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Xiong H, Chen Y, Ravelombola W, Mou B, Sun X, Zhang Q, Xiao Y, Tian Y, Luo Q, Alatawi I, Chiwina KE, Alkabkabi HM, Shi A. Genetic Dissection of Diverse Seed Coat Patterns in Cowpea through a Comprehensive GWAS Approach. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:1275. [PMID: 38732490 PMCID: PMC11085092 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
This study investigates the genetic determinants of seed coat color and pattern variations in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), employing a genome-wide association approach. Analyzing a mapping panel of 296 cowpea varieties with 110,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we focused on eight unique coat patterns: (1) Red and (2) Cream seed; (3) White and (4) Brown/Tan seed coat; (5) Pink, (6) Black, (7) Browneye and (8) Red/Brown Holstein. Across six GWAS models (GLM, SRM, MLM, MLMM, FarmCPU from GAPIT3, and TASSEL5), 13 significant SNP markers were identified and led to the discovery of 23 candidate genes. Among these, four specific genes may play a direct role in determining seed coat pigment. These findings lay a foundational basis for future breeding programs aimed at creating cowpea varieties aligned with consumer preferences and market requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haizheng Xiong
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Yilin Chen
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | | | - Beiquan Mou
- Sam Farr U.S. Crop Improvement and Protection Research Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Salinas, CA 93905, USA
| | - Xiaolun Sun
- Department of Poultry Science & The Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Qingyang Zhang
- Mathematical Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Yiting Xiao
- Biological Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Yang Tian
- Program of Material Science and Engineering, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Qun Luo
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Ibtisam Alatawi
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | - Kenani Edward Chiwina
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
| | | | - Ainong Shi
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (Y.C.)
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Marucci RC, Ruber SE, Pec M, Liburd OE. Are predatory mites effective as biological control agents to suppress Oligonychus ilicis (Acari: Tetranychidae) in blueberry plantings? J Econ Entomol 2024:toae086. [PMID: 38687636 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toae086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Southern red mite, Oligonychus ilicis McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an important polyphagous spider mite pest that causes economic damage to many ornamentals, coffee, and fruit crops. Blueberry growers in the Southeastern United States, including Florida and Georgia, have experienced severe losses due to outbreaks of O. ilicis. Predatory mites are an important management tool used for controlling spider mites; however, predators have not been studied and successfully evaluated in blueberry systems. Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are among the most economically important arthropod agents used in augmentative biological control worldwide. To evaluate the potential of these 3 commercially available predatory mites for use in blueberry plantings, we conducted experiments under controlled laboratory conditions and in the greenhouse. In preliminary laboratory experiments, P. persimilis and N. californicus significantly reduced the number of O. ilicis motile stages below those found in the untreated control, indicating the potential for these 2 predatory mite species to suppress O. ilicis populations. Amblyseius swirskii did not perform well controlling O. ilicis motiles in the laboratory. Under greenhouse conditions, N. californicus and P. persimilis significantly reduced the number of eggs after 7 days of release and the number of motile stages after 14 days of release. This is the first report of using phytoseiid mites to suppress O. ilicis in blueberry systems in the United States. Further studies on predator behavior, feeding preferences, and acaricide compatibility with predators are required to investigate the possibility of using P. persimilis, and N. californicus as biological control agents of O. ilicis in blueberry systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosangela C Marucci
- Department of Entomology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), P.O. Box 3037, Lavras, MG 37200-000, Brazil
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Stella E Ruber
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Marvin Pec
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture (ESALQ/USP), University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, P.O. Box 9, Piracicaba, SP 13418 900, Brazil
| | - Oscar E Liburd
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Drive, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Huang PC, Yuan P, Grunseich JM, Taylor J, Tiénébo EO, Pierson EA, Bernal JS, Kenerley CM, Kolomiets MV. Trichoderma virens and Pseudomonas chlororaphis Differentially Regulate Maize Resistance to Anthracnose Leaf Blight and Insect Herbivores When Grown in Sterile versus Non-Sterile Soils. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:1240. [PMID: 38732455 PMCID: PMC11085588 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Soil-borne Trichoderma spp. have been extensively studied for their biocontrol activities against pathogens and growth promotion ability in plants. However, the beneficial effect of Trichoderma on inducing resistance against insect herbivores has been underexplored. Among diverse Trichoderma species, consistent with previous reports, we showed that root colonization by T. virens triggered induced systemic resistance (ISR) to the leaf-infecting hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens Colletotrichum graminicola. Whether T. virens induces ISR to insect pests has not been tested before. In this study, we investigated whether T. virens affects jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis and defense against fall armyworm (FAW) and western corn rootworm (WCR). Unexpectedly, the results showed that T. virens colonization of maize seedlings grown in autoclaved soil suppressed wound-induced production of JA, resulting in reduced resistance to FAW. Similarly, the bacterial endophyte Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84 was found to suppress systemic resistance to FAW due to reduced JA. Further comparative analyses of the systemic effects of these endophytes when applied in sterile or non-sterile field soil showed that both T. virens and P. chlororaphis 30-84 triggered ISR against C. graminicola in both soil conditions, but only suppressed JA production and resistance to FAW in sterile soil, while no significant impact was observed when applied in non-sterile soil. In contrast to the effect on FAW defense, T. virens colonization of maize roots suppressed WCR larvae survival and weight gain. This is the first report suggesting the potential role of T. virens as a biocontrol agent against WCR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Cheng Huang
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
| | - Peiguo Yuan
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
| | - John M. Grunseich
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475, USA; (J.M.G.); (J.S.B.)
| | - James Taylor
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
| | - Eric-Olivier Tiénébo
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2133, USA;
- Agronomic Sciences and Transformation Processes Joint Research and Innovation Unit, Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Yamoussoukro P.O. Box 1093, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Elizabeth A. Pierson
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2133, USA;
| | - Julio S. Bernal
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475, USA; (J.M.G.); (J.S.B.)
| | - Charles M. Kenerley
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
| | - Michael V. Kolomiets
- Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2132, USA; (P.-C.H.); (P.Y.); (J.T.); (E.A.P.); (C.M.K.)
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Pérez-Hedo M, Urbaneja A, Alférez F. Homobrassinolide Delays Huanglongbing Progression in Newly Planted Citrus ( Citrus sinensis) Trees. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:1229. [PMID: 38732444 PMCID: PMC11085320 DOI: 10.3390/plants13091229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening, is a devastating disease impacting citrus trees worldwide, with severe effects particularly noted in Florida. Current strategies to combat HLB focus on aggressive replanting, despite the high susceptibility of young trees to infection. In this context, it is critical to explore agronomic practices that can enhance the health and resistance of young citrus trees to HLB. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with homobrassinolide (HBr), a type of brassinosteroid, in newly planted citrus (Citrus sinensis) trees can delay HLB infection and improve tree health amidst the high psyllid pressure conditions endemic to Florida. Our study reveals a significant reduction in HLB infection rates in HBr-treated trees compared to control trees, with only 25% of treated trees testing positive for HLB by six months, in contrast to 100% infection in untreated trees. This delay in infection may be attributed to HBr inducing an immune response and negatively impacting psyllid performance, as subsequently demonstrated in a greenhouse experiment. Our findings suggest that HBr applications could serve as a viable strategy to enhance the resilience of citrus production against HLB, underscoring the need for further investigation into their mechanisms of action and potential role in a comprehensive pest and disease management strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, CV-315, Km 10.7, Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alberto Urbaneja
- Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, CV-315, Km 10.7, Moncada, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Fernando Alférez
- Horticultural Sciences Department, Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida/IFAS, Immokalee, FL 34142, USA
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Kennedy VC, Lynch CS, Tanner AR, Winger QA, Gad A, Rozance PJ, Anthony RV. Fetal Hypoglycemia Induced by Placental SLC2A3-RNA Interference Alters Fetal Pancreas Development and Transcriptome at Mid-Gestation. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4780. [PMID: 38731997 PMCID: PMC11084495 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Glucose, the primary energy substrate for fetal oxidative processes and growth, is transferred from maternal to fetal circulation down a concentration gradient by placental facilitative glucose transporters. In sheep, SLC2A1 and SLC2A3 are the primary transporters available in the placental epithelium, with SLC2A3 located on the maternal-facing apical trophoblast membrane and SLC2A1 located on the fetal-facing basolateral trophoblast membrane. We have previously reported that impaired placental SLC2A3 glucose transport resulted in smaller, hypoglycemic fetuses with reduced umbilical artery insulin and glucagon concentrations, in addition to diminished pancreas weights. These findings led us to subject RNA derived from SLC2A3-RNAi (RNA interference) and NTS-RNAi (non-targeting sequence) fetal pancreases to qPCR followed by transcriptomic analysis. We identified a total of 771 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Upregulated pathways were associated with fat digestion and absorption, particularly fatty acid transport, lipid metabolism, and cholesterol biosynthesis, suggesting a potential switch in energetic substrates due to hypoglycemia. Pathways related to molecular transport and cell signaling in addition to pathways influencing growth and metabolism of the developing pancreas were also impacted. A few genes directly related to gluconeogenesis were also differentially expressed. Our results suggest that fetal hypoglycemia during the first half of gestation impacts fetal pancreas development and function that is not limited to β cell activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria C. Kennedy
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
| | - Cameron S. Lynch
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
| | - Amelia R. Tanner
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Quinton A. Winger
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
| | - Ahmed Gad
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
| | - Paul J. Rozance
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA;
| | - Russell V. Anthony
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA; (V.C.K.); (C.S.L.); (A.R.T.); (Q.A.W.); (A.G.)
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Ekramirad N, Doyle L, Loeb J, Santra D, Adedeji AA. Hyperspectral Imaging and Machine Learning as a Nondestructive Method for Proso Millet Seed Detection and Classification. Foods 2024; 13:1330. [PMID: 38731705 PMCID: PMC11083050 DOI: 10.3390/foods13091330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Millet is a small-seeded cereal crop with big potential. There are many different cultivars of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) with different characteristics, bringing forth the issue of sorting which are important for growers, processors, and consumers. Current methods of grain cultivar detection and classification are subjective, destructive, and time-consuming. Therefore, there is a need to develop nondestructive methods for sorting the cultivars of proso millet. In this study, the feasibility of using near-infrared (NIR) hyperspectral imaging (900-1700 nm) to discriminate between different cultivars of proso millet seeds was evaluated. A total of 5000 proso millet seeds were randomly obtained and investigated from the ten most popular cultivars in the United States, namely Cerise, Cope, Earlybird, Huntsman, Minco, Plateau, Rise, Snowbird, Sunrise, and Sunup. To reduce the large dimensionality of the hyperspectral imaging, principal component analysis (PCA) was applied, and the first two principal components were used as spectral features for building the classification models because they had the largest variance. The classification performance showed prediction accuracy rates as high as 99% for classifying the different cultivars of proso millet using a Gradient tree boosting ensemble machine learning algorithm. Moreover, the classification was successfully performed using only 15 and 5 selected spectral features (wavelengths), with an accuracy of 98.14% and 97.6%, respectively. The overall results indicate that NIR hyperspectral imaging could be used as a rapid and nondestructive method for the classification of proso millet seeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nader Ekramirad
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA; (N.E.); (L.D.); (J.L.)
| | - Lauren Doyle
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA; (N.E.); (L.D.); (J.L.)
| | - Julia Loeb
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA; (N.E.); (L.D.); (J.L.)
| | - Dipak Santra
- Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Avenue I, Scottsbluff, NE 69361, USA;
| | - Akinbode A. Adedeji
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA; (N.E.); (L.D.); (J.L.)
