No abstract

The effect of a dietary incorporation of the seaweeds Ulva lactuca and Chondrus crispus as functional ingredients was evaluated in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juvenile growth, feed efficiency, muscle lipid composition, intermediary metabolism, oxidative status and gut histomorphology. Fish (15 g initial body weight) were fed with isoproteic (46%) and isolipidic (18%) diets with fish meal (FM) and plant feedstuffs (PF) (27:73 protein from FM:PF) as main protein sources (control diet). Three other diets were formulated similar to the control but including 5% U. lactuca, 5% C. crispus or 2.5% of both algae (diets Ulva, Chondrus and Mix, respectively). Dietary incorporation of Ulva did not affect growth performance (P > 0.05) while it leads to higher muscle ΣSFA (saturated fatty acids); and liver lipid peroxidation (LPO). Moreover, lower muscle ΣPUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) and plasma glucose was observed. Dietary incorporation of Chondrus leads to lower growth; whole-body dry matter and lipid content; muscle ΣPUFA and ω3 fatty acids; and plasma glucose. In addition, higher muscle ΣMUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids); and liver LPO was observed. Dietary incorporation of both algae (Mix) led to lower growth; whole-body lipid content; muscle ΣPUFA and ω3 fatty acids; plasma glucose; and hepatic PK (pyruvate kinase) and HOAD (3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase). Furthermore, it leads to higher muscle ΣSFA and ΣMUFA; and liver LPO. Overall, no beneficial effects of including the tested seaweeds in the diets was observed, while oxidative status was negatively affected in all dietary treatments.

Bacteria that degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the estuarine surface microlayer (SML) of the Ria de Aveiro, Portugal -which is chronically polluted with oil hydrocarbons (OH) -were isolated and characterized; Pseudomonas was dominant among the PAH-degrading bacteria. Screening for PAH dioxygenase genes detected almost identical nahAc genes (encoding the alpha subunits of naphthalene dioxygenase) in 2 phylogenetically distinct isolates: Pseudomonas sp. and an unknown species of the family Enterobacteriaceae; this suggested that horizontal transfer of nah genes might be involved in PAH degradation in the SML. We also investigated the effect of PAH contamination on the spatial variability of the bacterioneuston along a gradient of pollution in the estuarine system of the Ria de Aveiro. Culture-independent techniques -fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and denaturing-gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) -revealed a similar structure among the bacterioneuston communities along the estuary. In contrast, we detected differences in the relative abundance and diversity of organisms of the Gammaproteobacteria, including those of the genus Pseudomonas (which belongs to the Gammaproteobacteria). This is the first insight into the hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial communities in the SML of an estuarine area polluted with hydrocarbons. Our findings highlight the importance of SML-adapted hydrocarbonoclastic bacterioneuston as a potential source of new PAH-degrading bacteria (including new pseudomonads) with potential use in the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-polluted ecosystems. KEY WORDS: Sea surface microlayer · Bacterioneuston · Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons · PAH degradationResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

Context Several studies have shown a link between proinflammatory activity and the presence or deficit of some fatty acids. Inflammation is associated with several diseases including diabetes. Objective To characterize and compare the fatty acids profiles in children with inaugural type 1 diabetes, diabetic children (at least 1 year after diagnosis), and healthy children. Design Plasma fatty acids profiles in children with inaugural diabetes, children with noninaugural diabetes, and controls, all of whom were prepubescent with a BMI < 85th percentile, were evaluated. Results Omega-3 fatty acid levels were higher in recently diagnosed subjects with diabetes than in controls. The ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids was higher in the control population. Omega-6 fatty acid levels were higher in the nonrecent diabetic subjects than in the children with recently diagnosed diabetes, and the levels were higher in the nonrecent diabetes group compared to the control group. Conclusion Our findings showed higher levels of alpha-linolenic acid, EPA, and DHA, as well as mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, in diabetic children. These findings reinforce the importance of precocious nutritional attention and intervention in the treatment of diabetic children.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

The total lipid content and lipidic profile of seaweeds harvested in the North Coast and purchased in Portugal were determined in this paper. The amount of total lipids in the different species of seaweeds varied between 0.7 ± 0.1% (Chondrus crispus) and 3.8 ± 0.6% (Ulva spp.). Regarding the fatty acid content, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ranged between 0–35%, with Ulva spp. presenting the highest amount; monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) varied between 19 and 67%; and saturated fatty acids (SFA) were predominant in C. crispus (45–78%) and Gracilaria spp. (36–79%). Concerning the nutritional indices, the atherogenicity index (AI) was between 0.4–3.2, the thrombogenicity index (TI) ranged from 0.04 to 1.95, except for Gracilaria spp., which had a TI of 7.6, and the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (HH) values ranged between 0.88–4.21, except for Gracilaria spp., which exhibited values between 0.22–9.26. The n6/n3 ratio was below 1 for most of the species evaluated, except for Ascophyllum nodosum, which presented a higher value, although below 2. Considering the PUFA/SFA ratio, seaweeds presented values between 0.11–1.02. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHCs) contamination of seaweeds under study was also quantified, the values found being much lower than the maximum levels recommended for foodstuff.