Single pulmonary nanopolystyrene exposure in late-stage pregnancy dysregulates maternal and fetal cardiovascular function

Large-scale production and waste of plastic materials have resulted in widespread environmental contamination by the breakdown product of bulk plastic materials to micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs). The small size of these particles enables their suspension in the air, making pulmonary exposure inevitable. Previous work has demonstrated that xenobiotic pulmonary exposure to nanoparticles during gestation leads to maternal vascular impairments, as well as cardiovascular dysfunction within the fetus. Few studies have assessed the toxicological consequences of maternal nanoplastic (NP) exposure; therefore, the objective of this study was to assess maternal and fetal health after a single maternal pulmonary exposure to polystyrene NP in late gestation. We hypothesized that this acute exposure would impair maternal and fetal cardiovascular function. Pregnant rats were exposed to nanopolystyrene on gestational day 19 via intratracheal instillation. 24 h later, maternal and fetal health outcomes were evaluated. Cardiovascular function was assessed in dams using vascular myography ex vivo and in fetuses in vivo function was measured via ultrasound. Both fetal and placental weight were reduced after maternal exposure to nanopolystyrene. Increased heart weight and vascular dysfunction in the aorta were evident in exposed dams. Maternal exposure led to vascular dysfunction in the radial artery of the uterus, a resistance vessel that controls blood flow to the fetoplacental compartment. Function of the fetal heart, fetal aorta, and umbilical artery after gestational exposure was dysregulated. Taken together, these data suggest that exposure to NPs negatively impacts maternal and fetal health, highlighting the concern of MNPs exposure on pregnancy and fetal development.

Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU): Trial Satisfaction and Attitudes towards Future Clinical Trials

BACKGROUND

Clinical trial satisfaction is increasingly important for future trial designs and is associated with treatment adherence and willingness to enroll in future research studies or to recommend trial participation. In this post-trial survey, we examined participant satisfaction and attitudes toward future clinical trials in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU).

METHODS

We developed an anonymous, participant satisfaction survey tailored to participants enrolled in the DIAN-TU-001 double-blind clinical trial of solanezumab or gantenerumab and requested that all study sites share the survey with their trial participants. A total of 194 participants enrolled in the trial at 24 study sites. We utilized regression analysis to explore the link between participants' clinical trial experiences, their satisfaction, and their willingness to participate in upcoming trials.

RESULTS

Survey responses were received over a sixteen-month window during 2020-2021 from 58 participants representing 15 study sites. Notably, 96.5% of the survey respondents expressed high levels of satisfaction with the trial, 91.4% would recommend trial participation, and 96.5% were willing to enroll again. Age, gender, and education did not influence satisfaction levels. Participants reported enhanced medical care (70.7%) and pride in contributing to the DIAN-TU trial (84.5%). Satisfaction with personnel and procedures was high (98.3%). Respondents had a mean age of 48.7 years, with most being from North America and Western Europe, matching the trial's demographic distribution. Participants' decisions to learn their genetic status increased during the trial, and most participants endorsed considering future trial participation regardless of the DIAN-TU-001 trial outcome.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that DIAN-TU-001 participants who responded to the survey exhibited high motivation to participate in research, overall satisfaction with the clinical trial, and willingness to participate in research in the future, despite a long trial duration of 4-7 years with detailed annual clinical, cognitive, PET, MRI, and lumbar puncture assessments. Implementation of features that alleviate barriers and challenges to trial participation is like to have a high impact on trial satisfaction and reduce participant burden.

