In the United Kingdom, outbreaks of Campylobacter infection are increasingly attributed to undercooked chicken livers, yet many recipes, including those of top chefs, advocate short cooking times and ...serving livers pink. During 2015, we studied preferences of chefs and the public in the United Kingdom and investigated the link between liver rareness and survival of Campylobacter. We used photographs to assess chefs' ability to identify chicken livers meeting safe cooking guidelines. To investigate the microbiological safety of livers chefs preferred to serve, we modeled Campylobacter survival in infected chicken livers cooked to various temperatures. Most chefs correctly identified safely cooked livers but overestimated the public's preference for rareness and thus preferred to serve them more rare. We estimated that 19%-52% of livers served commercially in the United Kingdom fail to reach 70°C and that predicted Campylobacter survival rates are 48%-98%. These findings indicate that cooking trends are linked to increasing Campylobacter infections.
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Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
A widespread criticism of growing energy crops is that they displace much needed food crops and cause upward pressure on food prices. One solution is the use of marginal land that is unfavourable for ...food production and is currently underutilized. However, the yield of crops growing on marginal land is reduced because they are subjected to a range of abiotic stresses such as extremes of temperature and rainfall and edaphic factors such as increased soil salinity. Therefore, to achieve acceptable economic returns on the use of this land it will be necessary to, on the one hand improve management practices and on the other to select for plant genotypes which are able to tolerate and potentially overcome the stressful conditions they are exposed to. Here, we review the morphological and physiological traits of perennial rhizomatous grasses that could be modified to overcome these stresses and to maximize biomass production on marginal land. The traits include aspects of crop phenology, canopy and leaf photosynthesis, biomass partitioning, nutrient and water use efficiency and heat, cold and salt tolerance. It is proposed that newly developed biotechnological methods combined with high‐throughput plant phenotyping offer opportunities to rapidly select new genotypes that could achieve economic yields on large areas of marginal land.
Simultaneous infection by multiple parasite species is ubiquitous in nature. Interactions among co-infecting parasites may have important consequences for disease severity, transmission and ...community-level responses to perturbations. However, our current view of parasite interactions in nature comes primarily from observational studies, which may be unreliable at detecting interactions. We performed a perturbation experiment in wild mice, by using an anthelminthic to suppress nematodes, and monitored the consequences for other parasite species. Overall, these parasite communities were remarkably stable to perturbation. Only one non-target parasite species responded to deworming, and this response was temporary: we found strong, but short-lived, increases in the abundance of Eimeria protozoa, which share an infection site with the dominant nematode species, suggesting local, dynamic competition. These results, providing a rare and clear experimental demonstration of interactions between helminths and co-infecting parasites in wild vertebrates, constitute an important step towards understanding the wider consequences of similar drug treatments in humans and animals.
Abstract
Context
Kisspeptin–neurokinin B (NKB)–dynorphin neurons are critical regulators of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis. NKB and dynorphin are hypothesized to influence the frequency of ...GnRH pulses, whereas kisspeptin is hypothesized to be a generator of the GnRH pulse. How these neuropeptides interact remains unclear.
Objective
To probe the role of NKB in GnRH pulse generation and to determine the interactions between NKB, kisspeptin, and dynorphin in humans and mice with a complete absence of NKB.
Design
Case/control.
Setting
Academic medical center.
Participants
Members of a consanguineous family bearing biallelic loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding NKB and NKB-deficient mice.
Interventions
Frequent blood sampling to characterize neuroendocrine profile and administration of kisspeptin, GnRH, and naloxone, a nonspecific opioid receptor antagonist used to block dynorphin.
Main Outcome Measures
LH pulse characteristics.
Results
Humans lacking NKB demonstrate slow LH pulse frequency, which can be increased by opioid antagonism. Mice lacking NKB also demonstrate impaired LH secretion, which can be augmented with an identical pharmacologic manipulation. Both mice and humans with NKB deficiency respond to exogenous kisspeptin.
Conclusion
The preservation of LH pulses in the absence of NKB and dynorphin signaling suggests that both peptides are dispensable for GnRH pulse generation and kisspeptin responsiveness. However, NKB and dynorphin appear to have opposing roles in the modulation of GnRH pulse frequency.
This study uses pharmacologic probes to demonstrate that endogenous GnRH-induced LH pulses can be generated in the absence of neurokinin B and dynorphin activity in humans and mice.
