An outbreak associated with streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus in layers : evidence of fecal transmission

Major disease outbreaks caused by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus seldom are reported in poultry. Besides acute septicemia, infection can result in a subacute or chronic form of disease with described mortality rates of 11% to 80%. Previously, the source of infection in poultry was linked to horses in which this bacterium can be present as an opportunistic pathogen on mucus membranes. The main route of spreading and being maintained within a poultry flock, after entering the stable, however, remains unclear. This case report describes an outbreak associated with S. zooepidemicus affecting a flock of 28 500 layer hens housed in an aviary system with free range. Besides sudden deaths, clinical signs of depression were noticed. Between 44 and 61 wk of age a total mortality of 23% was observed. Egg production dropped from 92% to 83%. Bacterial titration revealed substantial numbers of S. zooepidemicus present in the ceca of a healthy chicken. This novel finding hypothesizes that transmission of the infection within the flock might occur through the fecal route

Gaming Disorder and Well-Being Among Emirati College Women

Background: The present study examined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depressive symptom levels among a predominantly female sample of college students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: IGD was assessed among two successive cohorts of students at the beginning of the academic year in 2016 and 2019, respectively. All participants (n = 412) completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) and the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5), a tool widely used for the screening and assessment of depressive symptomatology. Results: Mean IGDS9-SF scores (15.85, SD = 6.40) were fairly similar to those observed in other nations. The prevalence of IGD was 1.45%, based on the stringent cut-off score (> = 40). Prevalence of IGD rose to 18.20% when using the less stringent cut-off (> = 21). There was an increase in the rate of IGD between 2016 and 2019, although not statistically significant. Higher IGDS9-SF scores were associated with greater depressive symptomatology; those scoring above the less stringent IGD cut-off had a greater likelihood of screening positive for depression OR = 2.28, 95% CI (1.176–4.428). Conclusions: This study provides insights about IGD among a predominantly female Arab population, finding a correlation with mood disorder symptomatology and suggesting an increase in problematic gaming over time. The results are discussed with reference to the mood repair hypothesis and the possibility of IGD being a dual disorder. The association with depressive symptoms is also discussed in light of the neurobiology of addictive behaviors and sexual dimorphism

Urbilaterian origin of paralogous GnRH and corazonin neuropeptide signalling pathways

This work was supported by funding from the China Scholarship Council (awarded to ST), Leverhulme Trust (grant RGP-2013-351, awarded to MRE), BBSRC (grant BB/M001644/1 awarded to MRE; grant BB/M001032/1 awarded to JHS) and a Company of Biologists (Journal of Experimental Biology) Travelling Fellowship awarded to MZ. IB is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Research Foundation–Flanders (FWO)

Anthelmintic activity of trans-cinnamaldehyde and A- and B-type proanthocyanidins derived from cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, but effects on parasitic worms of the intestine have not been investigated. Here, extracts of cinnamon bark were shown to have potent in vitro anthelmintic properties against the swine nematode Ascaris suum. Analysis of the extract revealed high concentrations of proanthocyanidins (PAC) and trans-cinnamaldehyde (CA). The PAC were subjected to thiolysis and HPLC-MS analysis which demonstrated that they were exclusively procyanidins, had a mean degree of polymerization of 5.2 and 21% of their inter-flavan-3-ol links were A-type linkages. Purification of the PAC revealed that whilst they had activity against A. suum, most of the potency of the extract derived from CA. Trichuris suis and Oesophagostomum dentatum larvae were similarly susceptible to CA. To test whether CA could reduce A. suum infection in pigs in vivo, CA was administered daily in the diet or as a targeted, encapsulated dose. However, infection was not significantly reduced. It is proposed that the rapid absorption or metabolism of CA in vivo may prevent it from being present in sufficient concentrations in situ to exert efficacy. Therefore, further work should focus on whether formulation of CA can enhance its activity against internal parasites