An insight into the role of branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BKD) complex in branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis and virulence of Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne bacterial pathogen that causes listeriosis. Positive regulatory factor A (PrfA) is a pleiotropic master activator of virulence genes of L. monocytogenes that becomes active upon the entry of the bacterium into the cytosol of infected cells. L. monocytogenes can survive and multiply at low temperatures; this is accomplished through the maintenance of appropriate membrane fluidity via branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA) synthesis. Branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase (BKD), which is composed of four polypeptides encoded by lpd, bkdA1, bkdA2, and bkdB, is known to play a vital role in BCFA biosynthesis. Here, we constructed BKD-deficient Listeria strains by in-frame deletion of lpd, bkdA1, bkdA2, and bkdB genes. To determine the role in in vivo and in vitro, mouse model challenges, plaque assay in murine L2 fibroblast, and intracellular replication in J744A.1 macrophage were conducted. BKD-deficient strains exhibited defects in BCFA composition, virulence, and PrfA-regulon function within the host cells. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that the transcript level of the PrfA-regulon was lower in ΔbkdA1 strain than those in the wild-type. This study demonstrates that L. monocytogenes strains lacking BKD complex components were defective in PrfA-regulon function, and full activation of wild-type prfA may not occur within host cells in the absence of BKD. Further study will investigate the consequences of BKD deletion on PrfA function through altering BCFA catabolism.IMPORTANCEListeria monocytogenes is the causative agent of listeriosis, a disease with a high mortality rate. In this study, we have shown that the deletion of BKD can impact the function of PrfA and the PrfA-regulon. The production of virulence proteins within host cells is necessary for L. monocytogenes to promote its intracellular survival and is likely dependent on membrane integrity. We thus report a link between L. monocytogenes membrane integrity and the function of PrfA. This knowledge will increase our understanding of L. monocytogenes pathogenesis, which may provide insight into the development of antimicrobial agents.

Corporate interest groups and their implications for global food governance: mapping and analysing the global corporate influence network of the transnational ultra-processed food industry.

BACKGROUND: A major challenge to transforming food systems to promote human health and sustainable development is the global rise in the manufacture and consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). A key driver of this dietary transition is the globalization of UPF corporations, and their organized corporate political activity (CPA) intended to counter opposition and block government regulation. UPF industry CPA and the corporate interest groups who lobby on their behalf have been well described at the national level, however, at the global level, this network has not been systematically characterized. This study aims to map, analyse, and describe this network, and discuss the implications for global food policy action on UPFs, global food governance (GFG), and food systems transformation. METHODS: We conducted a network analysis of the declared interest group memberships of the world's leading UPF corporations, extracted from web sources, company reports, and relevant academic and grey literature. Data on the characteristics of these interest groups were further extracted for analysis, including year founded, level, type, and headquarter location. RESULTS: We identified 268 interest groups affiliated with the UPF industry. The UPF manufacturers Nestlé (n = 171), The Coca-Cola Company (n = 147), Unilever (n = 142), PepsiCo (n = 138), and Danone (n = 113) had the greatest number of memberships, indicating strong centrality in coordinating the network. We found that this network operates at all levels, yet key actors now predominantly coordinate globally through multistakeholder channels in GFG. The most common interest group types were sustainability/corporate social responsibility/multistakeholder initiatives, followed by branding and advertising, and food manufacturing and retail. Most corporate interest groups are headquartered where they can access powerful government and GFG decision-makers, nearly one-third in Washington DC and Brussels, and the rest in capital cities of major national markets for UPFs. CONCLUSIONS: The UPF industry, and especially its leading corporations, coordinate a global network of interest groups spanning multiple levels, jurisdictions, and governance spaces. This represents a major structural feature of global food and health governance systems, which arguably poses major challenges for actions to attenuate the harms of UPFs, and to realising of healthy and sustainable food systems.

An analysis of the transformative potential of Australia's national food policies and policy actions to promote healthy and sustainable food systems.

