Combined inhibitory effect of nisin with EDTA against Listeria monocytogenes in soy-protein edible coating on turkey frankfurters stored at 4°C and 10°C

Several food contamination outbreaks are linked to Listeria monocytogenes. More effective methods are needed to prevent the growth and recontamination of L. monocytogenes on ready-to-eat (RTE) food products. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the inhibitory activities of nisin (10,000 IU/mL), EDTA (sodium Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid: 1.6 mg/mL), and the combination of nisin (10,000 IU/mL) with EDTA 1.6 mg/mL either in brain-heart-infusion (BHI) media at 37°C for 72 h or in soy-protein edible coating on the surface of full-fat commercial turkey frankfurters against the cell populations of approximately 106 colony forming units (CFU/mL) of L. monocytogenes. The surface-inoculated frankfurters were dipped into soy-protein film forming solutions with and without the addition of antimicrobial agents [(nisin (10,000 IU) or EDTA (0.16%) or the combination)] and stored at either 4°C or 10°C. The inhibitory effects of edible coatings were evaluated on a weekly basis for 45 d. The greatest inhibitory activities of 6 log cycle reductions of L. monocytogenes were found when nisin was combined with EDTA and eliminated 6 log cycles of L. monocytogenes in both systems. In the combined nisin (10,000 IU) with EDTA (0.16%) treatment, the L. monocytogenes population was reduced to undetectable levels after 15 h or 7 d incubation in BHI at 37°C or on turkey frankfurters stored at 4°C and 10°C, respectively. This research has demonstrated that the use of an edible film coating containing nisin with EDTA is a promising means of controlling the growth and recontamination of L. monocytogenes on RTE meat products

Sport Chaplains and Social Workers: A Theoretical Understanding of a Necessary Component of an Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Sport in the United States

Holistic care of athletes is a growing area of research and practice. Yet, there is still much to consider as attention to this matter continues to expand. Specifically, what are the different theoretical perspectives of each profession working together towards the holistic care of athletes? The theoretical understanding between professions is essential for effective interprofessional teams—what some scholars have termed interprofessional cultural competence. The purpose of this paper is thus to provide the theoretical underpinnings for collaboration between sport chaplains and social workers, both emerging professions within interprofessional care in sport. This paper presents the unique partnership of sport chaplains and social workers in the spiritual care of athletes. Furthermore, it seeks to clarify the theoretical foundations of each profession, and how then these professions can then work together most effectively. Suggestions and ethical considerations are also given for best practices in the execution of this collaboration

A Longitudinal Investigation of Predictors of the Association Between Age 3 and Age 6 Behavioural Inhibition.

Children who exhibit elevated levels of the temperament trait behavioural inhibition (BI) across time may be at greatest risk for anxiety. However, little research has investigated the influence of other temperamental traits, particularly positive emotionality (PE), on the continuity of BI in childhood, nor whether parental overprotection influences associations between early and later child BI. To explore whether PE and overprotection shape associations between early and later BI, this longitudinal study of three-year-olds

Radiographic Union Scoring Scale for Determining Consolidation Rates in the Calcaneus.

The reliable evaluation of osseous consolidation after hindfoot osteotomy can be difficult. Concomitant hindfoot osteotomies often dictate the advancement of weightbearing, and radiographs are the mainstay imaging tool owing to cost, efficiency, and radiation exposure. Understanding the radiographic parameters that can be used to reliably determine osseous healing is paramount. However, currently, no reliable or validated method is available to determine osseous healing of hindfoot osteotomies in irregular bones of the foot. The purpose of the present study was to develop a radiographic healing scoring system that would enhance the diagnostic healing assessment after elective calcaneal osteotomy. We adapted existing orthopedic scales validated for healing in the leg for application in the irregular bones of the foot. A total of 168 cases were evaluated by 6 blinded assessors to test the interrater reliability of subjective healing assessment compared with the proposed scoring system. The radiographs were classified by postoperative period: ≤4 weeks, 5 to 12 weeks, and \u3e12 weeks. The proposed scale had high interrater reliability but was burdensome. Using a priori item reduction protocols, a limited 6-item scale further improved internal consistency and reduced the burden. The result was excellent interrater reliability (α = 0.98, standard deviation 0.02, 95% confidence interval 0.91 to 0.96) among all assessors when using the scoring scale compared with unacceptable reliability (α = 0.438) for subjective osteotomy healing. The reliability of our system appeared superior to that of subjective assessment of osseous healing alone, even in the absence of clinical correlates after osteotomy of the calcaneus

