• defined microbial consortia
• fecal microbiota transplant
• host-microbe interactions
• microbe-microbe interactions
• next-generation sequencing
• probiotics
• therapeutic microbes
• unculturables

• Feces
• Host Microbial Interactions
• Humans
• Microbial Interactions
• Microbiota
• Probiotics

• DOE | NNSA | LDRD | Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)

• Antioxidant capacity
• Cytokines
• Enzyme
• Immune function
• Probiotics

• irritable bowel syndrome
• prebiotics
• probiotics
• synbiotics

• Lactobacillus plantarum
• bacteriocin
• gene regulation
• glycocin F
• maturation pathway
• plasmid
• structure/function relationships

• Gut microbiota
• Probiotics
• Short-chain fatty acid
• Time duration

Iron overload disorder (IOD) affects many wildlife species cared for ex situ. Two of the four rhinoceros species in human care, Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), are susceptible, whereas the other two, white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) and greater one-horned (GOH) rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), are relatively resistant to IOD. Complex interrelationships exist between mammalian hosts, their indigenous gut microbiota, metabolome, physical condition, and iron availability. The goal of this study was to gain insight into these relationships within the family Rhinocerotidae. Specific objectives were to (1) characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome of four rhinoceros species; (2) compare the microbiome and metabolome of IOD-susceptible and IOD-resistant rhinoceros species; and (3) identify variation in the microbiome and metabolome associated with compromised health or disease in IOD-susceptible rhinoceroses. Fecal samples were collected from 31 rhinoceroses (Sumatran rhinoceros, n = 3; black rhinoceros, n = 6; GOH rhinoceros, n = 9; white rhinoceros, n = 13) located at five facilities, and matched fecal aliquots were processed for microbiome and metabolome analyses using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, respectively. Despite the phylogenetic disparity and dissimilar zoo diets of the hosts, the structure of the fecal microbiota of the two IOD-susceptible rhinoceros species were more closely related to each other than to those of the two IOD-resistant species (Bray–Curtis dissimilarity; IOD-susceptible vs. IOD-resistant p-value < 0.001). In addition, IOD-susceptible rhinoceroses exhibited less microbial diversity than their IOD-resistant relatives (Shannon diversity; p-value < 0.001) which could have health implications. Of note, the black rhinoceros was distinct among the four rhinoceros species with the most divergent fecal metabolome; interestingly, it contained higher concentrations of short chain fatty acids. Neither age nor sex were associated with differences in microbial community composition (p = 0.253 and 0.488, respectively) or fecal metabolomic profile (p = 0.634 and 0.332, respectively). Differences in the distal gut microbiomes between IOD-resistant and IOD-susceptible rhinoceroses support hypotheses that gut microbes play a role in host iron acquisition, and further studies and experiments to test these hypotheses are warranted.

• Sumatran rhinoceros
• black rhinoceros
• disease susceptibility
• iron overload
• metabolome
• microbial diversity
• microbiome
• rhinoceros

The key role of diet and environment in human health receives increasing attention. Thus functional foods, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics with beneficial effects on health and ability to prevent diseases are in focus. The efficacy of probiotic bacteria has been connected with their adherence to the host epithelium and residence in the gut. Several in vitro techniques are available for analyzing bacterial interactions with mucin and intestinal cells, simulating adhesion to the host in vivo. Proteomics has monitored and identified proteins of probiotic bacteria showing differential abundance elicited in vitro by exposure to food components, including potential prebiotics (e.g., certain carbohydrates, and plant polyphenols). While adhesion of probiotic bacteria influenced by various environmental factors relevant to the gastrointestinal tract has been measured previously, this was rarely correlated with changes in the bacterial proteome induced by dietary nutrients. The present mini-review deals with effects of selected emerging prebiotics, food components and ingredients on the adhesion of probiotic lactobacilli to mucin and gut epithelial cells and concomitant abundancy changes of specific bacterial proteins. Applying this in vitro synbiotics-like approach enabled identification of moonlighting and other surface-located proteins of Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM that are possibly associated with the adhesive mechanism.

