Antibiotic residues in sausage meat may promote pathogen survival

ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2012) ? Antibiotic residues in uncured pepperoni or salami meat are potent enough to weaken helpful bacteria that processors add to acidify the sausage to make it safe for consumption, according to a study to be published in mBio?, the online open-access journal of the American Society for Microbiology, on August 28.

Sausage manufacturers commonly inoculate sausage meat with lactic-acid-producing bacteria in an effort to control the fermentation process so that the final product is acidic enough to kill pathogens that might have existed in the raw meat. By killing the bacteria that produce lactic acid, antibiotic residues can allow pathogenic bacteria to proliferate.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, and University College Cork, Ireland, found that antibiotic concentrations within limits set by US and European Union (EU) regulators are high enough to slow fermentation, the process that acidifies the sausages and helps destroy foodborne pathogens like Salmonella or E. coli.

"At low concentrations and at regulatory levels set by authorities, we could see that the lactic acid bacteria are more susceptible to the antibiotics than the pathogens are," says Hanne Ingmer, of the University of Copenhagen, a researcher on the study. "So basically, we can have a situation where residual antibiotics in the meat can prevent or reduce fermentation by the lactic acid bacteria, but these concentrations do not effect survival or even multiplication of pathogens."

Antibiotics used as growth promoters or to treat disease in livestock can eventually end up in meat, and regulators in the US and EU have set limits on the concentrations of antibiotics in meat for consumption by humans. Ingmer and her colleagues set out to determine whether antibiotics falling within statutory limits might interfere with the process of fermentation in products like pepperoni, salami, or chorizo -- sausages that are fermented using lactic- acid-producing bacteria in a curing process many cultures have employed for hundreds of years. She says fermented sausages occasionally cause serious bacterial infections, but it's never been understood why that might be.

In small-scale experiments in the lab, Ingmer and her colleagues added the antibiotics oxytetracycline or erythromycin to meat inoculated with lactic-acid-producing bacteria and pathogens Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica. They followed the progress of the fermentation and tracked the survival of the pathogens. Ingmer says several different starter cultures of lactic-acid-producing bacteria were sensitive to these antibiotics and hence did not acidify the sausage meat effectively -- results that could explain why people sometimes get sick from eating fermented sausage.

Ingmer says the results show antibiotics can potentially have a paradoxical effect that would increase the risk of foodborne illness: antibiotic residues reduce the effectiveness of bacteria that should make the sausages safe but don't affect the bacteria that can cause illness.

Although the results raise an alarm for the manufacture of processed meats, Ingmer stresses that it is important to conduct similar tests in manufacturing facilities. "The majority of sausages are manufactured at a commercial scale. It has to be addressed whether this is a problem in a real life facility," Ingmer says.

Manufacturers with good quality control systems can catch problems in fermentation, Ingmer says, preventing large-scale outbreaks of foodborne illness by testing the final product before it's distributed, but random batch testing could well miss a batch that didn't ferment properly, putting the public at risk.

How can we be sure antibiotic residues don't interfere with the safety of these products? Ingmer sees two possible solutions. If antibiotics are present in meat, boosting the survival and activity of the lactic-acid-producing bacteria is important. In the future, Ingmer hopes to work with manufacturers to develop cultures of lactic-acid-producing bacteria that tolerate low levels of antibiotics.

But the ultimate solution to the problem of antibiotics in meat may be harder to achieve. "The obvious solution is to eliminate the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and closely monitor the use of antibiotics in treating farm animal diseases," Ingmer says. The European Union and other countries have banned the use of antibiotics in livestock as growth promoters, Ingmer points out, a move the US is unlikely to follow very soon.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by American Society for Microbiology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Jette Kjeldgaard, Marianne T. Cohn, Pat G. Casey, Colin Hill, and Hanne Ingmer. Residual Antibiotics Disrupt Meat Fermentation and Increase Risk of Infection. mBio, September/October 2012 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00190-12

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/living_well/~3/0um8dHj19rA/120828093244.htm

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CONVENTION WATCH: Romney on his way, polls tight

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leaves Brewster Academy after working on convention preparations, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, in Wolfeboro, N.H. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney leaves Brewster Academy after working on convention preparations, Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, in Wolfeboro, N.H. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Demonstrators march through the streets of Tampa, Fla., to protest the Republican National Convention on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

