Twenty-five metagenome-assembled genomes recovered from the gut microbiome of the domestic ferret, Mustela putorius.

With the advent of metagenomics has come an increased appreciation for the gut microbiome's role in overall health of mammalian organisms. Even so, studies characterizing taxonomic and functional diversity of the ferret gut microbiome remain limited. Here, we present 25 metagenome-assembled genomes recovered from the gut microbiome of domestic ferrets.

The Influence of Early-Life Health Conditions on Life Course Health.

We expand on previous studies investigating the links between early health and later health by examining four distinct dimensions of early-life health and multiple life course outcomes, including the age of onset of serious cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and several job-related health outcomes. The four dimensions of childhood health are mental, physical, self-reported general health, and severe headaches or migraines. The data set we use includes men and women in 21 countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We find that the different dimensions of childhood health have unique ties to later outcomes. For men, early mental health problems play a stronger role for life course job-related health outcomes, but early poor/fair general health is more strongly linked to the spike in onset of CVDs in their late 40s. For women, these links between childhood health dimensions and life course outcomes are similar but are less clear-cut than for men. The spike in onset of CVDs in women's late 40s is driven by those with severe headaches or migraines, while those with early poor/fair general health or mental health problems do worse as captured by job-related outcomes. We also delve into and control for possible mediating factors. Exploring the links between several dimensions of childhood health and multiple health-related life course outcomes will enable a better understanding of how health inequalities originate and are shaped over the course of people's lives.

Characterizing Loss of Control Associated With Binge Eating in College-Age Men.

BACKGROUND: The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) identifies key features of binge eating (BE) to include the consumption of a large amount of food and the perception of loss of control (LOC) over eating during a distinct episode. While earlier research has focused on food consumption, findings are now emerging on the role of LOC associated with the BE episodes, particularly in women. However, it is unclear that these findings are applicable to men without knowing how men experience LOC associated with BE. AIMS: This study examined how college-age men describe LOC associated with BE. METHOD: Previously collected qualitative data from a study examining BE in college age-students were used to examine responses from 53 men (mean age 19.9 ± 1.1 [SD] years). Respondents were asked about their individual experiences of LOC associated with BE episodes. Data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Four categories emerged from the data: (1) keep eating, (2) can't stop, (3) without thinking, and (4) food so good. CONCLUSIONS: Findings extend the current understanding of LOC associated with BE in men and point to potential gender differences, and/or weight influences, based on previous reports. Identified categories may be potentially targeted areas for tailored therapy to enhance awareness and self-regulation of BE behavior.

Effects of activation and assisted reproduction techniques on the composition, structure, and properties of the sauger (Sander Canadensis) spermatozoa plasma membrane.

The sperm plasma membrane is a multifunctional organelle essential to fertilization. However, assisted reproduction techniques often negatively affect this structure, resulting in reduced fertility. These reductions have been attributed to plasma membrane damage in a wide array of species, including fish. Considerable research has been conducted on the fish sperm membrane, but few have examined the effect of cryopreservation and other assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) on not only membrane composition, but also specific characteristics (e.g., fluidity) and organization (e.g., lipid rafts). Herein, we determined the effects of three ARTs (testicular harvest, strip spawning, and cryopreservation) on the sperm plasma membrane, using Sauger (Sander canadensis) sperm as a model. To this end, a combination of fluorescent dyes (e.g., merocyanine 540, filipin III, cholera toxin subunit ß), liquid chromatography - mass spectroscopy (LC-MS) analysis of membrane lipids, and membrane ultracentrifugation coupled with plate assays and immunofluorescence were used to describe and compare sperm fluidity, membrane composition, as well as lipid raft composition and distribution among sperm types. Stripped sperm became more fluid following motility activation (40% increase in highly fluid cells characterized by a 2 × increase in fluorescence) and contained lipid rafts restricted to the midpiece. Testicular harvest yielded sperm with characteristics similar to stripped sperm. By contrast, cryopreservation impacted every aspect of membrane physiology. Two cell populations, one highly fluid and the other rigid, resulted from the freeze-thaw process. Cryopreservation reduced lipid raft cholesterol content by 44% and flotilin-2 (a lipid raft marker) was partially displaced owing to a decrease in buoyancy. Unlike stripped and testicular sperm, LC-MS analysis revealed increases in oxidative damage markers, membrane destabilization, and apoptotic signaling in cryopreserved sperm. Ultrastructural analysis also revealed widespread physical damage to the membrane following freeze-thaw. Sperm motility, however, was unrelated to any measure of membrane physiology used in this study. Our results demonstrate that ARTs have the potential to substantially affect the sperm plasma membrane, but not always detrimentally. These results provide multiple potential biomarkers of sperm quality as well as insight into sources of sub-fertility resulting from use of ARTs.

