The consumption of probiotics has become increasingly popular as a means to try to improve health and well-being. Not only are probiotics considered beneficial to digestive health, but increasing ...evidence suggests direct and indirect interactions between gut microbiota (GM) and the central nervous system (CNS). Here, adult zebrafish were supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum to determine the effects of probiotic treatment on structural and functional changes of the GM, as well as host neurological and behavioral changes. L. plantarum administration altered the β-diversity of the GM while leaving the major core architecture intact. These minor structural changes were accompanied by significant enrichment of several predicted metabolic pathways. In addition to GM modifications, L. plantarum treatment also significantly reduced anxiety-related behavior and altered GABAergic and serotonergic signaling in the brain. Lastly, L. plantarum supplementation provided protection against stress-induced dysbiosis of the GM. These results underscore the influence commensal microbes have on physiological function in the host, and demonstrate bidirectional communication between the GM and the host.
We report the final measurement of the neutrino oscillation parameters Δm322 and sin2 θ23 using all data from the MINOS and MINOS+ experiments. These data were collected using a total exposure of ...23.76 × 1020 protons on target producing νμ and νμ beams and 60.75 kt yr exposure to atmospheric neutrinos. The measurement of the disappearance of νμ and the appearance of νe events between the Near and Far detectors yields ... and ... at 68% C.L. for normal (inverted) hierarchy. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omited.).
This paper presents the results of experimental studies of propagation of the semi-elliptical cracks in 1.4541 austenitic steel commonly used for the construction of the industrial pipelines. The ...work includes the results of studies of the structure and mechanical properties of 1.4541 steel used to build new pipeline sections and steel after many years of service. Fatigue crack growth analysis was performed by using the method of electrical potential drop (EPD). In order to confirm correctness of the electrical potential drop measurement method a two other experimental methods were used in comparative studies, staining of fatigue fracture and using a strain propagation gauge. Elaborated EPD measurement methodology enables a continuous recording of the dimensions of propagating semi-elliptical cracks, both under variable tension and under constant bending, which was confirmed during the tests.
•Comparative fatigue studies of 1.4541 steel in three states were conducted.•We determined influence of operation environment on structure and mechanical properties.•Fatigue tests were conducted under load conditions of real chemical pipeline.•There was proposed modified measurement method of two-dimensional fatigue cracks.
The aim of the work was to evaluate the influence of prebiotic additives on gluten-free breads, and to assess the effectiveness of gluten-free bread supplementation with the selected prebiotics: ...inulin, oligosaccharide syrup and bitter-free chicory flour. The breads with the 3, 5 or 8% additions of the mentioned prebiotics were baked and stored for 48h. During this period the following analyses were performed: a texture profile, the content of mono-and oligosaccharides, and of inulin. The best effects on sensory features of gluten-free bread were observed when applied medium doses of prebiotics, being a 5% inulin supplemented bread the highest sensory scored. The addition of 5 and 8% of inulin, FOS syrup and chicory flour at all applied doses reduced the crumb hardening rate during the 3 days storage period. Content of fructooligosaccharides with DP 3–5 in standard bread was 0.1%, and in the supplemented breads did not exceed 0.3%. Addition of Frutafit preparation and bitter-free chicory flour enriched bread with inulin up to 1–3.5g/100g, the highest preservation level was observed in the case of chicory flour addition.
The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an animal model for experimental studies of stress has increased rapidly over the years. Although many physiologic and behavioral characteristics associated with ...stress have been defined in zebrafish, the effects of stress on hematologic
parameters have not been described. The purpose of our study was to induce a rise in endogenous cortisol through various acute and chronic stressors and compare the effects of these stressors on peripheral WBC populations. Acutely stressed fish underwent dorsal or full-body exposure to air
for 3 min, repeated every 30 min over the course of 90 min. Chronically stressed fish underwent exposure to stressors twice daily over a period of 5 d. After the last stressful event, fish were euthanized, and whole blood and plasma were obtained. A drop of whole blood was used to create a
blood smear, which was subsequently stained with a modified Wright-Giemsa stain and a 50-WBC differential count determined. Plasma cortisol levels were determined by using a commercially available ELISA. Endogenous cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in both stressed groups
as compared with control fish. Acutely stressed fish demonstrated significant lymphopenia, monocytosis, and neutrophilia, compared with unstressed, control fish. Chronic stress induced lymphopenia and monocytosis but no significant changes in relative neutrophil populations in zebrafish. The
changes in both stressed groups most likely are due to increases in endogenous cortisol concentrations and represent the first description of a stress leukogram in zebrafish.
Publication summarizes the current knowledge about standard and non-standard neutrino oscillations involving tau neutrinos. It contains the discussion of processes known from the standard oscillation ...model and describes the searches of mixing of tau neutrinos with sterile states that can lead to the anomalous production of tau neutrinos. Important part is devoted to the description of the analysis methods developed by the author and results obtained by the MINOS+ experiment conducted at the Fermilab laboratory near Chicago in the United States. Publication for the elementary particle physicists.
Time-series studies of arctic marine ecosystems are rare. This is not surprising since polar regions are largely only accessible by means of expensive modern infrastructure and instrumentation. In ...1999, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz-Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) established the LTER (Long-Term Ecological Research) observatory HAUSGARTEN crossing the Fram Strait at about 79° N. Multidisciplinary investigations covering all parts of the open-ocean ecosystem are carried out at a total of 21 permanent sampling sites in water depths ranging between 250 and 5500m. From the outset, repeated sampling in the water column and at the deep seafloor during regular expeditions in summer months was complemented by continuous year-round sampling and sensing using autonomous instruments in anchored devices (i.e., moorings and free-falling systems). The central HAUSGARTEN station at 2500m water depth in the eastern Fram Strait serves as an experimental area for unique biological in situ experiments at the seafloor, simulating various scenarios in changing environmental settings. Long-term ecological research at the HAUSGARTEN observatory revealed a number of interesting temporal trends in numerous biological variables from the pelagic system to the deep seafloor. Contrary to common intuition, the entire ecosystem responded exceptionally fast to environmental changes in the upper water column. Major variations were associated with a Warm-Water-Anomaly evident in surface waters in eastern parts of the Fram Strait between 2005 and 2008. However, even after 15 years of intense time-series work at HAUSGARTEN, we cannot yet predict with complete certainty whether these trends indicate lasting alterations due to anthropologically-induced global environmental changes of the system, or whether they reflect natural variability on multiyear time-scales, for example, in relation to decadal oscillatory atmospheric processes.
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