OBJECTIVE: Despite commitment by many countries to promote food system transformation, Australia has yet to adopt a national food policy. This study aimed to evaluate Australian Federal Government's (AFG) food policies and policy actions potential to promote healthy and sustainable food systems. DESIGN: This study is a desk-based policy mapping followed by a theoretically guided evaluation of policy actions. This involved three steps: (1) identification of government departments and agencies that could influence Australia's food system; (2) identification of food policies and policy actions within these departments and (3) use of a conceptual framework to evaluate policy actions' potential of changing the food system as adjust (first-order change), reform (second-order change) or transform (third-order change). SETTING: Australia. PARTICIPANTS: None. RESULTS: Twenty-four food policies and sixty-two policy actions were identified across eight AFG departments and the Food Regulation System and evaluated based on the order of change they represented. Most policies were led by individual departments, reflecting the absence of a joined-up approach to food policy in Australia. Most policy actions (n 25/ 56·5 %) were evaluated as having adjust potential, whereas no transformative policy action was identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Australia is likely to proceed incrementally towards achieving food system change through adjustments and reforms but lacking transformative impact. To promote transformative change, all three orders of change must be strategically implemented in a coherent and coordinated matter. A comprehensive national food policy and a national coordinating body are needed to ensure a cohesive approach to policy.

Not heading in the right direction: Five hundred psychiatrists' views on resourcing, demand, and workforce across New Zealand mental health services.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the views of psychiatrists (including trainees) regarding the current state and future direction of specialist mental health and addictions services in Aotearoa New Zealand. METHODS: Psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists (registrars) in Aotearoa New Zealand were surveyed in August 2021. Of 879 eligible doctors, 540 participated (83% qualified and 17% trainee psychiatrists), a response rate of over 60%. Data were analysed quantitatively and with content analysis. RESULTS: Psychiatrists thought specialist mental health and addictions services had been neglected during recent reforms, with 94% believing current resourcing was insufficient, and only 3% considering future planning was heading in the right direction. The demand and complexity of on-call work had markedly increased in the preceding 2 years. Ninety-eight percent reported that people needing specialist treatment were often (85%) or sometimes (13%) unable to access the right care due to resourcing constraints. The pressures were similar across sub-specialties. A key theme was the distress (sometimes termed 'moral injury') experienced by psychiatrists unable to provide adequate care due to resource limitations, 'knowing what would be a good thing to do and being unable to do it . . . is soul destroying'. Recommendations were made for addressing workforce, service design and wider issues. CONCLUSION: Most psychiatrists in Aotearoa New Zealand believe the mental health system is not currently fit for purpose and that it is not heading in the right direction. Remedies include urgently addressing identified staffing challenges and boosting designated funding to adequately care for the 5% of New Zealanders with severe mental health and addiction needs.

Universal Narrowband Wavefront Shaping with High Quality Factor Meta-Reflect-Arrays.

Optical metasurfaces offer unprecedented flexibility in light wave manipulation but suffer weak resonant enhancement. Tackling this problem, we experimentally unveil a new phase gradient metasurface platform made entirely from individually addressable high quality factor (high-Q) silicon meta-atoms. Composed of pairs of nearly identical nanoblocks, these meta-atoms support dipolar-guided-mode resonances that, due to the controlled suppression of radiation loss, serve as highly sensitive phase pixels when placed above a mirror. A key novelty of this platform lies in the vanishingly small structural perturbations needed to produce universal phase fronts. Having fabricated elements with Q-factor ∼380 and spaced by λ/1.2, we achieve strong beam steering, up to 59% efficient, to angles 32.3°, 25.3°, and 20.9°, with variations in nanoantenna volume fractions across the metasurfaces of ≤2.6%, instead of >50% required by traditional versions. Aside from extreme sensitivity, the metasurfaces exhibit near-field intensity enhancement over 1000×. Taken together, these properties represent an exciting prospect for dynamic and nonlinear wave shaping.

Flavobacterium covae is the predominant species of columnaris-causing bacteria impacting the Channel Catfish industry in the southeastern United States.

