High Resistance Research Articles

Characteristics of Nontyphoid Salmonella Isolated from Human, Environmental, Animal, and Food Samples in Burkina Faso: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Salmonella is one of the world's leading causes of zoonotic and foodborne illnesses. Recently, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become one of the most critical challenges to public health and food safety. Herein, we employed a meta-analysis to determine the pooled prevalence and spatiotemporal distribution of serovars and antimicrobial resistance in NTS in Burkina Faso. To find eligible articles, a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, African Journals Online, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and the gray literature (university libraries) in Burkina was conducted for the period from 2008 to 2020. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and assessed for risk of bias. To assess the temporal and spatial relationships between serotypes and resistant strains from humans, animals, food, and the environment, a random-effects statistical model meta-analysis was carried out using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Version 3.0 program. The NTS prevalence rates were 4.6% (95% CI: 3-7) and 20.1% (95% CI: 6.6-47.4) in humans and animals, respectively, and 16.8% (95% CI: 10.5-25.8) and 15.6% (95% CI: 8.2-27.5) in food and the environment, respectively. Most NTS serovars were S. Derby, reported both in food and animals, and S. Typhimurium, reported in humans, while S. Croft II, S. Jodpur II, and S. Kentucky were the most prevalent in the environment. NTS isolates were highly resistant to erythromycin, amoxicillin, cefixime, and cephalothin, with a pooled prevalence of multidrug resistance of 29% (95% CI: 14.5-49.5). The results of this review show a high diversity of Salmonella serotypes, as well as high antibiotic resistance in Salmonella isolates from animal, human, food, and environmental samples in Burkina, calling for a consolidated "One Health" approach to better understand the drivers of pathogen emergence, spread, and antimicrobial resistance, as well as the formulation of intervention measures needed to limit the risk associated with the disease.

Ecosystem level carbon and moisture fluxes from a high biomass fibre producing jute crop (Corchorus olitorius L): An eddy covariance-based analysis

ContextJute (Corchorus olitorius L) is the second-largest natural fibre producing crop in the world and plays a key role in the rural economy of South Asia particularly India and Bangladesh. It has diverse use due to its long length, lusture, biodegradability, high tensile strength, heat resistance and bendability. Jute is also fast-growing high biomass crop and quantification of the carbon / moisture exchanges is need of the hour towards its sustainability. ObjectiveThe study aims at quantitative estimation of the ecosystem level CO2 and H2O exchanges at diurnal, daily, and seasonal scales from jute crop cultivated in the alluvial soil of the Gangetic delta under a tropical hot and moist sub-humid climate during the years 2021–23. MethodsAn eddy covariance flux tower with suite of meteorological sensors were established at the jute growing farm to assess the high frequency ecosystem level exchanges of CO2, H2O and biometeorological parameters. Concurrent crop bio-physical parameters were also measured. The flux data were processed, quality checked, gap-filled and partitioned to construct seamless time-series of half-hourly fluxes for further analysis towards its dynamics, driving parameters, photosynthetic response and derived eco-physiological parameters. ResultsThe half-hourly CO2 fluxes exhibited significant variations across different growth stages of the jute crop, reaching peak values during the fibre development to maturity stages [mean Net Ecosystem CO2 Exchange (NEE) ranging from −20 to −22 µmol m−2 s−1; mean Gross Primary Production (GPP) ranging from 25 to 30 µmol m−2 s−1; and mean Ecosystem Respiration (Reco) ranging from 8 to 10 µmol m−2 s−1]. Seasonal GPP values was found to be high (902–1038 gC m−2) with moderate NEE value of −150 to −223 gC m−2. Seasonal mean Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency (EWUE) was high (2.5–2.7 gC kg−1 H2O) compared to other C3 crop. The daily Crop Coefficient (Kc) peaked at 1–1.2 during 90–110 Days After Sowing (DAS), indicative of high physiological activities. ConclusionDespite relatively short crop duration but high biomass (peak Leaf Area Index, LAI ∼6 m2m−2), the jute crop proved to be a robust gross CO2 sink. Due to the rapid growth, the jute crop allocates a significant portion of GPP as Reco (78–84 %), resulting in a relatively lower seasonal NEE. The high EWUE coupled with a net positive CO2 exchange positioned jute as a potential climate-resilient crop. This study provides valuable insights into the ecosystem exchanges of the jute crop, which in turn contribute to the global carbon and moisture budget.

High Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of MRSA and Acinetobacter spp. among Healthcare Personnel and Neonatal Units: Implications for Infection Control and Hygiene Protocols

High Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of MRSA and Acinetobacter spp. among Healthcare Personnel and Neonatal Units: Implications for Infection Control and Hygiene Protocols

Si, O-Codoped Carbonized Polymer Dots with High Chemiresistive Gas Sensing Performance at Room Temperature.

A new type of carbonized polymer dot was prepared by the one-step hydrothermal method of triethoxylsilane (TEOS) and citric acid (CA). The sensor made from carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) showed superior gas sensing performance toward ammonia at room temperature. The Si, O-codoped CPDs exhibited superior ammonia sensing performance at room temperature, including a low practical limit of detection (pLOD) of 1 ppm (Ra/Rg: 1.10, 1 ppm), short response/recovery time (30/36 s, 1 ppm), high humidity resistance (less than 5% undulation when changing relative humidity to 80 from 30%), high stability (less than 5% initial response undulation after 120 days), reliable repeatability, and high selectivity against other interferential gases. The gas sensing mechanism was investigated through control experiments and in situ FTIR, indicating that Si, O-codoping essentially improves the electron transfer capability of CPDs and synergistically dominates the superior ammonia sensing properties of the CPDs. This work presents a facile strategy for constructing novel high-performance, single-component carbonized polymer dots for gas sensing.

Laser surface cladding of CoNiCrAlY as Bond Coat on INCONEL718 substrate for thermal barrier coating application

This study delves into laser surface cladding of CoNiCrAlY onto Inconel718 employing a 6.6 kW continuous wave diode laser with varying process parameters. The resulting microstructure, microhardness, and isothermal oxidation resistance are meticulously assessed. Laser surface cladding yields a defect free microstructure with the presence of gamma (γ), gamma prime (γ’) and beta (β) phases. There is negligible dilution at the interface with a minimum HAZ. The average microhardness of the clad zone ranges from 425 to 465 HV, increasing with increase in scan speed and decrease in power. The high temperature oxidation resistance property of the clad surface is superior to the same developed by high velocity oxy fuel spraying.

Hand Washing Practices and Antibiotic Susceptibility of Palmar Bacterial Flora in a Tertiary Education Institution in Nigeria

Introduction: Hand hygiene is one of the most effective and inexpensive means of preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Rates of handwashing worldwide are low, and poor handwashing practices in universities remain a public health challenge. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the practice of handwashing, the microbial communities, and the susceptibility pattern of micro-organisms isolated from the palms of students of the Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun, Nigeria. Methods: A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to retrieve data. A self-administered questionnaire was utilised to gather socio-demographic characteristics and the practice scale of handwashing from the respondents. Isolation and identification were carried out by culture-based surveys and biochemical tests. Disk diffusion was used to determine susceptibility. Results: The majority of respondents were between ages 21–25 years, with 54.3% of them being female. About half of individuals never used an alcohol-based hand sanitiser, while only 4.9% of respondents admitted to always using soap to wash their hands. Presumptive identification of the organisms showed 38.1% of organisms as Staphylococcus epidermidis and 17.58% as Micrococcus spp. None of the antibiotics showed total efficacy. The resistance to chloramphenicol was low, and <50% of the isolates showed resistance to tetracycline, novobiocin, and sulphonamide. Resistance to nalidixic acid was seen in 58.4% of organisms tested, and 77.75% were susceptible to tetracycline. Conclusion: Instances of improper hand hygiene were high, and this may increase the spread of micro-organisms through hand carriage. High resistance to the antibiotics tested was prevalent. Local trends of antimicrobial resistance must be robustly studied and proper interventions developed.