Campylobacter infections have been reported at prevalences ranging from 2 to 50% in a range of wild bird species, although there have been few studies that have investigated the molecular ...epidemiology of Campylobacter spp. Consequently, whether wild birds are a source of infection in humans or domestic livestock or are mainly recipients of domestic animal strains and whether separate cycles of infection occur remain unknown. To address these questions, serial cross-sectional surveys of wild bird populations in northern England were carried out over a 2-year period. Fecal samples were collected from 2,084 wild bird individuals and screened for the presence of Campylobacter spp. A total of 56 isolates were recovered from 29 birds sampled at 15 of 167 diverse locales. Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter lari, and Campylobacter coli were detected by PCR, and the prevalences of different Campylobacter spp. in different avian families ranged from 0% to 33%. Characterization of 36 C. jejuni isolates by multilocus sequence typing revealed that wild birds carry both livestock-associated and unique strains of C. jejuni. However, the apparent absence of unique wild bird strains of C. jejuni in livestock suggests that the direction of infection is predominantly from livestock to wild birds. C. lari was detected mainly in wild birds sampled in an estuarine or coastal habitat. Fifteen C. lari isolates were analyzed by macrorestriction pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, which revealed genetically diverse populations of C. lari in Eurasian oystercatchers (Haematopus ostralegus) and clonal populations in magpies (Pica pica).
On 24th November 2021, the sequence of a new SARS-CoV-2 viral isolate Omicron-B.1.1.529 was announced, containing far more mutations in Spike (S) than previously reported variants. Neutralization ...titers of Omicron by sera from vaccinees and convalescent subjects infected with early pandemic Alpha, Beta, Gamma, or Delta are substantially reduced, or the sera failed to neutralize. Titers against Omicron are boosted by third vaccine doses and are high in both vaccinated individuals and those infected by Delta. Mutations in Omicron knock out or substantially reduce neutralization by most of the large panel of potent monoclonal antibodies and antibodies under commercial development. Omicron S has structural changes from earlier viruses and uses mutations that confer tight binding to ACE2 to unleash evolution driven by immune escape. This leads to a large number of mutations in the ACE2 binding site and rebalances receptor affinity to that of earlier pandemic viruses.
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•Large reduction in Omicron neutralization titers, ameliorated by the 3rd booster vaccine•Failure of many potent mAbs to neutralize Omicron•Complex pattern of mutations balances ACE2 binding and antibody escape•Omicron RBD is structurally similar but the most antigenically distant variant
A comprehensive analysis of sera from vaccinees, convalescent patients previously infected by multiple variants, and potent monoclonal antibodies from early in the COVID-19 pandemic reveals a substantial overall reduction in the ability to neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which seems to ameliorate with a third vaccine dose. Structural analyses of the Omicron RBD suggest that selective pressure balances key changes that increase affinity for ACE2 with other changes in the receptor-binding motif that disfavor ACE2 binding but facilitate immune escape.
CD8$^+$ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are critical for protection against intracellular pathogens but often have been difficult to induce by subunit vaccines in animals. DNA vaccines elicit ...protective CD8$^+$ T cell responses. Malaria-naïve volunteers who were vaccinated with plasmid DNA encoding a malaria protein developed antigen-specific, genetically restricted, CD8$^+$ T cell-dependent CTLs. Responses were directed against all 10 peptides tested and were restricted by six human lymphocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles. This first demonstration in healthy naive humans of the induction of CD8$^+$ CTLs by DNA vaccines, including CTLs that were restricted by multiple HLA alleles in the same individual, provides a foundation for further human testing of this potentially revolutionary vaccine technology.
Dexamethasone was the first intervention proven to reduce mortality in patients with COVID-19 being treated in hospital. We aimed to evaluate the adoption of corticosteroids in the treatment of ...COVID-19 in the UK after the RECOVERY trial publication on June 16, 2020, and to identify discrepancies in care.
We did an audit of clinical implementation of corticosteroids in a prospective, observational, cohort study in 237 UK acute care hospitals between March 16, 2020, and April 14, 2021, restricted to patients aged 18 years or older with proven or high likelihood of COVID-19, who received supplementary oxygen. The primary outcome was administration of dexamethasone, prednisolone, hydrocortisone, or methylprednisolone. This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN66726260.