OBJECTIVE: Columnaris disease is a leading cause of disease-related losses in the catfish industry of the southeastern United States. The term "columnaris-causing bacteria" (CCB) has been coined in reference to the four described species that cause columnaris disease: Flavobacterium columnare, F. covae, F. davisii, and F. oreochromis. Historically, F. columnare, F. covae, and F. davisii have been isolated from columnaris disease cases in the catfish industry; however, there is a lack of knowledge of which CCB species are most prevalent in farm-raised catfish. The current research objectives were to (1) sample columnaris disease cases from the U.S. catfish industry and identify the species of CCB involved and (2) determine the virulence of the four CCB species in Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus in controlled laboratory challenges. METHODS: Bacterial isolates or swabs of external lesions from catfish were collected from 259 columnaris disease cases in Mississippi and Alabama during 2015-2019. The DNA extracted from the samples was analyzed using a CCB-specific multiplex polymerase chain reaction to identify the CCB present in each diagnostic case. Channel Catfish were challenged by immersion with isolates belonging to each CCB species to determine virulence at ~28°C and 20°C. RESULT: Flavobacterium covae was identified as the predominant CCB species impacting the U.S. catfish industry, as it was present in 94.2% (n = 244) of diagnostic case submissions. Challenge experiments demonstrated that F. covae and F. oreochromis were highly virulent to Channel Catfish, with most isolates resulting in near 100% mortality. In contrast, F. columnare and F. davisii were less virulent, with most isolates resulting in less than 40% mortality. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results demonstrate that F. covae is the predominant CCB in the U.S. catfish industry, and research aimed at developing new control and prevention strategies should target this bacterial species. The methods described herein can be used to continue monitoring the prevalence of CCB in the catfish industry and can be easily applied to other industries to identify which Flavobacterium species have the greatest impact.

Monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 (CCL2) and its receptor (CCR2) are elevated in chronic heart failure facilitating lung monocyte infiltration and differentiation which may contribute to lung fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: Dyspnea, the cardinal manifestation of chronic heart failure (CHF), may reflect both pulmonary oedema and pulmonary remodeling resulting in tissue stiffening. Emerging evidence suggests that predominance of distinct phenotypes of alveolar and recruited macrophages, designated M1 and M2, may regulate the course of inflammatory tissue repair and remodeling in the lung. METHODS: In a CHF rat model, we found fibrotic reinforcement of the extracellular matrix with an increase in monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1/CCL2 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), corresponding to a 3-fold increase in recruited macrophages. In this clinical cross sectional study, we aimed to examine potential mediators of leukocyte activation and lung infiltration in parallel BAL and blood from CHF patients compared to non-CHF controls. RESULTS: Mini-BAL and peripheral blood samples were obtained from hospitalized CHF, acute decompensated CHF and non-CHF patients. CHF patients and decompensated CHF patients demonstrated increases from non-CHF patients in BAL MCP-1, as well as the M2 macrophage cytokines interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-ß. BAL and plasma MCP-1 were significantly correlated; however, MCP-1 was 20-fold higher in epithelial lining fluid in BAL, indicative of an alveolar chemotactic gradient. An increase in transglutaminase 2 positive M2 macrophages in parallel with a decrease in the MCP-1 receptor, CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2), was apparent in BAL cells of CHF patients compared to non-CHF. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a pathway of MCP-1 mediated M2 macrophage prevalence in the lungs of CHF patients which may contribute to pulmonary fibrotic remodeling and consequent increased severity of dyspnea.

Limitations of the Food Compass Nutrient Profiling System.

Nutrient Profiling Systems provide frameworks to assess the healthfulness of foods based on food composition and are intended as inputs into strategies to improve diets. Many Nutrient Profiling Systems are founded on a reductionist assumption that the healthfulness of foods is determined by the sum of their individual nutrients, with no consideration for the extent and purpose of processing and its health implications. A novel Nutrient Profiling System called Food Compass attempted to address existing gaps and provide a more holistic assessment of the healthfulness of foods. We propose that the chosen algorithm is not well justified and produces results that fail to discriminate for common shortfall nutrients, exaggerate the risks associated with animal-source foods, and underestimate the risks associated with ultraprocessed foods. We caution against the use of Food Compass in its current form to inform consumer choices, policies, programs, industry reformulations, and investment decisions.

Profiling ultra-processed foods in Thailand: sales trend, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality.

BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are associated with adverse health outcomes. This study aimed to analyse the national trends in retail sales, consumer expenditure and nutritional quality of UPFs in Thailand. METHODS: The study used data from the Euromonitor Passport database for analysis of retail sales and consumer expenditure, and from the Mintel Global New Products Database for nutritional analysis using the WHO Southeast Asian Region nutrient profile model. RESULTS: The study found the highest per capita sales volume and value of UPFs in 2021 were sauces, dressings & condiments (8.4 kg/capita) and carbonated soft drinks (27.1 L/capita), respectively. However, functional & flavoured water, ready-made meals and baked goods had the highest observed (2012-2021) and expected (2021-2026) sales growth. Supermarkets were responsible for most of the UPF sales since 2012, but convenience stores had larger growth in retail values. Growth in consumer expenditure per capita on UPFs from 2012 to 2020, ranged between 12.7% and 34%, and till 2026 is forecast to grow between 26% and 30%. More than half of UPFs exceeded at least one nutrient cutoff, 59.3% for total fats, 24.8% for saturated fats, 68.2% for total sugars and 94.3% for sodium. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for regulatory and non-regulatory measures such as UPF taxation and marketing restrictions, and market incentives for producing non-UPFs. A system for regularly monitoring and evaluating healthiness (both nutritional and processing aspects) of food products, especially UPFs, is required.

Ultra-processed foods: a fit-for-purpose concept for nutrition policy activities to tackle unhealthy and unsustainable diets.

Modern nutrition science began approximately 100 years ago in the context of nutrient deficiency diseases. Nutrition research and policy activities were framed mostly within a reductionist paradigm in which foods were analysed as being a collection of their constituent nutrients. Today, nutrition problems extend to all forms of malnutrition as well as environmental sustainability considerations and are associated with food and dietary pattern exposures. In 2009, researchers investigating the nutrition transition in Brazil proposed that industrial food processing was a key determinant of nutrition problems. The NOVA food classification system which is based on the nature, extent and purposes of food processing was developed to operationalise this proposition. The ultra-processed food (UPF) concept within NOVA is receiving much attention in relation to nutrition research and policy activities. This commentary describes the UPF concept as being fit-for-purpose in providing guidance to inform policy activities to tackle unhealthy and unsustainable diets. There is now a substantial body of evidence linking UPF exposure with adverse population and planetary health outcomes. The UPF concept is increasingly being used in the development of food-based dietary guidelines and nutrition policy actions. It challenges many conventional nutrition research and policy activities as well as the political economy of the industrial food system. Inevitably, there are politicised debates associated with UPF and it is apparent a disproportionate number of articles claiming the concept is controversial originate from a small number of researchers with declared associations with UPF manufacturers. Prominent examples of these claims are assessed.

Global trends in added sugars and non-nutritive sweetener use in the packaged food supply: drivers and implications for public health.

OBJECTIVE: The health implications of excessive added sugar intakes have led to national policy actions to limit their consumption. Subsequently, non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) may be used to maintain product sweetness. We aimed to assess trends in quantities of added sugars and NNS sold in packaged food and beverages worldwide, and the association between these trends and the number of national policy actions across regions to reduce added sugar consumption. DESIGN: (i) Longitudinal analysis of Euromonitor sales data (2007-2019) to assess the quantity of added sugars (kg) and NNS (g) sold in packaged foods and beverages globally, across regions, and across country income categories; (ii) policy-mapping of policy actions targeting added sugar consumption globally from the NOURISHING database; and (iii) Spearman's correlations to assess the association between national policy actions across regions and changes in added sugar/NNS sales. SETTING: Worldwide. PARTICIPANTS: Not applicable. RESULTS: Per capita volumes of NNS from beverage sales increased globally (36 %). Added sugars from beverage sales decreased in high-income countries (22 %) but increased in upper-middle-income countries (UMIC) and lower-middle-income countries (LMIC) (13-40 %). Added sugars from packaged food sales increased globally (9 %). Regions with more policy actions had a significant increase in NNS quantities from beverage sales (r = 0·68, P = 0·04). The sweetness of the packaged food supply (the sweetness of each NNS and added sugar, relative to sucrose, multiplied by sales volume) increased over time. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing use of NNS to sweeten beverages globally, and in packaged food in UMIC and LMIC, may have health and dietary implications in the future. Their use as a substitute for added sugar should be considered in public health nutrition policymaking.