Retrospective Analysis of Cataract Formation and Nutritional Etiology in a Managed Collection of Parakeet Auklets (Aethia psittacula).

The parakeet auklet (Aethia psittacula) is a piscivorous seabird with a natural diet of various invertebrate and teleost species, which is challenging to replicate in a managed collection. A high prevalence of early onset cataracts was observed in a managed collection of parakeet auklets at the North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, NC, USA), which was hypothesized to be related to inappropriate vitamin A and E levels. From 1994 to 2002, these parakeet auklets were offered dietary supplementation comprising Vita-Zu small bird tablets. In June 2002, the birds were transitioned to only Thiamin-E paste (vitamin E and thiamin only). Plasma samples were collected from birds with and without cataracts from 1998 to 2005 and submitted for vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) analysis. Food items comprising the birds' diet were also evaluated for vitamin content. This information was combined with clinical and necropsy data from medical records from 1994 to 2015. A total of 78% of birds (39/50) developed cataracts, with a median age of onset of 7 years (range, 2-12 years). Cataracts ranged from incipient to hypermature during both routine ophthalmic examinations and postmortem evaluations. The median (range) of plasma retinol and α-tocopherol values were 1.99 µg/mL (0.20-6.68 µg/mL) and 15.39 µg/mL (3.40-96.27 µg/mL), respectively. There were no significant differences in plasma concentrations of vitamins based on the animals' sex, origin, presence of cataracts, or administered vitamin supplementation product. No other etiologies for cataract development were identified in the population. Further research in free-ranging parakeet auklet nutrition and cataract occurrence is warranted for continued species collection management.

Low household income and neurodevelopment from infancy through adolescence.

Despite advancements in the study of brain maturation at different developmental epochs, no work has linked the significant neural changes occurring just after birth to the subtler refinements in the brain occurring in childhood and adolescence. We aimed to provide a comprehensive picture regarding foundational neurodevelopment and examine systematic differences by family income. Using a nationally representative longitudinal sample of 486 infants, children, and adolescents (age 5 months to 20 years) from the NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development and leveraging advances in statistical modeling, we mapped developmental trajectories for the four major cortical lobes and constructed charts that show the statistical distribution of gray matter and reveal the considerable variability in regional volumes and structural change, even among healthy, typically developing children. Further, the data reveal that significant structural differences in gray matter development for children living in or near poverty, first detected during childhood (age 2.5-6.5 years), evolve throughout adolescence.

Factors associated with refeeding hypophosphatemia in adolescents and young adults hospitalized with anorexia nervosa.

BACKGROUND: Refeeding hypophosphatemia (RH) in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) is a potentially fatal complication of nutrition restoration; yet, little is known about risk. This retrospective cohort study examined factors found in hospitalized youth with AN that may contribute to RH. METHODS: We reviewed medical records of 300 individuals diagnosed with AN admitted between the years of 2010 and 2016. Logistic regression examined factors associated with RH. Multivariate regression examined factors associated with phosphorus nadir. RESULTS: For 300 participants, the mean (SD) age was 15.5 (2.5) years, 88.3% were White, and 88.3% were female. Participants lost an average of 11.3 (9.7) kg of body weight and were 82% (12.1) of median body mass index (BMI). Age (P = .022), nasogastric (NG) tube feeding (P = .054), weight gain (P = .003), potassium level (P = .001), and magnesium level (P = .024) were contributors to RH. Odds of RH were 13.7 times higher for each unit reduction in magnesium, 9.2 times higher for each unit reduction in potassium, three times higher in those who received NG feeding, 1.5 times higher for each kg of weight gain, and 1.2 times higher for each year of age. Regarding phosphorus nadir, serum magnesium level (P < .001) and admission BMI (P = .002) contributed significantly. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that age, NG feeding, weight gain, electrolyte abnormalities, and BMI on admission are potential indicators of the development of RH in youth. This study identifies clinical risk factors associated with RH and may guide further investigation.

Assessing Allostatic Load in Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta).

