Effect of dietary macronutrients and immune challenge on gut microbiota, physiology and feeding behaviour in zebra finches.

Macronutrients play a vital role in host immunity and can influence host-pathogen dynamics, potentially through dietary effects on gut microbiota. To increase our understanding of how dietary macronutrients affect physiology and gut microbiota and investigate whether feeding behaviour is influenced by an immune threat, we conducted two experiments. First, we determined whether zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) exhibit shifts in physiology and gut microbiota when fed diets differing in macronutrient ratios. We found the type and amount of diet consumed affected gut microbiota alpha diversity, where microbial richness and Shannon diversity increased with caloric intake in birds fed a high-fat diet and decreased with caloric intake in birds fed a high protein diet. Diet macronutrient content did not affect physiological metrics, but lower caloric intake was associated with higher complement activity. In our second experiment, we simulated an infection in birds using the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and quantified feeding behaviour in immune challenged and control individuals, as well as birds housed near either a control pair (no immune threat), or birds housed near a pair given an immune challenge with LPS (social cue of heightened infection risk). We also examined whether social cues of infection alter physiological responses relevant to responding to an immune threat, an effect that could be mediated through shifts in feeding behaviour. LPS induced a reduction in caloric intake driven by a decrease in protein, but not fat consumption. No evidence was found for socially induced shifts in feeding behaviour, physiology or gut microbiota. Our findings carry implications for host health, as sickness-induced anorexia and diet-induced shifts in the microbiome could shape host-pathogen interactions.

Process Intensification of the Continuous Synthesis of Bio-Derived Monomers for Sustainable Coatings Using a Taylor Vortex Flow Reactor.

We describe the optimization and scale-up of two consecutive reaction steps in the synthesis of bio-derived alkoxybutenolide monomers that have been reported as potential replacements for acrylate-based coatings (Sci. Adv.2020, 6, eabe0026). These monomers are synthesized by (i) oxidation of furfural with photogenerated singlet oxygen followed by (ii) thermal condensation of the desired 5-hydroxyfuranone intermediate product with an alcohol, a step which until now has involved a lengthy batch reaction. The two steps have been successfully telescoped into a single kilogram-scale process without any need to isolate the 5-hydroxyfuranone between the steps. Our process development involved FTIR reaction monitoring, FTIR data analysis via 2D visualization, and two different photoreactors: (i) a semicontinuous photoreactor based on a modified rotary evaporator, where FTIR and 2D correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) revealed the loss of the methyl formate coproduct, and (ii) our fully continuous Taylor Vortex photoreactor, which enhanced the mass transfer and permitted the use of near-stoichiometric equivalents of O2. The use of in-line FTIR monitoring and modeling greatly accelerated process optimization in the Vortex reactor. This led to scale-up of the photo-oxidation in 85% yield with a projected productivity of 1.3 kg day-1 and a space-time yield of 0.06 mol day-1 mL-1. Higher productivities could be achieved while sacrificing yield (e.g., 4 kg day-1 at 40% yield). The use of superheated methanol at 200 °C in a pressurized thermal flow reactor accelerated the second step, the thermal condensation of 5-hydroxyfuranone, from a 20 h batch reflux reaction (0.5 L, 85 g) to a space time of <1 min in a reactor only 3 mL in volume operating with projected productivities of >700 g day-1. Proof of concept for telescoping the two steps was established with an overall two-step yield of 67%, producing a process with a projected productivity of 1.1 kg day-1 for the methoxybutenolide monomer without any purification of the 5-hydroxyfuranone intermediate.

A dirigent protein complex directs lignin polymerization and assembly of the root diffusion barrier.

