Have genetic targets for faecal pollution diagnostics and source tracking revolutionised water quality analysis yet?

The impacts on faecal pollution analysis using nucleic acid-based methods, such as PCR and sequencing, in health-related water quality research were assessed by rigorous literature analysis. A wide range of application areas and study designs has been identified since the first application more than 30 years ago (>1,100 publications). Given the consistency of methods and assessment types, we suggest defining this emerging part of science as a new discipline: genetic faecal pollution diagnostics (GFPD) in health-related microbial water quality analysis. Undoubtedly, GFPD has already revolutionised faecal pollution detection and microbial source tracking, the current core applications. GFPD is also expanding to many other research areas, including infection and health risk assessment, evaluation of microbial water treatment, and support of wastewater surveillance. In addition, storage of DNA extracts allows for biobanking, which opens up new perspectives. The tools of GFPD can be combined with cultivation-based standardised faecal indicator enumeration, pathogen detection, and various environmental data types, in an integrated data analysis approach. This comprehensive meta-analysis provides the scientific status quo of this field, including trend analyses and literature statistics, outlining identified application areas, and discussing the benefits and challenges of nucleic acid-based analysis in GFPD

Correlation between mRNA levels and functional role of 1-adrenoceptor subtypes in arteries: evidence of 1L as a functional isoform of the 1A-adrenoceptor

10 pages, 3 figures, 10 tables.-- PMID: 15951348 [PubMed]The mRNA levels for the three alpha1-adrenoceptor subtypes, alpha1A, alpha1B, and alpha1D, were quantified by real-time RT-PCR in arteries from Wistar rats. The alpha1D-adrenoceptor was prominent in both aorta (79.0%) and mesenteric artery (68.7%), alpha1A predominated in tail (61.7%) and small mesenteric artery (73.3%), and both alpha1A- and alpha1D-subtypes were expressed at similar levels in iliac artery. The mRNA levels of the alpha1B-subtype were a minority in all vessels (1.7-11.1%). Concentration-response curves of contraction in response to phenylephrine or relaxation in response to alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonists on maximal sustained contraction induced by phenylephrine were constructed from control vessels and vessels pretreated with 100 micromol/l chloroethylclonidine (CEC) for 30 min. The significant decrease in the phenylephrine potency observed after CEC treatment together with the inhibitory potency displayed by 8-{2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]-8-azaspiro (4,5) decane-7-dionedihydrochloride} (BMY-7378, an alpha1D-adrenoceptor antagonist) confirm the relevant role of alpha1D-adrenoceptors in aorta and iliac and proximal mesenteric arteries. The potency of 5-methylurapidil (an alpha1A-adrenoceptor antagonist) and the changes in the potency of both BMY-7378 and 5-methylurapidil after CEC treatment provided evidence of a mixed population of alpha1A- and alpha1D-adrenoceptors in iliac and distal mesenteric arteries. The low potency of prazosin (pIC50 < 9) as well as the high 5-methylurapidil potency in tail and small mesenteric arteries suggest the main role of alpha1A/alpha1L-adrenoceptors with minor participation of the alpha1D-subtype. The mRNA levels and CEC treatment corroborated this pattern and confirmed that the alpha1L-adrenoceptor could be a functional isoform of the alpha1A-subtype.This work was supported by a research grant from the Spanish Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (SAF2001-2656). Daniel Martí Canet received a fellowship from Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU.Peer reviewe

Fermentation of Plant-Based Feeds with Lactobacillus acidophilus Improves the Survival and Intestinal Health of Juvenile Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Reared in a Biofloc System

This study evaluated the effect of fermentation with Lactobacillus acidophilus on the biochemical and nutritional compositions of a plant-based diet and its effects on the productive performance and intestinal health of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a biofloc technology (BFT) system. The in vitro kinetics of feed fermentation were studied to determine the L. acidophilus growth and acidification curve through counting the colony-forming units (CFUs) mL−1 and measuring the pH. Physicochemical and bromatological analyses of the feed were also performed. Based on the microbial growth kinetics results, vegetable-based Nile tilapia feeds fermented for 6 (FPB6) and 18 (FPB18) h were evaluated for 60 days. Fermented diets were compared with a positive control diet containing fishmeal (CFM) and a negative control diet without animal protein (CPB). Fermentation with L. acidophilus increased lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count and the soluble protein concentration of the plant-based feed, as well as decreasing the pH (p < 0.05). FPB treatments improved fish survival compared with CPB (p < 0.05). Fermentation increased feed intake but worsened feed efficiency (p < 0.05). The use of fermented feeds increased the LAB count and reduced pathogenic bacteria both in the BFT system’s water and in the animals’ intestines (p < 0.05). Fermented plant-based feeds showed greater villi (FPB6; FPB18) and higher goblet cell (FPB6) counts relative to the non-fermented plant-based feed, which may indicate improved intestinal health. The results obtained in this study are promising and show the sustainable potential of using fermented plant-based feeds in fish feeding rather than animal protein and, in particular, fishmeal.The present study was conducted with support from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil (CAPES), Finance Code 001, and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC 48/2022, PAP2023011000025). I.S. was also granted with a postdoctoral fellowship (FJC2020-043933-I).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

La perspectiva del alumnado de secundaria para promover la docencia universitaria en inglés