Responses to stress are unavoidable, adaptive mechanisms in humans and non-human animals. However, in humans, chronic stress has been linked to poor health outcomes and early mortality. Allostatic load, the physiologic dysregulation that occurs when an organism is exposed to chronic stressors, has been used to assess stress in humans; less work has been done using non-human primates. Our aim was to determine the relationship between allostatic load in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) under human care and potentially stressful individual, social, medical and husbandry factors, as well a sex and age. An allostatic load index (ALI) was calculated for 38 lemurs using six biomarkers measured in serum (albumin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, DNA damage, glucose and prostaglandin E2). Potentially stressful factors were recorded over the lifetime of each lemur using medical and husbandry records. Animals with a higher percentage of time spent indoors, those kept in smaller average group sizes, and those with fewer minor group composition changes had, or tended to have, higher ALI. There was no relationship between ALI and sex or age. Some social and husbandry factors were associated with allostatic load in lemurs, indicating that this index may be a useful tool in assessing and determining factors contributing to stress of lemurs and other animals under human care.

Mindfulness in persons with anorexia nervosa and the relationships between eating disorder symptomology, anxiety and pain.

Mindfulness is useful for some psychiatric illnesses, but limited research exists among persons with anorexia nervosa (AN). This study aimed to determine the relationship between mindfulness, eating disorder symptomology and indicators of health in women with AN (n = 59) entering residential treatment. Participants completed a self-administered survey, including the Cognitive Affective Mindfulness Scale and other measures. Additional data from medical records were collected. Greater mindfulness was associated with less eating disorder symptoms (p = .049). This relationship was most profound in individuals with AN, including restrictive and binge-purge subtypes compared to individuals with atypical AN (interaction p-value = 0.044). Greater mindfulness was significantly associated with less shape (p = .023) and weight concern (p = .047). Expectedly, anxiety was inversely associated with eating disorder symptoms (p = .001). Greater pain was associated with less eating disorder symptoms (p = .024). Overall, mindfulness may be a protective factor against some eating disorder symptomology.

Testing a method to improve predictions of disease and mortality risk in western lowland gorillas (gorilla gorilla gorilla) using allostatic load.

Allostatic load is the wear-and-tear organisms accumulate due to senescence and stress; it is measured by combining biomarkers from multiple somatic systems into allostatic load indices (ALIs). Frequently used in human research, ALIs have shown consistent results across samples despite different biomarkers and methods. However, determining optimal models likely is necessary if ALIs are to be feasible research tools in other species. Herein, we build on prior research in western lowland gorillas to explore one potential method for determining which biomarkers may be best for estimating allostatic load. After narrowing down which biomarkers to include using a combination of forward stepwise regression and independent biomarker associations with project variables, we estimated allostatic load using both the traditional one-tailed quartile method as well as a multi-method approach. There was a significant positive association between allostatic load and triglycerides, but not cholesterol, both of which are commonly used as diagnostic markers of poor health. Using binomial generalized linear models, a one-unit increase in allostatic load was associated with increased risk of all-cause morbidity and mortality, but reduced risk of cardiac disease. Although conclusions were similar, compared to our original ALIs, these new ALIs had weaker effect sizes and poorer relative goodness of fit, suggesting this method for identifying the best possible list of biomarkers to include in an index was not effective. This report continues the development of ALIs as a clinical tool in wildlife while systematically testing one possible method for determining an optimal ALI for a particular species.

Allostatic Load Indices With Cholesterol and Triglycerides Predict Disease and Mortality Risk in Zoo-Housed Western Lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla).

Allostatic load, or the physiological dysregulation accumulated due to senescence and stress, is an established predictor of human morbidity and mortality and has been proposed as a tool for monitoring health and welfare in captive wildlife. It is estimated by combining biomarkers from multiple somatic systems into allostatic load indices (ALIs), providing a score representing overall physiological dysregulation. Such ALIs have been shown to predict disease and mortality risk in western lowland gorillas. In these prior analyses, we were unable to include lipid markers, a potential limitation as they are key biomarkers in human models. Recently, we were able to assay serum cholesterol and triglycerides and add them to our previous ALI. We then re-examined associations with health outcomes using binomial generalized linear models. We constructed ALIs using 2 pooling strategies and 2 methods. By itself, a 1-unit increase in allostatic load was associated with higher odds of all-cause morbidity and mortality, but results were mixed for cardiac disease. However, the best fit models for all-cause morbidity and cardiac disease included only age and sex. Allostatic load was retained alongside age in the best fit models for mortality, with a 1-unit increase associated with 23% to 45% higher odds of death. Compared with previous results, ALIs containing cholesterol and triglycerides better predict disease risk in zoo-housed western lowland gorillas, as evidenced by larger effect sizes for some models and better goodness of fit for all ALIs. Based on these results, we address methodology for future allostatic load research on wildlife.

