Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions, including protein synthesis, neuromuscular function, and blood pressure regulation. Recent studies have highlighted the role of probiotics, beneficial microorganisms in the human gut, in enhancing mineral absorption. However, the interaction between magnesium and probiotic strains remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the capacity of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53,103 to uptake and internalize magnesium ions, using MgSO₄ as a supplementation source. The bacterium was cultivated in MRS medium with varying concentrations of MgSO₄ (0, 0.1444, 0.722, and 1.444 g/L) over seven days. Quantitative analysis revealed that at 0.722 g/L MgSO₄, intracellular magnesium accumulation peaked at 0.7 mg/dL by Day 3, representing a 7-fold increase compared to the control (0.1 mg/dL). Scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicated essential morphological changes, including ruffled cell surfaces and enhanced ribosomal visibility. These findings suggest that L. rhamnosus can internalize magnesium under enriched conditions, supporting its potential as a microbial carrier for nutribiotic applications. This work contributes to the growing field of mineral–microbe interactions and may inform the development of probiotic-based strategies to improve magnesium bioaccessibility in the human gut.

This study investigates how processing parameters, specifically roasting duration, steam pressure, and steam impregnation time, affect the proximate composition and physical properties of rice during the puffing gun expansion process. Experimental conditions varied Factor A (roasting duration: 12-16 min), Factor B (steam pressure: 10-14 atm), and Factor C (steam impregnation: 3-5 min) across eight treatment combinations, with controls set at A = 14 min, B = 12 atm, and C = 4 min. Results show that higher pressure and longer durations significantly increased crude fiber and protein levels compared to raw rice, while also altering moisture and ash contents. Optimal expansion ratios and desirable texture were achieved with prolonged roasting, lower steam pressure, and shorter impregnation times. Additionally, the redness value (a*) was notably sensitive to processing changes, demonstrating substantial shifts in product appearance. These findings provide practical insights for improving both the quality and nutritional characteristics of puffed rice, as well as informing process efficiency for food manufacturers.

Background: Vaccinium L. berries are rich sources of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, compounds proposed to modulate the human gut microbiota. Although numerous clinical studies investigated these effects, the evidence derived from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) remains fragmented, and no systematic synthesis has yet been conducted. Scope and approach: To evaluate the clinical evidence on how Vaccinium berries intake influences gut microbiota diversity and composition. In this regard, a comprehensive search was conducted to identify RCTs reporting microbiota outcomes following Vaccinium berries supplementation, with data extracted using a standardized protocol and risk of bias assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool. Key findings and conclusions: Fourteen RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Interventions involved cranberry (n = 6), blueberry (n = 5), bilberry (n = 2), and a cranberry-lingonberry blend (n = 1), administered as solids (1.1-36 g/ day) or beverages (240-480 mL/day) for 5 days to 24 weeks. Across trials (some concerns to high risk of bias), alpha and beta-diversity rarely differed from controls. Compositional effects were modest and taxon-specific, with recurrent (though not consistently) enrichment of some taxa (e.g. Bifidobacterium spp., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Anaerostipes, Lachnospira, Adlercreutzia), while many commonly targeted taxa remained stable. Overall, current evidence indicated that Vaccinium berries intake may selectively support a narrow subset of potentially beneficial taxa but does not consistently remodel global gut microbiota. Accordingly, future studies should be longer and methodologically more comprehensive, with detailed phytochemical characterization, population-specific analyses, and comprehensive profiling of bacterial and non-bacterial communities using integrated multi-omics approaches and metagenome-assembled genomes.

BackgroundThe development, progression, and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are determined by interlinked human, animal, and environmental drivers, which pose severe risks to human and livestock health. Conjugative plasmid transfer drives the rapid dissemination of AMR among bacteria. In addition to the judicious use and implementation of stewardship programs, mitigating the spread of antibiotic resistance requires an understanding of the dynamics of AMR transfer among microbial communities, as well as the role of various microbial taxa as potential reservoirs that promote long-term AMR persistence. Here, we employed Hi-C, a high-throughput, culture-free technique, combined with qPCR, to monitor carriage and transfer of a multidrug-resistent (MDR) plasmid within an Atlantic salmon in vitro gut model during florfenicol treatment, a benzenesulfonyl antibiotic widely deployed in fin-fish aquaculture.ResultsMicrobial communities from the pyloric ceaca of three healthy adult farmed salmon were inoculated into three bioreactors simulating the teleost gut, which were developed for the SalmoSim gut system. The model system was then inoculated with the Escherichia coli strain ATCC 25922 carrying the plasmid pM07-1 and treated with florfenicol at a concentration of 150 mg/L in fish feed media for 5 days prior to the washout/recovery phase. Hi-C and metagenomic sequencing identified numerous transfer events, including those involving gram-negative and gram-positive taxa, and, crucially, the transfer and persistence of the plasmid continued once florfenicol treatment was withdrawn.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the role of the commensal teleost gut flora as a reservoir for AMR even once antimicrobial selective pressure has been withdrawn. Our system also provides a model to study how different treatment regimens and interventions may be deployed to mitigate AMR persistence.

The black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is valued for its rapid growth, adaptability, and high-quality wood. This study analyzed seedlings from eight Romanian provenances to assess their growth potential, physiological traits, and mechanical resistance. Over the first six years, tree height and trunk diameter exhibited significant variations among provenances, with some genotypes demonstrating a higher capacity for biomass accumulation based on growth-related traits. Differences in leaf morphology, chlorophyll content, and wood strength indicate that genetic variation, environmental adaptation, and genotype-by-environment interactions shape these traits. Ecological factors at seed sources, such as temperature and precipitation, further influenced the trees' resilience to local stressors. Multivariate analysis identified strong correlations among vegetative growth traits and between foliage characteristics and provenance-specific climatic conditions, suggesting inherited clinal trends shaped by environmental stressors. Broad-sense heritability estimates (0.318-0.794) highlight the potential for genetic improvement through selective breeding. At least three genotypes exhibited favorable traits, including enhanced wood resistance to compression and bending stress, making them suitable for afforestation, ornamental landscaping, and ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands. The selection of resilient genotypes could improve the sustainable use of land vulnerable to abiotic stressors and extreme climatic events. Future research should investigate the long-term stability of early growth patterns, explore genotype-environment interactions, and assess hybrid breeding strategies to enhance tree growth and resilience in diverse ecological conditions.