Feather mercury content of grey-faced petrels (Pterodroma gouldi): Relationships with age, breeding success, and foraging behaviour, in known age individuals.

Seabirds have been touted as excellent bioindicators of mercury pollution. We utilised grey-faced petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) feathers to assess interannual differences in total mercury (THg) concentrations in adults (2020-2021) and chicks (2019-2021) breeding in the Auckland region of New Zealand. For adults, we also correlated feather THg with bird age (3-37+ years) and breeding outcome (i.e., Non breeder, Egg failed, Chick reared) recorded for that season i.e., 2020 and 2021. Interannual differences in chick feather THg were matched with bulk stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) to map the influence of adult foraging behaviour on chick feather THg values. Adult feather THg levels were similar across the years investigated i.e., mean ± S.D. 38.2 ± 12.8 (2020), and 39.5 ± 14.7 (2021) ug g-1 (some of the highest THg values recorded for seabirds). A slight, but significant decrease in THg accumulation was evident as age increased but feather THg had no significant influence on breeding outcome. Interannual differences in chick feather THg concentrations were 7.78 ± 1.6 (2019), 4.23 ± 1.45 (2020) and 6.97 ± 4.41 (2021) µg g-1, (p < 0.01); and correlated with a significantly lower δ13C value i.e., -17.2 ± 0.4 ‰ (2019), -17.8 ± 0.3 ‰ (2020) and -17.6 ± 0.2 ‰ (2021). This suggests that the lower feather THg values in 2020 chicks resulted from more oceanic, rather than shelf-edge, prey being consumed by chicks that year. Values of δ15N in chick feathers remained consistent among years i.e., 15.2 ± 1.2 ‰ (2019), 15.2 ± 0.2 ‰ (2020) and 15.3 ‰ (± 0.4). Due to these interannual differences, we recommend using grey-faced petrel chicks to monitor Hg pollution over adults. Chicks are also subject to cultural harvests by Maori communities, offering partnership opportunities to generate mutually beneficial information streams for Maori communities and scientists alike.

Public health infection prevention: An analysis of existing training during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, agencies and organizations required trainings to support the needs of the public health workforce. To better understand the training resources available, this study identified, organized, and classified infection prevention and control (IPC) training and educational opportunities. STUDY DESIGN: Environmental scan. METHODS: A total of 306 IPC training resources were compiled between January and April 2021. Key themes and topics were identified and compared to the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee's (HICPAC) core IPC practices. RESULTS: Three hundred and six training resources, including webinars, fact sheets, module-based learning activities, infographics, and professional practice guidance materials, were identified. Common themes included proper use of personal protective equipment (e.g., masks, gloves), community reopening guidance, and mass vaccination resources. A large proportion (74.9%) of trainings were under 60 min. Using the HICPAC framework, the most frequently addressed content included standard precautions (40%), leadership support (31.6%), and transmission-based precautions (25.8%). Few trainings addressed performance monitoring and feedback (17.1%). CONCLUSIONS: A wide range of organizations developed IPC-specific content during the pandemic. However, these resources did not address the breadth of knowledge required to implement IPC concepts effectively. The creation of universally applicable IPC core competencies and the development of high-quality IPC education and trainings for public health and the overall responder workforces should be prioritized. Accessible high-quality online and just-in-time trainings are critical for future pandemic and disaster preparedness.

Molecular epidemiological analysis to assess the influence of pet-ownership in the biodiversity of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA in dog- and non-dog-owning healthy households.

It has been suggested that zoonotic transmission of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) can occur between owners and their pets within the same household. However, the influence that pet-ownership could have in the biodiversity of SA/MRSA strains circulating among owners is not fully understood. The objective of this study was to perform a molecular epidemiological analysis to evaluate and compare the biodiversity of SA/MRSA strains in dog-owning and non-dog-owning healthy households within the same community. Antimicrobial resistance, SCCmec type, USA type and clonality were assessed. Overall, 33·1% (165/499) of human subjects carried SA and 2·8% (14/499) carried MRSA. Among dogs, 7·1% (8/113) carried SA but none were MRSA positive. No difference was detected in the diversity index of SA/MRSA pulsotypes between dog-owning and non-dog-owning households; but, a marked variation was still observed in the pulsotypes circulating in each type of household. Additionally, simultaneous carriage of the same SA pulsotype in owner(s) and dog was observed in 57% of households with positive humans and pets. These results demonstrate that dogs can indeed participate in the circulation of SA/MRSA pulsotypes within a home and that the presence of a pet does not seem to favour certain strains within their household.