From harmful nutrients to ultra-processed foods: exploring shifts in 'foods to limit' terminology used in national food-based dietary guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: The choice of terms used to describe 'foods to limit' (FTL) in food-based dietary guidelines (FBDG) can impact public understanding, policy translation and research applicability. The choice of terms in FBDG has been influenced by available science, values, beliefs and historical events. This study aimed to analyse the terms used and definitions given to FTL in FBDG around the world, including changes over time and regional differences. DESIGN: A review of terms used to describe FTL and their definitions in all current and past FBDG for adults was conducted, using a search strategy informed by the FAO FBDG website. Data from 148 guidelines (96 countries) were extracted into a pre-defined table and terms were organised by the categories 'nutrient-based', 'food examples' or 'processing-related'. SETTING: National FBDG from all world regions. PARTICIPANTS: None. RESULTS: Nutrient-based terms (e.g. high-fat foods) were the most frequently used type of term in both current and past dietary guidelines (91 %, 85 %, respectively). However, food examples (e.g. cakes) and processing-related terms (e.g. ultra-processed foods) have increased in use over the past 20 years and are now often used in conjunction with nutrient-based terms. Regional differences were only observed for processing-related terms. CONCLUSION: Diverse, and often poorly defined, terms are used to describe FTL in FBDG. Policymakers should ensure that FTL terms have clear definitions and can be integrated with other disciplines and understood by consumers. This may facilitate the inclusion of the most contemporary and potentially impactful terminology in nutrition research and policies.

Non-nutritive sweetener regulation and health: analysing applications to vary Australian and New Zealand food standards.

We aimed to understand the process of setting or varying food standards related to non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in Australia and New Zealand. Overconsumption of added sugars is a risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Limiting added sugar consumption is recommended by the World Health Organization. NNS are sweet substances with little to no energy that can be used to maintain the sweetness of packaged food when added sugar is reduced. The health and dietary pattern impacts of NNS are contested. Understanding how and why applications for NNS are submitted, assessed and approved within food regulatory systems is important to contextualize the increasing availability of NNS in the food supply. We completed an interpretive content analysis of applications to change the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Code, risk assessments and stakeholder submissions. Literature used in risk assessments were drawn from a mixture of documents supplied by industry and peer-reviewed studies. Risk assessments were primarily focussed on toxicological outcomes, while broader public health outcomes were not explicitly considered. Consumption data available to FSANZ were collected several years prior to dietary exposure assessments, and thus may not accurately represent current intakes. The study findings raise questions about whether the scope of what constitutes a 'risk' to public health in the setting of food standards needs to extend beyond immediate toxicological and food safety concerns, to include longer-term dietary balance considerations.

Access Control for IoT: A Survey of Existing Research, Dynamic Policies and Future Directions.

Internet of Things (IoT) provides a wide range of services in domestic and industrial environments. Access control plays a crucial role in granting access rights to users and devices when an IoT device is connected to a network. However, many challenges exist in designing and implementing an ideal access control solution for the IoT due to the characteristics of the IoT including but not limited to the variety of the IoT devices, the resource constraints on the IoT devices, and the heterogeneous nature of the IoT. This paper conducts a comprehensive survey on access control in the IoT, including access control requirements, authorization architecture, access control models, access control policies, access control research challenges, and future directions. It identifies and summarizes key access control requirements in the IoT. The paper further evaluates the existing access control models to fulfill the access control requirements. Access control decisions are governed by access control policies. The existing approaches on dynamic policies' specification are reviewed. The challenges faced by the existing solutions for policies' specification are highlighted. Finally, the paper presents the research challenges and future directions of access control in the IoT. Due to the variety of IoT applications, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for access control in the IoT. Despite the challenges encountered in designing and implementing the access control in the IoT, it is desired to have an access control solution to meet all the identified requirements to secure the IoT.

High-Quality-Factor Silicon-on-Lithium Niobate Metasurfaces for Electro-optically Reconfigurable Wavefront Shaping.

