Enterococcus isolated from poultry intestine for potential probiotic use

Background and Aim

To develop species-specific probiotics for poultry, it is ideal to obtain these probiotic microorganisms directly from the intestinal tract of broiler and egg-laying chicks in production environments to ensure adaptation to actual conditions. This study aimed to isolate lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from the intestinal tract of broiler and egg-laying chicks to determine their probiotic potential.

Materials and Methods

Twenty-five Ross-308 broilers and 25 Isa Brown egg-laying chicks were raised until days 42 and 120, respectively; they were housed in an individual poultry building. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated and identified from the small intestine mucus of broiler and layer chicks and then evaluated based on resistance to acidic pH levels, bile salt concentration, and antagonistic activity against wild strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. selected strains with probiotic potential were identified by polymerase chain reaction and confirmed by rDNA sequencing.

Results

One hundred and fifty Gram-positive isolates were obtained; 28% (42) were catalase and oxidase negative and biochemical identification was made by crystal system: 76.2% (32) Enterococcus spp., 16.6% (7) Lactococcus spp., and 7.2% (3) Streptococcus spp.; and evaluated for hemolysin production; tolerance to low pH and bile salts, and antagonistic potential were carried out. Molecular characterization yielded 56% (24) Enterococcus faecium, and 44% (18) Enterococcus faecalis. About 81% (34) of strains were without vancomycin resistance genes criterion.

Conclusion

This study isolated and characterized 36 strains of LAB with probiotic qualities, from the intestines of broiler and egg-laying chicks, selecting E. faecium, Enterococcus avium, and Enterococcus casseliflavus, Lactococcus garviae as promising strains for further in vitro and in vivo research.

Clinical, functional, and computed tomography findings in a cohort of patients with neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy

INTRODUCTION

Neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy (NEHI) is one of the most common interstitial lung diseases in children. Both the etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease are still unknown. Prognosis is usually favorable; however, there are significant morbidities during the early years of life.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical course, infant pulmonary function tests and computed tomography (CT) findings in a cohort of patients with NEHI in Argentina.

METHODS

This is a observational multicenter cohort study of children diagnosed with NEHI between 2011 and 2020.

RESULTS

Twenty patients participated in this study. The median age of onset of symptoms was 3 months and the median age at diagnosis was 6 months. The most common clinical presentation was tachypnea, retractions and hypoxemia. The chest CT findings showed central ground glass opacities and air trapping. Infant pulmonary function tests revealed an obstructive pattern in 75% of the cases (10/12). Most patients (75%) required home oxygen therapy for 17 months (interquartile range 12-25). In 85% of them, tachypnea and hypoxemia spontaneously resolved between the second and third years of life.

CONCLUSION

In this cohort, the first symptoms appeared during the early months of life. The typical clinical, CT, and functional findings allowed the diagnosis without the need of a lung biopsy. Although most patients required home oxygen therapy, they showed a favorable evolution.

Erratum: Toro, C. et al. On the Detection of Spectral Emissions of Iron Oxides in Combustion Experiments of Pyrite Concentrates. Sensors 2020, 20, 1284

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...].

Overexpression of MMPs, cytokines, and RANKL/OPG in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis and their association with joint pain, mouth opening, and bone degeneration: A preliminary report

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine the expression of distinct matrix metalloproteinases, cytokines, and bone resorptive factors in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA) patients and their association with joint pain, mouth opening, and subchondral bone degeneration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve patients affected with TMJ-OA (n = 5), disk displacement without reduction (DDWoR) (n = 3), or disk displacement with reduction (DDWR) (n = 4) were selected. Joint pain was quantified by using visual analog scale, mouth opening was quantified at the maximum pain-free aperture, and bone degeneration was quantified using joint imaging. Synovial fluid samples were collected and immediately processed for cell and synovial fluid recovering. From cells, the MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-8, MMP-13, IL-6, IL-23, and TNF-α expression was quantified by qPCR. From synovial fluid, the RANKL and OPG levels were quantified by ELISA.

RESULTS

Higher levels of MMP-1, MMP-8, MMP-13, IL-6, IL-23, TNF-α, and RANKL/OPG ratio were detected in TMJ-OA compared with DDWoR and DDWR patients (p < .05). Joint pain significantly correlated with TNF-α levels (r = .975, p = .029). Besides, imaging signs of bone degeneration significantly correlated with RANKL/OPG ratio (r = .949, p = .042). Conversely, mouth opening did not correlate with any of the analyzed mediators.

CONCLUSION

During TMJ-OA, a pathological response characterized by the overexpression of TNF-α and RANKL/OPG could be involved in joint pain and subchondral bone degeneration.

