Untangling the Genetic Basis of Fibrolytic Specialization by Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae in Diverse Gut Communities

The Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae are two of the most abundant families from the order Clostridiales found in the mammalian gut environment, and have been associated with the maintenance of gut health. While they are both diverse groups, they share a common role as active plant degraders. By comparing the genomes of the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae with the Clostridiaceae, a more commonly free-living group, we identify key carbohydrate-active enzymes, sugar transport mechanisms, and metabolic pathways that distinguish these two commensal groups as specialists for the degradation of complex plant material

Legal Prostitution and How It Can Affect Sex Trafficking

This research explores the effect of different prostitution policy models on sex trafficking, focusing on the criminalization model in the United States and the legalization model in the Netherlands. The aim is to understand how each model impacts the growth of the sex trafficking industry and the availability of resources for trafficking victims to escape their situation, with the ultimate goal of determining which model – criminal or legal – more affectively combats sex trafficking. The two models are explored through interviews with a former trafficking victim and two law enforcement officials in the United States, as well as two former sex workers in the Netherlands. Though limited by a small sample size and a focus on women in the industry, the research results indicate that, given the persistent nature of prostitution, the legalization model produces greater benefits than the criminalization model, both in terms of public safety and industry regulation and in terms of enabling sex trafficking victims to escape the industry

Heparan sulfate deficiency in autistic postmortem brain tissue from the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles

Abnormal cellular growth and organization have been characterized in postmortem tissue from brains of autistic individuals, suggestive of pathology in a critical neurogenic niche, the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the brain lateral ventricles (LV). We examined cellular organization, cell proliferation, and constituents of the extracellular matrix such as N-sulfated heparan sulfate (HS) and laminin (LAM) in postmortem brain tissue from the LV-SVZ of young to elderly individuals with autism (n = 4) and age-matched typically developing (TD) individuals (n = 4) using immunofluorescence techniques. Strong and systematic reductions in HS immunofluorescence were observed in the LV-SVZ of the TD individuals with increasing age. For young through mature, but not elderly, autistic pair members, HS was reduced compared to their matched TDs. Cellular proliferation (Ki67+) was higher in the autistic individual of the youngest age-matched pair. These preliminary data suggesting that HS may be reduced in young to mature autistic individuals are in agreement with previous findings from the BTBR T+tf/J mouse, an animal model of autism; from mice with genetic modifications reducing HS; and with genetic variants in HS-related genes in autism. They suggest that aberrant extracellular matrix glycosaminoglycan function localized to the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles may be a biomarker for autism, and potentially involved in the etiology of the disorder

Lived Experiences of Adult Children Who Have a Parent Diagnosed with Parkinsons Disease

Little is known about the experience among adult children who have a parent with Parkinsons Disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to explore, appreciate, and describe their experiences using a phenomenological methodology. Narratives were collected from seven participants who have a parent diagnosed with PD and analyzed according to Colaizzis (1978) phenomenological data analysis method. Seven thematic clusters were identified and an exhaustive description is presented to summarize the essence of their lived experience. The study indicates a strong sense of essential positivism from the participants stories, and overall, it seems PD has brought some degree of biological, psychological, socially, and/or spiritual meaning to their lives that they may not have otherwise noticed or experienced

An In Vitro Model of the Horse Gut Microbiome Enables Identification of Lactate-Utilizing Bacteria That Differentially Respond to Starch Induction

Laminitis is a chronic, crippling disease triggered by the sudden influx of dietary starch. Starch reaches the hindgut resulting in enrichment of lactic acid bacteria, lactate accumulation, and acidification of the gut contents. Bacterial products enter the bloodstream and precipitate systemic inflammation. Hindgut lactate levels are normally low because specific bacterial groups convert lactate to short chain fatty acids. Why this mechanism fails when lactate levels rapidly rise, and why some hindgut communities can recover is unknown. Fecal samples from three adult horses eating identical diets provided bacterial communities for this in vitro study. Triplicate microcosms of fecal slurries were enriched with lactate and/or starch. Metabolic products (short chain fatty acids, headspace gases, and hydrogen sulfide) were measured and microbial community compositions determined using Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing over 12-hour intervals. We report that patterns of change in short chain fatty acid levels and pH in our in vitro system are similar to those seen in in vivo laminitis induction models. Community differences between microcosms with disparate abilities to clear excess lactate suggest profiles conferring resistance of starch-induction conditions. Where lactate levels recover following starch induction conditions, propionate and acetate levels rise correspondingly and taxa related to Megasphaera elsdenii reach levels exceeding 70% relative abundance. In lactate and control cultures, taxa related to Veillonella montpellierensis are enriched as lactate levels fall. Understanding the microbial dynamics underlying lactic acidosis and laminitis will lead to better informed models of health and the development of a probiotic treatment to prevent acidosis

Train and Equip Program for Syria: Authorities, Funding, and Issues for Congress

This report discusses the current debate over various aspect of the Syria Train and Equip program. These include U.S. efforts to combat the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria and setting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to Syria's civil war

Students’ Perception of Embedding Cultural Diversity Content into Early Childhood Courses

This study examined the incorporation of specific content framed with a diversity and equity lens into two existing early childhood courses. The purpose was to investigate how embedding the diversity and equity content impacted student perceptions and supported their cultural competence. Pre- and post-survey results (N = 50) show student awareness of biases and beliefs were positively influenced. Implications are examined related to course content and activities that could enhance students’ competencies and understanding to work with colleagues, children and families in diverse, inclusive settings

Whole-Genome Sequencing and Concordance Between Antimicrobial Susceptibility Genotypes and Phenotypes of Bacterial Isolates Associated with Bovine Respiratory Disease.

