Temporally resolved growth patterns reveal novel information about the polygenic nature of complex quantitative traits.

Plant height can be an indicator of plant health across environments and used to identify superior genotypes. Typically plant height is measured at a single timepoint when plants reach terminal height. Evaluating plant height using unoccupied aerial vehicles allows for measurements throughout the growing season, facilitating a better understanding of plant-environment interactions and the genetic basis of this complex trait.

Isolation and Characterization of Canine Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells: Considerations in Translation from Laboratory to Clinic.

In allogeneic MSC implantation, the cells are isolated from a donor different from the recipient. When tested, allogeneic MSCs have several advantages over autologous ones: faster cell growth, sufficient cell concentration, and readily available cells for clinics. To ensure the safe and efficient use of allogeneic MSCs in clinics, the MSCs need to be first tested in vitro.

Research Priorities of the Oncology Nursing Society: 2024-2027.

Problem Statement: To define the Oncology Nursing Society Research Agenda for 2024-2027.

Design: An iterative, multiple data sources consolidation through the Research Agenda Project Team.

Data Sources: Previous research priorities, literature review, stakeholder survey, and research priorities from other cancer care organizations and funding agencies.

Greenhouse gas emissions in US beef production can be reduced by up to 30% with the adoption of selected mitigation measures.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from beef production in the United States are unevenly distributed across the supply chain and production regions, complicating where and how to reduce emissions most effectively. Using spatially explicit life cycle assessment methods, we quantify the baseline GHG emissions and mitigation opportunities of 42 practices spanning the supply chain from crop and livestock production to processing. We find that the potential to reduce GHGs across the beef sector ranges up to 30% (20 million tonnes COe reduced and 58 million tonnes CO sequestered each year relative to the baseline) under ubiquitous adoption assumptions, largely driven by opportunities in the grazing stage.

Navigating foster care: how parental drug use and caregiver attitudes shape children's mentalization processes-an exploratory longitudinal follow-up study: study protocol.

Background: The current research concept of mentalization is used in the study to clearly identify affective and cognitive abilities of the caregiver-child dyad with the aim of compensating deficits on both sides with psychological-psychotherapeutic strategies.

Methods: The objective of this explorative, longitudinal intervention study is to provide an in-depth understanding of the psycho-social background of 30 children aged 6-12 years living in institutional or family-centered foster care. Data will be collected at three time points: before, after and 12 months after participating in the newly developed group intervention, which intends to address the particular needs of children of drug abusing parents living in foster care in the latency period.

Molecular mechanisms underlying gene regulatory variation of maize metabolic traits.

Variation in gene expression levels is pervasive among individuals and races or varieties, and has substantial agronomic consequences, for example, by contributing to hybrid vigor. Gene expression level variation results from mutations in regulatory sequences (cis) and/or transcription factor (TF) activity (trans), but the mechanisms underlying cis- and/or trans-regulatory variation of complex phenotypes remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated gene expression variation mechanisms underlying the differential accumulation of the insecticidal compounds maysin and chlorogenic acid in silks of widely used maize (Zea mays) inbreds, B73 and A632.

Prioritizing Maize Metabolic Gene Regulators through Multi-Omic Network Integration.

Elucidating gene regulatory networks is a major area of study within plant systems biology. Phenotypic traits are intricately linked to specific gene expression profiles. These expression patterns arise primarily from regulatory connections between sets of transcription factors (TFs) and their target genes.

Role of Pre-Farrow Natural Planned Exposure of Gilts in Shaping the Passive Antibody Response to Rotavirus A in Piglets.

Natural planned exposure (NPE) remains one of the most common methods in swine herds to boost lactogenic immunity against rotaviruses. However, the efficacy of NPE protocols in generating lactogenic immunity has not been investigated before. A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the dynamics of genotype-specific antibody responses to different doses (3, 2 and 1) of Rotavirus A (RVA) NPE (genotypes G4, G5, P[7] and P[23]) in gilts and the transfer of lactogenic immunity to their piglets.

Combined analysis of transposable elements and structural variation in maize genomes reveals genome contraction outpaces expansion.

Structural differences between genomes are a major source of genetic variation that contributes to phenotypic differences. Transposable elements, mobile genetic sequences capable of increasing their copy number and propagating themselves within genomes, can generate structural variation. However, their repetitive nature makes it difficult to characterize fine-scale differences in their presence at specific positions, limiting our understanding of their impact on genome variation.

Methods for the study of ribonuclease targeting chimeras (RiboTACs).

Recently, a class of heterobifunctional small molecules called ribonuclease targeting chimeras (RiboTACs) have been developed that selectively induce degradation of RNAs in cells. These molecules function by recruiting latent ribonuclease (RNase L), an endoribonuclease involved in the innate immune response, to targeted RNA structures. The RiboTACs must activate RNase L in proximity to the RNA, resulting in cleavage of the RNA and downstream degradation.

Mutator transposon insertions within maize genes often provide a novel outward reading promoter.

