Comparing Biofilm Forming Potential of \u3cem\u3eListeria\u3c/em\u3e Species on Non-food and Food-contact Surfaces of Importance to the Dairy Industry

Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a foodborne pathogen of major safety concerns. This bacterium can resist/adapt to environmental stressors and persist through forming robust biofilms despite dairy plants following stringent surface cleaning protocols. Surface roughness is considered a major factor controlling bacterial attachment and biofilm formation. Food contact surfaces like stainless steel (SS) have low surface roughness for easy cleaning. On the other hand, non-contact surfaces like floors need a rougher surface to ensure employee safety. Hence, we hypothesized that Listeria biofilm formation would be lower on stainless steel compared to clay brick (CB; common flooring material in dairy plants). This study used L. innocua (Li; non-pathogenic) as the test strain instead of Lm because of its similar biofilm-forming capacity and isolation from similar environmental settings. Biofilms of Li were developed on SS and CB tiles (2.54x2.54 cm2) using 7-log10CFU/mL Li spiked reconstituted non-fat dry milk (11%w/v; R-NFDM) for 24h at 37°C. The R-NFDM was analyzed for fat, protein, lactose, total solid, solid-not-fat content, and pH. Simultaneously, as a control, biofilm on the tiles was formed using brain heart infusion broth. Biofilm counts were obtained through swabbing. Dilutions were plated on brain heart infusion agar and incubated at 37°C for 24-48h, and counts were expressed as log10CFU/coupon. Three trials in duplicate were completed, with 6 tiles each. Means were compared using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The biofilm counts for SS were 5.33±0.12, and for CB tiles were 5.54±0.08 (P-value\u3e0.05). The findings demonstrated that both surfaces equally supported biofilm development by Li. Therefore, establishing effective interventions to eliminate Lm biofilms and lower the risk of product cross-contamination is critical

The experience of pregnancy in women with a history of anorexia nervosa: An interpretive phenomenological analysis

Abstract Background and aims: To explore the experience of pregnancy for women who have a history of anorexia nervosa (AN), in relation to the impact of AN on pregnancy, and pregnancy on AN. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six women with a history of AN. Data were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Four super-ordinate themes emerged: ‘Effortful resistance of AN’; ‘The unvalued self, valued other dialectic’; ‘In new territory’; and ‘Feeling distanced’. Conclusions: Various factors motivated the women to try and change their AN behaviours. This was achieved with varying degrees of success. Attempts to manage AN cognitions and emotions were less successful, and this aspect of their illness persisted. Whilst the baby was viewed as worthy of nurturance, the self was not. Pregnancy represented an unfamiliar experience, and was a time of relative isolation and lack of psychological support. Findings are discussed in the context of theory, research and practice

The Effects of Dietary Nitrate Supplementation as an Ergogenic Aid on NCAA Division Female Soccer Players

Undergraduate Researc

“Dieu est merde!”: the wicked and divine woman in Muriel Spark’s The Only Problem

Muriel Spark’s novel The Only Problem (1984) draws upon the Book of Job in a bizarre tale that reimagines the plight of Job’s suffering through her ‘modern man’ and protagonist, Harvey Gotham. Intrinsic to the narrative, however, is the character of Effie, Harvey’s wife, who is the self-appointed leader of an anti-capitalist terrorist organisation. Effie appears to be the tour de force of the narrative, often controlling the direction of the plot, while remaining almost entirely absent from the story itself. By utilising the threefold biblical structure of the Book of Job in the novel, Spark simultaneously employs Effie in the narrative role of both Job’s nameless wife and God. In Harvey’s ideal universe, Effie embodies the caring, meek wife he finds in the beginning of Job; while in reality, Effie is a callous, powerful force, not unlike the God of the biblical text. Effie’s own biblical ‘whirlwind’ (Job 38:1) however is signified through her brutal death in the penultimate pages of the novel, and thus connotes the death of Harvey’s suffering. Through analysis of this symbiotic relationship between Effie and her biblical counterparts, my thesis will investigate the complexities of Effie’s role in the text. I also will reflect on Spark’s own problematic critical reception as a cruel author, particularly to her female characters, and argue that Spark’s interest is in the boundaries between the feminine and the divine, in which the exoneration of the masculine and divine is contrasted with the condemnation of the feminine and human. My argument will begin by analysing how Effie is initially presented as Job's wife in the novel. Due to her intertextual relationship with other biblical characters, I will continue by analysing other problematic female characters both in Spark’s work with the women of the Hebrew Bible; then consider the ways in which Effie fits into these respective frameworks. I will subsequently investigate how this allows Effie to inhabit the roles of Job’s wife and God simultaneously, and how these readings illuminate the layers of intertextuality present in Spark’s biblical tale