Functionally similar to the tight junctions present in animal guts, plant roots have evolved a lignified Casparian strip as an extracellular diffusion barrier in the endodermis to seal the root apoplast and maintain nutrient homeostasis. How this diffusion barrier is structured has been partially defined, but its lignin polymerization and assembly steps remain elusive. Here, we characterize a family of dirigent proteins (DPs) essential for both the localized polymerization of lignin required for Casparian strip biogenesis in the cell wall and for attachment of the strip to the plasma membrane to seal the apoplast. We reveal a Casparian strip lignification mechanism that requires cooperation between DPs and the Schengen pathway. Furthermore, we demonstrate that DPs directly mediate lignin polymerization as part of this mechanism.

Effect of urbanization and parasitism on the gut microbiota of Darwin's finch nestlings.

Host-associated microbiota can be affected by factors related to environmental change, such as urbanization and invasive species. For example, urban areas often affect food availability for animals, which can change their gut microbiota. Invasive parasites can also influence microbiota through competition or indirectly through a change in the host immune response. These interacting factors can have complex effects on host fitness, but few studies have disentangled the relationship between urbanization and parasitism on an organism's gut microbiota. To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the effects of urbanization and parasitism by the invasive avian vampire fly (Philornis downsi) on the gut microbiota of nestling small ground finches (Geospiza fuliginosa) on San Cristóbal Island, Galápagos. We conducted a factorial study in which we experimentally manipulated parasite presence in an urban and nonurban area. Faeces were then collected from nestlings to characterize the gut microbiota (i.e. bacterial diversity and community composition). Although we did not find an interactive effect of urbanization and parasitism on the microbiota, we did find main effects of each variable. We found that urban nestlings had lower bacterial diversity and different relative abundances of taxa compared to nonurban nestlings, which could be mediated by introduction of the microbiota of the food items or changes in host physiology. Additionally, parasitized nestlings had lower bacterial richness than nonparasitized nestlings, which could be mediated by a change in the immune system. Overall, this study advances our understanding of the complex effects of anthropogenic stressors on the gut microbiota of birds.

Improving Military Medical Retention Through Growth Counseling: A Cross-sectional Retention Survey of U.S. Army Physician Assistants.

INTRODUCTION: Although compensation is often the only factor considered with military medical retention, retention has been shown to have many other important factors. Maximizing the retention of military medical personnel not only decreases the cost of recruiting them but also maintains the institutional knowledge of military medicine needed to conduct military medical operations. This study used a recent retention survey of U.S. Army physician assistants (PAs) to understand military medical retention needs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study analyzed a survey created, implemented, and collected by the Statistical Cell at the U.S. Army Center of Excellence. In September 2020, all 864 active duty PAs were sent a link to the survey and 290 completed the survey, with a participation rate of 34%. The study used cross-tabulation, Pearson's chi-square, and multivariate logistical regression to analyze the results. Institutional review board approval was obtained through the Army Medical Center of Excellence and University of the Incarnate Word. RESULTS: Pearson's chi-square found that 18 questions in the survey were answered significantly different (P < .05) among those who intended to stay for 20 years in the Army. Binomial logistical regression found that each point higher on a 5-point Likert scale of the belief a PA could accomplish their career goals in Army medicine increased probability of likelihood to stay for 20 years by 74% (95% CI [0.57-0.98]). Each point higher on a 5-point Likert scale of perception Defense Health Agency control of Army medicine affected retention increased probability of likelihood to stay by 54% (95% CI [0.39-0.75]). Every decade older of age increased probability of increased likelihood to stay for 20 years by 63% (95% CI [0.40-0.98]). CONCLUSIONS: The belief a service member can reach their career goals in the military is critical for retention. Using Army Techniques Publication 6-22.1 as a guide, leaders can help subordinates meet their career goals, and this may be the most important task a leader can accomplish to improve their unit's retention. Strengths of this study include the high response rate of 33.6% and results demonstrating the importance of growth counseling which is already part of Army doctrine. Weaknesses include the use of secondary cross-sectional data which impair the ability to derive conclusions from the data. Future studies should explore how training programs for military leaders in growth counseling can help subordinates find their career goals in the military and the effect on military retention.

Navigating the Demands of Tenure-Track Positions.