• adhesion
• carbon sources
• intestinal cells
• lactobacilli
• moonlighting proteins
• mucin
• polyphenols
• probiotics
• protein identification
• surface proteomes

• Clostridium butyricum
• Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Metabolite

• Animals
• Chromatography, Gas/methods
• Clostridium butyricum/physiology
• Disease Models, Animal
• Disease Progression
• Feces/chemistry
• Female
• Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology
• Humans
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/etiology
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/metabolism
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/microbiology
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/therapy
• Mass Spectrometry/methods
• Metabolome/physiology
• Metabolomics/methods
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Probiotics/therapeutic use
• Reproducibility of Results
• Sensitivity and Specificity
• Stress, Psychological/complications
• Water

• commensal
• gastrointestinal
• pathogenic microorganisms
• symbiotic

• C corn starch
• CIO corn starch+5 % inulin oligofructose
• H high-carbohydrate
• HIO high-carbohydrate
• IO inulin oligofructose
• LPS lipopolysaccharide
• LV left ventricular
• LVIDs left ventricular internal diameter in systole
• SBP systolic blood pressure
• high-fat diet
• high-fat+inulin oligofructose diet
• Inulin
• Metabolic syndrome
• Oligofructose
• Prebiotics
• Rats

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/drug therapy
• Adult
• Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active/adverse effects
• CD4 Lymphocyte Count
• Diarrhea/chemically induced
• Diarrhea/classification
• Diarrhea/prevention & control
• Dietary Fiber/therapeutic use
• Glutamine/therapeutic use
• HIV Protease Inhibitors/administration & dosage
• HIV Protease Inhibitors/adverse effects
• Humans
• Lopinavir
• Male
• Nelfinavir/administration & dosage
• Nelfinavir/adverse effects
• Probiotics/administration & dosage
• Probiotics/therapeutic use
• Pyrimidinones/administration & dosage
• Pyrimidinones/adverse effects
• Quality of Life
• Ritonavir/administration & dosage
• Ritonavir/adverse effects
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome

• biochemical engineering
• cellular robustness
• exopolysaccharide
• prebiotics
• probiotics
• sub-lethal stress
• survival

• Adaptation, Biological
• Bacteria/genetics
• Bacteria/metabolism
• Environment
• Fermentation
• Food Microbiology
• Metabolic Engineering
• Microbial Viability
• Probiotics
• Quantitative Trait, Heritable
• Stress, Physiological

• behavior
• brain
• dysbiosis
• gut
• microbiota
• probiotics.

• Gastrointestinal Agents/adverse effects
• Gastrointestinal Agents/therapeutic use
• Humans
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/complications
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/drug therapy
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
• Rifamycins/adverse effects
• Rifamycins/therapeutic use
• Rifaximin

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder in children. Recently, probiotics have been suggested as a treatment option for gastrointestinal disorders. The most effective species and the most appropriate doses are still unknown.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of Lactobacillus GG (LGG) for treating IBS in pediatric patients.

In a controlled, double blind, randomized trial, patients with IBS diagnosed by Rome III criteria from August 2012 to September 2012 at Dr. Sheikh Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, were assigned to one of two groups, i.e., intervention and control groups. For four weeks, the intervention group received a probiotic in capsule form that contained LGG at a concentration of 1×10¹⁰ cfu/ml bacteria. For the same period, the control group received a placebo capsule that had the same shape and color but only contained inulin, which also was present in the LGG capsules. The primary outcome was any change in the severity of the patients’ pain, and we used a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the severity of their pain. Secondary outcomes were ghanges of the functional scale, stool patterns, and associated problems.

Fifty-two patients participated in the study, and 26 patients were assigned randomly to each of the two groups. The severity of the patients’ pain decreased significantly in the intervention group after one, two, three, and four weeks of treatment, as indicated by P-values of 0.01, 0.00, 0.00, and 0.00, respectively. Also, there was significant improvement in the functional scale after two weeks of treatment (P-value ≤ 0.00).

Lactobacillus GG at a concentration of 1×10¹⁰ cfu/ml for a period of four weeks can lessen the severity of the patients’ pain and improve the functional scale in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Probiotics can have therapeutic effects for IBS patients.

