1,789 research outputs found
Quorum-quenching activity of the AHL-lactonase from <i>Bacillus licheniformis</i> DAHB1 inhibits vibrio biofilm formation in vitro and reduces shrimp intestinal colonisation and mortality
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a significant cause of gastroenteritis resulting from the consumption of undercooked sea foods and often cause significant infections in shrimp aquaculture. Vibrio virulence is associated with biofilm formation and is regulated by N-acylated homoserine lactone (AHL)-mediated quorum sensing. In an attempt to reduce vibrio colonisation of shrimps and mortality, we screened native intestinal bacilli from Indian white shrimps (Fenneropenaeus indicus) for an isolate which showed biofilm-inhibitory activity (quorum quenching) against the pathogen V. parahaemolyticus DAHP1. The AHL-lactonase (AiiA) expressed by one of these, Bacillus licheniformis DAHB1, was characterised as having a broad-spectrum AHL substrate specificity and intrinsic resistance to the acid conditions of the shrimp intestine. Purified recombinant AiiA inhibited vibrio biofilm development in a cover slip assay and significantly attenuated infection and mortality in shrimps reared in a recirculation aquaculture system. Investigation of intestinal samples also showed that AiiA treatment also reduced vibrio viable counts and biofilm development as determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging. These findings suggest that the B. licheniformis DAHB1 quorum-quenching AiiA might be developed for use as a prophylactic treatment to inhibit or reduce vibrio colonisation and mortality of shrimps in aquaculture
SPLINE MODELS FOR ESTIMATING HEAT STRESS THRESHOLDS IN CATTLE
Studies of the relationship between animal body temperature and air temperature suggest body temperature is essentially unresponsive until a threshold is reached, then it responds dramatically to increasing air temperature. The goal is to estimate the threshold between the thermoneutral plateau and the beginning of the heat stress challenge. One approach is to fit a polynomial to estimate the knot position and use spline functions to perform linear least squares piecewise polynomial fitting. Another alternative is to use nonlinear regression to estimate the knot or an inflection point of a nonlinear function. In both approaches the cyclic nature of body temperature is ignored. This paper explores the use of nonlinear regression to estimate the knot position and handles the hysteresis effect resulting from the cyclic nature of body temperature. Models are fit to data collected from cattle in chambers subjected to semicontrolled sinusoidal air temperature at the University of Missouri-Columbia Animal Science department and a procedure for estimating the heat stress threshold is proposed
Examining c-di-GMP and possible quorum sensing regulation in Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25:links between intra and inter-cellular regulation benefits community cooperative activities such as biofilm formation
Bacterial success in colonizing complex environments requires individual response to micro-scale conditions as well as community-level cooperation to produce large-scale structures such as biofilms. Connecting individual and community responses could be achieved by linking the intracellular sensory and regulatory systems mediated by bis-(3β²-5β²)-cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) and other compounds of individuals with intercellular quorum sensing (QS) regulation controlling populations. There is growing evidence to suggest that biofilm formation by many pseudomonads is regulated by both intra and intercellular systems, though in the