Occurrence and identification of spore-forming bacteria in skim-milk powders

peer-reviewedThe different customer and regulatory specifications for mesophilic and thermophilic aerobic and anaerobic spore numbers in skim-milk powder, in addition to some specifications on specific spore-forming bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, can be challenging for the industry to meet. Twenty-two samples of medium-heat skim-milk spray-dried powder from eight sources were analysed in triplicate with 16 bacterial and spore enumeration tests to understand the variety of spore-forming bacteria population. Using 16S rDNA sequencing, the species were identified for 269 isolates that were representative of the various tests. Of the isolates identified, 68% were Bacillus licheniformis, a facultative anaerobe that can survive and grow at mesophilic and thermophilic temperatures, making it difficult to eliminate in manufacturing environments. Using whole genome sequencing, 16 of 23 isolates identified as B. licheniformis by 16S sequencing were confirmed as B. licheniformis, four were identified as Bacillus paralicheniformis and three were identified as Bacillus sp. H15-1

Lick the Blade: The Implications of Performance and Narrative Music Videos

Since MTV\u27s introduction in 1981, music videos have shaped popular culture in various ways. Transitioning from television/cable to online platforms, thousands of music videos are viewed daily by millions through streaming sites such as YouTube and Vimeo. As a collaborative group, we wrote and produced a music video in collaboration with the metal band Lick the Blade, focusing on their original piece, “Blood Soaked Majesty.” Footage was produced for both a performance video, showing only the band performing their piece, and a narrative video, featuring a story line that parallels the lyrics. An audience will be able to view a performance video, a narrative piece, or a “concept” video that links images from the narrative piece with the performance video, without providing a true story line. The produced footage allows us to edit various versions of the music video in order to study different outcomes of music video exposure, with three goals: (1) Compare spectators’ involvement and interpretations for performance vs. narrative video versions; (2) investigate outcomes of different levels of violent content and victim gender; (3) examine the impact on reception of non-synchronous sound editing. Results from these studies could lend insight to producers of music videos.https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/u_poster_2014/1006/thumbnail.jp

Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in fishery‐targeted species

Developing efficient, reliable, cost‐effective ways to identify diet is required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study applied an integrative analysis of a fishery‐targeted species group—Plectropomus spp. in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, by comparing three diet‐identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful with prey from ~80% of stomachs identified to genus or species, often with several unique prey in a stomach. Stable isotope mixing models utilizing experimentally derived assimilation data, identified similar prey as the molecular technique but at broader temporal scales, particularly when prior diet information was incorporated. Overall, Caesionidae and Pomacentridae were the most abundant prey families (>50% prey contribution) for all Plectropomus spp., highlighting the importance of planktivorous prey. Less abundant prey categories differed among species/color phases indicating possible niche segregation. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the extent of taxonomic resolution provided by molecular techniques, and, like other studies, illustrates that temporal investigations of dietary patterns are more accessible in combination with stable isotopes. The consumption of mainly planktivorous prey within this species group has important implications within coral reef food webs and provides cautionary information regarding the effects that changing resources could have in reef ecosystems

Integrating complementary methods to improve diet analysis in fishery-targeted species

Developing efficient, reliable, cost-effective ways to identify diet is required to understand trophic ecology in complex ecosystems and improve food web models. A combination of techniques, each varying in their ability to provide robust, spatially and temporally explicit information can be applied to clarify diet data for ecological research. This study applied an integrative analysis of a fishery-targeted species group—Plectropomus spp. in the central Great Barrier Reef, Australia, by comparing three diet-identification approaches. Visual stomach content analysis provided poor identification with ~14% of stomachs sampled resulting in identification to family or lower. A molecular approach was successful with prey from ~80% of stomachs identified to genus or species, often with several unique prey in a stomach. Stable isotope mixing models utilizing experimentally derived assimilation data, identified similar prey as the molecular technique but at broader temporal scales, particularly when prior diet information was incorporated. Overall, Caesionidae and Pomacentridae were the most abundant prey families (\u3e50% prey contribution) for all Plectropomus spp., highlighting the importance of planktivorous prey. Less abundant prey categories differed among species/color phases indicating possible niche segregation. This study is one of the first to demonstrate the extent of taxonomic resolution provided by molecular techniques, and, like other studies, illustrates that temporal investigations of dietary patterns are more accessible in combination with stable isotopes. The consumption of mainly planktivorous prey within this species group has important implications within coral reef food webs and provides cautionary information regarding the effects that changing resources could have in reef ecosystems

Nuclear expression of PG-21, SRC-1, and pCREB in regions of the lumbosacral spinal cord involved in pelvic innervation in young adult and aged rats