Impact of nanohybrid on the performance of non-reinforced biocomposites and glass-fiber reinforced biocomposites: Synthesis, mechanical properties, and fire behavior

Biobased polymers are gaining increasing popularity particularly within key industries such as construction and building materials. However, glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites (GFRCs) based on biobased epoxy thermoset are inherently vulnerable against fire, producing huge fire hazards and eventually loss of structural integrity. In this work, a cobalt-based nanohybrid filler (CNH) was designed and synthesized to act as a high-performance synergist for biobased epoxy resin when combined with phosphorous flame retardants (FRs). An optimized formulation was found, resulting in a flame-retarded epoxy resin with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of 39.7 % and a V 0 rating in the vertical burning test. The GFRCs were then fabricated with optimized formulation. Interestingly, results showed that the percentage of peak heat release (PHRR) rate reduction was retarded from 74 % for the mixed resin to 36 % for GFRCs, potentially due to the interference of glass fiber. The optimized laminate with CNH showed improved mechanical properties at ambient temperature. Additionally, delayed time-to-failure values were found when sample coupons with CNH were subjected to a constant axial force loading while being ignited and burning, indicating higher resistance against fire for mechanical integrity.

Chronic kidney disease: a contraindication for using biodegradable magnesium or its alloys as potential orthopedic implants?

Magnesium (Mg) has gained widespread recognition as a potential revolutionary orthopedic biomaterial. However, whether the biodegradation of the Mg-based orthopedic implants would pose a risk to patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains undetermined as the kidney is a key organ regulating mineral homeostasis. A rat CKD model was established by a 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy approach, followed by intramedullary implantation of three types of pins: stainless steel, high pure Mg with high corrosion resistance, and the Mg–Sr–Zn alloy with a fast degradation rate. The long-term biosafety of the biodegradable Mg or its alloys as orthopedic implants were systematically evaluated. During an experimental period of 12 weeks, the implantation did not result in a substantial rise of Mg ion concentration in serum or major organs such as hearts, livers, spleens, lungs, or kidneys. No pathological changes were observed in organs using various histological techniques. No significantly increased iNOS-positive cells or apoptotic cells in these organs were identified. The biodegradable Mg or its alloys as orthopedic implants did not pose an extra health risk to CKD rats at long-term follow-up, suggesting that these biodegradable orthopedic devices might be suitable for most target populations, including patients with CKD.

Synthesis of HZSM-5@activated carbon for improving aromatic production from catalytic pyrolysis of biomass

HZSM-5 widely used for the catalytic pyrolysis of biomass exhibits the drawbacks of high diffusion resistance and large coke production. To effectively enhance the catalytic efficiency and alleviate the coke deposition, a novel promising catalyst, HZSM-5 coated activated carbon (HZSM-5@AC), was prepared for the first time for in-line upgrading the pyrolysis products of soybean straw. Various catalysts including HZSM-5, activated carbon, and the HZSM-5@AC catalysts with different HZSM-5 to activated carbon mass ratios were characterized. The results showed that the HZSM-5 was successfully coated on the surface of activated carbon and the addition of activated carbon introduced a mesoporous structure and more acidic sites to the catalyst. The catalytic performance on the biomass conversion showed that the catalyst with HZSM-5-to-activated carbon mass ratio of 18:5 (18HZSM-5@5AC) had the highest catalytic efficiency on the conversion of biomass into aromatics with a selectivity of 99.5%, including 75.68% of benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) with a yield of 74.68 mg/g. Moreover, a possible pathway for HZSM-5@AC catalyzed biomass pyrolysis was proposed through analyzing the conversion of model compounds. The catalyst cycling experiments demonstrated the higher stability of HZSM-5@AC than the parent HZSM-5 and activated carbon. TG, FTIR, Raman and SEM showed that the spent HZSM-5@AC was hardly structurally changed with a low coke yield of 0.08%. However, the spent HZSM-5 was partly structurally deactivated by large aromatic ring systems with a coke yield of 3.74%. SEM results also showed that a large amount of polymerized material encapsulated the surface of the spent HZSM-5.

