Assessment of dietary yeast-based additives for cultured catfish and tilapia health.

Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) are two aquaculture species of great importance. Intensive production is often hindered by poor growth performance and disease mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of a commercial fermented yeast product, DVAQUA, on channel catfish and Nile tilapia growth performance metrics and disease resistance. Channel catfish and Nile tilapia were fed practical diets supplemented with 0%, 0.1% or 0.4% of DVAQUA over approximately 2-month feeding periods in recirculation aquaculture systems. To assess the potential of the postbiotic against common aquaculture pathogens, juvenile catfish were subsequently challenged by immersion with Edwardsiella ictaluri S97-773 or virulent Aeromonas hydrophila ML09-119. Nile tilapia juveniles were challenged by injection with Streptococcus iniae ARS-98-60. Serum lysozyme activity, blood chemistry and growth metrics were measured at the end of the feeding period, but no differences were observed across the different metrics, except for survival. For the pathogen challenges, there were no differences in endpoint mortality for channel catfish with either pathogen (p > .05). In contrast, Nile tilapia survivability to S. iniae infection increased proportionally to the inclusion of DVAQUA (p = .005). Changes to sera lysozyme activity were also noted in the tilapia trial, with a reduction of activity in the fish fed the 0.4% DVAQUA diet compared to the control diet (p = .031). Expression profiles of proinflammatory genes and antibodies were also found to be modulated in channel catfish fed the postbiotic, indicating some degree of protective response. These results suggest that this postbiotic may be beneficial in protecting Nile tilapia against S. iniae infection by influencing immune parameters and additional research is needed to evaluate the potential of this DVAQUA for improving catfish health and disease control.

Anti-IL-13Rα2 therapy promotes recovery in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease.

There continues to be a major need for more effective inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) therapies. IL-13Rα2 is a decoy receptor that binds the cytokine IL-13 with high affinity and diminishes its STAT6-mediated effector functions. Previously, we found that IL-13Rα2 was necessary for IBD in mice deficient in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Here, we tested for the first time a therapeutic antibody specifically targeting IL-13Rα2. We also used the antibody and Il13ra2-/- mice to dissect the role of IL-13Rα2 in IBD pathogenesis and recovery. Il13ra2-/- mice were modestly protected from induction of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Following a 7-day recovery period, Il13ra2-/- mice or wild-type mice administered the IL-13Rα2-neutralizing antibody had significantly improved colon health compared to control mice. Neutralizing IL-13Rα2 to increase IL-13 bioavailability promoted resolution of IBD even if neutralization occurred only during recovery. To link our observations in mice to a large human cohort, we conducted a phenome-wide association study of a more active variant of IL-13 (R130Q) that has reduced affinity for IL-13Rα2. Human subjects carrying R130Q reported a lower risk for Crohn's disease. Our findings endorse moving anti-IL-13Rα2 into preclinical drug development with the goal of accelerating recovery and maintaining remission in Crohn's disease patients.

Sex Offending and Situational Motivation: Findings From a Qualitative Analysis of Desistance From Sexual Offending.

Sex offending is typically understood from a pathology perspective with the origin of the behavior thought to be within the offending individual. Such a perspective may not be beneficial for those seeking to desist from sexual offending and reintegrate into mainstream society. A thematic analysis of 32 self-narratives of men convicted of sexual offences against children suggests that such individuals typically explain their pasts utilizing a script consistent with routine activity theory, emphasizing the role of circumstantial changes in both the onset of and desistance from sexual offending. It is argued that the self-framing of serious offending in this way might be understood as a form of "shame management," a protective cognition that enables desistance by shielding individuals from internalizing stigma for past violence.