Navigating a tenure-track position can sometimes feel like walking the high wire, teetering from side to side wondering when that next overload course, research paper, or service project will topple you from your scholarly perch. Many of these positions lack significant formalized mentorship and guidance to help navigate and balance the workload of academia. Even with experience, the tenure and promotion process can be ambiguous. Workload balance is imperative to achieve tenure and promotion. Once you are in a tenure-track position, it is important to balance and understand the tenure and promotion process and its value. We provide a roadmap for early career academic professionals on how to balance their teaching, research, and service to obtain tenure and promotion. We inform the next generation of academicians about how researchers address public health problems through teaching, scholarship, and service. Finally, we explore five critical areas relevant to successful tenure and promotion: (a) classification and organizational culture, (b) the "Big Three" (teaching, research, and service), (c) professional development and network, (d) mentorship, and (e) work-life balance.

High-Productivity Single-Pass Electrochemical Birch Reduction of Naphthalenes in a Continuous Flow Electrochemical Taylor Vortex Reactor.

We report the development of a single-pass electrochemical Birch reduction carried out in a small footprint electrochemical Taylor vortex reactor with projected productivities of >80 g day-1 (based on 32.2 mmol h-1), using a modified version of our previously reported reactor [Org. Process Res. Dev. 2021, 25, 7, 1619-1627], consisting of a static outer electrode and a rapidly rotating cylindrical inner electrode. In this study, we used an aluminum tube as the sacrificial outer electrode and stainless steel as the rotating inner electrode. We have established the viability of using a sacrificial aluminum anode for the electrochemical reduction of naphthalene, and by varying the current, we can switch between high selectivity (>90%) for either the single ring reduction or double ring reduction with >80 g day-1 projected productivity for either product. The concentration of LiBr in solution changes the fluid dynamics of the reaction mixture investigated by computational fluid dynamics, and this affects equilibration time, monitored using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. We show that the concentrations of electrolyte (LiBr) and proton source (dimethylurea) can be reduced while maintaining high reaction efficiency. We also report the reduction of 1-aminonaphthalene, which has been used as a precursor to the API Ropinirole. We find that our methodology produces the corresponding dihydronaphthalene with excellent selectivity and 88% isolated yield in an uninterrupted run of >8 h with a projected productivity of >100 g day-1.

Perception of infection: disease-related social cues influence immunity in songbirds.

While avoidance of sick conspecifics is common among animals, little is known about how detecting diseased conspecifics influences an organism's physiological state, despite its implications for disease transmission dynamics. The avian pathogen Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) causes obvious visual signs of infection in domestic canaries (Serinus canaria domestica), including lethargy and conjunctivitis, making this system a useful tool for investigating how the perception of cues from sick individuals shapes immunity in healthy individuals. We tested whether disease-related social information can stimulate immune responses in canaries housed in visual contact with either healthy or MG-infected conspecifics. We found higher complement activity and higher heterophil counts in healthy birds viewing MG-infected individuals around 6-12 days post-inoculation, which corresponded with the greatest degree of disease pathology in infected stimulus birds. However, we did not detect the effects of disease-related social cues on the expression of two proinflammatory cytokines in the blood. These data indicate that social cues of infection can alter immune responses in healthy individuals and suggest that public information about the disease can shape how individuals respond to infection.

Considering Needle Phobia among Adult Patients During Mass COVID-19 Vaccinations.

As mass vaccination is underway to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve herd immunity, healthcare professionals need to recognize the fear and phobia of needles among their patients. Approximately 11.5 to 66 million U.S. adults may suffer from this condition. This population often avoids seeking medical care including vaccinations. The exact number of people suffering from this phobia is unknown, and the potential years of life lost in the American health care system cannot be estimated accurately. The resistance to vaccinations among this population may delay achieving herd immunity to end this current pandemic. An overview of needle phobia, vaccinations, and current treatments are explored. The use of telemedicine could prove critical for reaching this population as well as those who are hesitant about vaccinations. Providing education to healthcare providers to identify and manage these patients during the pandemic is necessary.

