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Cureus May 2024Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in Saudi Arabia. It is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or by consuming unpasteurized...
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in Saudi Arabia. It is transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals or by consuming unpasteurized dairy products. A 36-year-old Saudi man presented with left hip pain, fever, and a history of consuming unpasteurized milk. Sacroiliitis was documented by positive results from serological tests (ELISA) and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment consisted of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), doxycycline, rifampicin, and IV gentamicin.
PubMed: 38947689
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61415 -
IScience Jun 2024Females typically outlive males in animals, especially in species that provide long-term maternal care. However, life history theory predicts that investments in...
Females typically outlive males in animals, especially in species that provide long-term maternal care. However, life history theory predicts that investments in reproduction, such as lactation and offspring nursing, often shorten caretakers' longevity. Aiming to interpret this paradox, we selected the lactating jumping spider to investigate the effects of reproductive activities on longevity for two sexes. We found that: (1) although "milk" provisioning reduces female's longevity, mothers who cared for offspring (provisioned "milk" and nursing) lived the longest compared to virgins and those did not provide care; (2) copulation increased female's longevity but had no effects on males; and (3) the two sexes have comparable developmental duration, but the female adult's longevity was 2.1 times that of male's. This study suggests that the time requirement for offspring dispersal might act as a key selective force favoring females' adulthood extension, which ultimately generates the longer-lived females in maternal cared species.
PubMed: 38947527
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110098 -
Heliyon Jun 2024Environmental toxins, particularly liposoluble compounds that accumulate in adipose tissues, present a risk for newborns, not only through breastfeeding but also through...
Environmental toxins, particularly liposoluble compounds that accumulate in adipose tissues, present a risk for newborns, not only through breastfeeding but also through artificial milks. These compounds pass into breast milk, potentially exposing infants to harmful substances. In a monocentric observational study carried out in the Charleroi region, we employed liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to analyze the presence of environmental toxins in milk for newborns. Out of 39 breast milk and 12 artificial milk samples analyzed, 15 and six contained at least one pesticide, respectively, with nine different pesticides identified from a panel of 54 substances tested. The study found an association between the consumption of fresh produce and a higher presence of pesticides in breast milk. This. highlights the broader issue of environmental toxin exposure for infants, regardless of the feeding method. The results underline the need for a comprehensive approach when considering the establishment of breast milk banks and the safety of artificial milk, especially in the context of potential risks to premature newborns. Our findings not only validate the analysis technique for detecting toxins in breast milk but also suggest the necessity for a larger prospective study to explore these risks in the future.
PubMed: 38947466
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32350 -
Research Square Jun 2024Premature infants frequently face feeding challenges due to disrupted coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing, increasing their risk of dysphagia. There are...
OBJECTIVE
Premature infants frequently face feeding challenges due to disrupted coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing, increasing their risk of dysphagia. There are few effective treatment options available. This study aims to assess the safety of cold milk feedings in preterm infants diagnosed with uncoordinated feeding patterns and its effect on feeding performance.
STUDY DESIGN
Preterm infants with uncoordinated feeding patterns (n=26) were randomized to be fed milk at either room or cold temperature (refrigerator cold) using an experimental, randomized crossover design. We monitored axillary and gastric content temperatures, mesenteric blood flow, and feeding performance.
RESULT
The findings suggest that preterm infants can safely tolerate cold milk without any clinically significant changes in temperature or mesenteric blood flow, and it may enhance feeding performance.
CONCLUSION
Cold milk feeding could be a safe therapeutic option for preterm infants, however additional comprehensive studies are still needed. Registered at clinicaltrials.org #NCT04421482.
PubMed: 38947097
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4504972/v1 -
Research Square Jun 2024: The storage time of banked donor human milk (DHM) administered in an academic hospital to critically ill preterm neonates was previously unknown. This study was...
: The storage time of banked donor human milk (DHM) administered in an academic hospital to critically ill preterm neonates was previously unknown. This study was designed to determine the storage time of banked DHM by measurements obtained at the hospital level (by lot finish date) and individual patient level (by feeding date) over 2-year observation period. Both methods of measuring storage time (hospital-level and patient-level) showed that DHM was stored on average 8 ±1 months before use. Variations in storage time fluctuated across months with a minimum and maximum storage duration of 119 to 317 days. Most infants received a median of 3 [2-5 IQR] unique lots of DHM. The storage time of DHM was successfully measured. Over 95% of DHM received was stored longer than 6 months. Storage times varied widely, uncovering a potential area of future research.