case of the model Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 Wrinkly Spreader in which mutations increasing c-di-GMP levels result in the production of a robust cellulose-based air-liquid interface biofilm, no evidence for the involvement of QS regulation has been reported. However, our recent review of the P. fluorescens SBW25 genome has identified a potential QS regulatory pathway and other QSβassociated genes linked to c-di-GMP homeostasis, and QS signal molecules have also been identified in culture supernatants. These findings suggest a possible link between c-di-GMP and QS regulation in P. fluorescens SBW25 which might allow a more sophisticated and responsive control of cellulose production and biofilm formation when colonising the soil and plant-associated environments P. fluorescens SBW25 normally inhabits.ΠΠ½Π°Π»ΠΈΠ· Ρ-Π΄ΠΈ-ΠΠΠ€ ΠΈ Π²ΠΎΠ·ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΡΠ²ΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΊΠ²ΠΎΡΡΠΌΠ° Ρ Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW 25: ΡΠ²ΡΠ·Ρ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Ρ Π²Π½ΡΡΡΠΈ ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠΊΠ»Π΅ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ΅ΠΉ ΡΠΏΠΎΡΠΎΠ±ΡΡΠ²ΡΠ΅Ρ ΠΊΠΎΠΎΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ°ΡΠΈΠ²Π½ΠΎΠΌΡ ΠΏΠΎΠ²Π΅Π΄Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ Π² ΡΠΎΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π΅ ΠΈ ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠΈΡΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Π±ΠΈΠΎΠΏΠ»ΡΠ½ΠΊΠΈΠ£ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΡ Π±Π°ΠΊΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΠΊΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΈΠΈ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠΆΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ ΡΡΠ΅Π±ΡΠ΅Ρ ΠΈΠ½Π΄ΠΈΠ²ΠΈΠ΄ΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΎΡΠ²Π΅ΡΠ° Π½Π° ΠΈΠ·ΠΌΠ΅Π½Π΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΡΡΠ»ΠΎΠ²ΠΈΠΉ Π½Π° ΠΌΠΈΠΊΡΠΎΡΡΠΎΠ²Π½Π΅ ΡΠ°Π²Π½ΠΎ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ ΠΈ ΠΊΠΎΠΎΠΏΠ΅ΡΠ°ΡΠΈΠΈ Π½Π° ΡΡΠΎΠ²Π½Π΅ ΡΠΎΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π° Π΄Π»Ρ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΊΡΠΈΠΈ ΡΠ°ΠΊΠΈΡ
ΠΊΡΡΠΏΠ½ΠΎ ΠΌΠ°ΡΡΡΠ°Π±Π½ΡΡ
ΡΡΡΡΠΊΡΡΡ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π±ΠΈΠΎΠΏΠ»ΡΠ½ΠΊΠΈ. ΠΠΎΠΎΡΠ΄ΠΈΠ½Π°ΡΠΈΡ ΠΈΠ½Π΄ΠΈΠ²ΠΈΠ΄ΡΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΎΡΠ²Π΅Ρ ΠΎΠ² ΠΈ ΠΎΡΠ²Π΅ΡΠΎΠ² ΡΠΎΠΎΠ±ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π° ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ΅Ρ Π±ΡΡΡ Π΄ΠΎΡΡΠΈΠ³Π½ΡΡΠ° ΠΏΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΡΠ²ΡΠ·ΡΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΡ Π²Π½ΡΡΡΠΈΠΊΠ»Π΅ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΠΈ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΡ
ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ, ΠΎΠΏΠΎΡΡΠ΅Π΄ΡΠ΅ΠΌΡΡ
Π±ΠΈΡ-(3',5')-ΡΠΈΠΊΠ»ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΈΠΌ Π΄ΠΈΠΌΠ΅ΡΠ½ΡΠΌ Π³ΡΠ°Π½ΠΎΠ·ΠΈΠ½ΠΌΠΎΠ½ΠΎΡΠΎΡΡΠ°ΡΠΎΠΌ (Ρ-Π΄ΠΈ-ΠΠΠ€) ΠΈ Π΄ΡΡΠ³ΠΈΠΌΠΈ ΡΠΎΠ΅Π΄ΠΈΠ½Π΅Π½ΠΈΡΠΌΠΈ ΠΈΠ½Π΄ΠΈΠ²ΠΈΠ΄ΡΡΠΌΠΎΠ² Ρ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠΊΠ»Π΅ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ΅ΠΉ - ΡΡΠ²ΡΡΠ²ΠΎΠΌ ΠΊΠ²ΠΎΡΡΠΌΠ° (Π§Π), ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΠΎΠ»ΠΈΡΡΡΡΠ΅ΠΌ ΠΏΠΎΠΏΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈ Ρ. ΠΠ°ΠΊΠ°ΠΏΠ»ΠΈΠ²Π°Π΅ΡΡΡ Π²ΡΡ Π±ΠΎΠ»ΡΡΠ΅ Π΄ΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΡΠ² ΡΠΎΠ³ΠΎ, ΡΡΠΎ ΡΠΎΡΠΌΠΈΡΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈΠ΅ Π±ΠΈΠΎΠΏΠ»Π΅Π½ΠΊΠΈ ΠΌΠ½ΠΎΠ³ΠΈΠΌΠΈ ΠΏΡΠ΅Π²Π΄ΠΎΠΌΠΎΠ½Π°Π΄Π°ΠΌΠΈ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ ΠΊΠ°ΠΊ Π²Π½ΡΡΡΠΈ ΠΊΠ»Π΅ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠΌΠΈ, ΡΠ°ΠΊ ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆ ΠΊΠ»Π΅ΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΡΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΠΌΠ°ΠΌΠΈ, Ρ
