Design of systems for recovering fat from waste ice cream requires knowledge of the fat globule size distribution. Laser diffraction has often been used to measure this distribution, but it has almost always been done using laboratory-made ice cream. Past reports very often contain indications of serious methodological flaws. This study demonstrates a careful selection of analysis parameters and methodology choices, in order to prevent known sources of error in particle size distribution (PSD) results, and to use the laser diffraction instrument to its best advantage. It is shown that data quality degrades when either laser obscuration or measurement duration are outside of narrow ranges. Additionally, a value given in the literature as a recommendation for extinction coefficient may be wrong by a factor of 100. Using the methodology developed in the present study, 26 varieties of commercial vanilla ice cream were analyzed for their PSD. A small size mode, sometimes reported in the literature and attributed to free casein micelles, was absent from the PSD of all ice cream varieties; dispersion of samples in simulated milk ultrafiltrate did not meaningfully impact these results. Further, a large size mode, rarely reported in the literature, was found in about half of the ice cream varieties tested. Overall, the results demonstrate that the laser diffraction technique must be used with care, and that understanding of nature of the sample material is crucial.

ABSTRACT The concept of genome–microbiome interactions, in which the microenvironment determined by host genetic polymorphisms regulates the local microbiota, is important in the pathogenesis of human disease. In otolaryngology, the resident bacterial microbiota is reportedly altered in non-infectious ear diseases, such as otitis media pearls and exudative otitis media. We hypothesized that a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the ATP-binding cassette sub-family C member 11 (ABCC11) gene, which determines earwax properties, regulates the ear canal microbiota. We analyzed ABCC11 gene polymorphisms and ear canal microbiota in healthy individuals to understand the relationship between genome–microbiome interactions in the ear canal. The study included 21 subjects who were divided into two groups: 538GA (9) and 538AA (12). Staphylococcus auricularis and Corynebacterium spp. were observed in the 538GA group, whereas Methylocella spp. was observed in the 538AA group. PICRUSt analysis revealed significant enrichment of certain pathways, such as superpathway of N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylmannosamine and N-acetylneuraminate degradation, chlorosalicylate degradation, mycothiol biosynthesis, and enterobactin biosynthesis in the GA group, whereas allantoin degradation IV (anaerobic), nitrifier denitrification, starch degradation III, L-valine degradation I, and nicotinate degradation I were significantly enriched in the AA group. The ABCC11 gene polymorphism regulates the composition of the ear canal microbiota and its metabolic pathways. This study revealed a genome–microbiome interaction within the resident microbiota of the external auditory canal that may help to elucidate the pathogenesis of ear diseases and develop novel therapies.IMPORTANCEThe ABCC11 gene polymorphism, which determines earwax characteristics, regulates the composition of the ear canal microbiota and its metabolic pathways. We determined the presence of genome–microbiome interactions in the resident microbiota of the ear canal. Future studies should focus on ABCC11 gene polymorphisms to elucidate the pathogenesis of ear diseases and develop therapeutic methods.

ABSTRACT: This study investigates the effect of varying proportions of pasture (high, medium, no-pasture) in the diet of cows and seasonality on the milk metabolome throughout lactation using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. This study explored the potential to differentiate milks from varying levels of pasture in the cow's diet and highlight potential biomarkers for authentication. A total of 54 spring calving cows were assigned to the 3 diet treatments for the duration of lactation. Weekly bulk milk samples were collected from each herd. Over 37 wk (March–November 2020), 43 metabolites representing diverse chemical classes, including AA and nitrogenous compounds, carbohydrates, VFA, organic acids, and alcohols were quantified. Significant dietary and seasonal influences on the milk metabolome were characterized, with signature differences attributed to the proportion of pasture in the cow's diet and the season of milk production. Receiver operating characteristic analysis of the milk from different feeding systems across lactation highlighted the potential of the milk metabolome to distinguish pasture from nonpasture-derived milks, with a series of metabolites demonstrated as excellent biomarkers, including hippurate. Multivariate analysis also highlighted dimethyl sulfone as a key metabolite for the distinction between different diet regimens. These findings highlight the diversity and complexity of the composition of milk as affected by seasonality, and signature characteristics that are associated with pasture-based feedings systems. As “grass-fed” dairy products become more prominent on the market, the analysis of the milk metabolome using 1H-NMR shows significant promise for utilization as a tool for authentication purposes.

