Evaluation of fecal microbiota of late gestation sows in relation to pelvic organ prolapse risk

Introduction: Sow mortality in the U.S. swine industry has increased in recent years, for which pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a major contributor, accounting for 21% of all sow mortality. Dysbiosis of microbial communities has been associated with disease and reproductive dysfunction in several species, and previous studies have shown changes in vaginal microbiota in sows with increased risk for POP during late gestation. However, there is insufficient knowledge surrounding the potential relationship between fecal microbiota and POP in sows. Therefore, the study objective was to identify differences in sow fecal microbiota and determine if fecal and vaginal microbial communities are correlated in relation to POP risk. Methods: Sows were evaluated for POP risk using an established perineal scoring system, with a perineal score (PS) of 1 (PS1) presuming little to no risk of POP to a PS of 3 (PS3) presuming high risk of POP. In the current study, 2,864 sows were scored during gestation week 15, and 1.0%, 2.7%, and 23.4% of PS1, PS2, and PS3 sows, respectively, subsequently experienced POP. Fecal swabs (n = 215) were collected between gestation days 108-115, DNA was extracted, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing libraries were analyzed using mothur, phyloseq and SAS in reference to PS and POP outcome. Additionally, co-occurrence networks were constructed using CoNet to compare fecal and vaginal microbiota from the same cohort of sows and identify correlations between different taxa. Results: Differences in fecal community composition (PERMANOVA; P Discussion: Collectively, fewer differences in the fecal microbiota exist in sows with differing risk for POP compared to the vaginal microbiota, suggesting the vaginal microbiome may be more relevant in relation to POP outcome, although correlations between fecal and vaginal communities may provide insight for strategies to combat POP.This article is published as Kiefer ZE, Koester LR, Studer JM, Schmitz-Esser S and Ross JW (2024) Evaluation of fecal microbiota of late gestation sows in relation to pelvic organ prolapse risk. Front. Microbiol. 15:1384583. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1384583. © 2024 Kiefer, Koester, Studer, Schmitz-Esser and Ross. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms

The detection of dust around NN Ser

Eclipse timing variations observed from the post common-envelope binary (PCEB) NN Ser offer strong evidence in favour of circumbinary planets existing around PCEBs. If real, these planets may be accompanied by a disc of dust. We here present the ALMA detection of flux at 1.3 mm from NN Ser, which is likely due to thermal emission from a dust disc of mass ∼ 0.8±0.2 M⊕. We performed simulations of the history of NN Ser to determine possible origins of this dust, and conclude that the most likely origin is, in fact, common-envelope material which was not expelled from the system and instead formed a circumbinary disc. These discs have been predicted by theory but previously remained undetected. While the presence of this dust does not prove the existence of planets around NN Ser, it adds credibility to the possibility of planets forming from common-envelope material in a ‘second-generation’ scenario

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Cosmology from Galaxy Clusters Detected via the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect

We present constraints on cosmological parameters based on a sample of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich-selected galaxy clusters detected in a millimeter-wave survey by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. The cluster sample used in this analysis consists of 9 optically-confirmed high-mass clusters comprising the high-significance end of the total cluster sample identified in 455 square degrees of sky surveyed during 2008 at 148 GHz. We focus on the most massive systems to reduce the degeneracy between unknown cluster astrophysics and cosmology derived from SZ surveys. We describe the scaling relation between cluster mass and SZ signal with a 4-parameter fit. Marginalizing over the values of the parameters in this fit with conservative priors gives sigma_8 = 0.851 +/- 0.115 and w = -1.14 +/- 0.35 for a spatially-flat wCDM cosmological model with WMAP 7-year priors on cosmological parameters. This gives a modest improvement in statistical uncertainty over WMAP 7-year constraints alone. Fixing the scaling relation between cluster mass and SZ signal to a fiducial relation obtained from numerical simulations and calibrated by X-ray observations, we find sigma_8 = 0.821 +/- 0.044 and w = -1.05 +/- 0.20. These results are consistent with constraints from WMAP 7 plus baryon acoustic oscillations plus type Ia supernoava which give sigma_8 = 0.802 +/- 0.038 and w = -0.98 +/- 0.053. A stacking analysis of the clusters in this sample compared to clusters simulated assuming the fiducial model also shows good agreement. These results suggest that, given the sample of clusters used here, both the astrophysics of massive clusters and the cosmological parameters derived from them are broadly consistent with current models.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to Ap

A Substellar Mass Function for Alpha Per

We present a deep, wide-field optical survey of the young stellar cluster Alpha Per, in which we have discovered a large population of candidate brown dwarfs. Subsequent infrared photometric follow-up shows that the majority of them are probable or possible members of the cluster, reaching to a minimum mass of 0.035 Msun. We have used this list of members to derive the luminosity and mass functions of the substellar population of the cluster (alpha=0.59+-0.05) and compared its slope to the value measure for the Pleiades. This comparison indicates that the two cluster mass functions are, indeed, very similar.Comment: Astronomy and Astrophysics, accepte

