Standardization for Data Generation and Collection in the Dairy Industry: Addressing Challenges and Charting a Path Forward.

Standards for data generation and collection are important for integration and for achieving data-driven actionable insights in dairy farming. Data integration and analysis are critical for advancing the dairy industry, enabling better decision-making, and improving operational efficiencies. This commentary paper discusses the challenges of and proposes pathways for standardizing data generation and collection based on insights from a multidisciplinary group of stakeholders.

Den Use Patterns of Endangered San Joaquin Kit Foxes in Urban Environments May Facilitate Disease Transmission.

A robust population of endangered San Joaquin kit foxes (; SJKFs) occurs in the city of Bakersfield, CA. In 2013, sarcoptic mange was detected and significantly reduced SJKF abundance. Dens may be a mode of mange mite transmission.

Hidden Urban Biodiversity: A New Species of the Genus Mittleman, 1950 (Squamata: Scincidae) from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Southwest China.

The genus Mittleman, 1950, belonging to the family Scincidae, exhibits considerable morphological convergence, complicating species delimitation and resulting in underestimated diversity. Currently, 41 species are formally recognized in this genus, although this figure likely underestimates its true richness. In this study, a new species of the genus , , is described from urban and suburban areas of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, Southwest China.

Effect of Gardeniae Fructus Powder on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Capacity, Intestinal Barrier Function, and Colonic Microbiota of Weaned Piglets.

The present study aimed to explore the effect of GF powder on the growth performance, diarrhea rate, antioxidant and immune capacity, and intestinal health of weaned piglets. A total of 144 weaned piglets (8.29 ± 0.

Ten Candidate Genes Were Identified to Be Associated with the Great Growth Differentiation in the Three-Way Cross Hybrid Abalone.

Abalone is an economically important mollusk, whose slow growth has impeded the recovery of its wild populations and development of aquaculture. The three-way cross hybrid abalone ((♀ × ♂)♀ × ♂, DF × SS) demonstrated notable diversity in growth traits across the population with genetic differentiation, offering a model for exploring the molecular mechanisms of abalone growth. In this study, a total of 89 SNPs and 97 candidate genes were identified to be associated with growth-related traits of abalone using whole-genome resequencing and a genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis.

and Regulate Heat Stress Response in Hu Sheep Through Lipid Metabolism via m6A Modification.

In an established hepatocyte lipid deposition heat stress model, the expression levels of and were significantly upregulated ( < 0.05), indicating that and play important roles in the process of lipid deposition heat stress in hepatocytes. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that lipid deposition heat stress had significant effects on the linoleic acid, linolenic acid, glycerophospholipid, and arachidonic acid metabolic pathways in hepatocytes.

Integrating Metabolomics and Genomics to Uncover the Impact of Fermented Total Mixed Ration on Heifer Growth Performance Through Host-Dependent Metabolic Pathways.

With the increasing demand for enhancing livestock production performance and optimizing feed efficiency, this study aimed to investigate the effects of fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) containing different proportions of rice straw and sheath and leaves of on systemic nutrient metabolism and oxidative metabolism under host genetic regulation and on growth performance of heifers. A total of 157 heifers aged 7-8 months were selected, and their hair was collected for whole-genome sequencing. They were randomly assigned into four groups of 18 to 21 cattle each and fed FTMR containing varying levels of rice straw (21% in LSF, 28% in MSF, 35% in HSF) or 31% sheath and leaves of (ZF) for a two-month period.

Identification of RNA Editing Sites Reveals Functional Modifications with the Addition of Methionine to the Daily Rations of Yaks.

Methionine is an amino acid necessary for the growth and development of all animals. Glutathione produced during methionine metabolism can reduce damage to cells caused by oxidative stress. Supplementing restricted amino acids in animals by scientific means will be beneficial to protein synthesis, which will affect the growth and development of animals and will bring huge economic benefits when applied to actual production and life.

Fleece-Lined Whelping Pools Associated with Reduced Incidence of Canine Hip Dysplasia in a Guide Dog Program.

