Search

Demographic information of students in introductory animal science courses allows instructors to tailor content to student needs and interests. This study compared student demographics with student perceptions of livestock production practices. Students in two introductory animal science sections (section A: n = 310, section B: n = 328) participated in a pre-course and a post-course survey. Both sections were comprised primarily of first-year undergraduate students; a majority was female with either horse experience or no livestock experience. Thirty percent of section A and 58% of section B was enrolled in the College of Agriculture. Forty percent of section A and 60% of section B had prior 4-H or FFA involvement. Pre-course, the sections disagreed on whether horses are pets or livestock, how media portrays agriculture, and whether slaughterhouse practices are humane. Post-course, more of section A than section B considered horses as livestock, and both sections agreed that media negatively portrays agriculture, weather has the greatest influence on producer success, and slaughterhouse practices are humane. These results suggest that students with no livestock experience may view agriculture differently than students with experience, but more exposure to livestock production issues may challenge students to evaluate their views of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some natural environments on Earth are characterised by high levels of radiation, including naturally radioelement enriched mineral springs in the French Massif Central. Therefore, naturally radioactive mineral springs are interesting ecosystems for understanding how bacterial populations in these springs have adapted to high levels of natural and chronic radioactivity over the very long term. The aim of this study was to analyse the bacterial communities of sediments from five naturally radioactive mineral springs in the French Massif Central, sampled in autumn 2019 and spring 2020, and to observe whether radionuclides, compared to other physicochemical parameters, are drivers of the bacterial community structuring in these extreme environments. Physicochemical measurements showed that two springs, Dourioux and Montagne had high radioelement concentrations/activities (uranium, thorium and radon). Analysis of the structure of the bacterial communities, by next generation sequencing based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, showed that the presence of radionuclides in Dourioux and Montagne, did not lead to a reduction in bacterial diversity and richness compared to the other springs. However, Dourioux and Montagne were characterised by specific bacterial populations, whose presence correlates with the radioelement concentrations/activities measured in these springs. This suggests that radioelements could partly explain the structuring of bacterial communities in these springs. In addition, several of these operational taxonomic units (OTUs) specific to Dourioux and Montagne, mainly affiliated to Proteobacteria , Firmicutes , Acidobacteria , Actinobacteria , and Bacteroidetes , could be involved in the biogeochemistry of radionuclides through different mechanisms (biosorption, biomineralisation, bioaccumulation, and bioreduction), which would allow the development of other bacterial species sensitive to these metals/radioelements. In particular, the co-occurrence of sulphate and/or iron-reducing bacteria, capable of bioreducing uranium, with fermentative bacteria, releasing sources of organic carbons, reflects associations of bacteria with complementary functions that allow them to grow in this peculiar environment and maintain a high diversity in these extreme environments. This study has provided a better understanding of the structuring of bacterial communities exposed to ionising radiation for thousands of years in naturally radioactive environments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Holub, Sergeant, Bailly, Beauger, Breton, Chardon, Montavon, Vesvres and Mallet.)

This study aimed to assess the potential impact of long-term chronic exposure (69 years) to naturally-occurring radionuclides (RNs) and heavy metals on microbial communities in sediment from a stream flowing through a watershed impacted by an ancient mining site (Rophin, France). Four sediment samples were collected along a radioactivity gradient (for 238 U368 to 1710 Bq.Kg -1 ) characterized for the presence of the bioavailable fractions of radionuclides ( 226 Ra, 210 Po), and trace metal elements (Th, U, As, Pb, Cu, Zn, Fe). Results revealed that the available fraction of contaminants was significant although it varied considerably from one element to another (0 % for As and Th, 5-59 % for U). Nonetheless, microbial communities appeared significantly affected by such chronic exposure to (radio)toxicities. Several microbial functions carried by bacteria and related with carbon and nitrogen cycling have been impaired. The high values of fungal diversity and richness observed with increasing downstream contamination (H' = 4.4 and Chao1 = 863) suggest that the community had likely shifted toward a more adapted/tolerant one as evidenced, for example, by the presence of the species Thelephora sp. and Tomentella sp. The bacterial composition was also affected by the contaminants with enrichment in Myxococcales, Acidovorax or Nostocales at the most contaminated points. Changes in microbial composition and functional structure were directly related to radionuclide and heavy metal contaminations, but also to organic matter which also significantly affected, directly or indirectly, bacterial and fungal compositions. Although it was not possible to distinguish the specific effects of RNs from heavy metals on microbial communities, it is essential to continue studies considering the available fraction of elements, which is the only one able to interact with microorganisms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nisin is an antimicrobial polypeptide inhibitory toward Gram-positive bacterial pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes. Encapsulating nisin in lipid nanocapsules (i.e., liposomes) has been shown to protect antimicrobial functionality in complex food matrices. The capacity of liposomes to encapsulate a fluorescent reporter was determined via spectroscopy. Survival and growth of L. monocytogenes incubated in fluid milk containing 50 IU/ml free or liposome-entrapped nisin was assayed via periodic enumeration of survivors. Liposomes were formulated from phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidyl-DL-glycerol (PG) and prepared as PC, PC/PG 7/3 or PC/PG 6/4 (mol. fraction). Antilisterial activity of nisin-loaded liposomes was determined in ultra-high temperature processed fluid milk containing approximately 4.0 log10 CFU/ml L. monocytogenes Scott A plus liposomal or free nisin at 50 IU/mL. Samples were aerobically held at 5 or 20°C; L. monocytogenes were enumerated via plating after 0, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 incubation hours. Liposome entrapment did not enhance pathogen inhibition when compared to free nisin as a function of storage temperature or incubation duration.

This report deals with a female patient with Wegener's granulomatosis, exhibiting characteristic asymptomatic lung disease and palpable purpura but also a granulomatous vasculitis of the intestine which led to multiple perforations. Therapy with cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids brought remission of all lesions.

Over a period of four years 352 patients suspected of having a carcinoma of the prostate were investigated and 463 cytological and 343 histological examinations were undertaken. In 340 cases the cytological findings on transrectal aspiration biopsy according to Franzen [14] were compared with the histological findings on transperineal punch biopsy. This comparison showed an accuracy of 64.5% and if the PAP III findings were included, of 76.6% in diagnosing prostatic carcinoma by the cytological method. Since the majority of cases were first biopsies and a repeat biopsy was not made in view of the positive punch findings, the chances of detecting a carcinoma of the prostate by aspiration biopsy alone theoretically increase to almost 90%. The reasons for failures in concurrence of findings by the two methods are discussed.