Use of genetically modified lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria as live delivery vectors for human and animal health.

There is now strong evidence to support the interest in using lactic acid bacteria (LAB)in particular, strains of lactococci and lactobacilli, as well as bifidobacteria, for the development of new live vectors for human and animal health purposes. LAB are Gram-positive bacteria that have been used for millennia in the production of fermented foods. In addition, numerous studies have shown that genetically modified LAB and bifodobacteria can induce a systemic and mucosal immune response against certain antigens when administered mucosally.

Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals and Probiotics: A Focus on Human Health.

Functional foods are classified as traditional or staple foods that provide an essential nutritional level and share potentially positive effects on host health, including the reduction of disease by optimizing the immune system's ability to prevent and control infections by pathogens, as well as pathologies that cause functional alterations in the host. This chapter reviews the most recent research and advances in this area and discusses some perspectives on what the future holds in this area.

Probiotics and Trained Immunity.

The characteristics of innate immunity have recently been investigated in depth in several research articles, and original findings suggest that innate immunity also has a memory capacity, which has been named "trained immunity". This notion has revolutionized our knowledge of the innate immune response. Thus, stimulation of trained immunity represents a therapeutic alternative that is worth exploring.

Bioactive Compounds in Food as a Current Therapeutic Approach to Maintain a Healthy Intestinal Epithelium.

The intestinal epithelium serves as an effective barrier against the external environment, hampering the passage of potentially harmful substances (such as pathogenic microbes) that could trigger an exacerbated host immune response. The integrity of this barrier is thus essential for the maintenance of proper intestinal homeostasis and efficient protective reactions against chemical and microbial challenges. The principal consequence of intestinal barrier defects is an increase in intestinal permeability, which leads to an increased influx of luminal stressors, such as pathogens, toxins, and allergens, which in turn trigger inflammation and immune response.

A Mirror-Based Active Vision System for Underwater Robots: From the Design to Active Object Tracking Application.

A mirror-based active system capable of changing the view's direction of a pre-existing fixed camera is presented. The aim of this research work is to extend the perceptual tracking capabilities of an underwater robot without altering its structure. The ability to control the view's direction allows the robot to explore its entire surroundings without any actual displacement, which can be useful for more effective motion planning and for different navigation strategies, such as object tracking and/or obstacle evasion, which are of great importance for natural preservation in environments as complex and fragile as coral reefs.