The Prevalence and Control of Bacillus and Related Spore-Forming Bacteria in the Dairy Industry

peer-reviewedMilk produced in udder cells is sterile but due to its high nutrient content, it can be a good growth substrate for contaminating bacteria. The quality of milk is monitored via somatic cell counts and total bacterial counts, with prescribed regulatory limits to ensure quality and safety. Bacterial contaminants can cause disease, or spoilage of milk and its secondary products. Aerobic spore-forming bacteria, such as those from the genera Sporosarcina, Paenisporosarcina, Brevibacillus, Paenibacillus, Geobacillus and Bacillus, are a particular concern in this regard as they are able to survive industrial pasteurization and form biofilms within pipes and stainless steel equipment. These single or multiple-species biofilms become a reservoir of spoilage microorganisms and a cycle of contamination can be initiated. Indeed, previous studies have highlighted that these microorganisms are highly prevalent in dead ends, corners, cracks, crevices, gaskets, valves and the joints of stainless steel equipment used in the dairy manufacturing plants. Hence, adequate monitoring and control measures are essential to prevent spoilage and ensure consumer safety. Common controlling approaches include specific cleaning-in-place processes, chemical and biological biocides and other novel methods. In this review, we highlight the problems caused by these microorganisms, and discuss issues relating to their prevalence, monitoring thereof and control with respect to the dairy industry.NG is funded by the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Scheme and through the Irish Dairy Levy funded project ‘Thermodur-Out.

Balancing Selection Drives the Maintenance of Genetic Variation in Drosophila Antimicrobial Peptides

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Genes involved in immune defense against pathogens provide some of the most well-known examples of both directional and balancing selection. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are innate immune effector genes, playing a key role in pathogen clearance in many species, including Drosophila. Conflicting lines of evidence have suggested that AMPs may be under directional, balancing, or purifying selection. Here, we use both a linear model and control-gene-based approach to show that balancing selection is an important force shaping AMP diversity in Drosophila. In Drosophila melanogaster, this is most clearly observed in ancestral African populations. Furthermore, the signature of balancing selection is even more striking once background selection has been accounted for. Balancing selection also acts on AMPs in Drosophila mauritiana, an isolated island endemic separated from D. melanogaster by about 4 Myr of evolution. This suggests that balancing selection may be broadly acting to maintain adaptive diversity in Drosophila AMPs, as has been found in other taxa

The newcastle 85+ study

Funding Information: Funding: The Newcastle 85+ study was jointly funded by the Medical Research Council and Biotechnology and Biomedical Science Research Council (G0500997), now part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) in addition to the Newcastle Healthcare Charity. The following waves were funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust (R124/0509), Newcastle University, UK Medical Research Council and the British Heart Foundation. Overall, the project was supported by National Institute for Health Research Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre based at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Newcastle University. This particular analysis (vitamin D and telomere length) received no additional external funding. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.(1) Introduction: vitamin D may maintain the telomere length, either directly or via the inflammation effect and/or modulating the rate of cell proliferation. Whilst results from crosssectional studies investigating the association between 25(OH)D concentration and telomere length have been mixed, there is a dearth of data from prospective studies which have assessed these associations. This study aimed to examine the association between 25(OH)D concentration in plasma and telomere length in blood cells in very-old adults (≥85 years old) at baseline, 18 months and 36 months by controlling for related lifestyle factors. (2) Methodology: our prospective cohort study comprised 775 participants from the Newcastle 85+ Study who had 25(OH)D measurements at baseline. Plasma 25(OH)D was stratified as 50 nmol/L (high). Peripheral blood mononuclear cell telomere length was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction at baseline, 18 and 36 months from baseline. (3) Results: a positive significant association was found between 25(OH)D concentration and telomere length amongst very-old participants at baseline (95% CI = 12.0–110.3, B = 61.2 ± 5.0, p = 0.015). This association was negative at 18 months (95% CI = −59.9–−7.5, B = −33.7 ± 13.3, p = 0.012) but was non-significant at 36 months. (4) Conclusion: Circulating 25(OH)D concentration shows inconsistent relationships with telomere length over time in very-old (85+ year old) adults.publishersversionpublishe