On the Detection of Spectral Emissions of Iron Oxides in Combustion Experiments of Pyrite Concentrates

In this paper, we report on the spectral detection of wustite, Fe(II) oxide (FeO), and magnetite, Fe(II, III) oxide (Fe₃O₄), molecular emissions during the combustion of pyrite (FeS₂), in a laboratory-scale furnace operating at high temperatures. These species are typically generated by reactions occurring during the combustion (oxidation) of this iron sulfide mineral. Two detection schemes are addressed: the first consisting of measurements with a built-in developed spectrometer with a high sensitivity and a high spectral resolution. The second one consisting of spectra measured with a low spectral resolution and a low sensitivity commercial spectrometer, but enhanced and analyzed with post signal processing and multivariate data analysis such as principal component analysis (PCA) and a multivariate curve resolution - the alternating least squares method (MCR-ALS). A non-linear model is also proposed to reconstruct spectral signals measured during pyrite combustion. Different combustion conditions were studied to evaluate the capacity of the detection schemes to follow the spectral emissions of iron oxides. The results show a direct correlation between FeO and Fe₃O₄ spectral features intensity, and non-linear relations with key combustion variables such as flame temperature, and the combusted sulfide mineral particle size.

Th1/Th17/Th22 immune response and their association with joint pain, imagenological bone loss, RANKL expression and osteoclast activity in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis: A preliminary report

It is well accepted that the presence of cytokines belonging to the Th1/Th17/Th22 axis of immuno-inflammatory response in the joint environment, such as IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22, respectively, are associated with pathogenesis of several synovial joint degenerative disorders. During temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ-OA), IL-1β and IL-17 have been implicated in the inflammation and resorption of sub-chondral bone; however, the role of Th22 response in the TMJ-OA pathophysiology has not been established. This study aimed to compare the expression of Th1/Th17/Th22-type cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors in synovial fluid samples obtained from TMJ-OA or disk displacement with reduction (DDWR) patients. In addition, it aimed to associate these levels with joint pain, imagenological signs of bone degeneration, RANKL production, osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast-induced bone resorption. Higher levels of IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22 were expressed in TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects, and these increased levels significantly correlated with RANKL expression, joint pain and articular bone degeneration. Higher levels of CCR5, CCR6 and CCR7, as well as their respective ligands CCL5 and CCL20, responsible for recruitment of IL-1β, IL-17 and IL-22-producing cells, were over-expressed in TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects. Osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast-induced bone resorption were significantly greater in presence of synovial fluid from TMJ-OA compared with DDWR subjects. These data demonstrate that cytokines, CCLs and CCRs associated with the Th1/Th17/Th22 axis of immuno-inflammatory response are involved in TMJ-OA pathogenesis. These findings suggest that IL-22 is involved in the RANKL expression in TMJ-OA, which in turn induces differentiation of osteoclasts and subsequent resorption of sub-chondral bone.

Comparative efficiency research (COMER): meta-analysis of cost-effectiveness studies

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to create a new meta-analysis method for cost-effectiveness studies using comparative efficiency research (COMER).

METHODS

We built a new score named total incremental net benefit (TINB), with inverse variance weighting of incremental net benefits (INB). This permits determination of whether an alternative is cost-effective, given a specific threshold (TINB > 0 test). Before validation of the model, the structure of dependence between costs and quality-adjusted life years (QoL) was analysed using copula distributions. The goodness-of-fit of a Spanish prospective observational study (n = 498) was analysed using the Independent, Gaussian, T, Gumbel, Clayton, Frank and Placket copulas. Validation was carried out by simulating a copula distribution with log-normal distribution for costs and gamma distribution for disutilities. Hypothetical cohorts were created by varying the sample size (n: 15-500) and assuming three scenarios (1-cost-effective; 2-non-cost-effective; 3-dominant). The COMER result was compared to the theoretical result according to the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and the INB, assuming a margin of error of 2,000 and 500 monetary units, respectively.

RESULTS

The Frank copula with positive dependence (-0.4279) showed a goodness-of-fit sufficient to represent costs and QoL (p-values 0.524 and 0.808). The theoretical INB was within the 95% confidence interval of the TINB, based on 15 individuals with a probability > 80% for scenarios 1 and 2, and > 90% for scenario 3. The TINB > 0 test with 15 individuals showed p-values of 0.0105 (SD: 0.0411) for scenario 1, 0.613 (SD: 0.265) for scenario 2 and < 0.0001 for scenario 3.

CONCLUSIONS

COMER is a valid tool for combining cost-effectiveness studies and may be of use to health decision makers.