Perception of animal sentience by Brazilian and French citizens: the case of sheep welfare and sentience

The study compared the perception of ordinary citizens from Curitiba, Brazil (OB) and Clermont-Ferrand, France (OF), as well as OB, Brazilian veterinarians (VB), biologists (BB) and animal scientists (AB), concerning animal welfare and sentience. An online survey containing 18 open-ended, multiple choices and Likert scale questions was conducted from November 2014 to May 2016. The survey covered questions on demographics, perception of animal welfare, sheep welfare, sentience and animals’ emotional capacities. In total, 1103 respondents participated in the survey (388 OB, 350 OF, 248 VB, 92 BB and 25 AB); data were compared using non-parametric tests. Brazilian citizens (46.9%) believed more than OF (3.7%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals and OB attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures (median 4, severe suffering) than OF (3, moderate suffering). Additionally, OB gave higher scores of emotions to animals (5) than OF (4). In general, OB and BB had similar perceptions; OB and BB differed from VB and AB who were similar to each other. Citizens (46.9%) and BB (29.3%) believed more than VB (18.5%) and AB (12.0%) that welfare is not considered for farm animals; OB and BB also attributed higher scores of suffering to sheep during management procedures than VB and AB. Women and older respondents showed higher perception of animal welfare issues. There was no clear correlation between perception of animal welfare or sentience and education. Overall, ordinary citizens differed on their perceptions of welfare and sentience in livestock and specifically in sheep, and sheep suffering during management procedures. Ordinary citizens from Curitiba showed higher perception of animal welfare issues as compared to respondents from Clermont-Ferrand and to veterinarians and animal scientists. Ensuring a better consideration of welfare at farm level and in educational programs seems warranted according to the results of this study

The self-assembly and evolution of homomeric protein complexes

We introduce a simple "patchy particle" model to study the thermodynamics and dynamics of self-assembly of homomeric protein complexes. Our calculations allow us to rationalize recent results for dihedral complexes. Namely, why evolution of such complexes naturally takes the system into a region of interaction space where (i) the evolutionarily newer interactions are weaker, (ii) subcomplexes involving the stronger interactions are observed to be thermodynamically stable on destabilization of the protein-protein interactions and (iii) the self-assembly dynamics are hierarchical with these same subcomplexes acting as kinetic intermediates.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

A Curriculum for Enhancing Physician Teaching Skills: The Value of Physician-Educator Partnerships

Developing as a physician requires an enormous amount of complex training, and quality of instruction greatly affects training outcomes. But while physicians are expected to teach trainees within the clinic, they often do not receive formal training in effective instructional practices. Providing faculty development programs is one way that institutions can help physicians develop teaching skills, but these programs often are developed without the input of educational specialists and not based in educational theory. In this methodology paper, we describe a 5-module curriculum that was developed in a cross-disciplinary collaboration between instructional designers and physician faculty. By merging educational and medical expertise and using adult learning theory with the Charlotte-Danielson educational framework, an essentials for clinical teaching educational endorsement program (ECTEEP) was created as a feature of the institutional curriculum within a large, urban teaching hospital. Here we describe how the program was developed through a physician-educator partnership, outline the program\u27s key content, and highlight essential aspects of successful implementation. The ECTEEP incorporates active learning approaches within an abbreviated format, distilling 5 critical aspects of effective teaching that are relevant to the clinical environment: cultural humility and safe learning environments, instruction practices for engaging learners, instruction and assessment strategies, receiving and giving feedback, and mentorship and coaching. A central feature of the program is that facilitators actively model the teaching behaviors they are conveying, which underscores the critical importance of facilitator preparation and skill. Our curriculum is offered here as a basic template for institutions that may want to establish a program for enhancing physician teaching skill

Growth Of Enterotoxin Producing Bacillus Cereus In Meat Substrate At 10°c And 30°c