Extended-Spectrum ß-lactam Resistance in the Enteric Flora of Patients at a Tertiary Care Medical Centre.

The dissemination of Enterobacteriaceae expressing resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins, which are therapeutically used in both human and veterinary medicine, is of critical concern. The normal commensal flora of food animals may serve as an important reservoir for the zoonotic food-borne transmission of Enterobacteriaceae harbouring ß-lactam resistance. We hypothesized that the predominant AmpC and ESBL genes reported in US livestock and fresh retail meat products, blaCMY-2 and blaCTX-M , would also be predominant in human enteric flora. We recovered enteric flora from a convenience sample of patients included in a large tertiary medical centre's Clostridium difficile surveillance programme to screen for and estimate the frequency of carriage of AmpC and ESBL resistance genes. In- and outpatient diarrhoeic submissions (n = 692) received for C. difficile testing at the medical centre's clinical diagnostic laboratory from July to December, 2013, were included. Aliquoted to a transport swab, each submission was inoculated to MacConkey broth with cefotaxime, incubated at 37°C and then inoculated to MacConkey agars supplemented with cefoxitin and cefepime to select for the AmpC and ESBL phenotypes, with blaCMY and blaCTX-M genotypes confirmed by PCR and sequencing. From the 692 diarrhoeic submissions, our selective culture yielded 184 isolates (26.6%) with reduced susceptibility to cefotaxime. Of these, 46 (6.7%) samples harboured commensal isolates carrying the AmpC blaCMY . Another 21 (3.0%) samples produced isolates harbouring the ESBL blaCTX-M : 19 carrying CTX-M-15 and 2 with CTX-M-27. Our results indicate that ß-lactam resistance genes likely acquired through zoonotic food-borne transmission are present in the enteric flora of this hospital-associated population at lower levels than reported in livestock and fresh food products.

Analyses of sex and individual differences in vocalizations of Australasian gannets using a dynamic time warping algorithm.

The study of the evolution of sexual differences in behavioral and morphological displays requires analyses of the extent of sexual dimorphism across various sensory modalities. In the seabird family Sulidae, boobies show dramatic sexual dimorphism in their vocalizations, and gannet calls have also been suggested to be dimorphic to human observers. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of sexually dimorphic calls in the Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) through the first comprehensive description of its vocalizations recorded at two localities; Cape Kidnappers, where individuals were banded and sexed from DNA samples, and at the Muriwai gannetry, both on the North Island of New Zealand. Calls were first inspected using basic bioacoustic features to establish a library of call element types for general reference. Extensive multivariate tests, based on a dynamic time warping algorithm, subsequently revealed that no sexual differences could be detected in Australasian gannet calls. The analyses, however, indicated extensive and consistent vocal variation between individuals, particularly so in female gannets, which may serve to signal individual identity to conspecifics. This study generates predictions to identify whether differences in Australasian gannet vocalizations play perceptual and functional roles in the breeding and social biology of this long-lived biparental seabird species.

Combined toxicity of prenatal bacterial endotoxin exposure and postnatal 6-hydroxydopamine in the adult rat midbrain.

We previously reported that injection of the Gram (-) bacteriotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), into gravid females at embryonic day 10.5 led to the birth of animals with fewer than normal dopamine (DA) neurons when assessed at postnatal days (P) 10 and 21. To determine if these changes continued into adulthood, we have now assessed animals at P120. As part of the previous studies, we also observed that the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) was elevated in the striatum, suggesting that these animals would be more susceptible to subsequent DA neurotoxin exposure. In order to test this hypothesis, we injected (at P99) 6-hydroxydopamine (6OHDA) or saline into animals exposed to LPS or saline prenatally. The results showed that animals exposed to prenatal LPS or postnatal 6OHDA alone had 33% and 46%, respectively, fewer DA neurons than controls, while the two toxins combined produced a less than additive 62% loss. Alterations in striatal DA were similar to, and significantly correlated with (r(2)=0.833) the DA cell losses. Prenatal LPS produced a 31% increase in striatal TNFalpha, and combined exposure with 6OHDA led to an 82% increase. We conclude that prenatal exposure to LPS produces a long-lived THir cell loss that is accompanied by an inflammatory state that leads to further DA neuron loss following subsequent neurotoxin exposure. The results suggest that individuals exposed to LPS prenatally, as might occur had their mother had bacterial vaginosis, would be at increased risk for Parkinson's disease.