The highly active family of Mutator (Mu) DNA transposons has been widely used for forward and reverse genetics in maize. There are examples of Mu-suppressible alleles that result in conditional phenotypic effects based on the activity of Mu. Phenotypes from these Mu-suppressible mutations are observed in Mu-active genetic backgrounds, but absent when Mu activity is lost.

Determination of optimal storage time and temperature for the detection of red blood cell and platelet surface-associated immunoglobulin by flow cytometry in healthy horses.

Differentiating immune-mediated causes from other causes of anemia and thrombocytopenia can be challenging. Flow cytometry can detect surface-associated immunoglobulin (sIg) on red blood cells (RBC) and platelets (PLT) in dogs and horses. Sample storage parameters for ideal assay performance has not been evaluated in horses.

Critical role of insertion preference for invasion trajectory of transposons.

It is unclear how mobile DNA sequences (transposable elements, hereafter TEs) invade eukaryotic genomes and reach stable copy numbers, as transposition can decrease host fitness. This challenge is particularly stark early in the invasion of a TE family at which point hosts may lack the specialized machinery to repress the spread of these TEs. One possibility (in addition to the evolution of host regulation of TEs) is that TE families may evolve to preferentially insert into chromosomal regions that are less likely to impact host fitness.

Concurrent chronic lymphocytic leukemia and primary hyperparathyroidism in a mule.

A 26-year-old mule gelding was evaluated for chronic weight loss and decreased appetite. The mule had been losing weight and intermittently hypophagic for approximately 7 months. Laboratory analysis of whole blood and plasma identified severe total hypercalcemia, marked hypophosphatemia, markedly increased parathyroid hormone concentration, and marked lymphocytosis.

Serum biochemical changes in cats with naturally acquired feline cytauxzoonosis.

Objective: The geographical distribution of feline cytauxzoonosis is expanding in the US. Clinical signs of feline cytauxzoonosis, including lethargy, anorexia, and icterus, are similar to hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis. Hematologic and serum biochemical abnormality patterns may assist practitioners in prioritizing feline cytauxzoonosis as a differential diagnosis over hepatic lipidosis and cholangiohepatitis.

A novel active transposon creates allelic variation through altered translation rate to influence protein abundance.

Protein translation is tightly and precisely controlled by multiple mechanisms including upstream open reading frames (uORFs), but the origins of uORFs and their role in maize are largely unexplored. In this study, an active transposition event was identified during the propagation of maize inbred line B73. The transposon, which was named BTA for 'B73 active transposable element hAT', creates a novel dosage-dependent hypomorphic allele of the hexose transporter gene ZmSWEET4c through insertion within the coding sequence in the first exon, and results in reduced kernel size.

-Regulatory Elements in Plant Development, Adaptation, and Evolution.

Regulatory elements encode the genomic blueprints that ensure the proper spatiotemporal patterning of gene expression necessary for appropriate development and responses to the environment. Accumulating evidence implicates changes to gene expression as a major source of phenotypic novelty in eukaryotes, including acute phenotypes such as disease and cancer in mammals. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic variation affecting regulatory sequences over longer evolutionary timescales has become a recurring theme in studies of morphological divergence and local adaptation.

Mapping responsive genomic elements to heat stress in a maize diversity panel.

Background: Many plant species exhibit genetic variation for coping with environmental stress. However, there are still limited approaches to effectively uncover the genomic region that regulates distinct responsive patterns of the gene across multiple varieties within the same species under abiotic stress.

Results: By analyzing the transcriptomes of more than 100 maize inbreds, we reveal many cis- and trans-acting eQTLs that influence the expression response to heat stress.

Antibody Response to Rotavirus C Pre-Farrow Natural Planned Exposure to Gilts and Their Piglets.

A longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the dynamics of genotype-specific (G6 and P[5]) antibody response to different doses (3, 2 and 1) of rotavirus C (RVC) natural planned exposure (NPE) in gilt serum, colostrum/milk and piglet serum, and compare with antibody response to rotavirus A NPE (RVA genotypes G4, G5, P[7] and P[23]). G6 and P[5] antigens of RVC were expressed in mammalian and bacterial cells, and used to develop individual indirect ELISAs. For both antigens, group 1 with 3 doses of NPE resulted in significantly higher IgG and IgA levels in colostrum compared to other groups.

Rotavirus Infection in Swine: Genotypic Diversity, Immune Responses, and Role of Gut Microbiome in Rotavirus Immunity.

Rotaviruses (RVs) are endemic in swine populations, and all swine herds certainly have a history of RV infection and circulation. Rotavirus A (RVA) and C (RVC) are the most common among all RV species reported in swine. RVA was considered most prevalent and pathogenic in swine; however, RVC has been emerging as a significant cause of enteritis in newborn piglets.

The Utility of Bile Acids for the Diagnosis of Liver Disease in Exotic Animals.

The synthesis of bile acids occurs during the degradation of cholesterol in hepatocytes. Thus, this analyte is expected to be a sensitive indicator of hepatocellular dysfunction or alterations in portal circulation. Bile acids can be quantified via an enzymatic reaction to a highly conserved moiety across species.