Assessing the microbiota of recycled bedding sand on a Wisconsin dairy farm

Background:Sand is often considered the preferred bedding material for dairy cows as it is thought to have lower bacterial counts than organic bedding materials and cows bedded on sand experience fewer cases of lameness and disease.Sand can also be efficiently recycled and reused,making it cost-effective.However,some studies have suggested that the residual organic material present in recycled sand can serve as a reservoir for commensal and pathogenic bacteria,although no studies have yet characterized the total bacterial community composition.Here we sought to characterize the bacterial community composition of a Wisconsin dairy farm bedding sand recycling system and its dynamics across several stages of the recycling process during both summer and winter using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing.Results:Bacterial community compositions of the sand recycling system differed by both seasons and stage.Summer samples had higher richness and distinct community compositions,relative to winter samples.In both summer and winter samples,the diversity of recycled sand decreased with time drying in the recycling room.Compositionally,summer sand 14 d post-recycling was enriched in operational taxonomic units(OTUs)belonging to the genera Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas,relative to freshly washed sand and sand from cow pens.In contrast,no OTUs were found to be enriched in winter sand.The sand recycling system contained an overall core microbiota of 141 OTUs representing 68.45%±10.33%SD of the total bacterial relative abundance at each sampled stage.The 4 most abundant genera in this core microbiota included Acinetobacter,Psychrobacter,Corynebacterium,and Pseudomonas.Acinetobacter was present in greater abundance in summer samples,whereas Psychrobacter and Corynebacterium had higher relative abundances in winter samples.Pseudomonas had consistent relative abundances across both seasons.Conclusions:These findings highlight the potential of recycled bedding sand as a bacterial reservoir that warrants further study.

Effect of Supplemental Sericea Lespedeza Pellets on Internal Parasite Infection and Nutritional Status of Grazing Goats

Feeding pelleted sericea lespedeza （SL; Lespedeza cuneata） on pasture can reduce gastrointestinal nematode （GIN） and coccidia （Eimeria spp.） infection in sheep and goats, but effects on nutritional status are unclear. Therefore, a study was completed comparing yearling goats grazing grass pasture supplemented with SL or non-condensed tannins （CT） commercial pellets （control group）, respectively, at 1.5% of body weight for 14 weeks, and then after 14 weeks, they were only fed with non-CT pellets at 2.5% of body weight for additional six weeks. Animal body weight was measured at the start of the trial, the 7th week, 14th week and end of the trial. Fecal samples were taken weekly to determine GIN egg output （fecal egg count; FEC） and coccidial oocyst production （fecal oocyst count; FOC）. Blood samples （to determine packed cell volume; PCV） were taken weekly to monitor anemia status of the goats, and on days 0, 98 and 137 to determine aspartate aminotransferase （AST）, alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and creatine kinase （CK）. The study revealed that supplemental SL leaf meal pellets had no effect on FEC, but reduced FOC （P 〈 0.05） and improved FAMACHA~ scores （P 〈 0.001） in the goats, and the SL supplemented goats tended to gain more weight （P = 0.07） than control animals during the first 49 d, following initiation of pellet feeding. There were no treatment effects on enzymes related to liver function or muscle turnover （AST, ALT and CK）, suggesting that there was no muscle damage due to long-term feeding of SL pellets. In conclusion, feeding supplemental SL pellets at 1.5% of body weight on pasture may be a viable strategy for improving health and productivity of yearling goats.

Resolution of Crohn's disease and complex regional pain syndrome following treatment of paratuberculosis

A cohort of family members with various chronic diseases including Crohn's disease, asthma, complex regional pain syndrome, hypothyroidism, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and lymphangiomatosis and/or evidence of infection by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis(MAP) are described in this series of case reports. MAP was cultured from the blood of three members affected by the first five diseases and there was accompanying elevated anti-MAP Ig G in two members. The patient affected by the sixth disease has a markedly elevated anti-MAP titer. The two patients affected by the first four diseases have been treated with a combination of anti-MAP antibiotics and ultraviolet blood irradiation therapy with resolution of the disease symptomatology and inability to culture MAP in post treatment blood samples. These case reports of patients with MAP infections provide supportive evidence of a pathogenic role of MAP in humans.

