Silver-induced selective pressure is becoming increasingly important due to the growing use of silver (Ag) as an antimicrobial agent in biomedical and commercial products. With demonstrated links between environmental resistomes and clinical pathogens, it is important to identify microbial profiles related to silver tolerance/resistance. We investigated the effects of ionic Ag stress on soil bacterial communities and identified resistant/persistent bacterial populations. Silver treatments of 50-400 mg Ag kg(-1) soil were established in five soils. Chemical lability measurements using diffusive gradients in thin-film devices confirmed that significant (albeit decreasing) labile Ag concentrations were present throughout the 9-month incubation period. Synchrotron X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy demonstrated that this decreasing lability was due to changes in the Ag speciation to less soluble forms such as Ag(0) and Ag2S. Real-time PCR and Illumina MiSeq screening of 16S rRNA bacterial genes showed β-diversity changes, increasing α-diversity in response to Ag pressure, and immediate and significant reductions in 16S rRNA gene counts with varying degrees of recovery. These effects were more strongly influenced by exposure time than by Ag dose at these rates. Ag-selected dominant OTUs principally resided in known persister taxa (mainly Gram positive), including metal-tolerant bacteria and slow-growing Mycobacteria.Wildlife immune genes are subject to natural selection exerted by pathogens. In contrast, domestic immune genes are largely protected from pathogen selection by veterinary care. Introgression of domestic alleles into the wild could lead to increased disease susceptibility, but observations are scarce due to low introgression rates, low disease prevalence and reduced survival of domestic hybrids. Here we report the first observation of a deleterious effect of domestic introgression on disease prevalence in a free-living large mammal. A fraction of 462 randomly sampled free-living European wild boar (Sus scrofa) was genetically identified as recent wild boar-domestic pig hybrids based on 351 SNP data. Analysis of antibody prevalence against the bacterial pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (Mhyo) showed an increased Mhyo prevalence in wild-domestic hybrids. We argue that the most likely mechanism explaining the observed association between domestic hybrid status and Mhyo antibody prevalence would be introgression of deleterious domestic alleles. We hypothesise that large-scale use of antibiotics in the swine breeding sector may have played a role in shaping the relatively deleterious properties of domestic swine immune genes and that domestic introgression may also lead to increased wildlife disease susceptibility in the case of other species.Although wild boar can act as a persistent Aujeszky's disease (AD) reservoir, limited data are available on long-term epidemiology in free-ranging wild boar living in areas where industrial swine herds are limited. Hence, this study provides crucial information, which fills this knowledge gap, on the natural dynamics of AD infection. From 3260 sera sampled during eight hunting seasons, 162 (4.97%) were tested positive. Factors, including the animal's age class, and the sampling year, had significant effects on the probability of the wild boar being seropositive, while wild boar mean abundance per area, yearly abundance and the total number of pig farms, as well as interactions among age, year and sex, were not significant. In particular, a positive trend of seroprevalence was observed over the years, with values ranging from 2.1 to 10.8%. This long-term surveillance showed an increase in seroprevalence with a higher probability of being seropositive in older individuals and the independence of wild boar seropositivity from the likelihood of contact with pigs in the area.Taphonomy is an important consideration in the reconstruction of past environments and events. Taphonomic alterations and processes are commonly encountered on human skeletal remains in both archaeological and forensic contexts. It is these processes that can alter the appearance of bone after death and the properties of the bones influence their reaction to these processes thus leading to differential preservation within a skeletal sample, none more so than the remains of children. This study investigates the skeletal preservation of 790 child and adolescent skeletons from six contrasting early and late medieval cemeteries from Britain in an attempt to assess whether geographical location and geology had an effect on the overall preservation of the skeletons. Skeletons were examined from six cemeteries, namely; Auldhame in Scotland, Edix Hill and Great Chesterford from Cambridgeshire; St Oswald's Priory from Gloucester and Wharram Percy from Yorkshire, and finally, the site of Llandough in Wales. The state of preservation was assessed using the anatomical preservation index (AP1), qualitative bone index (QBI) and the bone representation index (BRI). Also the presence of natural and artificial taphonomic processes was recorded for each skeleton. The results show a specific pattern of preservation and representation for non-adult remains across all sites with some differences in the states of preservation from different geographical locations and geological influences. Children under two years of age were found to be less affected by taphonomic processes than their older counterparts.
This study investigated the mRNA expression pattern and distribution of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT3A, 5-HT4, and 5-HT7 within the urothelium and detrusor of normal bladder tissue and in the urothelium of bladders from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Normal urinary bladder specimens were obtained from 13 patients undergoing radical cystectomy due to bladder cancer (normal group) and BPH specimens were obtained from 27 benign prostatic obstruction patients receiving transurethral prostatectomy or retropubic prostatectomy. Receptor subtype mRNA expression was determined by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction on urothelium, detrusor, and whole mucosal preparations. Receptor distribution was determined by immunohistochemistry.

