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Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic... Nov 2023The Western honey bee () is economically important as the primary managed pollinator of many agricultural crops and for the production of various hive-related...
The Western honey bee () is economically important as the primary managed pollinator of many agricultural crops and for the production of various hive-related commodities. Honey bees are not classically or thoroughly covered in veterinary pathology training programs. Given their unique anatomic and biological differences from the other species more traditionally evaluated by veterinary pathologists, establishing routine and consistent methods for processing samples for histology ensures accurate diagnostic and research conclusions. We developed and tested several field protocols for the sampling of honey bees. We compared the tissue-quality outcomes for worker bees fixed, collected, and/or softened under the following protocols: 1) routine formalin fixation; 2) softening chitin via exposure to Nair for 2 d or 3) 5 d; 4) shortened times between formalin submersion and trimming of body segments to enhance penetration of formalin into internal tissues; 5) ethanol submersion of specimen prior to formalin fixation; 6) indirect dry ice exposure; and 7) prolonged -80°C storage. Routine formalin fixation, exposure to Nair for 2 d, indirect dry ice exposure, and trimming body segments within 2 h of formalin submersion resulted in the highest quality histologic tissue sections. The poorest quality sections resulted from softening of chitin by exposure to Nair for 5 d, submersion in ethanol for 3 d before formalin fixation, and prolonged storage at -80°C. Our results indicate that routine formalin fixation is adequate, and that immobilizing bees with indirect dry ice exposure aids in sample collection without negatively impacting the quality of histologic sections.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Dry Ice; Formaldehyde; Chitin; Ethanol
PubMed: 37587755
DOI: 10.1177/10406387231191732 -
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science... Nov 2023The sensation of thirstiness is the desire to drink water. In certain situations, the ingestion of liquid water can be restricted. As a result, thirstiness is not... (Review)
Review
The sensation of thirstiness is the desire to drink water. In certain situations, the ingestion of liquid water can be restricted. As a result, thirstiness is not relieved, resulting in an uncomfortable and distressing situation. The present review describes thirstiness and hydration, the food products and beverages that cause thirstiness, and the beverages and food products currently available to quench thirstiness in individuals with restricted access to liquid ingestion. It also discusses how to measure the effectiveness of calming thirstiness. To diminish thirstiness distress, different alternatives to liquids are proposed. Individuals with swallowing disorders are given thickened water, individuals with restricted water ingestion are given ice cubes or ice popsicles of different flavors, and sportspeople are given energy gels. However, current beverage solutions seem not to relieve thirst fully, although some stimuli like iced water, flavors (especially lemon and mint), or acids seem to work better than plain stimuli and could be added to existing products. Therefore, there is still a need to incorporate these strategies into beverage and food formulations and to test their effectiveness.
Topics: Humans; Thirst; Ice; Sensation; Food; Water
PubMed: 37583300
DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13229 -
Chemosphere Nov 2023Relics of World War One (WW1) were buried in alpine glaciers around 100 years ago. Today, these are emerging from the ice due to widespread glacier retreat, and are in...
Relics of World War One (WW1) were buried in alpine glaciers around 100 years ago. Today, these are emerging from the ice due to widespread glacier retreat, and are in direct contact with glacial meltwater-fed streams. To address a possible emergent contamination, we quantified major and trace elements (M-TEs) by mass spectrometry in water and larvae of Diamesa zernyi from three glacial streams fed by glaciers differently impacted by the Italian Austro-Hungarian war, in the Adamello-Presanella mountain range (Italian Alps): Lares and Presena, the two main battlefields, and Amola, 8 km from the front. M-TEs in stream water were interpreted using the crustal enrichment factor (EFc) while larval uptake was quantified by adopting the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). Despite low M-TEs concentrations in the water, in a range between 1 ng L (Ag, Ta) and 1-2 mg L (Al, Fe, Mg), low to moderate enrichments (10 ≥ EFc≥ 6) were observed for Sb and U in Presena and for Ag, As, Bi, Cd, Li, Mo, Pb, Sb and U in Lares. In addition, M-TE mass concentrations in larvae were up to ninety thousand times higher than in water, from 20 to 50 ng g dry weight (d.w.; for Bi, Sb, Ta, Tl) to 1-4 mg g d.w. (for Al, Fe, Na, and Mg). Larvae from Lares accumulated the largest amount of metals and metalloids, including those mostly used in the manufacture of artillery shells (As, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sb; BAFs from 375 to about 11,500). This was expected as most of the WW1 battles in this mountain range were fought on the Lares glacier, where the greatest number of war relics are emerging. These results provide preliminary evidence of water contamination and bioaccumulation of metals and metalloids by glacial fauna as a possible legacy of WW1 in the Alps.