Comparison of gastrointestinal parasite communities in vervet monkeys

Globally,habitat degradation is accelerating,especially in the tropics.Changes to interface habitats can increase environmental overlap among nonhuman primates,people,and domestic animals and change stress levels in wildlife,leading to changes in their risk of parasite infections.However,the direction and consequences of these changes are unclear,since animals may benefit by exploiting human resources(e.g.,improving nutrition­al health by eating nutritious crops)and decreasing susceptibility to infection,or interactions with humans may lead to chronic stress and increased susceptibility to infection.Vervet monkeys are an excellent model to under­stand parasitic disease transmission because of their tolerance to anthropogenic disturbance.Here we quantify the gastrointestinal parasites of a group of vervet monkeys(Chlorocebus aethiops)near Lake Nabugabo,Ugan­da,that frequently overlaps with people in their use of a highly modified environment.We compare the parasites found in this population to seven other sites where vervet monkey gastrointestinal parasites have been identi­fied.The vervets of Lake Nabugabo have the greatest richness of parasites documented to date.We discuss how this may reflect differences in sampling intensity or differences in the types of habitat where vervet parasites have been sampled.

Mediator complex subunit 12 is a gatekeeper of SARS-CoV-2 infection in breast cancer cells

Cancer patients are at increased risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)infection and mortality.Like other viruses in the SARS family,SARS-CoV-2 employs two host proteins,angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2)and transmembrane serine protease 2(TMPRSS2),for viral entry.1 Recent studies showed that many of the host proteins identified as potential targets for developing COVID therapies are dysregulated in cancer,2 prompting us to investigate whether human cancer cells are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection,and whether chemotherapy could modulate a cancer patient's risk for infection.

Immobilization of Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826 ameliorates Citrobacter rodentium induced lesions and enhances the gut inflammatory response in C57BL/6 weanling mice

Infectious diarrhea is a major cause of infant mortality in most developing countries. In this research, we evaluated the potential of immobilized Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826 on weanimix infant cereal and its effectiveness in reducing the severity of Citrobacter rodentium-induced diarrhea in weanling mice. Thirty-six C57BL/6 weanling mice were placed into four groups (n = 9 each;negative, positive, prevention and cure). Mice received either L. plantarum (109 CFU/g) immobilized on weanimix infant cereal 3 days before C. rodentium (109 CFU/ ml) infection (Prevention) or 3 days after C. rodentium infection (Cure). A positive control group was infected with C. rodentium only, while a nega-tive control group received neither L. plantarum nor C. rodentium. Positive control mice showed colonic mucosal and submucosal inflammation, erosion, and mucosal epithelia hyperplasia with the C. rodentium infection. Mice in the prevention and cure groups had less severe histologic alterations in the colon. Some beneficial effect of L. plantarum was observed in cecal short-chain fatty acid concentrations, which stimulates water and electrolytes absorption to reduce diarrhea. Our findings demonstrated that L. plantarum NCIMB 8826 could be immobilized on weanimix infant cereal to help reduce diarrhea during weaning.

T cell senescence may contribute to immunothrombosis via Th17 immune transition in COVID-19

Lymphocyte dysregulation and coagulopathy are closely correlated with the severity and fatal risks of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).Patients with lymphopenia showed a remarkably higher risk of progressive thrombosis and abnormal coagulation[1].Up to 80%of severely ill and deceased COVID-19 patients have been found to have diffuse alveolar damage and fibrinous thrombi[2].Autopsy studies confirmed widespread pulmonary embolism and microthrombosis in multiple organs,including but not limited to the lung,kidney,liver,heart,and brain[3].

NADPH oxidases： an overview from structure to innate mmunity-associated pathologies

Oxygen-derived free radicals, collectively termed reactive oxygen species （ROS）, play important roles in immunity, cell growth, and ceil signaling. In excess, however, ROS are lethal to cells, and the overproduction of these molecules leads to a myriad of devastating diseases. The key producers of ROS in many cells are the NOX family of NADPH oxidases, of which there are seven members, with various tissue distributions and activation mechanisms. NADPH oxidase is a multisubunit enzyme comprising membrane and cytosolic components, which actively communicate during the host responses to a wide variety of stimuli, including viral and bacterial infections. This enzymatic complex has been implicated in many functions ranging from host defense to cellular signaling and the regulation of gene expression. NOX deficiency might lead to immunosuppression, while the intracellular accumulation of ROS results in the inhibition of viral propagation and apoptosis. However, excess ROS production causes cellular stress, leading to various lethal diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancer. During the later stages of injury, NOX promotes tissue repair through the induction of angiogenesis and cell proliferation. Therefore, a complete understanding of the function of NOX is important to direct the role of this enzyme towards host defense and tissue repair or increase resistance to stress in a timely and disease-specific manner.