• children
• irritable bowel syndrome
• probiotics

• Aging/immunology
• Aging/physiology
• Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology
• Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
• Colonic Neoplasms/microbiology
• Colonic Neoplasms/pathology
• Colonic Neoplasms/physiopathology
• Diabetes Mellitus/microbiology
• Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology
• Diet
• Dysbiosis/drug therapy
• Dysbiosis/microbiology
• Dysbiosis/pathology
• Dysbiosis/physiopathology
• Geriatrics
• Health
• Humans
• Immune System Diseases/immunology
• Immune System Diseases/microbiology
• Immune System Diseases/physiopathology
• Intestines/microbiology
• Intestines/pathology
• Intestines/physiology
• Intestines/physiopathology
• Microbiota/drug effects
• Microbiota/physiology
• Obesity/microbiology
• Obesity/physiopathology
• Prebiotics
• Probiotics/therapeutic use
• Synbiotics

• Aging/immunology
• Aging/physiology
• Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology
• Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use
• Colonic Neoplasms/microbiology
• Colonic Neoplasms/pathology
• Colonic Neoplasms/physiopathology
• Diabetes Mellitus/microbiology
• Diabetes Mellitus/physiopathology
• Diet
• Dysbiosis/drug therapy
• Dysbiosis/microbiology
• Dysbiosis/pathology
• Dysbiosis/physiopathology
• Geriatrics
• Health
• Humans
• Immune System Diseases/immunology
• Immune System Diseases/microbiology
• Immune System Diseases/physiopathology
• Intestines/microbiology
• Intestines/pathology
• Intestines/physiology
• Intestines/physiopathology
• Microbiota/drug effects
• Microbiota/physiology
• Obesity/microbiology
• Obesity/physiopathology
• Prebiotics
• Probiotics/therapeutic use
• Synbiotics

Bloating is one of the most common and bothersome symptoms complained by a large proportion of patients. This symptom has been described with various definitions, such as sensation of a distended abdomen or an abdominal tension or even excessive gas in the abdomen, although bloating should probably be defined as the feeling (e.g. a subjective sensation) of increased pressure within the abdomen. It is usually associated with functional gastrointestinal disorders, like irritable bowel syndrome, but when bloating is not part of another functional bowel or gastrointestinal disorder it is included as an independent entity in Rome III criteria named functional bloating. In terms of diagnosis, major difficulties are due to the lack of measurable parameters to assess and grade this symptom. In addition, it is still unclear to what extent the individual patient complaint of subjective bloating correlates with the objective evidence of abdominal distension. In fact, despite its clinical, social and economic relevance, bloating lacks a clear pathophysiology explanation, and an effective management endorsement, turning this common symptom into a true challenge for both patients and clinicians. Different theories on bloating etiology call into questions an increased luminal contents (gas, stools, liquid or fat) and/or an impaired abdominal empting and/or an altered intra-abdominal volume displacement (abdomino-phrenic theory) and/or an increased perception of intestinal stimuli with a subsequent use of empirical treatments (diet modifications, antibiotics and/or probiotics, prokinetic drugs, antispasmodics, gas reducing agents and tricyclic antidepressants). In this review, our aim was to review the latest knowledge on bloating physiopathology and therapeutic options trying to shed lights on those processes where a clinician could intervene to modify disease course.

• Bloating
• Functional gastro-intestinal disorders
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

• Animals
• Enteric Nervous System/physiopathology
• Gastrointestinal Agents/therapeutic use
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/complications
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/diagnosis
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/physiopathology
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/psychology
• Gastrointestinal Diseases/therapy
• Gastrointestinal Motility
• Gastrointestinal Tract/innervation
• Humans
• Mechanotransduction, Cellular
• Pressure
• Sensory Thresholds
• Terminology as Topic
• Treatment Outcome

• Animals
• Bacteria/growth & development
• Bacteria/immunology
• Bacteria/metabolism
• Gastrointestinal Tract/immunology
• Gastrointestinal Tract/microbiology
• Humans
• Immune System
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/drug therapy
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/immunology
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/microbiology
• Microbiota
• Probiotics/therapeutic use

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common condition characterised by pain, distension and altered bowel habit. Evidence suggests functional foods containing probiotics improve gastrointestinal transit, however, data are limited by short follow-up periods and evaluation in selected populations.