Preparative-scale isoelectric focusing separation of enantiomers using a multicompartment electrolyzer with isoelectric membranes.

The IsoPrime multicompartment electrolyzer, equipped with a series of isoelectric membranes with closely spaced pI values, was used for the first time for the preparative-scale separation of the enantiomers of dansyl phenylalanine with hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin as resolving agent. The final separation conditions could be established easily in three successive experiments by rationally narrowing the pH steps between the neighboring isoelectric membranes. The final separation yielded products with an enantiomeric excess greater than 99.9%, at production rates of about 0.1 mg/h. The greatest experimental difficulty was caused by the relatively high salt content of the hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin used, which resulted in high conductivity and limited the maximum field strength one could use.

Truncation releases olfactory receptors from the endoplasmic reticulum of heterologous cells.

Olfactory receptors are difficult to express functionally in heterologous cells. We found that olfactory receptors traffic poorly to the plasma membrane even in cells with neuronal phenotypes, including cell lines derived from the olfactory epithelium. Other than mature olfactory receptor neurons, few cells appear able to traffic olfactory receptors to the plasma membrane. In human embryonic kidney 293 cells and Xenopus fibroblasts, olfactory receptor immunoreactivity overlapped with a marker for the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but not with markers for the Golgi apparatus or endosomes. Except for the ER, olfactory receptors were therefore absent from organelles normally involved in the plasma membrane trafficking of receptors. Olfactory receptors truncated prior to transmembrane domain VI were expressed in the plasma membrane, however. Co-expression of the missing C-terminal fragment with these truncated receptors prevented their expression in the plasma membrane. Intramolecular interactions between N- and C-terminal domains joined by the third cytoplasmic loop appear to be responsible for retention of olfactory receptors in the ER of heterologous cells. Our results are consistent with misfolding of the receptors but could also be explained by altered trafficking of the receptors.

Molecular cloning of a lobster Gbeta subunit and Gbeta expression in olfactory receptor neuron dendrites and brain neuropil.

We have isolated from the olfactory organ of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) two cDNA clones with homology to beta subunits of G proteins. LobGbeta1 contained a complete open reading frame that predicted an amino acid sequence with >80% identity to Gbeta sequences from other species. LobGbeta2 was a fragment of an open reading frame whose predicted amino acid sequence had 65-69% identity to other Gbeta sequences. LobGbeta2 mRNA was not detectable in the brain, eye plus eyestalk, leg, dactyl, olfactory organ, or tail muscle. In contrast, lobGbeta1 was expressed in all these tissues as a single mRNA species of 6.4 kb and a protein of 37 kD. In the brain and olfactory organ, Gbeta immunoreactivity was almost exclusively confined to neurites: the neuropil regions of the brain and the outer dendrites of the olfactory receptor neurons. Coimmunoprecipitation revealed that lobster Gbeta interacted with both Galpha s and Galpha q. LobGbeta1 is likely to be involved in a wide range of signaling events including olfactory transduction and synaptic transmission in the brain.

Functional expression of olfactory-adrenergic receptor chimeras and intracellular retention of heterologously expressed olfactory receptors.

Replacing the G-protein-coupling domains of the beta 2-adrenergic receptor with homologous domains of putative olfactory receptors produced chimeric receptors which were able to stimulate pigment dispersion in Xenopus melanophores, a G-protein-mediated pathway. A multiple replacement chimera containing the second, third and C-terminal cytoplasmic domains of receptor OR5 elevated cyclic adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and suppressed production of inositol phosphates. Co-expression of G alpha olf did not alter the strength of response of this chimera. A novel rat olfactory receptor cDNA (U131) was isolated and sequenced. Expression of U131 and OR5 constructs containing an N-terminal epitope-tag or C-terminal fusion to green fluorescent protein occurred in an intracellular network but not in the plasma membrane of heterologous cells. Similarly treated beta 2-adrenergic receptors were functional and were observed in the plasma membrane and the intracellular network. These results demonstrate that the putative cytoplasmic domains of olfactory receptors are capable of functional interaction with heterologous G-proteins of the G alpha s subtype. Instead, the absence of these receptors from the plasma membrane of heterologous cells appears to explain our inability to determine if odorants can activate the olfactory receptor clones. We hypothesize that the olfactory receptors have requirements for maturation and targeting to the plasma membrane that are different from most other G-protein-coupled receptors.