In rats, ageing results in dysfunctional patterns of micturition and diminished sexual reflexes that may reflect degenerative changes within spinal circuitry. In both sexes the dorsal lateral nucleus and the spinal nucleus of the bulbospongiosus, which lie in the L5-S1 spinal segments, contain motor neurons that innervate perineal muscles, and the external anal and urethral sphincters. Neurons in the sacral parasympathetic nucleus of these segments provide autonomic control of the bladder, cervix and penis and other lower urinary tract structures. Interneurons in the dorsal gray commissure and dorsal horn have also been implicated in lower urinary tract function. This study investigates the cellular localisation of PG-21 androgen receptors, steroid receptor co-activator one (SRC-1) and the phosphorylated form of c-AMP response element binding protein (pCREB) within these spinal nuclei. These are components of signalling pathways that mediate cellular responses to steroid hormones and neurotrophins. Nuclear expression of PG-21 androgen receptors, SRC-1 and pCREB in young and aged rats was quantified using immunohistochemistry. There was a reduction in the number of spinal neurons expressing these molecules in the aged males while in aged females, SRC-1 and pCREB expression was largely unchanged. This suggests that the observed age-related changes may be linked to declining testosterone levels. Acute testosterone therapy restored expression of PG-21 androgen receptor in aged and orchidectomised male rats, however levels of re-expression varied within different nuclei suggesting a more prolonged period of hormone replacement may be required for full restoratio

The effects of sequential heat treatment on microbial reduction and spore inactivation during milk processing

peer-reviewedSequential heating processes are commonly applied to milk by the dairy industry as part of their microbiological control strategy. Often pasteurisation at 72 °C is followed by a sequential high heat treatment step of up to 125 °C; however, such severe heat treatment can lead to reduced protein quality. Nine temperature combinations (80–90 °C) were evaluated to assess microbial reduction and whey protein nitrogen index values during pilot scale milk processing. A total of 110 bacterial isolates were identified to species level by 16S rDNA sequencing, with Bacillus licheniformis identified as the dominant species. While the experimental treatments did not achieve microbial reductions comparable with the control heating process, the results of this study provide a benchmark for milk processors relative to the effects of sequential heat treatments on milk and their impact on the survival of both thermally resistant microbial populations and thermally labile milk components during processing.Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Irelan

CTLA4 Message Reflects Pathway Disruption in Monogenic Disorders and Under Therapeutic Blockade

CTLA-4 is essential for immune tolerance. Heterozygous CTLA4 mutations cause immune dysregulation evident in defective regulatory T cells with low levels of CTLA-4 expression. Biallelic mutations in LRBA also result in immune dysregulation with low levels of CTLA-4 and clinical presentation indistinguishable from CTLA-4 haploinsufficiency. CTLA-4 has become an immunotherapy target whereby its blockade with a monoclonal antibody has resulted in improved survival in advanced melanoma patients, amongst other malignancies. However, this therapeutic manipulation can result in autoimmune/inflammatory complications reminiscent of those seen in genetic defects affecting the CTLA-4 pathway. Despite efforts made to understand and establish disease genotype/phenotype correlations in CTLA-4-haploinsufficiency and LRBA-deficiency, such relationships remain elusive. There is currently no specific immunological marker to assess the degree of CTLA-4 pathway disruption or its relationship with clinical manifestations. Here we compare three different patient groups with disturbances in the CTLA-4 pathway—CTLA-4-haploinsufficiency, LRBA-deficiency, and ipilimumab-treated melanoma patients. Assessment of CTLA4 mRNA expression in these patient groups demonstrated an inverse correlation between the CTLA4 message and degree of CTLA-4 pathway disruption. CTLA4 mRNA levels from melanoma patients under therapeutic CTLA-4 blockade (ipilimumab) were increased compared to patients with either CTLA4 or LRBA mutations that were clinically stable with abatacept treatment. In summary, we show that increased CTLA4 mRNA levels correlate with the degree of CTLA-4 pathway disruption, suggesting that CTLA4 mRNA levels may be a quantifiable surrogate for altered CTLA-4 expression

Subtype-Specific and Co-Occurring Genetic Alterations in B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) encompasses multiple clinically and phenotypically distinct subtypes of malignancy with unique molecular etiologies. Common subtypes of B-NHL, such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, have been comprehensively interrogated at the genomic level, but rarer subtypes, such as mantle cell lymphoma, remain less extensively characterized. Furthermore, multiple B-NHL subtypes have thus far not been comprehensively compared using the same methodology to identify conserved or subtype-specific patterns of genomic alterations. Here, we employed a large targeted hybrid-capture sequencing approach encompassing 380 genes to interrogate the genomic landscapes of 685 B-NHL tumors at high depth, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and Burkitt lymphoma. We identified conserved hallmarks of B-NHL that were deregulated in the majority of tumors from each subtype, including frequent genetic deregulation of the ubiquitin proteasome system. In addition, we identified subtype-specific patterns of genetic alterations, including clusters of co-occurring mutations and DNA copy number alterations. The cumulative burden of mutations within a single cluster were more discriminatory of B-NHL subtypes than individual mutations, implicating likely patterns of genetic cooperation that contribute to disease etiology. We therefore provide the first cross-sectional analysis of mutations and DNA copy number alterations across major B-NHL subtypes and a framework of co-occurring genetic alterations that deregulate genetic hallmarks and likely cooperate in lymphomagenesis