In the dimmed lights, state delagate signs are seen on the convention floor after an abbreviated session of the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.(AP Photo/David Goldman)

A man runs back from the end of a jetty as waves whipped up by Tropical Storm Isaac crash around him in Bal Harbour, Fla. Forecasters predicted Isaac would intensify into a Category 1 hurricane later Monday or Tuesday with top sustained winds of between 74 and 95 mph. The center of its projected path took Isaac directly toward New Orleans on Wednesday, but hurricane warnings extended across some 330 miles from Morgan City, La., to Destin, Fla. It could become the first hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast since 2008. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) ? Around the 2012 Republican National Convention and its host city with journalists from The Associated Press bringing the flavor and details to you:

___

TAMPA-BOUND

Mitt Romney will be on the way to Florida on Tuesday ? the day his wife's scheduled to give her speech at the Republican National Convention.

The presumptive GOP nominee for president will arrive in Tampa on what's effectively the first day of the convention. Although it was called to order Monday, it was immediately adjourned until Tuesday because of Tropical Storm Isaac.

? Thomas Beaumont ? Twitter http://twitter.com/tombeaumont

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POLLS: A TIGHTER RACE

Pre-convention polling has wrapped, and neither candidate for president begins the race to Nov. 6 with a head start.

President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney begin the campaign's high season about even. Modest advantages for Obama had begun to look like the norm, but four new surveys in the last week along with Gallup's daily tracking poll found a tighter race with no discernible edge for either candidate.

An Associated Press-GfK poll puts the contest at 47 percent Obama to 46 percent for Romney among registered voters. Fox News, NBC/Wall Street Journal, Washington Post-ABC News and the Gallup tracker all report similar findings among that group.

Other common themes across this wave of polling include Obama maintaining his advantage as the more likable or empathetic candidate, while Romney continues to have his strongest performance against the president on handling the economy.

? Jennifer Agiesta ? Twitter http://twitter.com/jennagiesta

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VIEWPOINTS: PROTESTS

One viewpoint, from Tampa's police chief, Jane Castor: Protesters around the GOP convention can say and do whatever they wish "as long as they don't cross the line into criminal behavior."

And another, from Cara Jennings, a voter outreach organizer from Palm Beach County, Fla.: "They've militarized Tampa."

So far, protests have been muted and only two people have been arrested. That's in stark contrast to four years ago, when hundreds of protesters were arrested at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. In Tampa, protesters, who for months planned to converge on Tampa to showcase their gripes and messages, have been peaceful and small in number.

? Mike Schneider and Tamara Lush ? Twitter http://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP and http://twitter.com/TamaraLush

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STAR-SPANGLED ENCORE

He performed on the "Today" show, sang the funeral Mass for Tim Russert and belted out the national anthem for the Republicans during their last convention in 2008. On Tuesday, New Jersey-born tenor Philip Alongi Jr. is back in the political spotlight when he again sings "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the Republicans.

The young Alongi has performed more than a dozen operatic roles across the United States, including productions of Carmen, Madama Butterfly and La Traviata. Since his last convention appearance, Alongi has released the debut albums "Heritage," a collection of songs and arias of Italy, and "New Life: Songs of Faith," a collection of sacred works spanning eras from the 17th century to today.

? Leanne Italie ? Twitter http://twitter.com/litalie

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NEW JUST TRY GETTING HOME

Many Republican National Convention attendees put up with delayed, diverted or canceled flights on their way to Tampa, some blamed on Tropical Storm Isaac. They can expect a bumpy ride home, too.

Airlines are already warning about the crush of passengers heading out of town at week's end. Delta Air Lines is advising travelers to arrive at Tampa International Airport at least two hours early to deal with security, crowds and assorted delays "outside of our control."

? Brian Bakst ? Twitter ?http://twitter.com/Stowydad

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TRUMP'S TEASE

For weeks, showman Donald Trump has been doing the slow tease about his plans for the GOP convention.

He was asked to speak, he says, but decided to do something "bigger." Something "very, very major." Something "hopefully quite amazing."

Trump was in Sarasota, Fla., over the weekend to accept an award, but headed back to New York when Monday's convention activities were pared down due to Tropical Storm Isaac.

Does that mean no more surprise?