The behaviour of enterotoxin-producing Bacillus cereus in meat was investigated by inoculating spore suspensions of five cultures into meat substrate (pH 5.8) and incubating at 10°C and 30°C. The bacterial populations were evaluated after different times by plate counts in nutrient agar. All the cultures presented growth at 30°C with the generation time varying from 28.8 to 36.0 minutes. Three cultures also presented growth at 10°C with generation times between 10.16 and 28.38 h. Considering the results, it was concluded that meat kept at abusive temperatures would be subject to development of this microorganism.43414011405Agata, N., Otha, M., Arakawa, Y., Mori, M., The bceT gene of Bacillus cereus encodes an enterotoxic protein (1995) Microbiol. Read, 141 (4), pp. 983-988Asano, S.I., Nukumizu, Y., Bando, H., Iizuca, T., Yamamoto, T., Cloning of novel enterotoxin genes from Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis (1997) Appl. Environ. Microbiol, 63 (3), pp. 1054-1057Beecher, D.J., Macmillan, J.D., Characterization of the components of hemolysin BL from Bacillus cereus (1991) Infec. Immun, 59 (5), pp. 1778-1784Benedict, R.C., Partridge, T., Wells, D., Buchanan, R.L., Bacillus Cereus: Aerobic Growth Kinetics (1993) J. Food Prot, 56 (3), pp. 211-214Borge, G.A., Skeie, M., Sorhaug, T., Langsrud, T., Granum, P.E., Growth and toxin profiles of Bacillus cereus isolated from different food sources (2001) Int. J. Food Microbiol, 69 (3), pp. 237-246Christiansson, A., Naida, A.S., Nilsson, I., Wadström, T., Petterson, H.E., Toxin production by Bacillus cereus dairy isolated in milk at low temperatures (1989) Appl. Environ. Microbiol, 55 (10), pp. 2595-2600Del Torre, M., Della Corte, M., Stecchini, M.L., Prevalence and behaviour of Bacillus cereus in a REPFED of Italian origin (2001) Int. J. Food Microbiol, 63 (3), pp. 199-207Dufrenne, J., Bijwaard, M., Giffe, L.M., Beumer, R., Notermans, S., Characteristics of some psychrotrophic Bacillus cereus isolates (1995) Int. J. Food Microbiol, 27 (2-3), pp. 175-183(1995) Bacteriologycal Analytical Manual, , Food and Drug Administration (FDA)., (8th) Gaitherburg: FDAGilbert, R.J., Bacillus cereus gastroenteritis (1979) Foodborne Infections and Intoxications, pp. 495-518. , Riemann, HBryan, LF, eds., 2 ed. New York: Academic PressGranum, P.E., Bacillus cereus (1997) Food Microbiology. Fundamentals and Frontiers, pp. 327-336. , Doyle, MP, Beuchat, LR Montville, TJ (Eds.)., Washington: ASM PressGuinebretière, M.H., Thompson, F.L., Sorokin, A., Normand, P., Dawyndt, P., Ehling-Schtultz, M., Svensson, B., de Vos, P., Ecological diversification in the Bacillus cereus Group (2008) Environ. Microbiol, 10, pp. 851-865Harmon, S.M., Kautter, D.A., Incidence and growth potential of Bacillus cereus in ready to serve foods (1991) J. Food Prot, 54 (5), pp. 372-374Johnson, K.M., Nelson, C.L., Busta, F.F., Influence of temperature on germination and growth of spores of emetic and diarrheal strains of Bacillus cereus in a broth medium and rice (1983) J. Food Sci, 48 (1), pp. 286-287Konuma, H., Shinagawa, K., Tokumaro, M., Onoue, Y., Konno, S., Fujino, N., Shigehisa, T., Lopes, C.A.M., Occurrence of Bacillus cereus in meat products, raw meat and meat products additives (1988) J. Food Prot, 51 (4), pp. 324-326Lund, B.M., Foodborne disease due to Bacillus and Clostridium species (1990) The Lancet, 336 (8721), pp. 982-986Lund, T., de Buyser, M.L., Granum, P.E., A new cytotoxin from Bacillus cereus that may cause necrotic enteritis (2000) Mol. Microbiol, 38 (2), pp. 254-261Lund, T., Granum, P.E., Characterisation of a non-haemolytic enterotoxin complex from Bacillus cereus isolated after a foodborne outbreak (1996) FEMS Microbiol. Lett, 141 (2-3), pp. 151-156Madigan, M.T., Martinko, J.M., Parker, J., (1997) Brock Biology of Microorganisms, , (8th). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, IncMahakarnchanakul, W., Beuchat, L.R., Effect of shift in growth temperature on tolerance of psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains of Bacillus cereus to heat and sodium chloride (1999) J. Food Prot, 62 (1), pp. 57-64McKillip, J.L., Prevalence and expression of enterotoxins in Bacillus cereus and other Bacillus spp., a literature review (2000) Antonie Van Leeuwenhock, 77 (4), pp. 393-399Nortjé, G.L., Voster, S.M., Greebe, R.P., Steyn, P.L., Occurrence of Bacillus cereus and Yersinia enterocolitica in South Africa retail meats (1999) Food Microbiol, 16 (3), pp. 213-217Pirhonen, T.I., Andersson, M.A., Jaaskelainen, E.L., Salkinoja-Salonen, M.S., Honkanen-Buzalski, T., Johansson, T.M.L., Biochemical and toxic diversity of Bacillus cereus in a pasta and meat dish associated with a food-poisoning case (2005) Food Microbiol, 22 (1), pp. 87-91Reyes, J.E., Bastias, J.M., Gutierrez, M.R., Rodriguez, M.O., Prevalence of Bacillus cereus in dried milk products used by Chilean school feeding program (2007) Food Microbiol, 24 (1), pp. 1-6Roy, A., Moktan, B., Sarkar, P.K., Characteristics of Bacillus cereus isolates from legume-based Indian fermented foods (2007) Food Control, 18, pp. 1555-1564Valero, M., Hernández-Herrero, L.A., Fernández, P.S., Salmerón, M.C., Characterization of Bacillus cereus isolates from fresh vegetables and refrigerated minimally processed foods by biochemical and physiological tests (2002) Food Microbiol, 19 (5), pp. 491-499Valero, M., Leontidis, S., Fernández, O.S., Martínez, A., Salmerón, M.C., Growth of Bacillus cereus in natural and acidified carrot substrates over the temperature range 5-30°C (2000) Food Microbiol, 17 (6), pp. 605-612van Netten, P., Kramer, J.M., Media for detection and enumeration of Bacillus cereus in foods: A review (1992) Int. J. Food Microbiol, 17 (2), pp. 85-99Van Netten, P., Van de Moosdijk, A.P., Van Hoensel, P., Mossel, D.A.A., Perales, I., Psychrotrophic strains of Bacillus cereus producing enterotoxin (1990) J. Appl. Bacteriol, 69, pp. 73-7