Contribution of genetic and environmental factors on osteocyte mineralization

As the rates of osteoporosis continue to rise, it is necessary to gain a better understanding of the genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease development and progression. Innate factors such as age, sex, and race significantly impact the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. Acquired factors such as BMI, smoking status, and renal disease have also been shown to impact bone growth and stability. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects these factors have on osteogenic cell growth. It was hypothesized that primary cultures of human osteogenic cells will be more affected by comorbidities present at the time of harvest. As the cultures expand and homogenize the impact of the innate and acquired factors should dissipate. To examine this hypothesis primary marrow stromal cultures grown under osteogenic conditions were compared to secondary cultures grown under the same conditions. Specific biochemical features of the cultures that were compared, were the overall growth of the cultures based on their DNA contents, and DNA normalized values of Alkaline Phosphate (ALP) activity, protein, calcium, and hydroxyproline. Osteogenic phenotypic properties were further assessed, by assaying the specific mRNA expression of osteogenic lineage stage specific genes. Although there were no significant differences between the primary and secondary cultures, there were trends of increased calcium and hydroxyproline in secondary samples. Several moderately strong positive correlations were found between biochemical markers, as well as a moderately strong negative correlation between calcium and hydroxyproline in secondary cultures. To determine significance between these differences and relationships, increased sample size and further analyses are needed

Social identity and psychosis: a systematic review of social identity in the context of psychosis and related experiences; and, An empirical research study examining the association between social identity and paranoia, through the mediators of trust and hostile attribution bias

BACKGROUND: It is theorised there are important social factors in the development and maintenance of psychosis. Social identity theory states our sense of belonging to groups is internalised into our personal identity and research has demonstrated social identity is protective against physical and mental health difficulties. There is sound rationale for social identity being associated with psychosis and related experiences, both clinically and in the general population. AIMS: This thesis firstly aimed to conduct a systematic review exploring what research has been done to date exploring social identity in the context of psychosis. The second part of this thesis aimed to conduct an empirical study investigating the association of family and friendship group identity on paranoia, through the mediators of trust and hostile attribution bias. METHOD: The systematic review searched nine databases using relevant key words for research papers and judged these against inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the final papers was assessed. A cross-sectional quantitative empirical study was conducted. Adults from the general population, including individuals with and without psychosis, were recruited. RESULTS: The systematic review revealed fourteen papers relevant to the research question. A narrative synthesis found stronger evidence for direct associations between small group social identities and psychosis-related experiences, and indirect associations for larger group social identities. The quality of papers was moderate to good with strengths in theoretical frameworks and limitations in sample representation. Findings from the empirical study showed social identity was a significant predictor of both paranoia and schizotypy. A mediation analysis found trust and hostile attribution bias significantly mediated this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest there is an association between social identity and psychosis-related experiences. The strength of this association seems to depend on the type of social identity and the specific psychosis-related experience. The mechanisms of this relationship appear to be important and vary depending on the precise social identities and experiences. This has implications for considering the importance of social identity. A systematic review of social identity in the context of psychosis and related experiences

COVID-19 and Opioid Use in Appalachian Kentucky: Challenges and Silver Linings

Appalachian Kentucky is currently fighting two public health emergencies – COVID-19 and the opioid epidemic – leaving the area strapped for resources to care for these ongoing crises. During this time, people who use opioids (PWUO) have increased vulnerability to fatal overdoses and drug-related harms (e.g., HIV). Disruption of already limited services posed by COVID-19 could have an especially detrimental impact on the health of PWUO. Though the COVID-19 pandemic is jeopardizing hard-won progress in fighting the opioid epidemic, innovations in state policy and service delivery brought about by the pandemic may improve the health of PWUO long-term if they are retained

The application of inelastic neutron scattering to investigate the interaction of methyl propanoate with silica

A modern industrial route for the manufacture of methyl methacrylate involves the reaction of methyl propanoate and formaldehyde over a silica-supported Cs catalyst. Although the process has been successfully commercialised, little is known about the surface interactions responsible for the forward chemistry. This work concentrates upon the interaction of methyl propanoate over a representative silica. A combination of infrared spectroscopy, inelastic neutron scattering, DFT calculations, X-ray diffraction and temperature-programmed desorption is used to deduce how the ester interacts with the silica surface