Fundamental properties like robustness and evolvability are present in many dynamic systems. In biological systems, for instance, it seems that both properties are in continuous tension. However, this tension provokes throughout evolution the persistence of mutations and the existence of future evolutionary potential for changes. The special characteristics of biological systems, tell us that i...

To fortify the biological role of milk formula has been suggested to use probiotics and prebiotics as functional components to mimic the effect of breast milk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of prebiotic, probiotic added to a standard formula on gastrointestinal motility respect to placebo-formula. Cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) and ultrasound gastric emptying (GE) were ...

The same prebiotics have produced inconsistent effects on microbiota when evaluated in different batch fermentation studies. To understand the reasons behind these discrepancies, we compared impact of one prebiotic formula on the same inoculated fecal microbiota in two frequently used batch systems: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, oligotrophic) and basal culture medium (BCM, eutrophic). The mic...

the objective of this research was to investigate the efficacy of dietary inclusion of probiotics primalac® and bactocell® and prebiotic fermacto® on broiler’s performance and immune response, individually or in combination. a total of 540 one-d-old male ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated into 6 experimental treatments with 6 replicates of 15 birds per replicate from 1 to 42 d of age. the b...

Butyrate is an important substrate for maintenance of colonic health and oligofructose fermentation by human faecal bacteria can increase butyrate production in vitro. However, oligofructose appears to be fermented by mainly acetate and lactate-producing bacteria rather than butyrate-producing bacteria. Isotope labelling studies using [U-(13)C(6)]glucose were used to show that (13)C(2) and (13)...

This article by the ESPGHAN Committee on Nutrition summarizes available information on the effects of adding prebiotic oligosaccharides to infant and follow-on formulae. Currently there are only limited studies evaluating prebiotic substances in dietetic products for infants. Although administration of prebiotic oligosaccharides has the potential to increase the total number of bifidobacteria i...

To assess the impact of prebiotic supplementation during gestation and fetal and early neonatal life, gestating BALB/cj dam mice were fed either a control or a prebiotic (galacto-oligosaccharides–inulin, 9:1 ratio)-enriched diet throughout pregnancy and lactation, and allowed to nurse their pups until weaning. At the time of weaning, male offspring mice were separated from their mothers, weaned...

Human milk contains prebiotic oligosaccharides, which stimulate the growth of intestinal bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. It is unclear whether the prebiotic capacity of human milk contributes to the larger bile salt pool size and the more efficient fat absorption in infants fed human milk compared with formula. We determined the effect of prebiotic oligosaccharides on bile salt metabolism in r...