PubMed: 38947014
DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4486977/v1 -
Development and evaluation of a triplex droplet digital PCR method for differentiation of , and BCG.Frontiers in Microbiology 2024Tuberculosis, caused by complex (MTBC), remains a global health concern in both human and animals. However, the absence of rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive...
INTRODUCTION
Tuberculosis, caused by complex (MTBC), remains a global health concern in both human and animals. However, the absence of rapid, accurate, and highly sensitive detection methods to differentiate the major pathogens of MTBC, including , , and BCG, poses a potential challenge.
METHODS
In this study, we have established a triplex droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) method employing three types of probe fluorophores, with targets (targeting CFP-10-ESAT-6 gene of RD1 and Rv0222 genes of RD4), (targeting CFP-10-ESATs-6 gene of RD1), and BCG (targeting Rv3871 and Rv3879c genes of ΔRD1), respectively.
RESULTS
Based on optimization of annealing temperature, sensitivity and repeatability, this method demonstrates a lower limit of detection (LOD) as 3.08 copies/reaction for , 4.47 copies/reaction for and 3.59 copies/reaction for BCG, without cross-reaction to , , , , , , , , and , and showed repeatability with coefficients of variation (CV) lower than 10%. The method exhibits strong milk sample tolerance, the LOD of detecting in spike milk was 5 × 10 CFU/mL, which sensitivity is ten times higher than the triplex qPCR. 60 clinical DNA samples, including 20 milk, 20 tissue and 20 swab samples, were kept in China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center were tested by the triplex ddPCR and triplex qPCR. The triplex ddPCR presented a higher sensitivity (11.67%, 7/60) than that of the triplex qPCR method (8.33%, 5/60). The positive rates of , , and BCG were 1.67, 10, and 0% by triplex ddPCR, and 1.67, 6.67, and 0% by triplex qPCR, with coincidence rates of 100, 96.7, and 100%, respectively.
DISCUSSION
Our data demonstrate that the established triplex ddPCR method is a sensitive, specific and rapid method for differentiation and identification of , , and BCG.
PubMed: 38946908
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1397792 -
Frontiers in Nutrition 2024The study highlighted the potential of sesame seed coat (SSC), typically discarded during sesame paste processing, as a valuable resource for valorization through...
The study highlighted the potential of sesame seed coat (SSC), typically discarded during sesame paste processing, as a valuable resource for valorization through extracting bioactive compounds. It examined the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of SSC, and evaluated its antibacterial properties against foodborne pathogens such as O157:H7, and Typhimurium. Additionally, SSC underwent nanoemulsion coating, analyzed using dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy, to enhance its application as a natural preservative. The research specifically focused on incorporating SSC nanoemulsion into milk to determine its effectiveness as a preservative. SSC demonstrated considerable antioxidant activity and phenolic content, with catechin identified as the predominant polyphenol. GC-MS analysis revealed seven major compounds, led by oleic acid. Notably, SSC effectively inhibited in broth at 100 mg/ml. The application of SSC and its nanoemulsion resulted in changes to bacterial morphology and a significant reduction in bacterial counts in milk, highlighting its potential as an effective natural antibacterial agent. The findings of this study highlight the potential use of SSC as a valuable by-product in the food industry, with significant implications for food preservation.
PubMed: 38946786
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1405708 -
Journal of Materials Chemistry. B Jul 2024Topical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases remains a challenge due to slow corneal uptake and systemic clearance. Exosomes are emerging nanocarriers for drug delivery...