Using genetic selection, Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) has reduced the incidence rate of canine hip dysplasia (CHD). However, given that CHD is polygenic and multifactorial, environmental factors may impact the expression of this developmental condition. The objective of this original, correlational research was to investigate the relationship between the substrate in the whelping pool used from birth to 3 weeks of age and CHD diagnosis.

Validation of a Portable Ionized Calcium Detection Device and Changes in the Ionized-to-Total-Calcium Ratio in the Blood of Postpartum Holstein Cows.

The calcium requirements of dairy cows increase dramatically soon after calving, and many cows have subclinical hypocalcemia, adversely affecting health and performance. Traditional laboratory tests for calcium are complex and not easily adapted to rapid point-of-care applications. The objectives were to evaluate a portable iCa testing device, Horiba LAQUAtwin Ca-11C, for measuring ionized calcium (iCa) in the whole blood of dairy cows and to investigate the iCa-to-total-calcium (tCa) ratio in blood collected from dairy cows within 9 days after calving.

Identification of the Bovine Core Promoter Region and the Relationships Between Promoter Polymorphisms and the A and B Alleles.

Reportedly, the number of κ-casein (κ-CN) B alleles increases the proportion of κ-CN to total protein and the κ-CN content. This phenomenon is caused by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of , which encodes the B variant. Therefore, a series of 5'-deleted promoter plasmids were constructed to define the core promoter of .

Enzymic Activity, Metabolites, and Hematological Responses Changes of Clinical Healthy High-Risk Beef Calves During Their First 56-Days from Arrival.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in enzymic activity, metabolites, and hematological responses during the first 56-d of arrival of newly received calves, which were qualified at reception as high-risk but diagnosed as clinically healthy. A total of 320 blood samples were taken from 64 crossbred bull calves (average initial body weight = 148.3 ± 1.

Dietary γ-Aminobutyric Acid Promotes Growth and Immune System Performance and Improves Erythropoiesis and Angiogenesis in Gibel Carp ().

This experiment aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the growth performance, immune response, and oxygen-transport-related factors of Gibel carp (). An eight-week culturing experiment was designed with five experimental diets, with the actual GABA content being 368 mg/kg (G1, control group), 449 mg/kg (G2), 527 mg/kg (G3), 602 mg/kg (G4), and 675 mg/kg (G5). The results showed that the level of 527 mg/kg (G3) of GABA significantly increased the specific growth rate (SGR), weight gain rate (WGR), and final body weight (FBW) of Gibel carp, while the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total cholesterol (TC), and glucose (GLU) were also increased significantly.

Alleviating -Induced Intestinal Lesions in Chickens Using the Xylanase Xyn10C and Its Binary Cocktail with a Protease.

infection can induce necrotic enteritis and lead to significant economic loss to the chicken industry. In this study, a xylanase (Xyn10C), which effectively promotes the growth of probiotics, and a protease, which degrades the biofilm of were analyzed for their ability to alleviate -induced necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. A total of 300 male AA chickens were divided into five treatment groups (control, no enzyme and no challenge; Cp, no enzyme, challenge; Xyn, Xyn10C plus challenge; Xyn+Am, Xyn10C+Amylase plus challenge; Xyn+Ap, Xyn10C+Alkaline protease plus challenge).

The Homeobox Transcription Factor NKX3.1 Displays an Oncogenic Role in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.

Background/objectives: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men. The increase in incidence rates of more advanced and aggressive forms of the disease year-to-year fuels urgency to find new therapeutic interventions and bolster already established ones. PCa is a uniquely targetable disease in that it is fueled by male hormones (androgens) that drive tumorigenesis via the androgen receptor or AR.

Treatment Patterns and Outcomes in Patients with Advanced Biliary Tract Cancers Treated with Gemcitabine-Based Chemotherapy: A Retrospective Study.

Historically, the standard of care for advanced biliary tract cancers (aBTCs) was gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GemCis). Immunotherapy plus GemCis is now recommended as a first-line treatment for aBTCs. Whether patients can tolerate eight cycles of GemCis in clinical practice, as per the Advanced Biliary Cancer (ABC)-02 study, remains to be assessed.

Improved Survival and Symptom Relief Following Palliative Cerebrospinal Fluid Diversion for Leptomeningeal Disease from Brain Cancers: A Case Series and Systematic Review.