ABSTRACT: Ammonia (NH3) originating from agriculture substantially contributes to the environmental nitrogen load and threatens sensitive ecosystems by inducing eutrophication and acidification of the soil. To strategically minimize NH3 emissions, this study aimed to develop a model to predict urinary nitrogen (UN) excretion (g/d), the major NH3 source of cows of different dairy breeds, based on an easy-to-determine proxy as an on-farm tool. For that purpose, dietary characteristics were not considered. One such proxy would be the MUN content, which could be determined in tank milk samples from dairy farms. We therefore investigated the UN and MUN values from 21 different feeding experiments performed in Switzerland with 4 contrasting dairy breeds. These were 162 Brown Swiss (BS), 348 Holstein (HO), 44 Jersey (JE), and 50 Swiss Fleckvieh (SF) cows. We investigated the relationship between the coefficients of the UN and MUN using various linear mixed models. The forward model selection demonstrated that it is essential to consider the interaction between MUN and breed, as well as BW and breed, when modeling UN. Furthermore, there was a pronounced heteroscedasticity between UN and MUN for higher MUN values (>14 mg/dL). This heteroscedasticity must be accounted for, either through explicit modeling or log transformation. The final model included fixed effects, MUN, BW, and breed, the interactions, MUN × breed and BW × breed, as well as the experiment as random effect. This model also considered the heteroscedasticity. In the final model, R2 was high, at 81.2%. The regression coefficients and highest posterior density intervals were 7.28 (5.42; 9.02), 10.41 (9.16; 11.65), 9.00 (6.20; 11.94) and 11.79 (9.15; 14.25) g/d of increase in UN per mg/dL of MUN for BS, HO, JE, and SF, respectively. The estimated regression coefficients for BW and highest posterior density intervals were 0.09 (−0.01; 0.19), 0.17 (0.11; 0.27), 0.51 (0.21; 0.80) and 0.28 (0.03; 0.53) for BS, HO, JE, and SF, respectively. The estimated marginal means ± SE for UN (g/d) were 117 ± 12, 147 ± 12, 119 ± 14, and 135 ± 14 for BS, HO, JE, and SF, respectively. These results confirm MUN content to be a useful tool to predict UN excretion in lactating dairy cows, as suggested by previous studies. However, in contrast to previous findings, our results underscore the necessity of accounting for breed and BW in the predictive model. The established model improves the accuracy of mass flow models that estimate NH3 emissions based on the UN excretion of livestock at the beginning of the manure management chain.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to detect the presence of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) in the testicular tissue of bulls over 1‐year old by immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence and molecular assay targeting methods. In addition, γH2AX and cytochrome c expressions were evaluated by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent methods in samples positive for BPV agent. In this study, 100 testicular specimens that did not show any macroscopic papilloma findings were collected. Testicular tissues were collected and examined using histologically and molecularly methods. In the present study, immunopositivity was detected in 6 (6%) samples with the IHC method and in 11 (11%) samples with the IF method. In addition, BPV positivity was detected in four (4%) samples by the PCR method and four (4%) samples determined to be BPV positive by PCR also showed immunopositivity in IHC and IF methods. γH2AX immunopositivity was seen in two of the BPV‐positive samples by the IHC method, and γH2AX immunopositivity was observed in four of the samples determined to be positive for the BPV agent by the IF method. Cytochrome c immunopositivity was found in all the samples determined positive for the BPV agent. When the findings were evaluated, the presence of the BPV agent in the testicular tissues of cattle that did not have macroscopic papillomas was revealed for the first time. It was thought that the BPV agent caused double‐stranded DNA breaks and increased cytochrome c expression.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with various adverse pregnancy outcomes. It is usually diagnosed via microscopy. Semi-quantitative relative culture (SRC) was investigated as a complementary diagnostic method to determine the prevalence of BV and its association with preterm birth and preterm, premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) in pregnant women in Slovenia. We examined 3437 consecutive vaginal swabs from pregnant women during the five-year period and were able to link the results to 2531 pregnancy outcomes. The isolates were identified using MALDI-TOF, and the results were assessed by the relative amounts of <i>Gardnerella vaginalis</i> and lactobacilli according to two stringency criteria. The prevalence of BV was 6.5% via microscopy and was higher for SRC, 9.9% or 11.1%, depending on the stringency criteria. The association with adverse pregnancy outcomes was better when SRC was used, resulting in adjusted odds ratios of 1.76 (1.30 to 2.37) and 1.97 (1.38 to 2.82) for preterm birth and PPROM, respectively, with more stringent interpretation. Microscopically detected BV was not associated with either outcome. The clinical validity of SRC was demonstrated by its better correlation with adverse pregnancy outcomes in a large cohort of pregnant women. SRC with MALDI-TOF identification is a promising advancement of vaginal culture.

