Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 Protects against Antibiotic-Induced Functional and Compositional Changes in Human Fecal Microbiome.

The administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics is often associated with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), and impacts gastrointestinal tract homeostasis, as evidenced by the following: (a) an overall reduction in both the numbers and diversity of the gut microbiota, and (b) decreased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Evidence in humans that probiotics may enhance the recovery of microbiota populations after antibiotic treatment is equivocal, and few studies have addressed if probiotics improve the recovery of microbial metabolic function. Our aim was to determine if Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12 (BB-12)-containing yogurt could protect against antibiotic-induced fecal SCFA and microbiota composition disruptions. We conducted a randomized, allocation-concealed, controlled trial of amoxicillin/clavulanate administration (days 1-7), in conjunction with either BB-12-containing or control yogurt (days 1-14). We measured the fecal levels of SCFAs and bacterial composition at baseline and days 7, 14, 21, and 30. Forty-two participants were randomly assigned to the BB-12 group, and 20 participants to the control group. Antibiotic treatment suppressed the fecal acetate levels in both the control and probiotic groups. Following the cessation of antibiotics, the fecal acetate levels in the probiotic group increased over the remainder of the study and returned to the baseline levels on day 30 (-1.6% baseline), whereas, in the control group, the acetate levels remained suppressed. Further, antibiotic treatment reduced the Shannon diversity of the gut microbiota, for all the study participants at day 7. The magnitude of this change was larger and more sustained in the control group compared to the probiotic group, which is consistent with the hypothesis that BB-12 enhanced microbiota recovery. There were no significant baseline clinical differences between the two groups. Concurrent administration of amoxicillin/clavulanate and BB-12 yogurt, to healthy subjects, was associated with a significantly smaller decrease in the fecal SCFA levels and a more stable taxonomic profile of the microbiota over time than the control group.

STRESS-testing clinical activity and outcomes for a combined prison in-reach and court liaison service: a 3-year observational study of 6177 consecutive male remands.

BACKGROUND: People with major mental illness are over-represented in prison populations however there are few longitudinal studies of prison in-reach services leading to appropriate healthcare over extended periods. AIMS: We aimed to examine measures of the clinical efficiency and effectiveness of a prison in-reach, court diversion and liaison service over a 3 year period. Secondly, we aimed to compare rates of identification of psychosis and diversion with rates previously reported for the same setting in the 6 years previously. We adopted a stress testing model for service evaluation. METHOD: All new male remand committals to Ireland's main remand prison from 2012 to 2014 were screened in two stages. Demographic and clinical variables were recorded along with times to assessment and diversion. The DUNDRUM Toolkit was used to assess level of clinical urgency and level of security required. Binary logistic regression was used to assess factors relevant to diversion. RESULTS: All 6177 consecutive remands were screened of whom 1109 remand episodes (917 individuals) received a psychiatric assessment. 4.1 % (95 % CI 3.6-4.6) had active psychotic symptoms. Levels of self-harm were low. Median time to full assessment was 2 days and median time to admission was 15.0 days for local hospitals and 19.5 days for forensic admissions. Diversion to healthcare settings outside prison was achieved for 5.6 % (349/6177, 95 % CI 5.1-6.3) of all remand episodes and admissions for 2.3 % (95 % CI 1.9-2.7). Both were increased on the previous period reported. Mean DUNDRUM-1 and DUNDRUM-2 Triage Security Scores were appropriate to risk and need. CONCLUSIONS: We found that a two-stage screening and referral process followed by comprehensive assessment optimised identification of acute psychosis. The mapping approach described shows that it is possible for a relatively small team to sustainably achieve effective identification of major mental illness and diversion to healthcare in a risk-appropriate manner. The stress-testing structure adopted aids service evaluation and may help advise development of outcome standards for similar services.

Circular polarization vision in a stomatopod crustacean.

We describe the addition of a fourth visual modality in the animal kingdom, the perception of circular polarized light. Animals are sensitive to various characteristics of light, such as intensity, color, and linear polarization [1, 2]. This latter capability can be used for object identification, contrast enhancement, navigation, and communication through polarizing reflections [2-4]. Circularly polarized reflections from a few animal species have also been known for some time [5, 6]. Although optically interesting [7, 8], their signal function or use (if any) was obscure because no visual system was known to detect circularly polarized light. Here, in stomatopod crustaceans, we describe for the first time a visual system capable of detecting and analyzing circularly polarized light. Four lines of evidence-behavior, electrophysiology, optical anatomy, and details of signal design-are presented to describe this new visual function. We suggest that this remarkable ability mediates sexual signaling and mate choice, although other potential functions of circular polarization vision, such as enhanced contrast in turbid environments, are also possible [7, 8]. The ability to differentiate the handedness of circularly polarized light, a visual feat never expected in the animal kingdom, is demonstrated behaviorally here for the first time.