Extended laboratory culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing timelines hinder rapid species identification and susceptibility profiling of bacterial pathogens associated with bovine respiratory disease, the most prevalent cause of cattle mortality in the United States. Whole-genome sequencing offers a culture-independent alternative to current bacterial identification methods, but requires a library of bacterial reference genomes for comparison. To contribute new bacterial genome assemblies and evaluate genetic diversity and variation in antimicrobial resistance genotypes, whole-genome sequencing was performed on bovine respiratory disease-associated bacterial isolates (Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Pasteurella multocida) from dairy and beef cattle. One hundred genomically distinct assemblies were added to the NCBI database, doubling the available genomic sequences for these four species. Computer-based methods identified 11 predicted antimicrobial resistance genes in three species, with none being detected in M. bovis While computer-based analysis can identify antibiotic resistance genes within whole-genome sequences (genotype), it may not predict the actual antimicrobial resistance observed in a living organism (phenotype). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 64 H. somni, M. haemolytica, and P. multocida isolates had an overall concordance rate between genotype and phenotypic resistance to the associated class of antimicrobials of 72.7% (P < 0.001), showing substantial discordance. Concordance rates varied greatly among different antimicrobial, antibiotic resistance gene, and bacterial species combinations. This suggests that antimicrobial susceptibility phenotypes are needed to complement genomically predicted antibiotic resistance gene genotypes to better understand how the presence of antibiotic resistance genes within a given bacterial species could potentially impact optimal bovine respiratory disease treatment and morbidity/mortality outcomes

Distributed probing of chromatin structure in vivo reveals pervasive chromatin accessibility for expressed and non-expressed genes during tissue differentiation in C. elegans

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Tissue differentiation is accompanied by genome-wide changes in the underlying chromatin structure and dynamics, or epigenome. By controlling when, where, and what regulatory factors have access to the underlying genomic DNA, the epigenome influences the cell's transcriptome and ultimately its function. Existing genomic methods for analyzing cell-type-specific changes in chromatin generally involve two elements: (i) a source for purified cells (or nuclei) of distinct types, and (ii) a specific treatment that partitions or degrades chromatin by activity or structural features. For many cell types of great interest, such assays are limited by our inability to isolate the relevant cell populations in an organism or complex tissue containing an intertwined mixture of other cells. This limitation has confined available knowledge of chromatin dynamics to a narrow range of biological systems (cell types that can be sorted/separated/dissected in large numbers and tissue culture models) or to amalgamations of diverse cell types (tissue chunks, whole organisms).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Transgene-driven expression of DNA/chromatin modifying enzymes provides one opportunity to query chromatin structures in expression-defined cell subsets. In this work we combine <it>in vivo </it>expression of a bacterial DNA adenine methyltransferase (DAM) with high throughput sequencing to sample tissue-specific chromatin accessibility on a genome-wide scale. We have applied the method (DALEC: Direct Asymmetric Ligation End Capture) towards mapping a cell-type-specific view of genome accessibility as a function of differentiated state. Taking advantage of <it>C. elegans </it>strains expressing the DAM enzyme in diverse tissues (body wall muscle, gut, and hypodermis), our efforts yield a genome-wide dataset measuring chromatin accessibility at each of 538,000 DAM target sites in the <it>C. elegans </it>(diploid) genome.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Validating the DALEC mapping results, we observe a strong association between observed coverage by nucleosomes and low DAM accessibility. Strikingly, we observed no extended regions of inaccessible chromatin for any of the tissues examined. These results are consistent with "local choreography" models in which differential gene expression is driven by intricate local rearrangements of chromatin structure rather than gross impenetrability of large chromosomal regions.</p

Pregnancy Induces Persistent Changes that Potentiate Apoptotic Signaling and Responses to DNA Damage

A full-term pregnancy reduces the lifetime risk of breast cancer by up to 50%. This effect is mediated, in part, by p53-dependent pathways. Gene expression profiling was used to investigate the mechanisms that alter apoptotic responses to DNA damage in the mammary gland. Radiation-induced responses in BALB/c-Trp53+/+ and BALB/c-Trp53-/- mice identified 121 genes that were altered by radiation and p53 status (p53-IR). To determine the effect of parity, mice were mated, force-weaned and mammary glands were allowed to involute for 21 days (parous) and compared with age-matched nulliparous mice. Gene expression profiles were determined in mammary tissues from nulliparous (N), parous (P), irradiated nulliparous (N-IR) and irradiated parous (P-IR) mice. The p53-IR gene signature did not differ among the N-IR and P-IR groups indicating that transcriptional activity of p53 was not altered by parity. However, expression profiles of apoptosis-related genes differed significantly in the parous group. The alterations in parous mammary tissues was accompanied by over-representation of biological processes that included “signal transduction” (e=1.69E-05). Within this set, Wnt signaling was especially pronounced (e Parity-regulated genes collaborate with p53-dependent targets, which act as a “switch”, to elicit apoptosis following ionizing radiation. The epigenetic states of the parity-regulated genes Tgfb2 and Wnt5a provide a mechanism for the persistent alterations in gene expression and apoptosis in parous mammary epithelial cells