Ridge dimensional changes following single-tooth extraction in the aesthetic zone.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to investigate the magnitude of the dimensional changes following extraction of a single tooth in the aesthetic zone over a 6- to 8-week healing period and to examine the degree and pattern of resorption of the buccal bone plate during this time frame. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty subjects who were to have a single tooth in the aesthetic zone extracted and replaced by an implant after a 6-8 week healing period were selected for this study. Hard and soft tissue measurements of the extraction site were obtained pre-extraction and were repeated 6-8 weeks post-extraction at defined points using a key. RESULTS: After a 6- to 8-week healing period, the total ridge thickness in the crestal midline reduced by 15% of the original value. The buccal plate resorbed in an "inverted V shape". Forty-two percentage of subjects had lost 4 mm or more of buccal bone in the midpoint of the extraction socket. DISCUSSION: After a 6- to 8-week healing period post-extraction, there were significant reductions in the hard and soft tissue dimensions of the ridge, most notably on the most coronal mid-buccal aspect. All implants placed required simultaneous augmentation as a result.

Assessing desistance in child molesters: a qualitative analysis.

The aim of the study was to investigate the process of desistance from sexual crime by comparing two groups of child molesters: One group was deemed to be desisting, while men in the other group were deemed as being still potentially active offenders. Men in the desisting group reported being optimistic for the future, reported an enhanced sense of personal agency and a more internalized locus of control, and identified treatment as being a turning point in their lives. In comparison, men in the active group were found to be more pessimistic and were more likely to blame external events, or situations, for their problems. One of the most striking findings of the research was that the desisting group had found a place within a social group or network, unlike the still potentially active offenders who all described a life of social isolation and alienation.

Using protistan examples to dispel the myths of intelligent design.

In recent years the teaching of the religiously based philosophy of intelligent design (ID) has been proposed as an alternative to modern evolutionary theory. Advocates of ID are largely motivated by their opposition to naturalistic explanations of biological diversity, in accordance with their goal of challenging the philosophy of scientific materialism. Intelligent design has been embraced by a wide variety of creationists who promote highly questionable claims that purport to show the inadequacy of evolutionary theory, which they consider to be a threat to a theistic worldview. We find that examples from protistan biology are well suited for providing evidence of many key evolutionary concepts, and have often been misrepresented or roundly ignored by ID advocates. These include examples of adaptations and radiations that are said to be statistically impossible, as well as examples of speciation both in the laboratory and as documented in the fossil record. Because many biologists may not be familiar with the richness of the protist evolution dataset or with ID-based criticisms of evolution, we provide examples of current ID arguments and specific protistan counter-examples.

Distribution and phylogeny of EFL and EF-1alpha in Euglenozoa suggest ancestral co-occurrence followed by differential loss.

BACKGROUND: The eukaryotic elongation factor EF-1alpha (also known as EF1A) catalyzes aminoacyl-tRNA binding by the ribosome during translation. Homologs of this essential protein occur in all domains of life, and it was previously thought to be ubiquitous in eukaryotes. Recently, however, a number of eukaryotes were found to lack EF-1alpha and instead encode a related protein called EFL (for EF-Like). EFL-encoding organisms are scattered widely across the tree of eukaryotes, and all have close relatives that encode EF-1alpha. This intriguingly complex distribution has been attributed to multiple lateral transfers because EFL's near mutual exclusivity with EF-1alpha makes an extended period of co-occurrence seem unlikely. However, differential loss may play a role in EFL evolution, and this possibility has been less widely discussed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have undertaken an EST- and PCR-based survey to determine the distribution of these two proteins in a previously under-sampled group, the Euglenozoa. EF-1alpha was found to be widespread and monophyletic, suggesting it is ancestral in this group. EFL was found in some species belonging to each of the three euglenozoan lineages, diplonemids, kinetoplastids, and euglenids. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Interestingly, the kinetoplastid EFL sequences are specifically related despite the fact that the lineages in which they are found are not sisters to one another, suggesting that EFL and EF-1alpha co-occurred in an early ancestor of kinetoplastids. This represents the strongest phylogenetic evidence to date that differential loss has contributed to the complex distribution of EFL and EF-1alpha.