Comparison of imputation methods for missing production data of dairy cattle

Nowadays, vast amounts of data representing feed intake, growth, and environmental impact of individual animals are being recorded in on-farm settings. Despite their apparent use, data collected in real-world applications often have missing values in one or several variables, due to reasons including human error, machine error, or sampling frequency misalignment across multiple variables. Since incomplete datasets are less valuable for downstream data analysis, it is important to address the missing value problem properly. One option may be to reduce the dataset to a subset that contains only complete data, but considerable data may be lost via this process. The current study aimed to compare imputation methods for the estimation of missing values in a raw dataset of dairy cattle including 454 553 records collected from 629 cows between 2009 and 2020. The dataset was subjected to a cleaning process that reduced its size to 437 075 observations corresponding to 512 cows. Missing values were present in four variables: concentrate DM intake (CDMI, missing percentage = 2.30%), forage DM intake (FDMI, 8.05%), milk yield (MY, 15.12%), and BW (64.33%). After removing all missing values, the resulting dataset (n = 129 353) was randomly sampled five times to create five independent subsets that exhibit the same missing data percentages as the cleaned dataset. Four univariate and nine multivariate imputation methods (eight machine learning methods and the MissForest method) were applied and evaluated on the five repeats, and average imputation performance was reported for each repeat. The results showed that Random Forest was overall the best imputation method for this type of data and had a lower mean squared prediction error and higher concordance correlation coefficient than the other imputation methods for all imputed variables. Random Forest performed particularly well for imputing CDMI, MY, and BW, compared to imputing FDMI.

Nanoparticles at the maternal-fetal interface

The increasing production of intentional and unintentional nanoparticles (NPs) has led to their accumulation in the environment as air and ground pollution. The heterogeneity of these particles primarily relies on the NP physicochemical properties (i.e., chemical composition, size, shape, surface chemistry, etc.). Pregnancy represents a vulnerable life stage for both the woman and the developing fetus. The ubiquitous nature of these NPs creates a concern for developmental fetal exposures. At the maternal-fetal interface lies the placenta, a temporary endocrine organ that facilitates nutrient and waste exchange as well as communication between maternal and fetal tissues. Recent evidence in human and animal models identifies that gestational exposure to NPs results in placental translocation leading to local effects and endocrine disruption. Currently, the mechanisms underlying placental translocation and cellular uptake of NPs in the placenta are poorly understood. The purpose of this review is to assess the current understanding of the physiochemical factors influencing NP translocation, cellular uptake, and endocrine disruption at the maternal-fetal interface within the available literature.

Effectiveness and Toxicity of Five Fraction Prone Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) after breast conserving therapy (BCT) is increasingly used to treat women with early stage breast cancer. Our institution was an early adopter of 5-fraction ABPI and delivers APBI primarily to patients in the prone position. This study reports long term oncologic and cosmetic outcome in a large cohort of women treated with 5-fraction external beam APBI.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We included patients receiving APBI 600 cGy × 5 fx delivered every other day or every day between 2010 and 2022. Late toxicities and clinician and patient rated cosmesis were evaluated for patients with > 6 month follow up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify clinical and dosimetric factors associated with development of acute and late toxicities, clinician and patient rated cosmesis. All statistical tests were two-sided, and the null hypothesis was rejected for p<0.05. Kaplan Meier methodology was used to calculate overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and locoregional recurrence-free survival (LR-RFS).

RESULTS

Four hundred and forty-two patients received APBI either daily (56%) or every other day (44%). Most of the patients (92%) were treated in the prone position. Average mean heart dose was 23 cGy for left-sided and 11 cGy for right-sided breast cancers. Ipsilateral lung V30% ≤ 30%. At a median follow up of 48 months (range: 5.96 - 155 months), 12 (2.7%) patients developed a local recurrence, 14 (3.2%) patients developed a contralateral breast primary, 10 patients (2.3%) developed a distant metastasis and one patient (0.2%) developed a local recurrence followed by a distant metastasis 1 month later. Out of 258 patients with > 6 month follow up, rates of late grade 1-2 telangiectasia, fibrosis, edema, atrophy and hyperpigmentation were 4%, 18%, 1%, 19% and 7% respectively. There was only one late grade 3 event in a patient who developed significant breast atrophy. The rate of good-excellent physician and patient rated cosmesis was 95% and 89% respectively (N = 256 at median follow up of 80 months). On multivariate logistic regression, patients who did not receive any adjuvant endocrine or chemotherapy were at increased risk of developing a local recurrence. Patients with PR negative disease were at increased risk of distant metastasis. Patient who experienced any grade of acute dermatitis during treatment were at increased risk of any high grade (grade ≥ 2) late adverse event and worse physician rated cosmesis. Daily or every other day treatment did not correlate with worse toxicity or clinical outcomes. Plastic surgery involvement, LVI, EIC, lobular histology, and ER negativity did not correlate with an increased risk of recurrence. Five-year LR-RFS, DFS and OS were 98%, 92.5% and 98.6% respectively.

