Chewing activity, metabolic profile and performance of high- producing dairy cows fed conventional forages, wheat straw or rice straw

In this study, production and physiological responses of high-producing dairy cows fed wheat (WS) or rice (RS) straw, as a partial forage replacement for the conventional forages lucerne hay (LH) and maize silage (MS ), were investigated. The straws were treated under dry alkaline conditions, adjusted pH (pH ~12), and then ensiled. Twelve lactating Holstein cows were used in a replicated (n = 4) 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment with three periods of 21 days. Cows were offered one of three diets that differed in their forage sources: 1) 20% LH and 20% MS (control); 2) 12.8% LH, 12.8% MS; and 12.8% WS; and 3) 12.8% LH, 12.8% MS and 12.8% RS. Diet 1 had 60% concentrate, and diets 2 and 3 had 61.6% concentrate. Diets were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. Supplemental buffer (NaHCO3) was omitted from the straw diets. However, straw diets contained greater sodium and dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) compared with the control diet. Cows fed the WS had significantly greater apparent dry matter (DM) (69.7 versus 63.9%) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (55.4 versus 42.4%) digestibility than cows fed the control. Additionally, feeding either WS or RS significantly increased dry matter intake (DMI) (27.5 versus 25.6 kg/d ) and milk production (48.4 versus 45.6 kg/d) compared with control, but milk components were unaffected by treatments. Plasma minerals and metabolites concentrations and ruminal, urinary and faecal pH were similar across treatments. Feeding WS and RS resulted in lower time spent chewing per kg DMI compared with the control ( P = 0.01 ). Although there were no significant differences in performance between WS and RS, nutrient digestibility (DM, OM, and CP) was significantly higher while total chewing was lower for the WS diet than the RS diet. Partial inclusion of dry treated straw in lactating diets (12.8% DM basis) led to increases in sodium and DCAD levels and improved digestibility, DMI and milk yield without negative effects. Keywords: Cation and anion difference, cereal straw dietary sodium, lactating [email protected]

Assessment of COVID-19 control strategies in a steel industry using a SWOT matrix

According to the health regulations, industrial environments due to the gathering of people are considered as one of the highest-risk places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, planning with regard to health concerns can decisively help in infection control and continuity of businesses during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the COVID-19 control management measures in the Sepid-farab Kavir Steel Complex (SKS complex) located in Isfahan province (Iran) using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) matrix. After a literature review and field surveys, all weak, strong, threatening, and opportunity points were collected and were listed using the internal factor evaluation (IFE) and external factor evaluation (EFE) matrices and then were prioritized and weighted. Next, given the sum of scores of IFE and EFE, the SWOT matrix was constructed, the disease prevention and control strategies in the complex was determined, and finally, experts proposed corrective measures to improve the current situation. The results of the IFE matrix (IFE) analysis showed that in terms of corona control, there are more weaknesses than strengths within the company (the score of this matrix was 201.12). Also the score of 165 on the EFE matrix indicated that external threats were predominant, compared to external opportunities of company. SWOT analysis showed that despite some external problems and challenges, the existence of a favorable internal decision-making system had an important role in developing appropriate health strategies and implementing effective prevention measures in SKS complex against the COVID-19. © The Author(s) 2021

The role of the copA copper efflux system in acinetobacter baumannii virulence

Acinetobacter baumannii has emerged as one of the leading causative agents of nosocomial infections. Due to its high level of intrinsic and adapted antibiotic resistance, treatment failure rates are high, which allows this opportunistic pathogen to thrive during infection in immune-compromised patients. A. baumannii can cause infections within a broad range of host niches, with pneumonia and bacteraemia being associated with the greatest levels of morbidity and mortality. Although its resistance to antibiotics is widely studied, our understanding of the mechanisms required for dealing with environmental stresses related to virulence and hospital persistence, such as copper toxicity, is limited. Here, we performed an in silico analysis of the A. baumannii copper resistome, examining its regulation under copper stress. Using comparative analyses of bacterial P-type ATPases, we propose that A. baumannii encodes a member of a novel subgroup of P1B-1 ATPases. Analyses of three putative inner membrane copper efflux systems identified the P1B-1 ATPase CopA as the primary mediator of cytoplasmic copper resistance in A. baumannii. Using a murine model of A. baumannii pneumonia, we reveal that CopA contributes to the virulence of A. baumannii. Collectively, this study advances our understanding of how A. baumannii deals with environmental copper toxicity, and it provides novel insights into how A. baumannii combats adversities encountered as part of the host immune defence.Saleh F. Alquethamy, Marjan Khorvash , Victoria G. Pederick, Jonathan J. Whittall, James C. Paton, Ian T. Paulsen, Karl A. Hassan, Christopher A. McDevitt and Bart A. Eijkelkam

Unusual cardiovascular complications of brucellosis presenting in two men: two case reports and a review of the literature

Introduction: Brucellosis is a zoonosis with worldwide distribution, which is particularly endemic in many countries of the Mediterranean basin. Cardiovascular complications of this disease, such as endocarditis, myocarditis and pericarditis, are very rare, with even fewer cases of myocarditis or asymptomatic pericardial effusion in the absence of concomitant endocarditis being reported. Case presentation: We report two cases of brucellosis in two Caucasian men, aged 17 and 34 years old, with myocarditis and asymptomatic pericardial effusion, respectively. Of note, neither patient had concomitant endocarditis. The disease was confirmed serologically and by blood cultures. Both patients recovered completely after receiving appropriate antibiotic treatment without any sign of relapse during a follow-up of 12 months. Conclusion: These two cases emphasize that in endemic areas Brucella can be considered as a potentially causative agent of idiopathic pericardial effusion or myocarditis, even in the absence of concomitant endocarditis. This possibility could be taken into account particularly in cases where contraction of brucellosis is possible, such as occupational exposure or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. © 2011 Gatselis et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Identification of novel Acinetobacter baumannii host fatty acid stress adaptation strategies