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Detection of Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Decrement in Groups and Clusters Associated with Luminous Red Galaxies

We present a detection of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) decrement associated with the Luminous Red Galaxy (LRG) sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The SZ data come from 148 GHz maps of the equatorial region made by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT). The LRG sample is divided by luminosity into four bins, and estimates for the central Sunyaev-Zel'dovich temperature decrement are calculated through a stacking process. We detect and account for a bias of the SZ signal due to weak radio sources. We use numerical simulations to relate the observed decrement to Y200 and clustering properties to relate the galaxy luminosity bins to mass. We also use a relation between brightest cluster galaxy luminosity and cluster mass based on stacked gravitational lensing measurements to estimate the characteristic halo masses. The masses are found to be around 1e14 M_sun.Comment: Accepted in ApJ. 14 pages, 6 figure

Treatment of myofascial trigger points in common shoulder disorders by physical therapy: A randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN75722066]

Contains fulltext : 52454.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Characterization of the dairy cattle rumen microbial communities in response to long term supplementation of a sodium-saccharin based sweetener during normal physiological and heat stress conditions

Ruminant animals can metabolize and gain energy from plant substrates via microbial communities fostered by the host in the rumen. The rumen microbial communities are divided into three distinct classes: 1.) the feed-associated rumen content microbial communities, 2.) the planktonic microbial communities that float freely in the liquid fraction of the rumen content (together considered the rumen content microbiota (RCM)), and 3.) the microbial communities that adhere to the epithelial surface of the rumen (the rumen epithelial microbiota, REM). The RCM has been widely studied, both taxonomically and functionally, containing a high abundance of fiber and carbohydrate utilizers. A bulk of the feedstuffs, including cellulose, are metabolized in the rumen content, and it is estimated that the RCM represent >99% of the total microbial biomass in the rumen. Conversely, as they constitute <1% of the overall total microbial biomass, the REM is comparatively understudied. Previous research suggests the REM may have host-related functional roles within the rumen including 1) oxygen scavenging, 2) tissue recycling, and 3) hydrolysis of urea. In Chapter 2, we generated the first REM metagenome shotgun sequencing dataset from Holstein-Friesian milking dairy cattle, elucidating the genetic potential of this niche microbial community. We identified genes belonging to several important pathways including: nitrogen cycling, sulfur cycling, oxidative stress response, and propionic acid and butyric acid synthesis, assimilatory sulfate reduction, synthesis of essential amino acids, and genes related to denitrification and nitrogen fixation. Additionally, we tested the effect of Sucram® (Pancosma S.A./ADM Groups, Rolle, Switzerland), a sodium-saccharin-based sweetener, on RCM and REM under normal physiological conditions and during heat stress conditions. In Chapters 3 and 4, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was conducted on both RCM and REM in Holstein-Friesian milking dairy cattle supplemented with Sucram®, with Chapter 4 including a heat stress component. It was discovered that after supplementation of Sucram® under normal physiological conditions, significant changes in the abundance of specific taxa were detected: an increase in Prevotella and Sharpea species, a decrease in Treponema, Leptospiraceae, Ruminococcus and methanogenic archaea, but Sucram® did not affect the overall rumen microbial community structure. The effect was larger under heat stress conditions, demonstrating supplementation of Sucram® during heat stress did not affect the RCM, but significant changes in REM community composition and community structure were detected. Despite the changes in microbial community, acetic, butyric and propionic acid concentrations were unchanged by supplementation of Sucram®. Additionally, Chapter 4 revealed that Sucram® supplementation during heat stress did not alter animal performance measures such as feed intake or milk yield either. Finally, it was discovered that the rumen microbial communities in adult cows remain stable over long period of time, when diet was held constant. A majority of studies monitoring fluctuations in rumen microbial communities take place over shorter periods of time (1 or 2 weeks), and aim to test the effect of dietary manipulation. Very few studies focus on temporal aspects of rumen microbial communities, and none of these studies have included analysis of the REM. In the study presented in Chapter 2, samples of the RCM and REM of five lactating Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle were collected at equal intervals (30 days) across three months, and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It was found that these communities remain stable in community composition and species diversity, being indistinct across sampling time points in both RCM and REM. Additionally, all of the genes of interest within the REM metagenomic dataset were present at each time point, suggesting these functions are stable as well. The sequencing data generated in each study will be publically available to assist future research and strengthen new hypothesis. Importantly, the work herein greatly expands upon our knowledge of the REM, and has presented new hypothesis about their contributions to host health and performance. This work also offers new insight into the effects of HS and Sucram® on rumen microbial communities, demonstrating both stimuli impact the RCM and REM individually, and uniquely when combined. Altogether, these data provide researchers with a deeper understanding of the taxonomy and function of rumen microbial communities