CONCLUSION

Five- fraction APBI delivered primarily in the prone position either daily or every other day was effective with low rates of local recurrence, minimal toxicity and excellent cosmetic scores at long term follow up.

Laparoscopy uptake for paediatric appendicectomy: a comparison of general surgeons versus specialist paediatric surgeons in England from 1997 to 2015

INTRODUCTION

Laparoscopy is used in as many as 95% of adult appendicectomies. There is level I evidence showing that it reduces wound infection, postoperative ileus and length of inpatient stay in children compared with the open approach. The aim of this study was to report the uptake of laparoscopy for paediatric appendicectomy in England and to determine whether this was similar for general surgeons (GS) and specialist paediatric surgeons (SPS).

METHODS

Hospital Episode Statistics data were obtained for all children aged <16 years who had an OPCS 4.6 code for emergency appendicectomy from 1997 to 2015 (18 years). Data are analysed to compare rate of laparoscopic vs open procedures for GS and SPS over time and to investigate factors associated with the use of laparoscopy.

RESULTS

There were 196,987 appendicectomies and where specialty was available, 133,709 (79%) cases were undertaken by GS and 35,141 (21%) by SPS. The rate of cases undertaken with laparoscopy for both specialties combined increased from 0.8% in 1998 to 50% in 2014 (p<0.0001). In 2014, this rate was 41% for GS compared with 71% for SPS (p<0.0001). Female gender (odds ratio (OR)=1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80-1.90), increasing age (OR=1.18, 95% CI 1.18-1.19 per year) and treatment by SPS (OR=3.71, 95% CI 3.60-3.82) were all factors positively associated with use of laparoscopy in multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

There has been a vast increase in the proportion of appendicectomies undertaken laparoscopically in children. Despite adjusting for patient factors, laparoscopy was used significantly less by GS when compared with SPS. This difference is most apparent in younger children.

Growth performance, bone mineralization, nutrient digestibility, and fecal microbial composition of multi-enzyme-supplemented low-nutrient diets for growing-finishing pigs

A study evaluated the effects of adding multi-enzyme mixture to diets deficient in net energy (NE), standardized ileal digestible (SID) amino acids (AA), standardized total tract digestible (STTD) P, and Ca on growth performance, bone mineralization, nutrient digestibility, and fecal microbial composition of grow-finish pigs. A total of 300 pigs (initial body weight [BW] = 29.2 kg) were housed by sex and BW in 45 pens of 7 or 6 pigs and fed 5 diets in a randomized complete block design. Diets were positive control (PC), and negative control 1 (NC1) or negative control 2 (NC2) without or with multi-enzyme mixture. The multi-enzyme mixture supplied at least 1,800, 1,244, 6,600, and 1,000 units of xylanase, β -glucanase, arabinofuranosidase, and phytase per kilogram of diet, respectively. The PC was adequate in all nutrients. The NC1 diet had lower content NE, SID AA, STTD P, and Ca than PC diet by about 7%, 7%, 32%, and 13%, respectively. The NC2 diet had lower NE, SID AA, STTD P, and Ca than PC diet by 7%, 7%, 50%, and 22%, respectively. The diets were fed in four phases based on BW: Phase 1: 29-45 kg, Phase 2: 45-70 kg, Phase 3: 70-90 kg, and Phase 4: 90-120 kg. Nutrient digestibility, bone mineralization, and fecal microbial composition were determined at the end of Phase 1. Pigs fed PC diet had greater (P < 0.05) overall G:F than those fed NC1 diet or NC2 diet. Multi-enzyme mixture increased (P < 0.05) overall G:F, but the G:F of the multi-enzyme mixture-supplemented diets did not reach (P < 0.05) that of PC diet. Multi-enzyme mixture tended to increase (P = 0.08) femur breaking strength. Multi-enzyme mixture increased (P < 0.05) the ATTD of GE for the NC2 diet, but unaffected the ATTD of GE for the NC1 diet. Multi-enzyme mixture decreased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of the Cyanobacteria and increased (P < 0.05) relative abundance of Butyricicoccus in feces. Thus, the NE, SID AA, STTD P, and Ca could be lowered by about 7%, 7%, 49%, and 22%, respectively, in multi-enzyme mixture-supplemented diets without negative effects on bone mineralization of grow-finish pigs. However, multi-enzyme mixture supplementation may not fully restore G:F of the grow-finish pigs fed diets that have lower NE and SID AA contents than recommended by 7%. Since an increase in content of Butyricicoccus in intestine is associated with improved gut health, addition of the multi-enzyme mixture in diets for pigs can additionally improve their gut health.

