Silkworms have been farmed for their silk since ancient times. After silk reeling, their chrysalides are consumed as food in several Asian countries. Despite the long rearing tradition of this insect, few studies have investigated the silkworm\'s microbiological safety all along the life cycle, focusing on detecting silkworm pathogens or on the safety of the dried chrysalis for food consumption. However, the in-farm rearing process, which takes around forty days, may affect the microbial load of the silkworm and of the rearing environment, as well as the quality of fresh cocoon and other performance parameters. No data is available on how microbial contamination changes during the rearing period and between different farmers. Furthermore, in light of the possible use of the chrysalis as food, it is crucial to understand how its microbial load varies according to the water content. To address these specific questions, we conducted an investigation involving the analysis of specific microbial indicators commonly used in the food chain. We collected environmental and silkworm samples from several farms. The examination covered the entire life cycle of silkworms, beginning with the first instar larvae and concluding with the scrutiny of both freshly harvested and dried pupae. Silkworm farms in Northeast Italy proved to be an appropriate model system for carrying out the experimentation. Additionally, an evaluation of rearing performance was conducted, with a focus on the quality of fresh cocoons and the survival rate of the insects.

This current study addresses the knowledge gap regarding the influence of seasons, months, and THI on milk yield, composition, somatic cell counts (SCC), and total bacterial counts (TBC) of dairy farms in northeastern regions of Iran. For this purpose, ten dairy herds were randomly chosen, and daily milk production records were obtained. Milk samples were systematically collected from individual herds upon delivery to the dairy processing facility for subsequent analysis, including fat, protein, solids-not-fat (SNF), pH, SCC, and TBC. The effects of seasons, months, and THI on milk yield, composition, SCC, and TBC were assessed using an analysis of variance. To account for these effects, a mixed-effects model was utilized with a restricted maximum likelihood approach, treating month and THI as fixed factors. Our investigation revealed noteworthy correlations between key milk parameters and seasonal, monthly, and THI variations. Winter showed the highest milk yield, fat, protein, SNF, and pH (p < 0.01), whereas both SCC and TBC reached their lowest values in winter (p < 0.01). The highest values for milk yield, fat, and pH were recorded in January (p < 0.01), while the highest protein and SNF levels were observed in March (p < 0.01). December marked the lowest SCC and TBC values (p < 0.01). Across the THI spectrum, spanning from -3.6 to 37.7, distinct trends were evident. Quadratic regression models accounted for 34.59%, 21.33%, 4.78%, 20.22%, 1.34%, 15.42%, and 13.16% of the variance in milk yield, fat, protein, SNF, pH, SCC, and TBC, respectively. In conclusion, our findings underscore the significant impact of THI on milk production, composition, SCC, and TBC, offering valuable insights for dairy management strategies. In the face of persistent challenges posed by climate change, these results provide crucial guidance for enhancing production efficiency and upholding milk quality standards.

OBJECTIVE: Assess risk factors, local and systemic immunological biomarkers in healthy individuals and with Denture Stomatitis (DS).
METHODS: For this observational transversal study, 27 participants without DS (Group 0), 24 with moderate DS (Group 1), and 25 with severe DS (Group 2) were assessed for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical parameters, microbial load of Candida spp., Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus mutans, Pseudomonas spp., and enterobacteria, and cytokine and C-reactive protein levels. ANOVA, Fisher\'s exact, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon and Pearson\'s chi-square tests were used for data analysis (α = 0.05).
RESULTS: Group 1 had a significantly higher mean age compared to the other groups (P = 0.018), but no correlation was identified between age and DS (P = 0.830; r = 0.025). No significant differences were found among the groups for other sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Group 1 had significantly older upper and lower dentures; however, no correlation was identified between age of upper (P = 0.522; r = 0.075) and lower (P = 0.143; r = 0.195) dentures and DS. The microbial load of Candida albicans on the dentures (P = 0.035) and Candida spp. on the palate (P = 0.008) of the groups 1 and 2 was higher than group 0. Group 1 and 2 had higher Candida spp. counts on denture (P = 0.003) than group 0. There was no difference among groups for bacterial analyzed. Group 1 showed higher and Group 2 intermediate salivary levels of IL-6 compared to Group 0. There was no difference in the C-reactive protein levels among groups.
CONCLUSIONS: Microbial load of Candida spp. is the factor with the strongest relationship with DS, with capacity for local signaling through IL-6.