A multi-centre, randomized, double blind, controlled trial to evaluate the effect of a probiotic vs non-probiotic dairy product on symptoms in IBS with a constipation element (IBS – Constipation or IBS – Mixed profile). Set in 13 general practices within central England. Individuals meeting the ROME III criteria for IBS, aged 18–65 completed a pre-study diary. Eligible individuals were randomized to consume dairy ‘yoghurt’ products which either did or did not contain active probiotics twice daily and to complete a daily diary. Primary outcome was subjective global assessment of symptom relief at week 4. Other outcomes comprised, IBS symptom scores, pain, bloating and flatulence levels, stool frequency, stool consistency, ease of bowel movement and quality of life.

179 were randomized (91 active, 88 placebo). 76 (43 active, 33 placebo) completed the study. No significant between group differences existed at 4 weeks (57% active vs 53% placebo, reported adequate relief (p = 0.71)). By week 8, 46% active vs 68% placebo reported adequate relief (p = 0.03). This was sustained at week 12.

Significant improvements were reported for most outcomes in all trial participants but improvement did not differ by group. This trial does not provide evidence for effectiveness of a probiotic in IBS, in variance with a body of published literature and review conclusions. Differential drop out may however cloud interpretation of data.

UK Trial registration:ISRCTN78863629

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the digestive tract that causes chronic abdominal symptoms. We evaluated the effects of Lactobacillus brevis KB290 (KB290), which has been demonstrated to be effective at improving bowel movements and the composition of intestinal microflora, on IBS symptoms.

We performed a placebo control double-blind cross matched trial. Thirty-five males and females (aged 6 years and above) who had been diagnosed with IBS according to the Rome III criteria were divided into 2 groups, and after a 4-week pre-trial observation period, they were administered test capsules containing KB290 or placebo for 4 weeks (consumption period I). Then, the capsule administration was suspended for 4 weeks in both groups (washout period), before the opposite capsules were administered for a further 4 weeks (consumption period II). Fecal samples were collected on the first day of the pre-consumption observation period, the last day of consumption period I, the last day of the washout period, and the last day of consumption period II. In addition, the subjects’ IBS symptoms and quality of life (QOL) and any adverse events that they experienced were evaluated.

No significant difference in IBS symptoms was noted among the various periods. However, the mean QOL scores were improved during the test capsule consumption.

The frequencies of watery and mushy feces were significantly lower in the test capsule consumption period than during the pre-consumption observation period, and the frequency of abdominal pain was significantly reduced in the test capsule consumption period compared with the other periods.

The frequency of the genus Bifidobacterium was significantly higher, and that of the genus Clostridium was significantly lower, after the test capsule consumption than after the placebo consumption. The frequencies of the genera Lactobacillus, Bacteroides, and Enterococcus were also investigated, but no differences in their frequencies were detected between the placebo and test capsule consumption periods.

Probiotics, the safety of which has been established, are used widely in various foods and can now be purchased readily. The results of the present study suggest that KB290 is useful for early intervention in IBS.

Dietary preferences and nutrients composition have been shown to influence human and gut microbial metabolism, which ultimately has specific effects on health and diseases’ risk. Increasingly, results from molecular biology and microbiology demonstrate the key role of the gut microbiota metabolic interface to the overall mammalian host’s health status. There is therefore raising interest in nutrition research to characterize the molecular foundations of the gut microbial–mammalian cross talk at both physiological and biochemical pathway levels. Tackling these challenges can be achieved through systems biology approaches, such as metabolomics, to underpin the highly complex metabolic exchanges between diverse biological compartments, including organs, systemic biofluids, and microbial symbionts. By the development of specific biomarkers for prediction of health and disease, metabolomics is increasingly used in clinical applications as regard to disease etiology, diagnostic stratification, and potentially mechanism of action of therapeutical and nutraceutical solutions. Surprisingly, an increasing number of metabolomics investigations in pre-clinical and clinical studies based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry provided compelling evidence that system wide and organ-specific biochemical processes are under the influence of gut microbial metabolism. This review aims at describing recent applications of metabolomics in clinical fields where main objective is to discern the biochemical mechanisms under the influence of the gut microbiota, with insight into gastrointestinal health and diseases diagnostics and improvement of homeostasis metabolic regulation.