The consequences of hyperphagia in people with Prader-Willi Syndrome: A systematic review of studies of morbidity and mortality

Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) is a multi-system genetically determined neurodevelopmental disorder and the commonest cause of syndromal obesity. The development of hyperphagia in early childhood is part of the phenotype arising as a result of an impaired neural response to food intake and the inability to regulate food intake in line with energy needs. Severe obesity develops if access to food is not controlled. In this review we evaluate the evidence for increased morbidity and mortality in PWS in order to establish the extent to which it is directly related to the obesity; a consequence of the eating behaviour itself independent of obesity; or associated with other characteristics of the syndrome. Medline, Cochrane, PsychINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus databases were used to systematically identify published material on PWS and hyperphagia and syndrome-related morbidity and mortality. One hundred and ten key papers were selected. Data on 500 people with PWS indicated that the average age of death was 21 years and obesity was, as expected, a significant factor. However, the behaviour of hyperphagia itself, independent of obesity, was also important, associated with choking, gastric rupture, and/or respiratory illness. Other syndrome-related factors increased the risk for, and seriousness of, co-morbid illness or accidents. We conclude that improving life-expectancy largely depends on managing the immediate non-obesity and obesity-related consequences of the hyperphagia, through improved support. The development of new treatments that significantly reduce the drive to eat are likely to decrease morbidity and mortality improving quality of life and life expectancy.

Growth performance, visceral organ weights, and gut health of weaned pigs fed diets with different dietary fiber solubility and lipid sources

The objective of this study was to determine the interactive effects of dietary fiber solubility and lipid source on growth performance, visceral organ weights, gut histology, and gut microbiota composition of weaned pigs. A total of 280 nursery pigs [initial body weight (BW) = 6.84 kg] weaned at 21 d were housed in 40 pens (7 pigs/pen). The pigs were fed four diets (10 pens/diet) in a randomized complete block design in two phases: Phase 1 from 0 to 2 wk and Phase 2 from 2 to 5 wk. The diets were corn-soybean meal-based with either sugar beet pulp (SBP) or soybean hulls (SBH) as a fiber source and either soybean oil (SBO) or choice white grease (CWG) as a lipid source in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The BW and feed intake were determined by phase, whereas visceral organ weights, intestinal histology, and gut microbial composition were determined at the end of the trial. Dietary fiber solubility and lipid source did not interact (P > 0.05) on average daily feed intake and average daily gain across all phases. However, the gain to feed ratio (G:F) for CWG-containing diets was lower (P < 0.05) than that for SBO-containing diets for Phase 1. Also, G:F for SBP-containing diets was lower (P < 0.05) than that for SBH-containing diets for Phase 1 and for the entire study period. Pigs fed SBP-containing diets had greater (P < 0.05) stomach weight, and tended to have greater (P < 0.10) small and large intestine weights relative to BW than those fed SBH-containing diets. Duodenal villous height to crypt depth ratio for CWG-based diets tended to be greater (P = 0.09) than that for SBO-based diets. Fiber solubility and lipid source interacted (P < 0.05) on relative abundance of Bacteroides in the colon such that the relative abundance of the Bacteroides for CWG was greater (P < 0.05) than that for the SBO in SBP-based diet, but not in SBH-based diet. Relative abundance of Butyricicoccus in the colon for SBH-based diet was greater (P < 0.05) than that for SBP-based diet. In conclusion, inclusion of SBH instead of SBP in corn-soybean meal-based diets for weaned pigs can result in increased feed efficiency and relative abundance of Butyricicoccus in the colon, which is associated with improved gut health. Also, inclusion of SBO instead of CWG in the diets for weaned pigs can result in improved feed efficiency during Phase 1 feeding; however, the pigs may recover from the low feed efficiency induced by dietary inclusion of CWG instead of SBO after Phase 1 feeding.

