Bacteria isolated from Bengal cat (Felis catus × Prionailurus bengalensis) anal sac secretions produce volatile compounds potentially associated with animal signaling.

In social animals, scent secretions and marking behaviors play critical roles in communication, including intraspecific signals, such as identifying individuals and group membership, as well as interspecific signaling. Anal sacs are an important odor producing organ found across the carnivorans (species in the mammalian Order Carnivora). Secretions from the anal sac may be used as chemical signals by animals for behaviors ranging from defense to species recognition to signaling reproductive status. In addition, a recent study suggests that domestic cats utilize short-chain free fatty acids in anal sac secretions for individual recognition. The fermentation hypothesis is the idea that symbiotic microorganisms living in association with animals contribute to odor profiles used in chemical communication and that variation in these chemical signals reflects variation in the microbial community. Here we examine the fermentation hypothesis by characterizing volatile organic compounds (VOC) and bacteria isolated from anal sac secretions collected from a male Bengal cat (Felis catus × Prionailurus bengalensis), a cross between the domestic cat and the leopard cat. Both left and right anal sacs of a male Bengal cat were manually expressed (emptied) and collected. Half of the material was used to culture bacteria or to extract bacterial DNA and the other half was used for VOC analysis. DNA was extracted from the anal sac secretions and used for a 16S rRNA gene PCR amplification and sequencing based characterization of the microbial community. Additionally, some of the material was plated out in order to isolate bacterial colonies. Three taxa (Bacteroides fragilis, Tessaracoccus, and Finegoldia magna) were relatively abundant in the 16S rRNA gene sequence data and also isolated by culturing. Using Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME) gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), we tentatively identified 52 compounds from the Bengal cat anal sac secretions and 67 compounds from cultures of the three bacterial isolates chosen for further analysis. Among 67 compounds tentatively identified from bacterial isolates, 51 were also found in the anal sac secretion. We show that the bacterial community in the anal sac consists primarily of only a few abundant taxa and that isolates of these taxa produce numerous volatiles that are found in the combined anal sac volatile profile. Several of these volatiles are found in anal sac secretions from other carnivorans, and are also associated with known bacterial biosynthesis pathways. This is consistent with the fermentation hypothesis and the possibility that the anal sac is maintained at least in part to house bacteria that produce volatiles for the host

Nutritional status of micronutrients as a possible and modifiable risk factor for COVID-19: a UK perspective

Recent scientific evidence has indicated that the elderly have increased risk of COVID-19 infections, with over-70s and 80s being hardest hit-especially residents of care homes and in clinical settings, ethnic minorities, people who work indoors and those who are overweight and obese. Other potential risk factors include lack of exposure to sunlight, darker skin pigmentation, comorbidities, poor diet, certain medications, disadvantaged social and economic status, and lifestyle factors such as smoking and excessive consumption of alcohol. A key question is to understand how and why certain groups of people are more susceptible to COVID-19, whether they have weakened immune systems, and what the roles of good nutrition and specific micronutrients are in supporting immune functions. A varied and balanced diet with an abundance of fruits and vegetables and the essential nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin A, B vitamins (folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12), vitamin C and the minerals iron, copper, selenium and zinc are all known to contribute to the normal functions of the immune system. Avoidance of deficiencies and identification of suboptimal intakes of these micronutrients in targeted groups of patients and in distinct and highly sensitive populations could help to strengthen the resilience of people to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to highlight evidence-based public health messages, to prevent false and misleading claims about the benefits of foods and food supplements, to communicate clearly that the extent of knowledge between micronutrients and COVID-19 infection is still being explored, and that no diet will prevent or cure COVID-19 infection. Frequent handwashing and social distancing will be critical to reduce transmission

Movement of N from decomposing earthworm tissue to soil microbial and plant N pools