Topics: Animals; Water; Chironomidae; Lead; Environmental Monitoring; Ice Cover; Italy; Trace Elements
PubMed: 37574091
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.139757 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023In Antarctica, ice-free areas can be found along the coast, on mountain peaks, and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, where microorganisms well-adapted to harsh conditions can...
In Antarctica, ice-free areas can be found along the coast, on mountain peaks, and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, where microorganisms well-adapted to harsh conditions can survive and reproduce. Metabolic analyses can shed light on the survival mechanisms of Antarctic soil communities from both coastal sites, under different plant coverage stages, and inner sites where slow-growing or dormant microorganisms, low water availability, salt accumulation, and a limited number of primary producers make metabolomic profiling difficult. Here, we report, for the first time, an efficient protocol for the extraction and the metabolic profiling of Antarctic soils based on the combination of NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). This approach was set up on samples harvested along different localities of Victoria Land, in continental Antarctica, devoid of or covered by differently developed biological crusts. NMR allowed for the identification of thirty metabolites (mainly sugars, amino acids, and organic acids) and the quantification of just over twenty of them. UPLC-MS analysis identified more than twenty other metabolites, in particular flavonoids, medium- and long-chain fatty acids, benzoic acid derivatives, anthracenes, and quinones. Our results highlighted the complementarity of the two analytical techniques. Moreover, we demonstrated that their combined use represents the "gold standard" for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of little-explored samples, such as those collected from Antarctic soils.
Topics: Soil; Antarctic Regions; Pilot Projects; Chromatography, Liquid; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Metabolomics
PubMed: 37569716
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512340 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023In this paper, the quality change of Yesso scallop () in the process of anhydrous storage and transportation after cold acclimation and induced dormancy was studied, and...
In this paper, the quality change of Yesso scallop () in the process of anhydrous storage and transportation after cold acclimation and induced dormancy was studied, and the regulation mechanism of quality degradation during storage and transportation in the process of gradient chilling stress and drying exposure was further explored. The results show that, when transferred from hydrous to anhydrous states, the breathing pattern of the scallops changed from aerobic to anaerobic. Their gill filaments were altered and their apparent vitality constantly declined, which was reflected by the edge shrinkage of the pallium and the direct proportions of the edge reduction rate and the stimulus response period. After being in the anhydrous state for 4 d, the AEC value dropped to 67.59%. At this time, if they were placed under hydration again, the scallops resumed a good growth state. By proteomics analysis, it was revealed that cold acclimation and dry exposure mainly led to changes in biological functions and pathways, such as mitochondrial inner membrane and ATP hydrolysis activity. In addition, it can be seen from the functional annotation and enrichment analysis of the metabolite KEGG that cold acclimation promoted the purine metabolism of scallops, while dry exposure inhibited the metabolism of saturated fatty acids. In this study, the infrared sensing mode was used for the first time, too, in order to record the heart-rate changes of the scallops during circulation, which shows that non-destructive vitality monitoring of is feasible.
PubMed: 37569171
DOI: 10.3390/foods12152902 -
Journal of Pain and Symptom Management Nov 2023Thirst and xerostomia are significant and highly distressing symptoms experienced by patients receiving palliative and end-of-life care.
CONTEXT
Thirst and xerostomia are significant and highly distressing symptoms experienced by patients receiving palliative and end-of-life care.
OBJECTIVES
Determine a reduction of thirst intensity and perceptions of dry mouth on a numerical scale following both the experimental intervention (mini mint ice cubes) and control (plain ice chips).
METHODS
Cross-over Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness of novel intervention in the treatment of dry mouth and the sensation of thirst in palliative care patients.