Impact of hot rolling on the evolution of microstructure and mechanical properties of sintered commercially pure Ti compacts

While titanium (Ti) alloys offer significant advantages, such as high strength and corrosion resistance, their widespread utilization in various engineering sectors is hindered by their prohibitively high cost, which is attributed to expensive equipment and complex preparation processes. The present study centered on assessing the influence of multi-pass hot rolling, a commonly available industrial process, on the microstructure and mechanical properties of sintered powder metallurgy commercially pure Ti (cp-Ti). With increasing levels of accumulated deformation, the rolled materials exhibited a refined grain size, the formation of twins, and a reduced residual porosity, resulting in a tailored microstructure that enhanced the material's balance between strength and ductility. The ultimate tensile strength reached 574.8 MPa, with an elongation at break of 28.1%. The hardness peaked at 196.4 HV.

Multiphase Symbiotic Engineered Elastic Ceramic-Carbon Aerogels with Advanced Thermal Protection in Extreme Oxidative Environments.

Elastic aerogels could dissipate aerodynamic forces and thermal stresses by reversible slipping or deforming to avoid sudden failure caused by stress concentration, making them the most promising candidates for thermal protection in high-end aerospace applications. However, existing elastic aerogels face difficulties achieving reliable protection above 1500°C in aerobic environments due to their poor thermomechanical stability and significantly increased thermal conductivity at elevated temperatures. Here, we propose a multiphase sequence and multiscale structural engineering strategy to synthesize mullite-carbon hybrid nanofibrous aerogels. The heterogeneous symbiotic effect between components simultaneously inhibits ceramic crystalline coarsening and carbon thermal etching, thus ensuring the thermal stability of the nanofiber building blocks. Efficient load transfer and high interfacial thermal resistance at crystalline-amorphous phase boundaries on the microscopic scale, coupled with mesoscale lamellar cellular and locally closed-pore structures, achieve rapid stress dissipation and thermal energy attenuation in aerogels. This robust thermal protection material system is compatible with ultralight density (30mg cm-3), reversible compression strain of 60%, extraordinary thermomechanical stability (up to 1600°C in oxidative environments), and ultralow thermal conductivity (50.58mW m-1 K-1 at 300 °C), offering new options and possibilities to cope with the harsh operating environments faced by future space exploration. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Flexible pressure sensor based on Pt/PI network with high sensitivity and high thermal resistance

The increasing development of wearable electronics necessitates the urgent need for highly sensitive flexible pressure sensors suitable for harsh environments at high/low temperatures, thus meeting the specific requirements of wilderness survival, lunar exploration, mine exploration, and so on. Herein, a flexible piezoresistive sensor based on 3D Pt/PI fibrous network is prepared through the electrospinning and ion-sputtering techniques, demonstrating excellent sensing performance over a wide temperature range from liquid nitrogen temperature to 250 °C. The 3D Pt/PI pressure sensor achieves high sensitivity of 158.23 kPa−1 at room temperature, and remains remarkable sensitivity of 71.47 kPa−1 and 7.63 kPa−1 at 150 °C and 250 °C, respectively. Furthermore, benefiting from the hydrophobicity of the Pt/PI fibrous network, the sensitivity of the pressure sensor stabilizes in about 148 ± 10 kPa−1 under relative humidity from 30 % to 90 %, indicating humidity-independent sensing performance. As a proof of concept, the fabricated piezoresistive sensor can be not only monitor the human physiological information in real-time, but also detect external mechanical stimuli at high/low temperatures, demonstrating great potential for application in harsh environments.

