Supplementation of Vitamin D and Fructooligosaccharides Downregulates Intestinal Defensins and Reduces the Species Abundance of in C57BL/6J Mice.

The activation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in the ileum has been shown to regulate Paneth cell-specific defensins, a large family of antimicrobial peptides; hence, this may serve as a potential mechanism to maintain intestinal homeostasis. Previously, we have demonstrated that a combination of vitamin D (VD) and fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) upregulates colonic in mice. Here, we aim to examine the effect of VD, alone or in combination with FOSs, on intestinal barrier integrity and the secretion of antimicrobial peptides, as well as the gut microbial community.

An Unusual Case Presentation of Non-Pathergy Induced Severe Pyoderma Gangrenosum Localized to the Perianal and Intragluteal Regions.

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare neutrophil based disorder presenting as a painful sterile ulcer usually below the knee. The disease is also linked to comorbid conditions including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and pathergy. Mainstay treatment begins with high dose steroids, either topical for limited disease or systemic for extensive or rapidly progressing disease.

Human-animal entanglements in bushmeat trading in Sierra Leone: An ethnographic assessment of a potential zoonotic interface.

'Bushmeat' markets are often portrayed as chaotic spaces where exotic wild animals are sold. They are hypothesized to be important sites for zoonotic disease transmission, given the prolonged and intense nature of the cross-species encounters that occur within them. Whilst such markets have received some attention from researchers, rich qualitative descriptions of everyday practices in these markets are rare.