RESULTS
Patients rated the severity of their symptoms of dry mouth and thirst using a numeric rating scale (NRS). On commencing the study and preintervention, all patients suffered severe dry mouth and thirst (≥5/10). Mint and plain ice cubes produced improvement of symptoms immediately after interventions. Results from dry mouth ratings show, a decrease of 1.6 points for plain ice cubes (P < 0.0001), on average, ratings for mint ice cubes decreased 3.7 (P < 0.0001). For the sensation of thirst, the plain ice cube intervention group rating decreased 1.7 points (P < 0.006), ratings for mint ice cubes decreased 3.4 points (P < 0.0001). The average decrease in dry mouth and thirst intensity scores from preintervention to postintervention were significantly greater for mint ice cubes (P < 0.05) and 86.6% of patients preferred mint ice cubes.
CONCLUSION
This trial found that while usual mouth care and the intervention were both able to reduce the intensity of dry mouth and the sensation of thirst, the mint intervention had a greater response.
PubMed: 37562697
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2023.08.005 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023The Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys are geologically diverse, encompassing a wide variety of soil habitats. These environments are largely dominated by microorganisms,...
INTRODUCTION
The Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys are geologically diverse, encompassing a wide variety of soil habitats. These environments are largely dominated by microorganisms, which drive the ecosystem services of the region. While altitude is a well-established driver of eukaryotic biodiversity in these Antarctic ice-free areas (and many non-Antarctic environments), little is known of the relationship between altitude and microbial community structure and functionality in continental Antarctica.
METHODS
We analysed prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic diversity from soil samples across a 684 m altitudinal transect in the lower Taylor Valley, Antarctica and performed a phylogenic characterization of soil microbial communities using short-read sequencing of the 16S rRNA and ITS marker gene amplicons.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Phylogenetic analysis showed clear altitudinal trends in soil microbial composition and structure. Cyanobacteria were more prevalent in higher altitude samples, while the highly stress resistant Chloroflexota and Deinococcota were more prevalent in lower altitude samples. We also detected a shift from Basidiomycota to Chytridiomycota with increasing altitude. Several genera associated with trace gas chemotrophy, including and , were widely distributed across the entire transect, suggesting that trace-gas chemotrophy may be an important trophic strategy for microbial survival in oligotrophic environments. The ratio of trace-gas chemotrophs to photoautotrophs was significantly higher in lower altitude samples. Co-occurrence network analysis of prokaryotic communities showed some significant differences in connectivity within the communities from different altitudinal zones, with cyanobacterial and trace-gas chemotrophy-associated taxa being identified as potential keystone taxa for soil communities at higher altitudes. By contrast, the prokaryotic network at low altitudes was dominated by heterotrophic keystone taxa, thus suggesting a clear trophic distinction between soil prokaryotic communities at different altitudes. Based on these results, we conclude that altitude is an important driver of microbial ecology in Antarctic ice-free soil habitats.
PubMed: 37555066
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1203216 -
Global Change Biology Oct 2023Episodic tree mortality can be caused by various reasons. This study describes climate-driven tree mortality and tree growth in the Black Forest mountain range in...
Episodic tree mortality can be caused by various reasons. This study describes climate-driven tree mortality and tree growth in the Black Forest mountain range in Germany. It is based on a 68-year consistent data series describing the annual mortality of all trees growing in a forest area of almost 250 thousand ha. The study excludes mortality caused by storm, snow and ice, and fire. The sequence of the remaining mortality, the so-called "desiccated trees," is analyzed and compared with the sequence of the climatic water balance during the growing season and the annual radial growth of Norway spruce in the Black Forest. The annual radial growth series covers 121 years and the climatic water balance series 140 years. These unique time series enable a quantitative assessment of multidecadal drought and heat impacts on growth and mortality of forest trees on a regional spatial scale. Data compiled here suggest that the mortality of desiccated trees in the Black Forest during the last 68 years is driven by the climatic water balance. Decreasing climatic water balance coincided with an increase in tree mortality and growth decline. Consecutive hot and dry summers enhance mortality and growth decline as a consequence of drought legacies lasting several years. The sensitivity of tree growth and mortality to changes in the climatic water balance increases with the decreasing trend of the climatic water balance. The findings identify the climatic water balance as the main driver of mortality and growth variation during the 68-year observation period on a landscape-scale including a variety of different sites. They suggest that bark beetle population dynamics modify mortality rates. They as well provide evidence that the mortality during the last 140 years never was as high as in the most recent years.