Molecular cloning of a lobster G alpha(q) protein expressed in neurons of olfactory organ and brain.

We have isolated from an American lobster (Homarus americanus) olfactory organ cDNA library a clone, hG alpha(q), with >80% identity to mammalian and arthropod G alpha(q) sequences. In brain and olfactory organ, hG alpha(q) mRNA was expressed predominantly in neurons, including virtually all the neuronal cell body clusters of the brain. G alpha(q) protein was also expressed broadly, appearing on western blots as a single band of 46 kDa in brain, eyestalk, pereiopod, dactyl, tail muscle, olfactory organ, and aesthetasc hairs. These results suggest that hG alpha(q) plays a role in a wide variety of signal transduction events. Its presence in the olfactory aesthetasc hairs, which are almost pure preparations of the outer dendrites of the olfactory receptor neurons, the expression of a single hG alpha(q) mRNA species (6 kb) in the olfactory organ, and the localization of hG alpha(q) mRNA predominantly in the olfactory receptor neurons of the olfactory organ strongly suggest that one function of hG alpha(q) is to mediate olfactory transduction.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a lobster G alphaS protein expressed in neurons of olfactory organ and brain.

We have isolated from an American lobster (Homarus americanus) olfactory organ cDNA library a clone, lobG alphaS, with >70% identity to mammalian and arthropod G alphaS sequences. In genomic Southern blots, a fragment of lobG alphaS detected only one band, suggesting the lobsters have a single G alphaS gene. In brain and olfactory organ, lobG alphaS mRNA was expressed predominantly in neurons, including many of the neuronal cell body clusters of the brain. G alphaS protein was also expressed broadly, appearing on western blots as a band of 51.8 kDa in brain, eyestalk, pereiopod, dactyl, tail muscle, olfactory organ, and aesthetasc hairs. These results suggest that lobG alphaS plays a role in a wide variety of signal transduction events. Its presence in the olfactory aesthetasc hairs, which are almost pure preparations of the outer dendrites of the olfactory receptor neurons, and the expression of lobG alphaS mRNA in the olfactory receptor neurons of the olfactory organ indicate that lobG alphaS may mediate olfactory transduction. That virtually all ORNs express lobG alphaS mRNA equally predicts that hyperpolarizing odor responses mediated by cyclic AMP are a property of all lobster olfactory receptor neurons.

Increased density of senile plaques (SP), but not neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), in non-demented individuals with the apolipoprotein E4 allele: comparison to confirmed Alzheimer's disease patients.

The apolipoprotein E genotype and cortical senile plaque (SP) and cortical and hippocampal neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) densities were determined in non-demented individuals and neuropathologically confirmed AD patients. The non-demented population was further subdivided according to presence or absence of pathologically established critical coronary artery disease (cCAD), hypertension (HyperT), or neither (non-heart disease; non-HD). The apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4) allele incidence and dose frequencies were increased in the AD, cCAD and HyperT groups compared to the non-HD controls. The mean number of SP and NFT was significantly increased with the presence of the APOE4 allele within the entire population. After grouping the non-demented subjects according to cardiac status, SP but not NFT density was increased among those individuals with the APOE4 genotype. In HyperT, the increased density of SP also correlated to the APOE4 allele dose frequency. The density of SP and NFT was increased in all regions of AD brain compared to all other non-demented groups, but no significant difference was found between AD patients with or without an APOE4 allele. These two AD groups were age-matched, but could not be matched for disease duration. The data suggest a relationship between heart disease, APOE4 genotype and the presence of SP regardless of cognitive status.

Increased ALZ-50 immunoreactivity in sudden infant death syndrome.

