Evaluation of Enrichment Approaches for the Study of the Viromes in Mollusk Species.

Invasive alien species such as freshwater snails have significantly affected the food, environment, and the health of humans and animals, which have unfortunately received insufficient attention. To facilitate the study of viromes in snail species, we compared the enrichment effect of cesium chloride (CsCl) and sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugations in the recovery of diverse viruses in Pomacea canaliculata and Achatina fulica. First, we showed that CsCl-based ultracentrifugation enriched more virus contigs and reduced the nucleic acid background of the Pomacea canaliculata and was thus beneficial for virus recovery.

Life stage impact on the human skin ecosystem: lipids and the microbial community.

Sebaceous free fatty acids are metabolized by multiple skin microbes into bioactive lipid mediators termed oxylipins. This study investigated correlations between skin oxylipins and microbes on the superficial skin of pre-pubescent children (N = 36) and adults (N = 100), including pre- (N = 25) and post-menopausal females (N = 25). Lipidomics and metagenomics revealed that Malassezia restricta positively correlated with the oxylipin 9,10-DiHOME on adult skin and negatively correlated with its precursor, 9,10-EpOME, on pre-pubescent skin.

Gut dysbiosis was inevitable, but tolerance was not: temporal responses of the murine microbiota that maintain its capacity for butyrate production correlate with sustained antinociception to chronic morphine.

The therapeutic benefits of opioids are compromised by the development of analgesic tolerance, which necessitates higher dosing for pain management thereby increasing the liability for drug dependence and addiction. Rodent models indicate opposing roles of the gut microbiota in tolerance: morphine-induced gut dysbiosis exacerbates tolerance, whereas probiotics ameliorate tolerance. Not all individuals develop tolerance, which could be influenced by differences in microbiota, and yet no study design has capitalized upon this natural variation.

The world's most venomous spider is a species complex: systematics of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atracidae: Atrax robustus).

The Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877 is an iconic Australian species and considered among the most dangerously venomous spiders for humans. Originally described in 1877 from a single specimen collected in "New Holland", this spider has a complex taxonomic history.

Adaptive evolution of stress response genes in parasites aligns with host niche diversity.

Background: Stress responses are key the survival of parasites and, consequently, also the evolutionary success of these organisms. Despite this importance, our understanding of the evolution of molecular pathways dealing with environmental stressors in parasitic animals remains limited. Here, we tested the link between adaptive evolution of parasite stress response genes and their ecological diversity and species richness.

Machine Learning Assessment of Dredging Impacts on the Phytoplankton Community on the Brazilian Equatorial Margin: A Multivariate Analysis.

Dredging in estuarine systems significantly impacts phytoplankton communities, with suspended particulate matter (SPM) and dissolved aluminum (Al) serving as indicators of disturbance intensity. This study assessed the effects of dredging in the São Marcos Estuarine Complex (SMEC), Brazil, over three distinct events (2015, 2017, 2020), involving varying sediment volumes and climatic influences. Prolonged dredging operations and increased sediment volumes led to a pronounced 43.

A thorny tale: The origin and diversification of Cirsium (Compositae).

Widely distributed plant genera offer insights into biogeographic processes and biodiversity. The Carduus-Cirsium group, with over 600 species in eight genera, is diverse across the Holarctic regions, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, Southwest Asia, Japan, and North America. Despite this diversity, evolutionary and biogeographic processes within the group, particularly for the genus Cirsium, remain underexplored.

Changes in the intestinal microbiota of broiler chicken induced by dietary supplementation of the diatomite-bentonite mixture.

Background: Diatomite is a source of biologically available silicon but in feed industry its insecticide and anti-caking properties have been also widely recognized. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of dietary diatomite-bentonite mixture (DBM) supplementation on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the bacterial microbiome of the broiler chicken gut. The trial was carried out on 960 Ross 308 broiler chickens divided into 2 experimental groups throughout the entire rearing period lasting 6 weeks.

Ethnobotany of vascular plants use, conservation and management practice in the homegardens by the people of Dawuro in Southwestern Ethiopia.

Background: Homegardens (HGs) are well-time-honored traditional land use systems in small plots of land with purposely designed intricate structure and a mixture of planted vascular plants (VPs) for different purposes. Hence, the present study was initiated to investigate the ethnobotanical information of vascular plants of homegardens and their use, conservation and management practice by the people of Dawuro in southwestern Ethiopia.

Methods: A total of 162 farmer informants were selected and interviewed within a distance of < 2 km, 2-4 km and > 4 km between the natural forest and homegardens, and 0.

Microbial communities associated with the skin, gill, and gut of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

The microbiota inhabiting the surface of fish mucosal tissue play important roles in the nutrition, metabolism and immune system of their host. However, most investigations on microbial symbionts have focused on the fish gut, but the microbiota associated with external mucosal tissues (such as the skin and gill) is poorly understood. This study characterised the traits and dynamic of microbial communities associated with the skin, gill and gut of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) culturing with net enclosures or pens at different sampling times (with seasonal transition).