Topics: Animals; Trees; Forests; Seasons; Coleoptera; Droughts; Water; Climate Change
PubMed: 37551846
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16897 -
Journal of AOAC International Nov 2023The KangarooSci® Aerobic Count Plate (ACP) is a sample-ready culture medium system for direct counting of aerobic bacteria colonies after 48-72 h of incubation.
Validation of the KangarooSci® Aerobic Count Plate for the Enumeration of Meosphilic Aerobic Bacteria in Selected Foods and on Stainless Steel Environmental Surfaces: AOAC Performance Tested MethodSM 062301.
BACKGROUND
The KangarooSci® Aerobic Count Plate (ACP) is a sample-ready culture medium system for direct counting of aerobic bacteria colonies after 48-72 h of incubation.
OBJECTIVE
The KangarooSci ACP was evaluated for AOAC Performance Tested MethodsSM certification.
METHODS
The KangarooSci ACP was evaluated through matrix studies and product consistency/stability study and robustness testing. For the matrix study, nine food products (nonfat dry milk powder, fresh raw bovine milk, pasteurized liquid bovine milk, fresh raw ground beef, frozen uncooked chicken breast, cooked shredded pork, apple juice, ice cream, and fresh strawberries), and one environmental surface (stainless steel) were evaluated following the KangarooSci ACP product instructions and compared to the ISO 4833-1:2013, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs-Horizontal methods for the enumeration of microorganisms-Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique reference standard. The product consistency and stability testing evaluated three separate production lots of the KangarooSci ACP. The robustness testing examined three test parameters, volume of sample plated, incubation time, and incubation temperature, using a factorial study design.
RESULTS
Results from the matrix study demonstrated equivalent performance between the KangarooSci ACP and the ISO 4833-1:2013 reference standard. The product consistency and stability testing showed that the performance of the assay was equivalent over time up to 12 months and between production lots. Minor changes to the operational test conditions showed no significant impact on performance during the robustness testing.
CONCLUSION
The KangarooSci ACP is an effective method for aerobic plate count for all matrixes evaluated.
HIGHLIGHTS
The KangarooSci ACP allows for fast, reliable enumeration of aerobic bacteria. Utilizing the alternative method takes up less space in incubators, requires no sample spreader, and requires fewer consumables compared to the reference method.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Stainless Steel; Bacteria, Aerobic; Food Microbiology; Dairy Products; Reference Standards
PubMed: 37522841
DOI: 10.1093/jaoacint/qsad088 -
Legal Medicine (Tokyo, Japan) Sep 2023We report the autopsy case of a male in his 60 s diagnosed with carbon dioxide (CO) poisoning caused by dry ice for cooling in a coffin during a funeral wake. He was...
We report the autopsy case of a male in his 60 s diagnosed with carbon dioxide (CO) poisoning caused by dry ice for cooling in a coffin during a funeral wake. He was last seen alive, clinging to his family member's body with his head inside the coffin. The autopsy and histological findings did not indicate a specific cause of death. To confirm the concentrations of CO and oxygen (O) in the coffin, an experiment was conducted to reconstruct the scene. Based on the experimental results, 9 h after placing dry ice, the CO concentration at the estimated closest point to his head was 24%, a lethal level for CO poisoning. Contrastingly, although the concentration of O had fallen, it never reached a lethal concentration at any of the determination points during the experiment, thereby ruling out asphyxia as a cause of death. Based on our findings, we concluded that the cause of his death was CO poisoning. Forensic pathologists tend to overlook CO poisoning unless suspected, as it does not exhibit specific autopsy findings. For the diagnosis of CO poisoning, it is essential to collect detailed information about the deceased and the scene of death. The toxicity of CO itself is not well known, although dry ice is widely available to the public. In order to make its risk well known, it is necessary to inform people about the dangers of using dry ice.
Topics: Humans; Male; Dry Ice; Carbon Dioxide; Autopsy; Asphyxia; Accidents; Oxygen
PubMed: 37506607
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102298