Residents of Chattogram city areas in Bangladesh use drinking water from three sources, namely CWASA (Chattogram Water supply and Sewerage Authority), groundwater (tube-well), and commercial jar. In this study, we examined the quality of drinking water from these sources following an analytical and residents\' perception. Water samples (both untreated and treated) from above three sources were collected from six locations across Chattogram city, and pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), bicarbonate, electrical conductivity (EC), salinity, and microbial load were studied following the state-of-art testing methods. A total of 149 respondents were interviewed to understand their perception on the physical properties of water. The pH value of water from all sources and locations and irrespective of treatments, varied from 6.54 to 7.02. TDS of tube-well water in two locations exceeded the standard limit (1000 mg/l). In most locations, TSS varied from 40 to 1888 mg/l (treated and untreated) against the standard value of 10 mg/l, while bicarbonate of CWASA and tube-well water in most locations was also higher than the permissible amount (500 mg/l). Except for jar water, EC of CWASA and tube-well water (treated and untreated) in most locations were higher than the standard value (500 μS) and a similar situation was observed for salinity content. The microbial load was found beyond the permissible limit (0 CFU/ml) for all sources and locations. These parameters of water quality have also been reflected in residents\' perceptions of drinking water. Respondents reported an unpleasant odour (56%), the presence of suspended particles (17%), and so CWASA water is not good for drinking (76%). Authorities (CWASA) need to take action toward a safe drinking water supply for residents.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if microbial load from diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can help in predicting outcomes.
METHODS: A multicenter prospective cohort study was performed in an outpatient setting (September 1, 2017-January 31, 2019) in diabetic patients with DFU.Quantitative cultures from DFU tissue biopsies at a baseline visit were obtained; high and low microbial loads were defined as ≥6logCFU/mL and <6logCFU/mL, respectively. Diagnosis of DFU infection was made and managed according to established guidelines. The outcome was evaluated at 6 month-visit as failure (persistence/new infection/amputation) or cure.
RESULTS: Out of 65 patients, 52 (80%) had long-standing DFUs (≥4 weeks), with high microbial load in 19 (29%).DFU infection (n = 24, 37%) was not associated with high microbial load in all patients but those with shorter DFU duration.Treatment failure occurred in 20/57 (35%) patients; high DFU microbial load was associated with worse outcome (n = 9/20, 45% failure rate, adjusted OR4.69; 95% CI, 1.22-18.09; p = 0.03),mainly due to the subgroup of patients with high microbial load and long-stand DFUs.
CONCLUSIONS: Since patients with high microbial load had a worse outcome, quantitative cultures from DFUs can identify patients who would benefit from antibiotic therapy.

In some cases, there is a dissociation between the severity of complaints, physical examination data, and levels of contamination of the biomaterial in the differential diagnosis of various categories of prostatitis (NIH-NIDDK, 1995). Patients note the presence of pronounced symptoms when verifying the threshold indicators of microbial load (104-105 CFU / ml) of prostate secretion or post-massage urine in a few observations. However, clinical manifestations and deviations in objective indicators are not so significant in some patients with higher titers of contamination.
To evaluate the relationship between the microbial load indices and the degree of pathomorphological changes in the prostate tissue during infection with the \"reference\" uropathogen E. coli in various titers under experimental conditions MATERIALS AND METHODS: Animal model was carried out using the FELASA protocols. Experimental individuals: 16 \"New Zealand\" rabbits, weight: 3580 [3480; 3695] (3300-4410), age: 25 [24; 26] (23-28) weeks. Uropathogen used: E. coli. Titers: 103 CFU / ml, 105 CFU / ml, 107 CFU / ml. Infection pathway: inoculation of the uropathogen was performed through urethra according to the modified technique of J.C. Nickel. Randomization: all lab animals were evenly divided into 4 groups of 4 animals, taking into account the initial titer of the uropathogen and the observation period - experimental groups 1 (103 CFU / ml), 2 (105 CFU / ml), 3 (107 CFU / ml); group 4 was control (Sol.NaCl 0.9%). Observation terms: 1, 3, 7 and 14 days, after which the animals were euthanized and dissected. 4 biopsies (1A-1D) for bacteriological (MacConkey agar - \"HiMedia\", India) and 2 biopsies (P1-P2) for morphological (Hematoxylin-eosin - \"BlikMediklProduction\", Russia; magn. 10x, 40x, 100x, 400x) studies were formed from various parts of the prostatic complex (prostate + proprostate + paraprostate). A three-point grading system was used for morphometric assessment of destructive changes in the prostate tissue in different groups. Analytical processing of the results was carried out using the software packages Microsoft 365 (\"Microsoft\", USA) and Statistica 10.2 (\"StatSoft Inc.\", USA) by methods of descriptive and nonparametric statistics.
The maximum total absolute / median values of the seeding of biopsy specimens of the prostatic complex were revealed ( titer, 1A-1D) in group 1 and amounted to 76 lg CFU / ml / 5.00 [4.00; 5.25] lgCFU / ml, in group 2 defined as intermediate - 57 lgCFU / ml / 3.50 [3.00; 4.00] lgCFU / ml, and in group 3 were minimal - 48 lgCFU / ml / 3.00 [3.00; 3.25] lg CFU / ml according to the indicators of bacteriological research in the period from 1 to 14 days. Nevertheless, it was found that the cumulative maximum degree of histological changes in the prostate was recorded in group 2 ( p. - 84), in group 1 it was defined as intermediate ( p. - 68), and in group 3, it was the smallest ( p. - 64) according to the data of pathomorphological studies. When comparing daily changes in the seeding values and nominal indicators of inflammatory lesions in the prostate tissue, only in group 1, the trend graphs had a synchronous trend - an increase in microbial load led to the formation of more severe pathomorphological transformations on the day 7; in group 2, destructive changes were significant, and the rates of contamination, on the contrary, were minimal on the day 7; in group 3 a pronounced pathomorphological transformations in the tissues were noted on the day 3 and 7, but the microbial load of the tissues gradually decreased from the day 1. Also, differences in the increase in the \"reactivity\" of changes in the affected tissues were determined: in groups 1 and 3, a torpid reaction was revealed, accompanied by the development of moderate inflammatory changes on the day 1 and an \"abrupt\" increase in the intensity of destruction by the day 3; in group 2, in turn, a rapid reaction was determined, that characterized by the formation of a more pronounced destructive process already from the day 1.
It was found that the parameters of contamination do not fully reflect the nature and severity of pathological changes in the prostate. Low titers of the uropathogen induce the development of an inflammatory process comparable in the severity of changes with that at higher concentrations. On the contrary, inoculation of obligate pathogenic titers does not always lead to a pronounced increase in microbial load but causes significant inflammatory changes in the prostate.