Maximizing research on the adverse effects of child poverty through consensus measures.

A variety of new research approaches are providing new ways to better understand the developmental mechanisms through which poverty affects children's development. However, studies of child poverty often characterize samples using different markers of poverty, making it difficult to contrast and reconcile findings across studies. Ideally, scientists can maximize the benefits of multiple disciplinary approaches if data from different kinds of studies can be directly compared and linked. Here, we suggest that individual studies can increase their potential usefulness by including a small set of common key variables to assess socioeconomic status and family income. These common variables can be used to (a) make direct comparisons between studies and (b) better enable diversity of subjects and aggregation of data regarding many facets of poverty that would be difficult within any single study. If kept brief, these items can be easily balanced with the need for investigators to creatively address the research questions in their specific study designs. To advance this goal, we identify a small set of brief, low-burden consensus measures that researchers could include in their studies to increase cross-study data compatibility. These US based measures can be adopted for global contexts.

How developmental neuroscience can help address the problem of child poverty.

Nearly 1 in 5 children in the United States lives in a household whose income is below the official federal poverty line, and more than 40% of children live in poor or near-poor households. Research on the effects of poverty on children's development has been a focus of study for many decades and is now increasing as we accumulate more evidence about the implications of poverty. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently added "Poverty and Child Health" to its Agenda for Children to recognize what has now been established as broad and enduring effects of poverty on child development. A recent addition to the field has been the application of neuroscience-based methods. Various techniques including neuroimaging, neuroendocrinology, cognitive psychophysiology, and epigenetics are beginning to document ways in which early experiences of living in poverty affect infant brain development. We discuss whether there are truly worthwhile reasons for adding neuroscience and related biological methods to study child poverty, and how might these perspectives help guide developmentally based and targeted interventions and policies for these children and their families.

Testicular collections as a technique to increase milt availability in sauger (sander canadensis).

This study was conducted to compare quality and quantity of sperm collected from sauger (S. canadensis) using two collection methods: stripping alone and testicular tissue collection combined with stripping. Sperm were collected from sauger broodstock (n = 20) during the breeding season. Fish were randomly assigned to two sperm collection groups: (1) stripping once or (2) stripping twice before testicular tissue collection for obtaining additional sperm. Sperm motility variables, morphology, total number produced, and fertilization (%) were compared using the two collection methods. Testicular sperm had greater total motility (70.1 ± 2.1% compared with 44.3 ± 5.7%) but there were fewer morphologically normal cells (76.4 ± 1.3% compared with 92.8 ± 1.0%) compared to sperm collected using the stripping procedure. Sperm collection regimen utilizing testicular collections and sperm extractions in combination with stripping resulted in a ∼ten fold increase in total number of motile and morphologically normal sperm (39.5 ± 4.1 × 10 9) compared with the currently utilized two sequential sperm stripping collection procedures alone (3.6 ± 4.1 × 10 9 sperm). In large-scale studies (150,000 eggs), fertilization, using sperm collected from testicular tissues (1.0 × 105 motile sperm/egg), was similar to sperm collected with only the stripping procedure (71.2 ± 5.5 %, 81.2 ± 5.5 %, P = 0.265). The results of this study indicate testicular collection combined with sperm extractions allows for collection of sperm of a quantity and quality to maximize fry production and reduce the problems with lack of broodstock availability for sperm collection.

Age at gonadectomy and risk of overweight/obesity and orthopedic injury in a cohort of Golden Retrievers.