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Fatemi SA, Mousstaaid A, Williams CJ, Deines J, Poudel S, Poudel I, Walters ER, Levy AW, Peebles ED. Effects of the Marek's Disease Vaccine on the Performance, Meat Yield, and Incidence of Woody Breast Myopathy in Ross 708 Broilers When Administered Alone or in Conjunction with In ovo and Dietary Supplemental 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1308. [PMID: 38731311 PMCID: PMC11083642 DOI: 10.3390/ani14091308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The effects of the Marek's disease vaccine (MDV) on the live performance, breast meat yield, and incidence of woody breast myopathy (WBM) of Ross 708 broilers were investigated when administered alone or in conjunction with in ovo and dietary supplemental 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD3). At 18 d of incubation (doi), four in ovo injection treatments were randomly assigned to live embryonated Ross 708 broiler hatching eggs: (1) non-injected; (2) commercial MDV alone; or MDV containing either (3) 1.2 or (4) 2.4 μg of 25OHD3. An Inovoject multi-egg injector was used to inject a 50 μL solution volume into each egg. The birds were provided a commercial diet that contained 250 IU of cholecalciferol/kg of feed (control) or a commercial diet that was supplemented with an additional 2760 IU of 25OHD3/kg of feed (HyD-diet). In the growout period, 14 male broilers were placed in each of 48 floor pens resulting 6 replicated pens per in ovo x dietary treatment combination. Live performance variable were measured at each dietary phases from 0 to 14, 15 to 28, and 29 to 40 d of age (doa). At 14 and 40 doa, pectoralis major (P. major) and pectoralis minor (P. minor) muscles were determined for one bird within each of the six replicate pens. At 41 doa, WBM incidence was determined. No significant main or interaction effects occurred for WBM among the dietary or in ovo injection treatments. However, in response to in ovo 25OHD3 supplementation, BW and BWG in the 29 to 40 doa period and BWG and FCR in the 0 to 40 doa period improved. In addition, at 40 and 41 doa, breast meat yield increased in response to in ovo and dietary 25OHD3 supplementation. Future research is needed to determine the possible reasons that may have been involved in the aforementioned improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Abolghasem Fatemi
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
| | - Ayoub Mousstaaid
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
| | | | - Joshua Deines
- Zoetis Animal Health, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27703, USA; (C.J.W.); (J.D.)
| | - Sabin Poudel
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
| | - Ishab Poudel
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
| | - Elianna Rice Walters
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
| | | | - Edgar David Peebles
- Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA; (A.M.); (S.P.); (I.P.); (E.R.W.); (E.D.P.)
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Kandel A, Li L, Wang Y, Tuo W, Xiao Z. Differentiation and Regulation of Bovine Th2 Cells In Vitro. Cells 2024; 13:738. [PMID: 38727273 PMCID: PMC11083891 DOI: 10.3390/cells13090738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Bovine Th2 cells have usually been characterized by IL4 mRNA expression, but it is unclear whether their IL4 protein expression corresponds to transcription. We found that grass-fed healthy beef cattle, which had been regularly exposed to parasites on the grass, had a low frequency of IL4+ Th2 cells during flow cytometry, similar to animals grown in feedlots. To assess the distribution of IL4+ CD4+ T cells across tissues, samples from the blood, spleen, abomasal (draining), and inguinal lymph nodes were examined, which revealed limited IL4 protein detection in the CD4+ T cells across the examined tissues. To determine if bovine CD4+ T cells may develop into Th2 cells, naïve cells were stimulated with anti-bovine CD3 under a Th2 differentiation kit in vitro. The cells produced primarily IFNγ proteins, with only a small fraction (<10%) co-expressing IL4 proteins. Quantitative PCR confirmed elevated IFNγ transcription but no significant change in IL4 transcription. Surprisingly, GATA3, the master regulator of IL4, was highest in naïve CD4+ T cells but was considerably reduced following differentiation. To determine if the differentiated cells were true Th2 cells, an unbiased proteomic assay was carried out. The assay identified 4212 proteins, 422 of which were differently expressed compared to those in naïve cells. Based on these differential proteins, Th2-related upstream components were predicted, including CD3, CD28, IL4, and IL33, demonstrating typical Th2 differentiation. To boost IL4 expression, T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation strength was reduced by lowering anti-CD3 concentrations. Consequently, weak TCR stimulation essentially abolished Th2 expansion and survival. In addition, extra recombinant bovine IL4 (rbIL4) was added during Th2 differentiation, but, despite enhanced expansion, the IL4 level remained unaltered. These findings suggest that, while bovine CD4+ T cells can respond to Th2 differentiation stimuli, the bovine IL4 pathway is not regulated in the same way as in mice and humans. Furthermore, Ostertagia ostertagi (OO) extract, a gastrointestinal nematode in cattle, inhibited signaling via CD3, CD28, IL4, and TLRs/MYD88, indicating that external pathogens can influence bovine Th2 differentiation. In conclusion, though bovine CD4+ T cells can respond to IL4-driven differentiation, IL4 expression is not a defining feature of differentiated bovine Th2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anmol Kandel
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (A.K.); (L.L.)
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (A.K.); (L.L.)
| | - Yan Wang
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wenbin Tuo
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
| | - Zhengguo Xiao
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; (A.K.); (L.L.)
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Rosenberger JP, Edge AC, Killmaster CH, Johannsen KL, Osborn DA, Nibbelink NP, Miller KV, D’Angelo GJ. Female Deer Movements Relative to Firearms Hunting in Northern Georgia, USA. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1212. [PMID: 38672360 PMCID: PMC11047325 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Perceived risk associated with hunters can cause white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to shift their activity away from key foraging areas or alter normal movements, which are important considerations in managing hunting and its effects on a population. We studied the effects of seven firearms hunts on the movements of 20 female deer in two Wildlife Management Areas within the Chattahoochee National Forest of northern Georgia, USA, during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 hunting seasons. Deer populations and the number of hunters in our study area have declined significantly since the 1980s. In response, hunting regulations for the 2019-2020 hunting season eliminated opportunities for harvesting female deer. To evaluate the indirect effects of antlered deer hunting on non-target female deer, we calculated 90% utilization distributions (UDs), 50% UDs, and step lengths for pre-hunt, hunt, and post-hunt periods using the dynamic Brownian bridge movement model. Data included 30 min GPS locations for 44 deer-hunt combinations. Pre-hunt 50% UDs (x- = 7.0 ha, SE = 0.4 ha) were slightly greater than both hunt (x- = 6.0 ha, SE = 0.3 ha) and post-hunt (x- = 6.0 ha, SE = 0.2 ha) 50% UDs (F = 3.84, p = 0.03). We did not detect differences in step length, nor did we detect differences in size or composition of 90% UDs, among the periods. Overall, our results suggest that the low level of hunting pressure in our study area and lack of exposure to hunters led to no biologically significant changes in female deer movements. To the extent of the findings presented in this paper, adjustments to the management of hunting in our study area do not appear to be necessary to minimize hunting-related disturbances for female deer. However, managers should continue to consider female deer behavior when evaluating future changes to hunting regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacalyn P. Rosenberger
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
| | - Adam C. Edge
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
| | - Charlie H. Killmaster
- Game Management Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, GA 30025, USA
| | - Kristina L. Johannsen
- Game Management Section, Wildlife Resources Division, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Social Circle, GA 30025, USA
| | - David A. Osborn
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
| | - Nathan P. Nibbelink
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
| | - Karl V. Miller
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
| | - Gino J. D’Angelo
- Daniel B. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA (G.J.D.)
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10
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Lee JH, Wildeus S, O’Brien D, Kouakou B. Impact of Agro-Byproduct Supplementation on Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Hair Sheep and Wool × Hair Crossbreds Grazing on Fescue Pasture. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1217. [PMID: 38672369 PMCID: PMC11047688 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The effects of breed type (purebred or crossbred) and supplementation of agro-byproducts on the growth, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of landrace hair (Barbados Blackbelly; BB and St. Croix; SX) lambs was evaluated. Thirty-six 7.5-month-old purebred hair (BB and SX; body weight = 24.1 ± 4.26 kg) and terminal sire (Dorset; DO) crossbred lambs (DO × BB and DO × SX; body weight = 31.4 ± 3.50 kg) rotationally grazed predominantly on Jesup tall fescue pasture during spring with or without agro-byproduct supplementation (soyhull or corn gluten feed at 2% of BW). Following a 77d grazing period, the lambs were harvested, and their carcass characteristics and meat composition were evaluated. Both supplementation and crossbreeding significantly increased their carcass weight and primal cuts, whereas only supplementation increased (p < 0.01) the dressing percentage, and crossbreeding increased the shear force (p < 0.01). Regardless of breed type, supplementing agro-byproducts improved the lipid oxidation stability and texture properties of the fresh lamb, whereas the pasture-only lambs had healthier fatty acid profiles compared with the supplemented lambs. The results indicate that both terminal sire crossbreeding and byproduct supplementation can be used to affect the carcass characteristics and meat composition of landrace hair sheep lambs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Hoon Lee
- Georgia Small Ruminant Research and Extension Center, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA;
| | - Stephan Wildeus
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA; (S.W.); (D.O.)
| | - Dahlia O’Brien
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA; (S.W.); (D.O.)
| | - Brou Kouakou
- Georgia Small Ruminant Research and Extension Center, Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA;
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11
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Bueno DJ, Rodríguez FI, Machado LC, Soria MA, Procura F, Gómez SC, Hoffmann TM, Alcain A, Caffer MI, Latorre JD, Quintar JO. Study of Salmonella spp. from Cage Papers Belonging to Pet Birds in an Argentinean Canary Breeder Championship. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1207. [PMID: 38672354 PMCID: PMC11047313 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Birds, including canaries and other birds, have become increasingly popular as pets. Bird fairs, where breeders gather and show their production in a championship setting, present a setting for possible Salmonella spp. contamination and transmission. Therefore, this study estimated the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers, located in the bottom of cages of exotic pet birds, including canaries. Collected Salmonella isolates were used to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile to 52 antibiotics and 17 commercial disinfectants, based on pure or a mixture of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, alkalis, halogens, peroxygen, and quaternary ammonium compounds. The samples consisted of 774 cage papers taken in the 2015 Argentinean canary breeder championship, pooling three cage papers into one sterile sampling bag. Only one pool of the cage papers was positive for Salmonella spp. (0.4%), which belonged to the sample from three frill canary cages. Two strains of Salmonella serotype Glostrup were isolated, which were only resistant to sulfonamides and erythromycin and sensitive to alkali-based product PL301 AS. Although the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers in an Argentinean canary breeder championship is low, it should not be discounted because Salmonella ser. Glostrup can be a source of human Salmonella outbreaks and they show high resistance to disinfecting products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dante J. Bueno
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Concepción del Uruguay, Ruta Provincial 39 Km 143.5, Concepción del Uruguay E3260, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
- Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología sede Basavilbaso, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, Barón Hirsch Nº 175, Basavilbaso E3170, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Francisco I. Rodríguez
- Agencia Santafecina de Seguridad Alimentaria, Francia, Santa Fe S3000, Santa Fe, Argentina;
| | - Luciana C. Machado
- BBR Industries Argentina, Calle 70, La Plata B1904BHQ, Buenos Aires, Argentina;
| | - Mario A. Soria
- Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Concepción del Uruguay, Ruta Provincial 39 Km 143.5, Concepción del Uruguay E3260, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
| | - Francisco Procura
- Facultad de Bromatología, Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos, Pte. Perón 1154, Gualeguaychú E2820, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
| | - Silvana C. Gómez
- Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos, 25 de Mayo 353, Concepción del Uruguay E3260, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
| | - Teresa M. Hoffmann
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento Avicultura, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria EEA Concepción del Uruguay, Ruta Provincial 39 Km 143.5, Concepción del Uruguay E3170, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
| | - Andrea Alcain
- Servicio Enterobacterias, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas (I.N.E.I.), Dr. “Carlos G. Malbrán”, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 583, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1282AFF, Argentina; (A.A.); (M.I.C.)
| | - María I. Caffer
- Servicio Enterobacterias, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas (I.N.E.I.), Dr. “Carlos G. Malbrán”, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 583, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1282AFF, Argentina; (A.A.); (M.I.C.)
| | - Juan D. Latorre
- Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Javier O. Quintar
- Los Twity, Estrada 575, Concepción del Uruguay E3260, Entre Ríos, Argentina;
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12
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Azeem S, Baroch J, Tewari D, Pabilonia KL, Killian M, Bradel-Tretheway B, Sun D, Ghorbani-Nezami S, Yoon KJ. Molecular Characterization of Non-H5 and Non-H7 Avian Influenza Viruses from Non-Mallard Migratory Waterbirds of the North American Flyways, 2006-2011. Pathogens 2024; 13:333. [PMID: 38668288 PMCID: PMC11054893 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The surveillance of migratory waterbirds (MWs) for avian influenza virus (AIV) is indispensable for the early detection of a potential AIV incursion into poultry. Surveying AIV infections and virus subtypes in understudied MW species could elucidate their role in AIV ecology. Oropharyngeal-cloacal (OPC) swabs were collected from non-mallard MWs between 2006 and 2011. OPC swabs (n = 1158) that molecularly tested positive for AIV (Cts ≤ 32) but tested negative for H5 and H7 subtypes were selected for virus isolation (VI). The selected samples evenly represented birds from all four North American flyways (Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic). Eighty-seven low pathogenic AIV isolates, representing 31 sites in 17 states, were recovered from the samples. All isolates belonged to the North American lineage. The samples representing birds from the Central Flyway had the highest VI positive rate (57.5%) compared to those from the other flyways (10.3-17.2%), suggesting that future surveillance can focus on the Central Flyway. Of the isolates, 43.7%, 12.6%, and 10.3% were obtained from blue-winged teal, American wigeon, and American black duck species, respectively. Hatch-year MWs represented the majority of the isolates (70.1%). The most common H and N combinations were H3N8 (23.0%), H4N6 (18.4%), and H4N8 (18.4%). The HA gene between non-mallard and mallard MW isolates during the same time period shared 85.5-99.5% H3 identity and 89.3-99.7% H4 identity. Comparisons between MW (mallard and non-mallard) and poultry H3 and H4 isolates also revealed high similarity (79.0-99.0% and 88.7-98.4%), emphasizing the need for continued AIV surveillance in MWs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahan Azeem
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (S.A.); (D.S.)
- Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - John Baroch
- Wildlife Services, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Deepanker Tewari
- Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA;
| | - Kristy L. Pabilonia
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Mary Killian
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ames, IA 50010, USA;
| | - Birgit Bradel-Tretheway
- Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA;
| | - Dong Sun
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA; (S.A.); (D.S.)
| | - Sara Ghorbani-Nezami
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Kyoung-Jin Yoon
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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13
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Silva WD, Hanks LM, Bento JMS, Zou Y, Millar JG. Evidence for 3-hydroxyhexan-2-one as a shared pheromone component for 12 South American species of cerambycid beetles. J Econ Entomol 2024:toae075. [PMID: 38625049 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toae075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
3-Hydroxyhexan-2-one (3-C6-ketol) has emerged as the most conserved pheromone structure within the beetle family Cerambycidae. In this study, we report the sex-specific production of this compound by males of 12 species of South American cerambycid beetles. Males of Chrysoprasis chalybea Redtenbacher and Mallosoma zonatum (Sahlberg) (Tribe Dichophyiini), and Ambonus lippus (Germar), Eurysthea hirta (Kirby), Pantonyssus nigriceps Bates, Stizocera plicicollis (Germar), and Stizocera tristis (Guérin-Méneville) (Elaphidiini) produced 3R-C6-ketol as a single component, whereas males of Neoclytus pusillus (Laporte & Gory) (Clytini), Aglaoschema concolor (Gounelle), Orthostoma abdominale (Gyllenhal) (Compsocerini), Dorcacerus barbatus (Olivier), and Retrachydes thoracicus thoracicus (Olivier) (Trachyderini) produced 3R-C6-ketol, along with lesser amounts of other compounds. In field trials testing 8 known cerambycid pheromone compounds, C. chalybea, E. hirta, and R. t. thoracicus were attracted in significant numbers to traps baited with 3-C6-ketol. A second field experiment provided support for the strategy of using the attraction of cerambycid species to test lures as a method of providing leads to their likely pheromone components. Because both sexes are attracted to these aggregation-sex pheromones, live beetles can be obtained from baited traps to verify they produce the compound(s) to which they were attracted, that is, that the compounds are indeed pheromone components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weliton D Silva
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP 13418900, Brazil
| | - Lawrence M Hanks
- Department of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - José Mauricio S Bento
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, SP 13418900, Brazil
| | - Yunfan Zou
- Departments of Entomology and Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Jocelyn G Millar
- Departments of Entomology and Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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14
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Ford HR, Bionaz M. The Experimental and In Silico-Based Evaluation of NRF2 Modulators, Sulforaphane and Brusatol, on the Transcriptome of Immortalized Bovine Mammary Alveolar Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4264. [PMID: 38673850 PMCID: PMC11049820 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Changes during the production cycle of dairy cattle can leave these animals susceptible to oxidative stress and reduced antioxidant health. In particular, the periparturient period, when dairy cows must rapidly adapt to the sudden metabolic demands of lactation, is a period when the production of damaging free radicals can overwhelm the natural antioxidant systems, potentially leading to tissue damage and reduced milk production. Central to the protection against free radical damage and antioxidant defense is the transcription factor NRF2, which activates an array of genes associated with antioxidant functions and cell survival. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect that two natural NRF2 modulators, the NRF2 agonist sulforaphane (SFN) and the antagonist brusatol (BRU), have on the transcriptome of immortalized bovine mammary alveolar cells (MACT) using both the RT-qPCR of putative NRF2 target genes, as well as RNA sequencing approaches. The treatment of cells with SFN resulted in the activation of many putative NRF2 target genes and the upregulation of genes associated with pathways involved in cell survival, metabolism, and antioxidant function while suppressing the expression of genes related to cellular senescence and DNA repair. In contrast, the treatment of cells with BRU resulted in the upregulation of genes associated with inflammation, cellular stress, and apoptosis while suppressing the transcription of genes involved in various metabolic processes. The analysis also revealed several novel putative NRF2 target genes in bovine. In conclusion, these data indicate that the treatment of cells with SFN and BRU may be effective at modulating the NRF2 transcriptional network, but additional effects associated with cellular stress and metabolism may complicate the effectiveness of these compounds to improve antioxidant health in dairy cattle via nutrigenomic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Massimo Bionaz
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA;
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15
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Esparza-Diaz G, Villanueva RT, Badillo-Vargas IE. A Novel Interaction of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) as a Biological Control Agent of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in Potato. Insects 2024; 15:261. [PMID: 38667391 PMCID: PMC11050558 DOI: 10.3390/insects15040261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a generalist predator commonly used to control the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in Europe. This mirid has been found and established in South Texas, where it was initially observed feeding on nymphs of the psyllid Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae) in open tomato fields. B. cockerelli is the vector of the fastidious bacterium "Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum" that causes diseases in several solanaceous crops, including zebra chip (ZC) disease in potatoes. There is a need to better understand how this predator impacts the control of important crop pests, such as potato psyllids. We assessed the interactions between N. tenuis and B. cockerelli in three different environmental settings. First, we estimated the numeric response of N. tenuis preying on B. cockerelli under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Second, we evaluated the predator-prey interaction under controlled field cage conditions. Then, we exposed N. tenuis under controlled field release conditions to the natural occurrence of B. cockerelli. Finally, we assessed the compatibility between the use of N. tenuis as a biological control agent in a field study and its impact on ZC disease incidence, severity in potato tubers, and potato yield. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments resulted in diverse types of functional model responses, including exponential and linear mathematical models. Our findings revealed a significant predation effect exerted by N. tenuis, resulting in a reduction of more than fourfold in the number of B. cockerelli nymphs per cage. Specifically, the nymphal population decreased from 21 ± 3.2 in the absence of N. tenuis to 5 ± 1.6 when N. tenuis was present. Furthermore, the combination of N. tenuis with a reduced insecticide program increased potato yields, but only reduced ZC tuber incidence in one of two potato cultivars evaluated, and in one season. Findings from these studies indicate that N. tenuis could be effective as a biological control agent for B. cockerelli in potato production in South Texas. This is the first report of N. tenuis preying on immature stages of any psyllid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Esparza-Diaz
- Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 2415 E. US Highway 83, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA
| | - Raul T. Villanueva
- Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky Research and Education Center, University of Kentucky, 348 University Drive, Princeton, KY 42445, USA
| | - Ismael E. Badillo-Vargas
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, 2475 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Biology Department, South Texas College, 400 N. Border, Weslaco, TX 78596, USA
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16
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Ramachandran R, Ford E, Gomaa B, Abdelhamed H. Trans-Cinnamaldehyde Primes More Robust Channel Catfish Immune Responses to Edwardsiella ictaluri Infection. Pathogens 2024; 13:310. [PMID: 38668265 PMCID: PMC11054112 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Infection with Edwardsiella ictaluri, a causative agent of enteric septicemia of catfish, threatens profitable catfish production through inventory losses. We previously demonstrated that trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC) enhances the survival of catfish following E. ictaluri infection. The present study was conducted to investigate catfish immune responses to TC feeding and E. ictaluri infection. The expression of 13 proinflammatory, innate, and adaptive immune-related genes was evaluated over time in two sets of experiments using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In the first experiment, catfish were fed a basal diet with or without TC supplementation, while in the second they were fed a TC-supplemented or normal diet followed by infection with E. ictaluri. The catfish group infected with E. ictaluri and fed a TC-diet showed significant changes in the expression of innate and adaptive immune-related genes compared to control group. At 21 and 28 days post-infection, recovered fish showed significant increases in the expression of IgM in the anterior kidney and spleen. These results suggest that the supplemental dietary intake of TC can improve the immune status of catfish via engaging innate and adaptive immune responses and the production of memory cells in immunocompetent tissues. Together, this study provides an important foundation for the potential application of TC as an antimicrobial alternative in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Hossam Abdelhamed
- Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA; (R.R.); (E.F.); (B.G.)
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17
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Danso JK, Mbata GN, Holton RL. Preharvest insect pests of peanuts and associated aflatoxin contaminants in Georgia, USA. J Econ Entomol 2024:toae074. [PMID: 38602338 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toae074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
On-farm losses of peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L., Fabales: Fabaceae) pose a persistent threat to the sustainable production and value of peanuts in the United States. This study presents empirical data on the spatial distribution of subterranean insect pests and various quality aspects of peanuts. Surveys were conducted in 20 randomly selected peanut fields in 10 counties in Northeast, Southeast, and Southwest Georgia. The primary insect pests found in Georgia's peanut production counties were Pangaeus bilineatus (Say), Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), and Diabrotica undecimpunctata Howardi. In the northeast counties, a high prevalence of P. bilineatus led to a significant increase in insect-damaged pods (%IDP), insect-damaged kernels (%IDK), discolored kernels (%DK), pod weight loss (%PWL), and kernel weight loss (%KWL). Similarly, southeast counties had a high %DK, cracked pods (%CP), and E. lignosellus infestation. In southwest counties, predominantly high D. undecimpunctata infestations resulted in the highest %IDP. Moisture content (%MC) was excessively high in all the counties (22.19%-23.17%). Preharvest aflatoxin contamination in peanuts was prevalent across all studied locations, particularly in counties with a high incidence of P. bilineatus and may cause increased risk in aflatoxin levels along the supply chain. Nevertheless, the diverse regional abundance of insect pests and the widespread presence of aflatoxins in Georgia's peanut fields offer valuable insights for developing integrated pest management strategies targeting subterranean insect pests. This is especially crucial in addressing the impact of P. bilineatus, E. lignosellus, and D. undecimpunctata on aflatoxins content of peanuts and determining the pathway for mitigation of aflatoxin contaminations in peanuts at harvest.
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Affiliation(s)
- James K Danso
- Entomology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313, USA
| | - George N Mbata
- Entomology Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Station, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030-4313, USA
| | - Raegan L Holton
- Research Division, Premium Peanut, 311 Barrington Road, Douglas, GA 31535, USA
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18
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Brodock JL, Hopfer H, Masterson TD, Hayes JE. Orthorexia Nervosa and Healthy Orthorexia in a Physically Active North American Population. Nutrients 2024; 16:1107. [PMID: 38674798 PMCID: PMC11053522 DOI: 10.3390/nu16081107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) defines two related but distinct constructs: Orthorexia Nervosa (OrNe), a pathological fixation on a healthy diet, and Healthy Orthorexia (HeOr), an interest in a healthy diet independent of psychopathology. Here, we (a) assessed both types of Orthorexia in a large North American sample using the TOS and (b) explored if engaging in regular physical activity was associated with a greater risk of Orthorexia. A cohort of physically active adults (n = 927; 41% men) completed the TOS, as well as the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), to broadly assess aerobic physical activity level and participation in strength and/or flexibility training. As expected, scores for HeOr and OrNe differed between participants, with lower scores for Orthorexia Nervosa in our physically active non-clinical sample. Higher HeOr scores were associated with lower BMI, and this was true for both men and women. We also found that measures of Orthorexia were associated with self-reported physical activity: active adults reporting more aerobic physical activity had higher HeOr scores, with the most active men having the highest scores. Notably, adults who reported regular strength training had higher scores for both HeOr and OrNe, with men who strength trained showing higher OrNe scores than women. Here, those who participate in regular strength training are more likely to exhibit orthorexic behaviors, and this effect was more pronounced for men than women. Prior work has validated the TOS in young, primarily female samples of non-English speakers outside the United States: present data from an age-diverse, physically active, gender balanced sample support the use of TOS for measurement of Orthorexia Nervosa and Healthy Orthorexia in English speakers and suggest that more work is needed to assess potential gender differences in these constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Brodock
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA (H.H.)