The purpose of this study was to examine the evolution of participants’ situational motivation in physical activity. From a sample of 194 individuals, the 20 most self-determined, the 20 moderately self-determined, and the 20 least self-determined in sports were selected to participate in the research protocols. These 60 subjects performed a putting task with a golf club on a 1.50 m mat. Immediately afterward, they had to self-assess using the mouse paradigm software in order to measure their intrinsic situational motivation throughout the task. We used multilevel growth curve analyses (MGCAs) to explore the trajectories of students’ situational intrinsic motivation during the experimental task. The results revealed a significant positive linear and cubic effect of time and a significant negative quadratic effect of time on situational motivation for highly self-determined students. Our study shows that situational intrinsic motivation is dynamic, and the most self-determined subjects experience a positive evolution in their intrinsic motivation in a specific physical activity.

12 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, supplementary data https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.120385.-- Data availability: Data will be made available on request | The relevance of recovery centers and head-starting programs for rescue, rehabilitation, rearing, and conservation of sea turtles is recognized worldwide. In addition, these centers contribute to generating biochemical and physiological data needed to identify health markers and provide baseline values. Because of the marine ecosystems’ deterioration, biomarker identification is a global priority for sea turtle conservation; nevertheless, information on specific endpoints, such as neurotoxicity and mutagenesis, is still limited in sea turtles. This study aimed to contrast a set of non-invasive blood biomarkers with ecotoxicological and clinical applications in confined green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) compared with free-living ones from the Mexican Caribbean. Additionally, interspecific (green, hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtles) differences were also evaluated. Plasmatic organochlorine pesticides (OCs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) were also determined. The concentration ranges of uric acid, total proteins, lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), and thyroxine of both confined and free-living green turtles fell outside the reference intervals for the species. Additionally, confined green turtles had the highest number of erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) and elevated levels of hemoglobin, lipid peroxidation, and activity of glutathione S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, and carboxylesterase (CE). Contrasts among confined species identified hawksbill turtles with the lowest glutathione reductase activity, green turtles with the lowest ENA frequency and CE activity, and loggerhead turtles with the highest plasmatic concentrations of PCBs and OCs. The information here provided can be used as information in health monitoring programs and for conservation and management policies at regional, national, and international level | This research was funded by CIBNOR (PC0.10), G. Espinosa Reyes (2019, Centro de Investigación Aplicada en Ambiente y Salud, Facultad de Medicina, CIACYT-UASLP) and VLM (Laboratorio Ecología de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias, UASLP). [...] BLCC and CLR were recipients of graduate scholarships from CONACYT (1001718 and 931746, respectively). VLM, TZS, and MS collaboration was possible thanks to RIESCOS-CYTED (419RT0578). We thank the institutional support of Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, and the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence accreditation’ (CEX2019-000928-S funded by AEI 10.13039/501100011033) | Peer reviewed