• gastrointestinal
• gut microbiota
• metabotypes
• nutritional metabolomics
• personalized nutrition

• Animals
• Gastrointestinal Tract/microbiology
• Health
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
• Metabolomics
• Models, Biological

• Adult
• Eating
• Energy Intake
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• Food
• Humans
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nutrition Policy
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• United Kingdom
• Young Adult

• butyrate
• dysbiosis
• gut microbiota
• irritable bowel syndrome
• short-chain fatty acids

• Adult
• Aged
• Bacteria/genetics
• Bacteria/isolation & purification
• Biopsy
• Colon/microbiology
• Colon/pathology
• DNA, Bacterial/analysis
• Feces/microbiology
• Female
• Humans
• Intestinal Mucosa/microbiology
• Intestinal Mucosa/pathology
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/microbiology
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome/pathology
• Metagenome
• Middle Aged
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Young Adult

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a highly prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder in the world. Although previous studies have led to a greater understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of IBS, the mechanisms underlying the development of IBS are complex and still unclear. It is currently known that a variety of factors contribute to the development of IBS. Abnormal gastrointestinal motility and visceral hypersensitivity are thought to be the pathophysiological basis of the disease. In this article, we will review the recent advances in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome.

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Pathogenesis
• Abnormal gastrointestinal motility
• Visceral hypersensitivity

AIM: To study the ATPase changes of intestinal mucosa of the bacterial cryptic growth cell (CGC)-related irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) rat model.

METHODS: Wistar rats were divided into normal control group and the bacterial CGC-related IBS rat model group. The ATPase activity in rat ileocecal mucosa was tested by inorganic phosphorus detection method, the energy charge (Ec) of adenosine triphosphate and the ratio of ATP to the total amount of adenylic acid pool in ileocecal mucosa cells were detected by high performance liquid chromatography method, and the respiratory enzyme activity was tested by MTT assay method.

RESULTS: Compared with normal control group, in IBS rat model group intestinal mucosa Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase (22.44 ± 5.54 vs 14.20 ± 3.03, P < 0.01), and Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase (16.46 ± 1.86 vs 10.63 ± 1.78, P < 0.01) were significantly decreased, and ATP content was also significantly lower (0.96 ± 0.18 vs 0.48 ± 0.20, P < 0.01), accompanied by the respiratory enzyme activity changes (0.50 ± 0.07 vs 0.21 ± 0.05, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Lower ATPase activity in IBS rat ileocecal mucosa is relevant to lower energy metabolism, which may cause damage to mucosal barrier function. The results have significance on the IBS pathogenesis and treatment.

• Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase
• Ca²⁺-Mg²⁺-ATPase
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Ileoceca
• Mucosa

Disturbances in intestinal microbial ecology and in the immune system of the host have been implicated as a part of the pathogenesis in chronic fatigue syndrome. Probiotic lactic acid producing bacteria have been shown to prevent and alleviate gastrointestinal disturbances and to normalize the cytokine profile which might be of an advantage for patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus paracasei ssp. paracasei F19, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFB 1748 and Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12 on fatigue and physical activity in CFS patients. Fifteen patients fulfilling the criteria set by international researchers in the field at the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 1994 for chronic fatigue syndrome, were included in the study. The patients had high fatigue severity scores and high disability scores. During the first two weeks baseline observations without treatment were assessed, succeeded by four weeks of intake of a probiotic product and a four-week follow-up period. The fatigue, health and physical activity was assessed by the use of the Visual Analogue Scales and the SF-12 Health Survey. Faecal samples were collected and the normal microflora was analysed. Neurocognitive functions improved during the study period while there were no significant changes in fatigue and physical activity scores. No major changes occurred in the gastrointestinal microflora. At the end of the study 6 of 15 patients reported that they had improved according to the assessment described. The findings in this study that improvement of health is possible to achieve should encourage further studies with interventions with probiotics in patients with CFS.