Acute low-intensity cycling with blood-flow restriction has no effect on metabolic signaling in human skeletal muscle compared to traditional exercise

Purpose Autophagy is an intracellular degradative system sensitive to hypoxia and exercise-induced perturbations to cellular bioenergetics. We determined the effects of low-intensity endurance-based exercise performed with blood-flow restriction (BFR) on cell signaling adaptive responses regulating autophagy and substrate metabolism in human skeletal muscle. Methods In a randomized cross-over design, nine young, healthy but physically inactive males completed three experimental trials separated by 1 week of recovery consisting of either a resistance exercise bout (REX: 4 × 10 leg press repetitions, 70% 1-RM), endurance exercise (END: 30 min cycling, 70% VO2peak), or low-intensity cycling with BFR (15 min, 40% VO2peak). A resting muscle biopsy was obtained from the vastus lateralis 2 weeks prior to the first exercise trial and 3 h after each exercise bout. Results END increased ULK1Ser757 phosphorylation above rest and BFR (~37 to 51%, P < 0.05). Following REX, there were significant elevations compared to rest (~348%) and BFR (~973%) for p38γ MAPKThr180/Tyr182 phosphorylation (P < 0.05). Parkin content was lower following BFR cycling compared to REX (~20%, P < 0.05). There were no exercise-induced changes in select markers of autophagy following BFR. Genes implicated in substrate metabolism (HK2 and PDK4) were increased above rest (~143 to 338%) and BFR cycling (~212 to 517%) with END (P < 0.001). Conclusion A single bout of low-intensity cycling with BFR is insufficient to induce intracellular “stress” responses (e.g., high rates of substrate turnover and local hypoxia) necessary to activate skeletal muscle autophagy signaling