We integratively assessed the effect of different indoor and outdoor environmental exposures early in life on respiratory and allergic health conditions among children from (sub-) urban areas.
This study included children participating in four ongoing European birth cohorts located in three different geographical regions: INMA (Spain), LISAplus (Germany), GINIplus (Germany) and BAMSE (Sweden). Wheezing, bronchitis, asthma and allergic rhinitis throughout childhood were assessed using parental-completed questionnaires. We designed \"environmental scores\" corresponding to different indoor, green- and grey-related exposures (main analysis, a-priori-approach). Cohort-specific associations between these environmental scores and the respiratory health outcomes were assessed using random-effects meta-analyses. In addition, a factor analysis was performed based on the same exposure information used to develop the environmental scores (confirmatory analysis, data-driven-approach).
A higher early exposure to the indoor environmental score increased the risk for wheezing and bronchitis within the first year of life (combined adjusted odds ratio: 1.20 [95% confidence interval: 1.13-1.27] and 1.28 [1.18-1.39], respectively). In contrast, there was an inverse association with allergic rhinitis between 6 and 8 years (0.85 [0.79-0.92]). There were no statistically significant associations for the outdoor related environmental scores in relation to any of the health outcomes tested. The factor analysis conducted confirmed these trends.
Although a higher exposure to indoor related exposure through occupants was associated with an increased risk for wheezing and bronchitis within the 1st year, it might serve as a preventive mechanism against later childhood allergic respiratory outcomes in urbanized environments through enhanced shared contact with microbial agents.

BACKGROUND: The science of wound healing is advancing rapidly, particularly as a result of new therapeutic approaches. The wound healing effect of different herbal ointments have been enormous and are in wide practice these days.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Panchavalkala cream over wound debridement (wound infection and microbial load).
METHODS: Ghanasatwa (water extract) of the individual drugs of Panchavalkala was prepared and the extract formulated as herbal ointment. This was used to treat patients of infected chronic non healing wounds. The signs and symptoms of infection were graded before and during the course of treatment. Tissue biopsy to estimate the microbial load prior to and during the course of treatment was done.
RESULTS: The clinical symptoms like Slough, swelling, redness, pain, discharge, tenderness, and malodor in wounds showed statistically significant reduction following treatment. The microbial load of the wounds was also reduced significantly.
CONCLUSIONS: In most of the cases, there was a progressive reduction in the microbial load with time, during the course of treatment indicating the efficacy of the formulation in reducing the microbial load and thus controlling infection, facilitating wound healing.