In normal tissues, expressions of 5-HT2B and 5-HT7 receptor mRNAs in the urothelium, detrusor, and whole mucosa were greater than the average expression for all receptor subtype mRNAs. 5-HT2B receptor protein was dilower.

Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation.
Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation.
A growing body of evidence suggests that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) has both physiological and pathological functions in the lower urinary tract. A wide variety of 5-HT receptor subtypes are variably expressed in different organs, both peripheral and central. On urinary bladder smooth muscle, 5-HT1A, 5-HT2, 5-HT3, and 5-HT7 subtypes could function as postjunctional receptors. Postjunctional 5-HT2 receptors induce detrusor contraction of the bladder body. 5-HT1A is suggested to have a similar effect to 5-HT2, while 5-HT3 might suppress detrusor contraction evoked by direct muscle stimulation. Postjunctional 5-HT7 is reported to induce relaxation of the bladder neck, which might be required for efficient voiding. 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, and 5-HT7 subtypes also could act as prejunctional receptors in autonomic excitatory nerve terminals. 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, and 5-HT7 subtypes facilitate the neurogenic contraction of the detrusor by enhancing cholinergic or purinergic transmission, whereas 5-HT1A receptors might inhibit the release of acetylcholine in the detrusor. Furthermore, 5-HT1D could be involved in the suppression of ATP release from the urothelium, aiding visceral sensation of the urinary bladder. In the central pathways controlling the micturition reflex, 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT7 are involved in regulation of bladder and urethral sphincter activities. Their functions, especially that of 5-HT1A, vary in a species- and site (spinal or supraspinal)- dependent manner. In addition to urinary bladder, 5-HT could be involved in prostate contraction and cell proliferation. Evidence indicates that 5-HT receptor subtypes may be novel therapeutic targets for lower urinary tract symptoms.

Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (KAKENHI 23590707, 24590722, and 26460694) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (KAKENHI 23590707, 24590722, and 26460694) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.Water Droplet Erosion (WDE) as a material degradation phenomenon has been a concern in power generation industries for decades. Steam turbine blades and the compressor blades of gas turbines that use water injection usually suffer from WDE. The present work focuses on studying erosion resistance of TiAl as a potential alloy for turbine blades compared to Ti6Al4V, a frequently used blade alloy. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/kg-501-2-naphthol-as-e-phosphate.html Their erosion behaviour is investigated at different droplet impact speeds to determine the relation between erosion performance and impact speed. It is found that the relationship is governed by a power law equation, ER ~ V(n), where the speed exponent is 7-9 for Ti6Al4V and 11-13 for TiAl. There is a contrast between the observed speed exponent in this work and the ones reported in the literature for Ti6Al4V. It is attributed to the different erosion setups and impingement conditions such as different droplet sizes. To verify this, the erosion experiments were performed at two different droplet sizes, 464 and 603 μm. TiAl showed superior erosion resistance in all erosion conditions; however, its erosion performance exhibits higher sensitivity to the impact speed compared to Ti6Al4V. It means that aggressive erosion conditions decrease the WDE resistance superiority of TiAl.
To assess the immediate effect of alcohol promoting and alcohol warning advertisements on implicit and explicit attitudes towards alcohol and on alcohol seeking behaviour.

We conducted a between-participants online experiment in which participants were randomly assigned to view one of three sets of advertisements (a) alcohol promoting, (b) alcohol warning, or (c) unrelated to alcohol. A total of 373 participants (59.5% female) aged 18-40 (M = 28.03) living in the UK were recruited online through a research agency. Positive and negative implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes towards alcohol were assessed before and after advertisements were viewed. Alcohol seeking behaviour was measured by participants' choice of either an alcohol-related or non-alcohol-related voucher offered ostensibly as a reward for participation. Self-reported past week alcohol consumption was also recorded.

There were no main effects on any of the outcome measures. In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol promoting advertisements increased positive implicit attitudes (standardized beta = 0.15, P = 0.04) and decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = -0.17, P = 0.02). In heavier drinkers, viewing alcohol warning advertisements decreased negative implicit attitudes (standardized beta = -0.19, P = 0.01).

Viewing alcohol promoting advertisements has a cognitive impact on heavier drinkers, increasing positive and reducing negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol. Viewing alcohol warning advertisements reduces negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol in heavier drinkers, suggestive of a reactance effect.
Viewing alcohol promoting advertisements has a cognitive impact on heavier drinkers, increasing positive and reducing negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol. Viewing alcohol warning advertisements reduces negative implicit attitudes towards alcohol in heavier drinkers, suggestive of a reactance effect.