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Oxidative stress and inflammation together play a crucial role in the obesogenic process, and imbalances in reactive oxygen species, free radicals and antioxidants have been reported as being major mechanisms underlying obesity-related comorbidities. Obesity and oxidative stress may be present even within the first two decades of life, and chronic exposure to systemic inflammation may contribute to the onset and progression of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Bioactive compounds present in blueberry have been shown to have many positive effects on human health. The present study was carried out in northern Italy on a population of 24 overweight and obese children (8-13 years), divided into three groups: the first consumed fresh blueberries, the second blueberry purée, while a third control group did not consume any blueberries. The children's anthropometric measures were taken and serum markers related to inflammation, CRP, ceruloplasmin, and complements C3 and C4 were measured during the eight weeks they ate either fresh blueberries or blueberry purée. BAP test (Biological Antioxidant Potential) values of the three groups were monitored throughout the entire study and correlated with inflammatory, metabolic and anthropometric markers. The results showed a higher increase in antioxidant levels in the group that ate fresh berries than in the group that ate purée, while the control group's BAP values decreased over the eight weeks of the study. Our results show that increased consumption of blueberries, hence antioxidant intake, may also have a positive effect on markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in overweight and obese patients during childhood.

Antarctica is one of the most stressful environments for plant life and the Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) is adapted to the hostile conditions. Plant-associated microorganisms can contribute to plant survival in cold environments, but scarce information is available on the taxonomic structure and functional roles of C. quitensis-associated microbial communities. This study aimed at evaluating the possible impacts of climate warming on the taxonomic structure of C. quitensis endophytes and at investigating the contribution of culturable bacterial endophytes to plant growth at low temperatures. The culture-independent analysis revealed changes in the taxonomic structure of bacterial and fungal communities according to plant growth conditions, such as the collection site and the presence of open-top chambers (OTCs), which can simulate global warming. Plants grown inside OTCs showed lower microbial richness and higher relative abundances of biomarker bacterial genera (Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium, Aeromicrobium, Aureimonas, Hymenobacter, Novosphingobium, Pedobacter, Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas) and fungal genera (Alternaria, Cistella, and Vishniacozyma) compared to plants collected from open areas (OA), as a possible response to global warming simulated by OTCs. Culturable psychrotolerant bacteria of C. quitensis were able to endophytically colonize tomato seedlings and promote shoot growth at low temperatures, suggesting their potential contribution to plant tolerance to cold conditions.

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