Free fatty acids hold important immune-modulatory roles during infection. However, the host's long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, not commonly found in the membranes of bacterial pathogens, also have significant broad-spectrum antibacterial potential. Of these, the omega-6 fatty acid arachidonic acid (AA) and the omega-3 fatty acid decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are highly abundant; hence, we investigated their effects on the multidrug-resistant human pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii Our analyses reveal that AA and DHA incorporate into the A. baumannii bacterial membrane and impact bacterial fitness and membrane integrity, with DHA having a more pronounced effect. Through transcriptional profiling and mutant analyses, we show that the A. baumannii β-oxidation pathway plays a protective role against AA and DHA, by limiting their incorporation into the phospholipids of the bacterial membrane. Furthermore, our study identified a second bacterial membrane protection system mediated by the AdeIJK efflux system, which modulates the lipid content of the membrane via direct efflux of lipids other than AA and DHA, thereby providing a novel function for this major efflux system in A. baumannii This is the first study to examine the antimicrobial effects of host fatty acids on A. baumannii and highlights the potential of AA and DHA to protect against A. baumannii infections.IMPORTANCE A shift in the Western diet since the industrial revolution has resulted in a dramatic increase in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, with a concurrent decrease in the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. This decrease in omega-3 fatty acid consumption has been associated with significant disease burden, including increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Here we provide evidence that DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, has superior antimicrobial effects upon the highly drug-resistant pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, thereby providing insights into one of the potential health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The identification and characterization of two novel bacterial membrane protective mechanisms against host fatty acids provide important insights into A. baumannii adaptation during disease. Furthermore, we describe a novel role for the major multidrug efflux system AdeIJK in A. baumannii membrane maintenance and lipid transport. This core function, beyond drug efflux, increases the appeal of AdeIJK as a therapeutic target.Jhih-Hang Jiang, Karl A. Hassan, Stephanie L. Begg, Thusitha W. T. Rupasinghe, Varsha Naidu, Victoria G. Pederick, Marjan Khorvash, Jonathan J. Whittall, James C. Paton, Ian T. Paulsen, Christopher A. McDevitt, Anton Y. Peleg, Bart A. Eijkelkam

The status of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: People who inject drugs (PWID) are a key population at high risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The aim of this study was to delineate the epidemiology of HCV in PWID in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). METHODS: Syntheses of data were conducted on the standardized and systematically assembled databases of the MENA HCV Epidemiology Synthesis Project, 1989-2018. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were performed. Meta-regression variables included country, study site, year of data collection and year of publication [to assess trends in HCV antibody prevalence over time], sample size and sampling methodology. Numbers of chronically infected PWID across MENA were estimated. The Shannon Diversity Index was calculated to assess genotype diversity. RESULTS: Based on 118 HCV antibody prevalence measures, the pooled mean prevalence in PWID for all MENA was 49.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 44.4-54.1%]. The country-specific pooled mean ranged from 21.7% (95% CI = 4.9-38.6%) in Tunisia to 94.2% (95% CI = 90.8-96.7%) in Libya. An estimated 221 704 PWID were chronically infected, with the largest numbers found in Iran at 68 526 and in Pakistan at 46 554. There was no statistically significant evidence for a decline in HCV antibody prevalence over time. Genotype diversity was moderate (Shannon Diversity Index of 1.01 out of 1.95; 52.1%). The pooled mean percentage for each HCV genotype was highest in genotype 3 (42.7%) and in genotype 1 (35.9%). CONCLUSION: Half of people who inject drugs in the Middle East and North Africa appear to have ever been infected with hepatitis C virus, but there are large variations in antibody prevalence among countries. In addition to > 200 000 chronically infected current people who inject drugs, there is an unknown number of people who no longer inject drugs who may have acquired hepatitis C virus during past injecting drug use. Harm reduction services must be expanded, and innovative strategies need to be employed to ensure accessibility to hepatitis C virus testing and treatment

Tazocin (Piperacillin-tazobactam) Susceptibility Pattern in Nosocomial Infections

Abstract: Background & Aims: Utility of antibiotics, such as third and fourth generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems, and resistance to these antibiotics in hospital acquired infections are increased. There are scientific data that support the application of Tazocin (piperacillin-tazobactam) as an empirical treatment of moderate to severe bacterial infections. In our area there is not much information available on this topic. Therefore, we decided to determine the susceptibility pattern of bacterial species isolated in patients with infection to piperacillin-tazobactam at Alzahra Hospital (a tertiary care center), Isfahan, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Alzahra Hospital (referral and educational hospital) from 2009 to 2010. 90 clinical specimens of bacterial cultures isolated from blood, urine, and respiratory tract of patients with nosocomial infections in different parts of the hospital were included in this study. Standard methods for the detection of microbiological bacterial species were used, and the antibiogram pattern of bacterial samples was performed by using E-test method. Results: Among the 90 studied specimens in this study, 73 samples were gram-negative bacteria and the remainder was gram-positive. More than 78% of gram-negative bacteria and more than 88% of gram-positive bacteria, grown in cultures of patients with nosocomial infections at Alzahra Hospital, were sensitive to piperacillin-tazobactam. Conclusion: The information obtained from this research may be a guide for physicians that work in our region for the use of empiric therapy with piperacillin-tazobactam in cases of moderate to severe bacterial infections. Keywords: Antimicrobial resistance, Empiric therapy, Nosocomial infection, Piperacillin-tazobacta