Dietary fiber content in clinical ketogenic diets modifies the gut microbiome and seizure resistance in mice.

The gut microbiome modulates the anti-seizure effects of the ketogenic diet, but how specific dietary formulations differentially modify the gut microbiome in ways that impact seizure outcome is poorly understood. We find that medical ketogenic infant formulas vary in macronutrient ratio, fat source, and fiber content and differentially promote resistance to 6-Hz seizures in mice. Dietary fiber, rather than fat ratio or source, drives substantial metagenomic shifts in a model human infant microbial community.

Molecular mechanism of culinary herb Artemisia argyi in promoting lifespan and stress tolerance.

Artemisia argyi Lévl. et Vant. (A.

Exploring the genetic diversity and population structure of an ancient hexaploid wheat species Triticum sphaerococcum using SNP markers.

Background: Understanding genetic diversity and population structure is crucial for strategizing and enhancing breeding efficiency. Wheat, a globally cultivated crop, is a significant source of daily calories for humans. To overcome challenges such as extreme climatic fluctuations, stagnant yields, and diminishing genetic variation, it is essential to develop diverse germplasms with new alleles.

Soil health in Moroccan olive agroecosystems: The bioindication role of terrestrial nematode dynamics.

Terrestrial nematodes are important soil microorganisms that modulate biological processes in soil ecosystems. Thus, these microorganisms have strong potential as soil health bioindicators. This study aimed to investigate their distribution patterns in Moroccan olive agroecosystems and to evaluate their structural and functional dynamics shaping soil disturbance status.

Inheritance of Cry2Ab2 resistance in two Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) populations resistant to single- and dual-Bacillus thuringiensis proteins.

Cry2Ab2 is a Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein that has been pyramided with Cry1A.105 in transgenic maize and Cry1Ac in cotton to control some major lepidopteran pests including the corn earworm/bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie). However, the widespread occurrence of resistance of this pest to the pyramided Cry1A/Cry2A crops in the southern region of the United State has become a threat to the sustainability of the technology.

Genotype Performance Estimation in Targeted Production Environments by Using Sparse Genomic Prediction.

In plant breeding, Multi-Environment Trials (METs) evaluate candidate genotypes across various conditions, which is financially costly due to extensive field testing. Sparse testing addresses this challenge by evaluating some genotypes in selected environments, allowing for a broader range of environments without significantly increasing costs. This approach integrates genomic information to adjust phenotypic data, leading to more accurate genetic effect estimations.

A graph model for genomic prediction in the context of a linear mixed model framework.

Genomic selection is revolutionizing both plant and animal breeding, with its practical application depending critically on high prediction accuracy. In this study, we aimed to enhance prediction accuracy by exploring the use of graph models within a linear mixed model framework. Our investigation revealed that incorporating the graph constructed with line connections alone resulted in decreased prediction accuracy compared to conventional methods that consider only genotype effects.

The coevolution of fungus-ant agriculture.

Fungus-farming ants cultivate multiple lineages of fungi for food, but, because fungal cultivar relationships are largely unresolved, the history of fungus-ant coevolution remains poorly known. We designed probes targeting >2000 gene regions to generate a dated evolutionary tree for 475 fungi and combined it with a similarly generated tree for 276 ants. We found that fungus-ant agriculture originated ~66 million years ago when the end-of-Cretaceous asteroid impact temporarily interrupted photosynthesis, causing global mass extinctions but favoring the proliferation of fungi.

Deciphering the genetic basis of salinity tolerance in a diverse panel of cultivated and wild soybean accessions by genome-wide association mapping.

In a genome-wide association study involving 269 cultivated and wild soybean accessions, potential salt tolerance donors were identified along with significant markers and candidate genes, such as GmKUP6 and GmWRKY33. Salt stress remains a significant challenge in agricultural systems, notably impacting soybean productivity worldwide. A comprehensive genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of salt tolerance and identify novel source of salt tolerance among soybean genotypes.

Conversion of acidified lignin containing sulfur discharged from a biorefinery process into neutralized biochar: Characterization and metal adsorption.

The objectives of this study were to produce biochars using sulfur-rich acidified lignin discharged from a biorefinery process and to evaluate their physicochemical properties and Pb adsorption capacity. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, the lignin acidified by the desulfurization process was converted to neutralized biochar (LBC), which exhibited high carbon content and stability. The carbon content of biochar manufactured at a pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C or higher was over 90 % and showed no significant difference, and their surface structures were found to be different, as revealed through XRD and FTIR analyses.

Mapping lipid species remodeling in high fat diet-fed mice: Unveiling adipose tissue dysfunction with Raman microspectroscopy.

Dysregulated lipid metabolism in obesity leads to adipose tissue expansion, a major contributor to metabolic dysfunction and chronic disease. Lipid metabolism and fatty acid changes play vital roles in the progression of obesity. In this proof-of-concept study, Raman techniques combined with histochemical imaging methods were utilized to analyze the impact of a high-fat diet (HFD) on different types of adipose tissue in mice, using a small sample size (n = 3 per group).

Removal of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) by bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) via enzyme catalysis and electron transmission.

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) showed high environmental risk due to the widely existence and toxicity. Microbial-excreted extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) showed potential of degrading organic compounds. In this study, the degradation ability and the mechanisms of EPS from two bacteria (PAEs degrader Gordonia sihwensis; electrochemically active strain Shewanella oneidensis MR-1) were investigated.

Lignin containing cellulose nanofiber/AgSe nanocomposite films: a promising material for thermoelectric film generators.