Twitter, la nueva era de la comunicación política : un análisis del manejo de la red social en las elecciones a la alcaldía de Bogotá 2015

La nueva era de la comunicación política inicia con la aparición de las redes sociales. Nuevas herramientas y mecanismos de propaganda nacen con el nacimiento de los mismos. Pero no es hasta que el presidente norteamericano Barak Obama utiliza las redes sociales en pro de su campaña que se tornan en elementos indispensables para una estrategia política. El 25 de octubre de 2015 se llevan a cabo las elecciones a la alcaldía de Bogotá, y cuatro candidatos son los más opcionados para ganar la contienda: Enrique Peñalosa, Clara López, Francisco Santos y Rafael Pardo. La propuesta del trabajo de investigación consta en el análisis de los manejos de Twitter por parte de dichos candidatos, todo esto para determinar la eficacia de una estrategia de comunicación dentro de este medio, y si es relevante a la hora de las votaciones.The new era in the political communication starts with the birth of social networks. New tools and mechanisms of propaganda rise due to the birth of them. But it's not until Barak Obama's campaign that they have become important to a political strategy. On October 25th of 2015, Bogotá has the elections for mayor. There are four main candidates that have a chance to win: Enrique Peñalosa, Clara López, Francisco Santos and Rafael Pardo. The main idea of this paper is to analyze the usage of Twitter by each of the candidates, for it to determine the efficiency of a communicational strategy during elections.Comunicador (a) SocialPregrad

Neuromuscular performance of paretic versus non-paretic plantar flexors after stroke.

The objective of this study was to compare the neuromuscular function of the paretic and non-paretic plantar flexors (i.e. soleus, gastrocnemius medialis, lateralis) in chronic stroke patients. It was hypothesized that the contractile rate of force development (RFD) and neural activation, assessed by electromyogram (EMG) and V-waves normalized to the M-wave, and voluntary activation (twitch interpolation) would be reduced during plantar flexor maximum voluntary isometric contraction and that the evoked muscle twitch properties would be reduced in the paretic limb. Ten chronic stroke survivors completed the study. The main findings were that the paretic side showed deteriorated function compared to the non-paretic leg in terms of (1) RFD in all analyzed time windows from force onset to 250 ms, although relative RFD (i.e. normalized to maximum voluntary force) was similar; (2) fast neural activation (for most analyzed time windows), assessed by EMG activity in time windows from EMG onset to 250 ms; (3) V-wave responses (except for gastrocnemius medialis); (4) voluntary activation; (5) the evoked peak twitch force, although there was no evidence of intrinsic muscle slowing; (6) EMG activity obtained at maximal voluntary force. In conclusion, this study demonstrates considerable neuromuscular asymmetry of the plantar flexors in chronic stroke survivors. Effective rehabilitation regimes should be investigated

Spinal fluid IgG antibodies from patients with demyelinating diseases bind multiple sclerosis-associated bacteria

ABSTRACT: A panel of 10 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of anti-microbial immune responses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with demyelinating diseases (DD). The anti-microbial ELISA assays follow on prior human brain tissue RNA sequencing studies that established multiple sclerosis (MS) microbial candidates. Lysates included in the ELISA panel were derived from Akkermansia muciniphila, Atopobium vaginae, Bacteroides fragilis, Lactobacillus paracasei, Odoribacter splanchnicus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) acnes, Fusobacterium necrophorum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Streptococcus mutans. CSF responses from patients with demyelinating diseases (DD, N = 14) were compared to those with other neurological diseases (OND, N = 8) and controls (N = 13). Commercial positive and negative control CSF specimens were run with each assay. ELISA index values were derived for each specimen against each of the 10 bacterial lysates. CSF reactivity was significantly higher in the DD group compared to the controls against Akkermansia, Atopobium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Odoribacter, and Fusobacterium. Four of the 11 tested DD group subjects had elevated antibody indexes against at least one of the 10 bacterial species, suggesting intrathecal antibody production. This CSF serological study supports the hypothesis that several of the previously identified MS candidate microbes contribute to demyelination in some patients. KEY MESSAGES: A panel of 10 IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for the detection of anti-microbial immune responses in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with demyelinating diseases, including multiple sclerosis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. CSF reactivity was significantly higher in the demyelination group compared to the controls against the bacteria Akkermansia, Atopobium, Bacteroides, Lactobacillus, Odoribacter, and Fusobacterium. Several of the demyelination subjects had elevated antibody indexes against at least one of the 10 antigens, suggesting at least limited intrathecal production of anti-bacterial antibodies. This CSF serological study supports the hypothesis that several of the previously identified MS candidate microbes contribute to demyelination in some patients. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00109-021-02085-z