Neuronal expression of the ALZ-50 epitope was investigated in hippocampus and medulla from infants dying of sudden infant death syndrome or known causes (controls). Hippocampal studies include data from 31 infants dying of known causes between 32 weeks' gestation and 16 months postpartum and 46 infants who died of sudden infant death syndrome. The medulla at the level of the mid olivary protuberance was investigated in 22 infants with sudden infant death syndrome and 11 controls matched for age and postmortem interval. Medullary sections were also examined using immunohistochemical methods to demonstrate reactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein antibody. The density of ALZ-50-immunodecorated neurons in control hippocampus rises from the level observable in utero to a maximum between 1 and 4 months of age and declines thereafter. The density of ALZ-50-immunoreactive neurons in hippocampus is significantly increased in infants with sudden infant death syndrome at all ages. Significant regionally specific increases in the number of ALZ-50-immunoreactive neurons, and glial fibrillary acidic protein-reactive cells were found in sudden infant death syndrome medulla; coincidental increases were observed in only the solitary nucleus. Neurons exhibiting the ALZ-50 epitope may reflect apoptotic neuron death of normal development, and increased numbers of immunoreactive neurons may suggest enhanced neurodegeneration in sudden infant death syndrome.

Medicaid managed care: a brief analysis.

Many states have begun to implement Medicaid managed care programs as a means of reducing costs and improving access for Medicaid recipients. This paper presents a review of the debate surrounding Medicaid managed care programs gathered from the literature, professional meetings, and correspondence.

Increased incidence of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) in non-demented individuals with hypertension.

The incidence rates and numerical densities of argryophilic neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) and senile plaques (SP) were determined in non-demented individuals and subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The non-AD subjects were grouped according to cardiac status; those individuals with critical coronary artery disease (cCAD), those hypertensive individuals without cCAD (HyperT), and those without heart disease (non-HD). The incidence and densities of SP and NFT were significantly greater in AD than any of the non-demented groups. The prevalence of SP was increased in both HyperT and cCAD compared to non-HD controls, while NFT occurrence was accentuated in non-demented HyperT subjects only. The densities of SP and NFT in HyperT were elevated compared to cCAD or both cCAD and non-HD controls; NFT densities were similar in cCAD and non-HD. NFT density increased with increasing age in only the non-HD and cCAD groups, suggesting a possible relationship between disease process and NFT formation in the AD and HyperT populations.

Induction of Alzheimer-like beta-amyloid immunoreactivity in the brains of rabbits with dietary cholesterol.

beta-amyloid and ALZ-50 immunocytochemical reactivity were determined in the brains of rabbits fed either a control or 2% cholesterol diet. Control rabbits demonstrated no accumulation of intracellular immunolabeled beta-amyloid within 3 min after death. In animals fed the experimental diet for 4, 6, and 8 weeks (postmortem interval < 3 min), there was an increasingly mild-to-moderate-to-severe accumulation of intracellular immunolabeled beta-amyloid. Whether or not beta-amyloid is causally linked to processes leading to dementia, it is related in some way to the prime cause of human death; heart disease. Hypercholesterolemic rabbits may provide an animal model to study altered beta-APP metabolism leading to Alzheimer-like beta-amyloid accumulation xe03and extracellular deposition in brain.

Neurochemical and histopathologic alterations characteristic of Pick's disease in a non-demented individual.

In the course of investigating a large number of non-demented subjects, a 68 year old female dying of coronary artery disease was found to have Pick bodies in her grossly normal brain. Although only mild subcortical gliosis and no neuron loss were observed. Pick bodies were found throughout the brain and occasional balloon cells were noted. Pick bodies and numerous neurons were also ALZ-50 and Tau-1 immunoreactive. Retrospective studies indicated a lack of overt intellectual decline or depression in this individual. Frontal, temporal and occipital poles, amygdala, hypothalamus and nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM) were analyzed for ChAT, AChE and MAO-A and -B enzymatic activities and for the binding of 5HT and imipramine. Cholinergic decreases were found only in subcortical structures. Serotonin binding decreases were widespread, excluding the nbM. Altered MAO-B activity was regionally variable, and no differences in MAO-A activity or imipramine binding were observed. Few differences in neurochemical alterations were observed in the current non-demented subject with abundant Pick bodies compared to previous studies of demented Pick's patients. This case strongly suggests that chemical dysfunction and neuropathological features of Pick's disease occur in advance of overt clinical manifestations of the disorder.