INTRODUCTION: In the United States, gonadectomy is common and widely promoted as a component of responsible pet ownership. The recent publication of several studies examining the effect of gonadectomy on future health has challenged long-held assumptions and recommendations for gonadectomy in companion animals. The purpose of this study was to characterize the associations between gonadectomy and two outcomes: overweight/obesity and orthopedic injuries, in a large prospective study of Golden Retrievers. METHODS: Age at gonadectomy was divided into four categories: intact (reference), ≤ 6 months, > 6 months ‒ ≤ 12 months, and > 12 months. Dogs with a Purina Body Condition Score of 7 or greater were classified as overweight or obese. Orthopedic injuries considered were the first instance of veterinary-reported cranial cruciate ligament injury and clinically evident osteoarthritis. We performed survival analyses on a cohort of Golden Retrievers to estimate the associations of interest using proportional hazards. We adjusted for age at study enrollment, owner-reported activity level, and dog's sex. RESULTS: Compared to intact dogs, all gonadectomy age categories showed increased risk for the development of overweight/obesity. (≤ 6 months, HR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.36-2.40), p-value: <0.0001; 6 months to ≤ 12 months, HR: 2.21, 95% CI: 1.77-2.73, p-value: < 0.0001; > 12 months, HR: 1.56, 95% CI: 1.24-1.96, p-value: 0.0001). Compared to intact dogs, dogs who were ≤ 6 months at gonadectomy had increased risk for orthopedic injury (HR: 4.06, 95% CI: 2.15-7.67, p-value: <0.00001). DISCUSSION: This study presents prospectively acquired data demonstrating that gonadectomy is a risk factor for both overweight/obesity and chronic non-traumatic orthopedic injuries in a prospective cohort of Golden Retrievers. Our data suggest that gonadectomy at any age is a risk factor for overweight or obesity, but delaying gonadectomy until dogs are at least 6-12 months of age may help to decrease the risk for orthopedic injury.

Binge Eating and Loss of Control in College-Age Women.

BACKGROUND: Loss of control (LOC) over eating is a cardinal feature of the DSM-5 definition of binge eating (BE). While this behavior is frequently reported in college-age women, there is limited research on descriptions of loss of control from first-person accounts from individuals reporting LOC associated with BE. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate descriptions of LOC associated with BE episodes in college-age women who reported recent BE behavior. STUDY DESIGN: A secondary analysis of previously collected qualitative data on BE behaviors in college students was conducted. Two hundred and twenty-one college-age women's (age = 19.77 ± 1.03) comments regarding the experiences of LOC associated with BE episodes were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Codes were inductively generated allowing categories to emerge from the data codes. RESULTS: Three major overarching descriptive categories were identified: (1) LOC over eating, (2) feelings associated with the LOC, and (3) cognitive dispositions (thoughts) associated with LOC during a BE episode. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study expand the current literature on LOC over eating and provide a number of potential targets for intervention with college-age women who report BE behaviors.

Extreme Weight Loss Behaviors in Racially Diverse Urban Adolescents.

PURPOSE: Extreme weight loss behaviors (EWLBs) pose a serious health risk to adolescents. Studies suggest a link between EWLBs and other health-compromising behaviors. Extending these findings, this study examines correlates of EWLB in a predominantly minority adolescent population. METHODS: A secondary analysis of EWLB data from adolescents in an inner city pediatric emergency department was conducted. The sample (n = 3,876) included 60% African-American, 20% Hispanic, 16% Caucasian, and 4% Asian-Pacific Islander individuals. Comparative analyses and multivariate logistic regressions were applied. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of the sample endorsed use of EWLBs; endorsement did not differ between minority and Caucasian groups, or among minority subgroups. EWLB correlates included female gender, hopelessness, abuse history, current smoking, and alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS: Endorsement of EWLBs is not different between minority and Caucasian adolescents surveyed in an emergency department. Identified correlates are potential targets for prevention and early intervention.

Risk of environmental exposure to small coccidia from wild canid feces in rural Ohio.

OBJECTIVE To determine the extent of environmental exposure to heteroxenous coccidia from wild canid feces in southeastern Ohio. SAMPLE 285 presumed wild canid fecal samples collected across an ecological system in southeastern Ohio. PROCEDURES Morphological classification and molecular analysis were used to determine the canid genus for collected fecal samples. Microscopic and molecular analysis were used to detect coccidian oocysts and DNA. Several variables were analyzed for associations with coccidian DNA detection or prevalence. RESULTS Coccidian DNA was detected in 51 of 285 (17.9%) fecal samples. Of those positive samples, 1% (95% confidence interval, 0.4% to 3%) had positive results for Hammondia heydorni and none had positive results for Neospora caninum, for an estimated environmental N caninum prevalence of 0% (95% confidence interval, 0% to 7%)/1-km2 hexagonal area evaluated. Morphological classification revealed that 78.9% (225/285) of fecal samples were from coyotes and 17.2% (49/285) were from foxes. No difference in proportions of coccidian DNA-positive fecal samples was identified among canid species. Environmental temperature and fecal freshness were associated with coccidian DNA detection. Land use type, relative canid density, and cattle density were not associated with the prevalence of coccidian DNA-positive samples. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The low prevalence of coccidia shed in wild canid feces in this study, including the estimated 0% environmental prevalence of N caninum, suggested that the role of the oocyst environmental phase in coccidia transmission to ruminants is likely minor in rural southeastern Ohio.