Abstract A microcosm experiment was made to determine the fate of nitrogen released from 15 N-labelled decomposing earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) in soil in the presence or absence of ryegrass seedlings (Lolium perenne). Earthworm tissue (2.0% 15 N atom enriched) was added to each microcosm. Nitrogen movement from earthworm tissue to soil N [mineral N (NH 4 -N + NO 3 -N), dissolved organic N (DON) and organic N], microbial biomass N and plant shoot N pools was determined by destructive sampling at 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 d. Earthworm tissues decomposed rapidly, and no tissue was visible after 4 d. Initially in pots without plants, most of the N from earthworm tissue was found in the organic N pool, however, as much as 55% of the N from decomposing earthworm tissue was incorporated into microbial biomass after 2 d. Much less of the N from earthworm tissue was transformed into DON and mineral N forms after 2 d. The DON and mineral N pools contained 13±18% and 4±7% of the N from earthworm tissue, respectively, from d 2 to 16. By the end of the experiment, N from earthworm tissue in the microbial biomass N pool declined to 29% while the amount of N from earthworm tissue in the organic N pool increased to 49%. The increase in the organic N may have resulted from the production of new organic compounds such as microbial by-products. In pots with plants, N from earthworm tissue was rapidly incorporated into microbial biomass, and by d 2, the microbial biomass N pool contained 40% of the N from earthworm tissue. Mineral N, DON and microbial biomass N concentrations were lower in pots with ryegrass seedlings compared to pots without plants, and after d 2 declined to almost undetectable amounts because of rapid plant uptake. Between 42±52% of the N from earthworm tissue was found in the organic N pool from d 1 to 8, and then declined to 19% by d 16. After 16 d, over 70% of the N added as earthworm tissue was incorporated into plant shoot biomass. Our results demonstrate that the movement of N from dead earthworm tissue into microbial biomass was extremely rapid, and in pots without plants, much of this N was transformed into organic N forms, while in pots with ryegrass, most of the N from earthworm tissue accumulated in ryegrass shoots.

Vitamin D and subsequent all-age and premature mortality: a systematic review

<br>Background: All-cause mortality in the population < 65 years is 30% higher in Glasgow than in equally deprived Liverpool and Manchester. We investigated a hypothesis that low vitamin D in this population may be associated with premature mortality via a systematic review and meta-analysis.</br> <br>Methods: Medline, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library and grey literature sources were searched until February 2012 for relevant studies. Summary statistics were combined in an age-stratified meta-analysis.</br> <br>Results: Nine studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing 24,297 participants, 5,324 of whom died during follow-up. The pooled hazard ratio for low compared to high vitamin D demonstrated a significant inverse association (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.27) between vitamin D levels and all-cause mortality after adjustment for available confounders. In an age-stratified meta-analysis, the hazard ratio for older participants was 1.25 (95% CI 1.14-1.36) and for younger participants 1.12 (95% CI 1.01-1.24).</br> <br>Conclusions: Low vitamin D status is inversely associated with all-cause mortality but the risk is higher amongst older individuals and the relationship is prone to residual confounding. Further studies investigating the association between vitamin D deficiency and all-cause mortality in younger adults with adjustment for all important confounders (or using randomised trials of supplementation) are required to clarify this relationship.</br&gt

COVID-19-exploring the implications of long-term condition type and extent of multimorbidity on years of life lost : a modelling study