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA
| | - Helene Hopfer
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA (H.H.)
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA
| | - Travis D. Masterson
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA;
| | - John E. Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA (H.H.)
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Centre County, PA 16802, USA
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19
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Jones KL, Cunha F, Casaro S, Galvão KN. Optimization and Testing of a Commercial Viability PCR Protocol to Detect Escherichia coli in Whole Blood. Microorganisms 2024; 12:765. [PMID: 38674709 PMCID: PMC11052410 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacteremia, specifically if progressed to sepsis, poses a time-sensitive threat to human and animal health. Escherichia coli is a main causative agent of sepsis in humans. The objective was to evaluate a propidium monoazide (PMA)-based viability PCR (vPCR) protocol to detect and quantify live E. coli from whole blood. We optimized the protocol by adding a eukaryotic-specific lysis step prior to PMA exposure, then used spiking experiments to determine the lower limit of detection (LOD) and linear range of quantification. We also compared the vPCR quantification method to standard colony count of spiked inoculum. Lastly, we calculated percent viability in spiked samples containing 50% live cells or 0% live cells. The LOD was 102 CFU/mL for samples containing live cells only and samples with mixed live and heat-killed cells. The linear range of quantification was 102 CFU/mL to 108 CFU/mL (R2 of 0.997) in samples containing only live cells and 103 CFU/mL to 108 CFU/mL (R2 of 0.998) in samples containing live plus heat-killed cells. A Bland-Altman analysis showed that vPCR quantification overestimates compared to standard plate count of the spiked inoculum, with an average bias of 1.85 Log10 CFU/mL across the linear range when only live cells were present in the sample and 1.98 Log10 CFU/mL when live plus heat-killed cells were present. Lastly, percent viability calculations showed an average 89.5% viable cells for samples containing 50% live cells and an average 19.3% for samples containing 0% live cells. In summary, this optimized protocol can detect and quantify viable E. coli in blood in the presence of heat-killed cells. Additionally, the data presented here provide the groundwork for further development of vPCR to detect and quantify live bacteria in blood in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Klibs N. Galvão
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
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20
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Legarrea S, LaTora AG, Simmons AM, Srinivasan R. Begomovirus Transmission to Tomato Plants Is Not Hampered by Plant Defenses Induced by Dicyphus hesperus Knight. Viruses 2024; 16:587. [PMID: 38675929 PMCID: PMC11055112 DOI: 10.3390/v16040587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants can respond to insect infestation and virus infection by inducing plant defenses, generally mediated by phytohormones. Moreover, plant defenses alter host quality for insect vectors with consequences for the spread of viruses. In agricultural settings, other organisms commonly interact with plants, thereby inducing plant defenses that could affect plant-virus-vector interactions. For example, plant defenses induced by omnivorous insects can modulate insect behavior. This study focused on tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a plant virus of the family Geminiviridae and genus Begomovirus. It is transmitted in a persistent circulative manner by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), posing a global threat to tomato production. Mirids (Hemiptera: Miridae) are effective biological control agents of B. tabaci, but there is a possibility that their omnivorous nature could also interfere with the process of virus transmission. To test this hypothesis, this study first addressed to what extent the mirid bug Dicyphus hesperus Knight induces plant defenses in tomato. Subsequently, the impact of this plant-omnivore interaction on the transmission of TYLCV was evaluated. Controlled cage experiments were performed in a greenhouse setting to evaluate the impact of mirids on virus transmission and vector acquisition by B. tabaci. While we observed a reduced number of whiteflies settling on plants exposed to D. hesperus, the plant defenses induced by the mirid bug did not affect TYLCV transmission and accumulation. Additionally, whiteflies were able to acquire comparable amounts of TYLCV on mirid-exposed plants and control plants. Overall, the induction of plant defenses by D. hesperus did not influence TYLCV transmission by whiteflies on tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saioa Legarrea
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, GA 30223, USA;
- Department of Food and Agriculture, University of La Rioja, C/Madre de Dios, 53, 26006 Logroño, Spain
| | - Angela Gabrielle LaTora
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, GA 30223, USA;
- University of Georgia Extension Fulton County, 7741 Roswell Road NE, Room 248, Sandy Springs, GA 30350, USA
| | - Alvin M. Simmons
- U.S.D.A.—Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, 2700 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414, USA;
| | - Rajagopalbabu Srinivasan
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 1109 Experiment Street, Griffin, GA 30223, USA;
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21
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Choudhary D, Rideout TC, Millen AE, Wen X. Bean Consumption during Childhood Is Associated with Improved Nutritional Outcomes in the First Two Years of Life. Nutrients 2024; 16:1120. [PMID: 38674811 PMCID: PMC11053677 DOI: 10.3390/nu16081120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bean consumption during childhood may play a role in promoting early-life health given their high nutritional quality. To examine the associations of children's bean consumption with the socio-demographic characteristics of the child and mother and the child's nutrient intake, we analyzed data from the WIC-ITFPS-2, which followed children and their mothers at 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, and 24 months (m) following birth. Caregivers (mostly mothers) responded to an interview-administered 24 h recall on their child's dietary intake at each time point. The intake of dried beans, chili, yellow beans, and lima beans was quantified. Correlate measures included socio-demographic characteristics. Outcome measures of interest focused on the intake of macronutrients (grams and % kcals) and micronutrients at 11 (infancy) and 24 m (toddler) only. To ensure statistical power, we only examined the associations of dried beans and chili with socio-demographics (Chi-square tests) and nutritional outcomes (ANOVA) at 11 and 24 m. The proportion of children who consumed dried beans or chili was very low in the first 6 m of age, started to increase at 7 m (1.2% and 0.4%) and 11 m (4.9% and 2.3%), and reached a high level at 18 m (10.5%) and 24 m (5.9%), respectively. Consumption of yellow or lima beans was rare (<0.1%). At 11 and 24 m, dried bean consumption was higher in children who were White (vs. Black). Dried bean and chili consumption was higher in children who were of Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (vs. non-Hispanic or non-Latino ethnicity). Children who consumed dried beans and chili at 11 or 24 m had a higher intake of total energy, protein, total fiber, potassium, folate, and magnesium compared with non-consumers. The bean consumption was low amongst children, differed by race and ethnicity, and was associated with improved macro- and micronutrient intake in children at 11 and 24 m.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Choudhary
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Todd C. Rideout
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Amy E. Millen
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Xiaozhong Wen
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
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22
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Ali MA, Wang D, Tao Y. Active Dual Line-Laser Scanning for Depth Imaging of Piled Agricultural Commodities for Itemized Processing Lines. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:2385. [PMID: 38676002 PMCID: PMC11054668 DOI: 10.3390/s24082385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
The accurate depth imaging of piled products provides essential perception for the automated selection of individual objects that require itemized food processing, such as fish, crabs, or fruit. Traditional depth imaging techniques, such as Time-of-Flight and stereoscopy, lack the necessary depth resolution for imaging small items, such as food commodities. Although structured light methods such as laser triangulation have high depth resolution, they depend on conveyor motion for depth scanning. This manuscript introduces an active dual line-laser scanning system for depth imaging static piled items, such as a pile of crabs on a table, eliminating the need for conveyor motion to generate high-resolution 3D images. This advancement benefits robotic perception for loading individual items from a pile for itemized food processing. Leveraging a unique geometrical configuration and laser redundancy, the dual-laser strategy overcomes occlusions while reconstructing a large field of view (FOV) from a long working distance. We achieved a depth reconstruction MSE of 0.3 mm and an STD of 0.5 mm on a symmetrical pyramid stage. The proposed system demonstrates that laser scanners can produce depth maps of complex items, such as piled Chesapeake Blue Crab and White Button mushrooms. This technology enables 3D perception for automated processing lines and offers broad applicability for quality inspection, sorting, and handling of piled products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Amr Ali
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
| | - Dongyi Wang
- Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Yang Tao
- Fischell Department of Bioengineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
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23
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Harlow M, Torremorell M, Rademacher CJ, Gebhardt J, Holck T, Linhares LCM, Main RG, Trevisan G. Biosecurity Insights from the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan: Analyzing Data to Enhance Industry Practices. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1134. [PMID: 38612372 PMCID: PMC11011101 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Biosecurity practices aim to reduce the frequency of disease outbreaks in a farm, region, or country and play a pivotal role in fortifying the country's pork industry against emerging threats, particularly foreign animal diseases (FADs). This article addresses the current biosecurity landscape of the US swine industry by summarizing the biosecurity practices reported by the producers through the United States Swine Health Improvement Plan (US SHIP) enrollment surveys, and it provides a general assessment of practices implemented. US SHIP is a voluntary, collaborative effort between industry, state, and federal entities regarding health certification programs for the swine industry. With 12,195 sites surveyed across 31 states, the study provides a comprehensive snapshot of current biosecurity practices. Key findings include variability by site types that have completed Secure Pork Supply plans, variability in outdoor access and presence of perimeter fencing, and diverse farm entry protocols for visitors. The data also reflect the industry's response to the threat of FADs, exemplified by the implementation of the US SHIP in 2020. As the US SHIP program advances, these insights will guide industry stakeholders in refining biosecurity practices, fostering endemic re-emerging and FAD preparedness, and ensuring the sustainability of the swine industry in the face of evolving challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Harlow
- College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Montserrat Torremorell
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine (VPM), College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Cristopher J. Rademacher
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Jordan Gebhardt
- Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Tyler Holck
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Leticia C. M. Linhares
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Rodger G. Main
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Giovani Trevisan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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24
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Sparks KS, Fialkowski MK, Dela Cruz R, Grandinetti A, Wilkens L, Banna JC, Bersamin A, Paulino Y, Aflague T, Coleman P, Deenik J, Fleming T, Novotny R. Acculturation and Health Status in the Children's Healthy Living Program in the Pacific Region. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2024; 21:448. [PMID: 38673359 PMCID: PMC11050529 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21040448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Acculturation/enculturation has been found to impact childhood health and obesity status. The objective of this study is to use cross-sectional data to examine the association between proxies of adult/caregiver acculturation/enculturation and child health status (Body Mass Index [BMI], waist circumference [WC], and acanthosis nigricans [AN]) in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI), Alaska, and Hawai'i. Study participants were from the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) Program, an environmental intervention trial and obesity prevalence survey. Anthropometric data from 2-8 year olds and parent/caregiver questionnaires were used in this analysis. The results of this study (n = 4121) saw that those parents/caregivers who identified as traditional had children who were protected against overweight/obesity (OWOB) status and WC > 75th percentile (compared to the integrated culture identity) when adjusted for significant variables from the descriptive analysis. AN did not have a significant association with cultural classification. Future interventions in the USAPI, Alaska, and Hawai'i may want to focus efforts on parents/caregivers who associated with an integrated cultural group as an opportunity to improve health and reduce child OWOB prevalence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalanikiekie S. Sparks
- Public Health Division, Acute and Communicable Disease Section, Oregon Health Authority, Salem, OR 97301, USA;
| | - Marie K. Fialkowski
- Nutrition Support Shared Resource, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Rica Dela Cruz
- Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; (R.D.C.); (J.C.B.); (R.N.)
| | - Andrew Grandinetti
- Office of Public Health Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA;
| | - Lynne Wilkens
- Biostatistics Shared Resource, University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA;
| | - Jinan C. Banna
- Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; (R.D.C.); (J.C.B.); (R.N.)
| | - Andrea Bersamin
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA;
| | - Yvette Paulino
- Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima School of Health, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA;
| | - Tanisha Aflague
- Cooperative Extension and Outreach, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Guam, Mangilao, GU 96913, USA;
| | - Patricia Coleman
- Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services, Northern Marianas College, Saipan, MP 96950, USA;
| | - Jonathan Deenik
- Tropical Plant and Social Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA;
| | - Travis Fleming
- Agriculture, Community and Natural Resources Division, American Samoa Community College, Pago Pago, AS 96799, USA;
| | - Rachel Novotny
- Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; (R.D.C.); (J.C.B.); (R.N.)