Testing the effect of ecolabels on the environmental impact of food purchases in worksite cafeterias: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Reducing the environmental impact of foods consumed is important for meeting climate goals. We aimed to conduct a randomised controlled trial to test whether ecolabels reduce the environmental impact of food selected in worksite cafeterias, alone or in combination with increased availability of more sustainable meal options.

Methods: Worksite cafeterias (n = 96) were randomised to one of three study groups, with 54 included for final analysis.

Differences in gut microbial diversity and composition between growth phenotypes of farmed juvenile sandfish, Holothuria scabra.

Background: The observed growth variability of different aquaculture species in captivity hinders its large-scale production. For the sandfish Holothuria scabra, a tropical sea cucumber species, there is a scarcity of information on its intestinal microbiota in relation to host growth, which could provide insights into the processes that affect growth and identify microorganisms with probiotic or biochemical potential that could improve current production strategies. To address this gap, this study used 16 S rRNA amplicon sequencing to characterize differences in gut and fecal microbiota among large and small juveniles reared in floating ocean nurseries.

Green synthesis, characterization, antioxidant, interaction with DNA/BSA, and investigation of cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cancer cells of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Hammada scoparia (Pomel) Iljin extract.

There is a need for advanced developments to battle aggressive breast cancer variations and to address treatment resistance. In cancer therapy, ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) possess the ability to selectively and effectively induce apoptosis in cancer cells. There is an urgent necessity to create novel anti-cancer therapies, and recent studies indicate that ZnO nanoparticles have significant promise.

Rare constituents of the nasal microbiome contribute to the acute exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background: Dysbiosis of the nasal microbiome is considered to be related to the acute exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis (AECRS). The microbiota in the nasal cavity of AECRS patients and its association with disease severity has rarely been studied. This study aimed to characterize nasal dysbiosis in a prospective cohort of patients with AECRS.

Oral Immunisation With Non-GMO Surface Displayed SARS-CoV-2 Spike Epitopes on Bacteria-Like Particles Provokes Robust Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses, and Modulated the Gut Microbiome in Mice.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a fatal disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). To date, several vaccines have been developed to combat the spread of this virus. Mucosal vaccines using food-grade bacteria, such as Lactobacillus spp.

Livestock shifts lepidopteran herbivore community due to intraguild elimination in Mediterranean agroforestry systems.

Livestock grazing and trampling have been shown to reduce arthropod populations. Among arthropods, defoliating lepidopterans are particularly important for their impact on trees, the keystone structures of agroforestry systems. This study investigates the impact of livestock on the community of defoliating lepidopterans in agroforestry systems.

Comparative Analysis of Protist Communities in Oilsands Tailings Using Amplicon Sequencing and Metagenomics.

The Canadian province of Alberta contains substantial oilsands reservoirs, consisting of bitumen, clay and sand. Extracting oil involves separating bitumen from inorganic particles using hot water and chemical diluents, resulting in liquid tailings waste with ecotoxicologically significant compounds. Ongoing efforts aim to reclaim tailings-affected areas, with protist colonisation serving as one assessment method of reclamation progress.

A Randomized Pilot Study of Time-Restricted Eating Shows Minimal Microbiome Changes.

Objective: TRE is an emerging approach in obesity treatment, yet there is limited data on how it influences gut microbiome composition in humans. Our objective was to characterize the gut microbiome of human participants before and after a TRE intervention. This is a secondary analysis of a previously published clinical trial examining the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE).

Exploring Gut Microbiota Imbalance in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Potential Therapeutic Effects of Probiotics and Their Metabolites.

Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal discomfort, bloating, cramping, flatulence, and changes in bowel movements. The pathophysiology of IBS involves a complex interaction between motor, sensory, microbiological, immunological, and psychological factors. Diversity, stability, and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota are frequently altered in IBS, thus leading to a situation of gut dysbiosis.

The Bifidogenic Effect of 2'Fucosyllactose Is Driven by Age-Specific Species, Demonstrating Age as an Important Factor for Gut Microbiome Targeted Precision Medicine.

Background: The human gut microbiota develops in concordance with its host over a lifetime, resulting in age-related shifts in community structure and metabolic function. Little is known about whether these changes impact the community's response to microbiome-targeted therapeutics. Providing critical information on this subject, faecal microbiomes of subjects from six age groups, spanning from infancy to 70-year-old adults (n = six per age group) were harvested.

Dietary Influences on Gut Microbiota and Their Role in Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD).

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a major contributor to liver-related morbidity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic complications. Lifestyle interventions, including diet and exercise, are first line in treating MASLD. Dietary approaches such as the low-glycemic-index Mediterranean diet, the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and high fiber diets have demonstrated potential in addressing the metabolic dysfunction underlying this condition.

Predictive Value of a Gastric Microbiota Dysbiosis Test for Stratifying Cancer Risk in Atrophic Gastritis Patients.

Background/objectives: Gastric cancer (GC) incidence remains high worldwide, and the survival rate is poor. GC develops from atrophic gastritis (AG), associated with () infection, passing through intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia steps. Since eradication does not exclude GC development, further investigations are needed.