Grant Information: David A. McAllister is wholly supported via an intermediate clinical fellowship from the Wellcome Trust (201492). Peter Hanlon is funded through a Clinical Research Training Fellowship from the Medical Research Council (MR/S021949/1).Background: COVID-19 is responsible for increasing deaths globally. As most people dying with COVID-19 are older with underlying long-term conditions (LTCs), some speculate that YLL are low. We aim to estimate YLL attributable to COVID-19, before and after adjustment for number/type of LTCs, using the limited data available early in the pandemic. Methods: We first estimated YLL from COVID-19 using WHO life tables, based on published age/sex data from COVID-19 deaths in Italy. We then used aggregate data on number/type of LTCs in a Bayesian model to estimate likely combinations of LTCs among people dying with COVID-19. We used routine UK healthcare data from Scotland and Wales to estimate life expectancy based on age/sex/these combinations of LTCs using Gompertz models from which we then estimate YLL. Results: Using the standard WHO life tables, YLL per COVID-19 death was 14 for men and 12 for women. After adjustment for number and type of LTCs, the mean YLL was slightly lower, but remained high (11.6 and 9.4 years for men and women, respectively). The number and type of LTCs led to wide variability in the estimated YLL at a given age (e.g. at ≥80 years, YLL was >10 years for people with 0 LTCs, and <3 years for people with ≥6). Conclusions: Deaths from COVID-19 represent a substantial burden in terms of per-person YLL, more than a decade, even after adjusting for the typical number and type of LTCs found in people dying of COVID-19. The extent of multimorbidity heavily influences the estimated YLL at a given age. More comprehensive and standardised collection of data (including LTC type, severity, and potential confounders such as socioeconomic-deprivation and care-home status) is needed to optimise YLL estimates for specific populations, and to understand the global burden of COVID-19, and guide policy-making and interventions.Peer reviewe

Dietary iron depletion at weaning imprints low microbiome diversity and this is not recovered with oral nano Fe(III)

Alterations in the gut microbiota have been recently linked to oral iron. We conducted two feeding studies including an initial diet-induced iron-depletion period followed by supplementation with nanoparticulate tartrate-modified ferrihydrite (Nano Fe(III): considered bioavailable to host but not bacteria) or soluble ferrous sulfate (FeSO4: considered bioavailable to both host and bacteria). We applied denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and fluorescence in situ hybridization for study-1 and 454-pyrosequencing of fecal 16S rRNA in study-2. In study-1, the within-community microbial diversity increased with FeSO4 (P = 0.0009) but not with Nano Fe(III) supplementation. This was confirmed in study-2, where we also showed that iron depletion at weaning imprinted significantly lower within- and between-community microbial diversity compared to mice weaned onto the iron-sufficient reference diet (P < 0.0001). Subsequent supplementation with FeSO4 partially restored the within-community diversity (P = 0.006 in relation to the continuously iron-depleted group) but not the between-community diversity, whereas Nano Fe(III) had no effect. We conclude that (1) dietary iron depletion at weaning imprints low diversity in the microbiota that is not, subsequently, easily recovered; (2) in the absence of gastrointestinal disease iron supplementation does not negatively impact the microbiota; and (3) Nano Fe(III) is less available to the gut microbiota

Variation in the organization and subunit composition of the mammalian pyruvate dehydrogenase complex E2/E3BP core assembly

The final version of this article is available at the link below.Crucial to glucose homoeostasis in humans, the hPDC (human pyruvate dehydrogenase complex) is a massive molecular machine comprising multiple copies of three distinct enzymes (E1–E3) and an accessory subunit, E3BP (E3-binding protein). Its icosahedral E2/E3BP 60-meric ‘core’ provides the central structural and mechanistic framework ensuring favourable E1 and E3 positioning and enzyme co-operativity. Current core models indicate either a 48E2+12E3BP or a 40E2+20E3BP subunit composition. In the present study, we demonstrate clear differences in subunit content and organization between the recombinant hPDC core (rhPDC; 40E2+20E3BP), generated under defined conditions where E3BP is produced in excess, and its native bovine (48E2+12E3BP) counterpart. The results of the present study provide a rational basis for resolving apparent differences between previous models, both obtained using rhE2/E3BP core assemblies where no account was taken of relative E2 and E3BP expression levels. Mathematical modelling predicts that an ‘average’ 48E2+12E3BP core arrangement allows maximum flexibility in assembly, while providing the appropriate balance of bound E1 and E3 enzymes for optimal catalytic efficiency and regulatory fine-tuning. We also show that the rhE2/E3BP and bovine E2/E3BP cores bind E3s with a 2:1 stoichiometry, and propose that mammalian PDC comprises a heterogeneous population of assemblies incorporating a network of E3 (and possibly E1) cross-bridges above the core surface.This work was partly supported by EPSRC (under grants GR/R99393/01 and EP/C015452/1)