Between June 17, 2020, and April 14, 2021, 47 795 (75·2%) of 63 525 of patients on supplementary oxygen received corticosteroids, higher among patients requiring critical care than in those who received ward care (11 185 86·6% of 12 909 vs 36 415 72·4% of 50 278). Patients 50 years or older were significantly less likely to receive corticosteroids than those younger than 50 years (adjusted odds ratio 0·79 95% CI 0·70–0·89, p=0·0001, for 70–79 years; 0·52 0·46–0·58, p<0·0001, for >80 years), independent of patient demographics and illness severity. 84 (54·2%) of 155 pregnant women received corticosteroids. Rates of corticosteroid administration increased from 27·5% in the week before June 16, 2020, to 75–80% in January, 2021.
Implementation of corticosteroids into clinical practice in the UK for patients with COVID-19 has been successful, but not universal. Patients older than 70 years, independent of illness severity, chronic neurological disease, and dementia, were less likely to receive corticosteroids than those who were younger, as were pregnant women. This could reflect appropriate clinical decision making, but the possibility of inequitable access to life-saving care should be considered.
UK National Institute for Health Research and UK Medical Research Council.
Abstract Background Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic anxiety disorder of unknown aetiology. Psychopharmacological studies have suggested a role for the neurotransmitter serotonin ...however further evidence for serotonin in the aetiology of OCD is conflicted. The authors used positron emission tomography (PET) to examine the binding of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist 11 C-SCH23390 to D1 receptors in the striatum of drug-free OCD patients compared with healthy controls. Methods Seven drug-free patients (two drug naïve) with OCD and seven age, gender and education matched healthy controls underwent positron emission tomography with 11 C-SCH23390. Binding Potentials (BP) at D1 receptors were calculated for the caudate nucleus and putamen. Correlations between BP values for basal ganglia regions and clinical measures were performed in OCD patients. Results The BP for 11 C-SCH23390 at D1 receptors in OCD patients was significantly reduced in both caudate nucleus (0.59 ±0.06 vs 0.88 ± 0.06, p < 0.05) and putamen (0.89 ± 0.06 vs 1.14 ± 0.06, p < 0.05) compared with healthy controls. No correlations were found between D1 BP and symptom measures. Limitations The main limitations of this study are the small sample size and the PET methodology which does not allow for disaggregation of Bmax and Kd values for D1 receptor binding of 11 C-SCH23390. Conclusions The finding of downregulation of D1 receptors in the striatum of OCD patients suggests increased nigrostriatal dopaminergic drive in OCD. If confirmed, this finding provides support for trials of novel treatments in OCD based on dopaminergic system blockade.
COVID-19 is a multisystem disease and patients who survive might have in-hospital complications. These complications are likely to have important short-term and long-term consequences for patients, ...health-care utilisation, health-care system preparedness, and society amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to characterise the extent and effect of COVID-19 complications, particularly in those who survive, using the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections Consortium WHO Clinical Characterisation Protocol UK.
We did a prospective, multicentre cohort study in 302 UK health-care facilities. Adult patients aged 19 years or older, with confirmed or highly suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection leading to COVID-19 were included in the study. The primary outcome of this study was the incidence of in-hospital complications, defined as organ-specific diagnoses occurring alone or in addition to any hallmarks of COVID-19 illness. We used multilevel logistic regression and survival models to explore associations between these outcomes and in-hospital complications, age, and pre-existing comorbidities.
Between Jan 17 and Aug 4, 2020, 80 388 patients were included in the study. Of the patients admitted to hospital for management of COVID-19, 49·7% (36 367 of 73 197) had at least one complication. The mean age of our cohort was 71·1 years (SD 18·7), with 56·0% (41 025 of 73 197) being male and 81·0% (59 289 of 73 197) having at least one comorbidity. Males and those aged older than 60 years were most likely to have a complication (aged ≥60 years: 54·5% 16 579 of 30 416 in males and 48·2% 11 707 of 24 288 in females; aged <60 years: 48·8% 5179 of 10 609 in males and 36·6% 2814 of 7689 in females). Renal (24·3%, 17 752 of 73 197), complex respiratory (18·4%, 13 486 of 73 197), and systemic (16·3%, 11 895 of 73 197) complications were the most frequent. Cardiovascular (12·3%, 8973 of 73 197), neurological (4·3%, 3115 of 73 197), and gastrointestinal or liver (10·8%, 7901 of 73 197) complications were also reported.
Complications and worse functional outcomes in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are high, even in young, previously healthy individuals. Acute complications are associated with reduced ability to self-care at discharge, with neurological complications being associated with the worst functional outcomes. COVID-19 complications are likely to cause a substantial strain on health and social care in the coming years. These data will help in the design and provision of services aimed at the post-hospitalisation care of patients with COVID-19.
National Institute for Health Research and the UK Medical Research Council.
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