Development and Validation of a UPLC-MS/MS Method to Monitor Cephapirin Excretion in Dairy Cows following Intramammary Infusion

Cephapirin, a cephalosporin antibiotic, is used by the majority of dairy farms in the US. Fecal and urinary excretion of cephapirin could introduce this compound into the environment when manure is land applied as fertilizer, and may cause development of bacterial resistance to antibiotics critical for human health. The environmental loading of cephapirin by the livestock industry remains un-assessed, largely due to a lack of appropriate analytical methods. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a cephapirin quantification method to capture the temporal pattern of cephapirin excretion in dairy cows following intramammary infusion. The method includes an extraction with phosphate buffer and methanol, solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up, and quantification using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The LOQ values of the developed method were 4.02 µg kg⁻¹ and 0.96 µg L⁻¹ for feces and urine, respectively. This robust method recovered >60% and >80% cephapirin from spiked blank fecal and urine samples, respectively, with acceptable intra- and inter-day variation (<10%). Using this method, we detected trace amounts (µg kg⁻¹) of cephapirin in dairy cow feces, and cephapirin in urine was detected at very high concentrations (133 to 480 µg L⁻¹). Cephapirin was primarily excreted via urine and its urinary excretion was influenced by day (P = 0.03). Peak excretion (2.69 mg) was on day 1 following intramammary infusion and decreased sharply thereafter (0.19, 0.19, 0.08, and 0.17 mg on day 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively) reflecting a quadratic pattern of excretion (Quadratic: P = 0.03). The described method for quantification of cephapirin in bovine feces and urine is sensitive, accurate, and robust and allowed to monitor the pattern of cephapirin excretion in dairy cows. This data will help develop manure segregation and treatment methods to minimize the risk of antibiotic loading to the environment from dairy farms.     

MODY 2: Mutation identification and molecular ancestry in a Brazilian family

Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) is a heterogeneous group of genetic diseases characterized by a primary defect in insulin secretion and hyperglycemia, non-ketotic disease, monogenic autosomal dominant mode of inheritance, age at onset less than 25 years, and lack of auto-antibodies. It accounts for 2–5% of all cases of non-type 1 diabetes. MODY subtype 2 is caused by mutations in the glucokinase (GCK) gene. In this study, we sequenced the GCK gene of two volunteers with clinical diagnosis for MODY2 and we were able to identify four mutations including one for a premature stop codon (c.76C>T). Based on these results, we have developed a specific PCR-RFLP assay to detect this mutation and tested 122 related volunteers from the same family. This mutation in the GCK gene was detected in 21 additional subjects who also had the clinical features of this genetic disease. In conclusion, we identified new GCK gene mutations in a Brazilian family of Italian descendance, with one due to a premature stop codon located in the second exon of the gene. We also developed a specific assay that is fast, cheap and reliable to detect this mutation. Finally, we built a molecular ancestry model based on our results for the migration of individuals carrying this genetic mutation from Northern Italy to Brazil.     

The role of nutrition on epigenetic modifications and their implications on health

Nutrition plays a key role in many aspects of health and dietary imbalances are major determinants of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and cancer. Adequate nutrition is particularly essential during critical periods in early life (both pre- and postnatal). In this regard, there is extensive epidemiologic and experimental data showing that early sub-optimal nutrition can have health consequences several decades later.     

A DNA Damage Checkpoint Pathway Coordinates the Division of Dikaryotic Cells in the Ink Cap Mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea

The fungal fruiting body or mushroom is a multicellular structure essential for sexual reproduction. It is composed of dikaryotic cells that contain one haploid nucleus from each mating partner sharing the same cytoplasm without undergoing nuclear fusion. In the mushroom, the pileus bears the hymenium, a layer of cells that includes the specialized basidia in which nuclear fusion, meiosis, and sporulation occur. Coprinopsis cinerea is a well-known model fungus used to study developmental processes associated with the formation of the fruiting body. Here we describe that knocking down the expression of Atr1 and Chk1, two kinases shown to be involved in the response to DNA damage in a number of eukaryotic organisms, dramatically impairs the ability to develop fruiting bodies in C. cinerea, as well as other developmental decisions such as sclerotia formation. These developmental defects correlated with the impairment in silenced strains to sustain an appropriated dikaryotic cell cycle. Dikaryotic cells in which chk1 or atr1 genes were silenced displayed a higher level of asynchronous mitosis and as a consequence aberrant cells carrying an unbalanced dose of nuclei. Since fruiting body initiation is dependent on the balanced mating-type regulator doses present in the dikaryon, we believe that the observed developmental defects were a consequence of the impaired cell cycle in the dikaryon. Our results suggest a connection between the DNA damage response cascade, cell cycle regulation, and developmental processes in this fungus.     

Free-living amoebae promote Candida auris survival and proliferation in water

Candida auris is an emerging species responsible for life-threatening infections. Its ability to be resistant to most systemic antifungal classes and its capacity to persist in a hospital environment have led to health concerns. Currently, data about environmental reservoirs are limited but remain essential in control of C. auris spread. The aim of our study was to explore the interactions between C. auris and two free-living amoeba (FLA) species, Vermamoeba vermiformis and Acanthamoeba castellanii, potentially found in the same water environment. Candida auris was incubated with FLA trophozoites or their culture supernatants. The number of FLA and yeasts was determined at different times and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed. Supernatants of FLAs promoted yeast survival and proliferation. Internalization of viable C. auris within both FLA species was also evidenced by TEM. A water environmental reservoir of C. auris can therefore be considered through FLAs and contamination of the hospital water networks would consequently be possible.     

The effects of androgens on the β-glands of the tokay (Gekko gecko): Modification of an hypothesis

Study of the posterior abdominal epidermis in hypophysectomized/thyroidectomized male and female tokays following surgery, and subsequent androgen therapy, indicates that, contrary to a previous model, all aspects of β-gland differentiation are under direct androgenic control. On the other hand, another epidermal specialization, the digital foot-pad, shows a pattern of histogenesis directly comparable to that of β-glands, but is unaffected by androgens. These data are discussed with respect to the evolution of glandular epidermal specializations in gekkonid lizards and the possible role of androgens in modifying the control of cell differentiation in lizard epidermis.     

Chromatographic separation of extruded iron-sulfur cores from the apoproteins of Clostridium pasteurianum and spinach ferredoxins in aqueous Triton X-100/urea

Iron-sulfur core extrusions from spinach [( 2Fe-2S]) and Clostridium pasteurianum (2[4Fe-4S]) ferredoxins in aqueous Triton X-100/urea containing excess benzenethiol yield quantitatively [FenSn(SPh)4]2- with n = 2 and n = 4, respectively. The iron-sulfur cluster can be separated from the corresponding apoprotein by rapid passage of the extrusion mixture over a small anaerobic column of Whatman DE-52 anion-exchange cellulose. Essentially quantitative recovery of [FenSn (SPh)4]2- is achieved in the eluate. The apoprotein remaining on the column can be eluted with 0.5 M NaCl. Most of the residual Triton X-100 and benzenethiol can be removed by passage of the apoprotein eluate over a small column of Bio-Beads SM-2, a hydrophobic polystyrene adsorbent. Apoprotein recovery is comparable to that obtained by other chromatographic methods. At least with spinach ferredoxin, the apoprotein prepared in this fashion can be reconstituted. The procedures developed in this work are potentially most applicable to selective removal of [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] centers from a multicenter enzyme without irreversible denaturation.