Topical treatment of vitreoretinal diseases remains a challenge due to slow corneal uptake and systemic clearance. Exosomes are emerging nanocarriers for drug delivery due to biocompatibility and cellular targeting properties. To apply them for retinal targeting the topical route, exosomes must traverse various ocular barriers including the cornea, lens, vitreous humor (VH), and the retina itself. Here we engineered high-purity milk-derived exosomes by anchoring arginine-rich cationic motifs PEG lipid insertion on their surface. Modification enabled exosomes to use weak-reversible electrostatic interactions with anionic glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and water content of the tissue to enhance their transport rate and retention. Addition of cationic motifs neutralized the anionic surface charge of exosomes (-24 to -2 mV) without impacting size or morphology. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes exhibited two-fold faster steady state diffusivity through bovine corneas compared to unmodified exosomes. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching confirmed that cationic-motif-modified exosomes can diffuse through VH without steric hindrance. In healthy VH, cationic-motif-modified exosomes demonstrated stronger binding resulting in three-fold lower average diffusivity that enhanced by six-fold in 50% GAG-depleted VH recapitulating advanced liquefaction. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes penetrated through the full-thickness of porcine retinal explants resulting in ten-fold higher uptake in photoreceptors and three-fold greater transfection with encapsulated eGFP mRNA compared to unmodified exosomes. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes are safe to use as they did not adversely affect the mechanical swelling properties of the cornea or lens nor impact retinal cell viability. Cationic-motif-modified exosomes, therefore, offer themselves as a cell-free nanocarrier platform for gene delivery to retinal photoreceptors potentially the topical route.
PubMed: 38946491
DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00849a -
Microbial Biotechnology Jul 2024Human milk provides the infant with many bioactive factors, including immunomodulating components, antimicrobials and prebiotics, which modulate the infant microbiome... (Review)
Review
Human milk provides the infant with many bioactive factors, including immunomodulating components, antimicrobials and prebiotics, which modulate the infant microbiome and immune system maturation. As a result, breastfeeding can impact infant health from infancy, through adolescence, and into adulthood. From protecting the infant from infections, to reducing the risk of obesity, type 1 diabetes and childhood leukaemia, many positive health outcomes are observed in infants receiving breastmilk. For the mother, breastfeeding protects against postpartum bleeding and depression, increases weight loss, and long-term lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, breast and ovarian cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Beyond infants and mothers, the wider society is also impacted because of avoidable costs relating to morbidity and mortality derived from a lack of human milk exposure. In this review, Medline was used to search for relevant articles to discuss the health benefits of breastfeeding and its societal impact before exploring future recommendations to enhance our understanding of the mechanisms behind breastfeeding's positive effects and promote breastfeeding on a global scale.
Topics: Humans; Breast Feeding; Infant; Milk, Human; Female; Infant, Newborn
PubMed: 38946112
DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14520 -
Journal of Animal Science and... Jul 2024Biologically annotated neural networks (BANNs) are feedforward Bayesian neural network models that utilize partially connected architectures based on SNP-set...
BACKGROUND
Biologically annotated neural networks (BANNs) are feedforward Bayesian neural network models that utilize partially connected architectures based on SNP-set annotations. As an interpretable neural network, BANNs model SNP and SNP-set effects in their input and hidden layers, respectively. Furthermore, the weights and connections of the network are regarded as random variables with prior distributions reflecting the manifestation of genetic effects at various genomic scales. However, its application in genomic prediction has yet to be explored.
RESULTS
This study extended the BANNs framework to the area of genomic selection and explored the optimal SNP-set partitioning strategies by using dairy cattle datasets. The SNP-sets were partitioned based on two strategies-gene annotations and 100 kb windows, denoted as BANN_gene and BANN_100kb, respectively. The BANNs model was compared with GBLUP, random forest (RF), BayesB and BayesCπ through five replicates of five-fold cross-validation using genotypic and phenotypic data on milk production traits, type traits, and one health trait of 6,558, 6,210 and 5,962 Chinese Holsteins, respectively. Results showed that the BANNs framework achieves higher genomic prediction accuracy compared to GBLUP, RF and Bayesian methods. Specifically, the BANN_100kb demonstrated superior accuracy and the BANN_gene exhibited generally suboptimal accuracy compared to GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ across all traits. The average accuracy improvements of BANN_100kb over GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ were 4.86%, 3.95%, 3.84% and 1.92%, and the accuracy of BANN_gene was improved by 3.75%, 2.86%, 2.73% and 0.85% compared to GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ, respectively across all seven traits. Meanwhile, both BANN_100kb and BANN_gene yielded lower overall mean square error values than GBLUP, RF and Bayesian methods.
CONCLUSION
Our findings demonstrated that the BANNs framework performed better than traditional genomic prediction methods in our tested scenarios, and might serve as a promising alternative approach for genomic prediction in dairy cattle.
PubMed: 38945998
DOI: 10.1186/s40104-024-01044-1