Two chemically distinct root lignin barriers control solute and water balance.

Lignin is a complex polymer deposited in the cell wall of specialised plant cells, where it provides essential cellular functions. Plants coordinate timing, location, abundance and composition of lignin deposition in response to endogenous and exogenous cues. In roots, a fine band of lignin, the Casparian strip encircles endodermal cells. This forms an extracellular barrier to solutes and water and plays a critical role in maintaining nutrient homeostasis. A signalling pathway senses the integrity of this diffusion barrier and can induce over-lignification to compensate for barrier defects. Here, we report that activation of this endodermal sensing mechanism triggers a transcriptional reprogramming strongly inducing the phenylpropanoid pathway and immune signaling. This leads to deposition of compensatory lignin that is chemically distinct from Casparian strip lignin. We also report that a complete loss of endodermal lignification drastically impacts mineral nutrients homeostasis and plant growth.

Weathered Mississippi Canyon 252 crude oil ingestion alters cytokine signaling, lowers heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, and induces sickness behavior in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata).

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill caused an estimated 100,000 bird mortalities. However, mortality estimates are often based on the number of visibly oiled birds and likely underestimate the true damage to avian populations as they do not include toxic effects from crude oil ingestion. Elevated susceptibility to disease has been postulated to be a significant barrier to recovery for birds that have ingested crude oil. Effective defense against pathogens involves integration of physiological and behavioral traits, which are regulated in-part by cytokine signaling pathways. In this study, we tested whether crude oil ingestion altered behavioral and physiological aspects of disease defense in birds. To do so, we used artificially weathered Mississippi Canyon 242 crude oil to orally dose zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) with 3.3 mL/kg or 10 mL/kg of crude oil or a control (peanut oil) for 14 days. We measured expression of cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-6, IL-10) and proinflammatory pathways (NF-κB, COX-2) in the intestine, liver, and spleen (tissues that exhibit pathology in oil-exposed birds). We also measured heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio and complement system activity, and video-recorded birds to analyze sickness behavior. Finches that ingested crude oil exhibited tissue-specific changes in cytokine mRNA expression. Proinflammatory cytokine expression decreased in the intestine but increased in the liver and spleen. Birds exposed to crude oil had lower H:L ratios compared to the control on day 14, but there were no differences in complement activity among treatments. Additionally, birds exposed to 10 mL/kg crude oil had reduced activity, indicative of sickness behavior. Our results suggest cytokines play a role in mediating physiological and behavioral responses to crude oil ingestion. Although most avian population damage assessments focus on mortality caused by external oiling, crude oil ingestion may also indirectly affect survival by altering physiological and behavioral traits important for disease defense.

Captivity alters neuroendocrine regulators of stress and reproduction in the hypothalamus in response to acute stress.

Wild animals are brought into captivity for many reasons. However, unlike laboratory-bred animals, wild caught animals often respond to the dramatic shift in their environment with physiological changes in the stress and reproductive pathways. Using wild-caught male and female house sparrows (Passer domesticus) we examined how time in captivity affects the expression of reproductive and stress-associated genes in the brain, specifically, the hypothalamus. We quantified relative mRNA expression of a neurohormone involved in the stress response (corticotropin releasing hormone [CRH]), a hypothalamic inhibitor of reproduction (gonadotropin inhibitory hormone [GnIH]), and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which is important in terminating the stress response. To understand potential shifts at the cellular level, we also examined the presence of hypothalamic GnIH (GnIH-ir) using immunohistochemistry. We hypothesized that expression of these genes and the abundance of cells immunoreactive for GnIH would change in response to time in captivity as compared to free-living individuals. We found that GR mRNA expression and GnIH-ir cell abundance increased after 24 and 45 days in captivity, as compared to wild-caught birds. At 66 days in captivity, GR expression and GnIH cell abundance did not differ from wild-caught birds, suggesting birds had acclimated to captivity. Evaluation of CRH and GnIH mRNA expression yielded similar trends, though they were not statistically significant. In addition, although neuroendocrine factors appeared to acclimate to captivity, a previous study indicated that corticosterone release and immune responses of these same birds did not acclimate to captivity, suggesting that neuroendocrine endpoints may adapt more rapidly to captivity than downstream physiological measures. These data expand our understanding of the physiological shifts occurring when wild animals are brought into captivity.