Observational limits on type 1 active galactic nucleus rate in COSMOS

We present black hole masses and accretion rates for 182 Type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in COSMOS. We estimate masses using the scaling relations for the broad H β, Mg ii, and C iv emission lines in the redshift ranges 0.16 < z < 0.88, 1 < z < 2.4, and 2.7 < z < 4.9. We estimate the accretion rate using an Eddington ratio LI/L_(Edd) estimated from optical and X-ray data.We find that very few Type 1 AGNs accrete below LI/L_(Edd) ∼ 0.01, despite simulations of synthetic spectra which show that the survey is sensitive to such Type 1 AGNs. At lower accretion rates the broad-line region may become obscured, diluted, or nonexistent. We find evidence that Type 1 AGNs at higher accretion rates have higher optical luminosities, as more of their emission comes from the cool (optical) accretion disk with respect to shorter wavelengths. We measure a larger range in accretion rate than previous works, suggesting that COSMOS is more efficient at finding low accretion rate Type 1 AGNs. However, the measured range in accretion rate is still comparable to the intrinsic scatter from the scaling relations, suggesting that Type 1 AGNs accrete at a narrow range of Eddington ratio, with LI/L_(Edd) ∼ 0.1

p53 Activation by Knockdown Technologies

Morpholino phosphorodiamidate antisense oligonucleotides (MOs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are commonly used platforms to study gene function by sequence-specific knockdown. Both technologies, however, can elicit undesirable off-target effects. We have used several model genes to study these effects in detail in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. Using the zebrafish embryo as a template, correct and mistargeting effects are readily discernible through direct comparison of MO-injected animals with well-studied mutants. We show here indistinguishable off-targeting effects for both maternal and zygotic mRNAs and for both translational and splice-site targeting MOs. The major off-targeting effect is mediated through p53 activation, as detected through the transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, acridine orange, and p21 transcriptional activation assays. Concurrent knockdown of p53 specifically ameliorates the cell death induced by MO off-targeting. Importantly, reversal of p53-dependent cell death by p53 knockdown does not affect specific loss of gene function, such as the cell death caused by loss of function of chordin. Interestingly, quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR, microarrays and whole-mount in situ hybridization assays show that MO off-targeting effects are accompanied by diagnostic transcription of an N-terminal truncated p53 isoform that uses a recently recognized internal p53 promoter. We show here that MO off-targeting results in induction of a p53-dependent cell death pathway. p53 activation has also recently been shown to be an unspecified off-target effect of siRNAs. Both commonly used knockdown technologies can thus induce secondary but sequence-specific p53 activation. p53 inhibition could potentially be applicable to other systems to suppress off-target effects caused by other knockdown technologies

Fecal microbiota transplant rescues mice from human pathogen mediated sepsis by restoring systemic immunity.

Death due to sepsis remains a persistent threat to critically ill patients confined to the intensive care unit and is characterized by colonization with multi-drug-resistant healthcare-associated pathogens. Here we report that sepsis in mice caused by a defined four-member pathogen community isolated from a patient with lethal sepsis is associated with the systemic suppression of key elements of the host transcriptome required for pathogen clearance and decreased butyrate expression. More specifically, these pathogens directly suppress interferon regulatory factor 3. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) reverses the course of otherwise lethal sepsis by enhancing pathogen clearance via the restoration of host immunity in an interferon regulatory factor 3-dependent manner. This protective effect is linked to the expansion of butyrate-producing Bacteroidetes. Taken together these results suggest that fecal microbiota transplantation may be a treatment option in sepsis associated with immunosuppression