The newcastle 85+ study

Background: Low vitamin D status is common in very old adults which may have adverse consequences for muscle function, a major predictor of disability. Aims: To explore the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and disability trajectories in very old adults and to determine whether there is an ‘adequate’ 25(OH)D concentration which might protect against a faster disability trajectory. Methodology: A total of 775 participants from the Newcastle 85+ Study for who 25(OH)D concentration at baseline was available. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations of 50 nmol/L were used as cut-offs to define low, moderate and high vitamin D status, respectively. Disability was defined as difficulty in performing 17 activities of daily living, at baseline, after 18, 36 and 60 months. Results: A three-trajectory model was derived (low-to-mild, mild-to-moderate and moderate-to-severe). In partially adjusted models, participants with 25(OH)D concentrations <25 nmol/L were more likely to have moderate and severe disability trajectories, even after adjusting for sex, living in an institution, season, cognitive status, BMI and vitamin D supplement use. However, this association disappeared after further adjustment for physical activity. Conclusions: Vitamin D status does not appear to influence the trajectories of disability in very old adults.publishersversionpublishe

The phage gene wmk is a candidate for male killing by a bacterial endosymbiont

Wolbachia are the most widespread maternally-transmitted bacteria in the animal kingdom. Their global spread in arthropods and varied impacts on animal physiology, evolution, and vector control are in part due to parasitic drive systems that enhance the fitness of infected females, the transmitting sex of Wolbachia. Male killing is one common drive mechanism wherein the sons of infected females are selectively killed. Despite decades of research, the gene(s) underlying Wolbachia-induced male killing remain unknown. Here using comparative genomic, transgenic, and cytological approaches in fruit flies, we identify a candidate gene in the eukaryotic association module of Wolbachia prophage WO, termed WO-mediated killing (wmk), which transgenically causes male-specific lethality during early embryogenesis and cytological defects typical of the pathology of male killing. The discovery of wmk establishes new hypotheses for the potential role of phage genes in sex-specific lethality, including the control of arthropod pests and vectors

Geographical range margins of many taxonomic groups continue to shift polewards

Many species are extending their leading-edge (cool) range margins polewards in response to recent climate change. In the present study, we investigated range margin changes at the northern (cool) range margins of 1573 southerly-distributed species from 21 animal groups in Great Britain over the past four decades of climate change, updating previous work. Depending on data availability, range margin changes were examined over two time intervals during the past four decades. For four groups (birds, butterflies, macromoths, and dragonflies and damselflies), there were sufficient data available to examine range margin changes over both time intervals. We found that most taxa shifted their northern range margins polewards and this finding was not greatly influenced by changes in recorder effort. The mean northwards range margin change in the first time interval was 23 km per decade (N = 13 taxonomic groups) and, in the second interval, was 18 km per decade (N = 16 taxonomic groups) during periods when the British climate warmed by 0.21 and 0.28 °C per decade, respectively. For the four taxa examined over both intervals, there was evidence for higher rate of range margin change in the more recent time interval in the two Lepidoptera groups. Our analyses confirm a continued range margin shift polewards in a wide range of taxonomic groups