Anxiety Disorders in Primary Care Settings.

Although anxiety disorders are extremely prevalent in primary care settings, barriers such as a lack of knowledge, time constraints, and lack of common presentation can lead to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment. Optimal treatment of anxiety disorders includes both pharmacologic and behavioral interventions. The purpose of this article is to assist primary care providers in quick identification of anxiety disorders so that proper treatment can be initiated and appropriate referrals can be made.

Association of food insecurity with early childhood caries.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the association of food insecurity on the prevalence of dental caries in preschool children. METHODS: Eighty-two children, aged 12-71 months old, from the Marquette University School of Dentistry Community South Clinic and their caregivers participated in this cross-sectional study. Following informed consent, parents completed the validated six-item US Department of Agriculture food insecurity questionnaire and questions regarding demographic information and family structure. Upon clinical examination caries was recorded using the decayed, missing, filled teeth (dmft) index based on the International Caries Detection and Assessment System criteria. RESULTS: The correlation between dmft and food insecurity was found statistically significant (P = 0.002, R2 = 0.115), and children of higher food insecurity demonstrated higher levels of dental caries. Food insecurity was also positively correlated with parental age (P = 0.034), whereby higher levels of food insecurity were associated with the father being less than 25 years of age. Results from the questionnaire revealed that 58.5 percent of the families were fully secure, 11.0 percent had marginal, 24.4 percent had low, and 6.1 percent had very low food security. Results from clinical examination reported dmft 4.09 ± 4.38, dt 2.20 ± 2.83, and ft 1.83 ± 2.95. Most of the children (79.7 percent) were Hispanic, 53.1 percent were female and the median age of the sample was 48 months. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study suggest that preschool children with food insecurity have higher levels of dental caries.

Captivity influences immune responses, stress endocrinology, and organ size in house sparrows (Passer domesticus).

Studies using wild animals in laboratory-based research require bringing wild-captured organisms into a novel setting, which can have long-lasting impacts on physiology and behavior. In several species, captivity stimulates stress hormone production and can alter immune function. Despite this, there is little consensus on how captivity influences stress hormone regulation, or if captivity-induced changes in stress hormone production and regulation mediate changes in immune function. In this study, we investigate the influence of captivity on the physiology of a wild bird commonly-used in laboratory-based research, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We tested how captivity influences stress endocrinology, immune responses, and organ mass, and also investigated if the production or regulation of corticosterone, the main stress hormone in birds, correlated with changes in immunity. We found that baseline corticosterone concentrations and maximum capacity of the adrenals to secrete corticosterone increase following captivity and remain elevated after 9weeks of captivity. A measure of innate immune function, the bactericidal ability of plasma, also increased with time spent in captivity. Wound healing was also influenced by time spent in captivity, with birds taking almost 2days longer to heal if they were wounded after 3weeks in captivity when compared with birds that were wounded immediately upon capture. Additionally, captivity caused notable reductions in spleen and liver mass. Together, these results imply that captivity can have long-lasting effects on house sparrow corticosterone release and immune function, and suggest that even after 9weeks house sparrows do not acclimate physiologically to life in captivity.

Changes in corticosterone concentrations and behavior during Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus).