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25
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Thieme A, Prabhakara K, Jennewein J, Lamb BT, McCarty GW, Hively WD. Intercomparison of Same-Day Remote Sensing Data for Measuring Winter Cover Crop Biophysical Traits. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:2339. [PMID: 38610550 PMCID: PMC11014063 DOI: 10.3390/s24072339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Winter cover crops are planted during the fall to reduce nitrogen losses and soil erosion and improve soil health. Accurate estimations of winter cover crop performance and biophysical traits including biomass and fractional vegetative groundcover support accurate assessment of environmental benefits. We examined the comparability of measurements between ground-based and spaceborne sensors as well as between processing levels (e.g., surface vs. top-of-atmosphere reflectance) in estimating cover crop biophysical traits. This research examined the relationships between SPOT 5, Landsat 7, and WorldView-2 same-day paired satellite imagery and handheld multispectral proximal sensors on two days during the 2012-2013 winter cover crop season. We compared two processing levels from three satellites with spatially aggregated proximal data for red and green spectral bands as well as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). We then compared NDVI estimated fractional green cover to in-situ photographs, and we derived cover crop biomass estimates from NDVI using existing calibration equations. We used slope and intercept contrasts to test whether estimates of biomass and fractional green cover differed statistically between sensors and processing levels. Compared to top-of-atmosphere imagery, surface reflectance imagery were more closely correlated with proximal sensors, with intercepts closer to zero, regression slopes nearer to the 1:1 line, and less variance between measured values. Additionally, surface reflectance NDVI derived from satellites showed strong agreement with passive handheld multispectral proximal sensor-sensor estimated fractional green cover and biomass (adj. R2 = 0.96 and 0.95; RMSE = 4.76% and 259 kg ha-1, respectively). Although active handheld multispectral proximal sensor-sensor derived fractional green cover and biomass estimates showed high accuracies (R2 = 0.96 and 0.96, respectively), they also demonstrated large intercept offsets (-25.5 and 4.51, respectively). Our results suggest that many passive multispectral remote sensing platforms may be used interchangeably to assess cover crop biophysical traits whereas SPOT 5 required an adjustment in NDVI intercept. Active sensors may require separate calibrations or intercept correction prior to combination with passive sensor data. Although surface reflectance products were highly correlated with proximal sensors, the standardized cloud mask failed to completely capture cloud shadows in Landsat 7, which dampened the signal of NIR and red bands in shadowed pixels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison Thieme
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg 001, BARC-W, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
| | - Kusuma Prabhakara
- Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, 2181 Samuel J. LeFrak Hall, College Park, MD 20742, USA;
| | - Jyoti Jennewein
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg 001, BARC-W, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
| | - Brian T. Lamb
- U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, 2045 Route 112, Bldg 4, Coram, NY 11727, USA;
| | - Greg W. McCarty
- Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Bldg 007, BARC-W, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
| | - Wells Dean Hively
- U.S. Geological Survey, Lower Mississippi-Gulf Water Science Center, Bldg 001, BARC-W, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
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Noto V, Nitta-Oda BJ, Berger T. Gene Expression in Porcine Bulbourethral Glands. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1115. [PMID: 38612354 PMCID: PMC11010832 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The porcine bulbourethral glands produce a gel-type secretion. Although the role of these contributions to reproductive success remains murky, the bulbourethral glands are major accessory sex glands in this species. Isometric growth in the early neonatal interval is followed by allometric growth in the late juvenile interval (6 to 11 weeks of age), while circulating endogenous steroids are low. The rate of allometric growth increases during the peripuberal interval (16 to 20 weeks of age) when systemic testosterone is relatively high. Gene expression for androgen receptor (AR) and for the steroid 5 alpha-reductase 2 (SRD5A2) enzyme that synthesizes the more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone from its precursor was evaluated by qPCR analyses of bulbourethral gland tissue. Tissues were collected from control boars (2 weeks to 40 weeks of age) and from littermates of these boars treated with letrozole to suppress endogenous estrogen synthesis. Gene expression for these two key proteins in androgen signaling was quite low during the initial allometric growth in the late juvenile and prepuberal intervals, suggesting that this initial growth was not primarily stimulated by androgens. These observations are consistent with a more direct estrogen-mediated inhibition of growth via GPER previously proposed, with the sensitivity extending into the late juvenile interval when estrogens as well as androgens are normally relatively low.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Trish Berger
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Oldfield AL, Carter FE, Reeves RE, Jarrett BY, Vanden Brink H, Lujan ME. Impact of a hypocaloric dietary intervention on antral follicle dynamics in eumenorrheic women with obesity. Hum Reprod 2024; 39:801-811. [PMID: 38335228 PMCID: PMC10988108 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Do antral follicle dynamics change in women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles after a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention? SUMMARY ANSWER After a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention, women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles displayed evidence of improved antral follicle dynamics defined by the emergence of more dominant follicles, larger ovulatory follicle diameter at selection, and increased luteal progesterone concentrations compared to pre-intervention. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Precise events in antral folliculogenesis must occur in order for natural and regular monthly ovulation. In healthy women of reproductive age, antral follicles are recruited for growth in a wave-like fashion, wherein a subset of follicles are selected for preferential growth, and typically, one dominant follicle culminates in ovulation. Women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles display evidence of suppressed antral follicle development, as evidenced by fewer recruitment events, fewer selectable and dominant follicles, smaller diameter of the ovulatory follicle at selection, and a higher prevalence of luteal phase defects. While improvements in gonadotropin and ovarian steroid hormone concentrations after weight loss have been documented in eumenorrheic women with obesity, the precise impact of weight loss on antral follicle dynamics has not been evaluated. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION A pre-post pilot study of 12 women who participated in a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Twelve women with obesity (total body fat ≥35%) underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and venipuncture every-other-day for one inter-ovulatory interval (IOI) both before (baseline) and during the final month (Month 7) of a six-month hypocaloric dietary intervention. Participants were aged 24-34 years and had a self-reported history of regular menstrual cycles (25-35 days). Follicle number and diameter (≥2 mm) were quantified at each study visit, and individual growth profiles for all follicles ≥7 mm were determined. Blood samples were assayed for reproductive hormones. Follicle dynamics and reproductive hormone concentrations were compared pre- and post-intervention. Further, post-intervention follicle and endocrine dynamics (Month 7 IOI) were compared to an age-matched reference cohort of lean women with regular ovulatory cycles (total body fat <35%, N = 21). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Participants lost an average of 11% of their original body weight with the hypocaloric dietary intervention. More dominant follicles were detected (≥10 mm) at Month 7 compared to baseline (0. 3 ± 0.4 versus 0.4 ± 0.5 follicles, P = 0.001), and ovulatory follicles were selected at larger diameters post-intervention (7.3 ± 2.0 versus 10.9 ± 2.6 mm, P = 0.007). Luteal progesterone concentrations were increased at Month 7 compared to baseline (5.3 ± 3.65 versus 6.3 ± 4.74 ng/ml, P < 0.0001). However, risk for luteal phase dysfunction as judged by the prevalence of a luteal phase length <10 days, integrated luteal progesterone levels <80 ng/ml or peak progesterone <10 ng/ml did not differ pre- versus post-intervention (all, P > 0.05). In Month 7, follicle dynamics and endocrine profiles were similar to the reference cohort across all measures. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION This study does not inform on the earliest stages of ovarian follicle development and is limited to providing knowledge on the later stages of antral follicle development. This study cannot fully address causation between weight loss and sustained improvements in antral follicle dynamics. The data cannot be extrapolated to comment on potential improvements in fertility and fecundity with weight loss. The small group sizes limit statistical power. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The increasing prevalence of obesity necessitates an understanding of the mechanisms that underlie potential improvements in reproductive health outcomes with weight loss. Women with obesity and regular ovulatory cycles who undertook a 6-month hypocaloric dietary intervention demonstrated improvements consistent with benefits of lifestyle intervention on reproductive health even in those without overt signs of reproductive dysfunction. Potential improvements in the cellular makeup of follicles, which may underlie the restoration of normal follicle development and amelioration of subfertility, require further investigation. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) Cornell University, President's Council of Cornell Women, United States Department of Agriculture (Grant No. 8106), and National Institutes of Health (R01-HD0937848). B.Y.J. and H.V.B. were supported by doctoral training awards from the National Institutes of Health (T32-DK007158) and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant No. 146182), respectively. The authors have no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT01927432 and NCT01785719.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis L Oldfield
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Faith E Carter
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Rachel E Reeves
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Marla E Lujan
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
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Shao M, McCue KF, Thomson JG. Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation of the Dwarf Soybean MiniMax. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:1013. [PMID: 38611542 PMCID: PMC11013704 DOI: 10.3390/plants13071013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to establish an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for use with the 'MiniMax'soybean cultivar. MiniMax is a mutant soybean whose growth cycle is around 90 days, half that of most other soybean varieties, making it an optimal model cultivar to test genes of interest before investing in modification of elite lines. We describe an efficient protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation using MiniMax seeds. It uses a modified 'half seed' regeneration protocol for transgenic soybean production, utilizing the rapid generation MiniMax variety to obtain T1 seeds in approximately 145 days. Addition of phloroglucinol (PG) to the regeneration protocol was key to obtaining high-efficiency rooting of the regenerated shoots. Transfer to soil was accomplished using an organic soil amendment containing nutrients and mycorrhiza for plants to thrive in the greenhouse. This combination of genotype and stimulants provides a transformation protocol to genetically engineer MiniMax seeds with a transgenic lab-to-greenhouse production efficiency of 4.0%. This is the first report of MiniMax soybean whole plant transformation and heritable T1 transmission. This protocol provides an ideal resource for enhancing the genetic transformation of any soybean cultivar.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - James G. Thomson
- USDA-ARS Crop Improvement and Genetics, Western Regional Research Center, Albany, CA 94710, USA; (M.S.); (K.F.M.)
