demonstrate their usefulness in the wound treatment. Methods: Databases PubMed, CINAHL, Medline and ScienceDirect were searched for the literature review and analysis. A search was performed with keywords in English: omega-3 fish oil, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), wound, wound healing, and Boolean operator AND. Experimental or randomized clinical studies published in English from 1993 to January 2014, which included the prevention or treatment of acute skin wounds or chronic wounds by using omega-3 fatty acids, were included in analysis. Exclusion criterion was the use of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of burn wounds. From a total of 1151 retrieved studies, 15 were included in a detailed analysis. Results: The results showed that omega-3 fatty acids are ineffective in the treatment of traumatic and surgical skin wounds, potentially effective in the treatment of diabetic wounds and effective in the treatment of pressure ulcers. Discussion and conclusion: Anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 interferes and slows down acute skin wound healing, but promotes the reepitalization of chronic wounds. Further research is required to establish exact wound care use guidelines. Uvod: Namen članka je prikazati analizo podatkov o učinkih maščobnih kislin omega-3 na celjenje ran ter njihovo uporabnost pri obravnavi ran na koži. Metode: Za pregled literature ter analizo dobljenih virov so bile uporabljene podatkovne baze: PubMed, CINAHL, Medline in ScienceDirect. Iskanje je bilo izvedeno s ključnimi besedami v angleščini: omega-3, fish oil, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), wound, wound healing, in Boolovim operatorjem AND. V analizo so bile vključene eksperimentalne ali randomizirane klinične raziskave, objavljene v angleškem jeziku in izdane od 1993 do januarja 2014, ki so vključevale preprečevanje ali zdravljenje akutnih ali kroničnih ran na koži z uporabo maščobnih kislin omega-3. Izključitveni kriterij je bil obravnava uporabe maščobnih kislin omega-3 pri opeklinah. Iz iskalnega nabora 1151 zadetkov je bilo v podrobno analizo vključenih 15 raziskav. Rezultati: Rezultati analize literature so pokazali, da so maščobne kisline omega-3 večinoma neučinkovite pri obravnavi travmatskih in kirurških ran na koži, potencialno učinkovite pri obravnavi diabetičnih ran in učinkovite pri obravnavi razjed zaradi pritiska. Diskusija in zaključek: Protivnetni učinek maščobnih kislin omega-3 upočasnjuje in moti celjenje akutnih ran na koži, vendar lahko z njimi obvladujemo lokalne vnetne odzive in pospešujemo reepitelizacijo pri kroničnih ranah. Za oblikovanje natančnih smernic uporabe bodo potrebna nadaljnja raziskovanja.

Probiotics (greek "for life") have been recognized and explored for over a century, Metchnikoff's pioneering work was converted into commercial reality in the 1950s, and since then many probiotics' benefits have been described. Nowadays they have already found place as a food supplement and as a preventive or curative drug. The term probiotics describes a variety of microorganisms which can colonize the host and have health improving effects on it. Since it is a natural and comparably affordable product even for people with low incomes, it could be introduced into the diet of people living in the Indian rural areas. The biggest obstacles for this are education about their use and technology to prepare them in a convenient form for domestic use. Regular use could improve the quality of live and reduce the dependence on drugs and medical expenses.

V magistrski nalogi smo opisali lastnosti 3D-tiskalnikov in potrebnih materialov ter jih primerjali s 3D-biotiskalniki. Prikazali smo različne tipe tiskalnikov in predstavili dosežke 3D-biotiska po posameznih organih in tkivih. Izpostavili smo zaplete in težave, ki pri tem nastajajo. Zagotovitev preživetja celic v natisnjenih tkivih so še vedno največji izziv. Glede na obstoječe trende smo nakazali razvoj 3D-biotiskalnikov v prihodnosti in predstavili 3D-biotiskanje v Sloveniji. In this master thesis the characteristics of 3D printers and materials that are used for 3D printing are described, and a comparison with 3D bioprinters is made. Described are various types of bioprinters and achievements of 3D bioprinting of particular human organs and tissues. Furthermore, possible complications and problems that may arise in the printing process are described. Currently, the main challenge remains to ensure cell survival in the printed tissues. The future development of 3D bioprinters and 3D bioprinting in Slovenia are presented based on current trends.