Glucocorticoid stress hormones are important for energy mobilization as well as regulation of the immune system, and thus these hormones are particularly likely to both influence and respond to pathogen infection in vertebrates. In this study, we examined how the glucocorticoid stress response in house finches (Haemorhous mexicanus) interacts with experimental infection of the naturally-occurring bacterial pathogen, Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). We also investigated whether infection-induced concentrations of corticosterone (CORT), the primary glucocorticoid in birds, were associated with the expression of sickness behavior, the lethargy typically observed in vertebrates early in infection. We found that experimental infection with MG resulted in significantly higher CORT levels on day 5 post-infection, but this effect appeared to be limited to female house finches only. Regardless of sex, infected individuals with greater disease severity had the highest CORT concentrations on day 5 post-infection. House finches exposed to MG exhibited behavioral changes, with infected birds having significantly lower activity levels than sham-inoculated individuals. However, CORT concentrations and the extent of sickness behaviors exhibited among infected birds were not associated. Finally, pre-infection CORT concentrations were associated with reduced inflammation and pathogen load in inoculated males, but not females. Our results suggest that the house finch glucocorticoid stress response may both influence and respond to MG infection in sex-specific ways, but because we had a relatively low sample size of males, future work should confirm these patterns. Finally, manipulative experiments should be performed to test whether the glucocorticoid stress response acts as a brake on the inflammatory response associated with MG infection in house finches.

High-pressure-low-temperature cryostat designed for use with fourier transform infrared spectrometers and time-resolved infrared spectroscopy.

The design for a new high-pressure-low-temperature infrared (IR) cell for performing experiments using conventional Fourier transform infrared or fast laser-based time-resolved infrared spectroscopy, in a range of solvents, is described. The design builds upon a commercially available compressor and cold end (Polycold PCC(®) and CryoTiger(®)), which enables almost vibration-free operation, ideal for use with sensitive instrumentation. The design of our cell and cryostat allows for the study of systems at temperatures from 77 to 310 K and at pressures up to 250 bar. The CaF2 windows pass light from the mid-IR to the ultraviolet (UV), enabling a number of experiments to be performed, such as Raman, UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, and time-resolved techniques where sample excitation/probing using continuous wave or pulsed lasers is required. We demonstrate the capabilities of this cell by detailing two different applications: (i) the reactivity of a range of Group V-VII organometallic alkane complexes using time-resolved spectroscopy on the millisecond timescale and (ii) the gas-to-liquid phase transition of CO2 at low temperature, which is applicable to measurements associated with transportation issues related to carbon capture and storage.

Impact of antidepressant use on gastric bypass surgery patients' weight loss and health-related quality-of-life outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Psychological factors may be predictive of post-surgical adjustment and successful outcomes in obesity-surgery populations. OBJECTIVE: The authors compared post-gastric bypass surgery (GBS) outcomes of patients being given active psychotropic treatment for depression, with those of patients without treatment or identifiable need for treatment at enrollment. METHOD: Outcome measures included weight and repeated administration of the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form-36 (SF-36). RESULTS: There was no impact of antidepressant treatment on GBS patients' weight loss or SF-36 outcomes. CONCLUSION: Therefore, patients with actively treated depression should be expected to have GBS outcomes equivalent to those of patients without identifiable psychiatric illness or treatment.

Ethnic identity and risky health behaviors in school-age Mexican-American children.

The study examined the relationship between ethnic identity and risky health behaviors in 1,892 Mexican-American students (M age= 14.6, SD= 1.35; 50.3% male) in South Texas. The Ethnic Identity Scale assessed ethnic identity and questions from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey measured risky health behaviors (mixed use of alcohol and drugs, heavy drinking, driving under the influence, regular marijuana use, regular cigarette smoking, lack of regular exercise, not eating breakfast regularly, and carrying a gun or knife to school). Logistic regression tested the relationships between ethnic identity and report of risky health behaviors controlling for potential confounders (sex, free school lunch status, grade, and self-reported school grade). Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and confidence intervals were calculated. Results indicated that being associated with Mexican-American cultural identity was significantly associated with a decreased mixed use of alcohol and drugs (AOR= .97), heavy drinking (AOR= .98), and regular marijuana use (AOR= .97). A stronger ethnic identity was protective against engaging in risky health behaviors among these Mexican-American adolescents.