"The big surprise is still going to happen, so stay tuned," promises Trump spokesman Michael Cohen.

GOP officials are playing along. Says convention planner Russ Schriefer: "Just because he isn't here, doesn't mean he's not going to show up."

? Nancy Benac ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nbenac

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THE PRESIDENT'S PEN

His rivals may be convening in Florida this week. But at the White House, President Barack Obama is getting ready for his big moment next week ? at the Democratic National Convention.

Aides say Obama spent part of Monday working on the speech he'll deliver at his party's gathering in Charlotte, N.C. A working draft, they say, has already been developed.

? Ken Thomas ? Twitter http://twitter.com/AP_Ken_Thomas

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DOG FIGHT

At least one Tampa, Fla., rally's gone to the dogs already.

Amid a protest objecting to the way Mitt Romney transported the family pet on a years-ago vacation ? inside an animal carrier strapped atop the car ? a woman stepped into the crowd and began loudly defending the GOP candidate.

"What Mitt Romney did to his dog, his dog liked and it was safe and enjoyable," said Barbara Seidenberg. As several canine-toting protesters tried to shout her down, she pressed on.

"Barack Obama was a 10-year-old boy when he ate dog," she said, apparently referring to a passage in one of Obama's books in which he writes about eating dog meat as a boy in Indonesia. "But he was a grown man when he decided his whole persona and his life was going to be committed to turning this country into less of a country so that ? "

She was drowned out by a protester yelling "Obama 2012!"

A shouting match ensued, and Seidenberg stormed off.

__ Peter Prengaman ? Twitter http://twitter.com/peterprengaman

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CAIN WEIGHS IN

At one point, he was a serious challenger for the GOP nomination. But Herman Cain says he's not upset about being excluded from the list of speakers at the Republican National Convention this week.

Cain's 9-9-9 tax plan helped him carve out a unique niche in the primary, with some polls showing him moving toward taking the lead in the fall. But allegations of sexual harassment derailed his candidacy.

Cain is making the rounds in Tampa. He tells CNN that he has met one-on-one with presumptive nominee Mitt Romney on at least three occasions in recent months. He says he's not upset about his lack of a speaking slot because other black Republican speakers needed the exposure more than he did.

Cain says the allegations that derailed his candidacy were part of a coordinated attack, but he didn't say whether the effort was undertaken by a particular Republican or a Democratic campaign: "I don't want to say anything that might jeopardize what we might do in the future in terms of exposing what happened."

? Kevin Freking ? Twitter http://twitter.com/APKFreking

___

ISAAC'S UGLY, BUT NO KATRINA

Isaac is sweeping up the Gulf Coast just in time for the seventh anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans.

A tropical storm expected to strengthen into a hurricane, Isaac could prove punishing. But it's nowhere near as powerful as the bruiser that struck on Aug. 29, 2005.

At one point, Katrina reached Category 5 status with winds over 157 mph. It made landfall as a Category 3 with a huge storm surge. Levee failures caused catastrophic flooding.

This time, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials say the updated levees around New Orleans are equipped to handle storms stronger than Isaac. City officials had no plans to order evacuations, instead telling residents to hunker down and make do with the supplies they have.

"It's going to be all right," said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.

Isaac promises a soaking but not much more for Tampa, Fla., where the Republican National Convention was pushed back a day just in case.

__ Kevin McGill in New Orleans

___

SAY IT IN SONG

Why say it when you can sing it?

Most speeches at this week's Republican National Convention are set to a particular theme for the day. "We Built It," is Tuesday's mantra, a poke at Obama's "You didn't build that" line at a July campaign event.

A convention entertainer will sing about it. Guitarist Lane Turner rehearsed his tune "I Built It" in a sparsely filled convention hall Monday.

"I built it with my own two working hands," goes the chorus. "Yeah I built it. No help from Uncle Sam."

Obama's campaign argues that his words, meant to stress the value of government in fostering infrastructure, were taken out of context.

? Brian Bakst ? Twitter http://twitter.com/Stowydad

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VOIGHT ON OBAMA

The Virginia delegation served up some celebrity with its political breakfast Monday.

Jon Voight, the Academy Award-winning actor better known to today's moviegoers as the father of Angelina Jolie, joined Tagg Romney, son of the presidential candidate, to talk government spending, media coverage and President Barack Obama's record at the delegation's morning session.