A position statement and practical guide to the use of particulate filtering facepiece respirators (N95, FFP2, or equivalent) for South African health workers exposed to respiratory pathogens including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2

SUMMARY

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is transmitted mainly by aerosol in particles <10 µm that can remain suspended for hours before being inhaled. Because particulate filtering facepiece respirators ('respirators'; e.g. N95 masks) are more effective than surgical masks against bio-aerosols, many international organisations now recommend that health workers (HWs) wear a respirator when caring for individuals who may have COVID-19. In South Africa (SA), however, surgical masks are still recommended for the routine care of individuals with possible or confirmed COVID-19, with respirators reserved for so-called aerosol-generating procedures. In contrast, SA guidelines do recommend respirators for routine care of individuals with possible or confirmed tuberculosis (TB), which is also transmitted via aerosol. In health facilities in SA, distinguishing between TB and COVID-19 is challenging without examination and investigation, both of which may expose HWs to potentially infectious individuals. Symptom-based triage has limited utility in defining risk. Indeed, significant proportions of individuals with COVID-19 and/or pulmonary TB may not have symptoms and/or test negative. The prevalence of undiagnosed respiratory disease is therefore likely significant in many general clinical areas (e.g. waiting areas). Moreover, a proportion of HWs are HIV-positive and are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 and death.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Sustained improvements in infection prevention and control (IPC) require reorganisation of systems to prioritise HW and patient safety. While this will take time, it is unacceptable to leave HWs exposed until such changes are made. We propose that the SA health system adopts a target of 'zero harm', aiming to eliminate transmission of respiratory pathogens to all individuals in every healthcare setting. Accordingly, we recommend: the use of respirators by all staff (clinical and non-clinical) during activities that involve contact or sharing air in indoor spaces with individuals who: (i) have not yet been clinically evaluated; or (ii) are thought or known to have TB and/or COVID-19 or other potentially harmful respiratory infections;the use of respirators that meet national and international manufacturing standards;evaluation of all respirators, at the least, by qualitative fit testing; andthe use of respirators as part of a 'package of care' in line with international IPC recommendations. We recognise that this will be challenging, not least due to global and national shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE). SA national policy around respiratory protective equipment enables a robust framework for manufacture and quality control and has been supported by local manufacturers and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition. Respirator manufacturers should explore adaptations to improve comfort and reduce barriers to communication. Structural changes are needed urgently to improve the safety of health facilities: persistent advocacy and research around potential systems change remain essential.

505 Failed Femoral Nail with Significant Operative Technical Difficulty: A Practical Solution to Achieve Metalwork Extraction Using Conical Screw Remover

Introduction

There is a greater risk of delayed healing and revision surgery in atypical femoral fractures (AFFs). Although non-union in reamed intra-medullary (IM) nailing is relatively uncommon, it can lead to fracture of the nail and present a considerable challenge to the treating surgeon.