This work deals with the fabrication of lignin containing cellulose nanofiber (LCNF)/AgSe films for thermoelectric applications. AgSe nanoparticles were synthesized within the LCNF network through methods, employing NaSeO and AgNO along with microwave energy treatment. LCNF/AgSe films fabricated with two LCNF : AgSe weight percent ratios (, 50 : 50 and 30 : 70) were used to construct a flexible thermoelectric module.

Mercury concentrations in Seaside Sparrows and Marsh Rice Rats differ across the Mississippi River Estuary.

Mercury (Hg) concentrations and their associated toxicological effects in terrestrial ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico are largely unknown. Compounding this uncertainty, a large input of organic matter from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill may have altered Hg cycling and bioaccumulation dynamics. To test this idea, we quantified blood concentrations of total mercury (THg) in Seaside Sparrows (Ammospiza maritima) and Marsh Rice Rats (Oryzomys palustris) in marshes west and east of the Mississippi River in 2015 and 2016.

Experimental uncoupling of hosts and endosymbionts.

Many organisms harbor heritable bacterial symbionts that offer context-specific benefits to their hosts. In some of these symbioses, symbionts live inside host cells as endosymbionts. Studying the biology of endosymbiosis is challenging because it is hard to independently cultivate hosts and endosymbionts.

The accuracy of trail cameras to aid manual identification and counts of items placed in separate collection bins of recyclables.

Checking each item placed in a separate collection bin of recyclables to examine contamination is often difficult for a researcher relying on such data. This is because of the time and inconvenience involved to manually identify items. We test a proof-of-concept experiment on the ability of trail cameras to identify items placed within separate collection bins.

Method for assessing coating uniformity of angioplasty balloons coated with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles loaded with quercetin.

In this study, we aim to quantify coating uniformity and correlate fluorescence intensity to drug loading for drug-coated angioplasty balloons (DCB) coated with 5, 10, 15, or 20 layers of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nanoparticles (NPs) entrapped with quercetin. Uniformity was quantified from histograms and horizontal line profiles of microscopic fluorescent images acquired with sample specific parameters, and cracks in the coating were measured and counted. The fluorescence of images acquired with global parameters was correlated with quercetin loading measured via gravimetric/HPLC analysis.

Wood duck nest survival and duckling recruitment is minimally affected by interspecific brood parasitism from hooded mergansers and black-bellied whistling-ducks.

In the southeastern United States, wood ducks (Aix sponsa) have historically experienced interspecific brood parasitism (IBP) primarily from hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus), but the recent northward expansion of black-bellied whistling-ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) has added a new complexity to these interactions. We monitored nest boxes in Louisiana to evaluate the influence IBP had on wood duck daily nest survival rate (after, DSR) and duckling recruitment. We monitored 1,295 wood duck nests from 2020-2023 and found 112 (8.

Antidiabetic, antidyslipidemia, and renoprotector potency of butterfly pea flower extract ( L.) in diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia rats model.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a long-term condition marked by high blood glucose levels caused by insulin resistance which will lead to complications of other diseases such as dyslipidemia, which also affects the health of the liver and kidneys. Butterfly pea flower ( L.) has phenolic and flavonoid compounds which have the potential as herbal medicines for antidiabetics.

A cross-cultural investigation of active transportation and community participation: Results from the WHO survey of Global Ageing and Adult Health.

Little is known about how the associations between active transportation and community participation may vary across national contexts. Using representative datasets from China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa collected in the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (N = 33,535), we estimated multi-group confirmatory factor analyses, tests of measurement invariance, and predictive models. Standardized coefficients were equivalent across countries and showed a modest positive association between active transportation and community participation (the variance explained by active transportation ranged from 1.

Nutrient release pattern and mitigation of NO emissions under the application of activated poultry manure compost biochar with organic resources.

Biochar was generally used to reduce the macronutrient releases and to mitigate NO gas emissions in cropland. This experiment evaluated the trend of major plant nutrient releases using the modified Hyperbola model and the greenhouse gas emissions by incorporating different poultry manure compost biochar with organic resources. The treatments consisted of the control as the organic fertilizer materials, the incorporated poultry manure compost biochar with organic fertilizer materials (PMCBF), and the incorporated plasma-activated poultry manure compost biochar with organic fertilizer materials (PAMBF) under redox conditions.

Mapping and Omics Integration: Towards Precise Rice Disease Resistance Breeding.

Rice (), as a staple crop feeding a significant portion of the global population, particularly in Asian countries, faces constant threats from various diseases jeopardizing global food security. A precise understanding of disease resistance mechanisms is crucial for developing resilient rice varieties. Traditional genetic mapping methods, such as QTL mapping, provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of diseases.

MicroRNA (miRNA) profiling of maize genotypes with differential response to Aspergillus flavus implies zma-miR156-squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP) and zma-miR398/zma-miR394-F -box combinations involved in resistance mechanisms.

Maize (Zea mays), a major food crop worldwide, is susceptible to infection by the saprophytic fungus Aspergillus flavus that can produce the carcinogenic metabolite aflatoxin (AF) especially under climate change induced abiotic stressors that favor mold growth. Several studies have used "-omics" approaches to identify genetic elements with potential roles in AF resistance, but there is a lack of research identifying the involvement of small RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) in maize-A. flavus interaction.

Microplastic accumulation dynamics in Han river headwaters: Sediment interactions and environmental implication.

The prevalence of microplastic (MP) contamination has become a significant environmental concern due to its pervasive nature and persistent effects. While sediments are considered major repositories for MPs, information on their spatial distribution within these matrices is insufficient. This research examined both the horizontal and vertical presence of MPs in the sediments surrounding Lake Paldang in South Korea, alongside a comprehensive evaluation of the physicochemical characteristics of the samples obtained.