Delegate Erin Smith of Leesburg, Va., says Voight complained that the media wasn't providing balanced coverage of the two candidates. She says Voight also argued that on several issues Obama campaigned on, he acted differently in office.

? Donna Cassata ? http://twitter.com/donnacassataAP

___

TEMPEST IN A TOTE BAG?

Maybe Mitt Romney assumes GOP delegates won't read all the way to page 177 of his book, "No Apology," included in their gift bags.

If they do, they'll find an uncomfortable sentence for Romney ? a sentence dropped from the paperback edition. It alludes to his push, as Massachusetts governor, to require all residents to obtain insurance as part of health care reforms.

"We can accomplish the same thing for everyone in the country, and it can be done without letting government take over health care," Romney wrote. That sounds a lot like the health care mandate in "Obamacare," which Romney now vows to undo.

In the paperback edition, the passage refers only to preventing a government takeover of health care. Publications including the Washington Examiner took note of the hardback's presence at the convention.

Of course, hardbacks make nicer gifts. And the swag bags don't include much else ? mints and sunglasses, mainly.

? Charles Babington ? Twitter http://twitter.com/cbabington

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A CAREFUL TONE

"You can tone down the happy-days-are-here-again a bit. Maybe you don't have the biggest balloon drop in history." ? Rich Galen, veteran Republican consultant in Washington, discussing how to strike an appropriate tone at a convention that unfolds against the backdrop of a major storm.

? Thomas Beaumont ? Twitter http://twitter.com/tombeaumont

___

5 GUYS, 5 WORDS

The five Romney sons got one word each to describe Dad during a Fox News Channel interview. What they came up with:

Craig: "Qualified."

Ben: "Frugal."

Josh: "Cheap."

Matt: "Integrity."

Tagg: "Generous."

? Nancy Benac ? Twitter http://twitter.com/nbenac

___

HURRICANE GOP?

Dorothy Crockett says she wasn't about to let Isaac, the tropical storm gaining hurricane strength, keep her from a minute of the Republican National Convention.

The Arkansas spitfire ? decked out in red, white and blue from her jacket to her earrings ? was among a couple hundred delegates who showed up for the abbreviated opening Monday despite the cancellation of the speaking schedule.

"At my age I have never experienced a hurricane," the 77-year-old from northeast Arkansas says. "The only hurricane I want to experience is the Republicans taking over the House, the Senate and the White House. This is the Republican hurricane."

? Brian Bakst ? Twitter http://twitter.com/Stowydad

___

CHOICE SEATING

Mitt Romney's adopted state of Massachusetts is rewarded at the Republican National Convention with prime seating ? just feet from where he'll accept the nomination this week. It's a rare honor for Massachusetts, a Democratic bastion used to being relegated to the back of the hall.

Kerry Healy, who served as lieutenant governor under Romney, is at the front of the front next to others who helped his rise. It reflects, Healy says, "a new thing for Massachusetts to have a Republican nominee for president. We have had plenty of the other kind."

Also in choice seats: delegates from battleground states of Virginia and Ohio as well as Romney's birth state of Michigan and vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan's home state of Wisconsin.

? Brian Bakst ? Twitter http://twitter.com/Stowydad

___

EDITOR'S NOTE ? Follow AP journalists on Twitter where available with the handles listed after each item.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-08-27-US-CVN-RNC-Convention-Watch-Package/id-6a8c8abbc4a64fb7826a5854d27b7e97

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Medical Travel Club : Q&A ? Answers Archive ? Sac Tod's Mergers ...

We frequently hear the terms mergers and acquisitions when it comes to the corporate finance industry. This activity refers to businesses in the corporate finance industry getting involved in the buying, selling or combining of multiple companies. This is typically done to finance a financial company and to aid in a quick growth, avoiding the need to create a whole new business entity. Banks are especially known to engage in this activity, and there is a long history of it throughout time. It is not uncommon to hear bank names changing frequently due to mergers or acquisitions. It happens often enough that it is sometimes difficult to keep up with.

Like anything else, there are pros and cons to mergers and acquisitions in the corporate finance world. A major pro is the possible creation of a very large profit. For a bank in financial turmoil, merging with another may be the only way to save it. A major con is a possible negative public reaction to it if it is a hostile takeover and resistance is received from the targeted bank. There is also the newly-added responsibility of additional liabilities and problems.

