Food for thought: Making the case for food produced via regenerative agriculture in the battle against non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs).

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) pose a global health challenge, leading to substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic strain. Our review underscores the escalating incidence of NCDs worldwide and highlights the potential of regenerative agriculture (RA) products in mitigating these diseases. We also explore the efficacy of dietary interventions in NCD management and prevention, emphasizing the superiority of plant-based diets over those high in processed foods and red meat.

Validation of low-cost reflectometer to identify phytochemical accumulation in food crops.

Diets consisting of greater quantity/diversity of phytochemicals are correlated with reduced risk of disease. This understanding guides policy development increasing awareness of the importance of consuming fruits, grains, and vegetables. Enacted policies presume uniform concentrations of phytochemicals across crop varieties regardless of production/harvesting methods.

Trophectoderm biopsy of blastocysts following IVF and embryo culture increases epigenetic dysregulation in a mouse model.

Study Question: Does trophectoderm biopsy (TEBx) of blastocysts for preimplantation genetic testing in the clinic affect normal placental and embryo development and offspring metabolic outcomes in a mouse model?

Summary Answer: TEBx impacts placental and embryonic health during early development, with some alterations resolving and others worsening later in development and triggering metabolic changes in adult offspring.

What Is Known Already: Previous studies have not assessed the epigenetic and morphological impacts of TEBx either in human populations or in animal models.

Study Design, Size, Duration: We employed a mouse model to identify the effects of TEBx during IVF.

Tissue-specific Grb10/Ddc insulator drives allelic architecture for cardiac development.

Allele-specific expression of imprinted gene clusters is governed by gametic DNA methylation at master regulators called imprinting control regions (ICRs). Non-gametic or secondary differentially methylated regions (DMRs) at promoters and exonic regions reinforce monoallelic expression but do not control an entire cluster. Here, we unveil an unconventional secondary DMR that is indispensable for tissue-specific imprinting of two previously unlinked genes, Grb10 and Ddc.

Urbanization pressures alter tree rhizosphere microbiomes.

The soil microbial community (SMC) provides critical ecosystem services including organic matter decomposition, soil structural formation, and nutrient cycling. Studies suggest plants, specifically trees, act as soil keystone species controlling SMC structure via multiple mechanisms (e.g.