Economically competitive Organic Acid‐Base mixtures as Catalysts for the Self‐Condensation of Diols into Polyethers

AbstractOrganocatalysts are used in a wide range of polymerisation reactions with the advantage of being often more benign or sustainable, while maintaining high catalytic activity. However, the low thermal stability of most of these compounds remain an obstacle for high temperature reactions. It was recently reported that complexes formed from a base such as 1,4,7‐triazabicyclodecene (TBD) and an acid such as methane sulfonic acid (MSA) demonstrate high thermal stability while efficiently catalysing polycondensation reactions. However, TBD is not cost‐efficient neither available at industrial scale, which makes it unfit for scaling up. Herein, eight different bases have been investigated to replace TBD. First, we confirmed the complex formation between the MSA and the base by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy while confirming the thermal stability of the mixtures by thermogravimetric analysis before evaluating their catalytic activity in the self‐condensation of 1,6‐hexanediol. Among the different investigated bases, 1,1,3,3‐tetramethyl guanidine (TMG) appeared to be the most appropriate option since it gathers both high thermal stability and good catalytic activity. These characteristics make TMG suitable for replacing TBD in the self‐condensation of diols while opening the way for being used in a wide range of high temperature (de)polymerisation reactions.

Controlling polydopamine deposition morphology on the surface of poly(vinylidene fluoride) microfiltration membranes for improved oil-water filtration performance

Herein, we studied the effect of adding into water-dopamine mixture a small amount of the fourth generation of bis-MPA based Boltorn™ hyperbranched polyol polyester (H40) or inorganic nanolayered compound MXene on the development of polydopamine (PDA) coating morphology on the surface of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration membranes targeting to further enhance their oil fouling resistance and oil-in-water (O/W) filtration performance. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Water Contact Angle (WCA) techniques were used for characterization of the modified surfaces. The pure water and (O/W) tight emulsion filtration testing was conducted using a custom-made dead-end filtration setup. It was shown that in the case of dopamine only treatment, the formed on the surface PDA coating largely showed a planar, homogeneous growth which tended to envelope not only the membrane surface irregularities but also the pores thus greatly reducing their size and compromising the permeate flux despite significantly improved surface hydrophilicity. Adding either MXene or H40 into water-dopamine mixture rendered a beneficial effect on the membrane oil fouling resistance and permeation/filtration characteristics. The most spectacular, a hitherto not reported effect was observed after adding into water-dopamine mixture the H40 polymer. In contrast to the planar PDA deposition, the coating morphology in this case consisted of fused together tiny PDA clumps. The ‘clumpy’ PDA coating made less pore blockage and the membranes demonstrated many times greater flux either for pure water or emulsion permeate than after using dopamine only or dopamine with MXene treatments while continued to exhibit oleophobic behavior and high resistance to oil fouling over multiple filtration cycles. The potential nucleating role of this hyperbranched polymer in the development of the PDA clumps is discussed.

Extreme condition-tolerant stretchable flexible supercapacitor and triboelectric nanogenerator based on carrageenan-enhanced gel for energy storage, energy collection and self-powered sensing