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Sun L, David KT, Wolters JF, Karlen SD, Gonçalves C, Opulente DA, LaBella AL, Groenewald M, Zhou X, Shen XX, Rokas A, Hittinger CT. Functional and Evolutionary Integration of a Fungal Gene With a Bacterial Operon. Mol Biol Evol 2024; 41:msae045. [PMID: 38415839 PMCID: PMC11043216 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msae045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Siderophores are crucial for iron-scavenging in microorganisms. While many yeasts can uptake siderophores produced by other organisms, they are typically unable to synthesize siderophores themselves. In contrast, Wickerhamiella/Starmerella (W/S) clade yeasts gained the capacity to make the siderophore enterobactin following the remarkable horizontal acquisition of a bacterial operon enabling enterobactin synthesis. Yet, how these yeasts absorb the iron bound by enterobactin remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that Enb1 is the key enterobactin importer in the W/S-clade species Starmerella bombicola. Through phylogenomic analyses, we show that ENB1 is present in all W/S clade yeast species that retained the enterobactin biosynthetic genes. Conversely, it is absent in species that lost the ent genes, except for Starmerella stellata, making this species the only cheater in the W/S clade that can utilize enterobactin without producing it. Through phylogenetic analyses, we infer that ENB1 is a fungal gene that likely existed in the W/S clade prior to the acquisition of the ent genes and subsequently experienced multiple gene losses and duplications. Through phylogenetic topology tests, we show that ENB1 likely underwent horizontal gene transfer from an ancient W/S clade yeast to the order Saccharomycetales, which includes the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, followed by extensive secondary losses. Taken together, these results suggest that the fungal ENB1 and bacterial ent genes were cooperatively integrated into a functional unit within the W/S clade that enabled adaptation to iron-limited environments. This integrated fungal-bacterial circuit and its dynamic evolution determine the extant distribution of yeast enterobactin producers and cheaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Sun
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Wisconsin Energy Institute, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Kyle T David
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - John F Wolters
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Wisconsin Energy Institute, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Steven D Karlen
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
| | - Carla Gonçalves
- Laboratory of Genetics, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Wisconsin Energy Institute, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- UCIBIO, Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal
| | - Dana A Opulente
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Wisconsin Energy Institute, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Biology Department, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - Abigail Leavitt LaBella
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
| | | | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, Integrative Microbiology Research Center, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xing-Xing Shen
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology and Centre for Evolutionary & Organismal Biology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Antonis Rokas
- Evolutionary Studies Initiative and Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Chris Todd Hittinger
- DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
- Laboratory of Genetics, Center for Genomic Science Innovation, Wisconsin Energy Institute, J. F. Crow Institute for the Study of Evolution, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53726, USA
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Glass JR, Harrison JF. A thermal performance curve perspective explains decades of disagreements over how air temperature affects the flight metabolism of honey bees. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246926. [PMID: 38487901 PMCID: PMC11058628 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
While multiple studies have shown that honey bees and some other flying insects lower their flight metabolic rates when flying at high air temperatures, critics have suggested such patterns result from poor experimental methods as, theoretically, air temperature should not appreciably affect aerodynamic force requirements. Here, we show that apparently contradictory studies can be reconciled by considering the thermal performance curve of flight muscle. We show that prior studies that found no effects of air temperature on flight metabolism of honey bees achieved flight muscle temperatures that were near or on equal, opposite sides of the thermal performance curve. Honey bees vary their wing kinematics and metabolic heat production to thermoregulate, and how air temperature affects the flight metabolic rate of honey bees is predictable using a non-linear thermal performance perspective of honey bee flight muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan R. Glass
- Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Jon F. Harrison
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, AZ 85281, USA
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Choudhary D, Andreani GA, Mahmood S, Wen X, Patel MS, Rideout TC. Postnatal Consumption of Black Bean Powder Protects against Obesity and Dyslipidemia in Male Adult Rat Offspring from Obese Pregnancies. Nutrients 2024; 16:1029. [PMID: 38613062 PMCID: PMC11013182 DOI: 10.3390/nu16071029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The adverse influence of maternal obesity on offspring metabolic health throughout the life-course is a significant public health challenge with few effective interventions. We examined if black bean powder (BBP) supplementation to a high-calorie maternal pregnancy diet or a postnatal offspring diet could offer protection against the metabolic programming of metabolic disease risk in adult offspring. Female Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to one of three diets (n = 10/group) for a 3-week pre-pregnancy period and throughout gestation and lactation: (i) a low-caloric control diet (CON); (ii) a high-caloric obesity-inducing diet (HC); or (iii) the HC diet with 20% black bean powder (HC-BBP). At weaning [postnatal day (PND) 21], one male pup from each dam was weaned onto the CON diet throughout the postnatal period until adulthood (PND120). In addition, a second male from the HC group only was weaned onto the CON diet supplemented with BBP (CON-BBP). Thus, based on the maternal diet exposure and offspring postnatal diet, four experimental adult offspring groups were compared: CON/CON, HC/CON, HC-BPP/CON, and HC/CON-BBP. On PND120, blood was collected for biochemical analysis (e.g., lipids, glycemic control endpoints, etc.), and livers were excised for lipid analysis (triglycerides [TG] and cholesterol) and the mRNA/protein expression of lipid-regulatory targets. Compared with the CON/CON group, adult offspring from the HC/CON group exhibited a higher (p < 0.05) body weight (BW) (682.88 ± 10.67 vs. 628.02 ± 16.61 g) and hepatic TG (29.55 ± 1.31 vs. 22.86 ± 1.85 mmol/g). Although maternal BBP supplementation (HC-BBP/CON) had little influence on metabolic outcomes, the consumption of BBP in the postnatal period (HC/CON-BBP) lowered hepatic TG and cholesterol compared with the other treatment groups. Reduced hepatic TG in the HC/CON-BBP was likely associated with lower postnatal BW gain (vs. HC/CON), lower mRNA and protein expression of hepatic Fasn (vs. HC/CON), and lower serum leptin concentration (vs. CON/CON and HC groups). Our results suggest that the postnatal consumption of a black-bean-powder-supplemented diet may protect male rat offspring against the programming of obesity and dyslipidemia associated with maternal obesity. Future work should investigate the bioactive fraction of BBP responsible for the observed effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Choudhary
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (D.C.); (G.A.A.); (S.M.)
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Gabriella A. Andreani
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (D.C.); (G.A.A.); (S.M.)
| | - Saleh Mahmood
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (D.C.); (G.A.A.); (S.M.)
| | - Xiaozhong Wen
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Behavioral Medicine, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Mulchand S. Patel
- Department of Biochemistry, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA;
| | - Todd C. Rideout
- Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA; (D.C.); (G.A.A.); (S.M.)
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Rodene E, Fernando GD, Piyush V, Ge Y, Schnable JC, Ghosh S, Yang J. Image Filtering to Improve Maize Tassel Detection Accuracy Using Machine Learning Algorithms. Sensors (Basel) 2024; 24:2172. [PMID: 38610383 PMCID: PMC11013961 DOI: 10.3390/s24072172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based imagery has become widely used to collect time-series agronomic data, which are then incorporated into plant breeding programs to enhance crop improvements. To make efficient analysis possible, in this study, by leveraging an aerial photography dataset for a field trial of 233 different inbred lines from the maize diversity panel, we developed machine learning methods for obtaining automated tassel counts at the plot level. We employed both an object-based counting-by-detection (CBD) approach and a density-based counting-by-regression (CBR) approach. Using an image segmentation method that removes most of the pixels not associated with the plant tassels, the results showed a dramatic improvement in the accuracy of object-based (CBD) detection, with the cross-validation prediction accuracy (r2) peaking at 0.7033 on a detector trained with images with a filter threshold of 90. The CBR approach showed the greatest accuracy when using unfiltered images, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 7.99. However, when using bootstrapping, images filtered at a threshold of 90 showed a slightly better MAE (8.65) than the unfiltered images (8.90). These methods will allow for accurate estimates of flowering-related traits and help to make breeding decisions for crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Rodene
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (E.R.); (J.C.S.)
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | | | - Ved Piyush
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Yufeng Ge
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - James C. Schnable
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (E.R.); (J.C.S.)
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Souparno Ghosh
- Department of Statistics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
| | - Jinliang Yang
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA; (E.R.); (J.C.S.)
- Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE 68583, USA
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Li W, Hakkak R. Soy Protein Concentrate Diets Inversely Affect LPS-Binding Protein Expression in Colon and Liver, Reduce Liver Inflammation, and Increase Fecal LPS Excretion in Obese Zucker Rats. Nutrients 2024; 16:982. [PMID: 38613016 PMCID: PMC11013665 DOI: 10.3390/nu16070982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Dietary soy protein and soy isoflavones have anti-inflammatory properties. Previously, we reported that feeding soy protein concentrate diet (SPC) with low or high isoflavone (LIF or HIF) to young (seven-week-old) obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation and decreases liver inflammation compared to a casein control (CAS) diet. The current study investigated whether SPC-LIF and SPC-HIF diets would reduce liver inflammation in adult obese Zucker rats fed a CAS diet. A total of 21 six-week-old male obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats were given CAS diet for 8 weeks to develop obesity then randomly assigned to CAS, SPC-LIF, or SPC-HIF (seven rats/group) diet for an additional 10 weeks. The expression of LPS-translocation, inflammation, and intestinal permeability markers were quantified by qPCR in liver, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and colon. LPS concentration was determined in both the colon content and fecal samples by a Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test. SPC-LIF and SPC-HIF diets significantly decreased liver LPS-binding protein (LBP) expression compared to CAS diet (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). SPC-HIF diet also significantly decreased liver MCP-1 and TNF-α expression (p < 0.05) and had a trend to decrease liver iNOS expression (p = 0.06). In the colon, SPC-HIF diet significantly increased LBP expression compared to CAS diet (p < 0.05). When samples from all three groups were combined, there was a negative correlation between colon LBP expression and liver LBP expression (p = 0.046). SPC diets did not alter the expression of intestinal permeability markers (i.e., occludin, claudin 3, and zonula occludens-1) in the colon or inflammation markers (i.e., TNF-α and iNOS) in VAT or the colon. LPS levels in the colon content did not differ between any groups. Fecal LPS levels were significantly higher in the SPC-LIF and SPC-HIF groups compared to the CAS group (p < 0.01). In conclusion, SPC, particularly SPC with HIF, reduces liver LBP expression and inflammation makers (i.e., TNF-α and MCP-1 expression) in adult obese Zucker rats, likely by reducing LPS translocation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
| | - Reza Hakkak
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA;
- Arkansas Children’s Research Institute, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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Grodsky L, Wilson M, Rathinasabapathy T, Komarnytsky S. Triptolide Administration Alters Immune Responses to Mitigate Insulin Resistance in Obese States. Biomolecules 2024; 14:395. [PMID: 38672413 PMCID: PMC11048574 DOI: 10.3390/biom14040395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, yet the direct molecular mechanisms that connect diabetes to obesity are not clear. Chronic, sustained inflammation is considered a strong risk factor in these interactions, directed in part by the short-lived gene expression programs encoding for cytokines and pro-inflammatory mediators. In this study, we show that triptolide administration in the C57BL/6 diet-induced obese mice at up to 10 μg/kg/day for 10 weeks attenuated the development of insulin resistance and diabetes, but not obesity, in these animals. Significant reductions in adipose tissue inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity were observed in the absence of changes in food intake, body weight, body composition, or energy expenditure. Analysis of the core cluster of biomarkers that drives pro-inflammatory responses in the metabolic tissues suggested TNF-α as a critical point that affected the co-development of inflammation and insulin resistance, but also pointed to the putatively protective roles of increased COX-2 and IL-17A signaling in the mediation of these pathophysiological states. Our results show that reduction of diet-induced inflammation confers partial protection against insulin resistance, but not obesity, and suggest the possibility of achieving overweight phenotypes that are accompanied by minimal insulin resistance if inflammation is controlled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyudmila Grodsky
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (L.G.); (M.W.); (T.R.)
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Studies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
- School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 150 Medical Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Mickey Wilson
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (L.G.); (M.W.); (T.R.)
| | - Thirumurugan Rathinasabapathy
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (L.G.); (M.W.); (T.R.)
| | - Slavko Komarnytsky
- Plants for Human Health Institute, North Carolina State University, 600 Laureate Way, Kannapolis, NC 28081, USA; (L.G.); (M.W.); (T.R.)
- Department of Food, Bioprocessing, and Nutrition Sciences, North Carolina State University, 400 Dan Allen Drive, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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Adedeji AA, Priyesh PV, Odugbemi AA. The Magnitude and Impact of Food Allergens and the Potential of AI-Based Non-Destructive Testing Methods in Their Detection and Quantification. Foods 2024; 13:994. [PMID: 38611300 PMCID: PMC11011628 DOI: 10.3390/foods13070994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Reaction to food allergens is on the increase and so is the attending cost on consumers, the food industry, and society at large. According to FDA, the "big-eight" allergens found in foods include wheat (gluten), peanuts, egg, shellfish, milk, tree nuts, fish, and soybeans. Sesame was added to the list in 2023, making the target allergen list nine instead of eight. These allergenic foods are major ingredients in many food products that can cause severe reactions in those allergic to them if found at a dose that can elicit a reaction. Defining the level of contamination that can elicit sensitivity is a work in progress. The first step in preventing an allergic reaction is reliable detection, then an effective quantification method. These are critical steps in keeping contaminated foods out of the supply chain of foods with allergen-free labels. The conventional methods of chemical assay, DNA-PCR, and enzyme protocols like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay are effective in allergen detection but slow in providing a response. Most of these methods are incapable of quantifying the level of allergen contamination. There are emerging non-destructive methods that combine the power of sensors and machine learning to provide reliable detection and quantification. This review paper highlights some of the critical information on the types of prevalent food allergens, the mechanism of an allergic reaction in humans, the measure of allergenic sensitivity and eliciting doses, and the conventional and emerging AI-based methods of detection and quantification-the merits and downsides of each type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinbode A. Adedeji
- Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA
| | - Paul V. Priyesh
- Department of Animal and Food Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA;
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Moghadas HC, Chauhan R, Smith JS. Application of Plant Oils as Functional Additives in Edible Films and Coatings for Food Packaging: A Review. Foods 2024; 13:997. [PMID: 38611303 PMCID: PMC11011941 DOI: 10.3390/foods13070997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Increasing environmental concerns over using petroleum-based packaging materials in the food industry have encouraged researchers to produce edible food packaging materials from renewable sources. Biopolymer-based edible films and coatings can be implemented as bio-based packaging materials for prolonging the shelf life of food products. However, poor mechanical characteristics and high permeability for water vapor limit their practical applications. In this regard, plant oils (POs) as natural additives have a high potential to overcome certain shortcomings related to the functionality of edible packaging materials. In this paper, a summary of the effects of Pos as natural additives on different properties of edible films and coatings is presented. Moreover, the application of edible films and coatings containing POs for the preservation of different food products is also discussed. It has been found that incorporation of POs could result in improvements in packaging's barrier, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, the incorporation of POs could significantly improve the performance of edible packaging materials in preserving the quality attributes of various food products. Overall, the current review highlights the potential of POs as natural additives for application in edible food packaging materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J. Scott Smith
- Food Science Institute, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (H.C.M.); (R.C.)