Microstructural characterisation of subsurface deformation and the degradation of Stellite 6 induced by self-mated sliding contact in a simulated PWR environment

© 2021 Elsevier Ltd Stellite 6 (Co-29.5%Cr-5%W-1.2%C in wt%) is traditionally used as a hardfacing material in the primary circuit of pressurised water reactors (PWRs) due to its good corrosion and wear resistance in water at up to 300 °C. In this study, pin-on-disc type sliding contact tribocorrosion testing was conducted on HIPed Stellite 6 at 20 °C and 250 °C using a bespoke tribometer to simulate a primary circuit environment. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize, for the first time, the material affected by tribocorrosion. Whilst the material loss increases by 16–39 times when the test temperature is increased from 20 °C to 250 °C, the mechanisms of degradation and deformation remain largely unchanged. Furthest from the sliding contact, strain is principally accommodated by the deformation-induced transformation of the γ Co-based matrix to ε-martensite. Closer to the sliding contact, the ε-martensite phase accommodates further strain via twinning and dislocation slip. At the sliding contact the intense deformation generates a nanocrystalline structure. The tribologically affected material is resistant to plastic strain localisation; this confines wear to the nanoscale where the synergistic effects of chemical degradation and mechanical deformation permit the removal of nanoscale particulates (corrosion enhanced nanowear (tribocorrosion)). The increased wear rate at 250 °C is attributed to a temperature dependent increase in corrosion enhanced nanowear. The degradation mechanisms revealed are important for the design of future hardfacings

Motivations and barriers to prosthesis users participation in physical activity, exercise and sport : a review of the literature

The UK will host the Paralympics in 2012 and the Commonwealth Games in 2014 showcasing the talents of elite athletes and aiming to inspire the population to become involved. However, low levels of physical activity (PA) are prevalent: only 40% of men and 28% of women meet the minimum UK recommendations. The limb absent population is no exception. To determine if people with limb amputations are participating in physical activity and sport; whether post-amputation activity levels match pre-amputation levels; and if there are motivations and barriers to participation. Study design: Literature review Five reviewers systematically search of peer reviewed and gray literature in seven bibliographic databases and the Cochrane Library. Results: Following rigorous elimination, 12 articles were finally included in the review and critically appraised. Four themes were identified: components, rehabilitation outcomes, body image and motivations and barriers to participation. People with limb absence are not participating in PA conducive to health benefits, and only a minority participate in exercise and sports. Participation following amputation does not mirror that of pre-amputation levels, and more barriers than motivations exist to adopting and maintaining a physically active lifestyle. This literature review aims to inform those involved in rehabilitation and ongoing care of those with limb absence about what motivates or precludes their participation in physical activity, exercise and sport. Such knowledge could be applied to improving health and well being in this population

Influence of a foliar endophyte and budburst phenology on survival of wild and laboratory-reared eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana on white spruce (Picea glauca)

A manipulative field study was carried out to determine whether the foliar endophyte fungus, Phialocephala scopiformisDAOM229536, decreased the performance of eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana larvae developing on white spruce trees. Overwintered second-instar budworm larvae from a laboratory colony or from a wild population were placed on endophyte positive or negative trees one or two weeks before budburst. The presence of the endophyte in the needles reduced the survival of C. fumiferana from both a wild population and a laboratory colony. Survival for budworm juveniles up to pupation and to adult emergence was 13% and 17% lower, respectively, on endophyte positive trees. The endophyte did not influence the size or sex of survivors and budwor