Viral Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation: A Novel Tool to Study Intracellular Vesicular Trafficking Pathways

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) accessory protein Nef interacts with a multitude of cellular proteins, manipulating the host membrane trafficking machinery to evade immune surveillance. Nef interactions have been analyzed using various in vitro assays, co-immunoprecipitation studies, and more recently mass spectrometry. However, these methods do not evaluate Nef interactions in the context of viral infection nor do they define the sub-cellular location of these interactions. In this report, we describe a novel bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) lentiviral expression tool, termed viral BiFC, to study Nef interactions with host cellular proteins in the context of viral infection. Using the F2A cleavage site from the foot and mouth disease virus we generated a viral BiFC expression vector capable of concurrent expression of Nef and host cellular proteins; PACS-1, MHC-I and SNX18. Our studies confirmed the interaction between Nef and PACS-1, a host membrane trafficking protein involved in Nef-mediated immune evasion, and demonstrated co-localization of this complex with LAMP-1 positive endolysosomal vesicles. Furthermore, we utilized viral BiFC to localize the Nef/MHC-I interaction to an AP-1 positive endosomal compartment. Finally, viral BiFC was observed between Nef and the membrane trafficking regulator SNX18. This novel demonstration of an association between Nef and SNX18 was localized to AP-1 positive vesicles. In summary, viral BiFC is a unique tool designed to analyze the interaction between Nef and host cellular proteins by mapping the sub-cellular locations of their interactions during viral infection

Tissue-specific calibration of extracellular matrix material properties by transforming growth factor-beta and Runx2 in bone is required for hearing

Publisher version: http://www.nature.com/embor/journal/v11/n10/full/embor2010135.htmlDA - 20100917 IS - 1469-3178 (Electronic) IS - 1469-221X (Linking) LA - ENG PT - JOURNAL ARTICLEDA - 20100917 IS - 1469-3178 (Electronic) IS - 1469-221X (Linking) LA - ENG PT - JOURNAL ARTICLEDA - 20100917 IS - 1469-3178 (Electronic) IS - 1469-221X (Linking) LA - ENG PT - JOURNAL ARTICLEPhysical cues, such as extracellular matrix stiffness, direct cell differentiation and support tissue-specific function. Perturbation of these cues underlies diverse pathologies, including osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms that establish tissue-specific material properties and link them to healthy tissue function are unknown. We show that Runx2, a key lineage-specific transcription factor, regulates the material properties of bone matrix through the same transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta)-responsive pathway that controls osteoblast differentiation. Deregulated TGFbeta or Runx2 function compromises the distinctly hard cochlear bone matrix and causes hearing loss, as seen in human cleidocranial dysplasia. In Runx2(+/-) mice, inhibition of TGFbeta signalling rescues both the material properties of the defective matrix, and hearing. This study elucidates the unknown cause of hearing loss in cleidocranial dysplasia, and demonstrates that a molecular pathway controlling cell differentiation also defines material properties of extracellular matrix. Furthermore, our results suggest that the careful regulation of these properties is essential for healthy tissue functio

Degenerative encephalopathy in Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers presenting with a rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder

BACKGROUND: Neurodegenerative diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by loss of neurons and are commonly associated with a genetic mutation. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To characterize the clinical and histopathological features of a novel degenerative neurological disease affecting the brain of young adult Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers (NSDTRs). ANIMALS: Nine, young adult, related NSDTRs were evaluated for neurological dysfunction and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder. METHODS: Case series review. RESULTS: Clinical signs of neurological dysfunction began between 2 months and 5 years of age and were progressive in nature. They were characterized by episodes of marked movements during sleep, increased anxiety, noise phobia, and gait abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging documented symmetrical, progressively increasing, T2‐weighted image intensity, predominantly within the caudate nuclei, consistent with necrosis secondary to gray matter degeneration. Abnormalities were not detected on clinicopathological analysis of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, infectious disease screening or urine metabolite screening in most cases. Postmortem examination of brain tissue identified symmetrical malacia of the caudate nuclei and axonal dystrophy within the brainstem and spinal cord. Genealogical analysis supports an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: A degenerative encephalopathy was identified in young adult NSDTRs consistent with a hereditary disease. The prognosis is guarded due to the progressive nature of the disease, which is minimally responsive to empirical treatment

A prospective study of associations between early fearfulness and perceptual sensitivity and later restricted and repetitive behaviours in infants with typical and elevated likelihood of Autism

Autism is diagnosed based on social and communication difficulties, restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) and sensory anomalies. Existing evidence indicates that anxiety and atypical sensory features are associated with RRB, but cannot clarify the order of emergence of these traits. This study uses data from a prospective longitudinal study of infants with and without a family history of autism (N=247; Elevated Likelihood N=170, Typical Likelihood N=77). Longitudinal cross-lag models tested bidirectional pathways between parent-rated infant fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity at 8, 14 and 24 months, and associations between these domains and parent-rated RRB and social communication scores at 36 months. In addition to within-domain continuity, higher levels of fear/shyness at 14 months were associated with higher levels of perceptual sensitivity at 24 months. Higher levels of both fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity at 24 months were associated with greater RRB and social communication scores at 36 months. Results demonstrate the directionality of developmental pathways between fear/shyness and perceptual sensitivity in infancy and toddlerhood, but question theories that argue that these domains specifically underlie RRB rather than autism. Identifying how early emerging anxiety and sensory behaviours relate to later autism is important for understanding pathways and developing targeted support for autistic children. Lay abstract Restricted interests and repetitive behaviours are central to the diagnosis of autism and can have profound effects on daily activities and quality of life. These challenges are also linked to other co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and sensory sensitivities. Here, we looked at whether early emerging signs of anxiety and sensory problems appear before symptoms of autism by studying infants with a family history of autism, as these infants are more likely to develop autism themselves. Studying infant siblings provides an opportunity for researchers to focus on early developmental markers of autism as these infants can be followed from birth. This study found that early infant signs of anxiety (e.g. fear/shyness) predicted later perceptual sensitivity, and those infants who scored higher on fear/shyness and sensitivity were more likely to experience more persistent repetitive behaviours, but also social and communication difficulties in toddlerhood. Early signs of anxiety and perceptual sensitivity may thus relate to both later social difficulties and repetitive behaviours. These findings support the importance of further research exploring the causal links between these domains in relation to autism, resulting in increased understanding of children who go onto develop autism in the future and guiding early interventions and supports

The Grizzly, September 14, 2006

Activities Fair Held at Ursinus • Employment at Ursinus • Frustration with Changes • New Exhibit Opens at the Berman • Career Services Offers Help for Seniors • A Look at the Upcoming Theater Season • Spotlight on New Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Marks • Steering Clear of a Sperm Shortage • 2006 MTV Video Music Awards • Trappe Historical Society Presents Program About Historic Route 113 • Opinions: Gays in the Scouts; Be Wary of Your Wording: Response to the UC Republicans • Spoiled Start • Women\u27s Soccer a Contender • Men\u27s Soccer Ties #14 Salisbury • Bears Tame Lions in Road Openerhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1717/thumbnail.jp