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Lynn A, Elsey-Quirk T. Salt Water Exposure Exacerbates the Negative Response of Phragmites australis Haplotypes to Sea-Level Rise. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:906. [PMID: 38592938 PMCID: PMC10974843 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The response of coastal wetlands to sea-level rise (SLR) largely depends on the tolerance of individual plant species to inundation stress and, in brackish and freshwater wetlands, exposure to higher salinities. Phragmites australis is a cosmopolitan wetland reed that grows in saline to freshwater marshes. P. australis has many genetically distinct haplotypes, some of which are invasive and the focus of considerable research and management. However, the relative response of P. australis haplotypes to SLR is not well known, despite the importance of predicting future distribution changes and understanding its role in marsh response and resilience to SLR. Here, we use a marsh organ experiment to test how factors associated with sea level rise-inundation and seawater exposure-affect the porewater chemistry and growth response of three P. australis haplotypes along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast. We planted three P. australis lineages (Delta, European, and Gulf) into marsh organs at five different elevations in channels at two locations, representing a low (Mississippi River Birdsfoot delta; 0-13 ppt) and high exposure to salinity (Mermentau basin; 6-18 ppt) for two growing seasons. Haplotypes responded differently to flooding and site conditions; the Delta haplotype was more resilient to high salinity, while the Gulf type was less susceptible to flood stress in the freshwater site. Survivorship across haplotypes after two growing seasons was 42% lower at the brackish site than at the freshwater site, associated with high salinity and sulfide concentrations. Flooding greater than 19% of the time led to lower survival across both sites linked to high concentrations of acetic acid in the porewater. Increased flood duration was negatively correlated with live aboveground biomass in the high-salinity site (χ2 = 10.37, p = 0.001), while no such relationship was detected in the low-salinity site, indicating that flood tolerance is greater under freshwater conditions. These results show that the vulnerability of all haplotypes of P. australis to rising sea levels depends on exposure to saline water and that a combination of flooding and salinity may help control invasive haplotypes.
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Olajiga OM, Jameson SB, Carter BH, Wesson DM, Mitzel D, Londono-Renteria B. Artificial Feeding Systems for Vector-Borne Disease Studies. Biology (Basel) 2024; 13:188. [PMID: 38534457 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
This review examines the advancements and methodologies of artificial feeding systems for the study of vector-borne diseases, offering a critical assessment of their development, advantages, and limitations relative to traditional live host models. It underscores the ethical considerations and practical benefits of such systems, including minimizing the use of live animals and enhancing experimental consistency. Various artificial feeding techniques are detailed, including membrane feeding, capillary feeding, and the utilization of engineered biocompatible materials, with their respective applications, efficacy, and the challenges encountered with their use also being outlined. This review also forecasts the integration of cutting-edge technologies like biomimicry, microfluidics, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence to refine and expand the capabilities of artificial feeding systems. These innovations aim to more accurately simulate natural feeding conditions, thereby improving the reliability of studies on the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. This comprehensive review serves as a foundational reference for researchers in the field, proposing a forward-looking perspective on the potential of artificial feeding systems to revolutionize vector-borne disease research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olayinka M Olajiga
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Samuel B Jameson
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Brendan H Carter
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Dawn M Wesson
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Dana Mitzel
- Animal Diseases Research Unit, National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Berlin Londono-Renteria
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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39
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Horn PJ, Chapman KD. Imaging plant metabolism in situ. J Exp Bot 2024; 75:1654-1670. [PMID: 37889862 PMCID: PMC10938046 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) has emerged as an invaluable analytical technique for investigating the spatial distribution of molecules within biological systems. In the realm of plant science, MSI is increasingly employed to explore metabolic processes across a wide array of plant tissues, including those in leaves, fruits, stems, roots, and seeds, spanning various plant systems such as model species, staple and energy crops, and medicinal plants. By generating spatial maps of metabolites, MSI has elucidated the distribution patterns of diverse metabolites and phytochemicals, encompassing lipids, carbohydrates, amino acids, organic acids, phenolics, terpenes, alkaloids, vitamins, pigments, and others, thereby providing insights into their metabolic pathways and functional roles. In this review, we present recent MSI studies that demonstrate the advances made in visualizing the plant spatial metabolome. Moreover, we emphasize the technical progress that enhances the identification and interpretation of spatial metabolite maps. Within a mere decade since the inception of plant MSI studies, this robust technology is poised to continue as a vital tool for tackling complex challenges in plant metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J Horn
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton TX 76203, USA
| | - Kent D Chapman
- BioDiscovery Institute and Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton TX 76203, USA
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Domingues RR, Andrade JPN, Cunha TO, Madureira G, Hoppman AS, Teixeira NN, Monteiro PLJ, Gomez-Leon VH, Martins JPN, Wiltbank MC. Profiles of interferon-stimulated genes in multiple tissues and circulating pregnancy-associated glycoproteins and their association with pregnancy loss in dairy cows†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:558-568. [PMID: 38079518 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioad164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy loss (PL) in lactating dairy cows disrupts reproductive and productive efficiency. We evaluated the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) in blood leukocytes, vaginal and cervical epithelial cells, luteolysis-related genes, progesterone, and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) profiles in lactating dairy cows (n = 86) to gain insight about PL. Expression of ISG on d17, d19, and d21 was greater in cows that maintained the pregnancy (P33) compared to nonpregnant with no PL (NP). Greater ISG differences between groups were observed in the cervix (96.7-fold) than vagina (31.0-fold), and least in blood leukocytes (5.6-fold). Based on individual profiles of ISG and PAG, PL was determined to occur either before (~13%) or after (~25%) d22. For cows with PL before d22, ISG expression was similar on d17 but by d21 was lower and OXTR was greater than P33 cows and similar to NP; timing of luteolysis was similar compared to NP cows suggesting embryonic failure to promote luteal maintenance and to attach to the endometrium (no increase in PAG). For cows with PL after d22, ISG expression was similar to P33 cows on d17, d19, and d21 and luteolysis, when it occurred, was later than NP cows; delayed increase in PAG suggested later or inadequate embryonic attachment. In conclusion, PL before d22 occurred due to embryonic demise/failure to signal for luteal maintenance, as reflected in reduced ISG expression by d21. Alternatively, embryos with PL between d22 and 33 adequately signaled for luteal maintenance (ISG) but had delayed/inadequate embryonic attachment and/or inappropriate luteolysis causing PL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael R Domingues
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Joao Paulo N Andrade
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Thiago O Cunha
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Guilherme Madureira
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - August S Hoppman
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Natalia N Teixeira
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Pedro L J Monteiro
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Victor H Gomez-Leon
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA
| | - Joao Paulo N Martins
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Milo C Wiltbank
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Endocrinology and Reproductive Physiology Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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GC S, Alarcon-Mendoza I, Harshman D, Khanal C. The Impact of Peach Rootstocks and Winter Cover Crops on Reproduction of Ring Nematode. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:803. [PMID: 38592829 PMCID: PMC10975280 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Two peach rootstocks ('Guardian' and 'MP-29') and ten winter cover crops (rye, wheat, barley, triticale, oat, Austrian winter pea, crimson clover, balansa clover, hairy vetch, and daikon radish) were evaluated in a greenhouse environment to determine their suitability to host ring nematode, Mesocriconema xenoplax. Each crop was inoculated with 500 ring nematodes, and the experiments were terminated 60 days after inoculation. The reproduction factor (ratio of final and initial nematode population) ranged from 0 to 13.8, indicating the crops greatly varied in their host suitability to ring nematode. 'Guardian' has been known to tolerate ring nematode; however, results from the current study suggest the tolerance statement is anecdotal. Another peach rootstock, 'MP-29', was also a good host for ring nematode, suggesting an urgency to develop ring nematode-resistant peach rootstocks. Wheat supported the least to no nematode reproduction while pea supported the greatest reproduction. The rest of the cover crops were poor to good hosts to ring nematodes. Although planting cover crops in peach orchards is not common, employing non or poor host crops can help suppress nematodes in addition to having soil health benefits. Furthermore, peach breeding programs should focus on finding and introgressing ring nematode resistance in commercial rootstocks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Churamani Khanal
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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Lopez-Cruz M, Pérez-Rodríguez P, de los Campos G. A fast algorithm to factorize high-dimensional tensor product matrices used in genetic models. G3 (Bethesda) 2024; 14:jkae001. [PMID: 38180089 PMCID: PMC11090460 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 12/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Many genetic models (including models for epistatic effects as well as genetic-by-environment) involve covariance structures that are Hadamard products of lower rank matrices. Implementing these models requires factorizing large Hadamard product matrices. The available algorithms for factorization do not scale well for big data, making the use of some of these models not feasible with large sample sizes. Here, based on properties of Hadamard products and (related) Kronecker products, we propose an algorithm that produces an approximate decomposition that is orders of magnitude faster than the standard eigenvalue decomposition. In this article, we describe the algorithm, show how it can be used to factorize large Hadamard product matrices, present benchmarks, and illustrate the use of the method by presenting an analysis of data from the northern testing locations of the G × E project from the Genomes to Fields Initiative (n ∼ 60,000). We implemented the proposed algorithm in the open-source "tensorEVD" R package.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Paulino Pérez-Rodríguez
- Socioeconomía, Estadística e Informática, Colegio de Postgraduados, Montecillos, Edo. de México 56230, Mexico
| | - Gustavo de los Campos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Statistics and Probability, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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43
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Deng H, Li D, Nitroy C, Wertz A, Priya S, Cheng B. Robot motor learning shows emergence of frequency-modulated, robust swimming with an invariant Strouhal number. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20240036. [PMID: 38531411 PMCID: PMC10965329 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fish locomotion emerges from diverse interactions among deformable structures, surrounding fluids and neuromuscular activations, i.e. fluid-structure interactions (FSI) controlled by fish's motor systems. Previous studies suggested that such motor-controlled FSI may possess embodied traits. However, their implications in motor learning, neuromuscular control, gait generation, and swimming performance remain to be uncovered. Using robot models, we studied the embodied traits in fish-inspired swimming. We developed modular robots with various designs and used central pattern generators (CPGs) to control the torque acting on robot body. We used reinforcement learning to learn CPG parameters for maximizing the swimming speed. The results showed that motor frequency converged faster than other parameters, and the emergent swimming gaits were robust against disruptions applied to motor control. For all robots and frequencies tested, swimming speed was proportional to the mean undulation velocity of body and caudal-fin combined, yielding an invariant, undulation-based Strouhal number. The Strouhal number also revealed two fundamental classes of undulatory swimming in both biological and robotic fishes. The robot actuators were also demonstrated to function as motors, virtual springs and virtual masses. These results provide novel insights in understanding fish-inspired locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hankun Deng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Donghao Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Colin Nitroy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Andrew Wertz
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Shashank Priya
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Bo Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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Feldmann MJ, Pincot DDA, Vachev MV, Famula RA, Cole GS, Knapp SJ. Accelerating genetic gains for quantitative resistance to verticillium wilt through predictive breeding in strawberry. Plant Genome 2024; 17:e20405. [PMID: 37961831 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Verticillium wilt (VW), a devastating vascular wilt disease of strawberry (Fragaria × $\times$ ananassa), has caused economic losses for nearly a century. This disease is caused by the soil-borne pathogen Verticillium dahliae, which occurs nearly worldwide and causes disease in numerous agriculturally important plants. The development of VW-resistant cultivars is critically important for the sustainability of strawberry production. We previously showed that a preponderance of the genetic resources (asexually propagated hybrid individuals) preserved in public germplasm collections were moderately to highly susceptible and that genetic gains for increased resistance to VW have been negligible over the last 60 years. To more fully understand the challenges associated with breeding for increased quantitative resistance to this pathogen, we developed and phenotyped a training population of hybrids (n = 564 $n = 564$ ) among elite parents with a wide range of resistance phenotypes. When these data were combined with training data from a population of elite and exotic hybrids (n = 386 $n = 386$ ), genomic prediction accuracies of 0.47-0.48 were achieved and were predicted to explain 70%-75% of the additive genetic variance for resistance. We concluded that breeding values for resistance to VW can be predicted with sufficient accuracy for effective genomic selection with routine updating of training populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell J Feldmann