ΠΎΡΡ Π² ΡΠ»ΡΡΠ°Π΅ ΠΌΠΎΠ΄Π΅Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 Wrinkly Spreader, Ρ ΠΊΠΎΡΠΎΡΠΎΠΉ ΠΌΡΡΠ°ΡΠΈΠΈ, ΠΏΠΎΠ²ΡΡΠ°ΡΡ ΠΈΠ΅ ΡΡΠΎΠ²Π½ΠΈ Ρ-Π΄ΠΈ-ΠΠΠ€, ΠΏΡΠΈΠ²ΠΎΠ΄ΡΡ ΠΊ ΡΠΎΠ·Π΄Π°Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΏΡΠΎΡΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π»Π»ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ·Π½ΠΎΠΉ Π±ΠΈΠΎΠΏΠ»ΡΠ½ΠΊΠΈ Π½Π° Π³ΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡΠ΅ ΡΠ°Π·Π΄Π΅Π»Π° ΡΠ°Π· Π²ΠΎΠ·Π΄ΡΡ
-ΠΆΠΈΠ΄ΠΊΠΎΡΡΡ, Π½Π΅ Π±ΡΠ»ΠΎ ΠΎΠ±Π½Π°ΡΡΠΆΠ΅Π½ΠΎ Π½ΠΈ ΠΊΠ° ΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΡΠ²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΡΠ²Π° Π²ΠΎΠ²Π»Π΅ΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡ ΠΊΠ²ΠΎΡΡΠΌ-Π·Π°Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΠΌΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠΈ. ΠΠ΄Π½Π°ΠΊΠΎ Π½Π°Ρ Π½Π΅Π΄Π°Π²Π½ΠΈΠΉ ΠΎΠ±Π·ΠΎΡ Π³Π΅Π½ΠΎΠΌΠ° P. fluorescens SBW25 Π²ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΠ» ΠΏΠΎΡΠ΅Π½ΡΠΈΠ°Π»ΡΠ½ΡΠΉ Π§Π-Π·Π°Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΠΌΡΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΎΡΠ½ΡΠΉ ΠΏΡ ΡΡ ΠΈ Π΄ΡΡΠ³ΠΈΠ΅ Π§Π-Π·Π°Π²ΠΈΡΠΈΠΌΡΠ΅ Π³Π΅Π½Ρ, ΡΠ²ΡΠ·Π°Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ Ρ Π³ΠΎΠΌΠ΅ΠΎΡΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠΌ Ρ-Π΄ΠΈ-ΠΠΠ€, Π° ΠΌΠΎΠ»Π΅ΠΊΡΠ»Ρ Π§Π-ΡΠΈΠ³Π½Π°Π»ΠΈΠ½Π³Π° Π±ΡΠ»ΠΈ ΠΈΠ΄Π΅Π½ΡΠΈΡΠΈΡΠΈΡΠΎΠ²Π°Π½Ρ Π² ΠΊΡΠ»ΡΡΡΡΠ΅. ΠΡΠΈ Π΄Π°Π½Π½ΡΠ΅ ΡΠ²ΠΈΠ΄Π΅ΡΠ΅Π»ΡΡΡΠ²ΡΡΡ ΠΎ Π²ΠΎΠ·ΠΌΠΎΠΆΠ½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΠ²ΡΠ·ΠΈ ΠΌΠ΅ΠΆΠ΄Ρ Ρ-Π΄ΠΈ-ΠΠΠ€-ΡΠ΅Π³ΡΠ»ΡΡΠΈΠ΅ΠΉ ΠΈ Π§Π Ρ P. fluorescens SBW25, ΡΡΠΎ ΠΏΠΎΠ·Π²ΠΎΠ»ΡΠ΅Ρ Π±ΠΎΠ»Π΅Π΅ ΡΠ»ΠΎΠΆΠ½ΡΠΉ ΠΈ Π³ΠΈΠ±ΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΠΎΠ»Ρ Π½Π°Π΄ ΠΏΡΠΎΠ΄ΡΠΊΡΠΈΠ΅ΠΉ ΡΠ΅Π»Π»ΡΠ»ΠΎΠ·Ρ ΠΈ ΠΎΠ±ΡΠ°Π·ΠΎΠ²Π°Π½ΠΈ Π΅ΠΌ Π±ΠΈΠΎΠΏΠ»Π΅Π½ΠΊΠΈ ΠΏΡΠΈ ΠΊΠΎΠ»ΠΎΠ½ΠΈΠ·Π°ΡΠΈΠΈ ΠΏΠΎΡΠ² ΠΈ ΡΠΊΠΎΠ½ΠΈΡ, aΡΡΠΎΡΠΈΠΈΡΠΎΠ²Π°Π½Π½ΡΡ
Ρ ΡΠ°ΡΡΠ΅Π½ΠΈΡΠΌ ΠΈ, - Π΅ΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ²Π΅Π½Π½ΡΠΌΠΈ ΡΡΠ΅Π΄Π°ΠΌΠΈ ΠΎΠ±ΠΈΡΠ°Π½ΠΈΡ P. fluorescens SBW25
USING NONLINEAR FIXED AND MIXED MODELS TO STUDY ACCLIMATION TO HEAT STRESS IN CATTLE
Researchers studying acclimation of cattle to heat stress want to know if exposure to heat stress in controlled chambers will help cattle adjust to climatic conditions in the field. The four parameter nonlinear PET model is used to study the relationship between core body temperature and ambient temperature. This model works well when cattle are challenged by heat stress but the model is less useful for thermoneutral conditions. Both proc Nlin and Nlmixed are used to compare and contrast the field parameters between the controlled and the potentially acclimated group. Simulation studies were used to compare the effectiveness of proc Nlin versus proc Nlmixed. The results are helpful, not only for researchers who study acclimation, but also for those who study sensitivity, tolerance and robustness of cattle during heat stress
βTreading water but drowning slowlyβ: what are GPsβ experiences of living and working with mental illness and distress in England? A qualitative study
Objectives
This paper provides an in-depth account of general practitionersβ (GPs) experiences of living and working with mental illness and distress, as part of a wider study reporting the barriers and facilitators to help-seeking for mental illness and burn-out, and sources of stress/distress for GP participants.
