Interaction Between Familial Transmission and a Constitutively Active Immune System Shapes Gut Microbiota in <i>Drosophila melanogaster</i>

Resident gut bacteria are constantly influencing the immune system, yet the role of the immune system in shaping microbiota composition during an organism’s life span has remained unclear. Experiments in mice have been inconclusive due to differences in husbandry schemes that led to conflicting results. We used Drosophila as a genetically tractable system with a simpler gut bacterial population structure streamlined genetic backgrounds and established cross schemes to address this issue. We found that, depending on their genetic background, young flies had microbiota of different diversities that converged with age to the same Acetobacteraceae-dominated pattern in healthy flies. This pattern was accelerated in immune-compromised flies with higher bacterial load and gut cell death. Nevertheless, immune-compromised flies resembled their genetic background, indicating that familial transmission was the main force regulating gut microbiota. In contrast, flies with a constitutively active immune system had microbiota readily distinguishable from their genetic background with the introduction and establishment of previously undetectable bacterial families. This indicated the influence of immunity over familial transmission. Moreover, hyperactive immunity and increased enterocyte death resulted in the highest bacterial load observed starting from early adulthood. Cohousing experiments showed that the microenvironment also played an important role in the structure of the microbiota where flies with constitutive immunity defined the gut microbiota of their cohabitants. Our data show that, in Drosophila, constitutively active immunity shapes the structure and density of gut microbiota

Recommendations to improve physical activity among teenagers- A qualitative study with ethnic minority and European teenagers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To understand the key challenges and explore recommendations from teenagers to promote physical activity with a focus on ethnic minority children.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Focus groups with teenagers aged 16-18 of Bangladeshi, Somali or Welsh descent attending a participating school in South Wales, UK. There were seventy four participants (18 Somali, 24 Bangladeshi and 32 Welsh children) divided into 12 focus groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The boys were more positive about the benefits of exercise than the girls and felt there were not enough facilities or enough opportunity for unsupervised activity. The girls felt there was a lack of support to exercise from their family. All the children felt that attitudes to activity for teenagers needed to change, so that there was more family and community support for girls to be active and for boys to have freedom to do activities they wanted without formal supervision. It was felt that older children from all ethnic backgrounds should be involved more in delivering activities and schools needs to provide more frequent and a wider range of activities.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study takes a child-focused approach to explore how interventions should be designed to promote physical activity in youth. Interventions need to improve access to facilities but also counteract attitudes that teenagers should be studying or working and not 'hanging about' playing with friends. Thus, the value of activity for teenagers needs to be promoted not just among the teenagers but with their teachers, parents and members of the community.</p

Host-gut microbiota interaction in health and disease using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism

The resident gut bacteria of the gastrointestinal tract (gut microbiota) have been known to influence the immune system. Yet the role of the immune system in shaping the gut microbiota composition across an organismâs lifespan remains unclear. Previous work in mice has been conflicting and thus remains inconclusive. Here, Drosophila melanogaster was used as a model organism with a simpler gut commensal community to address this issue. Using four strains of Drosophila reflecting different immune statuses, we found that wild type and immune-compromised strains had the same Acetobacteraceae-dominant pattern across their adult lifespan. However, flies with a constitutively active immune system had a distinctive gut microbiota structure that persisted even when maternally transmitted bacteria were removed and was distinguishable from its genetic background. Additionally, co-housing experiments showed that the local environment also played an important role in gut microbiota composition. When the physiology of the gut was explored, it showed that the gut internal environment was affected as a consequence of having a de-regulated immune system. Together, our results in Drosophila showed that a constantly active immune system shaped microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract. Given the evolutionary conservation of innate immunity between insects and mammals our data has implications for the shaping of the gut microbiota structure in humans with a chronically inflamed intestine.</p

Seropositivity and Trends of Transfusion Section Transmitted Infections among Blood Donors: Five Years Cross-sectional Study on 20,392 Blood Donors in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Introduction: Blood transfusion is a lifesaving intervention. However, it can also be a source of Transfusion-transmissible Infections (TTIs), posing a potential threat to the recipient. Testing for TTIs before blood transfusion is crucial for the safety of recipients. However, donations occurring during the window period, the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers, viral strains with high genetic variability, and technical errors are responsible for TTIs and remain one of the greatest obstacles in transfusion medicine to deal with. All blood donors are to be screened against five major infections-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Syphilis, and Malaria. Aim: To study the seroprevalence and trends of TTI among healthy blood donors at the Blood Centre of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out by reviewing blood donors’ records over a period of five years from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022, at the Blood Centre, Department of Pathology, of Sheth L.G. General Hospital, Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The data collected for each seropositive donor included the results of TTI testing, the age group of donors, the type of donation, the frequency of donation, and co-infection. The results were expressed in numbers and percentages. Results: Among a total of 20,392 healthy blood donors during the five-year period, the total number of seropositive cases (n) was 243 (1.19%). TTI seropositive donors in years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 were 60 (1.29%), 50 (1.16%), 39 (1.22%), 45 (1.14%), and 49 (1.16%), respectively. A maximum of 118 (48.56%) seropositive donors were recorded in age group of 18-29 years. Individual seropositive donors during the five-year period for HIV, HBV, HCV, syphilis, and malaria were 19 (0.09%), 155 (0.76%), 28 (0.14%), 41 (0.20%), and 00 (0.00%), respectively. Voluntary Blood Donors (VBD) 10,933 (53.61%) exceeded Replacement Donors (RD) 9,459 (46.39%), and repeat blood donors 14,462 (70.92%) surpassed first-time donors 5,930 (29.08%). The seroprevalence of TTI among replacement, voluntary, first-time, and repeat blood donors was 2.41%, 0.14%, 2.06% and 0.84% respectively. Out of 243 seroreactive donors, two donors (0.82%) showed dual reactivity for TTI during the five-year period. Conclusion: Implementation of strict donor selection criteria, utilisation of sensitive screening modalities, promoting public awareness, and dispelling myths regarding the merits of voluntary blood donation, judicious use of blood products, and mass immunisation for Hepatitis B infection are essential interventions needed to curb TTI to a significant extent

Risk factors for childhood obesity at age 5: Analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Weight at age 5 is a predictor for future health of the individual. This study examines risk factors for childhood obesity with a focus on ethnicity.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data from the Millennium Cohort study were used. 17,561 singleton children of White/European (n = 15,062), Asian (n = 1,845) or African (n = 654) background were selected. Logistic regression and likelihood ratio tests were used to examine factors associated with obesity at age 5. All participants were interviewed in their own homes. The main exposures examined included; Birth weight, sedentary lifestyle, family health behaviours, ethnicity, education and income.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Children with a sedentary lifestyle, large at birth, with high risk family health behaviours (overweight mothers, smoking near the child, missing breakfast) and from a family with low income or low educational attainment, were more likely to be obese regardless of ethnicity. Feeding solid food before 3 months was associated with obesity in higher income White/European families. Even when controlling for socioeconomic status, ethnic background is an important independent risk factor for childhood obesity [Odds ratio of obesity; was 1.7 (95%CI: 1.2-2.3) for Asian and 2.7 (95%CI: 1.9-3.9) for African children, compared to White/European]. The final adjusted model suggests that increasing income does not have a great impact on lowering obesity levels, but that higher academic qualifications are associated with lower obesity levels [Odds of obesity: 0.63 (95%CI: 0.52-0.77) if primary carer leaves school after age 16 compared at age 16].</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Education of the primary carer is an important modifiable factor which can be targeted to address rising obesity levels in children. Interventions should be family centred supporting and showing people how they can implement lifestyle changes in their family.</p