Background: Leptomeningeal disease (LMD) from cancer indicates advanced cancer and can lead to obstructive hydrocephalus, for which palliative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion may be indicated to alleviate symptoms. We investigated surgical outcomes for hydrocephalus for adult patients with LMD and conducted a systematic review on pediatric and adult cases.

Methods: We analyzed outcomes from a 10-year period of patients with neoplastic LMD, obstructive hydrocephalus, and documented date of death.

Calreticulin-From the Endoplasmic Reticulum to the Plasma Membrane-Adventures of a Wandering Protein.

Calreticulin (CRT) is a 46 kDa highly conserved protein initially identified as calregulin, a prominent Ca-binding protein of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Subsequent studies have established that CRT functions in the ER's protein folding response and Ca homeostatic mechanisms. An ER retention signal on the carboxyl terminus of CRT suggested that CRT was restricted to the ER.

IL-1β in Neoplastic Disease and the Role of Its Tumor-Derived Form in the Progression and Treatment of Metastatic Prostate Cancer.

Since its discovery, IL-1β has taken center stage as a key mediator of a very broad spectrum of diseases revolving around immuno-mediated and inflammatory events. Predictably, the pleiotropic nature of this cytokine in human pathology has led to the development of targeted therapeutics with multiple treatment indications in the clinic. Following the accumulated findings of IL-1β's central modulatory role in the immune system and the implication of inflammatory pathways in cancer, the use of IL-1β antagonists was first proposed and then also pursued for oncology disorders.

Iterative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Gastric Cancer Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

Despite the incremental improvement of survival with systemic therapy in metastatic gastric cancer (GC), the outcomes of patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) remain poor. The limited effectiveness of systemic therapy is attributed to the blood-peritoneal barrier and anarchic intra-tumoral circulation, which reduce the penetration of systemic therapy. Approaches that incorporate intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy, in addition to systemic therapies, may be a viable alternate strategy.

Activation of Genes by Nuclear Receptor/Specificity Protein (Sp) Interactions in Cancer.

The human nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily consists of 48 genes that are ligand-activated transcription factors that play a key role in maintaining cellular homeostasis and in pathophysiology. NRs are important drug targets for both cancer and non-cancer endpoints as ligands for these receptors can act as agonists, antagonists or inverse agonists to modulate gene expression. With two exceptions, the classical mechanism of action of NRs involves their interactions as monomers, dimers or heterodimers with their cognate response elements (cis-elements) in target gene promoters.

DNA Repair Capacity and Clinicopathological Characteristics in Puerto Rican Hispanic/Latino Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) accounts for 22% of the new cases diagnosed in Hispanic/Latino (H/L) men in the US. PCa has the highest incidence (38.3%) and mortality (16.

DNA Methylation Profile in Buffy Coat Identifies Methylation Differences Between Cirrhosis with and Without Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background/objectives: Cirrhosis is the precursor to most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Understanding the mechanisms leading to the transition from cirrhosis to HCC and identifying key biomarkers is crucial to developing effective screening strategies and reducing HCC-related mortality. DNA methylation is associated with gene inactivation and plays an important role in physiological and pathological processes; however, its role in cirrhosis progression to HCC is unknown.

SORL1-Mediated EGFR and FGFR4 Regulation Enhances Chemoresistance in Ovarian Cancer.

Recurrent tumors that are resistant to conventional chemotherapy are a major challenge of ovarian cancer treatment. A better understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of chemoresistance is critical for developing more effective targeted therapies for ovarian cancer. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptomic profiles of thirteen pairs of matching primary and recurrent ovarian cancers to identify genes that were upregulated in the recurrent tumors.

The Rare Entity of Basaloid Thymic Carcinoma: A Multicentric Retrospective Analysis from the Italian Collaborative Group for ThYmic MalignanciEs (TYME).

Background: thymic basaloid carcinoma (BTC) is an extremely rare tumor, and very little data are available on BTC's biology, clinical behavior, drug sensitivity, and patient outcomes.

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study on patients diagnosed with BTC in 11 referral centers of TYME. All BTC diagnoses were reviewed by the referring pathologist.