Dynamically reconfigurable metasurfaces promise compact and lightweight spatial light modulation for many applications, including LiDAR, AR/VR, and LiFi systems. Here, we design and computationally investigate high-quality-factor silicon-on-lithium niobate metasurfaces with electrically driven, independent control of its constituent nanobars for full phase tunability with high tuning efficiency. Free-space light couples to guided modes within each nanobar via periodic perturbations, generating quality factors exceeding 30,000 while maintaining a bar spacing of <λ/1.5. We achieve nearly 2π phase variation with an applied bias not exceeding ±25 V, maintaining a reflection efficiency above 91%. Using full-field simulations, we demonstrate a high-angle (51°) switchable beamsplitter with a diffracted efficiency of 93% and an angle-tunable beamsteerer, spanning 18-31°, with up to 86% efficiency, all using the same metasurface device. Our platform provides a foundation for highly efficient wavefront-shaping devices with a wide dynamic tuning range capable of generating nearly any transfer function.

Ultra-processed foods: a fit-for-purpose concept for nutrition policy activities to tackle unhealthy and unsustainable diets.

Modern nutrition science began approximately 100 years ago in the context of nutrient deficiency diseases. Nutrition research and policy activities were framed mostly within a reductionist paradigm in which foods were analysed as being a collection of their constituent nutrients. Today, nutrition problems extend to all forms of malnutrition as well as environmental sustainability considerations and are associated with food and dietary pattern exposures. In 2009, researchers investigating the nutrition transition in Brazil proposed that industrial food processing was a key determinant of nutrition problems. The NOVA food classification system which is based on the nature, extent and purposes of food processing was developed to operationalise this proposition. The ultra-processed food (UPF) concept within NOVA is receiving much attention in relation to nutrition research and policy activities. This commentary describes the UPF concept as being fit-for-purpose in providing guidance to inform policy activities to tackle unhealthy and unsustainable diets. There is now a substantial body of evidence linking UPF exposure with adverse population and planetary health outcomes. The UPF concept is increasingly being used in the development of food-based dietary guidelines and nutrition policy actions. It challenges many conventional nutrition research and policy activities as well as the political economy of the industrial food system. Inevitably, there are politicised debates associated with UPF and it is apparent a disproportionate number of articles claiming the concept is controversial originate from a small number of researchers with declared associations with UPF manufacturers. Prominent examples of these claims are assessed.

Evaluating intake levels of nutrients linked to non-communicable diseases in Australia using the novel combination of food processing and nutrient profiling metrics of the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model.

PURPOSE: To investigate intake levels of nutrients linked to non-communicable diseases in Australia using the novel combination of food processing and nutrient profiling metrics of the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model. METHODS: Dietary intakes of 12,153 participants from the Australian Health Survey (2011-12) aged 2 + years were evaluated. Food items reported during a 24 h recall were classified using the NOVA system. The Pan-American Health Organization Nutrient Profile Model (PAHO NPM) was applied to identify processed and ultra-processed products with excessive content of critical nutrients. Differences in mean intakes and prevalence of excessive intakes of critical nutrients for groups of the population whose diets were made up of products with and without excessive content in critical nutrients were examined. RESULTS: The majority of Australians consumed daily at least three processed and ultra-processed products identified as excessive in critical nutrients according to the PAHO NPM. Individuals consuming these products had higher intakes of free sugars (ß = 8.9), total fats (ß = 11.0), saturated fats (ß = 4.6), trans fats (ß = 0.2), and sodium (ß = 1788 for adolescents and adults; ß = 1769 for children 5-10 years; ß = 1319 for children aged < 5 years) (p ≤ 0.001 for all nutrients) than individuals not consuming these foods. The prevalence of excessive intake of all critical nutrients also followed the same trend. CONCLUSION: The PAHO NPM has shown to be a relevant tool to predict intake levels of nutrients linked to non-communicable diseases in Australia and, therefore, could be used to inform policy actions aimed at increasing the healthiness of food environments.