As flexible electronics devices for energy storage, mechanical energy collection and self-powered sensing, stretchable flexible supercapacitor and triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) have attracted extensive attention. However, it is difficult to satisfy the requirements of high safety and resistance to extreme conditions. Dual roles of mechanical and electrical enhancement of inorganic salt are put forward, and a carrageenan (CG) enhanced poly (N-hydroxyethyl acrylamide)/CG/lithium chloride/glycerol (PCLG) conductive gel is prepared by designing hydrogen bonding self-crosslinking and chain entanglement. A high concentration and rapid deposition strategy is proposed to prepare a PCLG gel-based stretchable flexible all-in-one supercapacitor for energy storage, and a single electrode PCLG gel-based TENG is designed for mechanical energy collection, self-powered strain and tactile sensing. The supercapacitor has high capacitance, excellent cycling stability. The TENG possesses efficient energy harvesting with high and stable output voltage and power density, and sensitive and stable self-powered strain and tactile sensing without external power supply. Even under extreme conditions such as low temperatures, self-healing after damage, prolonged placement, deformation, post-deformation, multiple continuous work, pinprick and burning, the supercapacitor and TENG still have excellent properties. Therefore, we provide novel ideas to design flexible supercapacitor and TENG used under extreme conditions for future wearable electronics.

Boosting anions storage via union of in-situ N doping and mesoporous hollow hard carbon nanospheres for advanced dual-ion capacitors

High structural strength in-situ N-doped mesoporous hollow hard carbon nanospheres (NMHS) is prepared to overcome the low anions storage capacity (93 mAh g−1) of easy exfoliated graphite for dual-ion capacitors (DICs). The rich mesoporous structure facilitates the anions diffusion, and the hollow cavity provides expansion space in storage and weakens the high diffusion resistance in the nuclear bulge. With the synergistic effect, The NMHS delivers a high reversible capacity of 100 mAh g−1 with a low decay of 8 % over 5000 cycles at 2 A g−1. In-situ Raman reveals the storage mechanism on hard carbon is “adsorption (major)-intercalation (minor)”. DFT calculations decode the effective storage action of graphitic N and pyridinic N. Consequently, the assembled NMHS-DICs exhibit good long-cycle performance and heterotherm stability, providing a high energy/power density of 200 Wh kg−1 and 11858 W kg−1. This work verifies a feasible cathode design strategy with future application potential on DICs.

Achieving in-situ Fe-based spherical particles for magnetic abrasive finishing process of Zirconium tube via gas nitriding method

The magnetic abrasive powders have great influence on the magnetic abrasive finishing accuracy and efficiency. A new kind of Fe-based spherical magnetic abrasive particles with Fe2N precipitates and Fe4N matrix was successfully synthesized by gas nitriding. The results show that the prepared Fe-based magnetic abrasive particles can reduce the roughness of the Zirconium tube from 0.325 to 0.154 μm by four MAF passes. The high hardness and wear resistance of the Fe-based magnetic abrasive particles are assessed based on the Vickers hardness and nanoindentation results. This study can provide theoretical and experimental support for fabricating high-performance magnetic abrasive particles.

Maternal-fetal interfaces transcriptome changes associated with placental insufficiency and a novel gene therapy intervention.

The etiology of fetal growth restriction (FGR) is multifactorial, although many cases often involve placental insufficiency. Placental insufficiency is associated with inadequate trophoblast invasion resulting in high resistance to blood flow, decreased availability of nutrients, and increased hypoxia. We have developed a non-viral, polymer-based nanoparticle that facilitates delivery and transient gene expression of human insulin-like 1 growth factor ( hIGF1 ) in placental trophoblast for the treatment of placenta insufficiency and FGR. Using the established guinea pig maternal nutrient restriction (MNR) model of placental insufficiency and FGR, the aim of the study was to identify novel pathways in the sub-placenta/decidua that provide insight into the underlying mechanism driving placental insufficiency, and may be corrected with hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment. Pregnant guinea pigs underwent ultrasound-guided sham or hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment at mid-pregnancy, and sub-placenta/decidua tissue was collected 5 days later. Transcriptome analysis was performed using RNA Sequencing on the Illumina platform. The MNR sub-placenta/decidua demonstrated fewer maternal spiral arteries lined by trophoblast, shallower trophoblast invasion and downregulation of genelists involved in the regulation of cell migration. hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment resulted in marked changes to transporter activity in the MNR + hIGF1 sub-placenta/decidua when compared to sham MNR. Under normal growth conditions however, hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment decreased genelists enriched for kinase signaling pathways and increased genelists enriched for proteolysis indicative of homeostasis. Overall, this study identified changes to the sub-placenta/decidua transcriptome that likely result in inadequate trophoblast invasion and increases our understanding of pathways that hIGF1 nanoparticle treatment acts on in order to restore or maintain appropriate placenta function.

