Growth and Performance of Guar ( (L.) Taub.) Genotypes under Various Irrigation Regimes with and without Biogenic Silica Amendment in Arid Southwest US.

Guar is a potential crop that can be grown as a forage or as a seed crop in arid to semi-arid regions due to its low water requirements and tolerance to heat. Optimizing irrigation water use is important for making alternative crops such as guar a sustainable option. Amendments such as biogenic silica, a sedimentary rock from a biogenic source such as fossils, may help plants tolerate water stress due to reduced irrigation.

Perceived Hearing Impairment in a Rural Community.

CoSAGE Community Advisory and Ethics Committee; Age-related hearing impairment yields many negative outcomes, including alterations in mental health, functional impairments, and decreased social engagement. The purpose of the current study was to examine perceived hearing impairment and its relationship with person-centered outcomes among adults in a rural community setting. A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design was used.

Secondary Palate Development in the Dog ().

Objective: To investigate the gestational timing of morphologic events in normal canine secondary palate development as a baseline for studies in dog models of isolated cleft palate (CP).

Methods: Beagle and beagle/cocker spaniel-hybrid fetal dogs were obtained by cesarean-section on various days of gestation, timed from the initial rise of serum progesterone concentration. Morphology of fetal heads was determined by examining serial coronal sections.

SPECC1L regulates palate development downstream of IRF6.

SPECC1L mutations have been identified in patients with rare atypical orofacial clefts and with syndromic cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). These mutations cluster in the second coiled-coil and calponin homology domains of SPECC1L and severely affect the ability of SPECC1L to associate with microtubules. We previously showed that gene-trap knockout of Specc1l in mouse results in early embryonic lethality.

Mitochondrial haplogroups and lifespan in a population isolate.

Physiochemical differences between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups that favor oxidative phosphorylation efficiency during periods of caloric limitation can lead to lifespan lengthening when food calories are less abundant. For example, prior work demonstrated that older female haplogroup H carriers had modestly lengthened lifespans beyond 60 years during the Great Depression, a time of caloric limitation in North America. The objective of the current study is to replicate the prior findings in an independent cohort that includes both sexes and younger ages.

Endogenous Avian Leukosis Virus in Combination with Serotype 2 Marek's Disease Virus Significantly Boosted the Incidence of Lymphoid Leukosis-Like Bursal Lymphomas in Susceptible Chickens.

In 2010, sporadic cases of avian leukosis virus (ALV)-like bursal lymphoma, also known as spontaneous lymphoid leukosis (LL)-like tumors, were identified in two commercial broiler breeder flocks in the absence of exogenous ALV infection. Two individual ALV subgroup E (ALV-E) field strains, designated AF227 and AF229, were isolated from two different breeder farms. The role of these ALV-E field isolates in development of and the potential joint impact in conjunction with a Marek's disease virus (MDV) vaccine (SB-1) were further characterized in chickens of an experimental line and commercial broiler breeders.

The TFAP2A-IRF6-GRHL3 genetic pathway is conserved in neurulation.

Mutations in IRF6, TFAP2A and GRHL3 cause orofacial clefting syndromes in humans. However, Tfap2a and Grhl3 are also required for neurulation in mice. Here, we found that homeostasis of Irf6 is also required for development of the neural tube and associated structures.

IRF6 and AP2A Interaction Regulates Epidermal Development.

Variants in IRF6 can lead to Van der Woude syndrome and popliteal pterygium syndrome. Furthermore, genes upstream and downstream of IRF6, including GRHL3 and TP63, are also associated with orofacial clefting. Additionally, a variant in an enhancer (MCS9.

Rapid functional analysis of computationally complex rare human IRF6 gene variants using a novel zebrafish model.

Large-scale sequencing efforts have captured a rapidly growing catalogue of genetic variations. However, the accurate establishment of gene variant pathogenicity remains a central challenge in translating personal genomics information to clinical decisions. Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (IRF6) gene variants are significant genetic contributors to orofacial clefts.

Altered thymocyte and T cell development in neonatal mice with hyperoxia-induced lung injury.

Background: The adaptive immune system of neonates is relatively underdeveloped. The thymus is an essential organ for adaptive T cell development and might be affected during the natural course of oxygen induced lung injury. The effect of prolonged hyperoxia on the thymus, thymocyte and T cell development, and its proliferation has not been studied extensively.

Intercellular Genetic Interaction Between Irf6 and Twist1 during Craniofacial Development.

Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (IRF6) and TWIST1 are transcription factors necessary for craniofacial development. Human genetic studies showed that mutations in IRF6 lead to cleft lip and palate and mandibular abnormalities. In the mouse, we found that loss of Irf6 causes craniosynostosis and mandibular hypoplasia.

Interspecific variation in persistence of buried weed seeds follows trade-offs among physiological, chemical, and physical seed defenses.

Soil seedbanks drive infestations of annual weeds, yet weed management focuses largely on seedling mortality. As weed seedbanks increasingly become reservoirs of herbicide resistance, species-specific seedbank management approaches will be essential to weed control. However, the development of seedbank management strategies can only develop from an understanding of how seed traits affect persistence.

IRF6 expression in basal epithelium partially rescues Irf6 knockout mice.

Background: Mutations in IRF6, CHUK (IKKA), and RIPK4 can lead to a disease spectrum that includes cutaneous, limb, and craniofacial malformations. Loss of these alleles in the mouse leads to perinatal lethality and severe cutaneous, limb, and craniofacial defects also. Genetic rescue in the mouse has been shown for Ikka and Ripk4.

Generation and characterization of a conditional allele of Interferon Regulatory Factor 6.

Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (IRF6) is a critical regulator of differentiation, proliferation, and migration of keratinocytes. Mutations in IRF6 cause two autosomal dominant disorders characterized by cleft lip with or without cleft palate. In addition, DNA variation in IRF6 confers significant risk for non-syndromic cleft lip and palate.

Shared molecular networks in orofacial and neural tube development.

Background: Single genetic variants can affect multiple tissues during development. Thus it is possible that disruption of shared gene regulatory networks might underlie syndromic presentations. In this study, we explore this idea through examination of two critical developmental programs that control orofacial and neural tube development and identify shared regulatory factors and networks.

Frontofacionasal Dysplasia in a Newborn with a De Novo Duplication of 7p15.2-p15.1.

We report a new case of frontofacionasal dysplasia or dysostosis (FFND) with a 1.5 Mb duplication in the region of 7p15.2-p15.

Toward an orofacial gene regulatory network.

Orofacial clefting is a common birth defect with significant morbidity. A panoply of candidate genes have been discovered through synergy of animal models and human genetics. Among these, variants in interferon regulatory factor 6 (IRF6) cause syndromic orofacial clefting and contribute risk toward isolated cleft lip and palate (1/700 live births).

Managing the evolution of herbicide resistance.

Background: Understanding and managing the evolutionary responses of pests and pathogens to control efforts is essential to human health and survival. Herbicide-resistant (HR) weeds undermine agricultural sustainability, productivity and profitability, yet the epidemiology of resistance evolution - particularly at landscape scales - is poorly understood. We studied glyphosate resistance in a major agricultural weed, Amaranthus tuberculatus (common waterhemp), using landscape, weed and management data from 105 central Illinois grain farms, including over 500 site-years of herbicide application records.

Identification of functional variants for cleft lip with or without cleft palate in or near PAX7, FGFR2, and NOG by targeted sequencing of GWAS loci.

Although genome-wide association studies (GWASs) for nonsyndromic orofacial clefts have identified multiple strongly associated regions, the causal variants are unknown. To address this, we selected 13 regions from GWASs and other studies, performed targeted sequencing in 1,409 Asian and European trios, and carried out a series of statistical and functional analyses. Within a cluster of strongly associated common variants near NOG, we found that one, rs227727, disrupts enhancer activity.

Pedigree structure and kinship measurements of a mid-Michigan community: a new North American population isolate identified.

Previous studies identified a cluster of individuals with an autosomal recessive form of deafness that reside in a small region of mid-Michigan. We hypothesized that affected members from this community descend from a defined founder population. Using public records and personal interviews, we constructed a genealogical database that includes the affected individuals and their extended families as descendants of 461 settlers who emigrated from the Eifel region of Germany between 1836 and 1875.

Interferon regulatory factor 6 regulates keratinocyte migration.

Interferon regulatory factor 6 (Irf6) regulates keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that Irf6 regulates cellular migration and adhesion. Irf6-deficient embryos at 10.

Community leader perceptions of the health needs of older adults.

The purpose of this needs assessment was to determine community leader perceptions of health-related needs and resources available to rural-dwelling older adults as part of a community-academic partnership in the rural Midwest. A community advisory board, in accordance with community-based participatory research principles, was influential in study design and implementation. Key informant interviews (N = 30) were conducted with community leaders including professionals from schools, businesses, churches, and health care as well as government officials.