What are the benefits and risks of nutrition policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption? An Australian case study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to critically analyse Australia's current and proposed policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption. Over-consumption of added sugar is a significant public health nutrition issue. The competing interests, values and beliefs among stakeholders mean they have disparate views regarding which policy actions are preferable to reduce added sugar consumption. DESIGN: Semi-structured interviews using purposive, snowball sampling and policy mapping. Policy actions were classified by two frameworks: NOURISHING (e.g. behaviour change communication, food environment and food system) and the Orders of Change (e.g. first order: technical adjustments, second order: reforming the system, third order: transforming the system). SETTING: Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two stakeholders from the food industry, food regulation, government, public health groups and academia. RESULTS: All proposed and existing policy actions targeted the food environment/behaviour change; most were assessed as first-order changes, and reductionist (nutrient specific) in nature. Influences on policy actions included industry power, stakeholder fragmentation, government ideology/political will and public pressure. Few stakeholders considered potential risks of policy actions, particularly of non-nutritive sweetener substitution or opportunity costs for other policies. CONCLUSIONS: Most of Australia's policy actions to reduce added sugar consumption are reductionist. Preferencing nutrient specific, first-order policy actions could reflect the influence of vested interests, a historically dominant reductionist orientation to nutrition science and policy, and the perceived difficulty of pursuing second- or third-order changes. Pursuing only first-order policy actions could lead to 'regrettable' substitutions and creates an opportunity cost for more comprehensive policy aimed at adjusting the broader food system.

Who has a beef with reducing red and processed meat consumption? A media framing analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Diets high in red and processed meat (RPM) contribute substantially to environmental degradation, greenhouse gas emissions and the global burden of chronic disease. High-profile reports have called for significant global RPM reduction, especially in high-income settings. Despite this, policy attention and political priority for the issue are low. DESIGN: The study used a theoretically guided framing analysis to identify frames used by various interest groups in relation to reducing RPM in online news media articles published in the months around the release of four high-profile reports by authoritative organisations that included a focus on the impacts of high RPM production and/or consumption. SETTING: Four major RPM producing and consuming countries - USA, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. PARTICIPANTS: None. RESULTS: Hundred and fifty news media articles were included. Articles reported the views of academics, policymakers, industry representatives and the article authors themselves. RPM reduction was remarkably polarising. Industry frequently framed RPM reduction as part of a 'Vegan Agenda' or as advocated by an elite minority. Reducing RPM was also depicted as an infringement on personal choice and traditional values. Many interest groups attempted to discredit the reports by citing a lack of consensus on the evidence, or that only certain forms of farming and processing were harmful. Academics and nutrition experts were more likely to be cited in articles that were aligned with the findings of the reports. CONCLUSIONS: The polarisation of RPM reduction has led to a binary conflict between pro- and anti-meat reduction actors. This division may diminish the extent to which political leaders will prioritise this in policy agendas. Using nuanced and context-dependent messaging could ensure the narratives around meat are less conflicting and more effective in addressing health and environmental harms associated with RPM.

Evaluation of Edwardsiella piscicida basS and basR mutants as vaccine candidates in catfish against edwardsiellosis.

Catfish farming is the largest aquaculture industry in the United States and an important economic driver in several southeastern states. Edwardsiella piscicida is a Gram-negative pathogen associated with significant losses in catfish aquaculture. Several Gram-negative bacteria use the BasS/BasR two-component system (TCS) to adapt to environmental changes and the host immune system. Currently, the role of BasS/BasR system in E. piscicida virulence has not been characterized. In the present study, two mutants were constructed by deleting the basS and basR genes in E. piscicida strain C07-087. Both mutant strains were characterized for virulence and immune protection in catfish hosts. The EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR mutants were more sensitive to acidic environments and produced significantly less biofilm than the wild-type. In vivo studies in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) revealed that both EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR were significantly attenuated compared with the parental wild-type (3.57% and 4.17% vs. 49.16% mortalities). Moreover, there was significant protection, 95.2% and 92.3% relative percent survival (RPS), in channel catfish vaccinated with EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR against E. piscicida infection. Protection in channel catfish was associated with a significantly higher level of antibodies and upregulation of immune-related genes (IgM, IL-8 and CD8-α) in channel catfish vaccinated with EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR strains compared with non-vaccinated fish. Hybrid catfish (channel catfish ♀ × blue catfish ♂) challenges demonstrated long-term protection against subsequent challenges with E. piscicida and E. ictaluri. Our findings demonstrate BasS and BasR contribute to acid tolerance and biofilm formation, which may facilitate E. piscicida survival in harsh environments. Further, our results show that EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR mutants were safe and protective in channel catfish fingerlings, although their virulence and efficacy in hybrid catfish warrant further investigation. These data provide information regarding an important mechanism of E. piscicida virulence, and it suggests EpΔbasS and EpΔbasR strains have potential as vaccines against this emergent catfish pathogen.