Species prevalence, virulence genes, and antibiotic resistance of enterococci from food-producing animals at a slaughterhouse in Turkey

Healthy cattle, sheep, and goats can be reservoirs for gastrointestinal pathogenic fecal enterococci, some of which could be multidrug-resistant to antimicrobials. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and diversity of Enterococcus species in healthy sheep, goat, and cattle carcasses, as well as to analyze the antimicrobial resistance phenotype/genotype and the virulence gene content. During 2019–2020, carcass surface samples were collected from 150 ruminants in a slaughterhouse. A total of 90 enterococci, comprising five species, were obtained. The overall prevalence of enterococci was found to be 60%, out of which 37.7% were identified as Enterococcus (E.) hirae, 33.3% as E. casseliflavus, 15.5% as E. faecium, 12.2% as E. faecalis, and 1.1% as E. gallinarum. Virulence-associated genes of efaA (12.2%) were commonly observed in the Enterococcus isolates, followed by gelE (3.3%), asaI (3.3%), and ace (2.2%). High resistance to quinupristin-dalfopristin (28.8%), tetracycline (21.1%), ampicillin (20%), and rifampin (15.5%) was found in two, four, four, and five of the Enterococcus species group, respectively. The resistance of Enterococcus isolates to 11 antibiotic groups was determined and multidrug resistant (MDR) strains were found in 18.8% of Enterococcus isolates. Characteristic resistance genes were identified by PCR with an incidence of 6.6%, 2.2%, 1.1%, 1.1%, 1.1%, and 1.1% for the tetM, ermB, ermA, aac(6ʹ)Ie-aph(2")-la, VanC1, and VanC2 genes in Enterococcus isolates, respectively. Efflux pump genes causing multidrug resistance were detected in Enterococcus isolates (34.4%). The results showed that there were enterococci in the slaughterhouse with a number of genes linked to virulence that could be harmful to human health.

Consuming royal jelly alters several phenotypes associated with overwintering dormancy in mosquitoes.

Females of the Northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens, enter an overwintering dormancy, or diapause, in response to short day lengths and low environmental temperatures that is characterized by small egg follicles and high starvation resistance. During diapause, Culex pipiens Major Royal Jelly Protein 1 ortholog (CpMRJP1) is upregulated in females of Cx. pipiens. This protein is highly abundant in royal jelly, a substance produced by honey bees (Apis mellifera), that is fed to future queens throughout larval development and induces the queen phenotype (e.g., high reproductive activity and longer lifespan). However, the role of CpMRJP1 in Cx. pipiens is unknown. We first conducted a phylogenetic analysis to determine how the sequence of CpMRJP1 compares with other species. We then investigated how supplementing the diets of both diapausing and nondiapausing females of Cx. pipiens with royal jelly affects egg follicle length, fat content, protein content, starvation resistance, and metabolic profile. We found that feeding royal jelly to females reared in long-day, diapause-averting conditions significantly reduced the egg follicle lengths and switched their metabolic profiles to be similar to diapausing females. In contrast, feeding royal jelly to females reared in short-day, diapause-inducing conditions significantly reduced lifespan and switched their metabolic profile to be similar nondiapausing mosquitoes. Moreover, RNAi directed against CpMRJPI significantly increased egg follicle length of short-day reared females, suggesting that these females averted diapause. Taken together, our data show that consuming royal jelly reverses several key seasonal phenotypes of Cx. pipiens and that these responses are likely mediated in part by CpMRJP1.