Degrowth as a plausible pathway for food systems transformation.

Food systems require urgent transformation towards social and ecological sustainability. Degrowth posits a radical pathway of transformation to reduce ecological impacts while increasing well-being and reducing inequality. Here we highlight that degrowth and food systems-albeit both linked to transformation-are not well integrated.

Distribution of bacterial DNA repair proteins and their co-occurrence with immune systems.

Bacteria encode various DNA repair pathways to maintain genome integrity. However, the high degree of homology between DNA repair proteins or their domains hampers accurate identification. Here, we describe a stringent search strategy to identify DNA repair proteins and provide a systematic analysis of taxonomic distribution and co-occurrence of DNA repair proteins involved in RecA-dependent homologous recombination.

The impact of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with cancer: emerging themes.

Purpose Of Review: This review summarizes recent literature falling broadly under the topic of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the oncology setting, highlighting emerging themes and emphasizing novel explorations.

Recent Findings: Meta-analyses continue to confirm safety and efficacy of n-3 PUFA supplementation on reducing inflammation and improving survival in people with cancer. Common themes in recent studies emphasize improving tumor-directed efficacy and reducing toxicities of common cancer therapies.

Genetic Diversity, Association, and Path Coefficient Analyses of Sorghum [ (L.) Monech] Genotypes.

For sustainable genetic improvement of crops like sorghum, assessing genetic variability and knowing the nature and extent of the association between grain yield and yield-related traits is a prerequisite. However, there needs to be sufficient information about the genetic variability study as well as yield-related trait correlation and path coefficient analysis for sorghum accessions, especially those from southern Ethiopia. Hence, this field experiment assessed genetic variability, determined the nature and extent of phenotypic-genetic correlation, and analyzed the path coefficients among 17 quantitative traits.

Occurrence, toxicity, dietary exposure, and management of Alternaria mycotoxins in food and feed: A systematic literature review.

Alternaria mycotoxins are emerging contaminants frequently detected in food products and threaten human health. This systematic review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of scientific data and knowledge and gaps therein of natural occurrence, toxicological effects, dietary exposure, and prevention and control management of Alternaria mycotoxins in food and feed. A systematic review has been performed, using the databases Scopus and PubMed, retrieving relevant scientific papers published in English from 2011 to 2024.

Deficiency of the mitochondrial transporter SLC25A47 minimally impacts hepatic lipid metabolism in fasted and diet-induced obese mice.

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) plays a central role in lipid metabolism in the liver by stimulating the expression of hundreds of genes. Accordingly, regulation by PPARα could be a screening tool to identify novel genes involved in hepatic lipid metabolism. Previously, the mitochondrial transporter SLC25A47 was suggested to play a role in energy metabolism and liver-specific uncoupling, but further research is lacking.

Evidence linking cadmium and/or lead exposure to immunomodulatory effects in mammals based upon an adverse outcome pathways approach, and research perspectives.

For decades, studies have shown how exposure to non-essential trace metals such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) largely impact global wildlife. Ecoimmunotoxicology has emerged in the past two decades and focuses on the effects of pollutants on the immune system of free-ranging organisms. Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) represent a conceptual approach to explore the mechanistic linkage between a molecular initiating event and adverse outcomes, potentially at all biological levels of organisation.

Chemical and Microbiological Hazards Arising from New Plant-Based Foods, Including Precision Fermentation-Produced Food Ingredients.

The growing human population, climate change, and environmental pollution pose urgent threats to global food security. New plant-based foods and precision fermentation that enable the production of new food ingredients can contribute to a revolutionary change in the food industry and can contribute to food security, yet they do not come without hazards. In this review, we describe the hazards of new plant-based foods, including precision fermentation-produced food ingredients.

A Pollen-Based Assisted Migration for Rapid Forest Adaptation.

Climate change poses an unprecedented threat to forest ecosystems, necessitating innovative adaptation strategies. Traditional assisted migration approaches, while promising, face challenges related to environmental constraints, forestry practices, phytosanitary risks, economic barriers, and legal constraints. This has sparked debate within the scientific community, with some advocating for the broader implementation of assisted migration despite these limitations, while others emphasize the importance of local adaptation, which may not keep pace with the rapid rate of climate change.

Streamlining Global Germplasm Exchange: Integrating Scientific Rigor and Common Sense to Exclude Phantom Agents from Regulation.

This collaborative work by over 180 researchers from 40+ countries addresses the challenges posed by "phantom agents"-putative pathogenic agents named in literature without supporting data on their existence. Those agents remain on regulatory lists, creating barriers in trade and plant certification. Historically identified based solely on symptoms, these agents lack isolates or sequence data, making reliable detection or risk assessment impossible.

Novel bacteriophages targeting wheat phyllosphere bacteria carry DNA modifications and single-strand breaks.

The phyllosphere microbiome can positively or negatively impact plant health and growth, but we currently lack the tools to control microbiome composition. Contributing to a growing collection of bacteriophages (phages) targeting bacteria living in the wheat phyllosphere, we here isolate and sequence eight novel phages targeting common phyllosphere Erwinia and Pseudomonas strains, including two jumbo phages. We characterize genomic, phylogenetic, and morphological traits from these phages and argue for establishing four novel viral genera.

Biological control of ticks in domestic environments: Modeling the potential impact of entomopathogenic fungi on the transmission of East Coast fever in cattle.