La importancia del inglés a día de hoy es un hecho indiscutible. Es el principal idioma de comunicación a nivel internacional y la lengua vehicular de la ciencia. Además, debido a la constante globalización e internacionalización de las universidades, el inglés está tomando cada vez más importancia en la docencia universitaria. Las universidades españolas ofrecen enseñanza en inglés de forma optativa y muy puntual, a pesar de ser de enseñanza obligatoria en los niveles de primaria y secundaria. El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer el nivel de inglés de estudiantes pre-universitarios y su opinión respecto a la posibilidad de recibir parte de su docencia universitaria en este idioma. Los datos necesarios para el estudio se obtuvieron mediante encuestas virtuales realizadas en institutos de secundaria y centros de formación profesional de la Comunidad Valenciana y las Islas Baleares. La mayoría del alumnado pre-universitario se mostró favorable a recibir parte de la docencia universitaria en inglés, aunque existe una parte importante que rechaza esta posibilidad. El apoyo hacia incluir asignaturas en inglés aumentó cuando se propuso la posibilidad de acreditar el certificado B1 tras recibir docencia universitaria en inglés. Además, la mayoría piensa que dar clases en inglés ayudaría a su formación, valorándolo con un 8/10, y alrededor de un 90% recomendaría dar clases en inglés a futuros estudiantes

Aprendizaje integrado de idiomas en el aula. La perspectiva del alumnado de secundaria para promover la docencia universitaria en lengua extranjera

La importancia del inglés a día de hoy es un hecho indiscutible. Es el principal idioma de comunicación a nivel internacional y la lengua vehicular de la ciencia. Además, debido a la constante globalización e internacionalización de las universidades, el inglés está tomando cada vez más importancia en la docencia universitaria. Las universidades españolas ofrecen enseñanza en inglés de forma optativa y muy puntual, a pesar de ser de enseñanza obligatoria en los niveles de primaria y secundaria. El objetivo de este estudio fue conocer el nivel de inglés de estudiantes pre-universitarios y su opinión respecto a la posibilidad de recibir parte de su docencia universitaria en este idioma. Los datos necesarios para el estudio se obtuvieron mediante encuestas virtuales realizadas en institutos de secundaria y centros de formación profesional de la Comunidad Valenciana y las Islas Baleares. La mayoría del alumnado se mostró favorable a recibir parte de la docencia universitaria en inglés, aunque existe una parte importante que rechaza esta posibilidad. El apoyo aumentó cuando se propuso la posibilidad de acreditar el certificado B1 tras recibir docencia universitaria en inglés. Además, la mayoría piensa que dar clases en inglés ayudaría a su formación y alrededor de un 90% recomendaría dar clases en inglés a futuros estudiantes

Functional characterization of α(1)-adrenoceptor subtypes in vascular tissues using different experimental approaches:a comparative study

1. The α(1)-adrenergic responses of rat aorta and tail artery have been analysed measuring the contractility and the inositol phosphate (IP) formation induced by noradrenaline. Three antagonists, prazosin, 5-methylurapidil (α(1A) selective) and BMY 7378 (α(1D) selective) have been used in different experimental procedures. 2. Noradrenaline possesses a greater potency inducing contraction and IP accumulation in aorta (pEC(50)-contraction=7.32±0.04; pEC(50)-IPs=6.03±0.08) than in the tail artery (pEC(50)-contraction=5.71±0.07; pEC(50)-IPs=5.51±0.10). Although the maximum contraction was similar in both tissues (E(max)-tail=619.1±55.6 mg; E(max)-aorta-698.2±40.8 mg), there were marked differences in the ability of these tissues to generate intracellular second messengers the tail artery being more efficient (E(max)-tail=1060±147%; E(max)-aorta=108.1±16.9%). 3. Concentration response curves of noradrenaline in presence of antagonist together with concentration inhibition curves for antagonists added before (CICb) or after (CICa) noradrenaline-induced maximal response in Ca(2+)-containing or Ca(2+)-free medium have been performed. A comparative analysis of the different procedures as well as the mathematical approaches used in each case to calculate the antagonist potencies, were completed. 4. The CICa was the simplest method to characterize the predominant α(1)-adrenoceptor subtype involved in the functional response of a tissue. 5. In aorta, where constitutively active α(1D)-adrenoeptors are present, the use of different experimental procedures evidenced a complex equilibrium between α(1D)- and α(1A)-adrenoceptor subtypes. 6. The appropriate management of LiCl in IP accumulation studies allowed us to reproduce the different experimental procedures performed in contractile experiments giving more technical possibilities to this methodology

Pathological role of a constitutively active population of α(1D)-adrenoceptors in arteries of spontaneously hypertensive rats

1. The role of a constitutively active population of α(1D)-adrenoceptors was analysed in arteries obtained from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and controls (WKY) divided into three groups: young prehypertensive, adult hypertensive, and adult animals chronically treated with captopril (50 mg kg(−1) per day orally) in order to prevent the hypertensive state. 2. In adult SHR, a significant increase in BMY 7378 potency (not in prazosin potency) was observed in aorta, mesenteric artery, and the first and second branches of the small mesenteric arteries with respect to WKY rats. This difference was not observed in iliac and tail arteries, which suggests an increased functional role of α(1D)-adrenoceptors only in some vessels of SHR. 3. The increase in the resting tone (IRT) observed in absence of agonist, inhibited by BMY 7378, that represents the constitutively active population of α(1D)-adrenoceptors, was also significantly greater in aorta and mesenteric artery from adult SHR. 4. In young and captopril treated adult animals, no differences between strains with respect to BMY 7378 potency, or IRT were observed. 5. The increase in the functional role of α(1D)-adrenoceptors and their constitutive activity observed in hypertension is prevented by captopril treatment. The pathological consequence of this change is the slower rate of recovery of the basal tone after removal of an adrenergic stimulus, observed in vessels from hypertensive animals that had shown an increase in the functionality of constitutively active α(1D)-adrenoceptors. This change was not observed in prehypertensive or captopril treated animals