Case Report

We present a case of AFF treated with IM nail fixation. Metalwork failure of the nail prompted removal of distal locking screws and plating of the fracture site at 8 months. Failure of the plate-bone interface 3 months later led to further revision surgery to remove the broken metalwork. We focus on the significant operative difficulty encountered during removal of the failed IM metalwork and provide a novel practical solution to overcome this particular challenge - insertion of a conical cannulated screw remover under fluoroscopy guidance to create an interference fit with the distal segment of the broken nail.

Discussion

This case is an example of significant and unexpected intra-operative technical difficulty, requiring improvisation and teamwork to manage. We introduce an accessible and uncomplicated alternative to the existing techniques for removal of a broken femoral nail and in doing so hope to benefit peers and colleagues should they encounter similar difficulties in the future.

The journey of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as a biomarker in breast cancer: clinical utility in an era of checkpoint inhibition

In 2014, we described a method to quantify percentage of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) on hematoxylin and eosin-stained slides of breast cancer samples using light microscopy that could be performed easily by pathologists with no extra stains. The aim of detailing the method was to facilitate independent research groups replicating our prognostic findings using TIL quantity in early-stage breast cancers. A global working group of breast pathologists was convened to standardize, test reproducibility, and refine the method. A website was also established which allowed free training (www.tilsinbreastcancer.org). As a result of this work, TIL data have been collected in over 20 000 primary breast cancer samples worldwide and the robust associations with better prognoses in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2+ BC have been confirmed. This has resulted in the inclusion of the TIL biomarker in several international breast cancer guidelines as well as in national criteria for routine pathology reporting. TIL therefore represents the first biological prognostic biomarker for early-stage TNBCs, and here its prognostic effect is linear, with values of 30%-50% being suggested as suitable for use in potential chemotherapy de-escalation studies. The efficacy of immune checkpoint-targeted agents in breast cancer now provides direct evidence that host immune responses can modify tumor growth in some patients. With the recent granting of accelerated approvals for the first PD-1/PD-L1 targeting agents in early and advanced TNBC, our focus has now moved to investigating the clinical utility of TIL in the setting of immune checkpoint agents, with or without PD-L1 protein assessment. Emerging data suggest that TIL quantity can help clinicians identify patients with breast cancer who benefit most from PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition. In patients with advanced TNBC and HER2+ disease a TIL cut-off of 5% or 10%, with PD-L1 expression can define 'immune-enriched' tumors and currently seems to have the most clinical relevance in this context.

Management of perianal abscesses in infants without general anaesthesia: a systematic review of the literature

Perianal abscesses are a common surgical presentation in infants. Historically, general anaesthesia (GA) has been used to facilitate incision and drainage, with or without exploration for a fistula-in-ano (FIA). This review aims to assess outcomes following management of perianal abscesses without GA in infants less than 24 months old. We aim to identify the success of management without GA. Using PRISMA guidelines, studies were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed. Studies including infants less than 24 months with perianal abscesses managed without GA were reviewed. The primary outcome was the number of patients requiring GA following initial management without GA. Secondary outcomes included rates of recurrent perianal abscesses, rates of progression to FIA and time to cure. Nine studies, involving 1049 infants less than 24 months old met inclusion criteria. A total of 1039 (99.0%) were males. Study design consisted of one prospective case series of 18 patients, and eight retrospective cohort studies. There were no randomized control trials. A total of 1037 (98.9%) patients were initially managed without GA. Of these, 59 (5.6%) were documented to subsequently require a general anaesthetic. Treatment modalities included antibiotics, regular baths, needle aspiration, incision and drainage under local anaesthesia, hainosankyuto and fibroblast growth factor. A total of 790 (75.3%) healed primarily without further intervention. A total of 243 (23.2%) were documented to have a recurrence or progression to FIA. All patients who required a subsequent general anaesthetic had progressed to FIA. Despite the lack of well-designed prospective studies, existing evidence supports management of perianal abscesses without initial GA in infants, with more than 75% healing completely. Further research aimed at standardizing care and confirming the safety and efficacy of initial non-operative management are warranted, and may potentially reduce the number of unnecessary initial and subsequent clinical interventions.