Biological control of ticks using entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a highly desired alternative to chemical acaricides for the control of tick-borne pathogens. For Metarhizium anisopliae isolate ICIPE 7, one of these EPFs, efficacy against multiple tick species has been demonstrated in laboratory and field settings. However, we currently have little quantitative understanding of how EPFs can impact transmission.

Wax-coated dried-milk-spot paper for human milk protein compositional analysis.

Studies exploring human milk are often hindered by laborious and costly conventional sampling, resulting in small sample sizes. Here, we implement a paper-based sampling method, dried milk spots (DMS), as an alternative to increase sampling capacity and frequency, primarily tailored for protein compositional analysis. Uncoated paper was unsuited for DMS, with β-casein recovery at 64 ± 1 % and α-lactalbumin at 85 ± 2 % after storage of 14 days.

Pangenome and genome variation analyses of pigs unveil genomic facets for their adaptation and agronomic characteristics.

The development of a comprehensive pig graph pangenome assembly encompassing 27 genomes represents the most extensive collection of pig genomic data to date. Analysis of this pangenome reveals the critical role of structural variations in driving adaptation and defining breed-specific traits. Notably, the study identifies as a key candidate gene governing intramuscular fat deposition and meat quality in pigs.

Glyphosate binding and speciation at the water-goethite interface: A surface complexation model consistent with IR spectroscopy and MO/DFT.

Binding of glyphosate (PMG) to metal (hydr)oxides controls its availability and mobility in natural waters and soils, and these minerals are often suggested for the removal of PMG from wastewaters. However, a solid mechanistic and quantitative description of the adsorption behavior and surface speciation on these surfaces is still lacking, while it is essential for understanding PMG behavior in aquatic and terrestrial systems. This study gives new insights through advanced surface complexation modeling of new and previously published adsorption data, supplemented with MO/DFT calculations of the geometry, thermochemistry and theoretical infrared (IR) spectra of the surface complexes.

Past and present foodscapes of a traditional fermented milk, mabisi, in three Zambian regions.

Food serves not only as a source of individual physical sustenance but also a central element in shaping social relationships and culture within families and communities. The concept of foodscapes has emerged as a valuable framework for understanding the intricate connections between food, the environment, and society, highlighting both the physical and cultural dimensions of food. Production and consumption practices of traditional healthy foods, such as the Zambian traditional fermented milk mabisi, evolve over generations, a process influenced by the foodscape they are embedded in.

Evolutionary origins and functional diversification of Auxin Response Factors.

The Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) family of transcription factors are the central mediators of auxin-triggered transcriptional regulation. Functionally different classes of extant ARFs operate as antagonistic auxin-dependent and -independent regulators. While part of the evolutionary trajectory to the present auxin response functions has been reconstructed, it is unclear how ARFs emerged, and how early diversification led to functionally different proteins.

The known unknowns of the Hsp90 chaperone.

Molecular chaperones are vital proteins that maintain protein homeostasis by assisting in protein folding, activation, degradation, and stress protection. Among them, heat-shock protein 90 (Hsp90) stands out as an essential proteostasis hub in eukaryotes, chaperoning hundreds of 'clients' (substrates). After decades of research, several 'known unknowns' about the molecular function of Hsp90 remain unanswered, hampering rational drug design for the treatment of cancers, neurodegenerative, and other diseases.

Plant Species Richness and the Root Economics Space Drive Soil Fungal Communities.

Trait-based approaches have been increasingly used to relate plants to soil microbial communities. Using the recently described root economics space as an approach to explain the structure of soil-borne fungal communities, our study in a grassland diversity experiment reveals distinct root trait strategies at the plant community level. In addition to significant effects of plant species richness, we show that the collaboration and conservation gradient are strong drivers of the composition of the different guilds of soil fungi.

Temptation at every corner: exploring public perceptions of food cues and policy support for governmental food cue regulation in outdoor public spaces.

Background: Unhealthy visual food cues in outdoor public spaces are external drivers of unhealthy diets. Food cues are visible situations associated with food-related memories. This study aimed to gain insight into the (un)healthy food cues residents notice in outdoor public spaces in Dutch municipalities.

Assessing the impact of limited and extended oven heating exposure on the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of wheat-processed products with varying formulations.

This study aims to assess the effects of oven heating on the isotopic ratios of eight formulated wheat-processed products with different gluten-to-starch ratios. Two heating treatments were applied: limited heating in an oven with exposure to 100 °C for a specific time (cooking time-dependent) and extended heating in an oven with exposure to 100 °C, 180 °C and 260 °C for 6 min. Results showed limited heating exposure did not alter the δH and δO in the wheat-processed products.

Genome-wide association mapping in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) for genetic dissection of drought tolerance using DArTseq markers.

Understanding the genetic basis of drought tolerance in safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is essential for developing resilient varieties. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using DArTseq markers to identify marker-trait associations (MTAs) linked to drought tolerance across 90 globally diverse safflower genotypes.

A well-balanced vegan diet does not compromise daily mixed muscle protein synthesis rates when compared to an omnivorous diet in active older adults: a randomized controlled cross-over trial.

Background: Plant-based foods have reduced protein digestibility and frequently display unbalanced amino acid profiles. Plant-based foods are therefore considered inferior to animal-based foods in their anabolic potential. No study has assessed the anabolic potential of a vegan diet that provides a large variety of plant-based protein sources in older adults.