A merger is when two companies, often of relatively the same size, integrate and jointly agree to move forward as a single new company rather than remain separately owned and operated. Mergers do not occur nearly as often as acquisitions.
Mergers and Acquisitions in Corporate Finance
An acquisition (also known as a takeover or buyout) is the buying of a company and taking control of it. An acquisition may be friendly or hostile, as well as public or private.

Banks are usually acquired by other financial institutions, but they may also be acquired by individuals or groups with the intention of controlling it and avoiding having to start a brand new one. There are many examples of major mergers and acquisitions which have taken place in the UK in the past. One such example is in 2004 when Abbey National, the sixth largest bank in the UK, agreed to a takeover bid of $15.5 billion from Banco Santander,Cuir Tod?s, Spain?s largest bank.

Although the terms are often used interchangeably and are very similar in nature, company ?mergers? and ?acquisitions? are slightly different. The phrase ?mergers and acquisitions? actually has an official abbreviation attached to it, M&A. You will often hear both terms referred to as consolidations. The main goal for both is usually to expand and increase business.
Cuir Tod?s

Source: http://www.medicaltravelclub.com/qa/2012/08/sac-tods-mergers-and-acquisitions-in-corporate-finance/

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RI board OKs $1M loan guarantee for energy firm

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) ? The board of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corp. has voted to guarantee a $1 million loan to a newly formed Providence-based solar energy company.

The EDC board voted Monday to approve the financing deal for eNow Inc.. The company was created last year to develop solar energy panels for trucks and buses designed to generate clean energy while reducing the vehicle's fuel consumption.

The loan guarantee was approved under new rules intended to protect taxpayers by capping the size of loan guarantees and requiring companies to invest some of their own money before asking for state help.

In 2010 the EDC gave a $75 million loan guarantee to former Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's failed video game company, 38 Studios. The company has filed for bankruptcy.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ri-board-oks-1m-loan-guarantee-energy-firm-150210598--finance.html

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China investigates Japan flag-snatching report: Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities are "seriously" investigating reports that a national flag on the Japanese ambassador's car was ripped off in Beijing on Monday, the official Xinhua news agency said, amid a territorial row over disputed islands.

"The Chinese government always conscientiously fulfills the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations to protect the safety of foreign embassies and personnel," Xinhua, citing the Foreign Ministry, said in an overnight report.

With tensions flaring over a territorial row that provoked the worst anti-Japanese protests in years, a man ripped the flag from a car carrying Japan's ambassador in Beijing on Monday, triggering a protest from Tokyo.

The Japanese embassy issued a statement saying the ambassador, Uichiro Niwa, was unhurt in the incident.

Earlier this month, the Japanese coast guard detained Chinese activists who sailed from Hong Kong and landed on the islands. Anti-Japanese demonstrations have taken place in Chinese cities over the past two weekends.

The uninhabited islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have long been a source of friction between Tokyo and Beijing, with competing territorial claims to the islets and surrounding fishing areas and potentially rich gas deposits.

(Reporting by Kevin Yao; Editing by Paul Tait)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-investigates-japan-flag-snatching-report-xinhua-002756773.html

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Special Education Elementary School Student Left Alone On Bus ...

SIMI VALLEY (CBSLA.com)?? Simi Valley school officials are investigating how a special education elementary school student was left alone on a parked school bus for more than four hours on the first day of school last week.

The child was picked up for the first day of class at Crestview Elementary School on Aug. 22 and somehow stayed on the bus alone for more than four hours after the driver parked and left the vehicle, according to the Ventura County Star.

The child was not harmed, but the driver has been ?taken out of the position? pending the outcome of a Simi Valley Unified School District investigation, the Star reported.

No other details were immediately available.

Source: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/08/28/special-education-elementary-school-student-left-alone-on-bus-for-4-hours/

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Prince Harry "Feels He Let Himself Down," Says Source

In the wake of his nude photo scandal, Prince Harry is reportedly upset with himself for letting the situation get out of control.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/prince-harry-disappointed-feels-he-let-himself-down/1-a-483031?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Aprince-harry-disappointed-feels-he-let-himself-down-483031

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