Canola meal in nursery pig diets: growth performance and gut health

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of including canola meal (CM) in nursery pig diets on growth performance, immune response, fecal microbial composition, and gut integrity. A total of 200 nursery pigs (initial body weight = 7.00 kg) were obtained in two batches of 100 pigs each. Pigs in each batch were housed in 25 pens (four pigs per pen) and fed five diets in a randomized complete block design. The five diets were corn-soybean meal (SBM)-based basal diets with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% of CM. The diets were fed in three phases: phase 1: day 0 to 7, phase 2: day 7 to 21, and phase 3: day 21 to 42. Diets in each phase were formulated to similar net energy, Ca, and digestible P and amino acid contents. Feed intake and body weight were measured by phase. Immune response and gut integrity parameters were measured at the end of phases 1 and 2. Fecal microbial composition for diets with 0% or 20% CM was determined at the end of phase 2. Overall average daily gain (ADG) responded quadratically (P < 0.05) to increasing dietary level of CM such that ADG was increased by 17% due to an increase in the dietary level of CM from 0% to 20% and was reduced by 16% due to an increase in the dietary level of CM from 20% to 40%. Pigs fed diets with 0% or 40% CM did not differ in overall ADG. Dietary CM tended to quadratically decrease (P = 0.09) serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) level at the end of phase 2 such that serum IgA level tended to reduce with an increase in dietary CM from 0% to 20% and to increase with an increase in dietary CM from 20% to 40%. Dietary CM at 20% decreased (P < 0.05) the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes phylum and tended to increase (P = 0.07) the relative abundance of Firmicutes phylum. Dietary CM linearly increased (P < 0.05) the lactulose to mannitol ratio in the urine by 47% and 49% at the end of phases 1 and 2, respectively, and tended to linearly decrease (P < 0.10) ileal transepithelial electrical resistance at the end of phase 1 by 64%. In conclusion, CM fed in the current study could be included in corn-SBM-based diets for nursery pigs 20% to improve the growth performance and gut microbial composition and reduce immune response. Also, the CM used in the current study could be included in corn-SBM-based diets for nursery pigs at 30% or 40% without compromising growth performance. Dietary CM increased gut permeability, implying that dietary CM at 20% improves the growth performance of weaned pigs through mechanisms other than reducing gut permeability.

Maternal exposure to organophosphate flame retardants alters locomotor and anxiety-like behavior in male and female adult offspring

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals found in our environment that interrupt typical endocrine function. Some flame retardants (FRs) are EDCs as shown in their interaction with steroid and nuclear receptors. Humans are consistently exposed to flame retardants as they are used in everyday items such as plastics, clothing, toys, and electronics. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers were used as the major FR until 2004, when they were replaced by organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs). Previous research in rodent models utilizing a commercial flame retardant mixture containing OPFRs reported alterations in anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze (EPM) for rodents perinatally exposed to OPFRs. In the present study we utilize wild-type mice maternally exposed (gestational day 7 to postnatal day 14) to either an OPFR mixture of tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl), triphenyl phosphate, and tricresyl phosphate or a sesame seed oil vehicle. These mice were evaluated for anxiety-like behavior in adulthood on the open field test (OFT) and the light/dark box (LDB) as well as the EPM. Outcomes from the OFT and LDB indicate that males and females maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibit altered locomotor activity. Results of the EPM were sex-specific as we did not observe an effect in females; however, effects in males differed depending on exposure condition. Males maternally exposed to OPFRs exhibited an anxiolytic-like phenotype in contrast to their vehicle counterparts. This effect in perinatally OPFR-exposed males was not due to alterations in locomotor activity. Our research illustrates that there are sex- and exposure-dependent effects of perinatal OPFR exposure on adult locomotor and anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model.