Environmental remodeling of human gut microbiota and antibiotic resistome in livestock farms.

Anthropogenic environments have been implicated in enrichment and exchange of antibiotic resistance genes and bacteria. Here we study the impact of confined and controlled swine farm environments on temporal changes in the gut microbiome and resistome of veterinary students with occupational exposure for 3 months. By analyzing 16S rRNA and whole metagenome shotgun sequencing data in tandem with culture-based methods, we show that farm exposure shapes the gut microbiome of students, resulting in enrichment of potentially pathogenic taxa and antimicrobial resistance genes. Comparison of students' gut microbiomes and resistomes to farm workers' and environmental samples revealed extensive sharing of resistance genes and bacteria following exposure and after three months of their visit. Notably, antibiotic resistance genes were found in similar genetic contexts in student samples and farm environmental samples. Dynamic Bayesian network modeling predicted that the observed changes partially reverse over a 4-6 month period. Our results indicate that acute changes in a human's living environment can persistently shape their gut microbiota and antibiotic resistome.

Overweight-obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents from Merida city, Venezuela. / Sobrepeso-obesidad y factores de riesgo cardiometabólico en niños y adolescentes de la ciudad de Mérida, Venezuela.

To establish the prevalence of overweight-obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors (CRF) (sedentary lifestyle, dyslipidemia, hypertension and impaired carbohydrate metabolism) in children and adolescents in the city of Mérida, Venezuela, we studied 922 children and adolescents from 9 to 18 years of age, from different educational institutions. Anthropometric measurements and arterial blood pressure were recorded. Body mass index was calculated. Fasting blood glucose, insulin and lipids levels, and glucose and insulin 2 h post-load glucose were measured. HOMA-IR was calculated. In order of frequency, sedentary lifestyle was observed in 49.3% of participants, dyslipidemia in 28.3%, overweight-obesity in 17.4% (7.9% obesity and 9.5% overweight), prehypertension and hypertension (PreHT/HT) in 8.8%, prediabetes in 4%, insulin resistance in 3.9% and metabolic syndrome (MS) in 2.5%. CRF's were associated with overweight-obesity, being the most common, dyslipidemia (50.3% vs 23.7% in normal weight) and PreHT/HT (23.8% vs 5.7%; p=0.0001 for both). The risk of PreHT/HT, dyslipidemia, and MS were 5.14, 3.26 and 119.56 times more in overweight-obesity, than in low-normal weight respectively (p=0.0001 for all). In conclusion, the frequency of overweight and obesity in Mérida has increased over time. Given its clear association with CRF, it is recommended to provide the appropriated education to improve nutritional status.

Extended phase modulation depth in twisted nematic liquid crystal displays.

We show how the phase modulation depth in twisted nematic liquid crystal displays (TNLCDs) can be increased dramatically by selecting a polarization configuration with a reduced mean intensity transmission. This phenomenon, which we have validated with various devices, is shown here for a device that presents a phase-only modulation only slightly over π radians in our classical rotated eigenvector configuration, but it is capable of producing close to a 2π phase depth for a configuration with 5% mean intensity transmission. A quantitative explanation is presented by means of a phasor analysis of the TNLCD eigenvector projections over input and output polarization states. The proposed technique can be a very useful solution in modern TNLCDs that have a very thin liquid crystal layer and a reduced maximum achievable phase modulation.