Design
Qualitative study using in-depth interviews with 47 GP participants. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, anonymised and imported into NVivo V.11 to facilitate data management. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis employing the constant comparative method.
Setting
England.
Participants
A purposive sample of GP participants who self-identified as: (1) currently living with mental distress, (2) returning to work following treatment, (3) off sick or retired early as a result of mental distress or (4) without experience of mental distress. Interviews were conducted face to face or over the telephone.
Results
The findings report GP participantsβ in-depth experiences of distress and mental illness with many recollecting their distressing experiences and significant psychological and physical symptoms relating to chronic stress, anxiety, depression and/or burn-out, and a quarter articulating thoughts of suicide. Many talked about their shame, humiliation and embarrassment at their perceived inability to cope with the stresses of their job and/or their symptoms of mental illness.
Conclusions
These findings paint a concerning picture of the situation affecting primary care doctors, with participantsβ accounts suggesting there is a considerable degree of mental ill health and reduced well-being among GPs. The solutions are complex and lie in prevention and provision. There needs to be greater recognition of the components and cumulative effect of occupational stressors for doctors, such as the increasing workload and the clinical and emotional demands of the job, as well as the need for a culture shift within medicine to more supportive and compassionate work environments
CHARACTERIZING THERMAL HYSTERESIS IN BODY TEMPERATURE FOR A HEAT STRESSED STEER
Studies have shown that exposure of animals to a high ambient temperature environment poses serious threats to their health, performance and productivity. Above a certain threshold an animal\u27s body temperature (Tb) appears to be driven by the hot ambient temperature (Ta). For steers challenged by heat stress, the Tb-Ta relationship shows a dramatic increase in Tb per unit change of Ta and the dynamics of the Tb-Ta relationship follow a pattern which depends on whether Ta is increasing or decreasing. A delay becomes noticeable in a steerβs thermo-regulatory response to Ta when Ta is controlled to be sinusoidal in the steerβs heat stress chamber. In other words, Tb lags behind Ta. Consequently when plotted in a Tb-Ta phase diagram, a hysteresis effect appears in the form of a hysteresis loop, indicating the steer is thermally challenged. The hysteresis loop shows a rotated elliptical pattern which depends on the delay (or lag) between Tb and Ta. The angle of rotation of the hysteresis loop indicates the correlation (and lag) between Tb and Ta. The area of the elliptical hysteresis loop can be used to quantify the amount of heat stress during the period of thermal challenge. For example, results of a thermal challenge of 32Β±7oC applied to a Hereford steer showed, the delay is longer (4 hr lag) and ellipse is larger in an acute stage than in a chronic stage (3 hr lag). A greater delay (or lag) suggests more time is needed to dissipate the heat stress. This result suggests, steers in an acute stage require more energy to dissipate heat than steers in a chronic stage
Hepatic Homeostasis of Metal Ions Following Acute Repeated Stress Exposure in Rats.
Essential metals such as copper, iron, and zinc are cofactors in various biological processes including oxygen utilisation, cell growth, and biomolecular synthesis. The homeostasis of these essential metals is carefully controlled through a system of protein transporters involved in the uptake, storage, and secretion. Some metal ions can be transformed by processes including reduction/oxidation (redox) reactions, and correspondingly, the breakdown of metal ion homeostasis can lead to formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. We have previously demonstrated rapid biochemical responses to stress involving alterations in the redox state to generate free radicals and the resultant oxidative stress. However, the effects of stress on redox-active metals including iron and copper and redox-inert zinc have not been well characterised. Therefore, this study aims to examine the changes in these essential metals following exposure to short-term repeated stress, and to further elucidate the alterations in metal homeostasis through expression analysis of different metal transporters. Outbred male Wistar rats were exposed to unrestrained (control), 1 day, or 3 days of 6 h restraint stress (n = 8 per group). After the respective stress treatment, blood and liver samples were collected for the analysis of biometal concentrations and relative gene expression of metal transporter and binding proteins. Exposure to repeated restraint stress was highly effective in causing hepatic redox imbalance. Stress was also shown to induce hepatic metal redistribution, while modulating the mRNA levels of key metal transporters. Overall, this study is the first to characterise the gene expression profile of metal homeostasis following stress and provide insight into the changes occurring prior to the onset of chronic stress conditions
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