This study reports the development and optimization of a real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (qLAMP) method for rapid detection of Acetobacter aceti strain in red wine samples. Our results showed that the primers and probes designed for 16S rRNA were effective for A. aceti detection. The quantification limit of real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and qLAMP in pure culture was 2.05 × 101 colony forming units (CFU) mL-1.  https://www.selleckchem.com/Proteasome.html  qLAMP had a sensitivity of 6.88 × 101 CFU mL-1 in artificially contaminated Changyu dry red wine (CDRW) and Changyu red wine (CRW), and 6.88 × 102 CFU mL-1 in artificially contaminated Greatwall dry red wine (GDRW), which was 10 times higher than that of qPCR. In conclusion, this newly developed qLAMP is a reliable, rapid and accurate method for the detection and quantification of A. aceti species in red wine samples. Furthermore, our work provides a standard reference method for the quantitative detection of A. aceti and other acetic acid bacteria during the fermentation and storage of red wine samples.
  Do sperm mitochondrial DNA measures predict probability of pregnancy among couples in the general population?
 
  Those with high sperm mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) had as much as 50% lower odds of cycle-specific pregnancy, and 18% lower probability of pregnancy within 12 months.
 
  Semen parameters have been found to poorly predict reproductive success yet are the most prevalent diagnostic tool for male infertility. Increased sperm mtDNAcn and mitochondrial DNA deletions (mtDNAdel) have been associated with decreased semen quality and lower odds of fertilization in men seeking fertility treatment.
 
  A population-based prospective cohort study of couples discontinuing contraception to become pregnant recruited from 16 US counties from 2005 to 2009 followed for up to 16 months.
 
  Sperm mtDNAcn and mtDNAdel from 384 semen samples were assessed via triplex probe-based quantitative PCR. Probability of pregnancy within 1 year was compared by mitochondrial DNA, and discrete-time proportional hazards modeletween sperm mtDNAcn and couple pregnancy success in other races/ethnicities.
 
  Our results demonstrate that sperm mtDNAcn has utility as a biomarker of male reproductive health and probability of pregnancy success in the general population.
 
  This work was funded in part by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (R01-ES028298; PI J.R.P.) and the Intramural Research Program of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland (Contracts N01-HD-3-3355, N01-HD-3-3356 and N01-HD-3-3358). The authors declare no competing interests.
 
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  Onychogryphosis is a nail disorder that can damage nail plates, usually caused by repeated minor trauma to the foot. Onychogryphosis of the toe is commonly seen in clinical practice; however, optimal treatment of the condition is still the subject of debate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with toe onychogryphosis treated by subcutaneous flap coverage after total matricectomy.
 
  In this article, we describe 12 patients who had onychogryphosis on the great toe treated by subcutaneous flap coverage after total matricectomy. There were eight men and four women, with a mean age of 63.8 years (range, 56-74 years).
 
  The follow-up period ranged from 4 to 108 months, with an average of 25.2 months. All of the flap reconstructions ultimately survived.
 
  The advantage of the described technique is the avoidance of tight closure of the skin and preservation of toe length. The possible limitation of the technique is poor blood circulation to the feet.
 The advantage of the described technique is the avoidance of tight closure of the skin and preservation of toe length. The possible limitation of the technique is poor blood circulation to the feet.
  Whey protein and zein are of nutritional interest due to their high leucine content, but little data are available on their amino acid (AA) ileal digestibility.
 
  This study aimed to determine ileal digestibility of whey protein isolate (WPI) and zein in healthy volunteers by use of the naso-ileal intubation method, which allows continuous collection of postprandial ileal digesta.
 
  Twenty-two healthy volunteers were intubated with a naso-ileal sampling device positioned at the terminal ileum level. They received a single meal of protein-free biscuits and a drink containing zein (n=8), WPI (n=7), or no protein (protein free, n=7). Ileal effluents and plasma samples were collected over a 9-h postprandial period. Total nitrogen and AA contents were quantified in effluents. True ileal digestibility was calculated after correction for endogenous losses evaluated in the protein-free group.
 
  True ileal nitrogen digestibility of zein was markedly lower than WPI (60.2±4.5% and 91.2±2.6%, respectively, P=0.0003). True ileal digestibility of AAs ranged from 87.4±2.7% for threonine to 98.4±1.0% for methionine in the WPI group, and from 59.3±5.6% for methionine to 69.0±5.8% for arginine in the zein group. The digestible indispensable AA (IAA) score was 1.03 (histidine) for WPI and close to 0 for zein, owing to its negligible lysine content. Plasma IAA concentration significantly increased after WPI intake (P=0.0319), whereas no effect of zein on aminoacidemia was observed, including plasma leucine, despite its high leucine content.
 
  Our findings provide data on ileal digestibility of WPI and zein AAs in healthy humans and, in contrast to WPI, zein is poorly digestible. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03279211.
 Our findings provide data on ileal digestibility of WPI and zein AAs in healthy humans and, in contrast to WPI, zein is poorly digestible. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03279211.There has been limited toxicity testing of cigarillos, including comparison to cigarettes. This study compared the smoke chemistry and the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of 10 conventional cigarettes and 10 cigarillos based on the greatest market share. Whole smoke and total particulate matter (TPM) were generated using the Canadian Intense and International Organization for Standardization puffing protocols. Tobacco-specific nitrosamines, carbonyls, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. TPM smoke extracts were used for the in vitro assays. Cytotoxicity was assessed in human bronchial epithelial continuously cultured cell line cells using the neutral red uptake assay. Genotoxic potential was assessed using the micronucleus (human lung adenocarcinoma continuously cultured cell line cells), Ames, and thymidine kinase assays. TPM from all cigarillos tested was more cytotoxic than cigarettes. Micronucleus formation was significantly greater for cigarillos compared with cigarettes at the highest dose of TPM, with or without rat liver S9 fraction.