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Dominique D A Pincot
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Mishi V Vachev
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Randi A Famula
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Glenn S Cole
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Steven J Knapp
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Tarasiuk G, Remmenga MD, O'Hara KC, Talbert MK, Rotolo ML, Zaabel P, Zhang D, Giménez-Lirola LG, Zimmerman JJ. Pen-Based Swine Oral Fluid Samples Contain Both Environmental and Pig-Derived Targets. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:766. [PMID: 38473151 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Laboratory methods for detecting specific pathogens in oral fluids are widely reported, but there is little research on the oral fluid sampling process itself. In this study, a fluorescent tracer (diluted red food coloring) was used to test the transfer of a target directly from pigs or indirectly from the environment to pen-based oral fluid samples. Pens of ~30, ~60, and ~125 14-week-old pigs (32 pens/size) on commercial swine farms received one of two treatments: (1) pig exposure, i.e., ~3.5 mL of tracer solution sprayed into the mouth of 10% of the pigs in the pen; (2) environmental exposure, i.e., 20 mL of tracer solution was poured on the floor in the center of the pen. Oral fluids collected one day prior to treatment (baseline fluorescence control) and immediately after treatment were tested for fluorescence. Data were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, with Youden's J statistic used to set a threshold. Pretreatment oral fluid samples with fluorescence responses above the ROC threshold were removed from further analysis (7 of 96 samples). Based on the ROC analyses, oral fluid samples from 78 of 89 pens (87.6%), contained red food coloring, including 43 of 47 (91.5%) pens receiving pig exposure and 35 of 42 (83.3%) pens receiving environmental exposure. Thus, oral fluid samples contain both pig-derived and environmental targets. This methodology provides a safe and quantifiable method to evaluate oral fluid sampling vis-à-vis pen behavior, pen size, sampling protocol, and target distribution in the pen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grzegorz Tarasiuk
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Marta D Remmenga
- USDA: VS: Strategy and Policy, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Kathleen C O'Hara
- USDA: VS: Strategy and Policy, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Marian K Talbert
- USDA: VS: Strategy and Policy, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | | | - Pam Zaabel
- National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA 50325, USA
| | - Danyang Zhang
- Department of Statistics, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010, USA
| | - Luis G Giménez-Lirola
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Jeffrey J Zimmerman
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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Kim C, Riley A, Sriharan S, Nartea T, Ndegwa E, Dhakal R, Zheng G, Baffaut C. Examining Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli: A Case Study in Central Virginia's Environment. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:223. [PMID: 38534658 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13030223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While environmental factors may contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria, many aspects of environmental antibiotic pollution and resistance remain unknown. Furthermore, the level of AMR in Escherichia coli is considered a reliable indicator of the selection pressure exerted by antimicrobial use in the environment. This study aimed to assess AMR variance in E. coli isolated from diverse environmental samples, such as animal feces and water from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and drainage areas of different land use systems in Central Virginia. In total, 450 E. coli isolates obtained between August 2020 and February 2021 were subjected to susceptibility testing against 12 antimicrobial agents approved for clinical use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Approximately 87.8% of the tested isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial agent, with 3.1% showing multi-drug resistance. Streptomycin resistance was the most common (73.1%), while susceptibility to chloramphenicol was the highest (97.6%). One isolate obtained from WWTPs exhibited resistance to seven antimicrobials. AMR prevalence was the highest in WWTP isolates, followed by isolates from drainage areas, wild avians, and livestock. Among livestock, horses had the highest AMR prevalence, while cattle had the lowest. No significant AMR difference was found across land use systems. This study identifies potential AMR hotspots, emphasizing the environmental risk for antimicrobial resistant E. coli. The findings will aid policymakers and researchers, highlighting knowledge gaps in AMR-environment links. This nationally relevant research offers a scalable AMR model for understanding E. coli ecology. Further large-scale research is crucial to confirm the environmental impacts on AMR prevalence in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chyer Kim
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Allissa Riley
- Department of Biology, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Shobha Sriharan
- Department of Biology, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Theresa Nartea
- Cooperative Extension, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Eunice Ndegwa
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Ramesh Dhakal
- Agricultural Research Station, Virginia State University, 1 Hayden Drive, Petersburg, VA 23806, USA
| | - Guolu Zheng
- Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Research Programs, Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut Street, Jefferson City, MO 65102, USA
| | - Claire Baffaut
- USDA ARS Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit, 241 Agricultural Engineering Building, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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47
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Li T, Zheng J, Nousias O, Yan Y, Meinhardt LW, Goenaga R, Zhang D, Yin Y. The American Cherimoya Genome Reveals Insights into the Intra-Specific Divergence, the Evolution of Magnoliales, and a Putative Gene Cluster for Acetogenin Biosynthesis. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:636. [PMID: 38475482 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Annona cherimola (cherimoya) is a species renowned for its delectable fruit and medicinal properties. In this study, we developed a chromosome-level genome assembly for the cherimoya 'Booth' cultivar from the United States. The genome assembly has a size of 794 Mb with a N50 = 97.59 Mb. The seven longest scaffolds account for 87.6% of the total genome length, which corresponds to the seven pseudo-chromosomes. A total of 45,272 protein-coding genes (≥30 aa) were predicted with 92.9% gene content completeness. No recent whole genome duplications were identified by an intra-genome collinearity analysis. Phylogenetic analysis supports that eudicots and magnoliids are more closely related to each other than to monocots. Moreover, the Magnoliales was found to be more closely related to the Laurales than the Piperales. Genome comparison revealed that the 'Booth' cultivar has 200 Mb less repeats than the Spanish cultivar 'Fino de Jete', despite their highly similar (>99%) genome sequence identity and collinearity. These two cultivars were diverged during the early Pleistocene (1.93 Mya), which suggests a different origin and domestication of the cherimoya. Terpene/terpenoid metabolism functions were found to be enriched in Magnoliales, while TNL (Toll/Interleukin-1-NBS-LRR) disease resistance gene has been lost in Magnoliales during evolution. We have also identified a gene cluster that is potentially responsible for the biosynthesis of acetogenins, a class of natural products found exclusively in Annonaceae. The cherimoya genome provides an invaluable resource for supporting characterization, conservation, and utilization of Annona genetic resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tang Li
- Nebraska Food for Health Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Jinfang Zheng
- Nebraska Food for Health Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Orestis Nousias
- Nebraska Food for Health Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Yuchen Yan
- Nebraska Food for Health Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Lyndel W Meinhardt
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Ricardo Goenaga
- Tropical Agriculture Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Mayaguez 00680, Puerto Rico
| | - Dapeng Zhang
- Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Yanbin Yin
- Nebraska Food for Health Center, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
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Jaiswal N, Chanda B, Gilliard A, Shi A, Ling KS. Evaluation of Tomato Germplasm against Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus and Identification of Resistance in Solanum pimpinellifolium. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:581. [PMID: 38475428 DOI: 10.3390/plants13050581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown worldwide. Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), a seed-borne tobamovirus, poses a serious threat to tomato production due to its ability to break the resistant genes (Tm-1, Tm-2, Tm-22) in tomatoes. The objective of this work was to identify new resistant source(s) of tomato germplasm against ToBRFV. To achieve this aim, a total of 476 accessions from 12 Solanum species were tested with the ToBRFV US isolate for their resistance and susceptibility. As a result, a total of 44 asymptomatic accessions were identified as resistant/tolerant, including thirty-one accessions of S. pimpinellifolium, one accession of S. corneliomulleri, four accessions of S. habrochaites, three accessions of S. peruvianum, and five accessions of S. subsection lycopersicon hybrid. Further analyses using serological tests identified four highly resistant S. pimpinellifolium lines, PI 390713, PI 390714, PI 390716, and PI 390717. The inheritance of resistance in the selected lines was verified in the next generation and confirmed using RT-qPCR. To our knowledge, this is a first report of high resistance to ToBRFV in S. pimpinellifolium. These new genetic resources will expand the genetic pool available for breeders to develop new resistant cultivars of tomato against ToBRFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namrata Jaiswal
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
| | - Bidisha Chanda
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
| | - Andrea Gilliard
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
| | - Ainong Shi
- Department of Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Kai-Shu Ling
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC 29414, USA
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Ali MA, Caetano-Anollés G. AlphaFold2 Reveals Structural Patterns of Seasonal Haplotype Diversification in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Variants. Biology (Basel) 2024; 13:134. [PMID: 38534404 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
The slow experimental acquisition of high-quality atomic structures of the rapidly changing proteins of the COVID-19 virus challenges vaccine and therapeutic drug development efforts. Fortunately, deep learning tools such as AlphaFold2 can quickly generate reliable models of atomic structure at experimental resolution. Current modeling studies have focused solely on definitions of mutant constellations of Variants of Concern (VOCs), leaving out the impact of haplotypes on protein structure. Here, we conduct a thorough comparative structural analysis of S-proteins belonging to major VOCs and corresponding latitude-delimited haplotypes that affect viral seasonal behavior. Our approach identified molecular regions of importance as well as patterns of structural recruitment. The S1 subunit hosted the majority of structural changes, especially those involving the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor-binding domain (RBD). In particular, structural changes in the NTD were much greater than just translations in three-dimensional space, altering the sub-structures to greater extents. We also revealed a notable pattern of structural recruitment with the early VOCs Alpha and Delta behaving antagonistically by suppressing regions of structural change introduced by their corresponding haplotypes, and the current VOC Omicron behaving synergistically by amplifying or collecting structural change. Remarkably, haplotypes altering the galectin-like structure of the NTD were major contributors to seasonal behavior, supporting its putative environmental-sensing role. Our results provide an extensive view of the evolutionary landscape of the S-protein across the COVID-19 pandemic. This view will help predict important regions of structural change in future variants and haplotypes for more efficient vaccine and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Asif Ali
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gustavo Caetano-Anollés
- Evolutionary Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Tan Z, Jiang H. Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Intramuscular Fat Development and Growth in Cattle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2520. [PMID: 38473768 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Intramuscular fat, also referred to as marbling fat, is the white fat deposited within skeletal muscle tissue. The content of intramuscular fat in the skeletal muscle, particularly the longissimus dorsi muscle, of cattle is a critical determinant of beef quality and value. In this review, we summarize the process of intramuscular fat development and growth, the factors that affect this process, and the molecular and epigenetic mechanisms that mediate this process in cattle. Compared to other species, cattle have a remarkable ability to accumulate intramuscular fat, partly attributed to the abundance of sources of fatty acids for synthesizing triglycerides. Compared to other adipose depots such as subcutaneous fat, intramuscular fat develops later and grows more slowly. The commitment and differentiation of adipose precursor cells into adipocytes as well as the maturation of adipocytes are crucial steps in intramuscular fat development and growth in cattle. Each of these steps is controlled by various factors, underscoring the complexity of the regulatory network governing adipogenesis in the skeletal muscle. These factors include genetics, epigenetics, nutrition (including maternal nutrition), rumen microbiome, vitamins, hormones, weaning age, slaughter age, slaughter weight, and stress. Many of these factors seem to affect intramuscular fat deposition through the transcriptional or epigenetic regulation of genes directly involved in the development and growth of intramuscular fat. A better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which intramuscular fat develops and grows in cattle will help us develop more effective strategies to optimize intramuscular fat deposition in cattle, thereby maximizing the quality and value of beef meat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhendong Tan
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Honglin Jiang
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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